Chapter 7

How the Compositions of
Saints (Bhagats) were collected?

Sri Guru Granth Sahib contains the Compositions of 15 Saints, apart from the Gurus’ Compositions. In this context Kavi Santokh Singh wrote in ‘Sooraj Parkash’, that when Guru Arjan Dev had collected the Compositions of the four preceding Gurus for compilation in a book form, then the saints led by Sri Kabir Ji, came to the Guru in their subtle bodies. Guru Arjan Dev Ji inquired from them the purpose of their visit. Sri Kabir Ji then introduced the following Saints --

(1) Sri Beni Ji (2) Sri Namdev Ji (3) Sri Ravidas Ji (4) Sri Pipa
Ji (5) Sri Sadhna Ji (6) Sri Sain Ji (7) Sri Bhikhan Ji (8) Sri Dhanna
Ji (9) Sri Jaidev Ji (0) Sri Trilochan Ji (11) Sri Parmanand Ji (2) Sri
Rama Nand Ji (3) Shaikh Farid Ji (4) Sri Soor Dass Ji and (5) himself.

About the purpose of their visit there, Sri Kabir Ji said that since the Guru was in the process of compiling a book which would contain the Divine Knowledge in the easy spoken language of the people, it was their request to include some of their Compositions also in it. The same thing has been written in Gur BiIas of the Sixth Guru, Hargobind.

Opinion of Giani Gian Singh, author of “History of Guru Khalsa”

According to Giani Gian Singh there are two schools of thought relaling to the dictating of the Compositions of the Saints by Guru

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