# Bhagat Dhanna Ji



## kiram (Sep 17, 2008)

Bhagat Dhanna ji was a simple Indian farmer. He worked hard on his farm all day tending his crops. He used to go past the house of this Clever Pundit everyday on the way to his work on the farm. Bhagat Dhanna Ji used to listen to the Pundit singing religious verses and carry out various ritualistic acts, which were beyond the understanding of this simple Jatt. He found these acts intriguing but never asked the religious man about any of the things that he had observed in the many years that he had gone past the Pundit’s house. 


One day, Bhagat Dhanna ji was passing the pundit's house and noticed that the religious man was feeding his Thakur - a stone idol. Bhagat Dhanna ji was quite puzzled by what he was observing. On this occasion as he had some free time, he went and asked the Pundit. Dhanna Ji asked "Pundit Ji, What are you doing?" 
The Pundit was very hungry and wanted to get this feeding over as soon as possible and really wasn't in a mood for Bhagat Dhanna ji's simple inquiries. He replied, "Oh, nothing, I just feeding my Thakur. Now if you will excuse me..." 
Bhai Dhanna ji found that incredibly funny, "What is the use of feeding a stone?"  


Pundit, "That is not a stone, it is God. It’s Thakur!"  


Dhanna, "Really? What happens if you feed the Stone.... I mean, what happens when you feed the Thakur?”  


Pundit: "The Thakur gives you everything!! If you can please God, you will get everything. Now, I really must ask you to leave...I have a lot to do" 
Bhagat Dhanna ji liked this idea of giving a little food to this small God and getting back everything. So Bhagat Dhanna ji asked the pundit if he could also have a Thakur. 
At this time, the pundit's stomach was audibly complaining about lack of food. So he hastily picked up the nearest stone off the ground and said, "Here. First feed Thakur, then you eat. Understood! Goodbye." Saying that the pundit dived into the food left over by Thakur. “Lovely I really could not have waited any longer!” 


Bhagat Dhanna ji held the stone closely to his chest and hurried home. As soon as Bhagat Dhanna ji got home, he first carefully and loving washed the stone. Having bathed the Thakur, Dhanna ji then cooked the best meal he knew - Saag and Makkee di Roti - for dinner. He placed it in front of Thakur and said, "Here Thakur ji, please eat this food, I have made it lovingly for you. Afterwards, I want to discuss many things with you. I need a new cow for example, and a few other simple request - but for now, please eat." 


Saying that Bhagat Dhanna ji sat in front of Thakur and waited. And waited. And waited. After a while, Bhagat Dhanna ji said, "Look Thakur, I really have no time for your play. Come and eat at once! I have many things to do." 
After several hours, Bhagat Dhanna ji thought perhaps Thakur ji was annoyed at him – May be he has done something wrong. So Bhagat Dhanna ji tried to persuade Thakur ji to forgive him: "Look here Thakur, I haven't eaten in a while. Now it is entirely possible that I have done something to annoy you but believe you me, we can discuss this much better after this Saag and Makkee dee Roti is in our stomachs." Still nothing happened. Slowly the night deepened. It was now pitch dark outside and the Thakur was showing no signs of eating the delicious food. 


Bhagat Dhanna ji was now getting angry and said, "Look Thakur, I have one nerve left and you are dancing on it. Either eat your food or I will....", Bhagat Dhanna ji couldn't really think of anything else to say so he bust out in anger. Still nothing happened! The angry outburst had no effect on the Thakur. 
Pretty soon, Bhagat ji could see light skies in the East and soon it was going to became daylight. Bhagat Dhanna ji felt quite disoriented and confused. Sometimes Bhagat Dhanna ji would curse the Thakur, sometimes Bhagat Dhanna ji would hug the Thakur and sometimes Bhagat Dhanna ji would start crying. 


Two long and hungry nights and days passed in this manner. Dhanna ji tried every way to convince the Thakur to take the food. He tried with all the tricks that he knew, with all the love that he could muster, with all the pleadings that he knew, with all the anger – But nothing appeared to work. Dhanna Ji was a stubborn farmer but he was failing miserably here. However, his conviction had not faltered. He kept working on his begging and pleadings. 


Then at amrit vela (early dawn) on the third day, when Dhanna ji was too weak to curse any more, Waheguru decided to intervene. To stop Dhanna from going mad, Waheguru appeared inside the stone. It was the most beautiful body of a young man. Dhanna ji lost all his anger and just stared at the young man. 
Waheguru stepped out of the stone and said, "Dhanna ji, Sorry, I am late…” Dhanna ji interrupted and said, “I will warm up the food. Thakur Ji you must eat the food – You must also be very hungry” Dhanna Ji feeds Waheguru and eats food himself after staying hungry for over 2 days. 



After, eating the food, Dhanna Ji say to Waheguru, “As I said to you two days ago, I have a few things to discuss with you. First there is the work ob the farm and then….” 

Bhagat Dhanna ji fell head over heels in love with Waheguru. He couldn't resist being with Waheguru. They spent the next few days literally arm in arm. Even at night, Bhai Dhanna ji would hold Waheguru 's hand and listen to Waheguru songs - Waheguru sang a lot - and would drift off to sleep. A week later, the Pundit was passing Bhagat Dhanna ji's hut. Bhagat Dhanna ji saw him and ran to him and said, "Oh, Pundit ji, you are the most wonderful man. I can never thank you enough for giving me that marvellous Thakur..." 
Pundit, "What you on about???  OK, Oh, yeah, sure, anytime.  Look, I am in a hurry. I am going to the big Pundit conference ..." 
Bhagat Dhanna ji:  "But please come and drink some lassi (Milk Shake).  Thakur ji makes the best lassi." 
Pundit:  "What now?  What are you saying? Thakur makes something?"  
Bhagat Dhanna ji:  "Oh yes! It’s the best in the world.  Just look at him, how handsome he is!"  
Pundit ji looked and indeed he could see that someone was pushing the cows on the farm.  And yet there was nobody to be seen. 
Pundit ji: "Who is controlling the cows. Who is that?"  
Bhagat Dhanna ji: "Why, that is Thakur ji, of course. Can’t you recognise him. Oh, you should hear him sing...It’s out of this world!" 
Pundit ji was quite intrigued by now. And kept repeatedly asking Bhagat Dhanna ji about Thakur. After a while Bhagat Dhanna ji realized that Pundit could not see Thakur ji. Dhanna ji promised that he would talk to Thakur about this. 
The Pundit left.  Bhagat ji went to Waheguru and said, "Thakur ji, how come Pundit ji can't see you?"  
Waheguru: "The Pundit really doesn't want to see me. He is more interested in my maid – Maya and he is captivated in it's entanglements. He has no real interest in me - only in my creation" 
Dhanna ji:  "But I don't understand.  Why can I see you and others cannot? How can one begin to see you?"  
Waheguru:  "One has to become pure.  And in this age, Dhanna ji, the only way to become pure is by reciting Naam."  
Dhanna ji:  "Naam?"  
Waheguru: "Naam is the magic of this age.  Even a few minutes of Naam Simran will bring the magic that is needed to see me."  
Dhanna ji:  "But, I haven't recited Naam.  How come I can see you?"  


Waheguru, at that point, touched Bhagat Dhanna ji's forehead. Bhagat Dhanna ji's surat went inside. Inside he saw that he, Bhagat Dhanna ji, had done heavy tapas-aya for over many lifetimes. He had stood in water all night and in the hot sun all day. He had hung upside down for several lifetimes. He had been a celibate in one lifetime and a moni (ones who don't talk) in another. But he had progressed spiritually very little. 
Then in his previous life, he had met an adept Guru who had given him Naam. And by doing Naam Simran for just one lifetime, Bhagat Dhanna ji had become pure. Seeing Waheguru ji was the reward for his Naam from previous life. 


Bhagat Dhanna ji fell at Waheguru ji's feet and cried.  Saying, "Please forgive this fool, I treated you as an equal..." 



Waheguru ji picked him and held him close, singing songs of comfort, "Bhai Dhanna ji, now the time is right to leave. The way you see me now is the superficial way of meeting me. The real way is inside. Now you must start Naam Simran again and then I will meet you inside." 



Saying that Waheguru ji vanished into thin air. Bhagat Dhanna ji was enlightened now. He restarted his Naam Simran with each breath. Within days, Bhagat Dhanna ji had parkash (sighting) of Waheguru ji within his mind and through this enlightenment; we today have the benefit of Dhanna Ji's Bani in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib. 
When we bow to Sri Guru Granth Sahib, we are not just acknowledging the advice and lives of our ten Gurus but also the lives and Bani of 15 Sikh Bhagats.

Source : www.sikhiwiki.org


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## Hardas Singh (Sep 17, 2008)

That was a great story, but there's something that deeply disturbs me about that story. I thought that our Gurus taught us that God is the formless one. I thought we rejected the idea of incarnation held so dear in Hinduism and Christianity.

Guru Arjan says: "Man misdirected by false belief indulges in falsehood; God is free from birth and death. . . May that mouth be scorched which says that God is incarnated" (GG, 1136).

God is One, and He is both nirguna and sarguna. "Nirguna sargunu hari hari mera, (God, my God is both with and without attributes)," sang Guru Arjan (GG, 98). Guru Amar Das also had said, "Nirguna sarguna ape soi (He Himself is with as well as without attributes) " (GG, 128).

"'God is beyond colour and form, yet His/Her presence is clearly visible"' (GG, 74)

Could someone please explain this, thank you.


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## pk70 (Sep 17, 2008)

Satyadhi said:


> That was a great story, but there's something that deeply disturbs me about that story. I thought that our Gurus taught us that God is the formless one. I thought we rejected the idea of incarnation held so dear in Hinduism and Christianity.
> 
> Guru Arjan says: "Man misdirected by false belief indulges in falsehood; God is free from birth and death. . . May that mouth be scorched which says that God is incarnated" (GG, 1136).
> 
> ...


*satyadhi ji*
*I agree with you, there are stories floating around which are based on pure imagination. They describe these stories as if they were there watching that episode of Lord meeting. To understand Bhagat Dhanna ji, read what Guru ji shares with us about Bhagat Dhanna and his inspiration ( SGGS488).*
*ਮਹਲਾ ੫ **॥ **ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਸੰਗਿ ਨਾਮਦੇਉ ਮਨੁ ਲੀਣਾ **॥ **ਆਢ ਦਾਮ ਕੋ ਛੀਪਰੋ ਹੋਇਓ ਲਾਖੀਣਾ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ **॥ *
*Mėhlā 5. **Gobinḏ gobinḏ gobinḏ sang nāmḏe▫o man līṇā. **Ādẖ ḏām ko cẖẖīpro ho▫i▫o lākẖīṇā. ||1|| rahā▫o. *
*5th Guru. **In the Lord the Lord the Lord of the world was **Nam** Dev's soul absorbed. **A calico-printer, worth half a shell became worth-lakhs. Pause. *
*ਬੁਨਨਾ ਤਨਨਾ ਤਿਆਗਿ ਕੈ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ਚਰਨ ਕਬੀਰਾ **॥ **ਨੀਚ ਕੁਲਾ ਜੋਲਾਹਰਾ ਭਇਓ ਗੁਨੀਯ ਗਹੀਰਾ **॥**੧**॥ *
*Bunnā ṯannā ṯi▫āg kai parīṯ cẖaran kabīrā. **Nīcẖ kulā jolāharā bẖa▫i▫o gunīy gahīrā. ||1|| *
*Abandoning weaving and stretching thread Kabir enshrined love for Lord's feet. **A weaver of low family, he became an ocean of excellences. 
*
*ਰਵਿਦਾਸੁ ਢੁਵੰਤਾ ਢੋਰ ਨੀਤਿ ਤਿਨਿ ਤਿਆਗੀ ਮਾਇਆ **॥ **ਪਰਗਟੁ ਹੋਆ ਸਾਧਸੰਗਿ ਹਰਿ ਦਰਸਨੁ ਪਾਇਆ **॥**੨**॥ *
*Raviḏās dẖuvanṯā dẖor nīṯ ṯin ṯi▫āgī mā▫i▫ā. **Pargat ho▫ā sāḏẖsang har ḏarsan pā▫i▫ā. ||2|| *
*Ravidas who daily used to carry dead cattle, he abandoned the worldly affairs. **He became renowned in the company of saints and obtained a sight of God. *
*ਸੈਨੁ ਨਾਈ ਬੁਤਕਾਰੀਆ ਓਹੁ ਘਰਿ ਘਰਿ ਸੁਨਿਆ **॥ **ਹਿਰਦੇ ਵਸਿਆ ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਭਗਤਾ ਮਹਿ ਗਨਿਆ **॥**੩**॥ *
*Sain nā▫ī buṯkārī▫ā oh gẖar gẖar suni▫ā. **Hirḏe vasi▫ā pārbarahm bẖagṯā mėh gani▫ā. ||3|| *
*Sain barber, the village drudge, became known in every house. **The supreme Lord dwelt in his mind and he was counted among the saints. *
*ਇਹ ਬਿਧਿ ਸੁਨਿ ਕੈ ਜਾਟਰੋ ਉਠਿ ਭਗਤੀ ਲਾਗਾ **॥ 
**Ih biḏẖ sun kai jātro uṯẖ bẖagṯī lāgā. 
**Hearing this, Dhanna the Jaat applied himself to devotional worship. 

**ਮਿਲੇ ਪ੍ਰਤਖਿ ਗੁਸਾਈਆ ਧੰਨਾ ਵਡਭਾਗਾ **॥**੪**॥**੨**॥ 
**Mile parṯakẖ gusā▫ī▫ā ḏẖannā vadbẖāgā. ||4||2|| 
**The Lord of the Universe met him personally; Dhanna was so very blessed. ||4||2|| *


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## kiram (Sep 17, 2008)

Gurfateh Satyadhi ji & pk70 ji,

I found the saakhi on sikhiwiki.org & thought of sharing it here.. i agree that Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji's baani clearly says that Akaal Purakh has no form ji... as you both have quoted ji...

The very blessed ones or those who had pure love for Guru Sahib ji, like Bhagat Dhanna ji here, even had paarthak darshan ji... What the saakhi says is that Bhagat Dhanna Ji's love for the Lord, the Akaal Purakh was so pure that Guru Sahib gave him darshan & when he saw Him... he was in absolute bliss... 

The saakhi says one thing very beautifully "Jin Prem Keeyo Tin Hee Prabh Paayo............................"

Bhul chuk mauf ji


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