Bhagat Ravidaas Jee

ਜਿਹ ਕੁਲ ਸਾਧੁ ਬੈਸਨੌ ਹੋਇ ॥
ਬਰਨ ਅਬਰਨ ਰੰਕੁ ਨਹੀ ਈਸੁਰੁ ਬਿਮਲ ਬਾਸੁ ਜਾਨੀਐ ਜਗਿ ਸੋਇ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
"That family, into which a holy person is born, whether of high or low social class, whether rich or poor, shall have its pure fragrance spread all over the world. ||1||Pause and reflect||"
(Ang 858)

30th January marks the birth day of Bhagat Ravidaas jee whose Baani (revelations) are included in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. Bhagat jee was born in a family of Chamaars (shoe-makers/one who works with leather), which were considered low in accordance to the ancient Indian caste-system philosophy. Despite facing abuse for being born in a so-called low-caste family and ridiculed by the higher-caste priests, Waheguru showed the world the glory and greatness of His Bhagats (devotees).

Below is a Shabad by Bhagat Ravidaas jee on ang 569 of Sri Guru Granth Sahib jee:

ਚਮਰਟਾ ਗਾਂਠਿ ਨ ਜਨਈ ॥ ਲੋਗੁ ਗਠਾਵੈ ਪਨਹੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Cẖamratā gāʼnṯẖ na janeī. Log gaṯẖāvai panhī. ||1|| rahāo.
I am a poor Chamaar (shoemaker), but I do not know how to mend (the) shoes (of the body). (But) people come to me to mend the shoes (of their bodies) (i.e. day and night, people are only interested in maintaining this physical body). ||1||Pause and reflect||

ਆਰ ਨਹੀ ਜਿਹ ਤੋਪਉ ॥ ਨਹੀ ਰਾਂਬੀ ਠਾਉ ਰੋਪਉ ॥੧॥
Ār nahī jih ṯopau. Nehī rāʼnbī ṯẖāo ropau. ||1||
I have no awl (a long tool for stitching) that I can stitch (the shoes) (meaning, inside of me I don't have the pull of attachment that my consciousness always remains attached to body); I have no knife to patch (the shoes) (meaning, inside of me I have no greed that everday I obtain good food to maintain my body). ||1||

ਲੋਗੁ ਗੰਠਿ ਗੰਠਿ ਖਰਾ ਬਿਗੂਚਾ ॥ ਹਉ ਬਿਨੁ ਗਾਂਠੇ ਜਾਇ ਪਹੂਚਾ ॥੨॥
Log ganṯẖ ganṯẖ kẖarā bigūcẖā. Hau bin gāʼnṯẖe jāe pahūcẖā. ||2||
Mending, mending, the world is wasting their lives and ruining themselves (meaning, people who night and day are engaged in caring for their physical body are suffering unhappiness). Without wasting my time mending (meaning, letting go of constantly pampering this physical body) I have gone and found Waheguru. ||2||

ਰਵਿਦਾਸੁ ਜਪੈ ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮਾ ॥ ਮੋਹਿ ਜਮ ਸਿਉ ਨਾਹੀ ਕਾਮਾ ॥੩॥੭॥
Raviḏās japai rām nāmā. Mohi jam sio nāhī kāmā. ||3||7||
Ravidaas now chants Waheguru's Name; (leaving attachment for this physical body) he is not concerned with the Messenger of Death. ||3||7||

Discussion on the Shabad by Professor Sahib Singh (taken from 'Guru Granth Darpan' and translated into English):

Bhagat Ravidaas jee was a resident of the city of Banaaras, which was the centre for the priestly scholars of the Hindu faith. Under the authority of the Brahmins (Hindu priests), idol-worship was stressed there. Something very strange began to happen in Banaraas. On one hand the scholars from the rich high-caste families went and prayed to idols in the Mandirs, and on the other hand the very poor and so-called low-caste Bhagat Ravidaas jee was preaching the worship (simran) of the One God.

It was normal for the Brahmins to remind Bhagat Ravidaas jee, the Chamaar (shoe-maker/leather worker), that he was low-caste and ridicule him. Everyday this was a common thing to happen. In the above Shabad, Bhagat Ravidaas jee replies to the ridicules of the people by saying that I am a Chamaar (shoe-maker) by caste, but people belonging to high-status families have also made themselves Chamaars (shoe-makers).

Imagine this body to be a shoe! The poor human time and again tries to mend his or her shoe so that it can last for longer. This way, people are entangled in attachment of this world (whether they belong to any status background) and are engaged in mending this body day and night, and in doing so they forget Waheguru and ruin themselves. Just as a Chamaar (shoe-maker) mends shoes, worldly-engrossed people are always mending and patching through always wearing good clothes, always eating good food, and through medical treatment etc. So, the whole world are living like Chamaars (shoe-makers), but Bhagat Ravidaas jee says that he has conquered attachment to this physical body and instead made Waheguru's Simran his main way of life and therefore he has no need to fear the messengers of death.

ਪੰਡਿਤ ਸੂਰ ਛਤ੍ਰਪਤਿ ਰਾਜਾ ਭਗਤ ਬਰਾਬਰਿ ਅਉਰੁ ਨ ਕੋਇ ॥
ਜੈਸੇ ਪੁਰੈਨ ਪਾਤ ਰਹੈ ਜਲ ਸਮੀਪ ਭਨਿ ਰਵਿਦਾਸ ਜਨਮੇ ਜਗਿ ਓਇ ॥੩॥੨॥
"Among the religious scholars, warriors and kings, there is no other equal to Waheguru's devotee. As the leaves of the water lily float free in the water, says Ravi Daas, so is their life in the world."
(Ang 858)

Dhan Dhan Bhagat Ravidaas Jee