Bhai Joga Ji



Here is another Sakhi, of Bhai Joga Singh jee... who out of his love for the Guru dedicated his entire life to Guru. In return, Guru always looked after him...

Joga as a young boy of maybe about 15 came to Guru Gobind Singh Mahaaraj’s darbar. He was so overcome on seeing Satguru ji and Guru Sahib asked “who are you?” He replied “I am Joga” Guru Sahib asked “tu kehda Joga” (who’s joga are you i.e. who are you worthy of?) Joga replied “Mein tera Joga Guru ji, Guru ji mein tere joga” i.e. I am yours/ I am worthy of you; Satguru ji replied, “tu mera Joga, Mein tere joga”. Guru ji asked Joga to stay with Him and become part of the Khalsa thus he became known as Bhai Joga Singh.

Love grew between Guru ji and Sikh and Bhai Joga Singh loved being with Guru Sahib.Several years passed and Bhai Joga Singh’s parents came to take him home, they thought he should now be married as he had come of age. They went to ask permission from Guru Sahib to take him back home and Guru ji gave the go ahead on the condition that Bhai Joga Singh was to return whenever he was asked, he would be called when he Khalsa needed him regardless of where he was and what he was doing he should come. They agreed to this and headed off back to his village.

So the wedding preparations began and sure enough the wedding day itself arrived.During the ceremony, only two of the lavaan had been completed when a messenger from Guru Sahib arrived and presented Bhai Joga Singh with a letter requesting that he return as he was needed by the Khalsa. His family pleaded with him that he stay and at least complete the lavaan as Guru Ji had gave him permission to leave to get married; Bhai Joga Singh was adamant that he would go back to Guru Sahib as nothing was more important than his Guru.

On the way back to Anandpur Sahib he thought to himself how cool he was, how no one else would leave their own marriage just like that, no sooner had he had this thought when he became enticed by a prostitute. He rode towards her house and contemplated the thought of entering. As he was the physical image of the Khalsa, of Guru ji, he thought he would bring great shame to Guru Sahib if he was seen entering the house. On tying to enter he came across a guard standing there so he paused and backed away, he tried four times to enter the building but could not get past the guard seeing him. He realised how weak he was being and rode back to Guru ji.

On entering the divaan he payed his respects to Guru Sahib and heard the sangat commenting on how tired Guru Ji looked. Guru ji asked Bhai Joga to explain where he was last night, as the incident unfolded Guru ji revealed that He Himslef was the guard, and that They were there to stop Bhai Joga Singh from entering and sinning.Bhai Joga Singh fell at Guru ji’s charan and begged for forgiveness. Guru Sahib reminded him of what he had said before, “'Guru Ji mein tere joga” (I am worthy only of You Guru ji). Guru Sahib said “because you belong to me - I belong to you Bhai Joga ji, I belong to you! Mein tere joga!”

Such are the ways of the Master. Once we put our complete faith in him, he does not abandon us.

The Guru confirms:

"So long as the Khalsa retains identity, I will bestow to them full glory; but the moment they adopt Brahmanical ways, I will not protect them."
(Guru Gobind Singh)

Source : SikhSangat.com

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Bhai Joga Singh did not leave after two Laavan were read. How can someone leave Haazar Naazar Satguru Sri Guru Granth Sahib jee?

Parchaariks have added "masala" to the Sakhi to make it more "interesting".

In reality Bhai Joga Singh was called by the Guru after he was married. His family didn't want him to leave because he was newly wed.

I urge the Sangat to use common sense, logic and rationality when reading Sakhis. Sadly a lot of history has been distorted by either Babas & Sants who want to make Sakhis more emotional (to win over the hearts of gullible men and women) or distorted by anti-Panthic elements.

Anonymous said...

"As long as the Khalsa remain distinct and intact, I shall bless them in every way; when they detract from the prescribed path, I detest them for ever." (Guru Gobind Singh)

So if you make a mistake Guru Ji will hate you i.e. DETEST!??????? How does this kind of teaching attract young Sikhs into Sikhi?

Detest = to hate someone or something very much.

Anonymous said...

"As long as the Khalsa remain distinct and intact, I shall bless them in every way; when they detract from the prescribed path, I detest them for ever." (Guru Gobind Singh)

So if you make a mistake Guru Ji will hate you i.e. DETEST!??????? How does this kind of teaching attract young Sikhs into Sikhi?

Detest = to hate someone or something very much.

Confused Khalsa said...

thanks so much for your comments, i agree that the translation is very incorrect. This is my own fault - i didnt properly read through the post before i posted it. i think the updated translation does the quote more justice.

I also agree that it does not make sense that Bhai Joga ji would leave Guru Granth Sahib Ji, this is a very valid point and im surprised that through the countless times i've heard this story I never picked up on it - your right ji, no common sense among the "Sikhs"!

please forgive me for any mistakes, and humble benti to correct anything that doesnt make sense.

Anonymous said...

Guru Granth Sahib was given Guru Gaddi by Dasam Patshah. At the time of Bhai Joga's Anand Karaj, Anand Karaj's process would be a bit different. Also, that was a time of hand written Pothi sahib which a very limited. I don't believe they could afford to bring pothi sahib in a village in peshawar just for marriage. To that I agree, these saakhis transferred as a word of mouth so, they can be a bit distorted (masala) ;)