Bhagat Sadhna ji is one of the fifteen saints and süfis whose hymns are incorporated in the Guru Granth Sahib jeeo. He was born in 1180 AD at village Sehwan in Hyderabad Sindh province.
He was a butcher by profession who, by his piety and devotion, had gained spiritual eminence. He was cremated at Sirhind, in the Punjab, where even today a tomb stands in his memory. He is considered to be a contemporary of Bhagat Namdev ji, another medieval saint.
His ancestors were butchers by profession. He also took up the family profession of slaughtering goats and selling meat. Sadhus (holy people) and beggars passing-by would sit outside his shop for a rest under the large tree.
Collisions Due to Profession
Many vegetarian saints would tell him, "Sadhna, your profession of slaughtering and selling meat is not good. You shall have to repay by taking birth as a goat many times over."
Sadhna used to reply, "My ancestors have been following this profession for generation and so I have had to take it up as well. The Lord who has brought me into this world has given me this profession by sending me as a son in this family who have for many generations prectised this trade. Which profession is good or which is bad, I don't know. Only the One who gives us life knows better about it."
One day a mendicant(faqir or holy-man) came to him. He saw Sadhna weighing meat against a black-stone as weight and said, "0' Sadhna, you weigh meat with this Saligram (holy black-stone), symbol of Shiva, instead of worshipping it. This is bad."
Sadhna replied "This black-stone is my weight."
The mendicant said, "A butcher should not touch this Saligram. Give it to me. I shall worship it."
Sadhna gave that stone to the mendicant without any hesitation. The mendicant took that stone and went his way. On his way a thought came to his mind, "Before starting his everyday work, Sadhna used to bathe this Saligram with all his devotion, burn incense before it and paid obeisance to it. I am taking it away from a true devotee. This Saligram will never be pleased with my hypocritical worship."
At this thought, the mendicant came back, returned the stone to Sadhna and said, "One day, the real Saligram will reveal to a true devotee like you."
After the departure of the mendicant, the longing for a glimpse of the Lord took root in Sadhna's mind. Whenever, he was free, he would start singing holy praises to the Lord:
ਬਾਣੀ ਸਧਨੇ ਕੀ ਰਾਗੁ ਬਿਲਾਵਲੁ
बाणी सधने की रागु बिलावलु
Banī sadhnė kī rāg bilāval
The Word Of Sadhana, Raag Bilaaval:
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
ੴ सतिगुर प्रसादि ॥
Ikoaʼnkār satgur parsād.
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
ਨ੍ਰਿਪ ਕੰਨਿਆ ਕੇ ਕਾਰਨੈ ਇਕੁ ਭਇਆ ਭੇਖਧਾਰੀ ॥
न्रिप कंनिआ के कारनै इकु भइआ भेखधारी ॥
Nrip kanniā kė kārnai ik bhaiā bhėkhdhārī.
For a king's daughter, a man disguised himself as Vishnu.
ਕਾਮਾਰਥੀ ਸੁਆਰਥੀ ਵਾ ਕੀ ਪੈਜ ਸਵਾਰੀ ॥੧॥
कामारथी सुआरथी वा की पैज सवारी ॥१॥
Kāmārathī suārthī vā kī paij savārī. ||1||
He did it for sexual exploitation, and for selfish motives, but the Lord protected his honor. ||1||
ਤਵ ਗੁਨ ਕਹਾ ਜਗਤ ਗੁਰਾ ਜਉ ਕਰਮੁ ਨ ਨਾਸੈ ॥
तव गुन कहा जगत गुरा जउ करमु न नासै ॥
Ŧav gun kahā jagat gurā jao karam na nāsai.
What is Your value, O Guru of the world, if You will not erase the karma of my past actions?
ਸਿੰਘ ਸਰਨ ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਜੰਬੁਕੁ ਗ੍ਰਾਸੈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
सिंघ सरन कत जाईऐ जउ ज्मबुकु ग्रासै ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
Singh saran kat jāīai jao jaʼnbuk garāsai. ||1|| rahāo.
Why seek safety from a lion, if one is to be eaten by a jackal? ||1||Pause||
ਏਕ ਬੂੰਦ ਜਲ ਕਾਰਨੇ ਚਾਤ੍ਰਿਕੁ ਦੁਖੁ ਪਾਵੈ ॥
एक बूंद जल कारने चात्रिकु दुखु पावै ॥
Ėk būnd jal kārnė chātrik dukh pāvai.
For the sake of a single rain-drop, the rainbird suffers in pain.
ਪ੍ਰਾਨ ਗਏ ਸਾਗਰੁ ਮਿਲੈ ਫੁਨਿ ਕਾਮਿ ਨ ਆਵੈ ॥੨॥
प्रान गए सागरु मिलै फुनि कामि न आवै ॥२॥
Parān gaė sāgar milai fun kām na āvai. ||2||
When its breath of life is gone, even an ocean is of no use to it. ||2||
ਪ੍ਰਾਨ ਜੁ ਥਾਕੇ ਥਿਰੁ ਨਹੀ ਕੈਸੇ ਬਿਰਮਾਵਉ ॥
प्रान जु थाके थिरु नही कैसे बिरमावउ ॥
Parān jo thākė thir nahī kaisė birmāvao.
Now, my life has grown weary, and I shall not last much longer; how can I be patient?
ਬੂਡਿ ਮੂਏ ਨਉਕਾ ਮਿਲੈ ਕਹੁ ਕਾਹਿ ਚਢਾਵਉ ॥੩॥
बूडि मूए नउका मिलै कहु काहि चढावउ ॥३॥
Būd mūė naukā milai kaho kāhi chadhāvao. ||3||
If I drown and die, and then a boat comes along, tell me, how shall I climb aboard? ||3||
ਮੈ ਨਾਹੀ ਕਛੁ ਹਉ ਨਹੀ ਕਿਛੁ ਆਹਿ ਨ ਮੋਰਾ ॥
मै नाही कछु हउ नही किछु आहि न मोरा ॥
Mai nāhī kachh hao nahī kichh āhi na morā.
I am nothing, I have nothing, and nothing belongs to me.
ਅਉਸਰ ਲਜਾ ਰਾਖਿ ਲੇਹੁ ਸਧਨਾ ਜਨੁ ਤੋਰਾ ॥੪॥੧॥
अउसर लजा राखि लेहु सधना जनु तोरा ॥४॥१॥
Aosar lajā rākh lėho sadhnā jan torā. ||4||1||
Now, protect my honor; Sadhana is Your humble servant. ||4||1||
Some brief about the SHABAD.
The beginning of this shabad is talking about the son of a poor man who heard that a king's daughter wanted to marry Vishnu. This young man then dressed up to look like the God Vishnu. The princess on seeing this youngman fell in love with him.
As time went on, her father's kingdom was attacked by another king, who had an ever larger army and kingdom. When the princess saw the forces of the other king, approaching her father's kingdom she told everyone that she had Vishnu with her and that he would save all the people in her father's kingodom.
The poor man's son who was dressed up as Vishnu, heard what the princess was saying. He got very worried and scared. What could he do, he wasn't the lord vishnu and possessed no power to defend himself let alone a whole kingdom. As a consquence of this, the boy fell to the ground crying and begged the Lord Vishnu to save him and everyone in the kingdom.
The boy prayed with so much devotion and faith and love, that Vishnu listened to his prayers and helped the army of the girl's father defeat the much larger army of the invading king. Vishnu as a result saved all the people of the kingdom, including the boy who begged for his mercy.
This Shahbad is a conversation that Bhagat Sadhna Ji is having with Waheguru about his present situation.
In the first two lines of this shabad, Bhagat Sadhna Ji is narrating the story above to Waheguru. He is asking Waheguru why he hasn't come to save him when he came and saved the poor man's son.
Change in Sadhna ji's life
One evening, a customer came and asked Sadhna, "Weigh for me a leg of mutton."
Sadhna said, "There is no meat left now. Please come tomorrow and take it."
The customer said, "I need the meat badly now. I have very important guests and nothing to cook for them. Please you must help me out. I am a loyal, regular and old customer of your family's business. You may charge double the price for it."
Sadhna said, "If I slaughter a goat now, it will rot by tomorrow."
The man said, "You have no need to slaughter a goat. Just cut one leg and give it to me."
Pressed by the customer, Sadhna went near the goat with a hatchet. As he approached the goat, he felt as if the goat was laughing. This shocked Sadhna.
Then the goat said: "O' Sadhna, in your worldly greed, today you are going to open a new account of pain and misery. We have been going through many thousands of cycles of births and deaths; but never before has any of us cut a limb off while the other was still alive. You are beginning a new level of cruelty!"
At this point, the hatchet fell out of Sadhna's hand and he turned to the customer to tell him of his helplessness. But there was no one there. He did not find any customer there. A thought came to Sadhna's mind, "It was the Lord Himself Who had come to reveal Himself to his devotee in the form of a customer."
With dedication and devotion, Bhagat Sadhna obtained salvation -
ਨਾਮਦੇਵ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਤਿਲੋਚਨੁ ਸਧਨਾ ਸੈਨੁ ਤਰੈ ॥
नामदेव कबीरु तिलोचनु सधना सैनु तरै ॥
Nāmdėv Kabīr Tilochan sadhnā sain tarai.
Naam Dayv, Kabeer, Trilochan, Sadhana and Sain crossed over.
ਕਹਿ ਰਵਿਦਾਸੁ ਸੁਨਹੁ ਰੇ ਸੰਤਹੁ ਹਰਿ ਜੀਉ ਤੇ ਸਭੈ ਸਰੈ ॥੨॥੧॥
कहि रविदासु सुनहु रे संतहु हरि जीउ ते सभै सरै ॥२॥१॥
Kahi Ravidās sunhu rė santahu har jīo tė sabhai sarai. ||2||1||
Says Ravi Daas, listen, O Saints, through the Dear Lord, all is accomplished. ||2||1||
His spiritual quest led him to renounce the life of a householder. He left Sehvan and roamed about the country preaching the love of God. His solitary hymn preserved in the Guru Granth Sahib jeeo, which keeps his memory alive.
Bhagat Sadhna ji & a lady
Bhagat Sadhna became wrapped up in the love of God, abandoned everything he possessed, and bent his steps towards the forest to enjoy the uninterrupted Worship of God.
On the way he saw some of his relations at a distance. He concealed himself and avoided them by taking another route in case any of them should put pressure on him to return.
On arriving in the evening at a village, he went into the house of a married man and asked for something to eat. The lady of the house on seeing Bhagat Sadhna Ji young and handsome fell in love with him. She prepared exquisite food for his repast and induced him to stay. At night she proposed to elope with him.
Bhagat Sadhna Ji spurned her, and said he would not do such a thing even though she were to cut his throat for refusing. Understanding by this that, if her husband's throat were cut, Bhagat Sadhna Ji would be ready to accede to her wishes, she forthwith went and killed her husband.
On returning to Bhagat Sadhna Ji she told him what she had done, and repeated her immoral proposal. Bhagat Sadhna Ji replied, 'O unworthy woman, you have lost your reason; how can I agree to what you propose?' In her despair she raised loud cries and invented a false accusation against him:
'I believed this person to be a holy man, and accordingly entertained him. He has now killed my husband, and made improper overtures to me.' Bhagat Sadhna Ji was arrested and taken before a magistrate. When asked what he had to say, he, with the meekness and unwillingness to throw blame on others, pleaded guilty to the charge.
He thought to himself, 'Since God has placed me in this position, no one will accept my denial.'
Even though You, O God, consign me to hell, I shall not dispute it or turn away from it.
Even though You bestow heaven on me, I shall not rejoice or praise it.
If You reject me, I cannot constrain You; if You accept me, I shall not be puffed up with excessive joy.
He by whom You stand shoulder to shoulder is dyed with You.
Let him whom You order cheerfully burn his body.
My mind desires not death, yet You may, if it please You, put me in the fire.
What the Beloved desires ought to be the heart's desire also.
The judge sentenced Bhagat Sadhna Ji to have his hands cut off. The punishment was duly carried out, and Bhagat Sadhna Ji was then discharged. He set out without a frown on his forehead notwithstanding his barbarous mutilation.
Bhagat Sadhna Ji's devotions proved so successful that it is said, akaal purakh blessed him with new hands which sprouted from his body.
He was a butcher by profession who, by his piety and devotion, had gained spiritual eminence. He was cremated at Sirhind, in the Punjab, where even today a tomb stands in his memory. He is considered to be a contemporary of Bhagat Namdev ji, another medieval saint.
His ancestors were butchers by profession. He also took up the family profession of slaughtering goats and selling meat. Sadhus (holy people) and beggars passing-by would sit outside his shop for a rest under the large tree.
Collisions Due to Profession
Many vegetarian saints would tell him, "Sadhna, your profession of slaughtering and selling meat is not good. You shall have to repay by taking birth as a goat many times over."
Sadhna used to reply, "My ancestors have been following this profession for generation and so I have had to take it up as well. The Lord who has brought me into this world has given me this profession by sending me as a son in this family who have for many generations prectised this trade. Which profession is good or which is bad, I don't know. Only the One who gives us life knows better about it."
One day a mendicant(faqir or holy-man) came to him. He saw Sadhna weighing meat against a black-stone as weight and said, "0' Sadhna, you weigh meat with this Saligram (holy black-stone), symbol of Shiva, instead of worshipping it. This is bad."
Sadhna replied "This black-stone is my weight."
The mendicant said, "A butcher should not touch this Saligram. Give it to me. I shall worship it."
Sadhna gave that stone to the mendicant without any hesitation. The mendicant took that stone and went his way. On his way a thought came to his mind, "Before starting his everyday work, Sadhna used to bathe this Saligram with all his devotion, burn incense before it and paid obeisance to it. I am taking it away from a true devotee. This Saligram will never be pleased with my hypocritical worship."
At this thought, the mendicant came back, returned the stone to Sadhna and said, "One day, the real Saligram will reveal to a true devotee like you."
After the departure of the mendicant, the longing for a glimpse of the Lord took root in Sadhna's mind. Whenever, he was free, he would start singing holy praises to the Lord:
ਬਾਣੀ ਸਧਨੇ ਕੀ ਰਾਗੁ ਬਿਲਾਵਲੁ
बाणी सधने की रागु बिलावलु
Banī sadhnė kī rāg bilāval
The Word Of Sadhana, Raag Bilaaval:
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
ੴ सतिगुर प्रसादि ॥
Ikoaʼnkār satgur parsād.
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
ਨ੍ਰਿਪ ਕੰਨਿਆ ਕੇ ਕਾਰਨੈ ਇਕੁ ਭਇਆ ਭੇਖਧਾਰੀ ॥
न्रिप कंनिआ के कारनै इकु भइआ भेखधारी ॥
Nrip kanniā kė kārnai ik bhaiā bhėkhdhārī.
For a king's daughter, a man disguised himself as Vishnu.
ਕਾਮਾਰਥੀ ਸੁਆਰਥੀ ਵਾ ਕੀ ਪੈਜ ਸਵਾਰੀ ॥੧॥
कामारथी सुआरथी वा की पैज सवारी ॥१॥
Kāmārathī suārthī vā kī paij savārī. ||1||
He did it for sexual exploitation, and for selfish motives, but the Lord protected his honor. ||1||
ਤਵ ਗੁਨ ਕਹਾ ਜਗਤ ਗੁਰਾ ਜਉ ਕਰਮੁ ਨ ਨਾਸੈ ॥
तव गुन कहा जगत गुरा जउ करमु न नासै ॥
Ŧav gun kahā jagat gurā jao karam na nāsai.
What is Your value, O Guru of the world, if You will not erase the karma of my past actions?
ਸਿੰਘ ਸਰਨ ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਜੰਬੁਕੁ ਗ੍ਰਾਸੈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
सिंघ सरन कत जाईऐ जउ ज्मबुकु ग्रासै ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
Singh saran kat jāīai jao jaʼnbuk garāsai. ||1|| rahāo.
Why seek safety from a lion, if one is to be eaten by a jackal? ||1||Pause||
ਏਕ ਬੂੰਦ ਜਲ ਕਾਰਨੇ ਚਾਤ੍ਰਿਕੁ ਦੁਖੁ ਪਾਵੈ ॥
एक बूंद जल कारने चात्रिकु दुखु पावै ॥
Ėk būnd jal kārnė chātrik dukh pāvai.
For the sake of a single rain-drop, the rainbird suffers in pain.
ਪ੍ਰਾਨ ਗਏ ਸਾਗਰੁ ਮਿਲੈ ਫੁਨਿ ਕਾਮਿ ਨ ਆਵੈ ॥੨॥
प्रान गए सागरु मिलै फुनि कामि न आवै ॥२॥
Parān gaė sāgar milai fun kām na āvai. ||2||
When its breath of life is gone, even an ocean is of no use to it. ||2||
ਪ੍ਰਾਨ ਜੁ ਥਾਕੇ ਥਿਰੁ ਨਹੀ ਕੈਸੇ ਬਿਰਮਾਵਉ ॥
प्रान जु थाके थिरु नही कैसे बिरमावउ ॥
Parān jo thākė thir nahī kaisė birmāvao.
Now, my life has grown weary, and I shall not last much longer; how can I be patient?
ਬੂਡਿ ਮੂਏ ਨਉਕਾ ਮਿਲੈ ਕਹੁ ਕਾਹਿ ਚਢਾਵਉ ॥੩॥
बूडि मूए नउका मिलै कहु काहि चढावउ ॥३॥
Būd mūė naukā milai kaho kāhi chadhāvao. ||3||
If I drown and die, and then a boat comes along, tell me, how shall I climb aboard? ||3||
ਮੈ ਨਾਹੀ ਕਛੁ ਹਉ ਨਹੀ ਕਿਛੁ ਆਹਿ ਨ ਮੋਰਾ ॥
मै नाही कछु हउ नही किछु आहि न मोरा ॥
Mai nāhī kachh hao nahī kichh āhi na morā.
I am nothing, I have nothing, and nothing belongs to me.
ਅਉਸਰ ਲਜਾ ਰਾਖਿ ਲੇਹੁ ਸਧਨਾ ਜਨੁ ਤੋਰਾ ॥੪॥੧॥
अउसर लजा राखि लेहु सधना जनु तोरा ॥४॥१॥
Aosar lajā rākh lėho sadhnā jan torā. ||4||1||
Now, protect my honor; Sadhana is Your humble servant. ||4||1||
Some brief about the SHABAD.
The beginning of this shabad is talking about the son of a poor man who heard that a king's daughter wanted to marry Vishnu. This young man then dressed up to look like the God Vishnu. The princess on seeing this youngman fell in love with him.
As time went on, her father's kingdom was attacked by another king, who had an ever larger army and kingdom. When the princess saw the forces of the other king, approaching her father's kingdom she told everyone that she had Vishnu with her and that he would save all the people in her father's kingodom.
The poor man's son who was dressed up as Vishnu, heard what the princess was saying. He got very worried and scared. What could he do, he wasn't the lord vishnu and possessed no power to defend himself let alone a whole kingdom. As a consquence of this, the boy fell to the ground crying and begged the Lord Vishnu to save him and everyone in the kingdom.
The boy prayed with so much devotion and faith and love, that Vishnu listened to his prayers and helped the army of the girl's father defeat the much larger army of the invading king. Vishnu as a result saved all the people of the kingdom, including the boy who begged for his mercy.
This Shahbad is a conversation that Bhagat Sadhna Ji is having with Waheguru about his present situation.
In the first two lines of this shabad, Bhagat Sadhna Ji is narrating the story above to Waheguru. He is asking Waheguru why he hasn't come to save him when he came and saved the poor man's son.
Change in Sadhna ji's life
One evening, a customer came and asked Sadhna, "Weigh for me a leg of mutton."
Sadhna said, "There is no meat left now. Please come tomorrow and take it."
The customer said, "I need the meat badly now. I have very important guests and nothing to cook for them. Please you must help me out. I am a loyal, regular and old customer of your family's business. You may charge double the price for it."
Sadhna said, "If I slaughter a goat now, it will rot by tomorrow."
The man said, "You have no need to slaughter a goat. Just cut one leg and give it to me."
Pressed by the customer, Sadhna went near the goat with a hatchet. As he approached the goat, he felt as if the goat was laughing. This shocked Sadhna.
Then the goat said: "O' Sadhna, in your worldly greed, today you are going to open a new account of pain and misery. We have been going through many thousands of cycles of births and deaths; but never before has any of us cut a limb off while the other was still alive. You are beginning a new level of cruelty!"
At this point, the hatchet fell out of Sadhna's hand and he turned to the customer to tell him of his helplessness. But there was no one there. He did not find any customer there. A thought came to Sadhna's mind, "It was the Lord Himself Who had come to reveal Himself to his devotee in the form of a customer."
With dedication and devotion, Bhagat Sadhna obtained salvation -
ਨਾਮਦੇਵ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਤਿਲੋਚਨੁ ਸਧਨਾ ਸੈਨੁ ਤਰੈ ॥
नामदेव कबीरु तिलोचनु सधना सैनु तरै ॥
Nāmdėv Kabīr Tilochan sadhnā sain tarai.
Naam Dayv, Kabeer, Trilochan, Sadhana and Sain crossed over.
ਕਹਿ ਰਵਿਦਾਸੁ ਸੁਨਹੁ ਰੇ ਸੰਤਹੁ ਹਰਿ ਜੀਉ ਤੇ ਸਭੈ ਸਰੈ ॥੨॥੧॥
कहि रविदासु सुनहु रे संतहु हरि जीउ ते सभै सरै ॥२॥१॥
Kahi Ravidās sunhu rė santahu har jīo tė sabhai sarai. ||2||1||
Says Ravi Daas, listen, O Saints, through the Dear Lord, all is accomplished. ||2||1||
His spiritual quest led him to renounce the life of a householder. He left Sehvan and roamed about the country preaching the love of God. His solitary hymn preserved in the Guru Granth Sahib jeeo, which keeps his memory alive.
Bhagat Sadhna ji & a lady
Bhagat Sadhna became wrapped up in the love of God, abandoned everything he possessed, and bent his steps towards the forest to enjoy the uninterrupted Worship of God.
On the way he saw some of his relations at a distance. He concealed himself and avoided them by taking another route in case any of them should put pressure on him to return.
On arriving in the evening at a village, he went into the house of a married man and asked for something to eat. The lady of the house on seeing Bhagat Sadhna Ji young and handsome fell in love with him. She prepared exquisite food for his repast and induced him to stay. At night she proposed to elope with him.
Bhagat Sadhna Ji spurned her, and said he would not do such a thing even though she were to cut his throat for refusing. Understanding by this that, if her husband's throat were cut, Bhagat Sadhna Ji would be ready to accede to her wishes, she forthwith went and killed her husband.
On returning to Bhagat Sadhna Ji she told him what she had done, and repeated her immoral proposal. Bhagat Sadhna Ji replied, 'O unworthy woman, you have lost your reason; how can I agree to what you propose?' In her despair she raised loud cries and invented a false accusation against him:
'I believed this person to be a holy man, and accordingly entertained him. He has now killed my husband, and made improper overtures to me.' Bhagat Sadhna Ji was arrested and taken before a magistrate. When asked what he had to say, he, with the meekness and unwillingness to throw blame on others, pleaded guilty to the charge.
He thought to himself, 'Since God has placed me in this position, no one will accept my denial.'
Even though You, O God, consign me to hell, I shall not dispute it or turn away from it.
Even though You bestow heaven on me, I shall not rejoice or praise it.
If You reject me, I cannot constrain You; if You accept me, I shall not be puffed up with excessive joy.
He by whom You stand shoulder to shoulder is dyed with You.
Let him whom You order cheerfully burn his body.
My mind desires not death, yet You may, if it please You, put me in the fire.
What the Beloved desires ought to be the heart's desire also.
The judge sentenced Bhagat Sadhna Ji to have his hands cut off. The punishment was duly carried out, and Bhagat Sadhna Ji was then discharged. He set out without a frown on his forehead notwithstanding his barbarous mutilation.
Bhagat Sadhna Ji's devotions proved so successful that it is said, akaal purakh blessed him with new hands which sprouted from his body.
Dhann Bhagat Sadhna Ji
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