SAIN DAS, BHAI

SAIN DAS, BHAI, skilled in setting precious stones, was a devoted Sikh of the time of Guru Arjan. Once he waited upon the Guru and submitted : “0 True King, you tell us that we should listen to the shabad with concentration. But my mind wanders as I sit listening.” The Guru, according to Bhai Mani Singh, Sikhan di Bhagat Mala, said that the remedy lay in holy company. The more he sat in the sangat the greater would be his absorption in the Word. Bhai Sain Das followed the Guru`s precept and led a pious life. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Mani Singh, Bhai, Sikhan di Bhagat Mala.

Amritsar, 1955 2. Gurdas, Bhai, Varan, XI.28 3. Santokh Singh, Bhai, Sri Gur Pratap Suraj Granth. Amritsar, 1927-35 T.S. SAIN DAS, BHAI, Bhai Bala and Bhai Ram Das, Khatris of Bhandari clan, Bhai Mula and Bhai Suja of Dhavan clan, and Bhai Chandu Chaujhar, all Sikhs of Guru Arjan`s time, once came to him and begged to be enlightened about the basis of the dispensation of consequences of good and bad actions. They wanted to know whether each action, virtuous or sinful has its corresponding reward or punishment, or a person`s destiny is decided by the balance of his good and evil deeds.

Guru Arjan according to Bhai Mani Singh, Sikhan di Bhagat Mala, explained, “One who acts with a definite end in view must face the consequence of his each individual action. Those who perform selfless actions, not because of a desire for reward but because they must act as a duty, suffer the consequence of their total performance. Normally, the virtuous worshippers of God do not commit sin deliberately. Any unintentional wrong on their part is counterbalanced by their good deeds. Those among them who are blessed with divine knowledge as well as with devotion, the bhagatgianis, consider both body and bodily actions as illusion.

As darkness cannot touch the Sun, actions have no effect on them. They are jivanmukt, that is, already liberated while yet alive.” Bhai Sain Das and his companions, writes Bhai Santokh Singh, Sri Gur Pratap Suraj Granth, found complete mental peace and tranquillity on listening to the Guru. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Man! Singh, Bhai, Sikhan di Bhagat Mala. Amritsar, 1955 2. Gurdas, Bhai, Varan, XI. 19 3. Santokh Singh, Bhai, Sri Gur Pratap Suraj Granth. Amritsar, 1927-35 T.S. SAIN DAS, BHAI (d. 1631), married to Ramo, the elder sister of Guru Hargobind`s wife, Mata Damodari, lived in Darauli, renamed Darauli Bhai after him, in present day Moga district.

He became a Sikh under the influence of his wife and her father, Narain Das. Such was his devotion to Guru Hargobind that, once as he constructed a new house, he vowed that he would not occupy it until the Guru had blessed it by a visit. Guru Hargobind did visit Darauli with his mother and wife and stayed with Bhai Sam Das in his new house for a considerable time awaiting the birth of his first child, Baba Gurditta. This was in 1613. Eighteen years later, Mata Damodari, on another visit to Darauli, expired in the home of Sam Das after a brief illness. Sain Das` wife, Ramo, pined away at the loss of her sister and died soon after. Bhai Sain Das did not survive her long and died in 1631.

References :

1. Gurbilas Patshahi Chhevln. Patiala, 1970
2. Santokh Singh, Bhai, Sri Gur Pratap Sumj Granth. Amritsar, 1927-35
3. Gian Singh, Giani, Twarikh Guru Khalsa [Reprint]. Patiala, 1970
4. Macauliffe, Max Arthur, The Sikh Religion: Its Gurus, Sacred Writings and Authors. Oxford, 1909