Guru Sahib prohibits His Sikhs to go to such places where flesh trade occurs because being present at such places result in taking one straight to the most terrible hells but Guru Sahib loves His Sikhs so much that for the sake of His Sikhs, He can take Himself to such places where courtesans reside. This is a Saakhi of Siri Guru Gobind Singh jee that shows the extent of Guru Sahib's love for His Sikh.

Bhai Joga Singh Arrives at Siri Anandpur Sahib

Once Sangat from Peshawar arrived at Siri Anandpur Sahib and there was a 12-13 years old bhujangi who used to attend Samagams very faithfully and used to do whatever Sewa he could get his hands on, very diligently and lovingly. Guru Sahib noticed the love of this Bhujangi and called him over and asked his name. He replied that his name was Joga. Guru Sahib lovingly asked him, “ਤੂੰ ਕਿਸ ਜੋਗਾ ਹੈਂ।” (Who’s Joga are you i.e. who are you for). He gave a great answer that could have been only divinely inspired. He replied, “ਜੀ ਮੈਂ ਤੁਹਾਡੇ ਜੋਗਾ ਹਾਂ।” (I am your Joga, meaning I am for you). Hearing his reply, Siri Guru jee was very pleased and said such Bachan that any Sikh would die to hear, “ਹਛਾ ਜੇ ਤੂੰ ਸਾਡੇ ਜੋਗਾ ਹੈਂ ਤਾਂ ਅਸੀਂ ਫਿਰ ਤੇਰੇ ਜੋਗੇ ਹਾਂ। ” (if you are for us, then we are for you).

After this conversation, Guru Sahib grew very fond of this Bhujangi. After few weeks, the Bhujangi’s family left for Peshawar but he stayed behind. In time, when Khande kee Pahul was introduced, he too was blessed with Amrit and was now named Joga Singh. After some years, when Bhai Joga Singh reached the marriageable age, his parents arrived at Siri Anandpur Sahib and requested Guru Sahib to allow Joga Singh to come to Peshawar, where they wanted him to get married. Guru Sahib looked at Bhai Joga Singh and asked his opinion. Bhai Joga Singh with folded hands replied that he would do exactly what Guru Sahib would tell him to do. Guru Sahib gave him permission to leave for Anand Karaj.

Bhai Joga Singh leaves for his Hometown and obeys Bikham Hukam

Bhai Joga Singh reached his home town and soon his marriage was arranged. Bhai Joga Singh and his family reached the girl’s home town for Anand Karaj. Choj Vidaani Satguru jee had other plans for Bhai Joga Singh. Guru Sahib instructed a Gursikh to give a letter to Bhai Joga Singh right after the second Laav of Anand Karaj. After the two Laava of Anand Karaj were completed, the Gursikh with letter, gave the letter to Bhai Joga Singh. The letter contained Guru Sahib’s Hukam to drop everything he was doing and come back to Siri Anandpur Sahib.

As per Sooraj Prakash Granth of Mahakavi Santokh Singh jee Choodamani, Guru Sahib told the Gursikh to give the letter after 2 Laava but it is possible that he arrived in the Darbar after 2 Laava and handed the letter to Bhai Joga Singh right after Anand Karaj. Or that he gave the letter to Bhai Joga Singh right after Anand Karaj. In any case, one thing is for sure that the letter was handed to Bhai Joga Singh at the Anand Karaj Samagam and Bhai Joga Singh was astonished to read Guru Sahib’s Hukam. As per the writing of Sooraj Prakash, Bhai Joga Singh got up and refused to complete the Anand Karaj since he wanted to immediately leave for Siri Anandpur Sahib to fulfill Guru Sahib`s Hukam to the fullest. His relatives stopped him but he refused to yield.

It is possible that Guru Sahib called him over because of battles with the imperial army and the hill chieftains and that Guru Sahib`s intention was not to stop his Anand Karaj. Whatever the case, Bhai Joga Singh immediately decided to leave for Siri Anandpur Sahib. Bhai Joga Singh’s family tried to stop him to wait for some time and at least consummate his marriage but Bhai Joga Singh was a Hukami Sikh and for him, nothing was greater than Guru Sahib’s Hukam. Despite all the cajoling and persuasion of his relatives, he left for Siri Anandpur Sahib.

Whether Bhai Joga Singh saw the letter after the 2nd Laav and decided to leave immediately or he saw the letter after the Anand Karaj ceremony and refused to spend time with his newly wed wife or even see her, and leave for Siri Anandpur Sahib, either way his sacrifice was absolutely stunning. The bottomline is that he obeyed Guru Sahib`s Hukam.

While travelling, a thought came to Bhai Joga Singh jee’s mind. He was very pleased with his decision to obey Guru Sahib’s Hukam. He thought that he had left his beautiful newly wed wife and obeyed Guru Sahib`s Hukam. Soon he started thinking along the lines that only few could do what he had done. He started feeling Haume (pride, ego) over his action of obeying Guru Sahib’s Hukam. The Maryada of Guru Sahib’s house is that one should remain humble even after doing the most pious actions, otherwise, the rewards of doing good actions are lost due to becoming egoistic over one’s good actions. This is exactly what happened with Bhai Joga Singh.

Bhai Joga Singh in Trouble and gets Saved

He reached Hoshiarpur, a town near Siri Anandpur Sahib. He stayed at a Saraan (a hotel kind of facility, where travellers spend a night or two). Across from the Saraan, there was a building where a courtesan resided and she happened to be standing by the window just across from the window of Bhai Joga Singh’s room. Bhai Joga Singh’s mind had been contaminated due to Haume and he became an easy target for rest of the agents of Maya. Kaam, one of the most powerful agents of Maya, attacked the vulnerable Bhai Joga Singh. Bhai Joga Singh enchanted by the spell of Kaam, looked at the courtesan and found her very beautiful. Normally Gurmukhs don’t notice the so called worldly beauty of opposite sex but when one falls under the spell of Kaam, then one starts finding the opposite sex very attractive. This is what happened to Bhai Joga Singh too. He was young and his mind had been contaminated by Maya. He was totally under the spell of Kaam. In such condition, he decided to commit the worst of all Bajjar Kurehits. He decided to approach the courtesan. He forgot that this Bajjar Kurehit takes one to the most terrible hells.

As Bhai Joga Singh decided to approach the courtesan to commit the worst mistake that a Sikh can commit, Guru Sahib who is the embodiment of mercy and compassion, could not bear that His Sikh was walking on the path that was going to lead him to eternity-like hells. Guru Sahib decided to save His Sikh and using His Akali Shakti, reached the venue of the courtesan and stood outside the door disguised as a royal guard.

Bhai Joga Singh reached the house of the courtesan and as he was about the climb the stairs to go to her apartment, he noticed a royal guard standing outside her door. Bhai Joga Singh thought that the courtesan had some royal visitor and decided to come back later. Some time later he again approached the house but still found the royal guard standing outside. When Bhai Joga Singh came to the stairs 4th time, the royal guard spoke in a thundering voice and said, “O Guru ke Sikh, what has happened to your Bibek Budh? Why are you trying to climb these stairs that would lead you to hell? Amritvela has arrived and it’s time to do Ishnaan and engage in Naam.”





Bhai Joga Singh reaches Siri Anandpur Sahib

Bhai Joga Singh was stunned when he heard these Bachan from the royal guard. The spell of Kaam and Ahankaar (pride) was removed in one instant. Bhai Joga Singh could not believe what he was about to do. He was greatly embarrassed and felt extremely remorseful. He immediately did Ishnaan and while engaged in Naam Abhyaas reached Siri Anandpur Sahib. Guru Sahib’s Darbar was on. Kirtan was going on. Bhai Joga Singh was now extremely humble after going through so much the previous night. His mind was now totally clean of the dirt of Maya and was focussed on Naam. After the end of Kirtan, Guru Sahib welcomed Bhai Joga Singh. Guru Sahib had that mysterious smile on his face that Bhai Joga Singh could not look towards Guru Sahib’s face. He felt Guru Sahib’s eyes piercing through his heart.

Guru Sahib started praising Bhai Joga Singh faith and Hukam-obeying action of leaving his marriage to obey Hukam. While Guru Sahib was talking, He was also laughing. Bhai Joga Singh and other Sangat felt that Guru Sahib was being sarcastic while praising Bhai Joga Singh. Then some Gursikhs with folded hands did benti before Guru Sahib and asked why he was smiling and also laughing while praising Bhai Joga Singh.

Guru Sahib again laughed and told the Gursikhs to ask Bhai Joga Singh who had kept him awake all night. By now, Bhai Joga Singh realized that the royal guard outside the courtesan’s house was none other than Guru Sahib. He broke down as he thought that he had made Guru Sahib to stand outside a courtesan’s house all night. He started crying and while crying narrated to the Sangat the whole incident.

Bhai Joga Singh then thanked Guru Sahib but also said that this was nothing new that Guru Sahib had done. He had saved Bhagat Prahlaad jee, Bhagat Naamdev jee and Bhagat Dhanna jee before. It was the nature of Guru Sahib to save His Bhagats. Guru Sahib sensed that with increased humility, Bhai Joga Singh jee’s Naam Abhyaas was going on with full vigour. Guru Sahib glanced at Bhai jee with full Kirpa and Bhai Joga Singh jee attained a great spiritual destination.

Spiritual Lessons from the Saakhi

This Saakhi is one of the most amazing Saakhis of Guru Sahibaan. There are many spiritual lessons to be learned from this Saakhi. Here are some lessons that come to mind:

1. When talking to Guru Sahib, there should be no hesitation. Guru Sahib asked Bhai Joga Singh as to who’s Joga he was. Bhai Joga Singh immediately replied that he was for Guru Sahib. This response forced Guru Sahib to reply that He too was for Joga Singh. This conversation set the future of Bhai Joga Singh and he became destined to reach Sachkhand.

2. Obeying Hukam is the key to attaining Guru Sahib’s Kirpa.

3. A care should be taken in not allowing thoughts of pride come to mind while obeying Hukams of Guru Sahib. A Gursikh wears 5 Kakaars, Gurmukhi Baana and adopts Rehits like Sarbloh Bibek as per Guru Sahib’s Hukam. If a Gursikh starts becoming proud of keeping Rehit, Amritvela etc. then surely it would result in some form of downfall. Pride is the root of many sins.

4. In case of Bhai Joga Singh, we clearly see that developing thoughts of pride resulted in attacks from Kaam. Often attacks by Kaam invoke attacks by Krodh as well. This results in grave sins by the individual.

5. If a Gursikh obeys Guru Sahib’s Hukams and keeps Rehit, Amritvela etc. then he can be hopeful that Guru Sahib would save him from drowning in the ocean of sins. For ordinary Gursikhs like us, Guru Sahib may not Himself come to our rescue but surely He would work through other means to stop us from sinning. Guru Sahib may be speaking through his Gursikh and reminding us of his Hukams or he may make us read some book to make us aware of His Hukams. We should be alert of such divine reminders of Guru Sahib. We have to become receptive of decoding such spiritual messages of Guru Sahib.

May Guru Sahib always protect us from Maya and keep us in his Sharan.

Dhan Siri Guru Gobind Singh jee Maharaj.

Kulbir Singh