Barah Maha (Mahala 5)

Regarding the revelation of this composition, a similar description with minor variations is found among various commentaries. It is said that one day, a large sangat visited Amritsar to have a glimpse of Guru Arjan Sahib. During a conversation with the Guru, a Sikh in the sangat said: O eternal Guru! On the day of Sangrand (the first day of the month in Panjabi and Indic calendar), Hindus listen to the name of the month from the Brahmins, and educated individuals listen to and read about the name of the month through the horoscope. Our elders used to say that the act of listening to the name of a new month uttered by some holy person is very auspicious. This way, the whole month is filled with happiness, and sorrow does not come near. Therefore, it is the wish of the Sikhs that they listen to the name of the month from you. For the Sikhs living in distant places who will be deprived of this opportunity, please find a solution so that they may also listen to the name of the month from you.

The Guru replied that the sangat may make their life fruitful by reciting Barh Maha revealed by Guru Nanak Sahib in Rag Tukhari on Sangrand. The sangat replied that the language of the Barah Maha of Guru Nanak Sahib is very tough and cannot be easily understood. They asked the Guru to reveal a Barah Maha in simple language so that they may understand the composition and their lives may become fruitful. Listening to the request of the sangat, the Guru, for the welfare of the Sikhs, revealed this composition on the basis of Barah Maha Tukhari. Since that time, there has been a tradition among the Sikhs to recite or listen to this composition in the presence of Guru Granth Sahib on the day of Sangrand every month. It seems that, through this Barah Maha, the Guru gave an ideal to the Sikhs that they ought to follow the path described in this composition throughout the month.

From the above narrative, it seems that the Sikhs understood Sangrand to be an important Hindu ritual and asked the Guru to reveal this composition to contrast the discourses given by the Brahmins to the populace about the rituals related to each month.

At the time of Guru Arjan Sahib, the Sikh community was still developing its unique form. The Guru encouraged the Sikhs to move past empty rituals and instead recite the Nam of IkOankar. Even in Barah Maha, the seeker or the human-bride is encouraged to recite the Nam so that they may be graced by the eternal Wisdom (Guru) and merge with IkOankar. Therefore, there is a possibility that the Guru revealed this composition to guide the Sikhs away from Brahminical practices.

However, at the same time, a question arises: does the Guru encourage Sangrand to be celebrated as a sacred day? The Guru actually encourages Sikhs to recite the Nam of IkOankar every day. His instructions regarding when and how Nam ought to be recited are clear. He states that while getting up, sitting down, or sleeping, the being ought to connect with Nam:
ūṭhat baiṭhat sovat nām. kahu nānak jan kai sad kām.6. -Guru Granth Sahib 286.

Therefore, days like Sangrand do not have much significance as per Sikh principles. It is also worth mentioning that the word Sangrand is not found anywhere in the Guru Granth Sahib.

The claim that Guru Arjan Sahib considered the vocabulary of the Barah Maha of Guru Nanak Sahib too difficult, and therefore revealed another Barah Maha based on Guru Nanak Sahib’s Barah Maha also does not seem to be correct. The Bani of the Guru Granth Sahib is considered to be of Divine origin (dhur ki bani) and an expression of Divine passion (aveshmai pragtava). It is meant for all, even if it is revealed as a teaching to the Sikhs. Apart from this, the vocabulary of Guru Nanak Sahib’s Barah Maha was also not so difficult for the Sikhs of those days that they could not understand it. Historically, the Sikhs used to recite and listen to Bani often. Whatever Guru Arjan Sahib revealed to further the message of Gurmat (Sikh Principles) among the Sikhs is consistent with the ideology of Guru Nanak Sahib. This does not mean that Guru Arjan Sahib revealed this composition directly based on Guru Nanak Sahib’s Barah Maha. The truth is both universal and timeless. Guru Arjan Sahib revealed this truth through his own experience in order to reaffirm Gurmat in the hearts of the Sikhs. Therefore, there is no evidence that supports the idea that Barah Maha Majh is a mere rework of Barah Maha Tukhari in a more legible language.