Poet and official of Akbar's reign; one line in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji
Bhagat Surdas
A poet and musician, originally named Madan Mohan, who is said to have served as an official under the emperor Akbar before giving up office for devotion. He is represented in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji by one line in Raag Sarang at ang 1253. He is not the blind poet who composed the Sur Sagar, though the two share a name.
Sources disagree
- 1528: Macauliffe gives AD 1528.[Macauliffe]
Life, as tradition tells it
The Encyclopaedia of Sikhism says he was born to a family of high standing and became known for music and verse. Akbar appointed him governor of the pargana of Sandila. He later left office to live among holy men, and passed away at Varanasi, where a shrine honours him.
Macauliffe adds a colourful story. Bhagat Surdas spent all of Sandila's revenue on feeding holy men and fled before an inspection, leaving sealed chests that held stones and a verse. No Mughal record of this has been confirmed, so the story stays as tradition. Both sources take care to separate him from the blind author of the Sur Sagar.[EoS][Macauliffe]
In Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji
The scripture has a single line at ang 1253 telling the mind to leave the company of those who turn from God. In BaniDB's text it is followed by a two-stanza hymn headed Sarang Mahala 5 Surdas, with his name in its last stanza.
The Encyclopaedia of Sikhism takes the line as the refrain of a longer hymn by him. It suggests that Sri Guru Arjun Dev Ji left out the rest, because it described such a person as beyond hope, and composed the hymn that follows as a reply. That reasoning is the Encyclopaedia's own view.[DB][EoS]
What the sources disagree on
- What belongs to him
The Encyclopaedia of Sikhism credits him with the single line only and gives the following hymn to Sri Guru Arjun Dev Ji. Macauliffe speaks of one hymn by him. BaniDB files the hymn under Bhagat Surdas, even though its heading reads Mahala 5.[EoS][Macauliffe][DB]