Bhagat Trilochan Ji was born in the village Barsi, District Sholapur in Maharashtra in samvat 1325 i,e year 1266 in a Vaish family . Some historians believe that he was born in 1267. But we are concerned with his contribution in the form of four hymns - two hymns in Rag Gaujri, one hymn in Rag Dhanasari and One Rag in Sri Rag which Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji included in Sri Adi Granth Sahib now known as Sri Guru Granth Sahib for which he is deeply respected by th Sikh community.
It is worth mentioning that in addition to Bhagat Trilochan Ji Bhagat Namdev Ji and Bhagat Parmanand Ji were also born in Maharshtra. Bhagat Trilocahn Ji was a contemporary of Bhagat Namdev Ji (Birth 1270). Bhagat Trilochan Ji was born in the village Barsi, District Sholapur, Maharastra and Bhagat Namdev Ji was born in village Narsi Bamni , District Satara, Maharastra . But at sometime or the other they lived near each other. This fact is indicated in the hymns of Bhagat Kabir ji (Birth 1270) and Varan of Bhai Gurdas Ji. In the following hymn Bhagat Kabir Ji has mentioned that Bhagat Trilochan Ji and Bhagat Namdev Ji lived close to each other and that these two Bhagtas communicated with each other. Bhagat Kabir Ji says:
naamaa maiaa mohiaa kahai tilochan meet ||
kaahe chheepahu chhailai raam na laavahu cheet ||212||
naamaa kahai tilochanaa mukh te raam sa(n)m(h)aal ||
haath paa-o kar kaam sabh cheet niranjan naal. ||213||
(Page SGGS 1375-1376)
This means that Bhagat Trilochan Ji says, O Naam Dev, maya has enticed you, my friend. Why are you printing designs on these sheets, and not focusing your consciousness on the Lord? Naam Dev answers, O Trilochan, chant the Lord's Name with your mouth. With your hands and feet, do all your work, but let your consciousness remain with the Immaculate Lord. The underlying meaning of this hymn is that involving yourself in work for earning livelihood is not absorbing in maya. When a person earns money for livelihood, but does not run after maya, and does not involve himself in bad deels for earning money, then his attention is concentrated on God.
Bhai Darbasi Das Ji has clarified that accepting the prayer of Bhagat Namdev Ji the God Almighty blessed Bhagat Trilochan Ji with his darshan (holy glimpse). G.S. Chauhan in his book Bani of Bhagatas (2008) has indicated that Bhagat Trilochan Ji had a deep faith in Bhagat Namdev Ji and as such he visited him everyday and they prayed to God together. This clarifies that Bahgat Namdev Ji was the source of bringing Bhagat Trilochan Ji close to the God Almighty.
Bhagat Namdev Ji explained to Bhagat Trilochan Ji :
aaneelay kaagad kaateelay goodee aakaas maDhay bharmee-alay.
panch janaa si-o baat bata-oo-aa cheet so doree raakhee-alay. ||1||
man raam naamaa bayDhee-alay.
jaisay kanik kalaa chit maaNdee-alay. ||1|| rahaa-o.
aaneelay kumbh bharaa-eelay oodak raaj ku-aar purandree-ay.
hasat binod beechaar kartee hai cheet so gaagar raakhee-alay. ||2||
mandar ayk du-aar das jaa kay ga-oo charaavan chhaadee-alay.
paaNch kos par ga-oo charaavat cheet so bachhraa raakhee-alay. ||3||
kahat naamday-o sunhu tilochan baalak paalan pa-udhee-alay.
antar baahar kaaj birooDhee cheet so baarik raakhee-alay. ||4||1||
(SGGS, Page 972)
This means that the boy takes paper, cuts it and makes a kite, and flies it in the sky. Talking with his friends, he still keeps his attention on the kite string. My mind has been pierced by the Name of the Lord, like the goldsmith, whose attention is held by his work. The young girl in the city takes a pitcher, and fills it with water. She laughs and plays, and talks with her friends, but she keeps her attention focused on the pitcher of water. The cow is let loose, out of the mansion of the ten gates, to graze in the field. She grazes upto five miles away, but keeps her attention focused on her calf. Says Naam Dayv, listen, O Trilochan: the child is laid down in the cradle.Her mother is at work, inside and outside, but she holds her child in her thoughts.
Thus, in this hymn Bhagat Namdev Ji preaches Bhagat Trilochan Ji, that while performing household duties we can continuously remember God Almighty. To clarify this fact Bhagat Namdev Ji has given five examples (i) a child while flying a kite keeping attention on the kite string keeps talking to his friends (ii) a goldsmith while talking to someone keeps his attention in the kuthali i,e the earthern pot in which he is melting the gold (iii) a young woman carrying (ghara) earthern pitcher full of water on her head while laughing and talking to her friends keeps her attention focused on the water in the pitcher on her head (iv) cows while let loose is gragzing at a distance of five kohs from their place keep their concentration on their calves at home (v) a mother while involved in the household chores inside and outside keeps her attension on her child in the cradle. In the same way those who worship God, while doing other things, keep their mind absorbed in God.
In his hymns Bhagat Trilochan Ji has claborated on (i) the evil effects of maya (ii) methods of uniting with the God Almighty (iii) methods of evading the circle of transmigration of soul and (iv) freeing oneself from the effects of evil deeds committed in the previous lives.
About attaching oneself with the God`s Name and about the evil effects of atachment with maya( worldly pleasures) Bhagat Trilochan Ji says:
sireeraag tarilochan kaa.
maa-i-aa moh man aaglarhaa paraanee jaraa maran bha-o visar ga-i-aa.
kutamb daykh bigsahi kamlaa ji-o par ghar joheh kapat naraa. ||1||
doorhaa aa-i-ohi jameh tanaa. tin aaglarhai mai rahan na jaa-ay.
ko-ee ko-ee saajan aa-ay kahai.
mil mayray beethulaa lai baahrhee valaa-ay. mil mayray rama-ee-aa mai layhi chhadaa-ay. ||1|| rahaa-o.
anik anik bhog raaj bisray paraanee sansaar saagar pai amar bha-i-aa.
maa-i-aa moothaa chaytas naahee janam gavaa-i-o aalsee-aa. ||2||
bikham ghor panth chaalnaa paraanee rav sas tah na parvaysaN.
maa-i-aa moh tab bisar ga-i-aa jaaN tajee-alay saNsaaraN. ||3||
aaj mayrai man pargat bha-i-aa hai paykhee-alay Dharamraa-o.
tah kar dal karan mahaabalee tin aaglarhai mai rahan na jaa-ay. ||4||
jay ko mooN updays karat hai taa van tarin rat-rhaa naaraa-inaa.
ai jee tooN aapay sabh kichh jaandaa badat tarilochan raam-ee-aa. ||5||2||
(SGGS, Page 92)
This means that the mind is totally attached to maya; the mortal has forgotten his fear of old age and death. Gazing upon his family, he blossoms forth like the lotus flower; the deceitful person watches and covets the homes of others. When the powerful Messenger of Death comes, no one can stand against his awesome power. Rare, very rare, is that friend who comes and says,"O my Beloved, take me into Your Embrace! O my Lord, please save me!" Indulging in all sorts of princely pleasures, O mortal, you have forgotten God; you have fallen into the world-ocean, and you think that you have become immortal. Cheated and plundered by maya, you do not think of God, and you waste your life in laziness. The path you must walk is treacherous and terrifying, O mortal; neither the sun nor the moon shine there. When you have to leave this world your emotional attachment to maya will be forgotten. Today, it has become clear to my mind that the Righteous Judge of Dharma is watching us. His messengers, with their awesome power crush people between their hands; I cannot stand against them. If someone is going to teach me something, let it be that the Lord is pervading the forests and the fields. O Dear Lord, You Yourself know everything; so prays Trilochan, Lord.
The underlying meaning of this hymn is that the human beings are so badly attached to maya that they neither think about their old age nor death. Engrossed in the attractions they think that they will never die, they are wasting their human life, they do no think that they will have to leave this world and because of their bad deeds will have to go through the tortures inflicted by the messenger of death. Very rare human beings are lucky who keeping in mind the phenomenon of death pray to God and say O God! take me into your embrace.
To evade the circle of transmigration of soul Bhagat Trilochan Ji proclaims as follows:
antar mal nirmal nahee keenaa baahar bhaykh udaasee.
hirdai kamal ghat barahm na cheenHaa kaahay bha-i-aa sani-aasee. ||1||]
bharmay bhoolee ray jai chandaa.
nahee nahee cheenHi-aa parmaanandaa. ||1|| rahaa-o.
ghar ghar khaa-i-aa pind baDhaa-i-aa khinthaa munda maa-i-aa.
bhoom masaan kee bhasam lagaa-ee gur bin tat na paa-i-aa. ||2||
kaa-ay japahu ray kaa-ay taphu ray kaa-ay bilovahu paanee.
lakh cha-oraaseeh jiniH upaa-ee so simrahu nirbaanee. ||3||
kaa-ay kamandal kaaprhee-aa ray athsath kaa-ay firaa-ee.
badat tarilochan sun ray paraanee kan bin gaahu ke paahee. ||4||1|
(SGGS, Page 525-526)
This means that you have not cleansed the filth from within yourself, although outwardly, you wear the dress of a renunciate. In the heart-lotus of your - self, you have not recognized God - why have you become a Sannyaasee? Deluded by doubt, O Jai Chand,you have not realized the Lord, the embodiment of supreme bliss. You eat in each and every house, fattening your body; you wear the patched coat and the ear-rings of the beggar, for the sake of wealth. You apply the ashes of cremation to your body, but without a Guru, you have not found the essence of reality. Why bother to chant your spells? Why bother to practice austerities? Why bother to churn water? Meditate on the Lord of Nirvaanaa, who has created the 8.4 million species of beings. Why bother to carry the water-pot, O saffron-robed Yogi? Why bother to visit the sixty-eight holy places of pilgrimage? Says Trilochan, listen, mortal: you have no corn - what are you trying to thresh?
About evading the evil effects of sins Bhagat Trilochan Ji says:
naaraa-in nindas kaa-ay bhoolee gavaaree.
dukarit sukarit thaaro karam ree. ||1|| rahaa-o.
sankraa mastak bastaa sursaree isnaan ray.
kul jan maDhay mili-yo saarag paan ray.
karam kar kalank mafeetas ree. ||1||
bisav kaa deepak savaamee taa chay ray su-aarthee pankhee raa-ay garurh taa chay baaDhvaa.
karam kar arun pingulaa ree. ||2||
anik paatik hartaa taribhavan naath ree tirath tirath bharmataa lahai na paar ree.
karam kar kapaal mafeetas ree. ||3||
amrit sasee-a Dhayn lachhimee kalpatar sikhar sunaagar nadee chay naathaN.
karam kar khaar mafeetas ree. ||4||
daaDheelay lankaa garh upaarheelay raavan ban sal bisal aan tokheelay haree.
karam kar kachh-utee mafeetas ree. ||5||
poorbalo kirat karam na mitai ree ghar gayhan taa chay mohi jaapee-alay raam chay naamaN.
badat tarilochan raam jee. ||6||1||
(SGGS, Page 695)
He says why do you slander the Lord? You are ignorant and deluded. Pain and pleasure are the result of your own actions.The moon dwells in Shiva's forehead; it takes its cleansing bath in the Ganges. Among the men of the moon's family, Krishna was born;even so, the stains from its past actions remain on the moon's face. Aruna was a charioteer; his master was the sun, the lamp of the world. His brother was Garuda, the king of birds;and yet, Aruna was made a cripple, because of the karma of his past actions. Shiva, the destroyer of countless sins, the Lord and Master of the three worlds, wandered from one sacred shrine to another sacred shrine; he never found an end to them. And yet, he could not erase the karma of cutting off Brahma's head. Through the nectar, the moon, the wish-fulfilling cow, Lakshmi, the miraculous tree of life, Sikhar the sun's horse, and Dhanavantar the wise physician - all arose from the ocean, the lord of rivers;and yet, because of its karma, its saltiness has not left it. Hanuman burnt the fortress of Sri Lanka, uprooted the garden of Raawan, and brought healing herbs for the wounds of Lachhman, pleasing Lord Raamaa;and yet, because of his karma, he could not be rid of his loin cloth. The karma of past actions cannot be erased, O wife of my house; this is why I chant the Name of the Lord. So prays Trilochan, Dear Lord.
Explaining the circle of transmigration of soul Bhagat Trilochan Ji says:
a(n)t kaal jo lachhamee simarai aaisee chi(n)taa meh je marai ||
sarap jon val val aautarai ||1||
aree baiee gobidh naam mat beesarai || rahaau ||
a(n)t kaal jo isatree simarai aaisee chi(n)taa meh je marai ||
besavaa jon val val aautarai ||2||
a(n)t kaal jo laRike simarai aaisee chi(n)taa meh je marai ||
sookar jon val val aautarai ||3||
a(n)t kaal jo ma(n)dhar simarai aaisee chi(n)taa meh je marai ||
pret jon val val aautarai ||4||
a(n)t kaal naarain simarai aaisee chi(n)taa meh je marai ||
badhat tilochan te nar mukataa peeta(n)bar vaa ke ridhai basai ||5||2||
(SGGS, Page 526)
Which means that at the very last moment, one who thinks of wealth, and dies in such thoughts, shall be reincarnated over and over again, in the form of serpents. O sister, do not forget the Name of the Lord of the Universe. At the very last moment, he who thinks of women, and dies in such thoughts,shall be reincarnated over and over again as a prostitute. At the very last moment, one who thinks of his children, and dies in such thoughts,shall be reincarnated over and over again as a pig. At the very last moment, one who thinks of mansions, and dies in such thoughts,shall be reincarnated over and over again as a goblin. At the very last moment, one who thinks of the Lord, and dies in such thoughts,says Trilochan, that man shall be liberated; the Lord shall abide in his heart.
This hymn clarifies that remembring God at death time can end transmigration of soul and unites the soul with God Almighty.
In his four hymns Bhagat Trilochan Ji has explained the imprortance of workshipping God. The hymns of Bhagat Trlochan Ji reveal that he had a deep understanding of Hindu philosophy. In addtion to these four hymns he has five hymns in Rajasthani script.
Sri Guru Ram Das Ji, while clarifying that a person irrespective of his caste can reedeem Himself by joining the humble saadh Sangat says that Namdev, Jaidev, Kabir Trilochan and the low caste leather worker Ravidas were blessed by joining the humble saadh sangat.
kaljug naam parDhaan padaarath bhagat janaa uDhray.
naamaa jaiday-o kabeer tarilochan sabh dokh ga-ay chamray.
gurmukh naam lagay say uDhray sabh kilbikh paap taray. ||2||
jo jo naam japai apraaDhee sabh tin kay dokh parharay.
baysu-aa ravat ajaamal uDhaari-o mukh bolai naaraa-in narharay.
naam japat ugarsain gat paa-ee torh banDhan mukat karay. ||3||
jan ka-o aap anoograhu kee-aa har angeekaar karay.
sayvak paij rakhai mayraa govid saran paray uDhray.
jan naanak har kirpaa Dhaaree ur Dhari-o naam haray. ||4||1||
(SGGS, Page 995)
In this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, the Naam is the supreme wealth; it saves the humble devotees.All the faults of Naam Dayv, Jai Dayv, Kabeer, Trilochan and Ravi Daas the leather-worker were covered. Those who become Gurmukh, and remain attached to the Naam, are saved; all their sins are washed off. Whoever chants the Naam, all his sins and mistakes are taken away. Ajaamal, who had sex with prostitites, was saved by chanting the Name of the Lord. Chanting the Naam, Ugar Sain obtained salvation; his bonds were broken, and he was liberated. God Himself takes pity on His humble servants, and makes them his own. My Lord of the Universe saves the honor of His servants; those who seek his sanctuary are saved. The Lord has showered servant Nanak with his mercy; he has enshrined the Lord's Name within his heart.
S
In this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, the Naam is the supreme wealth; it saves the humble devotees.All the faults of Naam Dayv, Jai Dayv, Kabeer, Trilochan and Ravi Daas the leather-worker were covered. Those who become Gurmukh, and remain attached to the Naam, are saved; all their sins are washed off. Whoever chants the Naam, all his sins and mistakes are taken away. Ajaamal, who had sex with prostitites, was saved by chanting the Name of the Lord. Chanting the Naam, Ugar Sain obtained salvation; his bonds were broken, and he was liberated. God Himself takes pity on His humble servants, and makes them his own. My Lord of the Universe saves the honor of His servants; those who seek his sanctuary are saved. The Lord has showered servant Nanak with his mercy; he has enshrined the Lord's Name within his heart.
Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji while emphaszing the importance of humble saadh sangat says that by joining the humble saadh sangat Namdev,Trilochan and Ravidas the shoe-maker have been liberated. He says that:
patit pavitr le'ee kar apune sagal karat namasakaaro ||
baran jaat kouoo poochhai naahee baachheh charan ravaaro ||1||
Thaakur aaiso naam tum(h)aaro ||
sagal sirasaT ko dhanee kaheejai jan ko a(n)g niraaro ||1|| rahaau ||
saadhasa(n)g naanak budh paiee har keeratan aadhaaro ||
naamadheau tiralochan kabeer dhaasaro mukat bhio cha(n)miaaro ||2||1||10||
(SGGS, Page 498)
The Lord has sanctified the sinners and made them His own; all bow in reverence to Him.No one asks about their ancestry and social status; instead, they yearn for the dust of their feet. O Lord Master, such is Your Name.You are called the Lord of all creation; You give Your unique support to Your servant. In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, Nanak has obtained understanding; singing the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises is his only support.The Lord's servants, Naam Dav, Trilochan, Kabeer and Ravi Daas the shoe-maker have been liberated.
Besids Guru Sahibans, the Bhatts Kalsahar Ji, Bhatt Jalp Ji and Bhatt Balh Ji while emphasizing the importance of reciting God have mentioned the name of Bhagat Trilochan Ji :
While emphasizing the importance of humble saadh sangat Bhai Gurdas Ji ( Var 23, Pauri 15) says that a person irrespective of his caste by devoting himself to God Almighty can become a saint .
In conclusion it may be said that Bhagt Trilochan Ji makes us aware about the evil effect of maya, informs us as to how to evade the circle of transmigration of soul, the methed to unite with the God Almighty and that one can get rid of the effects of the sins committed in the previous lives. The word 'Trilochan' means having three eys, i;e the seer of the past, present and future. He is deeply respected among the Sikhs.
Dhann Dhann Bhagat Trilochan Ji !
The refrances used in this write - up include (i) Encyclopaedia of Sikhism published by Punjabi University, Patiala, Part l, ll , lll and lV (1995, 1996,1997, 1998 ) (i) Mahan Kosh by Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha (1930) (iii) Pandran Bhagat Sahiban by Sukhdev Singh Shant (2018) (iv) Divine Revelation by Sarbjinder Singh (2004) (v) Bhagat Trilochan Ji Gobind Times by Bhai Trilochan Singh (Vir Ji) , Vol 19 Octuber- December, 2018, No. 10-12 (vi) Guru Granth Sanket Kosh by Piara Singh Padam and others (1994) (vii) Parchian Bhagtan Kian by Darbari Das (Bhai) Editor Gurcharn Singh Sek (1994) although reference has not been given at each place.
*Dr. Amrit Kaur, Retd. Professor, Punjabi University, Patiala, Punjab, India