Bhikan was most probably Shaikh Bhikan of Kakori who died in the early part of the Emperor Akbar’s reign. The Persian historian Badauni has the following account of him : — I Kakori is a pargana town in the Sarkar of Lakhnau. Shaik Bhikan was the most learned of the learned men of his time, [ p. 415 ] abstemious and well versed in the holy law, while in devout piety even Abu Hanifa, the greatest of the Imams, was his inferior. For many years he was engaged in teaching and in instructing the people. He had committed the whole of the glorious word of God to memory, according to each of the seven methods of reading it. He used also to give instruction thereon. He reckoned his spiritual succession from Mir Saiyid Ibrahim of Irij, who was himself the most learned of the learned men of his time. The Shaikh would never mention the Sufi mysteries in a public assembly, but only in private to those who had been initiated into their secrets ; and one of his sayings was, ‘If the mystical profession of the Unity of God be made public, it returns solely to him who uttered it, or to the learned few.’ He would not listen to singing, and outwardly reprobated it. He left numerous children who attained perfection, all of whom were adorned with the embellishments of rectitude, piety, wisdom, knowledge, and virtue.
‘ The compiler of these historical selections was honoured, in company with the late Muhammad Husain Khan by being permitted to pay his respects to the "Shaikh in Lakhnau. It was the month of Ramzan and a certain one brought to the Shaikh a work on logic, asking him to set him a task in that book. The Shaikh said, ‘ You should read some book on divinity.’ The Shaikh’s death occurred in the year A. H. 981 (A. D. 1573-4).’
Badauni states that when Muzaffar Khan rose in revolt against Akbar, he on one occasion pitched his tent near the burial place of Shaikh Bhikan, no doubt with the object of praying for his intercession for the success of his enterprise.
Badauni also speaks of ‘ that pilgrim to the two sacred precincts Haji Bhikan Basawani.’ This, however, may have been a different person from Shaikh Bhikan of Kakori.
[ p. 416 ]
Whoever wrote the following hymns bearing the name of Bhikan in the Granth Sahib, must have been some religious man who resembled Shaikh Farid II, and was largely tinctured with the reformatory ideas then prevalent in India. It has been conjectured, with some show of probability, that Bhikan was a follower of Kabir.
Only God’s name can heal a diseased mind and body.
SORATH
From mine eyes tears have flowed, my body hath become lean, and my hair the colour of milk.
My throat is choked ; I cannot utter a word ; what can mortal now do ?
O Sovereign Lord, Gardener of the world, be Thou my physician,
And save Thy saints.
There is pain in my forehead ; my body is burning ; my heart [1] is in anguish ;
Such pangs have been produced in me that there is no medicine for them.
The name of God, a pure nectareous water, is the best medicine in the world.
Bhikan prayeth, may I by the guru’s favour obtain the gate of salvation !
The bliss which Bhikan finds in devotion : —
Such a Name, a priceless jewel, I have obtained as the reward of meritorious acts.
With several efforts I put the jewel in my heart ; however much I tried to conceal it, it would not be concealed.
Though one try to utter God’s praises, they cannot be uttered ;
They are like sweets to a dumb person.
My tongue is happy in repeating, mine ear in hearing, and my mind in thinking on God’s name.
Saith Bhikan, both mine eyes are satisfied ; wherever I look there is God
Kareje ; as in Latin, the liver is used here for the heart. ↩︎