Bhai Nand Lal Ji (1633–1720)
Bhai Nand Lal Ji, also known by his pen name “Goya,” was a revered Sikh poet of the seventeenth century. He was born in 1633 at Ghazni, Afghanistan. His father, Diwan Chhajju Ram, served as the chief secretary to the governor of Ghazni. From a very young age, Bhai Nand Lal displayed exceptional brilliance. By the age of twelve, he was already composing refined Persian poetry.
After losing both of his parents in his youth, he moved with his brothers and companions through Kandahar to Multan. There he settled, married into a Sikh family, and was appointed as Mir Munshi (chief secretary) in the service of the local Nawab.
Later, he shifted to Delhi, where his literary talent earned admiration at the court of Prince Muazzam (later Bahadur Shah I). On several occasions, his eloquence and scholarship were praised, even by Emperor Aurangzeb. However, when Aurangzeb attempted to compel him to embrace Islam, Bhai Nand Lal Ji stood firm in his faith and refused, even at the risk of his life.
Through the influence of his devout Sikh wife, who regularly recited Gurbani, Bhai Nand Lal Ji began to learn Gurmukhi and immerse himself in the hymns of the Sikh Gurus. Around 1689, he travelled to Anandpur Sahib to behold Guru Gobind Singh Ji. The Guru’s divine radiance and majestic presence overwhelmed him, and from the depths of his heart flowed verses of love and devotion.
Recognizing his spiritual depth and poetic genius, Guru Gobind Singh Ji welcomed him into his court as one of its most distinguished poets. When Nand Lal Ji offered his collection of verses titled Bandagi Nama (Book of Devotion), the Guru renamed it Zindagi Nama (Book of Life), declaring that the work expressed not just worship, but the very essence of life.
Bhai Nand Lal Ji remained close to Guru Sahib during many trials. After the Battle of Sarsa (1704), he played a crucial role in ensuring the safety of Mata Sundari Ji and Mata Sahib Kaur Ji by guiding them to Delhi. He also acted as a bridge between Guru Gobind Singh Ji and the Mughal prince Bahadur Shah, helping to establish important connections.
Following the Guru’s passing, Bhai Nand Lal Ji continued to serve as a respected scholar and diplomat in the Mughal court. Eventually, after the political upheavals in Delhi, he returned to Multan in 1712, where he founded a school for the teaching of Persian and Arabic.
In 1713, Bhai Nand Lal Ji departed from this world. His writings remain a timeless treasure of Sikh literature—poems that not only glorify Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s majesty but also reflect the spiritual love, humility, and devotion of a true Sikh scholar.
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