When Guru Nanak Dev Ji setup Dharamsals at different places, people in large number started gathering at these Dharamsals for meditation and singing praises of the Lord. Among the first disciples of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the names of Rai Bular, Bebe Nanaki Ji and Bhai Mardana Ji may be mentioned. Since then a number of devotee Sikhs were associated with the house of Guru out of which some prominent names find a mention in the compositions of Bhai Gurdas Ji. Bhai Gurdas Ji was himself a devout Sikh of the house of the Guru, who dedicated his entire life in the service of the Gurus and the new faith promoted by them. His greatest contribution was that he served as the writer of the ‘Adi Granth’ which was dictated by Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji. Further, he wrote 40 Vaars and 675 Kabits Sawaiyas which constitute an integral part of early Sikh literature. Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji described his verses as key to Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, because in these compositions, he had interpreted Gurbani and has explained as how a person can become a Gursikh. At many places he has enumerated the qualities of a Gursikh. For example, he says in the fourth Pauri of 12th Vaar :
ਹਉ ਤਿਸੁ ਘੋਲਿ ਘੁਮਾਇਆ ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ਰਿਦੈ ਗਰੀਬੀ ਆਵੈ।
ਹਉ ਤਿਸੁ ਘੋਲਿ ਘੁਮਾਇਆ ਪਰ ਨਾਰੀ ਦੇ ਨੇੜਿ ਨ ਜਾਵੈ।
ਹਉ ਤਿਸੁ ਘੋਲਿ ਘੁਮਾਇਆ ਪਰਦਰਬੈ ਨੋ ਹਥੁ ਨ ਲਾਵੈ।
ਹਉ ਤਿਸੁ ਘੋਲਿ ਘੁਮਾਇਆ ਪਰ ਨਿੰਦਾ ਸੁਣਿ ਆਪੁ ਹਟਾਵੈ।
ਹਉ ਤਿਸੁ ਘੋਲਿ ਘੁਮਾਇਆ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਦਾ ਉਪਦੇਸ ਕਮਾਵੈ।
ਹਉ ਤਿਸੁ ਘੋਲਿ ਘੁਮਾਇਆ ਥੋੜਾ ਸਵੈ ਥੋੜਾ ਹੀ ਖਾਵੈ।
I bow before one, who remains humble
And follows the Divine advice.
I bow before one, who does not go
Near any other lady (except wife)
I bow before one, who does not touch
Any other’s wealth (Property)
I bow before one, who does not listen
To what the back biters say.
I bow before one who acts upon the advice of the Guru.
I bow before one, who sleeps little and eats little.
It is with such attainment that one gets the spiritual bliss.
Another notable Sikh who lived during the period of the first six Gurus was Baba Buddha Ji. When he had come into contact with Guru Nanak Dev Ji at Kathunangal, his birth place, his mature talks earned for him the epithet of Baba Buddha. Since then Baba Buddha ji remained in the company of the the Guru, and whenever there was a change in succession, the honour of applying the ceremonial Tilak on the forehead of the new Guru was given to him. During the time of the construction of the Baoli at Goindwal and later on, the construction of the pool of nectar at Amritsar, Baba Buddha Ji rendered a useful service with full devotion and dedication. He also gave spiritual training to Guru Hargobind. When the Adi Granth (Guru Granth Sahib) was installed in the Harimandar Sahib on 16th August, 1604, Baba Buddha Ji was appointed the first high priest of the sacred shrine and the first Hukamnama from the Holy compilation was recited by him.
