Offering the Mind and Body: The Core Teaching of Bhagat Ravidas Ji

ਗੂਜਰੀ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਵਿਦਾਸ ਜੀ ਕੇ ਪਦੇ ਘਰੁ ੩    ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥ ਦੂਧੁ ਤ ਬਛਰੈ ਥਨਹੁ ਬਿਟਾਰਿਓ ॥ ਫੂਲੁ ਭਵਰਿ ਜਲੁ ਮੀਨਿ ਬਿਗਾਰਿਓ ॥੧॥ ਮਾਈ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਪੂਜਾ ਕਹਾ ਲੈ ਚਰਾਵਉ ॥ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਫੂਲੁ ਅਨੂਪੁ ਨ ਪਾਵਉ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ ਮੈਲਾਗਰ ਬੇਰ੍ਹੇ ਹੈ ਭੁਇਅੰਗਾ ॥ ਬਿਖੁ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਬਸਹਿ ਇਕ ਸੰਗਾ ॥੨॥ ਧੂਪ ਦੀਪ ਨਈਬੇਦਹਿ ਬਾਸਾ ॥ ਕੈਸੇ ਪੂਜ ਕਰਹਿ ਤੇਰੀ ਦਾਸਾ ॥੩॥ ਤਨੁ ਮਨੁ ਅਰਪਉ ਪੂਜ ਚਰਾਵਉ ॥ ਗੁਰ ਪਰਸਾਦਿ ਨਿਰੰਜਨੁ ਪਾਵਉ ॥੪॥ ਪੂਜਾ ਅਰਚਾ ਆਹਿ ਨ ਤੋਰੀ ॥ ਕਹਿ ਰਵਿਦਾਸ ਕਵਨ ਗਤਿ ਮੋਰੀ ॥੫॥੧॥ 

Here is an English summary of the provided passage (a translation and commentary on a hymn by Bhagat Ravidas Ji from Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji):

Summary

Bhagat Ravidas Ji addresses the futility of relying on physical, ritualistic offerings to worship God, highlighting that everything in nature is inherently "impure" or contaminated before we even offer it:

• Milk is already touched/tasted by the calf.
• Flowers are already smelled by the bumblebee.
• Water is already inhabited/polluted by the fish.
• Sandalwood trees are wrapped by snakes.
• Incense and offerings become impure as soon as their scents diffuse.

If God could only be pleased through untouched, pristine physical items, true devotion would be impossible because nothing in the created world is completely pure.

The Key Message

God does not desire outer rituals or external offerings like milk, flowers, or water. The only true, pure offering is the dedication of one's mind and body (Tan-Man). True divine realization comes through total self-surrender and the grace of the True Guru, rather than ritualistic symbolism.