Lakhmi Das

Lakhmi Das (12 February 1497 – 9 April 1555), also known as Lakhmi Chand, was the younger son of Guru Nanak and Mata Sulakhni and founder of the Jagiasi sect of Sikhism.

Biography Guru Nanak with his sons, Sri Chand and Lakhmi Das. Sikh-Guler. Middle or last quarter of 18th century He was born to Guru Nanak and Mata Sulakhni in Sultanpur Lodhi on 12 February 1497. He differed in his life path from his elder brother, Sri Chand, as the latter became an ascetic recluse whilst Lakhmi Das married and had children, living the life of a householder. Lakhmi Das worked the land as a farmer. Lakhmi Das was also fond of hunting and was an avid huntsman. His wife eventually bore him a son in 1515, named Dharam Das (also spelt as Dharam Chand).

Guruship candidacy Mural from Gurdwara Baba Atal depicting the story of Guru Nanak testing his potential successors by asking them to climb a tree to obtain food for guests. Lakhmi Das and Sri Chand refused to do so (both are depicted below Nanak) whilst Bhai Lehna obeyed (depicted climbing the tree to obtain sustenance for the gathering below). According to Harish Dhillon, Guru Nanak may have passed over Lakhmi Das when deciding who will be his successor because he was too absorbed in materialism. A sakhi tells of a time when Guru Nanak requested his two sons to climb a kikar tree to obtain fruit to feed guests but Lakhmi Das and his brother refused to obey his solicitation while Bhai Lehna gladly obeyed and obtained bountiful amounts of fruit, showcasing his devoutness and loyalty to the Guru. Another sakhi tells of a time when Guru Nanak asked his two sons to carry a bundle of sticks but they refused to whilst Bhai Lehna humbly obliged this command. Lakhmi Das refused to as he saw this task as beneath him, he thought very highly of himself since he was the son of Guru Nanak. It was a sister-sect to the Udasis and bore many similarities to it, with the critical difference being that the Udasis follow a lifestyle of celibacy, reclusiveness, and asceticism, following in the footsteps of Lakhmi's elder brother, Sri Chand, the Jagiasu sect which Lakhmi had founded on the other hand promoted and lived the life of a householder, known as grist marg.

There exists a belief that Lakhmi Chand may have been the scribe of the Guru Harsahai Pothi. Balwant Singh Dhillon finds the connection unlikely.