Bhai Gurdas Ji was born in Goindval in 1551 to Bhai Tej Bhan (younger brother of Guru Amar Das Ji) and Mata Jivani. As the first Sikh scholar he became very respected amongst the Sikh community, he was sent as a missionary to Agra where he became revered amongst Hindu and Muslim scholars as well as the Gursikhs. Bhai Gurdas was appointed as the second Granthi (custodian of the Holy Scriptures) at the Harimandir Sahib, following the decease of Baba Buddha Ji.

He was made the scribe to the Guru Granth Sahib in the period of the fifth Guru - Guru Arjan Dev. It is said that the Guru was so pleased with Bhai Gurdas' compositions that he declared them to be the key to understanding the Guru Granth Sahib. Even today, traditional Sikh scripture schools teach the works of Bhai Gurdas before the Guru Granth Sahib.

Bhai Gurdas composed the Vara which were written in Punjabi and the Kabits which were written in a language known as Brij. The Vara contain vital historic information as well as the first thought on Sikh theology.