VJKK VJKF,
This has been discussed quite a few times, and I'm sure there's a writeup by Bhai Kulbir Singh somewhere on the site. Giani Gurdit Singh has done a detailed study on the Bhagats in his book, "Ithihas Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji : Bhagat Bani Bhag" (Punjabi).
Giani Gurdit SinghI was asked a while back as to who was the Guru of Bhagat Ramanand Ji, and wrote the below, which is a summary of the points from Giani Gurdit Singh's book:
Bhagat Ramanand's Guru was Satguru Nanak Dev Ji.
There is one Shabad of Bhagat Ramanand's in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib, and this confirms the above and also outlines Bhagat Ramanand's beliefs:
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥ ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become stilled. ||1||Pause||
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.
ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥I went to God's place (temple), and worshipped Him there.
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥That God, was shown by the Guru to be within my own mind. ||1|ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥Wherever I go, I find water and stones. (reference to Tiraths and Idols)
ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥ I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||The bolded lines confirm:
1) That Bhagat Ramanand had a Guru, and that Guru revealed God to him;
2) That Bhagat Ramanand is a sacrifice to his Guru, because he has cleared up all his confusion and doubt;
3) That the Guru's Shabad (i.e. the Gurmantar given by Guru Nanak Dev Ji) eradicates his past karma.
Point 1) is important because Bhagat Ramanand is famous for breaking away from his Guru and starting his own path. Yet here he confirms he has a Guru, and that Guru is Guru Nanak Dev Ji.
Bhagat Ramamnand was originally a Krishan Bhagti and his Guru was Ragvanand Ji. Ragvanand Ji was the 14th in line of Krishan Bhagats from Ramanuj Ji. Bhagat Ramanand broke away from Ragvanand Ji and started Raam Bhagti. Though Bhagat Ramanand was a Brahman, he disregarded caste and welcomed all. The famous Bhagats Kabir / Ravidas / Sain / Dhanna / Peepa were his disciples (their compositions also appear in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib)
Bhagat Ramanand's disciples also became disciples of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. There is a record of the conversation between Bhagat Ramanand and Guru Nanak Dev Ji, where Bhagat Ji asks to become Guru Nanak's disciple and receive his Mantar. Guru Nanak Dev Ji laughs at this says you already know everything (Bhagat Ji was much older than Guru Sahib), but still Bhagat Ji pleads. Guru Nanak Dev Ji then makes him his disciple and gives him the Gurmantar. Bhagat Ramanand then tells Bhagat Kabir Ji this and Bhagat Kabir then goes to Guru Nanak Dev Ji.
There are also writings of Bhagat Kabir Ji's which declare Guru Nanak Dev Ji to be the perfect Guru.
All the Bhagats in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib were at some point Avtaar worshippers, and practiced Krishan / Raam / Devi Bhagti till they met Guru Nanak Dev Ji and recognised God as
Nirankaar (formless).
ਸਤਿਗੁਰਬਚਨਕਮਾਵਣੇਸਚਾਏਹੁਵੀਚਾਰੁ॥