Varan Bhai Gurdas is the name given to the 40 Varan (chapters) of writing by Bhai Gurdas

Bhai Gurdas

Bhai Gurdas was a Punjabi Sikh writer, historian, preacher and religious figure. He was the original scribe of the Guru Granth Sahib and a companion of four of the Sikh Gurus.-Early life:...

. They have been referred to as the "Key to the Sri Guru Granth Sahib" by Guru Arjan Dev

Guru Arjan Dev

Guru Arjan Dev Ji was the fifth of the Ten Gurus of Sikhism. He was born in Goindval, Punjab, India, the youngest son of Guru Ram Das and Bibi Bhani, the daughter of Guru Amar Das. He became the Guru of the Sikhs on 1 September 1581 after the death of his father Guru Ram Das. Guru Arjan died in...

, the fifth Sikh Guru. Bhai Gurdas was a first cousin of Mata Bhani

Mata Bhani

Bibi Bhani was daughter of Guru Amar Das, the third Sikh Guru and the wife of Guru Ram Das, the fourth Sikh Guru and the mother of Guru Arjan Dev, the fifth Sikh Guru. Her role was critical as aSummary:...

, mother of Guru Arjan Dev

Guru Arjan Dev

Guru Arjan Dev Ji was the fifth of the Ten Gurus of Sikhism. He was born in Goindval, Punjab, India, the youngest son of Guru Ram Das and Bibi Bhani, the daughter of Guru Amar Das. He became the Guru of the Sikhs on 1 September 1581 after the death of his father Guru Ram Das. Guru Arjan died in...

. He was the first scribe of Guru Granth Sahib

Guru Granth Sahib

Sri Guru Granth Sahib , or Adi Granth, is the religious text of Sikhism. It is the final and eternal guru of the Sikhs. It is a voluminous text of 1430 angs, compiled and composed during the period of Sikh gurus, from 1469 to 1708...

 and a scholar of great repute. From his work its clear that he had mastery of various Indian languages and had studied many ancient Indian religious scriptures.

In Macauliffe's "The Sikh Religion," he makes the following remark to express the importance place by the Guru on Bhai Sahib's work: "The Guru, probably to make trial of his learned and able scribe Bhai Gur Das, whose compositions he admired, offered to insert them in the Granth; but Bhai Gur Das said that they were not worthy of such honour.