BHAGOUTI/ ਭਗਉਤੀ

The word Bhagouti/ ਭਗਉਤੀ have several meanings. Mahan Kosh defines it as venerable, or adorable God (from Bhagvati/goddess Durga) as well as goddess or sword- ਭਗਵਾਨ ਦਾ ਉਪਾਸ਼ਕ, ਵੈਸ਼ਨਵ ਭਗਤ, ਵਿਸ਼ਨੂੰ ਦਾ ਉਪਾਸ਼ਕ (2) ਭਗਤੀ ਕਰਨ ਵਾਲਾ. This word has been used in AGGS several times with different meanings to address God or goddess Durga or sword/great power etc. as well as the Prayer (Ardas) and Chandi di Vaar:


The first part of the "Ardas", the opening of Sikh prayer invokes the names of the Sikh Gurus, was written by the 10^th guru in the chapter (Vaar) of Devi Chandi, s Chiritar of DG: 

ੴ ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ ਜੀ ਕੀ ਫਤਹ ॥
ਸ੍ਰੀ ਭਗਉਤੀ ਜੀ ਸਹਾਇ ॥
ਵਾਰ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਭਗਉਤੀ ਜੀ ਕੀ ॥
ਪ੍ਰਿਥਮ ਭਗੌਤੀ ਸਿਮਰਿ ਕੈ ਗੁਰੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਲਈਂ ਧਿਆਇ ॥
ਫਿਰ ਅੰਗਦ ਗੁਰ ਤੇ ਅਮਰਦਾਸੁ ਰਾਮਦਾਸੈ ਹੋਈਂ ਸਹਾਇ ॥
ਅਰਜਨ ਹਰਿਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਨੋ ਸਿਮਰੌ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਹਰਿਰਾਇ ॥
ਸ੍ਰੀ ਹਰਿ ਕਿਸ਼ਨ ਧਿਆਈਐ ਜਿਸ ਡਿਠੇ ਸਭਿ ਦੁਖਿ ਜਾਇ ॥
ਤੇਗ ਬਹਾਦਰ ਸਿਮਰਿਐ ਘਰ ਨਉ ਨਿਧਿ ਆਵੈ ਧਾਇ ॥
ਸਭ ਥਾਈਂ ਹੋਇ ਸਹਾਇ ॥੧॥

Translation:

Victory to the Glorious Gurus. May Sri Bhagauti Ji assists us, I write the ode of Sri Bhagauti Ji.
First I recall Bhagauti, (Whose symbol is the sword) and then I reflect on Guru Nanak.
Then Guru Angad, Guru Amar Das, and Guru Ram Das may help us.
I reflect on Guru Arjun, Guru Har Gobind, and Guru Har Rai.
I remember Guru Har Kishan, whose sight all the sufferings vanish.
Then I do remember Guru Tegh Bahadur, through whose grace the nine treasures come to my house. May they be helpful to us everywhere?  -----DG, Page, 119

The rest of the Ardas (Prayer) was added in the 20th century (1920) by few elected Sikh officials and formed SGPC under English government suggestion and guidance. It is still being prolonged with additions by local priests depending on the occasion.

The author describes the emergence of Goddess Chandi as a force that destroys the demons.

ਤੈ ਹੀ ਦੁਰਗਾ ਸਾਜਿ ਕੈ ਦੈਤਾ ਦਾ ਨਾਸੁ ਕਰਾਇਆ ॥
ਤੈਥੋਂ ਹੀ ਬਲੁ ਰਾਮ ਲੈ ਨਾਲ ਬਾਣਾ ਦਹਸਿਰੁ ਘਾਇਆ ॥
ਤੈਥੋਂ ਹੀ ਬਲੁ ਕ੍ਰਿਸਨ ਲੈ ਕੰਸੁ ਕੇਸੀ ਪਕੜਿ ਗਿਰਾਇਆ ॥
ਤੈਥੋਂ ਹੀ ਬਲੁ ਕ੍ਰਿਸਨ ਲੈ ਕੰਸੁ ਕੇਸੀ ਪਕੜਿ ਗਿਰਾਇਆ ॥
ਬਡੇ ਬਡੇ ਮੁਨਿ ਦੇਵਤੇ ਕਈ ਜੁਗ ਤਿਨੀ ਤਨੁ ਤਾਇਆ ॥
ਕਿਨੀ ਤੇਰਾ ਅੰਤੁ ਨ ਪਾਇਆ ॥੨॥

God! By creating Durga, caused the destruction of demons.

Rama received power from you to kill Ravana with arrows.

Krishna received power from you to throw down Kansa by catching his hair.

The great sages and gods, even practicing great austerities for several ages; do not know your limits.

Guru Amar Das in Siri Raag defines Bhagauti:

ਸੋ ਭਗਉਤੀ ਜੋੁ ਭਗਵੰਤੈ ਜਾਣੈ ॥

ਗੁਰ ਪਰਸਾਦੀ ਆਪੁ ਪਛਾਣੈ ॥

ਧਾਵਤੁ ਰਾਖੈ ਇਕਤੁ ਘਰਿ ਆਣੈ ॥

ਜੀਵਤੁ ਮਰੈ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਵਖਾਣੈ ॥

ਐਸਾ ਭਗਉਤੀ ਉਤਮੁ ਹੋਇ ॥

ਨਾਨਕ ਸਚਿ ਸਮਾਵੈ ਸੋਇ ॥

So bẖag­uṯī jo bẖagvanṯai jāṇai. Gur parsādī āp pacẖẖāṇai. Ḏẖāvaṯ rākẖai ikaṯ gẖar āṇai. Jīvaṯ marai har nām vakẖāṇai. Aisā bẖag­uṯī uṯam ho­ė. Nānak sacẖ samāvai so­ė.

One who knows the Benevolent God is the true Bhagauti. By Guru's Grace, he is self-realized. He restrains his wandering mind and brings it back to its own home within the self. He remains dead while yet alive, and he chants the Name of Immortal God. Such a Bhagauti is most exalted. O Nanak, he merges into the True One. -----Guru Amar Das, Siri Raag, AGGS, Page, 88

Guru Arjun uses the word in different settings in Siri Ragas, Gauri, Ramkali, and Parbhati:

ਭਗਉਤੀ ਰਹਤ ਜੁਗਤਾ ॥
ਜੋਗੀ ਕਹਤ ਮੁਕਤਾ ॥
ਤਪਸੀ ਤਪਹਿ ਰਾਤਾ ॥੨॥

Bẖag­uṯī rahaṯ jugṯā. Jogī kahaṯ mukṯā.Ŧapsī ṯapėh rāṯā. 

The worshipper of Bhagauti practices self-discipline. the Yogi speaks of liberation, and the ascetic is absorbed in asceticism. -----Guru Arjun, Siri Raag, AGGS, Page, 71-7
       

ਭਗਉਤੀ ਭਗਵੰਤ ਭਗਤਿ ਕਾ ਰੰਗੁ॥

ਤਿਸੁ ਭਗਉਤੀ ਕੀ ਮਤਿ ਊਤਮ ਹੋਵੈ॥

ਨਾਨਕ ਐਸਾ ਭਗਉਤੀ ਭਗਵੰਤ ਕਉ ਪਾਵੈ॥

Bẖag­uṯī bẖagvanṯ bẖagaṯ kā rang. Ŧis bẖag­uṯī kī maṯ ūṯam hovai. Nānak aisā bẖag­uṯī bẖagvanṯ ka­o pāvai.

The true Bhagauti loves the devotional worship of God. The wisdom of such a Bhagauti becomes supreme. O Nanak, such a Bhagauti attains God.-----Guru Arjun, Raag Gauri, AGGS, Page, 274

ਕੋਈ ਕਹਤਉ ਅਨੰਨਿ ਭਗਉਤੀ ॥

ਮੋਹਿ ਦੀਨ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਓਟ ਲੀਤੀ ॥

Ko­ī kahṯa­o annan bẖag­uṯī. Mohi ḏīn har har ot līṯī.

Some claim that they are devotees of the One God alone. I am meek and seek the shelter and support of the Eternal God.-----Guru Arjun, Raag Ramkali, AGGS, Page, 912-17

Conclusion:

IMHO this word could be used for God by individuals without attachment to any religious rituals or symbols or Maya. It should be left to the individual for his/her own discretion rather than making any judgment on its use.

ਇਤੁ ਸੰਜਮਿ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਕਿਨ ਹੀ ਨ ਪਾਇਆ ॥

ਭਗਉਤੀ ਮੁਦ੍ਰਾ ਮਨੁ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਮਾਇਆ ॥

Iṯ sanjam parabẖ kin hī na pā­i­ā. Bẖag­uṯī muḏrā man mohi­ā mā­i­ā.

The Bhagauti attempts to find God with rituals of religious symbols of sacred ear-rings but his mind remains enticed by Maya. No one has ever found God in this way.-----Guru Arjun, Raag Parbhati, AGGS, Page, 1348-2

Chandi di Vaar

Chandi di Vaar, also known as Vaar Sri Bhagauti Ji is a composition included in the 5th chapter of Dasam Granth. It is based on an episode from the Sanskrit work Markandeya Purana describes the conflict between the Gods and the Demons. In the ballad, the mythological goddess (see Chandi) is transformed into a liberating divine power in the form of a sword, that crushes perpetrators of falsehood.

Chandi di Vaar has been traditionally attributed to Guru Gobind Singh, however, its actual authorship remains disputed. In his religious court at Anandpur Sahib, the Guru had employed 52 poets, who translated several classical texts into Braj Bhasha. Most of the writing compiled at

Anandpur Sahib was lost while the Guru's camp was crossing the Sirsa River before the Battle of Chamkaur. Later, Bhai Mani Singh compiled all the available works under the title Dasam Granth. The traditional scholars claim that all the works in Dasam Granth were composed by the Guru himself, on the basis of Bhai Mani Singh's letter. However, many scholars dispute this claim, saying that some of the content is out of tune with the tenets of Sikhism, and must have been composed by an unknown follower.

Dharam Pal Ashta considers Chandi di Vaar as one of the finest Punjabi poetry written. It abounds in imagery: arrows fall like heavy showers, lightning comes down hissing like snakes, soldiers are locked in mortal combat like wild beasts. This song was popularly sung by the Sikh soldiers on their way to the battlefield.

Meaning of Bhagauti

Bhagauti stands for God and sometimes for the sword which is identified with God.

References:

1. Gurbachan Singh Talib. The Impact of Guru Gobind Singh on Indian Society. Guru Gobind Singh Foundation. p. 59.

2. Gurbhagat Singh. Literature and Folklore after Poststructuralism. p. 89.

3. Guru Gobind Singh Sahib. "http://www.sgpc.net/gurus/gurugobind.asp". Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee.

4. Amaresh Datta, Ed (2006). The Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature (Volume One (A To Devo), Volume 1. Sahitya Akademi. p. 888. ISBN 9788126018031.

5. McLeod, W. H. (2005-07-28). Historical dictionary of Sikhism. Rowman& amp; Littlefield. pp. 44–. ISBN 9780810850880. http://books.google.com/?id=ma3G-hjh6SwC;pg=PA44. Retrieved 2 June 2010.

6. Banerjee, Dr. Anil Chander (April 1981). "Guru Gobind Singh and Shakhtieult". The Sikh Review No. 378: 32.