Baba Mohan (b. 1536), the eldest son of Guru Amar Das, was born to Mata Mansa Devi at Basarke Gillan, near Amritsar, in 1536. He was of a taciturn disposition and most of the time kept to his room in Goindval absorbed in study and contemplation. He had in his possession manuscript collections of the Gurus' hymns inherited from his father. When Guru Arjan (1563 - 1606) undertook the compilation of the (Guru) Granth Sahib, he sent Bhai Gurdas and then Baba Buddha to borrow these from him, but Baba Mohan refused each time to part with them. Finally, Guru Arjan himself went to Goindval. He sat in the street below Baba Mohan's attic serenading him on his tambura, a string instrument. Mohan was disarmed to hear the hymn and came downstairs with the pothis (books) which he made over to the Guru.