A PANDIT LOSING HIS PANCHAANG (ASTROLOGICAL CALCULATOR)
A Pandit of village Bolina earned his living through astrological predictions. He always kept a PANCHAANG (a booklet of astrological calculations) with him. He referred to this booklet for calculations to arrive at the correct prediction. He once lost his PANCHAANG and was unable to trace it. He tried hard to find it but couldn’t. He became very worried. His wife advised him,”You should go to Nirmal Kutiya Johalan and pray to Sant Baba Basant Singh ji Maharaj. I am sure you will find your PANCHAANG with his blessings.”
Though Pandit ji was a staunch Hindu, yet he had a lot of love and respect for Sant Baba Basant Singh ji Maharaj. The whole family used to come to pay their homage. He visited Nirmal Kutiya Johalan like any other devotee of Sant Baba ji. He immediately agreed to the advice of his wife. In fact after leaving the problem for Sant Baba ji to solve, he became less tense.
He came to the entrance door of Nirmal Kutiya Johalan. He took off his shoes and bowed in front of the gate. He was a little emotional. He stood in silence and prayed with his eyes closed. He prayed to Sant Baba ji in his mind and sought his blessings. He said that he would be grateful to Sant Baba ji, for locating his lost PANCHAANG. It was his livelihood and he could not go on without it.
Sant Baba ji was sitting under the mango tree at that time. Pandit ji finished his prayers and opened his eyes. He came to where Sant Baba ji was sitting and touched his feet.
Sant Baba ji asked him, “Pandit ji! How are you?”
Pandit ji replied, “Maharaj Ji! Your kripa is with me.”
Sant Baba ji asked him to go and pay homage to Sri Guru Granth Sahib placed in the thatched hut. Pandit ji obeyed and came back after paying his obiesance.
Sant Baba ji was smiling when Pandit ji returned. Sant Baba ji said to him, “Pandit ji! What papers have you left near the Darbar of Guru Sahib?”
Pandit ji went back to the hut again and picked up the papers. It was his PANCHAANG. His lost PANCHAANG had been found, but how and in what circumstances.
He flushed with excitement. With trembling lips and tears in his eyes, he profusely thanked Sant ji Maharaj. His silent prayers had been answered. He said to Sant Baba ji, “Maharaj ji! In fact, I had come to pray for this booklet. I was unable to trace it anywhere in my house. You have showered your benevolence and have saved my livelihood.”
Sant Baba ji just smiled. Pandit ji was given Parshad and taken leave of. He returned home a happy and contented man. He shared the blessings with his wife. His wife suggested him to get some Parshad made and offer the same at Nirmal Kutiya.
Next morning Pandit ji specially went to Jalandhar City to a sweet shop. He asked the owner, “I want fresh Parshad to offer to a Holy saint. Will you be able to prepare it?”
The owner replied in the affirmative. Pandit ji then asked him, “Please let me know if you prepare any non-vegetarian here?”
The owner replied, “Everything is clean here. We prepare things only in pure ghee. It is a sweet shop and no non-vegetarion is prepared or brought here.”
The owner washed all the utensils for preapring the Parshad. He then prepared KARAH and PURI.
The freshly prepared dishes were brought to the Kutiya and Pandit ji said to Sant Baba ji, “Maharaj ji! Please accept this KARAH-PURI.”
Sant Baba ji picked up a small loaf. Pandit ji celebrated inwardly when Sant Baba ji accepted his offering. He felt that his wish of serving Sant Baba ji had fulfilled.
Sant Baba ji took leave of him after giving Parshad of sugar puffs. When Pandit ji came to Sant Baba ji to offer his respects before leaving, Sant Baba ji asked him,“Pandit ji! When is the next Sangrand?”
Pandit ji said, “Maharaj ji! Sangrand is on the 13th.”
Sant Baba ji said, “All right! Thank you!”
Pandit ji thought that Sant Baba ji knows everything about this world and even the next world. He is a great saint and why then did he raise such a question from him. There must be some hidden reason.
Pandit ji came back home and studied his calendar to see whether the date he had mentioned to Sant Baba ji was the correct one. Then he also studied his own astrological predictions. He found that he would die on the 13th. Now he really understood the meaning of the question of Sant Baba ji. Sant Baba ji had conveyed to him about the date of his death.
Pandit ji told his family members that he will die on the 13th. He did die on the 13th, as willed.
The prayers to Sant Baba ji, his devotion and love towards Sant Baba ji, the blessings of Sant Baba ji and his serving Parshad to Sant Baba ji were all synchronal.