BABA BASANT SINGH JI MEETS SANT BABA HARNAM SINGH JI MAHARAJ
The meeting of the Fakir and his directing Baba Basant Singh ji towards Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji was a very significant event in the life of Baba Basant Singh ji.
Baba Basant Singh ji had heard about this great Sikh missionary. Baba Basant Singh ji naturally was anxious to meet such a pious soul. He eagerly waited for the moment when he could have a glimpse of such a holy person. One day he shared his desire with Bhai Kishan Singh ji of his village. Bhai ji was a zealous devotee of Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji and was considered quite close to him. (Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji addressed him ‘RAB JI’. The reason for Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji calling him ‘RAB JI’ is mentioned at the end of this chapter.)
Bhai ji brought Baba Basant Singh ji along with him to the Dera of Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji in Jiyan village. At that time there was a congregation going on at the Dera and the sangat (the fellowship of the devout) was hearing a discourse about the splendor of the Gurus. At the end of the sacred service, Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji took leave of the devotees, but ‘RAB JI’ kept on sitting there.
Sant Baba ji asked him, “Rab ji! Why have you not left?"
Rab ji said, “Maharaj! You are intuitive and know everything. This pious man has come with me. Please accept him in your safe haven.”
While Rab ji was introducing Baba Basant Singh ji to Sant ji Maharaj, Baba ji got up and fell on the feet of Sant Maharaj ji.
Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji said, “Rab ji! I have been waiting for this mortal for a long time.”
Baba ji on hearing these words stood in front of the holy saint with folded hands and said, “O Sovereign! I am ready to receive and accept your orders.”
The spiritual being spoke, “Obeying the order of the Guru, service of the Guru and renunciation of illusionary world of attachment to wealth; can only bind some rare great individual, in true love of the Guru.”
Baba ji said, “True are your words and I will follow them.”
The spiritual being then said, “Rab ji! A rare individual has the guts to accept the path of a FAKIR. It is only possible for those who have passed through meditation during many previous births. This pious man has a shine in his eyes and it can easily be observed. His mind is drenched with devotional worship. A person can become humble only when he is able to renounce worldly things including one’s own home and relatives.”
Baba Basant Singh ji said, “I am prepared and ready to give up everything. I only need your blessings.”
His holiness Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji said, “Then, present yourself for SEWA.” Baba Basant Singh ji replied, “I will follow your true word.” Gurbani says:
When the seed of the karma of past actions sprouted, I met the Lord; He is both the Enjoyer and the Renunciate.
The spiritual master gave a pat on the back of Baba Basant Singh ji. The touch stimulated and awakened all parts of his body.
Baba Basant Singh ji as a disciplined follower presented himself daily for the SEWA. In the early days he came every day from his house and joined in the SEWA. Later he started living in the DERA with the blessings of Mahapurakh and renounced everything. On the directions of the Mahapurakh he performed stringent meditation. He was also blessed by the Mahapurakh and learnt the right way of performing veneration. He learned recitation of Gurbani and remembrance of the Name of the Lord after long and arduous sessions. His Gurudev was kind and kept an eye on him and corrected his mistakes at every step of his spiritual journey. This stage has been aptly described in the following verses of Sri Guru Granth Sahib:
To work for the Guru, or a spiritual teacher, is terribly difficult, but it brings the most excellent peace. The Lord casts His Glance of Grace, and inspires love and affection. Joined to the service of the True Guru, the mortal being crosses over the terrifying world-ocean. The fruits of the mind’s desires are obtained, with clear contemplation and discriminating understanding within. O Nanak, meeting the True Guru, God is found; He is the Eradicator of all sorrow. ||16|| (Page 1422)
He was so involved in his worship that he forgot all about his family and household duties. One day his father Sardar Fateh Singh thought of enquiring about his welfare and came to Jiyan DERA. He saw his son in deep meditation among the sadhus of the DERA. Baba ji had a glowing face. The father did not disturb his son and came to Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji Maharaj and paid his homage. The Holy saint asked him, “Gurmukho! From where have you come?”
Bhai Fateh Singh replied, “Maharaj! I have come from Marula.”
The Holy saint smiled and said, “In this DERA there is a sadhu from Marula.”
Bhai Fateh Singh humbly said, “Maharaj! He is my son. He has renounced his family and household and is here serving you. Please keep him under your blissful eyes and bless him.”
The Holy saint replied, “What duty has to be performed by whom is only known to the Almighty. My work is to enjoin your son to the feet of the Lord. The knowledge gained here will be helpful to him in future. The Almighty will bless him and take appropriate SEWA from him.”
Bhai ji was happy that his son was on the right track. He requested the Holy saint, “Maharaj! He has forgotten us. Please do purify him and keep him in the fold of Guru’s feet.”
Bhai Fateh Singh returned home as a happy and satisfied father.
With the blessings of Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji Maharaj, Sant Baba Basant Singh ji Maharaj was baptized with the ambrosial nectar of the two edged sword and he thus recited Gurbani in the Khalsa attire.
He remained involved in SIMRAN (Remembrance of God) for twenty-four hours in a day and served his Gurudev with full devotion. He was never tired of attending on his Gurudev. While in SAMADHI he was not conscious of the happenings around him.
O mind, cross over with the Support of the Lord’s Name. The Guru is the boat to carry you across the world-ocean, through the waves of cynicism and doubt. ||1||Pause|| In this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, there is only pitch darkness. The lamp of the Guru’s spiritual wisdom illuminates and enlightens. ||1|| (Page 210)
One day Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji Maharaj was returning to Jiyan DERA from his meditative abode at Dumma. This incident happened in the winter season. He saw Baba Basant Singh in deep meditation. Frost had collected on the naked body of his beloved disciple. He felt happy to see his disciple performing extreme worship of the Almighty and without saying a word came to his ASAN (Seat).
After completing his penance, Sant Baba Basant Singh ji came for DARSHAN of his Gurudev. He touched the feet of his Gurudev who gave him his blessings.
Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji Maharaj said to him, “Santa! Your penance has completed here. Now you should leave this place and go to a place near the village Bhalana for your further worship of the Lord.”
Sant Baba Basant Singh ji said, “Satya Vachan Maharaj! I will obey your orders.”
As instructed by his Gurudev Sant Baba Basant Singh ji went to village Bhalana. No one recognized him in this area. He performed his worship in dense forests.
Once he became so involved in the remembrance of God that he was blessed with enlightenment with the opening of the Tenth Gate (The home of the Supreme Divine). He remained in this state for many days and kept on enjoying the sublime essence.
He had no knowledge about his surroundings. He was so engrossed in the devotional worship that his clothes were eaten up by termites. A sadhu chanting the Name of the Lord passed through the jungle. He was from a group of Udasin sadhus who were passing that way. During those days Udasin sadhus used to travel on elephants, horses and camels to religious places. When he was passing close to Sant Baba Basant Singh ji his chanting was disturbed. He thought that there was certainly another austere involved in deep meditation somewhere around there and that he had been guided by the Almighty to have his DARSHAN.
He started searching and ultimately reached the place where Sant Baba ji was in his SAMADHI. His eyes filled with tears on seeing the scene in front of him. With his spiritual power he brought down the concentration of Sant Baba ji and observed him closely. Sant Baba ji was made to wear clothes provided by the sadhu. The body of Sant Baba ji was very soft as if he had just come after taking his bath. The Udasin sadhu bowed before him and said, “Please bless me also.”
Sant Baba ji replied, “I do not have any entity. I am obeying the instructions of my Gurudev. He is the one who is blessing me.”
The Udasin sadhu asked, “Who is your Gurudev? You are a perfect sadhu and I will like to have DARSHAN of your Gurudev who has brought you to this stage.”
Sant Baba ji had not gone to the Jiyan DERA for a long time. On listening to the talk about his Gurudev he longed for his DARSHAN. Both the sadhus reached the Jiyan DERA and paid their homage to Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji Maharaj. The entire group of the Udasin sadhus came along. Everyone was welcomed at the DERA.
The Udasin sadhu narrated the scene he had observed in the jungle to Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji. Gurudev did not respond. The Udasin sadhus were served as per their status and were sent away after paying full respects.
After the Udasin sadhus left, Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji Maharaj called Sant Baba Basant Singh ji. When Sant Baba Basant Singh ji came close, the Gurudev started beating him with an iron arrow. Gurudev kept on beating him and Sant Baba Basant Singh ji kept on repeating the words, “My mind should not forget the Almighty WAHEGURU. Please keep me in the fold of your Holy feet O Almighty WAHEGURU.”
Someone observing the beating requested Gurudev, “Please let the poor man go.”
Gurudev replied, “I will surely let him go but first he has to be converted into PARAS (Philosopher’s stone). He has to fill the stomach of lakhs of people. He is not poor. He will be respected by Rajas and Maharajas.”
When the Holy saint stopped beating his disciple, Sant Baba Basant Singh ji fell on his feet. All of a sudden all the austerity of Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji Maharaj was transferred to Sant Baba Basant Singh ji. Gurudev instructed his beloved disciple to go and find a place on the outskirts of village Marula and start his further worship there.
'Rab Ji' 'Blessings of Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji Maharaj'
Bhai Kishan Singh of village Marula had a lot of respect and love for Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji Maharaj. One day as per his routine, he took milk in a pitcher and started towards the Jiyan Dera. On the way a deadly snake started following him. Bhai ji took long strides and walked fast but the snake kept on pursuing him. Bhai ji became afraid and started running. He lost his sandals but he kept on running. He went straight to the room of Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji and stopped there. Sant ji Maharaj asked him, “Bhai ji what has happened? Why are you out of your breath?”
Bhai ji informed Sant ji Maharaj about the snake. Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji got up on hearing the incident. He said to Bhai ji, “Bhai ji! Take us to the place from where you started running after becoming afraid of the snake.”
Bhai ji could not understand the mystery and started walking bare foot with Sant ji Maharaj. When they reached the place where his sandals had got off, it was observed that the snake was lying near the sandals. Sant ji Maharaj went close to the snake and tried to move it with his stick. But the snake did not react. The snake was dead. Sant ji Maharaj pointed at the footprints near the snake and asked Bhai Kishan Singh, “Bhai ji! Are these your footprints?”
Bhai ji replied, “Yes, Maharaj! These are mine.”
Sant Maharaj ji said, “Bhai ji! The snake has been liberated with your blessings. The snake was not following you to harm you but it desired the touch of your feet. On receiving the feel of your footprints it gave up this life. The Almighty can only do such an action. You are ‘Rab’ (God). From today we will address you as ‘Rab ji’.”
Bhai Kishan Singh ji was overwhelmed on hearing the Holy words of Sant ji Maharaj and fell on his feet.
This is the background of Bhai Kishan Singh being called as ‘Rab ji’ by everyone.