Bhagu a goat herdsman lived in the village of Hazara near the village Johal. He was perfect in his work and no one could find fault in the task he undertook. He though had one weakness and that was of his addiction to liquor, intoxicants and mainly, opium.
All types of intoxicants are prohibited in Sikhism. A baptized Sikh is required to stay far away from these intoxicants, and is liable to religious chastisement including social boycott, in case he does indulge.
Bhagu was unaware of the finer details of the tenets of Sikhism, though he generally realised that what he did was wrong. One day Sardar Harbhajan Singh, Nambardar of village Johal approached Bhagu and said to him, “Bhagu! Sant ji Maharaj has remembered you. A Tahli tree has to be pruned.”
Bhagu’s intoxication vanished when he heard the name of Sant Baba Basant Singh ji Maharaj. He said, “Giani ji! I think you are mistaken. How can such a great saint remember me. I am a disgraced person because of my bad qualities.”
Nambardar ji consoled him and said, “No Bhagu! I am telling the truth. Sant ji Maharaj has really called for you.”
Bhagu picked up his sickle and a tall stick with a curved blade, called as DHANGA and joined Nambardar ji for proceeding towards the Kutiya. On reaching Nirmal Kutiya Johalan, Nambardar ji informed Sant Baba ji, “Maharaj ji! Bhagu has come.”
Bhagu did not come closer to where Sant Baba ji was sitting and instead stood at a far distance from him. Standing there he humbly bowed his head in front of Sant Baba ji.
Sant Baba ji looked up and saw Bhagu and said to Nambardar ji, “Take him to the tree which has to be pruned.”
Bhagu being an experienced person finished the work of pruning within a very short time. After finishing his work he came close to Sant Baba ji. He had somehow shed his fears. Sant Baba ji asked him to sit on a MURRA (Mat made from bagasse).
Sant Baba ji then asked him, “Have you pruned the tree?”
Bhagu replied, “Yes, Maharaj!”
Sant Baba ji said to an attendant standing nearby, “Please serve this saint with milk and snacks.”
The attendant was in a suspense as to whom Sant Baba ji was addressing as a saint. Sant Baba ji again instructed, “Serve this saint with milk and snacks.”
The attendant obeyed the orders of Sant Baba ji and took Bhagu aside and served him with milk and snacks.
After Bhagu came back, Sant Baba ji took leave from him.
On reaching home, Bhagu threw away his sickle and placed the DHANGA in a corner of his room and told his mother, “Braham Giani Sant Baba Basant Singh ji has called me a saint. My dependence on any further sustenance from this house is over. I am leaving the house.”
The mother thought that Bhagu must have taken an extra doze of some intoxicant and was not in his senses. She did not give much importance to Bhagu’s talk.
Bhagu was determined to start a new life. He left the hose next morning. The words of Sant ji Maharaj had touched his heart. He thought, “Sant Baba ji has recognised me completely. He has pointed out to me that I am a Sadhu and should be performing the works of a Sadhu. I am fortunate that Sant Baba ji has shown me my real identity. I am a gem covered with dirt and involved in drugs etc. Sant Baba ji’s kindness has removed the dirt and restored my shine.”
Bhagu’s mother searched for her son but Bhagu was not to be found. She told the villagers that Bhagu had announced that he will become a Sadhu. Bhagu had really converted into a saint. He had renounced the things to which he had been attached. He gave up drugs/ intoxicants, all relations, their love for him and also the wealth.
For Bhagu, reciting the Name of the Lord became everything. He worshipped God and meditated on Lord’s Name. He established a DERA at Hoshiarpur. People passed by him and observed him involved in SAADHNA and started respecting him.
Bhagu accepted the ambroisal nectar and became a baptized saint. He was given a new life by Sant Baba ji.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, the Naam is learned;
all desires and tasks are fulfilled. My thirst has been quenched, and I am satiated with the Lord’s Praise. I live by chanting and meditating upon the Lord, the Sustainer of the earth. ||1|| (Page 393)
People knew him thereafter only as Sant Bhagat Singh, and no one ever again called him by his pejoratively shortened name of Bhagu.
Once he gave a boon for the birth of a child to a childless family. A son was born in the family. That day the family goat also gave birth to a male kid. The family came to Sant Bhagat Singh to thank him for his kindness. They expressed their happiness and also told him of the birth of the goat-kid in the house.
Sant Bhagat Singh said to them,“It is the Grace of the Almighty. Remember Him. But do not kill the goat-kid. His mother also has the same feelings as the mother of a human child.”
Time passed and the goat kid grew into a full fledged billy goat. One day the family killed the billy, perhaps for the meat. It so came to pass that the day the goat was killed their son also suddenly died. The family was plunged into deep grief. It was then only that they remembered the words of Sant Bhagat Singh and repented bitterly for having not complied with his instructions. They came running to him.
Sant Bhagat Singh said, “The life of the child and the billy was the same. The time granted to them by the Almighty to remain in this world was over and therefore no one could stop this from happening. You should now accept the Will of God and meditate on His Name.”
Sant Bhagat Singh carried on with his work involving human welfare and the alleviation of suffering.
One day the Nambardar of village Johal was in Hoshiarpur. Nambardar ji was called by a person dressed as a Sadhu. Nambardar ji came close to this person and said to him, ‘Sant ji! What do you want from me?”
The Sadhu said,”Nambardar ji! You don’t recognise me.”
Nambardar ji felt embarrased and said, “No! I have not been able to place you.”
The Sadhu said, “Nambardar ji! You are the one who had taken me to Sant Baba Basant Singh ji Maharaj, when a tree had to be pruned. I am Bhagu. The Grace of Sant Baba ji has turned me into a saint.”
Nambardar ji was astonished to see the glow on the face of this person who was considered to be a hopeless addict. He had been completely transformed with the blessings of Sant Baba ji.
Sant Bhagat Singh remained attached to Nirmal Kutiya Johalan and kept on coming to receive the guidance of Sant Baba ji. One day he came to the Kutiya and bowed at the feet of Sant Baba ji. He prayed in his mind, “Sant Baba ji has refined my future. Could he be so kind to cover my past misdeeds also. I will feel light hearted.”
Sant Baba ji could see with his spiritual insight everything going on in the mind of Sant Bhagat Singh. He asked for a shawl to be brought. Sant Baba ji asked for it to be opened completely. The open shawl was placed around Sant Bhagat Singh.
Sant Bhagat Singh immediately felt that Sant ji Maharaj had in his kindness heard his prayers and had covered all his past errors by covering him with the shawl. Thus Sant Baba ji had created a screen so that the people could not peep into his past. He requested Sant ji Maharaj, “Please continue blessing me in future also.”
Sant Baba ji smiled and said, “Do not forget to recite Gurbani. Advise the sangat also to ever remain in touch with it.”
The past of Sant Bhagat Singh was not probed by anyone. The blessings of Sant ji Maharaj had conveyed to him that he had to remain humble at all times which quality would come to him if he remained attached to Gurbani.