One day Bhai Mela Singh of village Bhatolian, a devotee of Sant Baba Basant Singh ji Maharaj was sitting in his home. He thought, “We all sleep on cozy and comfortable beds, but Sant Baba ji sleeps on the floor. This is not correct. The village folk have not been respectful towards him.”
Bhai Sahib further thought, “Sant Baba ji has not cared for his own benefit but has been blessing us. We could not arrange even a cot for him to save him from animals, snakes and scorpions.”
Bhai Sahib gave a practical shape to his thought. He got a single bed prepared and bought new bedding. He brought the same to the dwelling of Sant Baba ji. Sant Baba ji was not present in his abode at that time.
Bhai Sahib waited for Sant Baba ji but he did not return till late in the evening. Earlier also Sant Baba ji left the place for a few days and did not return for the night. Bhai Sahib kept the bed and the bedding in a corner of the dwelling and thought, “Sant Baba ji will use the articles on his own when he looks at them.”
A great ascetic, who enjoyed sleeping on the floor, was not attracted to worldly comforts. His happiness was in simple living. After some time Sant Baba ji returned to his abode and saw the cot and the bedding. He smiled and said to himself, “The Almighty has pointed His warning sign. The time has come to leave this place.”
Sant Baba ji had stayed at this dwelling for many years, but did not take a second to decide to move from there. He was a saint who believed that the comforts for the body were not meant for him. These were meant for the devotees to enjoy.
Without informing anyone, without asking anyone, Sant Baba ji picked up his stick and CHIPI and left the place. He started moving towards village Johal, District Jalandhar.
Sant Baba ji was instructed to move to village Johal by his austere and revered Gurudev Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji Maharaj of Jiyan.
To the west of village Johal was the farm owned by Shabdian. The owner of the farm, Sardar Bishan Singh was seated on the GADDI (the blade on the plough) and driving the bullocks. Sant Baba Basant Singh ji Maharaj passed close to where he was working. He stopped the bullocks, jumped down from his seat and ran towards Sant Baba ji. He took Sant Baba ji in a strong-arm hold from the backside.
Sant Baba ji was taken by surprise. He said to Bishan Singh, “O Gurmukh! What have I done to you or have I taken something of yours that you treat me like this? Please release me from your hold.”
But the hold became tighter. This was not a hold of enmity but an embrace full of love. He had observed the glow on the face of Sant Baba ji and understood that this man was no ordinary human being but was a Holy person.
Sant Baba ji again requested, “What is your condition for releasing me?”
Another man who had stopped to watch the spectacle said to Sant Baba ji, “Baba ji! This man is hard of hearing. Please speak loudly.”
The landlord immediately retorted, “I am not hard of hearing. I can hear everything clearly.”
The man who had known Sardar Bishan Singh was astonished to hear these words. He could not understand how the partial deafness of the landlord had vanished.
Bhai Bishan Singh addressed Sant Baba ji and said, “I will release you on one condition.”
Sant Baba ji said, “Oh my dear man! Let me know your condition.”
Bhai ji requested the Holy saint, “Baba ji! You stay here on my farm. There is a room near the well and make this place as your abode.”
Sant Baba ji said, “OK! Gurmukha! As you wish. I will abide by your affection.” Sardar Bishan Singh opened his strong hold and released Sant Baba ji when he heard him agree to his request.
There was a small room near the well in the farm. Sant Baba ji started staying there. Sant Baba ji told Sardar Bishan Singh, “You will have to agree to my stipulations. You will not let anyone know about my presence and that you will not ask me or offer me anything. Whenever I am in need of something I will ask for it myself.”
Sardar Bishan Singh obeyed the instructions of Sant Baba ji.
Sant Baba ji immersed himself in deep meditation. A lot many shrubs surrounded the place. During the night Sant Baba ji performed his worship by hiding in the shrubs. After an early morning bath, Sant Baba ji went inside the room and kept it locked from inside. For five years no one knew about the presence of Sant Baba ji. After spending five years in this manner, Sant Baba ji started sitting outside the room. People of the area did not take long in recognizing the divine personality and started coming to pay their homage.