Sant Baba Basant Singh ji Maharaj was tall, well built and had an impressive personality. Sardar Didar Singh was the Nambardar of village Johal. One day he saw Sant Baba ji at the farm of Shabdian. The first glance made him speak out, “This man will surely catch the attention of someone from the village.”
Sant Baba ji heard these words and said, “O man! You will be the first to be captivated.” Nambardar ji did not understand and left the place.
A few days later a farmer was passing from near the Shabdian farm with a fully loaded cart. His cart got stuck in the sand. He tried his best but was unable to take it out. Someone suggested him to go to the village and get two more bullocks from there to get the jammed cart out of the sand.
He went to the village and brought Nambardar ji along with two bullocks. The help was good enough and the cart was taken out from the place. This incident happened near the abode of Sant Baba ji.
When Nambardar ji was preparing to return back to the village, his eyes fell on the face of Sant Baba ji. Sant Baba ji had seen Nambardar ji helping a needy person in times of difficulty. Sant Baba ji looked at Nambardar ji with his Holy glance. The glimpse changed the thought of Nambardar ji. He came and fell on the feet of Sant Baba ji. Sant Baba ji blessed him and Nambardar ji became a follower.
Kabeer, the True Guru, the Spiritual Warrior, has shot me with His Arrow. As soon as it struck me, I fell to the ground, with a hole in my heart. ||194|| (Page 1374)
Nambardar ji started coming to the abode of Sant Baba ji. The attraction was such that he did not want to miss any single day without paying his obeisance.
After a few days he started feeling that Sant Baba ji had been so kind to him and that he had not been doing any service to His Holiness. One day he sought the permission of Sant Baba ji, “Please permit me to give you your daily bath.”
Sant Baba ji smiled, but did not speak. Next day Nambardar ji brought an urn of water and bathed Sant Baba ji by pouring water on his body with his hands. The daily service of bathing Sant Baba ji thus started. After attending to Sant Baba ji in the morning, he remained there for some more time.
With the blessings and instructions of Sant Baba ji, Nambardar ji learnt music and began to perform KIRTAN.
Nambardar ji was asked to perform KIRTAN by Sant Baba ji during the presence of the sangat. His confidence increased and he started learning the Holy Hymns by heart.
Nambardar ji bowed his head in agreement. He sung the Holy Hymns on the harmonium and enjoyed the same. The sangat also enjoyed the singing of Nambardar ji. He was able to sing many RAGAS (melodies). With the blessings of Sant Baba ji he became a learned scholar of Sikh history. He could easily describe the meanings of the Gurbani and enlightened the sangat about the ecstasy of SIMRAN.
His clarity on the subject was such that even the educated persons tried to gain from his discourse. When he started giving examples on a particular subject, he became so involved in the subject that the listeners felt that they were actually witnessing the scene. He remembered by heart the names of all members of a family in the family tree of great men in Sikh history. Every day the sangat was able to gather new knowledge and information from him. His study of the subject acted like honey in his articulation.
Like a disciplined follower, every day he came to pay his homage to Sant Baba ji. When Sant Baba ji came to Nirmal Kutiya even then he continued with this regulation.
His humbleness and respect for Sant Baba ji was reflected from the way he bowed before the Holy man. He always had a smiling face. He never said nay to the instructions of Sant Baba ji and obeyed them with all his heart in it. The other followers could see Nambardar ji rising to a higher platform of spirituality.
Sardar Ajmer Singh, brother of Nambardar Didar Singh ji also came under the refuge of Sant Baba Basant Singh ji Maharaj, after watching his brother serving the Holy man with all his heart. He also came close to Sant Baba ji within a short period of time. He has been referred to in this book elsewhere also. His family, including his sons, grandsons and great grandsons keep on coming to Nirmal Kutiya Johalan to pay their homage and involve themselves in the service as per the instructions of the present head of the Kutiya.
Both Nambardar ji and Sardar Ajmer Singh earned name and fame through their absolute love and unselfish service towards Sant Baba ji. Their family members are relishing the same at present.
One day as usual Nambardar ji came to pay his homage to Sant Baba ji. This incident relates to the time when Sant Baba ji had started living at Nirmal Kutiya Johalan. Sant Baba ji was sitting near the SACH KHAND building. Nambardar ji touched the feet of Sant Baba ji and sat close to him on a MURRAH (mat made from bagasse).
Sant Baba ji was in a joyous mood and said to him, “Nambardar ji! If a mouse burrowed a hole in the nearby field, the hole can come close to the foundation of this SachKhand building.”
Nambardar ji said, “Yes, Maharaj ji! You are right.”
Sant Baba ji then said, “In case the hole fills with water, then the water can reach the foundation.”
Nambardar ji said, “Yes, Maharaj ji! It is possible for the water to make its way to the foundation.” Nambardar ji thought that the water could damage the foundation in case it reached there through the hole.
After this dialogue, Sant Baba ji took leave of Nambardar ji.
Nambardar ji was a very intelligent man. He had served Sant Baba ji closely. He understood the message in the talk of Sant Baba ji. When he reached the village, he went straight to the house of the landlord, whose fields were next to the SACHKHAND building.
Nambardar ji was welcomed. Nambardar ji said to the landlord, “I have come here to make a request. I will put it forth if you agree to accept the request.”
The landlord replied, “How can I not agree to what you say? Please let me know your instructions.”
Nambardar ji said to him, “Your land lying close to the SACHKHAND building of Sant Baba Basant Singh ji Maharaj be registered in the name of Sant Baba ji. In exchange you can have the same portion of land from my farms.”
The landlord did not hesitate and donated the land adjoining the SACHKHAND building to Sant Baba ji. Nambardar ji gave a similar portion of land from his ownership to the landlord.
This incident shows how much fascination Nambardar ji had for Sant Baba ji. He was completely immersed in the love and devotion of Sant Baba ji with the blessings of the Almighty Satguru. What ever he owned was considered to be that of Sant Baba ji. A devotee who has let go off all kinds of hatred for others and has no ego of his own can only take such an action. Gurbani quotes in this respect as follows:
Your humble servants serve You, O Lord; those who are imbued with the Truth are pleasing to Your Mind. Those who are involved in duality do not find the Mansion of the Lord’s Presence; caught in the false nature of the world, they do not discriminate
between merits and demerits. ||7||(Page 1233)