The life of a Holy saint is a very simple one. Sant Baba Basant Singh ji Maharaj lived his life in an unpretentious and straightforward manner. He had the divine glow on his face and kept on smiling all the time. He had recognized truth by going deep into the roots of the Immaculate Name of the Lord. During his lifetime his efforts were concentrated to enlighten the common man for recognizing the truth and bathe him in the brightness of the god’s Name. He had a deep understanding as to when and how a particular person was to be brought within the fold of this enlightenment.
Sardar Gurdial Singh worked as a Thanedar in Police and was posted in Jalandhar City during the year 1948/49. He was a follower of Sant Baba Basant Singh ji Maharaj and with his blessings trod the righteous path. He used to bring other police officers with him for the DARSHAN of divine saint Sant Baba ji at Nirmal Kutiya Johalan.
During those days the Punjab Government posted Giani Lakshmi Narain as the Incharge of Special Enquiry Agency, a special wing of the Police. The headquarters of the Agency were at Jalandhar City. This wing of the Police is now known as the Vigilance Wing.
Before joining the police service, Giani ji had obtained the degrees of ‘Giani’ and ‘Budhimani’, while studying in Pakistan before the partition. He was just seven years old when his father ordained him to start reciting Gurbani from Sri Guru Granth Sahib. All friends, relatives and even the Government employees lovingly addressed him as ‘Giani ji’.
Giani ji had a lot of interest in religious studies and undertook discourses in religious gatherings from the verses of Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji. He was fond of meeting Holy saints and tried to find one in every city where he was posted. He used to often say, “A perfect Holy saint’s gesture was enough to give peace to the disturbed mind.”
Sardar Gurdial Singh came to know about the bent of mind of Giani ji. He observed him to be a truthful person, working under the guidance of the Satguru. He informed Giani ji about the Holy saint of Nirmal Kutiya Johalan. Giani ji responded enthusiastically to him, “Why delay! Let’s go for DARSHAN of the Holy saint.”
Sardar Gurdial Singh and Giani ji came to Nirmal Kutiya Johalan and paid their homage to Sant Baba Basant Singh ji Maharaj. Giani ji observed that Sant Baba ji was a saint who preferred to remain quiet.
Sardar Gurdial Singh introduced Giani ji to Nambardar Didar Singh of Johal, who was present there at the Kutiya. Giani ji was a Sehajdhari Sikh but tied a turban on his head. Nambardar ji informed Sant Baba ji about the background of Giani ji.
Sant Baba ji turned his face and looked at Giani ji with his Holy eyes. He did not say anything.
Giani ji kept on observing the serene atmosphere in the Kutiya and liked the calmness. After some time Sant Baba ji spoke, “I have met Giani ji in Pakistan. He was working at Lahore, in Pakistan, in the Police Department and wanted to resign. I had explained and convinced him to continue with his job.”
These words of Sant Baba ji pierced the heart of Giani ji. He was shaken from inside. He remembered the blessings he had received in Lahore.
Not to leave employment (Lahore incident)
The discussion about Giani ji’s resigning from the service was going on in the family for the last many days. That particular day also the talk had started with his wife about leaving the job, after he had returned from office in the evening. The incident relates to when Giani ji was posted in Lahore before the partition of the country.
Giani ji said to his wife, “It will be better to go and settle in a small town and serve the down trodden. It is not possible for me to carry on in the service in this vicious environment.”
His wife encouraged him by replying, “I am with you. Your decision is my decision as well.”
There was a knock on the door. Giani ji thought that someone must have come from the office, as it was quite late in the evening for any one else to turn up at this hour.
Giani ji opened the door. A tall well built Mahatma Pursh with a flowing white beard and dressed in white turban and white robe was standing at the door. He had a stick in his hand. Giani ji saw the Mahatma Pursh and lost all senses.
The Mahatma Pursh asked, “Could I come inside?”
Giani ji was shaken from his dreams and became alert on hearing the voice of the saintly person. The words of the Mahatma Pursh acted like honey to his ears. He immediately gave way and said, “Welcome! Welcome!”
With full reverence in his heart Giani ji made the Mahatma Pursh sit on a bed. He himself sat on the carpet on the floor near the bed.
The Mahatma Pursh said, “I have an important issue to discuss. But I will not stay for long.”
Giani ji said, “Please let me know your instructions.”
The Mahatma Pursh said, “I have heard that you have decided to resign from the Police service.”
Giani ji said, “Yes, Maharaj!”
“You don’t have to leave your job. There are many tasks which you have to accomplish while remaining in the service,” explained the Mahatma Pursh.
Giani ji replied, “But for no fault of mine, I am being slandered.”
The Mahatma Pursh said, “If you know that your tormentors do not stand on truth and that you are not in the wrong, then why should you worry unnecessarily. Guru Sahib will ensure action against those who are in the wrong.”
Giani ji said, “Every individual has the right to lead an honorable life and I should not be the exception. I feel offended from what has happened.”
Mahatma Pursh understood the feelings of Giani ji and explained in his own manner, “This should not have led you to decide to resign from the service. Whatever has happened is now in the past. Those speaking ill of you will now face the consequences. Your officers will ask for your forgiveness. You should stop worrying and perform your duty. Your hard work will benefit you.”
These words were a prediction for the future for Giani ji. He listened carefully to the Mahatma Pursh and did not interrupt him.
The Mahatma Pursh continued with his wise advice. He had observed the change that had come in the stubbornness of Giani ji. He therefore concluded by saying, “I am sure that you have now dropped the idea of resigning from the service and will continue performing your duties.”
Giani ji nodded his head and said, “Yes, Maharaj!”
The Mahatma Pursh smiled and said, “Then, I will leave.” Saying this he got up from the bed and started towards the door. He opened the door himself and went out. Standing outside, he said, “You need not come outside, and bolt the door from inside.”
Giani ji just said, “Satya Vachan!”
Giani ji closed the door and placed the bolt in position. After the Mahatma Pursh had gone, Giani ji and his wife talked about the strange happening. When he was about to take his supper, he remembered that he had not even asked for or even thought of serving the Mahatma Pursh with food, snacks or tea.
Before going off to sleep it occurred to him suddenly that his house was inside the Police Lines. How could the Mahatma Pursh come inside without seeking the permission? No sentry had sought his permission. He came out of the house and went to the entrance gate of the Police Lines. He asked the sentry on duty about permitting a Mahatma Pursh inside the compound. The sentry replied that no one had approached him for entry and the door had been kept locked. No one had been allowed to go out also.
Giani ji came back to his residence a bewildered individual thinking about the strange deeds of the God Almighty. He thanked the Lord for what had happened and knew that it was a miracle in his life explaining to him how close God was to him.
This whole episode flashed past the eyes of Giani ji when he was sitting before Sant Baba ji at Nirmal Kutiya Johalan. He had though come here for the first time yet he knew this would not be his last visit. He had searched for the Mahatma Pursh during his stay in Lahore but was not successful. Today he was fortunate to have the DARSHAN of Sant Baba ji and understood the Grace of Sant Baba ji. Sant Baba ji was the Mahatma Pursh who had changed his mind about resigning from the job.
He fell at the feet of Sant Baba ji and bowed his head again and again in reverence. He thanked the Lord that his search for the Mahatma Pursh had ended at Nirmal Kutiya Johalan.