Sant Baba Basant Singh ji Maharaj was ever moved by the devotion of his fellow seekers, and he gave them the constant protection that this love deserved. The devotees too always deemed him ever present for them. There were numerous occasions when Sant Baba ji secretly aided his devotees. Whenever and wherever the devotee fixed his mind, with respect and love, on him, he would surely respond.
There was a close follower of Sant Baba ji called Sardar Inder Singh of village Johal. He was the father of Sardar Chanan Singh, Bawa Singh and Lachman Singh. The time came when Sardar Inder Singh shed the mortal coil. Lachman Singh along with some other members of the family reached Nirmal Kutiya Johalan.
Sant Baba ji on seeing Lachman Singh paying his respects asked him, “What brings you here Lachman Singh?”
Lachman Singh said, “Maharaj ji! My father has passed away.” Saying this, the sorrow in his heart welled forth and tears flowed from his eyes.
Sant Baba ji did not utter any words for some time and then said, “Inder Singh was a good person.” He asked Lachman Singh, “Did you tend to him well?”
“Yes, Maharaj! We tended to him but I think it was not enough. That is why he did not survive,” replied Lachman Singh. He further informed Sant Baba ji, “A few days before his death father had said that when he dies we must request Sant Maharaj ji to be present at his cremation. We have therefore come to you. Please give your devotees the blessing of your presence at the cremation.”
Sant Baba ji gave no reply and was again silent for some time. Thereafter he stood up and walked into his room in the thatched hut without speaking anything. The devotees present there also stood up, paid their obeisance and sat down again.
They waited for forty minutes when Sant Baba ji came out and resumed his seat on the seat of honor placed for him. He addressed Lachman Singh, “You are still here?” Immediately without waiting for a reply, he asked Sant Baba Gian Singh ji, “Santa! Give Prasad to these Sikhs and take leave of them.”
Lachman Singh and his companions got up after receiving the prasad and came out of the Kutiya. As they vended their way back to the village they were feeling unhappy and disappointed. One of them expressed it thus, “If Maharaj ji was not willing to attend the funeral, then he could have straightaway let us return. Why did he keep us waiting?”
When they reached the village the family had already returned after the cremation. The elder brother Chanan Singh asked Lachman Singh, “Where did you get delayed?”
Lachman Singh replied, “You had yourself asked us to go and request Sant Baba ji to attend the cremation.”
“You never went to Sant Baba ji at all! You must have gone somewhere else. You are lying to me,” said Chanan Singh.
Lachman Singh said, “What are you talking about? We all went together and very much made the request to Sant Baba ji.”
“Then why did you not return with Sant Baba ji. He had come and with his own hands performed all the rites,” said Chanan Singh.
“How can that be? We were sitting at the Kutiya, but Sant Baba ji went into his room and came out only after about forty minutes,” Lachman Singh explained.
“The cremation also took only about forty minutes. It seems Sant Maharaj ji secretly came to us! Our father was a lucky man indeed that his last moments in this world were graced by the presence of such a great soul. This is indeed a new manifestation of Sant Baba ji that we have been blessed to see,” observed Chanan Singh.
Sardar Lachman Singh used to narrate this episode to the sangat with great reverence. He is also no more now.
The composition at page 450 of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib very appropriately applies to this event. It says:
Those Gurmukhs who at all times fix their minds on the Lord, are so privileged that Lord Himself performs their duties for them and they are revered by the people of this world. ||2|| (Page 450)