The names of villages and cities often become popular on the basis of their agricultural produce or various industries respectively. Sometimes, however, it also happens that the renown of the village is solely based on the eminence that some son of the town attains high honours in society. Such an achiever also adorns the name of the village in the world.
The village Marula was such a place in the state of Punjab, which was unknown to people of the world. It was a small village, five kilometers from the town of Chabbewal, two kilometers from village Jiyan and situated to the north of the city of Hoshiarpur. The land of the village was sandy and covered with bushes, shrubs and hedges. No one could have guessed that the name of this village would shine one day like the Pole Star.
In the year 1885 (Samvat 1932), a baby boy was born to Sardarni Chand Kaur, of this village. Sardar Fateh Singh, the father of the child could not have imagined that his baby would grow up and so excel as an ascetic that his name would be instrumental in bringing fame to the village.
Sardar Fateh Singh was a devoted Sikh and worked conscientiously for a living. The birth of the baby naturally brought a lot of cheer in the family. Sardar Fateh Singh bowed his head instinctively on the feet of Sat Guru, on receiving the news from the midwife. He thanked the Lord and uttered the following verse from Guru Granth Sahib:
The Perfect Guru has granted His Grace and God has fulfilled my desire.(Page 621)
Sardar ji went straight to the Gurdwara in the village to pay his homage and offer thanks to the Lord. He got prepared the Karah Parshad (Sacred Pudding). The priest offered prayers to the Lord after reciting the Anand Sahib. Thereafter the priest read out the Hukamnama- portion of Command from Sri Guru Granth Sahib. The Hukamnama that day was the following Shabad (passage):
The Name of the Lord is the medicine to cure all disease; with it, no disease afflicts me. In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, the mind and body are tinged with the Lord’s Love, and I do not suffer pain any longer. || 2 || I chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, Har, Har, lovingly centering my inner being on Him. Sinful mistakes are erased and I am sanctified, in the Sanctuary of the Holy Saints. || 3 || Misfortune is kept far away from those who hear and chant the Praises of the Lord’s Name. Nanak chants the Mahaa Mantra, the Great Mantra, singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. || 4 || (Page 814)
This command was, as is prescribed for a true Sikh, considered as an order of the Akal Purkh and the same was therefore preserved in the memory by Sardar ji and he waited for the right opportunity to reveal it.
As per the ritual a ceremony was arranged in the house, on the completion of forty days by the child in this world. There was a gathering of the near relatives and friends for a formal announcement of naming the child. Sardar ji declared that the name of the child should begin with the letter ‘B’, the first letter of the word ‘BANDHAN’ of the SHABAD that was the Hukamnama on the first day and declared the name of the child as ‘BASANT SINGH’. This announcement was greeted with cheers and accepted by all with the Sikh slogan ‘Bole so Nihal, Sat Sri Akal’. The family received felicitations from all those present to grace the occasion.
The season of spring really landed in the village of Marula. With the passage of time the village came to be known as the village of the holy Sant Baba Basant Singh ji. The village fields started producing all types of crops. The hard working farmers were able to get enhanced produce. With the digging of the tube wells, one could see greenery spread all around the village. Today this village is easily accessible from the nearby towns and cities due to the presence of solid tar paved roads.
The parents brought up the child in a meticulous manner. During the upbringing the child was introduced to the daily visits to the Gurdwara. Keeping quiet was his nature. He however recited the holy verses in his mind, as taught by his mother.
During his school education, he went straight to the school, came back directly to his house and did not wander like other children. He felt solace sitting alone in the midst of his own thoughts. When he grew up a little the parents started to become a little worried about this 15 habit of his. He was therefore got married to Bibi Gian Kaur, at the rather early age of just seventeen years, when he was still in his adolescence.
His marriage could not stop the upheaval in his mind, which was taking the shape of a storm. His mind asked him to get involved completely in the worship of the Lord. He was in search of an enlightened preceptor who could guide him the right path to attain the Lord Almighty.
He was blessed with a son, after some time. He did not show any attachment towards his son. The love and affection normally showered on the child was missing as no one could come in his chosen way towards attaining the Almighty Satguru. (The name of his son was Sardar Ganda Singh, who joined the British army, on growing up, and retired as a Subedar. Thereafter he settled in the state of Uttar Pradesh involving himself in agriculture work.)
The infatuation could be seen from the aura of love for the Lord, present all around him. With such an atmosphere, it was natural for the Lord to indicate the right way for the devotee to follow.
It was winter season, when Baba Basant Singh was on his way to Hoshiarpur for some work. He was carrying a hand made shawl on his shoulder. A FAKIR stopped him, while he was crossing the Bajwara village.
The FAKIR said, “Please give me this shawl of yours. I will be able to hide my poor condition with it.”
Sant Baba ji immediately, without a second thought, took off the shawl and handed it over to the FAKIR. This act was in fact by way of an examination, as also the recognition, of his spiritual attainment. As soon as he received the shawl the FAKIR said, “Sriman 108 Braham Giani Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji of village Jiyan has something precious for you. You will have to go to him to obtain it.” Saying this, the FAKIR went away.
Sant Baba ji was very happy to hear the words of the FAKIR. He felt that he had been advised an easy way to reach his goal. He had received the right signal.
It will be proper to mention here that this FAKIR was a respected person in the village. He had been advised by the people of the Bajwara village not to ask for anything from an outsider and that he would be provided with everything by the residents of the village. When the people found out that the FAKIR had asked for a shawl from an outsider, they felt bad. One of them asked the FAKIR, “If you needed a shawl, you should have asked for the same from us. Why have you asked for it from an outsider?”
The FAKIR replied, “You had stopped me from asking for something from a human being, but I have not asked for it from any individual.”
The villager was annoyed to hear this reply and asked him, “If you did not get this shawl from any individual then from where have you been able to procure it?”
The FAKIR said, “I demanded it from God. There is no harm in asking for something from God.”
The villager could not discuss the issue further.
Sant Baba ji was around twenty years old at that time. The FAKIR had recognized his spiritual level and had indicated to him a specific direction to follow.
Joining the Saadh Sangat, the Guru’s Congregation, the diamonds and jewels are obtained. O Nanak, the jewel is priceless; the Gurmukhs seek and find it.(Page 1416)