THE RECITATION OF NAME OF THE LORD IS THE REMEDY TO CURE ALL EVILS
Whenever someone is ill in a family, relatives and friends come to enquire about his or her health. Everyone coming gives his or her advice to the patient as if he or she knows about the cure for the ailment. Someone would mention about an old prescription, someone would suggest naturopathy, someone would suggest yoga, someone would name a wellknown Hakim or a specialist doctor or someone would even mention about a truly effective treatment. But there are some who would suggest that the ailment was because of evil spirits and the remedy lay in the treatment of the ghosts.
The most dangerous suggestion is however, to harm others through witchcraft for one’s own welfare.
The wife of Sardar Bhagat Singh of village Jaitewali was seriously ill. In spite of best treatment there was no change in her condition. Sardar Bhagat Singh took the help of his friend Sardar Chanan Singh and both of them came to the Kutiya of Sant Baba Basant Singh ji Maharaj. Sant Baba ji was requested for his benevolence and cure of the wife of Sardar Bhagat Singh.
Sant Baba ji asked Chanan Singh, “You have come here with recommendations for your friend. How much Bani does your friend recite everyday?”
Sardar Chanan Singh raised the query to Sardar Bhagat Singh, but his friend kept quiet, as he had no reply to this question.
Sant Baba ji explained in his words, “Illness has to enter the house where there is no recitation of Gurbani to prevent its admission.”
The following verse of Kabir Sahib in Sri Guru Granth Sahib is quite harsh in conveying this message.
Kabeer, those houses in which neither the Holy nor the Lord are served – those houses are like cremation grounds; demons dwell within them. ||192|| (Page 1374)
Sardar Chanan Singh pleaded to Sant Baba ji, “Maharaj ji! Please guide him the right path so that he does not suffer in the future.”
Sant Baba ji kept quiet for sometime and then suggested in his kind voice, “He should arrange an AKHAND PATH in his residence. Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji will bless him.”
Both the friends thanked Sant Baba ji and agreed to follow the instructions of Sant Baba ji and after paying their obeisance came back to the village. Next day an AKHAND PATH was started in the house of Sardar Bhagat Singh after making the necessary arrangements.
Some Tantrik (One who is a purveyor of spells, magical formulas, mantras, etc) had earlier suggested a cure for the ailment of his wife to Sardar Bhagat Singh by performing incantation (TOONA). This was to be done by preparing POOREY (Sweet cakes) and keeping them in the center of crossroads. The second night when the Akhand Path was going on, Sardar Bhagat Singh took his wife with him after preparing the sweet cakes to a crossroad to perform the incantation.
Sant Baba ji observed this action of Sardar Bhagat Singh through his supernatural powers.
Twelve o’ clock at night Sant Baba ji called Sardar Chanan Singh to present himself at the Kutiya. Sardar Chanan Singh was asleep and felt that Sant Baba ji was calling him. He immediately got up from his bed and opened the door in the courtyard. He saw Sardar Ajmer Singh standing there with the reins of a horse in his hands. Sardar Ajmer Singh said to Chanan Singh, “Chanan Singh! Sant Baba ji has asked me to fetch you. Please sit on the horse and let us go to Nirmal Kutiya Johalan.”
Both reached Nirmal Kutiya Johalan on the horse. Sant Baba ji was waiting and immediately said to Chanan Singh, “Chanan Singh! The person for whom you had come with your recommendations has chosen to follow the wrong path. While AKHAND PATH is going on in the house, he and his wife are involved in performing incantation on the crossroads.”
Sant Baba ji continued, “How can he be helped if he carries on with such actions during the Akhand Path? His mind’s delusion will not change if he continues to adopt such measures. Whereas recitation of Gurbani in his house is going to bring happiness and prosperity, the incantation is just waste of efforts. If he is allowed to continue with such acts then he would shake the trust of others in Gurbani.”
Sardar Chanan Singh had started trembling on hearing the words of Sant Baba ji. He was thinking, “Why has Bhagat Singh chosen such a shameful act? He had agreed to follow the instructions of Sant Baba ji. Why has he chosen to simultaneously tread on another path?”
He said to Sant Baba ji, “Maharaj ji! It has been a grave mistake on my part.”
The all-knowing Sant Baba ji advised Chanan Singh, “Go immediately and stop Bhagat Singh from performing evil things. He should be told that in KALYUG, there is nothing beyond the recitation and listening to Gurbani.” Sant Baba ji guided Chanan Singh to go to a particular crossroad immediately, where he would find the couple.
Chanan Singh reached the crossing, pointed out by Sant Baba ji. Bhagat Singh and his wife were involved in performing the incantation. They were surprised to see Chanan Singh there during the night and got worried.
Chanan Singh said, “This action of yours has been observed by Sant Baba ji with his divine eyes. He has sent me to stop you from indulging in wicked activities. If you were to perform such acts then you should not have asked me to recommend for the cure of your wife to Sant Baba ji.”
The spiritual knowledge of Sant Baba ji had to take its action. Both husband and wife realized their mistake. Bhagat Singh said to Chanan Singh, “Bhai Sahib! We are sorry; we have made a serious blunder. Please help us in seeking forgiveness from Sant Baba ji.”
Sardar Chanan Singh brought Bhagat Singh with him to Nirmal Kutiya Johalan for seeking forgiveness.
The kind Sant Baba ji instructed, “There is only one way out from this mess. On the day of the Bhog of Sri Akhand Path, one and a half maund of DEG should be prepared for distribution to the sangat and prayers be offered in front of Sri Guru Granth Sahib seeking forgiveness. Both husband and wife should pick up each and every shoe of the sangat and touch it to their foreheads and also lick the sole of each shoe with their tongue. The Almighty will not only excuse them for their misdeeds but also cure the illness.”
Sardar Bhagat Singh agreed to follow the instructions of Sant Baba ji. Both the husband and wife served the sangat with all humility after the Bhog of Sri Akhand Path. Both of them licked the sole of each shoe of the sangat and touched it to their forehead.
With the blessings of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji, Bhagat Singh’s wife became all right. The incident had such an effect that the entire family of Bhagat Singh accepted the ambrosial nectar of the two edged sword. The faith in Gurbani and the service to the sangat changed the life of Bhagat Singh.
O my mind, focus your consciousness on the One. Without the One, all entanglements are worthless; emotional attachment to Maya is totally false. ||1||Pause|| (Page 44)
Once a devotee landlord came to Nirmal Kutiya Johalan and
informed Sant Baba Basant Singh ji Maharaj that his son had
been arrested in a criminal case. He requested Sant Baba ji,
“Please shower your blessings so that my son gets released.”
Sant Baba ji said, “OK! Arrange an AKHAND PATH at your
residence and request Guru Sahib for the release of your son.”
The landlord replied, “Baba ji! I will get the Akhand Path performed
at my residence as you suggest. But in case my son does
not get released from Police custody then you will have to face
the consequences.”
Sant Baba ji smiled at his innocent words and suggested, “First
get the Akhand Path performed. Then whatever you want to do
you can do.”
It so happened that his son was released on his first appearance
in the court. He and his family arranged the Akhand Path with full
love and gratefulness.