There are times when the Holy saints detach themselves from the public gaze. They want to get immersed in deep meditation. The enjoyment they receive from being one with the Lord is difficult to get otherwise. It is not strange that they remain without cooked food and fill their bellies by eating flowers, leaves and fruit. The intake of such food is also not daily. They are so engrossed in remembering the Name of God that passage of time does not remain a consideration for them. Their body gets adjusted and they can remain without food or water for days together.
Sant Baba Basant Singh ji Maharaj also left for such wilderness, after he had shifted to village Paili. He went towards the east of Hoshiarpur. Here the Shivalik Mountains became his abode. He lived in a crevice of a mountain. For days together no one observed any sort of movement inside the crevice.
One day Sant Baba ji covered the entrance of the crevice with thorny hedges. He wanted to remain hidden from public view. He did not want even a strayed traveler to disturb him. He also did not want to see or talk to anyone else.
The meditation continued in this manner for many days. Sant Baba ji was enjoying intuitive peace in the love of the Name of God. The mind and body were soothed since he was absorbed in the Shabad, the Word of the True Guru.
During this stage, Sant Baba ji thought, “My desires have been fulfilled, and my mind and body are rejuvenated by chanting the Name of the Lord. O Lord! Please bless me so that I culminate myself as a sacrifice to You.”
Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji, the preceptor of Sant Baba Basant Singh ji Maharaj, had been feeling happy at the spiritual progress of his beloved disciple. He had been watching his disciple through his divine eyes. Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji received a big jolt when he realized the real meaning of the thought that had come to the mind of Sant Baba Basant Singh ji meditating in the Shivalik Mountains.
Riding his horse, he immediately reached the crevice where Sant Baba ji was meditating. Sitting on his horse he called his beloved disciple, “Santa!”
Sant Baba ji recognised the voice of his Gurudev and came out of the crevice. He saw his Gurudev on the horse. He prostrated his body on the ground in respect.
Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji said, “Get up, Santa!”
Sant Baba Basant Singh ji obeyed the orders and got up. He caught hold of the hanging feet of his Gurudev and touched them again and again to his forehead. Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji understood the deep love and respect of Sant Baba Basant Singh ji, but he had to carry on with the actual purpose of his visit.
“It is enough Santa! I need to talk to you,” said Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji.
Sant Baba ji stood up and came in front of his Gurudev. He stood with folded hands and kept his eyes lowered gazing the feet. He said in all humility, “What is your order, Gurudev?”
Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji said, “You have now completed your worship. I am happy that you do not have any sort of attachment with the world nor with its material things. You have risen high on the path of spirituality.
Time has come when you have to forget yourself and think about the ordinary people who are in misery.”
Sant Baba ji said, “I am happy in this abode. Please let me remain here. What do I have to do with people?”
Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji explained to him, “You have come to this world with a mission. You have to complete your mission.”
Sant Baba ji understood that his Gurudev was going to reveal things not known to him. He therefore kept quiet and did not interrupt again.
Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji continued, “People are waiting for someone to guide them. Someone who could help them in their daily struggles. Someone who could direct them towards the righteous path. Some of these people do not know why they have come to this world. You have to remove their ignorance. You cannot afford to think of leaving this world without fulfilling your duties.”
Sant Baba Basant Singh ji immediately realized that this situation had arisen, as his Gurudev had been able to clearly hear his thoughts, which he had a few moments ago. The fresh instructions were a direct result of those thoughts. He replied, “I will try to abide by your instructions. Please give me moral strength to follow them.”
Sant Baba Harnam Singh ji blessed his beloved disciple and went away satisfied.