The last few days were quite Anandmai because Guru Sahib blessed us with Darshan Ishnaan of Siri Dukh Nivaran Sahib Patiala and Darshan of many Gursikhs from Patiala area.
Siri Dukh Nivaran Sahib is an amazing Gur-Asthaan which is full of Naam vibrations. Ishnaan in the beautiful Sarovar of Siri Dukh Nivaran Sahib was a great spiritual experience and after Ishnaan the Darshan of Guru’s Darbaar was just awesome. Outside it was quite hot but when we stepped in the Darbaar, the cool breeze could be felt. The doors on the right and left were open and while standing there in front of Guru Sahib it felt as if this place was not located on Earth but in some other spiritual realm. As usual, Siri Dukh Nivaran Sahib never fails to amaze and fill us with a wondrous feeling of Naam. The atmosphere was filled with Jai Jaikaar of Siri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib jee.
The local Singhs of Samana area are full of Gurmukhi love. Guru Sahib blessed us with Sangat of loving Gursikhs. I felt that it is in such Gursikhs that the spirit of Gursikhi is alive. Akhand Kirtan Samagam which included Kirtani Sodar Rehraas Sahib, Kirtani Ramkali kee Vaar and Aarti was a wonderful experience. Because of Sangat of Gursikhs, the mind stopped wandering at that time.
Then Guru Sahib blessed us with another Akhand Kirtan Samagam that occurred today morning (March 28, 2011). As soon as we entered the Samagam, the wandering of the mind stopped. Guru Sahib did Kirpa and gave a lot of Anand. I was sitting wondering if my spiritual Avastha had all of sudden become better but then I realized that this place must have had the dust of Charan Kamal of many Gursikhs. Later on, I inquired with the family about the history of the house and they informed me that many Gursikhs like Bhai Atma Singh jee and other Ranglay Sajjan, the companions of Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh jee, had visited this place and did many Gurmat Samagams here.
They narrated the following Saakhi of Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh jee.
A pot of Desi GheoAkhand Kirtan was going on and Bhai Sahib along with other Gursikhs was sitting in spiritual bliss. A Gursikh brought a pot of Desi Gheo and offered it to Guru Sahib while matha tek. Another Gursikh who was sitting in Sangat thought that if he could have the pot, his winter would pass quite comfortably. At the conclusion of the Samagam, Bhai Sahib jee called that Gursikh and asked him to go ahead and take the pot of Gheo for himself.
Just as that Gursikh was going to move forward to pick the pot, Bhai Sahib admonished him saying that this pot of Gheo had been offered by a Gursikh who was suffering from the terrible disease of Leprosy and he had offered it as part of Ardaas to get cured of this disease and now if one Gursikh, out of greediness, was to consume the whole pot of gheo, he would have to share that disease. When that Gursikh heard Bhai Sahib’s Bachan, he cried out loudly that he did not want even one spoon of that Gheo and everyone there laughed heartily.
This Saakhi shows the Avastha in which Bhai Sahib was living and that while we should surely partake Langar but we should not become greedy and think that we should get a bigger share of Langar. Everything in Langar should be eaten by proper sharing.
Meeting a Wonderful GursikhLater on, we met a very good Gursikh, who has immense Kirpa of Guru Sahib. He shared many mystical principles of Gurmat and listed below are few Saakhis he narrated to us:
Measuring Bhai SahibThere was an SDO by the name of Bhai Sardara Singh who used to do Sangat of Bhai Sahib jee. The place where he used to do duty, a high avastha Bengali Sadhu used to come. He knew a lot of Gurbani as well and he was in the habit of proving his supremacy and testing other Mahapurakhs. He had heard a lot about Bhai Sahib and one day asked Bhai Sardara Singh to arrange for a meeting with Bhai Sahib. He commented that he wanted to see what spiritual state Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh was in.
Bhai Sardara Singh came to Bhai Sahib and conveyed the Bengali Sadhu’s wish to meet Bhai Sahib. He did not tell Bhai Sahib about the later comment of the Sadhu to test Bhai Sahib. As soon as Bhai Sahib heard about the Sadhu’s request, he shot back, ਅਸੀਂ ਨਹੀਂ ਮਿਲਣਾ ਉਸ ਸਾਧੂ ਨੂੰ। ਉਸ ਨੇ ਰਣਧੀਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਨੂੰ ਮਿਲਣ ਨਹੀਂ ਆਉਣਾ ਬਲਕਿ ਨਾਪਣ ਆਉਣਾ ਹੈ। (We don’t want to meet that Sadhu. He is not coming to meet Randhir Singh but he is coming to measure him).
Saying this Bhai Sahib refused to meet the Sadhu.
Bhai Sahib stopped Singh from going to DutyBhai Sardara Singh’s officer was very strict about arriving on time to work. Every day at 9:05 am, the officer used to check the attendance register. One day Bhai Sahib was doing Kirtan and at 8:45 am, as Bhai Sardara Singh was about to get up to leave, Bhai Sahib stopped him from leaving by placing his hand on his thigh. The Singh looked at the time but who could dare to defy Bhai Sahib’s Hukam to not leave. He kept sitting for another half an hour or so and then again tried to get up but Bhai Sahib while doing Kirtan again stopped him from going. Now Bhai Sardara Singh thought that come whatever may come, he was going to obey Bhai Sahib’s Bachan.
Bhai Sahib kept doing Kirtan till 11 am and after the Bhog of Samagam, Bhai Sardara Singh rushed to his workplace expecting severe censure from his officer but upon arriving his supervisor while laughing said that the attendance register was just waiting for him before sending it to the officer in charge for checking. Surprisingly, no one asked anything or said anything to Bhai Sardara Singh. Such were the mystical deeds of Bhai Sahib jee.
About Sant Sunder Singh AlibeghA Gurmukh narrated a Saakhi of Sant Sunder Singh jee. Sant jee was a very Chardi Kala Gurmukh Sant who spent most of his time on Naam and Gurbani. In his Dera, as per Maryada of Siri Guru Angad Dev jee’s Langar, when Kheer was served, Gheo too was served along with it. Gheo was abundant in the dera.
One day a non-Sikh Sadhu came to the Langar and took out his own Baata and asked to be served Gheo. The Sewadaar poured some Gheo in his Baata but the Baata did not fill and the Sadhu insisted that his Baata be filled. The Sewadar poured the whole bucket into it but it still did not fill. He brought the second bucket and that too could not fill the Sadhu’s bucket. Now the Sewadaar figured out that this Sadhu was using some Ridhi Sidhi to embarrass Gursikhs by this trick.
The Sewadaar went to Sant jee who was sitting in his Bhora (underground Bhagti cell) and told him about the Sadhu and his magical Baata. Sant jee realized what the Sadhu was trying to do. He asked the Sewadaar to bring some gheo. He recited some Gurbani Shabad or perhaps Gurmantr (what else could a Gursikh recite) and asked the Sewadar to now go and pour gheo in the Sadhu’s baata. As soon as the Sewadaar poured just a spoonful of gheo, the Sadhu’s baata overflowed with a lot of gheo. The Sadhu left in embarrassment.
The moral of this Saakhi is that nothing is higher than Gurmat and Naam Gurbani are supreme in this world.
A few more Saakhis to be written soon…
A Singh who wanted Ridhi Sidhi
Bhai Sahib breaking a Singh’s Haume of doing Baani Kanth.
Kulbir Singh