Here is the second instance of first-hand knowledge about fear of the yamas. It was during my jail-term in Hazari Bag Jail. One of the forty Sikh prisoners among us was one Kehar Singh. He belonged to village Sahnewal in district Ludhiana. Though from a Sikh agriculturalist family, he had cut his hair under influence of evil company in school days at Arya School, Ludhiana. He was a non-believer in Faith. He absconded during the first case of Lahore Conspiracy. He was arrested later on and in third case awarded the punishment of life imprisonment. He had thus come to join us in
Hazari Bag Jail. However, he was kept separately in Jail-hospital because of his infectious disease, scrofula of the throat. In fact all of us were locked up in separate cells and nobody was allowed to approach us.
Kehar Singh remained seriously ill for many months in jail, suffering severely for last six months. None of his relatives came to look him up. When the jail authorities felt that his end was near, they asked him if he wished to see any body in particular. Kehar Singh replied with tearful eyes, "I have none to care for me in this world."
On repeated insistence Kehar Singh said, "Only if I am given a word of honour, I can tell whom I would like to meet and such a meeting is assured." The English, Superintendent Jail, who was also Medical officer and had been treating him with great care, gave his word. Kehar Singh then asked, "There is one Bhai Randhir Singh among the fellow political prisoners and four others, that I like to meet. I can name Bhai Kartar Singh and Bhai Munsha Singh and two any of the other. That is all. This meeting is essential, because I want to confess my sins before them for penance, like it is done in Christian Faith to confess before a holy preacher. This is my purpose of meeting and it shall have to be strictly private."
The superintendent expressed, that there is no problem to meet and privacy requirement. However he explained, "The difficulty is about arranging meeting with Bhai Randhir Singh. The state governments of Bihar, Orissa and particularly Punjab have issued strict instructions, that political prisoners are not allowed to meet each other. All are to be housed in separate cells. There are most strict instructions that none of the prisoners is allowed to go near Bhai Randhir Singh. Sikh Political prisoner from Punjab! How can anyone of them be taken to him or he allowed to visit any?"
Kehar Singh taunted him to take back his word of promise. Superintendent however said, that he had every intention to keep his word. He put a condition, that "This meeting must remain a closely guarded secret. I shall bring him to you without anybody's knowledge. This will be done after this evening prayer (Rehras). That is the time when none of the jail employees is around. Bhai Randhir Singh must also agree to keep the secret. Without this being kept secret, 1 am helpless." Saying this he went away.
After the prayer of Rehras Sahib, the Superintendent quietly approached fencing of my cell. He wished me and asked whether 1 was inclined to meet fellow prisoner, Kchar Singh, who was a patient in jail hospital. I replied, "What could be a better boon! I very much want to meet him and I am receiving his wireless message for the past three days. He is dying to meet me. Such a meeting if allowed will indeed be of great help.,,
The Superintendent said that this 'wireless message' is his second surprise. I asked him what was so surprising. He explained that it was a surprise to him that the Sikhs operate their hearts like wireless sets. "I am convinced of this, because he remembers you a lot for past three days. Last night we talked about you in particular. That is why I have come to fetch you. However the condition is that you give a word for keeping this meeting a secret." Saying this he explained his problem and agreed to depend upon me to guard his awkward position. I assured him fully about keeping the secret. Gursikhs are quite used to 'Keep their own secrets while carrying on their ordained hard duty'. I agreed to accompany but was eager to know about his first surprise.
The Superintendent narrated in detail in the following words: - "Kehar Singh has been seriously ill for the last six months. His present condition is most serious. It is rather scaring to go near him. His eyes are watering since few days and his body shakes in terror. One day when I approached him, he was shaking uncontrollably. He looked up towards the ceiling with terror in his eyes. It was quite apparent that he was beholding a terrible vision. In reply to my question, he said, 'A horrid being has been scaring me for many days. I never believed in evil spirits all my life, yet my present experience has changed my old belief. Look, up there! A terrible demon is scaring me. Such is the daily practice.' Seeing him in terror, I could not help believing his words. Meanwhile there was a loud noise from the ceiling. I did not see anything, but noise was loud. I looked towards Kehar Singh. He guessed my question and quarried, 'You heard a noise?' I confirmed but replied, that I did not see any thing. He said that this kind of noise was everyday occurrence while the demon departed. He had just left and Kehar Singh saw him going, just as he was seeing him everyday coming and going. Though I did not see the demon myself, but I firmly believe that Kehar Singh does see the terrorizing demon. This was my first great surprise, that I mentioned. You have given me the second one."
While narrating all this. Superintendent brought me to the hospital room by the side of Kehar Singh. As soon as we entered, Kehar Singh took a breath of relief and uttered, "Ha! What a relief!!" The Superintendent ssked him, what had caused relief? Kehar Singh replied, "As soon as Bhai Sahib entered the room, the demon fled away in terror. I am now relieved of my shaking in terror and I feel alleviated. That is how I automatically uttered the words of relief." Now the Superintendent left me alone with Kehar Singh and said, "You may talk to your hearts' content for half-an-hour. I shall then return to fetch you. You are allowed meeting for half- an-hour."
As the Superintendent stepped out of the room, Kehar Singh started lamenting woefully. He had turned considerably weak and his body was reduced to mere skeleton, with eyes popping out. He could not get out of bed. I sat on a chair near him. I tried to console him and encouraged to unburden his heart with talk. Crying only increased his suffering. Even speaking was difficult for him with a very feeble voice. To hear him I had my ear close to him. He started with choking emotional voice, "Forgive me, the sinner and get me the pardon of the Guru. I have sinned greatly. I shall unburden the heavy load of my sins before you and do penance." I encouraged him to narrate without any hesitation, as it was not the time to restrain and hold back anything. This was necessary to ease his mind and soul.
Thus encouraged, he started with his halting and stuttering words, the narration of his sins. He admitted his first sin as forsaking the SIKH FAITH, the influence of evil company. He continued, "After my coming to Hazari Bag Jail, I have started growing hair, yet I have little hope of redemption of my sin through penance by presenting myself again for re-baptism. I am almost on my last breath. Only you can help me and give me ray of hope. I have no power of my own. Secondly I want to recount all my sins before you and unburden myself. Of all my sins, there is a horrible sin that I committed and is the source of my afflictions and misery. Kindly listen to this carcfully. You must have heard about the occurrence of a political robbery at Sahnewal."
I recollected and confirmed, "Yes, I heard about this." He resumed saying, "Bhai Sahib! I was the man behind the robbery. It was planned by me. There lived a wealthy Khatri moneylender in our village, Sahnewal. He was killed in this robbery. Did you hear of this before your imprisonment?'
I again told him, "Yes, it was reported that a money-lender was killed in the robbery." Kehar Singh proceeded with his admission, "I am the murderer of the money-lender. We, the political robbers, surrounded his house and posted gunmen to keep watch. To block the out-going passages, our men stood with bombs to barricade. Taking hold of the moneylender, we tied his hands at his back and started torturing him. The purpose of torturing was to get information about his wealth and treasure.
However he resisted all our efforts, stubbornly taking all the punishment. He was very rich and had lot of money, but he kept denying all information. I suggested to my fellow robbers to put a knife to his throat, but this too made no difference. I went on to suggest to start cutting his throat. Even with his throat being cut, he did not yield any information. During this process of cutting deeper and deeper, he still maintained his silence and died without parting with his wealth. Thus came his end, for which I was responsible. We were charged with murder and robbery, but got nothing." "Here, I want to express myself as to why we failed in our mission, even though it was a very good, noble cause to free our country. This would never have failed but for inducting of sinners like me into the movement. There would be many like me and many would have been unpardonable sins like this in the political robberies. Thus unholy means vitiated the end result."
"However I am not concerned with doings of others now but the present mortal suffering of my own misdeed. The knife that cut the moneylender throat shall be used on my own throat. One cannot escape accounting for personal deeds, but has to pay the price sooner than later. Some pay the price here itself and some pay in the hereafter, but some others pay both here and in the hereafter. My incurable disease of throat, scrofula, is such that the pain experienced is like countless knives cutting my throat. This unendurable pain is the price I am now paying. I keep writhing in pain day and night. Neither do I die of this nor is there any respite from agony. Additionally for the past sometime one more severe affliction is that the same moneylender appears before me as the terrible demon to scare the hell out of me and I shriek in terror. He has run away just because of your visit and not returned so far. Normally he keeps appearing after every five minutes to scare me. I am certain that it is your holiness of Godly-devotion that scared the demon away. I had faith in you earlier, but I now firmly believe that you shall be helpful in my redemption."
I felt great pity for Kehar Singh after seeing misery of his afflictions. I was tempted to disclose Gur-Mantar to him, yet I feared to violate the tenet of Gurmat teaching. I had refrained thus far from doing anything against Gurmat. I had no doubt that Naam-Divine could be his Saviour. The problem was how he could be bestowed with Naam, Gur-Mantar. No one can singly administer Naam.
After deep thought, I asked him that during his conversion to Arya Faith, there must have been some holy word told to him for recitation. May be he could derive some solace by repeating it.
Hearing this, he was lost for some time with his eyes closed, trying to recollect. Opening his eyes and in affirmation uttered, "Hei Ishwar, with great difficulty. Tearfully he explained, "I tried with all my concentration of mind to utter holy word, that was administered to me or I had been reciting on my own. I now feel completely exhausted. Bhai Sahib! I am utterly helpless to recite Naam. It is perfectly true, that the worst punishment for a life-long sinner is his inability to recite Naam. Thus, I am totally incapable of Naam-meditation of any holy Name. I am being clubbed all around. The only saving grace now available is, that you pray for my redemption from sins. This will be the greatest favour to me. Pray for my peaceful death, so that I am rid of my agony. Without this my torturous dying may be a prolonged affair. Your prayer of House of The Guru alone can help in my rescue, otherwise I have no hope. I have narrated my story of sins to you in detail and I am truly repenting. To express my repentance, I had asked for this meeting. I have full faith, that you are my saviour now. It is due to your presence, that the demon has not returned for past half-an-hour and I have enjoyed peace. Your prayer for me will surely banish all my sins."
Thus requesting, his choking voice was completely choked and he fainted. Meanwhile the Superintendent came to take me back to my cell. In his presence, I asked my nearby fellow prisoners to recite as many Patths of Sri Sukhmani Sahib during the night as possible, at least one as minimum, to alleviate Kehar Singh's sufferings. They all obliged immediately. Next day all the Sikhs were allowed to meet Kehar Singh, with his death imminent. The day after Kehar Singh died. With sunrise the Superintendent came running to me, saying that my meeting with Kehar Singh proved to be miraculous. Ever since he remained peaceful, without showing any sign of pain or suffering. The demon too, never returned. This was also confirmed by the duty-guards. The death occurred with sunrise. Informing about the peaceful death, the Superintendent departed. We, the fellow-prisoners, again performed prayer on Kehar Singh's death.
This ends the story of Kehar Singh, personal, first-hand, witness of terrorizing by yamas of the dying.
ਸਤਿਗੁਰਬਚਨਕਮਾਵਣੇਸਚਾਏਹੁਵੀਚਾਰੁ॥