When Bhai Sahib refused to attend Akhand Kirtan Samagam

Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh jee was an embodiment of humility and Sikhi. Even after reaching such high state as Brahmgyaan, he did not let anyone give him status higher than a humble Sikh. Bhai Sahib always stayed “Bhai” and did not even let anyone call him a Sant or matha-tek to him. If someone did call Bhai Sahib with names like Brahmgyani or Sant, he used to get very upset.

Once Bhai Sahib went for Darshan of Siri Harmandir Sahib. He was walking in the Prakarma when a Bibi sensing Bhai Sahib’s high avastha, tried to matha-tek (prostrate) to him. Bhai Sahib called out to his companion and said, “Hand me my cane. This old Bibi (maayee) cannot see the Charan Kamal of Siri Guru Raamdaas jee and is coming towards my feet.” The Bibi got scared and ran away saying, “This Sant beats too.” (Ih Sant taa maarda vee hai).

There is another incident that has come to mind. This Saakhi is not very common and was narrated by Gurmukh of Bhai Sahib’s times. Once the Sangat of Jaipur invited the whole Jatha to do a Samagam at their city Jaipur. Bhai Sahib too was invited and Bhai Sahib agreed to go as well. All Gursikhs like Bhai Sahib, Bau Mal Singh and many others got ready and arrived at Jaipur.

The Sangat of Jaipur in the meantime had published and distributed posters of Bhai Sahib in which they praised Bhai Sahib with adjectives like “Sant”, “Brahmgyani”. When Bhai Sahib arrived at Jaipur, he found out about these posters and such praising of his personality. Bhai Sahib wanted to set the record straight and stop such practice in the future. Furthermore, Bhai Sahib did not believe that he was worthy of praise when only Guru Sahib should be accorded praise of this level. Bhai Sahib decided to not attend the Samagam. Bhai Sahib decided to stay at the place of a Gurmukh in Jaipur and not attend the Samagam.

Many Gursikhs requested Bhai Sahib to come and Bhai Sahib with tears in his eyes said that with what face will he face the Sangat and Guru Sahib. He said that he had been unduly praised when he did not deserve any praise at all. In the end, Bau Mal Singh jee, whom Bhai Sahib never used to refuse came but Bhai Sahib still did not agree to come.

Now Bau jee said, “Bhai Sahib jee, if you don’t accept our request, then we will have to order you to come, in form of Punj Pyare. How will you say no to them?”

Bhai Sahib humbly replied, “Bau jee, you are correct in saying that I can’t refuse the order of Punj Pyare but this Daas can leave the body through the Dasam Duaar and go to Sachkhand before the Punj Pyare arrive.”

Bhai Sahib could at will leave for Sachkhand through Dasam Duaar. In jail, when he was to be force-fed, he had told the doctor that if his Dharma is broken by force, it is possible that he leave his body for Sachkhand, through Dasam Duaar.

In the end Bhai Sahib did not go to the Samagam and stayed merged in Naam at the house he was staying. It was because of such strict stands that Sangat did not accord Bhai Sahib with adjectives like "Sant", "Shiromini Sant" etc.

The lesson to be learned from this Saakhi is that we should forever stay humble Gursikhs and never try to get a higher status. It is detrimental to our spiritual health, if we don’t heed to this advice of Mahapurakhs like Bhai Sahib jee.

Daas,
Kulbir Singh

Vaheguru!

I also read a sakhi where Bhai Sahib was once going to do seva among the Panj Pyaare, and a bajurg bibi came and asked if Bhai Sahib was going to be among the Panj Pyaare. She was hesitant to take Amrit if he was not. Bhai Sahib proclaimed that from now on he will never do seva in Panj Pyaare. Such was his level of nimarta, that he wanted people to take Gurujee’s Amrit and not “his Amrit”.

Bhai Mehtab Singh jee, that is not the reason why Bhai Sahib stopped doing seva in the Panj Pyaare. There is a different story to this which I'm sure members of this forum are aware of:

Bhai Bao Mal Singh Jee and 4 other Gurmukhs (in the form of Panj Pyaare) approached Bhai Sahib and said "Bhai Sahib jee, many people are reluctant to take Amrit because of the strictness of Sarbloh rehat" Bhai Sahib knew exactly what the intentions of Bhai Bao Mal Singh Jee and the Panj Pyaare were by starting this conversation and replied "I will accept what you are going to order me to do, but you will also have to accept my benti" The 5 Singhs had no option but to accept Bhai Sahib's benti. Bhai Sahib's benti was that they may carry on conducting Amrit Sanchaars without giving Sarabloh rehat as mandatory but that they (Bhai Sahib Bhai Randheer Singh Jee) would no longer take any part in the Amrit Sanchaars in the form of Panj Pyaare seva, tabiya etc. I think this happened sometime in the late 1940s. I hope that clears it up

Veer Jaskirat Singh is correct. This is the reason why Bhai Sahib stopped doing sewa but Veer Mehtab Singh too is correct. After coming back from jail, when Bhai Sahib jee used to do sewa, massive Kala used to occur and hearing such spiritual miracles, many new seekers used to request that Bhai Sahib do sewa in Punj. This used to make Bhai Sahib extremely uneasy as he did not like to be singled out for praise. Bhai Sahib started hesitating doing sewa in Punj Pyare but the final straw was definitely what Veer Jaskirat Singh has written above.

One more clarification that this Daas wants to give is that at the time of Bhai Sahib, Amrit was given, if the seeker promised to keep Sarbloh Rehit, along with all other Rehits were including Kakaars, Nitnem, Daswandh, Bibek, Amritvela etc. The promise was taken at the time of first Peshi of the Abhilaakhi (seeker). When Bhai Sahib stopped doing sewa, Sarbloh was still given as a Hukam but in the end when Punj Pyare explain Rehit.

Kulbir Singh

Kulbir Singh Wrote:
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> One more clarification that this Daas wants to
> give is that at the time of Bhai Sahib, Amrit was
> given, if the seeker promised to keep Sarbloh
> Rehit, along with all other Rehits were including
> Kakaars, Nitnem, Daswandh, Bibek, Amritvela etc.
> The promise was taken at the time of first Peshi
> of the Abhilaakhi (seeker). When Bhai Sahib
> stopped doing sewa, Sarbloh was still given as a
> Hukam but in the end when Punj Pyare explain
> Rehit.

That has made be a bit confused, how does it differ if the hukam is given before taking Amrit or afterwards? I am quite sure Sarbloh was stopped as a hukam after the previous incident written above.

Quote

That has made be a bit confused, how does it differ if the hukam is given before taking Amrit or afterwards? I am quite sure Sarbloh was stopped as a hukam after the previous incident written above.

Veer Jaskirat Singh jeeo,

When the Abhilaakhi comes in for the first time, the first question the Punj ask is "why have you come?". The answer obviously is "Amrit Chhakan layee" or "Naam lain layee" etc. At that point, the Punj ask for the head and if the Abhilaakhi agrees to give his or her head, only then they proceed further. The next thing is that the Punj briefly describe the saliant features of Rehit and the life of an Amritdhaari and ask the Abhilaakhi if he or she is willing to keep all the Rehit. When Bhai Sahib used to do sewa, they used to take Bachan (promise) from the Abhilaakhi to keep Sarbloh Bibek. Only if the Abhilaakhi agreed, they used to give Amrit. So, keep Sarbloh Bibek and other Rehit used to be a pre-condition to get Amrit. All Bau jee and other Punj Singhs who went to Bhai Sahib was to remove Sarbloh as a pre-condition. This did not mean that the Hukam was not given in the end, when all other Rehit is given to new Amritdharis.

The Rehit that is given after Amrit, is a Hukam too but it is not a pre-condition. The Punj don't have the right to hide any Rehit. If something is a Rehit, it has to be told at the time when Rehit is explained in the end. This way, the Punj Pyare fulfill their duty. Then it's up to the Abhilaakhi, as to how much Rehit he or she keeps.

The conclusion is that no Punj Pyare can reduce or increase Rehit. Rehit is what it is. As an example, the Punj Pyare can't change Kakaars, Bajjar Kurehits or Nitnem and they are obligated to tell to the new Amritdharis the standard Rehit. Sarbloh Bibek is a Rehit of Guru Sahib and as such, the Punj Pyare are obligated to give Hukam of it, in the end. Next it is up to the new Amritdhari, whether he or she keeps it or not.

Kulbir Singh

Veer JASJIT SINGH ji , Thanks for writing it from the DEPTH of the heart/so clearly. For Sure its more of us to control to GIVE THE PADVI of SANT to someone rather than Someone becoming a SANT himself. The moment even few of us realize the fact the Count on SANT DERAs/Sants will start dropping down.

Satguru Kirpa Karan "Some of these SANTs try to become TRUE SIKHS"

Bhul Chuk Maaf !!

Kulbir Singh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> > That has made be a bit confused, how does it
> differ if the hukam is given before taking Amrit
> or afterwards? I am quite sure Sarbloh was stopped
> as a hukam after the previous incident written
> above.
>
>
> Veer Jaskirat Singh jeeo,
>
> When the Abhilaakhi comes in for the first time,
> the first question the Punj ask is "why have you
> come?". The answer obviously is "Amrit Chhakan
> layee" or "Naam lain layee" etc. At that point,
> the Punj ask for the head and if the Abhilaakhi
> agrees to give his or her head, only then they
> proceed further. The next thing is that the Punj
> briefly describe the saliant features of Rehit and
> the life of an Amritdhaari and ask the Abhilaakhi
> if he or she is willing to keep all the Rehit.
> When Bhai Sahib used to do sewa, they used to take
> Bachan (promise) from the Abhilaakhi to keep
> Sarbloh Bibek. Only if the Abhilaakhi agreed, they
> used to give Amrit. So, keep Sarbloh Bibek and
> other Rehit used to be a pre-condition to get
> Amrit. All Bau jee and other Punj Singhs who went
> to Bhai Sahib was to remove Sarbloh as a
> pre-condition. This did not mean that the Hukam
> was not given in the end, when all other Rehit is
> given to new Amritdharis.
>
> The Rehit that is given after Amrit, is a Hukam
> too but it is not a pre-condition. The Punj don't
> have the right to hide any Rehit. If something is
> a Rehit, it has to be told at the time when Rehit
> is explained in the end. This way, the Punj Pyare
> fulfill their duty. Then it's up to the
> Abhilaakhi, as to how much Rehit he or she keeps.
>
>
> The conclusion is that no Punj Pyare can reduce or
> increase Rehit. Rehit is what it is. As an
> example, the Punj Pyare can't change Kakaars,
> Bajjar Kurehits or Nitnem and they are obligated
> to tell to the new Amritdharis the standard Rehit.
> Sarbloh Bibek is a Rehit of Guru Sahib and as
> such, the Punj Pyare are obligated to give Hukam
> of it, in the end. Next it is up to the new
> Amritdhari, whether he or she keeps it or not.
>
> Kulbir Singh

I know we are getting off topic, but I still cannot understand this properly. A pledge or promise to keep Sarabloh rehat before chakking Amrit, or being ordered to keep it after chakking Amrit are the same in my opinion, they are both up to the new Amritdhari to see whether they keep their promise or obey the hukam. So I am still of the understanding that after the incident occured, Sarabloh no longer had to kept as a promise before chakking Amrit or ordered to keep as a hukam after chakking Amrit, maybe we can contact certain Gurmukh pyaare from Bhai Sahib's time to clear this up? I am not for or against Sarabloh, but I would just like to clear this up. You know much more Bhai Kulbir Singh Jee, so please forgive me if I am in error.

Quote

I know we are getting off topic, but I still cannot understand this properly. A pledge or promise to keep Sarabloh rehat before chakking Amrit, or being ordered to keep it after chakking Amrit are the same in my opinion, they are both up to the new Amritdhari to see whether they keep their promise or obey the hukam.

They are not the same. In one instance a pledge is taken before Amrit-Chhak and if the Abhilaakhi does not give pledge, he or she is refused Amrit. On the other hand, all Abhilaakhis are given Rehit at the end of Amrit Sinchaar. In one case it's a pre-condition and in other case it's not.

I don't think Sarbloh Rehit stopped being given as part of Rehit after this incident. Depending on the Punj Pyare, it has always remained in Jatha. In some cases, when the Gursikhs doing sewa as Punj Pyare themselves are not Sarblohi, then it can't be expected to get Hukam of Sarbloh from them. There have been Samagams within Jatha, where fully Tyaar bar Tyaar Gurmukhs used to do Sewa and they did give this Hukam of Sarbloh.

Regarding, confirming this with a Puratan Gurmukh, I will try to contact some Gurmukhs to seek clarification on this issue.

Kulbir Singh

Did Bau Mal Jee keep sarbloh rehit all his life? Also were the amrit sanchars kept the same after Bhai Sahib stopped doing seva?

Quote

Did Bau Mal Jee keep sarbloh rehit all his life? Also were the amrit sanchars kept the same after Bhai Sahib stopped doing seva?

In old age, one cannot do all works that one can do when one is able-bodied. What matters is that the Chardi Kala that Bau jee and numerous other Gursikhs attained, came due to keeping Rehit including Sarbloh.

Amrit Sinchaar Maryada stayed the same even after Bhai Sahib stopped doing Sewa.

Kulbir Singh

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