Guru Sahib did kirpa on this insect and enabled him to write the lofty jeevan of Sant Maghar Singh jee. May Guru Sahib bless us with such spiritual jeevan as Gurmukhs like Sant jee.
For previous parts of this story, please refer to the following links:
Part 1 - [
gurmatbibek.com]
Part 2 - [
gurmatbibek.com]
Forming a Kirtani Jatha and getting a Goat for MilkSant jee did not used to consume regular milk that soldiers used to get which proves that Sant jee kept strict Bibek. The English commanding officer arranged a goat for Sant jee and when this goat stopped giving milk, another goat was arranged. This second goat stayed with Sant jee for many years, even after he came back to his village, after resigning from military job.
Sant jee thought that without forming a Kirtani Jatha, Gurmat Parchaar was not possible. He formed a Kirtani Jatha of 15 Singhs and had all of them memorize Siri Asa kee Vaar. These Singhs memorized many Baanis in a short period of time. This Jatha grew to 85 Singhs in the coming months. The Singhs vowed that even after leaving the military occupation, they would continue to stay in the Jatha and dedicate their life to Sikhi Parchaar. After serving the army, these Singhs came to Sant jee and a very good Jatha to do Parchaar of Gurmat was formed, in later years.
Pouring Hot Water on Baba jeeA tree is judged by its fruit and a man by his actions. If a person follows Gurmat, chants Naam and recites Gurbani but does not develop or attain simple virtues like patience, control over anger, sweet talk etc., then such person has not attained the fruit of Bhagti yet.
A Singh was jealous of Sant jee and had major doubts about his Avastha. One day, he decided to test Sant jee. As Sant jee was doing Ishnaan during the day, he came with a bucket full of very hot water and poured it on Sant jee. He had expected Sant jee to get mad and get angry but contrary to his belief, Sant jee calmly asked him to pour the remaining water on his body as well. The stubborn and Dheeth person instead of getting ashamed, poured the remaining water on Sant jee. Sant jee’s body suffered but Sant jee did not utter a single word in anger. The Singh was embarrassed and left in haste. This is how magnanimous Sant jee’s heart was.
Sant Maghar Singh jee RamgarhThe Commanding Officer tests Sant jee’s AvasthaThe commanding officer – Mr Hill – was greatly impressed with Sant jee’s pious life. Once his senior officer visited Baba jee’s unit and Mr Hill informed him about Baba jee’s Avastha. The senior officer said that he did not believe in this spiritual stuff and that most Indians were known for doing magic which was more of trickery. At this Mr Hill told him about Sant jee’s pious and holy life but the senior officer insisted that if Sant jee could tell the thought of his mind, he would be impressed and would start believing that real spirituality too existed in Sikhs in particular and Indians in general.
Mr Hill asked Naranjan Singh who worked in his office as a clerk to inform Sant jee about the senior officer’s request. When Sant jee heard about this, he was very upset. He said that he was a humble Sikh of Guru Kalgidhar and he did not like being referred to as a Pir or a holy man. He said that showing miracles for the sake of display or exhibition was not in accordance to Gurmat. Bhai Naranjan Singh kept requesting for 6 days to Sant jee to agree to meet the senior British officer because it would result in favourable conditions for Sikhs but Sant jee stayed adamant and expressed his inability to read anyone’s mind.
On the 7th day, Naranjan Singh came with 5 Singhs and these 5 Singhs in form of Punj Pyare ordered Sant jee to agree to meet the senior officer and fulfill his request of as it would result in favourable condidtions for all Sikhs in the unit. Sant jee bowed his head in front of Punj Singh but requested the Singhs to do Ardaas for him, to which they readily agreed. Sant jee then asked Naranjan Singh to bring the senior officer the next day.
The next morning, the senior officer received an order from higher management to move the Sikh unit to another city. The order came in form of a letter in an envelope. Only the Senior officer had read the order. He took the envelope and along with Mr Hill came to the place of Sant jee. The senior officer was very impressed seeing Sant jee. Sant jee had a great spiritual aura and anyone who beheld him got impressed.
The senior officer placed the letter in front of Sant jee and asked him what was written in it. Sant jee smiled and said that Gurmat did not allow him to act like a magician for petty reasons and that he was just following the hukam of 5 Singhs by agreeing to meet him. After keeping quite for a moment, Sant jee said that he was only going to say this much – “whatever is written in this letter is not going to come true. We are going to stay here for one more month.”
The senior officer said that he will see how this prediction of Sant jee would come true but much to the astonishment of the senior officer, the same evening, he received another order from the senior management cancelling the previous order to march away from that location. The officer was surprised beyond belief. As a result of this incident, Sant jee’s status in the unit was greatly exulted and Sikh solders gained respect of the British officers.
Full Time Parchaar of GurmatThis way, doing Parchaar of Sikhi, Sant jee completed his life in military. Around 1919, Sant jee permanently resigned from military and dedicated his whole life to Sikhi Parchaar. The Fauji Singhs who had become part of his Jatha remained with him for rest of his life. A huge Jatha was formed to do Parchaar of Sikhi.
Sant jee was very strict in Khalsa rehit and came on the Panthic scene like a storm. It was as if a second coming of Sant Attar Singh jee Mastuanewale had occurred. Both Mahapurakhs had a very impressive physical body. Both were taller than 6 feet and did beautiful Kirtan. The only significant difference was the colour of their beard – Sant Mastuanewale had grey beard and Sant Maghar Singh had Black beard.
Sant Sunder Singh Bhindranwale was dedicated to doing Parchaar via Katha and at many Gurmat Samagams, Sant Attar Singh, Sant Sunder Singh and Sant Maghar Singh used to meet and contribute in Parchaar of Gurmat.
Sant Sunder Singh Bhindranwale asked to wear Black DastaarFrom May 11 to 13, 1921, a big Diwan was arranged in village Ramgarh. This Diwan was attended by prominent Gurmukhs of that time including Sant Maghar Singh, Sant Sunder Singh Bhindranwale, Giani Kartar Singh Rasoolpur, Giani Bakhtavar Singh etc. In those days, the Akali movement was at its peak. The Panth had ordered all Akalis to wear Black Dastaars to protest against the British. The British used to get very upset if someone wore a Black Dastar. The situation was similar to post 1984 period when everyone started wearing Orange Dastars to protest against the government of the time.
The organizers of the Samagam were very staunch Akalis including Bhai Ranbir Singh Kaunke, Bhai Kunda Singh Ghalib etc. Sant Sunder Singh Bhindranwale was sitting in the Tabiya of Siri Guru Granth Sahib jee and was wearing a White Dastaar which he always used to wear. Some Singhs of Bhai Maghar Singh jee’s jatha and Akalis protested the colour of Sant Sunder Singh’s Dastaar and asked him to either change the colour of his Dastaar or not sit in the Tabiya of Maharaj jee.
Sant Sunder Singh gave many Gurmat arguments proving that White Dastaar too is acceptable in Gurmat but in those days, Singhs were very much against White colour as it denoted passiveness and neutrality and Singhs were fighting against the injustices of the British. When Singhs insisted that they won’t let Sant Sunder Singh sit in Tabiya with a White Dastaar, Sant Maghar Singh jee intervened and declared that Sant Sunder Singh jee was a great scholar of Gurbani and Gurmat and as such he can’t be defeated with arguments but considering the emotions of Singhs, he (Sant Sunder Singh) will wear Black Dastaar in the next Diwaan. It's not known whether Sant Sunder Singh started wearing a Black Dastaar from the next Diwan onwards.
Later on, after the Parchaar of Sant jee, 50 Praanees took Amrit and all of them had their Dastaars dyed in Black colour, right in the Samagam itself.
Meeting with Sant Attar Singh jee in village RodeA big Gurmat Samagam was arranged at village Rode from September 1 to 3, 1921. Great Gurmukhs including Sant Attar Singh Mastuanewale and Sant Maghar Singh jee reached there. When Sant Maghar Singh jee reached there, Sant Attar Singh had already arrived and was sitting there on a Palangh (Indian bed- Chaarpaaee). A lot of Sangat too was sitting there some on the floor and some on chaarpaaees. Sant Maghar Singh jee arrived and silently sat behind the Sangat. When Sant Attar Singh noticed that Sant Maghar Singh had arrived, he got up and brought him over to sit along with him on the Charpaaee.
Sant Attar Singh jee then made a revelation, “Sadh Sangat jeeo, before doing Parchaar, we (Sant Attar Singh jee) did massive Tap (Naam Abhyaas) for long time. Don’t consider Sant Maghar Singh to be a youngster. He has massive Kamaayee (spiritual earnings) from previous lives and for this reason Parchaar done by him has quick effect on Sangats”.
As they were talking, villagers came to get Sant jee since it was now time for Samagam. One of the elderly villagers said to Sant jee that non-believers in the villagers were complaining that in previous years, in the months of Bhadon, if rain did not come, they used to call Brahmins who used to do Yagya and this used to bring rain but now that these Sikh Sants have arrived, they have caused even the existing clouds to fly away.
Sant Attar Singh jee while laughing said that today Sant Maghar Singh jee would do Kirtan and bring heavy rainfall in the village. Sant Maghar Singh took the Vaaja and Sant Attar Singh sat in Tabiya of Maharaj jee. Both Mahapurakhs would sing the first Tuk and Sangat would sing the rest. They sang from Raag Malhaar and sooner than later, rain started pouring. Then Sant Maghar Singh jee asked the Sangat to not go running to their fields to prepare for rainfall. He declared that rain would go on for enough time to do irrigation related works in their fields and that they need not worry about a thing. Sangat sat there listening to Diwaan and heavy rainfall happened that day.
Such was the Avastha of Mahapurakhs who had Naam Kamaayee.
Arrest of Bhai Gajjan Singh and Sant jee’s protestIn the month of November, 1921, Sant jee’s Jatha went to village Sahaur and Khyaali, in Ludhiana district. There lived Akali Gajjan Singh Bharamtod an outstanding leader of Akali movement. Sant jee did Parchaar from the stage and impressed many in the Sangat. After Sant jee’s lecture, Akali Gajjan Singh Bharamtod came on the stage and gave a hot speech against the government. Police too was present there and it arrested Akali Gajjan Singh. Sant jee came back to his room where he was staying and asked the Singhs to take away the bed from there. Sant jee then declared that till Akali Gajjan Singh came back from jail, he would neither sleep on bed, nor eat anything good e.g. milk, kheer etc.
On the other side, the police was taking Akali Gajjan Singh to Ludhiana and passed through village Halwara. There, relatives and friends of the police officer who had arrested Akali Gajjan Singh told him that unless he release Gajjan Singh, they would not entertain him or talk to him. Vaheguru jee had put these thoughts in the minds of the villagers of Halwara. The police officer, right away released Akali Gajjan Singh and he came back to Sant jee.
This way many incidents occurred while Sant jee did his Parchaar. Sant jee continued doing Gurmat Parchaar till December 3, 1924. On this day, Sant jee left the world for Sachkhand at the tender age of 34. He came on the Panthic scene like a storm and in 4-5 years did massive Parchaar of Gurmat. May Guru Sahib enable us to lead a Gurmat life as Sant jee did.
These series on Sant Maghar Singh jee are based on a book written by Bhai Baabu Singh Ramgarh.
Daas,
Kulbir Singh
ਸਤਿਗੁਰਬਚਨਕਮਾਵਣੇਸਚਾਏਹੁਵੀਚਾਰੁ॥
