By Bhai Jodh Singh jee in Soan ChiRee, ChaRee GaiN
Bhai Sahib's Calendar
Bhai RaN Singh jee of Sarhand, who is my good friend, told me that once, when he was sitting beside Bhai Sahib, around 1957, a Singh came. This Singh had secretly printed a calendar with Bhai Sahib jee's photo in the middle. There were about 200 copies, and he gave them to Bibi Daler Kaur (Bhai Sahib's daughter) to distribute to the Singhs. One calendar was hanging inside in a room.
Bhai Sahib was in the veranda lying on a bed and only Bhai RaN Singh was with him. Hearing some whispering, Bhai Sahib immediately called Bibi Daler Kaur and asked "Bibi! Who is it?" Bibi jee replied, "Bapoo jee! Bhai Pooran Singh has come." Bhai Sahib then asked "what is he saying?" Bibi jee enthusiastically picked up a calendar and brought it to Bhai Sahib and said "Look Bapoo jee! What a beautiful picture of yours this is."
Immediately Bhai Sahib got up as if he was very eager to see his own picture. He took the calendar in his hands and Bhai Pooran Singh jee came even closer. Bhai Sahib jee asked him, "Bhai! How many more are there?" Bhai Pooran Singh jee then placed the bundle of the other calendars before him. Bhai Sahib jee then asked, "Is that it? Are there more or is that all?" Bhai Pooran Singh jee happily replied "Jee, there is one more. It's hanging in the room." Bhai Sahib: "Bring that one too."
Bhai Pooran Singh enthusiastically went to the room and took down the calendar, and then placed it with the bundle. Bhai Sahib then very lovingly said, "What was the need to spend so much money?" Hearing this, Bhai Pooran Singh puffed up even more and was very happy. Bibi jee and Bhai RaN Singh were watching all this. They too were very happy. Bhai Sahib jee then said to Bibi jee, "Bibi! Bring the match-box." Bibi jee brought the matches. Bhai Sahib then very lovingly said to Bhai Pooran Singh, "Take all these calendars to the gate over there and burn them." Who could disobey? That poor one then gloomily burnt all the calendars and then asked Bhai Sahib for his forgiveness. Bhai Sahib tenderly explained, "This is idol worship. We aren't worshippers of pictures, we worship Guru-Shabad"
Bhai Sahib's Peshee
The Jathedar of the Punj Pyaaray was Baoo Mul Singh jee, along with Bhai Daleep Singh jee (Master jee), Bhai Atma Singh jee (Panjokhara), Bhai Harnam Singh jee (Komal jee), Bhai Meva Singh jee and I (Jodh Singh) who was youngest by age, and was the most lacking in the amount of Naam needed for this seva. Bhai Darshan Singh jee Garguj was the Pehraydaar and a few other Singhs were also present for any required seva in this smaagam. We were all inside the closed room. No one’s breaths were going without naam simran. We were all completely lost and "loat poat". The Sodh Sudhaaee of the Punj Pyaaray had just finished when Garguj jee came and asked for permission to speak. He bowed before Guru Granth Saahib and gave his "Fateh". He said the following:
Pehraydaar Singh: True King, Bhai Saahib has asked to be peshed (appear before) the Punj Pyaaray.
Jathedaar Sahib: Which Bhai Saahib?
Pehraydaar Singh: Jee, Bhai Saahib! Our Bapoo Jee! (Bapoo jee was what Singhs also called Bhai Saahib Randheer
Singh jee)
Jathedar Singh: Where is he?
Pehraydaar Singh: Jee, he is outside.
Jathedar Singh: Alright, call him in then.
The Pehraydaar Singh went out and Bhai Saahib jee came. He immediately performed a dandaut and for a long time remained prostrated. He gave his Fateh and then while holding his hazooriya with both hands, stood.
The glow and aura of Bhai Saahib’s face was unbearable. His glowing eyes seemed as if they were drinking in amrit. I becgan to see the others’ faces to be the same as well. But the marvel playing out on Bhai Saahib’s face was unique. Dressed in a tyaar-bar-tyaar BaaNaa, with a saffron keskee, and dark blue dastaar, tied in the fashion of regular Singhs (not round and untidy like like some Sadhs and Mahants). On his turban, he had a chakar and above the chakar, a chakar of a mala . He had a 2.5" Khanda on his dastaar. Bhai Saahib wore a black achkan and a white hazooriya around his neck. Both hands had very thick sarbloh karas, which were at least a half kilogram each. He stood as the embodiment of humility, in his kacherra only. All eyes were on his glowing face and were being
coloured in divine ecstasy and amrit ras.
Jathedar Sahib: Give your order Bhai Saahib jee! How have you come here?
Bhai Saahib jee: True Lord! Jee! It is a request, not an order…
Jathedar Sahib: Give your order jee.
Bhai Saahib jee: True Lord, it is a request not an order….
Jathedar Sahib: Fine, tell us then!
Bhai Saahib jee: True Lord! Please have mercy and after hearing the request of Bhai Daleep Singh, who is standing outside, please perform and ardaas for him. He has been hounding me for a long time now. This is my only request.
All of us were overwhelmed and speaking for myself, I felt like grabbing Bhai Saahib’s feet. I don’t know what power prevented me from doing so.
Jathedaar Sahib: Yes, we certainly shall do so. Why did you need to put yourself to so much trouble though?
Bhai Saahib jee: Lord, it is my great fortune that I have had your sight today. I thank you lord, my thanks. You always do bhallaa (good) for all.
And with this, he bowed, said his Fateh and went outside.
Jathedar Sahib: (to the Pehraydaar Singh) Call Bhai Daleep Singh who is standing outside!
Bhai Daleep Singh jee came and bowed and then gave his Fateh. He clasped his hands together and began to cry as he stood there.
Jathedar Sahib: Compose yourself brother! What hardship has come upon you? You could have come yourself, do you think we would have said no to you?
Bhai Daleep Singh: No lord! The truth is that I for a long time have been requesting Bapoo jee to peform an ardaas for me so the hardship in my family can be lifted. He would always refuse by saying that the Ardaas can only be performed by the Panj Pyaaray. He would say "there is no difference between me and you". I would always say "no Bapoo jee, I want you to do the ardaas alone and you keep putting me off!" But today when Bapoo jee rose from keertan, I followed him and said to him "Bapoo jee, you tell me to have an ardaas pefromred by the Punj Pyaaray. Today, please have them perform it for me."
I had just said this, when Bapoo jee said "Alright brother! I too will have their darshan then." He right away took off his pyjama, did a panj-ishnana, and completely ready, he came upstairs. He didn’t say anything. He didn’t even take time to drink any water. Lord, forgive me!"
Bhai Daleep Singh was made to compose himself and Jathedar Saahib jee ordered me, "Brother, perform his ardaas". I was always very shy, but the miracle of the order was working there. I perforemd the ardaas. Bhai Daleep Singh then went outside. Then the non stop naam abhyaas of the Punj Pyaaray began in divine colours for quite some time.
Bhai Daleep Singh used to do seva in the Langar at Shimla Smaagam along with my wife and I, and Bhai Saahib would give him a lot of love.
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The essence of this story is that even after reaching such a high spirtual stage, Bhai Saahib would never do an ardaas for someone in the role of a person higher than the regular sangat or as a "Sant." He always did ardaas in sangat or asked that ardaas be done by the Punj Pyaaray. Bhai Saahib never set himself apart from the regular Khalsa Sangat.
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