Subedar Harbachan Singh

By Principal Gurmukh Singh jee, Soora Jan 1992 

Once Bhai Harbachan Singh jee had come to Col. Piara Singh jee's home. When returning, he was going to take the night train. All preparations had been made, but that evening some Singhs came to meet him. They requested him to stay some more days but Bhai Sahib didn't agree. One Singh took Col Sahib aside and asked him to request Bhai Sahib to stay one more day. Col Sahib replied "I'll tell you the method, whatever happens then is up to the Guru."

The time for Sodar came and everyone did the paath together. There was still quite a bit of time before the train was to leave so according to Col. Sahib's suggestion, one Singh lovingly said to Bhai Harbachan Singh jee "Well, you're leaving, but before you leave, can you recite one shabad for us?" Bhai Sahib could not refuse. The paath had been done in the presence of Sree Guru Granth Saahib jee and right there the instruments were also opened up. Bhai Sahib took the shabad

" ਸਾਜਨਾਸੰਤਆਉਮੇਰੈ ॥ ੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ ਆਨਦਾਗੁਨਗਾਇਮੰਗਲਕਸਮਲਾਮਿਟਿਜਾਹਿਪਰੇਰੈ ॥ ੧॥"

When Bhai Sahib sang the next line,

" ਸੰਤਚਰਨਧਰਉਮਾਥੈਚਾਂਦਨਾਗ੍ਰਿਹਿਹੋਇਅੰਧੇਰੈ ॥ ੨॥",

then his consciousness was so lost in this line that he spent the rest of the night in the sangat doing abhyaas. Bhai Sahib remained silent in his deep meditation and his hands remained resting on the vaja. At around 5AM at amrit vela, Bhai Sahib again began the shabad from the same line and finished around 6AM. In this way, the Singhs enjoyed the bliss of a lot of sangat with Bhai Sahib (where he was before not going to stay).

Bhai Sahib has been mentioned in Bh. Sahib Randheer Singh jee's Ranglay Sajjan. Veer Dr Surinder Singh jee (Bhai Harbachan Singh jee's son) told us of many amazing stories from his father's life. All of Veer jee's brothers and siters would die at a very young age and their Mata jee asked Bhai Harbachan Singh jee why they died so young. Bhai Sahib replied "This is all the amazing work of Sachay Paatshaah. By his will, only those souls are born into our home who have come just to receive amrit. After receiving amrit at young ages, they leave for Dargah (divine court) and are accepted there."

Bhai Sahib Harbachan Singh jee's Singhnee then did not take her newest baby daughter to receive amrit for this very fear. When she became of marriageable age, she went to receive amrit and died a little while after that.

Once, during the first World War, Bhai Harbachan Singh was stationed in a military camp on the banks of a river in France. At amrit vela, Bhai Sahib was immersed in naam abhyaas when the river began to flood. The army began to flee and in moments, they emptied the camp and went far away. Bhai Saahib stayed stationary in deep smaadhee. The water began to go over him as well. When roll call was taken for the unit, Bhai Saahib was listed as missing due to "having drowned". But after two or four days, when the water receded from the camp, the soldiers who came to survey the damage found Bhai Saahib covered in deep mud. They picked him up and after cleaning him, Bhai Sahib's smaadhee finally opened. Bhai Sahib Randheer Singh jee used to say that the British forces won the war because naam abhyaasees like this were in the ranks of their army.