The life stories of great saints are a source of inspiration for all the people of curiosity. Several such a great souls in Sikh religion have presented the principal of their gurus through their model life. A writer who tries to write down the biography of such great spirits may not have come In the company of such souls. But he their lives by collecting necessary information or material from their disciples, followers and devotees. He thus uses his own initiative and brilliance which has been gifted to him by the Almighty.
In writing this book, I have tried to pen down the specific incidents of the pious lives of the Havenly soul Sant Baba Bhuri Wale & the holy soul, now in his Heavenly Abode, Sant Baba Gurdial Singh Bhuri wale. I Have listened to every word spoken by the Humble First Disciple of these great ascetics Sant Baba Kashmir Singh Bhuriwale. I have also read about these facts and information in the book written by Giani Hari Singh.
This book is being published in the holy memory of much reverent Sant Baba Bhuriwale and very respectable Sant Baba Gurdial Singh Bhuriwale. Both these Holy spirits had been inspiring all devoted people for selfless service and meditation. This book gives a golden view of multiple qualities of these two great saints.
The greatest quality of them was that they were immensely humble while in deep meditation. Courtesy prevailed in every vein and bone of their human bodies. They always gave full respect to all devotees who came to see them. Every human soul was filled with satisfaction and relief when they came in their company. They were a symbol of meditation, salvation and celibacy and were always lost in service of the guru. It gave them great pleasure to inspire people to the service of God and His Temples,
pandit sur, Chhatarpat, Raja Bhagat Brabar Aur n koi,"(page 858)
" A Saint lost in deep meditation of the Almighty is the Lord of Humanity and the scholar, the warrior and the Emperor, are no match for him."
Among many saints, who dedicated their lives of the sacred places, there has been one Holy soul Sant Baba Jaimal Singh Bhuriwale whose spiritual Face always showes signs of honerjed humility. It was his kind inspiration that the devoters helped in building a place of worship ( Dera Kar Sewa) Named Dera Tapoban at Tarn Taran Road Amritsar. His holiness Babaji regarded all devotees as members of Guru Nanak Dev ji's family. He had immense passion for making his personal life as an embodiment of meditation. He was patriotic about service of holy Sikh Temples. He always desired to make it sure that all Sikhs should become devotees of holy shrines and serve humanity. He rarely talked to any person while he was sitting in deep meditation at his place of worship named Tapoban. As said in the holy Guru Granth:-
"Hon Nazeek Khudai De Bhet Na Kise Den"
"Those, who are in close contact with God, don't tell about it to anybody." These word come true to the life of Babaji Bhuriwale. These is no doubt that all extra-ordinary spiritual powers come hastening to such great souls who preach and teach others the sacred lesson of service and meditation
"Naunidhi Athara Sidhi Piche Laggian Phiray Jo Hor Hirde Sada Vasay"
"All spiritual and super natural power gravitates to those who have realized the truth of God in their minds". The greatest quality of these great saints is that they give little importance to worldly power. They devote themselves to meditation and adept themselves to the life style of a true Sikh devotee by them sometimes become the verdict of God. But they never speak such words in their own praise. They are pleasedto hear such words as are spoken in praise of the Almighty. Ands ultimately God leads such great souls to height of spiritual greatness.
"Har Apni Vadyai Bhavdi Jan Da Jaikar Karai"
"Har Apni Vadyai Bhavdi Jan Da Jaikar Karai" "When God hears the words of his praise, He rewards the speaker with his golden showers of blessing".
Every praise respect and received was the result of his dedication to the Holy Guru Granth and its religions mission. Therefore Babaji had great reverence for the Holy Guru Granth and the Golden Temple at Amritsar. Every big religious work was started with prayer before the Guru Granth. Whenever a devotee came to invite Babaji told him that he would only be able to come if God permitted. He was an embodiment of renunciation, love, generosity and self effacement. There was not a tinge of pride or prejudice in him. Sant Baba Jaimal Singh Ji was born in 1892 at village Gaah, Tehsil Chakwal in Jehlum district (Now in Pakistan) Sardar Sher Singh Kohli was his Father and Satbharai ji his mother who had great love and affection for her dear son Jaimal Singh. The mother was pleased to see the innocent and impressive face of her sone. One day she put the baby son into a cradle the child Baba Bhuriwale fell down from the cradle. Though he got wounded, he did not weep but smiled. The mother took him into her lap. The ladies, who were standing there, said that he was not an ordinary child but an angel. An elderly women said that the child was telling them to remain calm in times of joy and suffering alike. When Babaji 7-8 years old he used to go playing with his Fellows. Sometime he went away to a lovely place and sat reciting the sacred lines of Holy scripture. The boys called him back. But they were surprised to see him sitting in deep meditation. When Babaji become 15-16 years old, his father started a small grocery store for him at his native village gaah. One day his father took him to chakwal, a toen 15 miles away from his village, to purchase grocery articles. He bought suger, jaggery balls, brown sugar etc, and loaded the bags full of these things on donkeys to be taken to his village. Babaji started for his home alongmith donkeys and their master. On the way the master of donkeys requested for a short rest under some shady tree because it was blistering heat of the sun in the month of Jeth, Asaars (May, June). There was a well sheltered by dark forest trees. So they rested there for a short while. Babaji saw that a group of saints was taking rest under the trees near the well. He went to the saints and asked if he could sweet drinks. He also asked them the reason of their stay there. The saints replied that they had taken shelter under the trees to escape heat of the sun. They would start when the heat become a little cool. Babaji said that he could serve them with sweet drinks if they so agreed. They saints then said that there was neither any shop nor a house nearby, how could he bring sweet drinks. Babaji said that he had a bag full of sugar with him which he was taking to his shop in the village. He took out a large quantity of suger and prepared a sweet drink for the saints. He felt a sense of joy to serve the group of saints with this drinks.
Babaji had also a bag full of parched grams with him. He put whole amount of grams before the saints to eat. The holymen were pleased to take this food.
Then he took the remaining stock to his shop in the village. His father saw that the quantity of articles was less than that he had sent. He asked the reason of it. Babaji told the truth that he had met a groups of holy men on the way and he had used a little quantity to feed them as they were hungry and thirsty. The father slapped him for it. Babaji bore this punishment quietly and said nothing. Some times he gave some articles free of cost to a poor customer. He never cared for money matters. His father noticed it and at last decided to close down the shop.
When Babaji become 17-18 years old, he started to recite religious lesson of Japji Sahib 25 times a day sitting in solitude the village Gaah Stood on the slope of a small hill at the foot of this hill. The people opf the village used to take water from this well. A blind hermit named Gopal Singh of the Nirmal sect lived there who was always seen sitting in deep meditation. He never sat on a soft bed as he had only a hard wooden bed on which he sat during the day and slept there at night. He always said that man would have to go to the cremation ground on a hard wooden pyre at last. So one should adept to this hard bed before death.
Babaji was much influenced by the hermit's words. From that day he was named Jaimal Singh in place of Jairam which was his childhood name. Babaji was often found sitting in isolation and sad mood. It worried his father. So one day father discussed the matter with Babaji's mother. He suggested that if they arranged their son's marriage, he would be busy in his family life. So the next day father went to chakwal saw the shopkeeper from whom he purchased the necessary articles for the shop. When he told the shopkeeper about his plan, he at once agreed to marry his own daughter to Babaji whom he had already seen and known. However the shopkeeper requested Babaji's father that he wanted to see his son once again to ensure that he was a fit match for his daughter. So a day was fixed for their meeting. Father took Babaji with him and seated him at a tailor's shop where the meeting was to be held. Father dressed his son in new clothes to look attractive. But when Babaji was sitting in the tailor's shop, he saw a crippled man whose limbs were giving out a very bad smell. He was crying for help. He asked Babaji to help him with some clothes to cover his body. Babaji felt pity on him & put off his own new clothes for him. In the mean time, his father along with the shopkeeper, whose daughter was to be married to Babaji, came there and saw Babaji sitting there without his new clothes. The shopkeeper at once said that he was not an ordinary boy but a holy soul who had great affection for the poor and helpless people. He told Babaji's father that if he married his daughter to this boy, he might one day give away the ornaments of his own wife to some poor man. So he said that the boy was not fit for married life. So saying, he begged his pardon and rejected the proposed marriage.
Having heard the shopkeeper's remarks, father become angry with his son and said that he had brought disgrace to his father and the family by his father and the family by his behavior towards the cripple. When father reached home he told his wife that it would have been better if she had not given birth to such a bad boy. He was so furious that he ordered his son to leave his house at once. Babaji said nothing and sat in the graveyard outside the village.
His mother however served him with food daily even in the graveyard. During these days Babaji did not ignore his daily routine of reciting holy lesson (Japji Sahib) 25 times daily.
One day Babaji was sitting and reciting his daily routine outside his village suddenly a two feet long and an inch thick snake crawled to him. Babji showed no sign of fear or anger. The snake only touched his toe and left. A man from his village saw this miraculous incident and told about it to all people in the village. It become the talk of the town.
One day a cart was going on the Chakwal road with his over loaded cart. It was very hot and the ox was feeling uneasy. It was painting with exertion and its eyes were filled with sweat. Babaji saw it, called the cart man and said that his ox was crying for rest and water, so he should take pity on the animal. Babaji advised him to be kind to the ox because he too would have to pay for the cruelty he was showing to his ox before the Almighty. He asked the cart man to stop the cart for a while so that the animal might take a little rest. The cart man was also a resident of village Gaah. He felt afraid because he knew that the person who was advising him was not an ordinary human being but a holy soul in the guise of an ascetic. So he stopped his cart an released the ox for a rest. Babaji had some loaves of bread which he put before the animal. Babaji patted on its head and the ox felt a sigh of relief. It was very happy & felt refreshed.
The cat man went home and told the whole incident to his wife. He said that everyone in the village said the this son of sardar sher singh was a carefree ascetic (mastana) and that his words came true. He added that (Bababji) was very kind and sympathetic. The cart man's wife said that they should go to him and request him for a boon as the couple was issueless. She was of the belief that through his prayer they might get a male baby.
Both husband and wife thought that the hermit was a Hindu and they were Muslims and so he might not accept their request. At last they decided that they would take some plums from their home tree with them and then request the saint. They were confident that he would not reject the fruit. Then They plucked some plums, put them into their lap dress and set out in search of the saints. After a long search they found him at a solitary place where he was busy in his routine meditation. The cart man greeted him with salaam in the name of Allah and placed the fruit before the saints and sat along with his wife in front of him.
Babaji ate two plums and asked what for they had come to him. He further asked what they wanted. The cart man stood with folded hands and requested him for a born to have a male baby. He also begged that if he (Babaji) prayed for the prayer Babaji became angry and asked at once if they had come to rob the saints by giving a few plums. He said that he cart man was the same man who caused the ox feel uneasy. He told him to go away because he was not distributing babies to people. The cart man and his wife become sad and returned home. The couple told the whole matter to a wise gentleman who said that it was the way of saints. He further told that they should have understood that the saints had blessed them in a way. With the passage of time the cart man's wife gave birth to a son. Such miraculous incidents seldom happen bin the life-time of saints. So Babaji was always seen busy in his deep meditation.
The author has read the book by Giani Hari Singh written in 1977. By reading this type of books which contain the important aspects of great saints and holy souls, every common man feels an increase in his spiritual power and knowledge. So the life story of Sant Baba Jaimal Singh Bhuriwale is a spiritual mile-stone like several others among the Nirmal sect saints and sages.
Babaji did several worldly jobs to earn his living in his native as well as nearby villages. Then he came to a near by town named mardan and began to work as a coolie. Everyday he carried luggage to take it to other places. But he never fixed his labor. He considered the amount of wages as God's gift. In those days one could get one time meal in four annas. When he had earnd four annas, he often sat aside and started his daily routine of prayer and recitation of holy lesson of Japji Sahib. He never ingnored this holy pratice of 25 lessons a day. Now the good ardour of this human qualioties spread all around in the town. People began to say that a strange coolie had come into the town who did not fix his labour before hand. Everyone talked of him as a kind-hearted man who always recited holy verses while he carried luggage. Several people stood on the roadside to have a look at his godly face. On account of his holy nature and meditation some permanent person like Lala Bishan Dass, lala Sunder Das and Sardar Hari singh become his followers. They used to visit him daily to listen to the holy lectures in the name of God.
One day in Mardan city a person engaged him (Babaji) for carrying his luggage. The load was about 2 maunds which equaled so Kilograms. At that time Babaji was a strong and stout man. Being a celebate Youngman he was stronger than other coolies of the town. He carried the load and took it to the fixed place quite easily. The man was pleased to see it and gave 8 annas to him as his labors. Babaji atonce returned 4 annas to the man who tried to give this amount back to Babaji but Babaji did not accept it. The coolie was an angel. The coolies often demamanded more than the fixed labour if the load was heavier than normal but this coolie was of a special kind. At last babaji said that he took only one meal a day and in 4 annas he had been given that by the Almighty and meal for the next day was His concern. The man was pleased to hear and went his way.
People in the town began to regard Babaji as a true saints. They decided not to ask him to carry luggage because they feared they would have to pay in the next world for their deeds. But its result was adverse. Babaji got no work as coolie and he left the town and reached Lyallpur.
In Lyallpur, Babaji stayed at Gurdwara Singh Sabha where he began to sweep the whole campus with a broom and dust off the carpets every morning and evening. At dawn he began the religious ceremony of closing the Scripture. He was seen busy in the service of the holy temple. So they gave the entire responsibility of temple to him. Now he had a little spare time, he sat down to meditate and recite his daily lesson of 25 times in a solitary place. After he had finished his routine prayer, he returned to the gurdwara. The city people of Lyallpur began to the gurdwara more than they usually came. Naturally the income of offeratory also increased. The jealous and cynical people requested the President of the gurdwara to take the income account from Babaji. The President called him and verified the account. Babaji put the keys there and said that if the cash or stock fell short, he would he held responsible and if it came out above the genuine, he (president) could keep it for himself. So when the cash was counted and stock was checked, everything was surplus. The critics had to eat a humble pie.
His inner voice said that now he should leave the place and go to Amritsar, the holy city founded by the great fourth Guru Ram Dass. There he would serve the sacred place through his physical labor. Therefore he left Lyallpur for the Golden Temple Amritsar. When Babaji got ready to start from Lyallpur, the devotees stood before him and requested him not to leave the town. They even said that they would not let him go but he said politely to them that his food and water in that city had finished now.
So Babaji started from his native village Gaah and reached Amritsar via Chakwal, Jehlum, Peshawar, Hoti Mardan and Lyallpur. He spent all the time of his journey in religious service and meditation. When he reached the Golden Temple, Amritsar, he started sweeping the whole terrace around the temple with a broom. He had such great regard and reverence for the Golden Temple that he regarded this shrine as the Golden Tent of God in the Paradise. He was always seen busy in sweeping or washing the brick floor of this terrace become his devotees and respected him much. He told his devoties that it was the order of God to do this duty, He said"
