From jamesjs@unixg.ubc.ca Sat Mar 27 16:37:28 1999
Newsgroups: alt.meditation.shabda
Subject: (4/7) Jaimal Singh - A Great Saint
From: jamesjs@unixg.ubc.ca (James Shannon)
Date: 28 Mar 1999 00:37:28 GMT




                              A Great Saint
                         
                 BABA JAIMAL SINGH: HIS LIFE AND TEACHINGS   

                                    by

                            Sant Kirpal Singh Ji
                           
                               [Part 4 of 7]
                                            


THE TORCH BEARER

   Baba Jaimal Singh, on retiring as a Government
pensioner from the army, decided to visit the home of his
incomparable Master. Swami Ji had passed away in 1878
as he had himself foretold, but Baba Ji was greatly
attached to his family and his disciples. So, in 1890, he
took train for the old Mughal capital, and on reaching
there proceeded straight to Punni Gali. Radha Ji was
overjoyed to see Swami Ji's beloved disciple once more
while Chacha Partap Singh, his youngest brother, was
delighted and gave him a cordial welcome.  Word was sent
to Baba Gharib Das, then apparently at Agra, and he
hastened to meet the great soul from the Punjab. Who can
describe the deep joy that was theirs as they greeted and
embraced each other and remembered the great Master, who,
no longer in this physical plane, was yet spiritually ever
with them? Who can fathom the feelings of such Master spirits?

The old spiritual comrades radiated love as they greeted
each other and to see them meet was itself a lesson in the
truth that God is love. Radha Ji brought forth a red turban
and an aasan or prayer carpet which Swami Ji had left with
her before his passing away as a last gift to his gurmukh
disciple. Chacha Partap Singh then brought a gaddi and
begged Baba Ji to be seated. But he would not hear of it
and commenting, "I am only a dog of this house blessed to
be admitted within its walls," kept standing.

Chacha Partap Singh protested and persisted, but to no
avail. At last Radha Ji intervened and ended the
controversy by saying, "Jaimal Singh is indeed a khatau
(worthy) son of Swami Ji, who has made the most of the
capital entrusted to him. He has bestowed him with the
Lordship of Sat Lok. So why should he care for earthly
gaddis?" When meals were over, Baba Ji insisted on washing
the utensils. "This home for me is a temple, for it was here
that I got enlightenment. My only ambition is to serve
this house." But Radha Ji would not hear of it. "You may
do as you please some other day," she declared, "but
today you must abide by what I say."
 
   Next day, accompanied by Chacha Partap Singh and
Baba Gharib Das, Baba Jaimal Singh Ji proceeded to Rai
Saligram - a beloved disciple of Swami Ji - who had been
entrusted after him with the work at Agra and carried on
his discourses at Pipal Mandi, where he was popularly
known as Hazur Maharaj. He rejoiced at the visit and
received the honored guest from Ghuman with respect
and affection. The two embraced after which Hazur Maharaj
drew Baba Ji toward the gacdi on which he had been
sitting in order to seat him next to himself. But with
characteristic humility, he declined the honor and seated
himself on the floor.
 
   The third day Hazur Maharaj presented Baba Ji with
a rich silken robe embroidered with gold. He, however,
would not hear of it. "What has a simple farmer like me
to do with such precious fabrics? Khadi suits me better."
"How can you say such things," protested the host, "when
Swami Ji has made you a king of Spirituality and entrusted
you with his mission in the Punjab?" Seeing that Baba Ji
would not give way, he finally suggested: "Very well, if
you will not accept this robe, at least do me the honor of
putting it on once, after which I would keep it as a prized
souvenir." On hearing this, Chacha Partap Singh declared
that he had a prior right and should be allowed to have
the dress after Baba Jaimal Singh had donned it. At last
Radha Ji stepped in and interceded. How could Jaimal
Singh resist any longer? Such love! Such honor! What
mortal could deserve it? It was all the grace of his Master.
With tears in his eyes, he took the robe from Radha Ji's
hands and placed it reverently on his head, reciting the
verses from the Granth Sahib, beginning:
         
          Maen av-ghun, gun nahin koi . . .
     
      I am unworthy; and no virtue is in me . . .

   A week passed by in this fashion and, having paid his
homage to the place where he had received spiritual
illumination, Baba Jaimal Singh prepared to depart. He
invited Baba Gharib Das to join him, and the latter
graciously accepted the invitation. The party set forth
for the Punjab  and when they arrived  at Ghuman, 
scriptural recitations and discourses were arranged in
their honor. Jiwan Singh's marriage was at hand, and there
was feasting and rejoicing. The villagers keenly enjoyed the
talks given by the two spiritual friends and the days rolled
by till Baba Gharib Das had to leave. Jaimal Singh
accompanied him to the Beas Railway Station and bade him a
touching farewell as he left by train.

  Baba Ji continued to be on very friendly terms with
Swami Ji's disciples and with the members of his family.
There was great mutual respect and esteem and Baba Ji's
visit to Murree in 1894 was made at the invitation of some
Agra satsangis. But after the passing away of Hazur Maharaj
Rai Saligram Ji, things began to undergo a change. A move
was made to bring all activities under the control of
Pandit Brahm Shankar Misra (alias Maharaj Sahib) through
the creation of a Central Administrative Council
at Soamibagh. Baba Ji was nominated along with nine
others for the first panel of the Council. The letter
sent to Baba Jaimal Singh by Chacha Partap Singh from
Allahabad on the occasion, dated 4th August, 1902,
nominating him as such, is on record. (*4)
 
(*4 Chacha Patap Singh Ji's letter dated August 4, 1902:
  "Beloved of the Satguru, purified by Shabd, pure of face and
intellect, Baba Jaimal Singh Ji.
  I have received your letter and was very glad to read its
contents. And the stone which you suggested will be put in the
building. You may be assured about that. My son, Suchet Singh, has
come back on pension. I am, however, sorry to note that there is
a tendency of forming different sects and cliques in our Satsang,
and that all satsangis are not in harmony with each other. For
this purpose I have come here (to Allahabad).
  We have decided that a Radha Swami Satsang Central Association
should be started. Pandit Ji (Brahm Shankar Misra) has insisted
that I should be its President and he will be the Vice-President;
that Lala Ajodhia Prashad, son of Hazur Sahib Maharajm (Rai
Bahadur Saligram) and eight others, as well as yourself, should
be members. Or, in whatever manner any ten members can be
selected by the Satsangis by a vote of majority. I am, therefore,
sending you a pamphlet containing a complete description about
this Central Association, and can send you any number of copies
as may be required. Please send instructions to all your satsangis
that they should sanction the following ten names and endorse
these pamphlets in token of their nomination. If you have Satsangis
in far-off places, they should also be asked to act accordingly.
I am giving below the names of the ten members referred to above:
  1. Lala Ajodhia Prashad (son of Rai Saligram).
  2. Pandit Brahm Shankar Misra Sahib.
  3. Lala Baleshwar Parshad.
  4. Lala Madho Parshad.
  5. Rai Ishwar Sahai, alias Raja Sahib.
  6. Lala Suchet Singh (son of Chacha Partap Singh).
  7. Baba Jaimal Singh Ji Sahib.
  8. Lala Sudershan Singh (another son of Pratap Singh).
  9. Munshi Hargobind Daya Sahib.
 10. Mr. Bool Chand Sahib.
 It is expected that by the constitution of this Society, different
groups and cliques will disappear and satsangis will love each ather
as brothers.
 Kindly send this letter to Babu Sawan Singh also for his
information.")


   Baba Ji, however, was reluctant to join the Council as
he felt the changes that were taking place about this time
among the Agra satsangis were not in consonance with Swami
Ji's teachings. He also objected to and opposed Maharaj
Sahib's plan for building a magnificent samadh in memory
of Swami Ji, because he felt that so humble a spirit as
his Master would never have countenanced such a project.
When he went to Agra about this time, he openly explained
his point of view but Maharaj Sahib was not to be dissuaded.
Finding himself no longer well received and his words of no
avail, he returned to Beas and decided to remain aloof from
the activities of the Council at Soamibagh.

   During his military career Baba Jaimal Singh, whenever
he had any leave, spent part of it at Ghuman. Though detached
from worldly ties, he was yet very fond of his mother. On one
occasion he was to tell a devoted disciple that in their past
three lives, he and his mother had enjoyed the same relationship.
On such occasions when he came to his ancestral home, it was
his wont not to waste time in needless gossip and idling, but
to proceed to the banks of the Beas and sit hidden in the
gullies that the wayward river had created by its freakish
changes of course, and continue lost in spiritual devotion
for days, subsisting only on a few dry chapatis that he
brought from home and hung on a kikar tree.

At other times when he was at home he would walk down to
Dera Baba Namdev and carry on his meditations there or in
a dugout in the courtyard of the family house. This house
and dugout were preserved long after Baba Ji's death, and
his successor, Hazur Baba Sawan Singh Ji Maharaj, would
sometimes take his closest disciples to Ghuman and show
them the spot where his great Guru used to sit for
meditation. In particular he would point out the peg on
the wall behind the dugout where Baba Ji would tie up his
hair in order to ward off sleep during abhyasa.
 
   Just as his fellow soldiers learned in time to respect
and revere Baba Jaimal Singh, in like manner the inhabitants
of Ghuman came gradually to recognize his great spiritual
stature. His early childhood devotion had already become
a local legend; and whenever the Sant Sipahi came, the
local folk flocked to see him and his company was sought
by young and old, whosoever was spiritually inclined. Mistri
Elahi Baksh and Bhai Lehna, who had been his boyhood friends,
were the first to seek his spiritual guidance. He commended
their zeal, but said that the time was not yet ripe for
their instruction. Many years later when he felt that the
hour had come, he put them on the inner path and they were
among his earliest Ghuman disciples.
 
   After his retirement Baba Ji, on coming to his native
village, continued his old habit of going to Beas river-
side for his sadhnas. The years immediately following the
close of his army life were largely spent in this manner.
Once while at Amritsar with Hakim Nand Lal, he mentioned
that he was in search of a quiet place in the wilderness
where he could settle down and carry on his meditation.

Lala Khazana Mal, a money-lender who was also present,
suggested that such a place could be found between the
villages of Vairach and Balsarai on the banks of Beas
where he carried on his business. Baba Ji, who had already
been attached to the area, accepted the suggestion. This
was the place where Kahan, a God-intoxicated man, met
Baba Ji in his early life saying he was preparing a place
for him in the days to come.

   Meanwhile Baba Chanda Singh, who too had received
instructions at the feet of Swami Ji, passed away. In his
last moments Bibi Rukko, a very devoted disciple, asked
him what was to become of her. "Fear not, my child," replied
the sage, "another greater than myself shall take care
of you." "Where shall I find him, Sir?" asked Rukko.
"Find him? No, you shall have no need, for he himself will
seek you out."
 
   Shortly before Baba Ji came to settle down on the
banks of the Beas, Bibi Rukko, who was then living at
Vairach and was fairly well advanced spiritually, told the
villagers that her protector was coming to live there. When
Baba Jaimal Singh arrived, he found a small hut built out
of straw and branches for him, a bare eight feet by eight
feet, and he began living there. Soon after Khazana Mal
arrived, and hearing that Baba Ji had come, came to see
him. He had the hut plastered with mud and a cave dug
out. It was the year 1891 and Baba Ji gave himself up
with redoubled zeal to his spiritual sadhnas. He would
enter the cave and stay in it for days on end, sometimes as
long as a fortnight without any thought for food, rapt in
inner samadhi.
 
   Though Baba Ji shunned the public gaze, yet musk
cannot be hidden in the dark. He might have no care for
earthly name and fame but name and fame fell to his share
in spite of this. Fame of his spiritual greatness had
already spread from Ghuman to the neighboring villages;
and going for darshan to a holy man is an ancient
institution in this land of the sages. Where there had been
wilderness, people began appearing in ever growing numbers
and regular Satsangs began to take place. How could Baba
Ji turn away those who had come to his door? In all
simplicity and humility he taught them the spiritual
message that he had received at the feet of Swami Ji. Many
a moneyed man begged him to be permitted to build pucca
quarters for him, but he, rich in his own humility,
continued in his simple austere ways.
 
   To undertake to write the biography of a Saint is to
attempt the impossible. If it is to do real justice to its
subject, it must follow the inner movements that defy
observation, analysis and formulation. You may take up the
life of a great artist, writer, soldier or statesman, and if
you are a man of deep understanding and imagination, you
may reincarnate it in words giving a vivid picture of the
psychological conflicts and resolutions involved. But the
Saints at one leap have passed from this world to another
and have cast their tents in inaccessible realms. Few men
have reached there; and those that have entered have been
wrapped in silence.   
     
      When the pen set to picturing this station
      It broke in pieces and the page was torn.

The study of the progress of the mystic soul is beyond the
reach of ordinary mortals, and those that have been on
the inner journey can only speak in metaphor and parable,
for how else can the language of common humanity be
compelled to express experiences for which it was never
fashioned? The history then of a Master Soul, as fired by
a restless zeal, which moves from plane to plane, must
remain an unwritten one; at best it can only give the husk
of outer events and happenings to suggest the unusual
nature of the spiritual experiences they unfold. And once
such a soul has attained full enlightenment and become
one with the Infinite, its history is no longer its own, but
is the history of those that came under its spell and were
liberated from worldly bondage.

   The story of Baba Ji's life after his great search had
been crowned with success is the story not so much of his
own development as of the many souls that benefited from
him. Thus Mian Chirag Din relates the story of his maternal
grandfather, Mistri Elahi Baksh, of whom we have
already spoken.
 
    Elahi, a childhood friend of Baba Ji, showed great
interest in spiritual matters and would discuss them with
him when he (Baba Ji) would come home on leave from his
regiment. Once when Baba Ji, known in his village as
"Bhai," was in Ghuman, Elahi saw him approaching in
the company of a sadhu. A lively discussion was in
progress and when Elahi wished to know its theme, he was
told that the sadhu insisted that Brahmand was the highest
of all heavens in spite of the fact that Baba Ji assured
him that there were higher realms. On hearing this, Elahi
turned to the sadhu and with solemn conviction said:

"Revered sir, Bhai Ji is absolutely right. There are indeed
regions higher than those of which you know."
 
    This silenced the sadhu and he went away. When the
friends were left alone, Baba Ji thanked Elahi for his
friendly intervention and added, "But it is strange that you
never told me of your access to the inner spiritual realms."
  
   "Whoever said I had access to them?"
  
   "But then how could you speak with such conviction?"
 
   "Oh, Bhai, I only know that a man of realization can
never utter a falsehood. So how could I doubt what you
said?"
 
   Baba Ji was so moved by his friend's spontaneous and
deep-rooted faith that he told him, "I shall unlock to you
treasures of which few ever dream and which fewer attain."
He took him straight to a nearby pond and initiated him
into the Surat Shabd Yoga on its bank. However, Elahi had
yet to learn the value of the gift he had received.

Greatly interested in spiritual questions, he continued the
practices taught to him by Muslim fakirs and failed to
attend to his friend's instructions.
 
   When Baba Ji came to Ghuman again, he sent for Elahi
and asked him what he had done with the inner key that
had been given to him. When Elahi told him that he had
done nothing and even forgotten what he had been told,
Baba Ji was displeased. "I give you the greatest riches
that man can ever hope to have and you treat them with
such scant regard," he scolded, and slapped him thrice
on the face. As soon as his hands fell upon the repentant
Elahi's face, his inner eye was opened and his spirit rose
to higher worlds. From that day onward Elahi Baksh began
devoting himself exclusively to the Surat Shabd Yoga and
would daily visit his Pir or Guru and bow in reverence
before him.
 
   When a Great One takes a wandering soul under his
wing, his grace is not confined only to his immediate
disciple but radiates to those near and dear to him. Such
a powerful spiritual influence fell upon Elahi Baksh's
family that in spite of their Muslim relations' and
brothers' taunts and scorn, many of its members sought
instruction at Baba Ji's feet. Elahi's son-in-law, Hussain
Baksh, was among the first to take to the Path. He was very
devoted to Baba Ji and displayed great love and reverence.

His Guru was pleased with him and treated him and his
sons, Ghulam Qadir and Chirag Din, with affection. Mian
Chirag Din, in his manuscript account, relates how the
Great One would joke with them and receive them at all
hours when they were youngsters. Once when he had gone
to Ghuman and was resting, the boys sought him out there.
Bibi Daya received them at the door and when she learned
that they had come for her son, she got a little irritated.
"Ah, when you grow up," she exclaimed, "and have children
of your own, never make the mistake of educating them.
I am a mother and I know too well from my experience how
difficult it is to cope with when a son becomes a God."
Baba Ji at this juncture called out from within and
the boys went in. He patted them fondly and remarked,
"You are always welcome. Do not mind what mother
says."

 A true Master is ever with his disciple and protects him
not only in life but equally in death:
   
   
    O Nanak: free yourself from worldly companions,
    And seek the friendship of a true Saint.
    They shall forsake you even in life,
    But he shall not leave you even after death.
                                 
                                       NANAK
   
   
    Take hold, O soul! of one who knows all inner
      planes,
    For he shall befriend thee in life as well as in
      death.
                                           
                                        MAULANA RUMI


To witness the last moments of a disciple of Baba Ji was
to be convinced of his genuine greatness. Countless stories
are told of the strange happenings marking the end of
those initiated by the Beas Saint. We may quote the eye-
witness account left by Chirag Din of his father's death as
an outstanding example. We translate from his Urdu
manuscript recording his family's contact with Baba Ji and
some anecdotes he heard from the great Master about his
own early life:

   Once Baba Ji had gone to Ghuman after collecting his
pension. Our father, meanwhile, had passed away. We
went to the Great One and related to him the sad news.
He consoled us and straightway proceeded to the spot
where the dead body lay. On reaching there he said, "O
Hussain Baksh, why have you been in such haste? I would
have come and you could have had my darshan." As these
words were uttered, our dead father opened his eyes and
sat up. Our mother, frightened, inquired if anything was
the matter. "Nothing," he said. "The Master has come and
I am going." He then lay down and was gone.
 
   Another very interesting anecdote relates how, while
Baba Ji was visiting the village of Dhaliwal, Attar Singh,
a local inhabitant, carried him across a nearby seasonal
stream swollen with recent rains and back again. The sage
was so pleased with the Jat's selfless service that he
declared, "O Attar, you have taken me across this little
streamlet. I, in return, shall take you across the sea of
life."

He then initiated him into the Divine Science and from
that day the latter was a changed man. He would take his
cattle for grazing as of yore, but on reaching the meadows
he would let them go and himself got busy with his
spiritual sadhnas. He no longer used a stick to control
his herd, but would manage it with a piece of cloth and
soon became known for his extraordinarily kind treatment
of his animals. One day he returned rather early. On
reaching home, he told his daughter-in-law, who was
there:  "Child, get everything done quickly; storm will
soon be here."
 
   He then went to take his bath and on returning spread
a bed on the floor and called all those in the house to
his side. He bade them goodbye, explaining:  "My time is
drawing to a close and I must soon be gone." Everyone
was taken aback at these strange words. How could the
speaker talk of dying when he was apparently in good
health? At last his daughter-in-law, collecting herself,
asked leave to send for his son. "There is no need," he
answexed. "My Master has come and I cannot keep him
waiting." Saying these words, he lay down, closed his
eyes and his spirit left for its heavenly Home.
 
    Baba Ji was not only chary himself of revealing his
spiritual riches, but strictly enjoined his disciples to
exercise the same restraint. When they transgressed his
instructions they never escaped chastisement. Thus Chirag
Din relates the story of a blind Hafiz (learned man) of
Dhariwal.

He once attended a discourse of Baba Ji at the town of
Kapurthala, and when it was over and they were talking to
each other, the Hafiz remarked: "The wise have said that
he who has read the Holy Book thrice attains heaven."
 
   "Heaven is very far, my dear fellow," replied Baba Ji.
"Those that have entered it alone can tell."
 
   The assurance of the sage's voice moved the Hafiz to
request instruction. His wish was granted and he
sedulously cultivated the lesson that had been given to
him till it bore fruit. He then proceeded to Mian Sahib at
Batala, his former teacher, and told him that all he had
taught him was a hoax and a lie. He would often visit the
mosque and, intolerant of the pious sham practiced there,
he would secretly break the earthen pots and burn the
prayer mats. His fellows soon discovered the miscreant
and complained to his Guru.
 
   The blind man was called and Baba Ji rebuked him.
"Sir," replied his disciple, "I cannot stand hypocrisy and
besides I am in the right." His Master, however, told him
that in the future he must learn to contain himself and
exercise restraint. But the advice went unheeded and the
Hafiz soon began indulging his whim once again. A group
of Muslims came to wait upon the sage and bitterly
protested, complaining that he had taught his disciple to
turn heathen. At this Baba Ji answered, "Does the man still
persist in his foolishness? Well, if he will not stop
troubling you, do not be angry for you will soon be rid
of him." Sure enough, a few days later the Hafiz passed
away.
 
   Similar stories are told about other advanced disciples.
A sadhu who came to live at Beas made rapid headway and
his soul would soar at will to Daswan Dwar. He could not
restrain himself, however, and would begin talking of the
inner glories to whoever would pass his way. Baba Ji was
upset and told him that he must learn to discipline his
tongue. But the sadhu, confident of himself, continued
unheeding. The inner curtain was rung down and for full
sixteen years he was denied inner access until his very
last days when Baba Ji's illustrious successor, Baba Sawan
Singh, gave him his blessings.

Baba Nizam-ud-din in a like situation was to experience
a similar check. His son, in a beautifully written Urdu
account, narrates how his father, who was the sixteenth
initiate of Baba Ji according to the records at Beas,
made very speedy inner progress. In a few months he had
gained great powers and had developed a remarkable
clairvoyance. But instead of locking his gifts within
himself as taught by his teacher, he began displaying his
spiritual wares and would freely tell those around of
future happenings or of what was taking place at distant
towns. When Baba Ji was told of this, he turned to Bibi
Rukko and said, "This man has ascended very rapidly
indeed, but has not been able to digest what he has got."
 
    From that day on Nizam-ud-din, who had failed to
shutter his lips, found that his inner eye had been
curtained. His sorrow was great, but trusting the grace
of his Master, he took to his spiritual practices with
redoubled energy. His wife too got initiated and with
the passage of time great blessings were bestowed upon
them, and it was evident to those that came into contact
with them that they were no ordinary mortals. But never
again did Nizam-ud-din flaunt his spiritual powers.
 
    The entire life of Baba Nizam-ud-din and his family
as written by his son is one long saga of the blessings
of having a true Master. But society is not kind to a
living Saint nor to those that are lost in their love.
Nizam-ud-din's devotion to his Sikh Pir soon won him
the animosity of his relatives and Muslim brethren.
"He has turned kafir," they said, and lost no
opportunity of abusing and persecuting him. He himself
was not to be deterred and whenever there was any talk
of "Muslim", and "non-Muslim," he would recite the
Persian couplets:
   
   
    Ishk ra ba kafir-o-moman, na bashad imtyaj
    Ein Sukhan bar mamber-o-mehrab mae bayad
      nivisht.
   
    Love makes no distinction between the infidel
      and the faithful;
    Let these words be written on every pulpit and
      arch.
   
   
    Mard-e-hujji Mard-e-hajji ra talab
    Khah Hindu, Khah Turk-o-Khah Arab.
   
    If you wish to go on the inner pilgrimage, then
      seek an inner guide,
    Be he a Hindu, a Turk or an Arab.


But for all his patience, matters grew only worse and
when things were not to be borne any longer, Baba Ji
advised his beloved disciple to shift his hearth and home
to Multan. It was there that he spent the rest of his long
life and would often go to Beas to meet his Master. When
after 1903 he was no more, he would visit Baba Sawan Singh,
his spiritual successor, who held him in great esteem.
It is not for us to dwell at length on the many blessings
bestowed upon him, his sons, grandsons and great-grandsons;
suffice it to say that the whole family held Baba Ji in
great reverence and, as enjoined by him, kept up all the
traditions of their faith while practicing the discipline
he had taught.

When his wife passed away, she foretold her approaching end
a month before the date, at which time she was in good
health. When her hour drew near, she took touching leave
of her husband: "I have served you to the best of my
ability for sixty years. Now grant me leave for going
away." My Master and Maharaj Sawan Singh are waiting for
me." Nizam-ud-din asked her to hold his arm and focused
his attention inward. The whole family was looking on as
the old couple sat wrapt in meditation. Twenty minutes
later the husband opened his eyes. "Now you may go," he
said, and his wife peacefully passed away. Next morning
when her hearse had to be carried to the burial grounds,
some of the relations refused to lift the bier on the
ground that the lady was a kafir. But the neighbors knew
her to be kind and generous and a true daughter of God,
and helped to carry the coffin to the graveyard.
 
    Baba Nizam-ud-din did not tarry long after. His end
was similarly known before it came and when his bier was
to be carried, his brethren's hearts had been softened
and they joined the procession. Many a fakir and sadhu
witnessed his burial and as his remains were being
lowered, the verse was chanted:
          
          
           Hum nashini saat-e ba aulia
           Behter az sad-sala taat be-ria.
   
    A moment's contact with a Saint is worth more
      than a million austerities.


Even to this day, in spite of the division of the country
that came with independence and in spite of the communal
hatreds unleashed in its wake, the descendants of Baba
Nizam-ud-din have kept up the faith and often visit Sawan
Ashram at Delhi to keep alive their association with the
Path of the Masters or the Sultan-ul-Azkar, as their
enlightened forefather called it in the terminology of
the Sufi fakirs.


                      [End of Part 4 of 7]

------------------------------------------------------------------------


