Bhai Atma Singh and Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh - 2 Saakhis
Continuing on with the Saakhis about Bhai Sahib and other Gursikhs I heard from Gurmukhs in India, presented below are two Saakhis concerning Bhai Atma Singh jee. Bhai Atma Singh jee was a rare Gurmukh jewel who was very close to Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh jee. Bhai Atma Singh had massive Baani memorized and as a result Bhai Sahib gave him the title "Pothi jee".
Flow of Gurbani
Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh jee was very fond of Bhai Atma Singh jee whom he used to call "Pothi jee" because he had pretty much whole of Gurbani Kanth. Whenever Bhai Sahib used to do Kirtan, Bhai Atma Singh jee used to sit behind him and in case Bhai Sahib felt the need for the next Pankiti, he did not used to refer to a Pothi, he used to lean back and bring his ear close to Bhai Atma Singh jee, who used to knew that Bhai Sahib was asking for the next Pankiti. He immediately used to speak the next Pankiti in Bhai Sahib's ear and Bhai Sahib used to continue Kirtan this way.
Perhaps, Bhai Atma Singh jee developed a Sooksham Haume for knowing and memorizing so much Baani. One day, Bhai Sahib while doing Kirtan, leaned back to Bhai Atma Singh for the next Pankiti but Bhai Atma Singh could not remember the next Pankiti. Bhai Atma Singh said, "Ajj Sabh band hai" (Today it is all closed).
Bhai Sahib immediately shot back, "Guru Sahib val drishtee karo" (look towards Guru Sahib).
Bhai Atma Singh jee looked towards Siri Guru Granth Sahib jee and immediately the flow of Gurbani started again and he told Bhai Sahib the next Pankiti.
Gurmukh Pyare who narrated this Saakhi to me explained that actually, Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh jee wanted to make a point to Bhai Atma Singh jee that all the Gurbani that he had memorized was a result of Kirpa of Guru Sahib. As soon as Bhai Atma Singh jee looked at Siri Guru Granth Sahib jee, the flow of Gurbani started within and he could remember the Gurbani Pankiti. This Kautak was done to break the Sooksham Haume of Bhai Atma Singh jee.
Bhai Atma Singh jee used to say that a Gursikh Kirtaniya who relies solely on Guru Sahib, never has trouble memorizing Shabad for Kirtan. At the time of Kirtan, Gurbani flows automatically.
Calling Bhai Atma Singh a Chamaar
Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh jee selected the Rishta for the son of Bhai Atma Singh and one for a cousin of Bhai Atma Singh's son. The Rishta for Bhai Atma Singh's son was that of a very good Gursikh Bibi who was a wonderful Kirtani but her skin colour was a bit dark whereas the Bibi for the son's cousin was fair-skinned.
Bhai Atma Singh did not think of anything and accepted as Bhai Sahib had done but when he came home, his wife said in typically accent of Ambala, "Kaali ka Rishta aap le liya, Gori ka kisee aur ko de diya" (you took rishta of dark-skinned yourself and gave the rishta of fair-skinned to someone else). For a split second, Bhai Atma Singh too started thinking but soon he dismissed these manmukhi thoughts. The wife of Bhai Atma Singh was implying that they were getting a bad deal because the Bibi was dark skinned. Most people only look at the outer appearance and judge a person from that but Gurmukhs are different and they look at the Gurmukhi qualities and give preference to them.
Soon he was sitting along with some Singhs that Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh jee came and without naming anyone loudly said, "Oye Chamara, Tu Cham Parakhda hain?" (O Chamaar! You are examining leather?).
No one knew whom the comment was addressed to but Bhai Atma Singh immediately figured out what Bhai Sahib meant. Bhai Sahib then said, "Cham taa Chamaar hee Parakhde ne" (One who examines leather is a Chamaar).
Bhai Sahib had come to know about the thoughts of Bhai Atma Singh through his Akali Shaktis and warned him not to look at the skin colour but look at the qualities. Bhai Sahib later on said that what he had found for Bhai Atma Singh's son was a pure jewel because of Gurmat qualities.
Such was our dear Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh jee and his companions.
Some more Saakhis to be posted under this thread later on.
Kulbir Singh
As narrated by Giani Harbhajan Singh jee Shatrana
Flow of Gurbani
Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh jee was very fond of Bhai Atma Singh jee whom he used to call "Pothi jee" because he had pretty much whole of Gurbani Kanth. Whenever Bhai Sahib used to do Kirtan, Bhai Atma Singh jee used to sit behind him and in case Bhai Sahib felt the need for the next Pankiti, he did not used to refer to a Pothi, he used to lean back and bring his ear close to Bhai Atma Singh jee, who used to knew that Bhai Sahib was asking for the next Pankiti. He immediately used to speak the next Pankiti in Bhai Sahib's ear and Bhai Sahib used to continue Kirtan this way.
Perhaps, Bhai Atma Singh jee developed a Sooksham Haume for knowing and memorizing so much Baani. One day, Bhai Sahib while doing Kirtan, leaned back to Bhai Atma Singh for the next Pankiti but Bhai Atma Singh could not remember the next Pankiti. Bhai Atma Singh said, "Ajj Sabh band hai" (Today it is all closed).
Bhai Sahib immediately shot back, "Guru Sahib val drishtee karo" (look towards Guru Sahib).
Bhai Atma Singh jee looked towards Siri Guru Granth Sahib jee and immediately the flow of Gurbani started again and he told Bhai Sahib the next Pankiti.
Gurmukh Pyare who narrated this Saakhi to me explained that actually, Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh jee wanted to make a point to Bhai Atma Singh jee that all the Gurbani that he had memorized was a result of Kirpa of Guru Sahib. As soon as Bhai Atma Singh jee looked at Siri Guru Granth Sahib jee, the flow of Gurbani started within and he could remember the Gurbani Pankiti. This Kautak was done to break the Sooksham Haume of Bhai Atma Singh jee.
Bhai Atma Singh jee used to say that a Gursikh Kirtaniya who relies solely on Guru Sahib, never has trouble memorizing Shabad for Kirtan. At the time of Kirtan, Gurbani flows automatically.
Calling Bhai Atma Singh a Chamaar
Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh jee selected the Rishta for the son of Bhai Atma Singh and one for a cousin of Bhai Atma Singh's son. The Rishta for Bhai Atma Singh's son was that of a very good Gursikh Bibi who was a wonderful Kirtani but her skin colour was a bit dark whereas the Bibi for the son's cousin was fair-skinned.
Bhai Atma Singh did not think of anything and accepted as Bhai Sahib had done but when he came home, his wife said in typically accent of Ambala, "Kaali ka Rishta aap le liya, Gori ka kisee aur ko de diya" (you took rishta of dark-skinned yourself and gave the rishta of fair-skinned to someone else). For a split second, Bhai Atma Singh too started thinking but soon he dismissed these manmukhi thoughts. The wife of Bhai Atma Singh was implying that they were getting a bad deal because the Bibi was dark skinned. Most people only look at the outer appearance and judge a person from that but Gurmukhs are different and they look at the Gurmukhi qualities and give preference to them.
Soon he was sitting along with some Singhs that Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh jee came and without naming anyone loudly said, "Oye Chamara, Tu Cham Parakhda hain?" (O Chamaar! You are examining leather?).
No one knew whom the comment was addressed to but Bhai Atma Singh immediately figured out what Bhai Sahib meant. Bhai Sahib then said, "Cham taa Chamaar hee Parakhde ne" (One who examines leather is a Chamaar).
Bhai Sahib had come to know about the thoughts of Bhai Atma Singh through his Akali Shaktis and warned him not to look at the skin colour but look at the qualities. Bhai Sahib later on said that what he had found for Bhai Atma Singh's son was a pure jewel because of Gurmat qualities.
Such was our dear Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh jee and his companions.
Some more Saakhis to be posted under this thread later on.
Kulbir Singh
As narrated by Giani Harbhajan Singh jee Shatrana