Imagine a retired soldier, with little basic education and total stranger to the literary world, being assigned the daunting duty of translating Bhai Sahib Bhai Randhir Singh Ji’s book! However such happens to be the Dispension-Divine. As a soldier, I could only agree to do my best rather than shirk a duty. It is hoped, that my readers in their magnanimity, would put up with the poor and faulty presentation and yet manage to get at the real message, to convey the Essence of Gurmat of the original book, ‘Rangle Sajjan’.

It was during one of the July Samagams at Toronto, to commemorate the sacred memory of Bhai Sahib Bhai Randhir Singh Ji, that his old associate Dr. Darshan Singh Ji and Giani Amolak Singh Ji alluded to some life-stories, listed in ‘Rangle Sajjan’. This served like igniting the fuse in the souls of young participants and enthused them to learn more in detail. On popular demand I translated four chapters of the book. It happened to be well received by our student community. Ever since this Samagam the active participation of Bhai Jiwan Singh Ji and Dr. Darshan Singh Ji, have led many aspirants to the Gurmat-Way of life by having been baptised and even become very good Kirtaniyas in regular Gurdwara programs.

During my visit to Ludhiana, I went to pay my respects to Bhai Balbir Singh Ji, son of Bhai Sahib Bhai Randhir Singh Ji. I told him about the interest of the Toronto youth in the translation of Bhai Sahib’s books. In turn he asked me to undertake the translation of the entire book, ‘Rangle Sajjan’, as a ‘real service’. That is how I came to look at it as a privilege to render ‘service’ and labour of love. I have truly enjoyed my work and many of my family and friends shared in it, proof-reading and typing. It is now fervently hoped that feedback will be received from enlightened readers to improve this translation, but that this effort will be of some use in the meanwhile.

Jaspinder Singh
24 Newdale Place,
Brampton, ON, L6S 5Z2,
Canada

April 26, 2000