Turbulent times came and passed away speedily. Sixteen years of imprisonment for me were like sixteen nights. That was how I felt the passage of time in jails. However the loved ones, suffering pangs of separation, felt every year like passing of an eternal age. On my release in 1930 the love-lorn folks came to meet me in flood-like streams. My close relatives knew no bounds of joy. The welcome at Narangwal village was so intensely emotional that the surcharged tunes of Gurbani singing reverberated the sky. My beloved wife, Srimati Kartar Kaur sang feelingly,
ਘਰਿ ਆਪਨੜੈ ਖੜੀ ਤਕਾ ਮੈ ਮਨਿ ਚਾਉ ਘਨੇਰਾ ਰਾਮ ॥
ਰਾਗੁ ਸੂਹੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ਘਰੁ ੩ ।੭੬੪॥
I await yearningly at my door, for great is my joy of anticipation.
Suhi M:1, Ghar 3 [764]
She was beside herself with happiness. However even this was surpassed in mirthful singing by the Jatha from Jangpur, depicting meeting after long separation of spiritual love in 'Gurbani'. Vir Bhai Sohan Singh Jee picked up the most apt 'Shabad' that pierced the hearts, particularly applied to my life:
ਤੁਮ ਘਰਿ ਆਵਹੁ ਮੇਰੇ ਮੀਤ ॥
ਤੁਮਰੇ ਦੋਖੀ ਹਰਿ ਆਪਿ ਨਿਵਾਰੇ ਅਪਦਾ ਭਈ ਬਿਤੀਤ ॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਧਨਾਸਰੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ।੬੭੮॥
Come home thou O' friend of mine!
God Himself has eliminated thy foes and over is the period of tribulation.Pause.
Dhanasari M:5 [678]
What a scene it was! Sri Bhai Sohan Singh Jee's eyes were flooded with tears of joy and his face was resplendent with spiritual glory. It was difficult to behold him. In his state of intoxicated love, he led in repeated singing of each line of 'Shabad' followed by the entire Jatha. The entire assembly was moved to tears. The opening line was:
ਜਿਨਿ ਤੁਮ ਭੇਜੇ ਤਿਨਹਿ ਬੁਲਾਏ ਸੁਖ ਸਹਜ ਸੇਤੀ ਘਰਿ ਆਉ ॥
The Lord, who sent you away has called you back!
Come home in comfort and peace.
This filled all the hearts with unbridled joy. The next line:
ਅਨਦ ਮੰਗਲ ਗੁਨ ਗਾਉ ਸਹਜ ਧੁਨਿ ਨਿਹਚਲ ਰਾਜੁ ਕਮਾਉ ॥ ੧ ॥
Sing happily of eulogy Divine in peace and enjoy eternal rule.1.
This was like blessing me and in fact has come true till date. Truly perpetual has been the joy of Akhand Kirtan Samagams ever since. This ceaseless bliss of holy company has erased the memory of past sufferings. The ecstasy of spiritual bliss of Naam-meditation has been no less than eternal rule with Divine-Grace. Then Sri Bhai Sohan Singh Jee sang the next line of joyous blessing:
ਪ੍ਰਗਟ ਕੀਨੇ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕਰਨੇਹਾਰੇ ਨਾਸਨ ਭਾਜਨ ਥਾਕੇ ॥
Ending thy strife, The Creator Lord has graced you
with Divine-Glory.
As if to mark the onset of the continuous bliss were the words:
ਘਰਿ ਮੰਗਲ ਵਾਜਹਿ ਨਿਤ ਵਾਜੇ ਅਪੁਨੈ ਖਸਮਿ ਨਿਵਾਜੇ ॥ ੨ ॥
With Divine-Grace,
perpetual is the singing of Divine-Eulogy at home.2.
There was repeated singing of these lines by the entire congregation and every one lost consciousness of time. Such was the spiritual sway! God knows how long this continued.
The following couplet was sung by Vir Sohan Singh Jee standing face to face with me:
ਅਸਥਿਰ ਰਹਹੁ ਡੋਲਹੁ ਮਤ ਕਬਹੂ ਗੁਰ ਕੈ ਬਚਨਿ ਅਧਾਰਿ ॥
Stay steadfast, waver not, enjoying the support of Guru's word.
ਜੈ ਜੈ ਕਾਰੁ ਸਗਲ ਭੂ ਮੰਡਲ ਮੁਖ ਊਜਲ ਦਰਬਾਰ ॥ ੩ ॥
While Universal acclaim is here in this world,
honour shall you find in Court -Divine.
It felt like shower of blessings, coming from the entire congregation to enthuse me for the future. The ending lines created a heavenly environment:
ਜਿਨ ਕੇ ਜੀਅ ਤਿਨੈ ਹੀ ਫੇਰੇ ਆਪੇ ਭਇਆ ਸਹਾਈ ॥
The Lord of all beings and Savior True has redeemed you.
ਅਚਰਜੁ ਕੀਆ ਕਰਨੈਹਾਰੈ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਸਚੁ ਵਡਿਆਈ ॥ ੪ ॥ ੪ ॥ ੨੮ ॥
O' Nanak! Wondrous is the act of Lord Supreme
and Eternal is His Greatness.4.4.28.
The Shabad was sung for about an hour and a half with lilting tune of high pitch. This memory shall ever abide in my entire being as most unforgettable. While Sri Bhai Sohan Singh Jee has departed for heavenly abode, I have ever cherished his gift of this memory. He was destined for a short life. All his days were spent in holy congregation after acquiring spiritual bliss. So imbued was he with Divine-Love!
There were many visits from Jangpur Sangat to participate in holy congregations. Every such visit led to ever new exalted experiences that verily led to spiritual bloom and enrichment. According to the Gurbani quote, "Destiny always leads one by the nose to wherever he be destined". Sri Bhai Sohan Singh Jee joined as Granthi in the Army. He never returned thereafter. His devoted wife, Srimati Bibi Gian Kaur, was always by his side, discharging her duty of service with unparalleled love. I had visited Jangpur along with all the members of Jatha at his invitation before he joined the Army. Vir Sohan Singh Jee was greatly loved and respected by the local Sangat. Many were such loving souls of great dedication, difficult to name, every one so out- shining as Gurbani Kirtaniyas. They are still around and helpful to the love-lorn widow of Vir Sohan Singh Jee. Everlasting is the effect of loving memories of this Vir, late Bhai Sohan Singh Jee. In my dealings with him, I found him to be an evolved soul with high standards of Gurmat.
He departed in his early youth and I received the sudden news. The local Sangat organised Patth of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Jee and Akhand Kirtan Samagam. This was attended by the select members of Akhand Kirtani Jatha at Jangpur to pay our respect and pray for the departed soul and sympathize with his widow, Srimati Bibi Gian Kaur.