Baba Jaimal Singh & His Journey (Part 6)

[MichaelT...@yahoo.com]

BABA JAIMAL SINGH & HIS JOURNEY (Part 6)

For a decade following Shiv Dayal Singh’s passing, Baba Jaimal
Singh remained in the military, visiting Agra whenever possible.
Finally, on August 15, 1889, after more than 30 years of service, he
retired (with several medals). Within months of his retirement, he
returned to Punni Gali to see Soami Ji’s family and chelas. As noted,
he was very close to Radha Ji and Seth Pratap Singh (a.k.a. Chacha Ji
Sahib), Soami Ji’s youngest brother. Their welcome for him was very
warm when he arrived, and Radha Ji gave him Soami Ji’s red turban and
prayer carpet (“aasan”). Chacha Ji offered Soami Ji’s Gaddi to sit
upon, but Jaimal declined saying, “I am only a dog of this house,
blessed to be admitted to this house.”

The next day he visited Rai Saligram (to whom Soami Ji had
entrusted the spiritual work in Agra). Saligram’s attitude was very
respectful, and he offered Jaimal first a Gaddi to sit upon, then a
silken robe embroidered in gold. Jaimal again declined, to which
Saligram responded, “How can you say such things, when Soami Ji has
made you a king of Spirituality and entrusted you with his mission in
the Punjab?”

Baba Jaimal Singh’s relationship with the Agra sangat apparently
remained friendly for several years thereafter, including a visit by
Jaimal in 1894. However, when Saligram died, his official successor,
Brahm Shankar Mishra, set up the “Central Administrative Council”,
which was designed to preside over the various sangats and govern the
activities of their respective initiating leaders. Due to what might
be called organizational political dynamics, in August 1902, Jaimal
decided to sever official connections with this group (though he did
stay in contact with Soami Ji’s family, particularly Pratap Singh and
Sudarshan Singh, throughout their lives), and serve as an independent
Satguru in the Punjab.

Going back a decade, when Babaji returned to Ghuman after his
retirement he was drawn to the Beas River as a place to meditate. To
his surprise, the first time he arrived, he found a small hut already
built for him, as foretold by the sadhu he had met many years
earlier. Even though the area was most forbidding at the time, full
of poisonous snakes and scorpions (and, on the surface, not the most
optimal site for a meditation center), he immediately resonated with
the area and made it His home.

Over the next few years Jaimal would make short journeys around
the Punjab, visiting various villages, awakening people to timeless
truth of Naam, explaining the Path to a predominantly Sikh population
(as was explained to him by Shiv Dayal Singh). He taught – and showed
– them the true meaning of Shabda, the nature of Sat Purush, the inner
regions, and the need to be initiated by a living Satguru into the
path of the Five Holy Names in order to achieve self-realization, God-
realization and Jivan Mukti (spiritual freedom in this lifetime). As
Soami Ji foretold, the Punjab sangat began to grow under Babaji’s
tender loving care, slowly at first; but the seeds of Naam He planted
took root, blossomed and spread under the gentle guidance of this
“soldier saint”.

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