Remembering a great Saint - Dr. Attar Singh ji

Dr. Attar Singh ji 

(April. 13, 1924 - April 25, 1996)

During my college days at Faridkot Punjab, Dr. Attar Singh ji of Ludhiana (who later moved to Patna and then Mukherji Nagar Delhi) used to visit Faridkot and surrounding areas for Prachar quite often.

Giani Joginder Singh ji, who later lived in London, UK - had received the Gyan through Dr. Attar Singh ji, and he had a great deal of respect for him. Giani ji believed that the Saint who bestows the Gyan to you should be highly respected - and treated like the Guru - or the next to the Guru.

I was quite impressed by Dr. Sahib’s personality, knowledge of the Scriptures, and orating skills - the way he explained everything in well-structured fine details. 

I always looked forward to his trips, and whenever possible, I accompanied him to nearby towns and villages.

He became one of my mentors while growing up, who helped me understand the core philosophy of the mission and spirituality in general. He inspired me and others to think deeply and analyze everything and every situation deeply - to understand, not superficially, but thoroughly. He said the rules of spiritual life are flexible, not rigid. Therefore we should act sincerely and appropriately according to the situation.

 

During one of his Prachar tours - I, along with two other youth members - Kulwant Singh ji and Madan Lal ji -accompanied Dr. Attar Singh ji and Gyani ji to two villages. 

After the Satsangs, he visited a few houses of the devotees in both places. As it was a tradition, the hosts offered him some personal gifts, some fabric for his clothing. 

Since three of us were accompanying them as Sewadaars - we took those pieces of fabric in a separate bag and carried it along with his suitcase.

When we reached back to Faridkot Bhavan, we placed Dr. Sahib’s suitcase in his room and opened the other bag. Seeing those fabric pieces, we looked at each other and wondered…...

Dr. Attar Singh ji was very particular about his clothing - his dress. Though he always wore white Kurta- Payzama, the material - the fabric was always fine and of superior quality. 

However, most of the fabric pieces presented to him that day in the villages were not up to his standard. So the three of us thought - that if he was not going to use them anyway - there was no point in adding more weight to his luggage. 

We found two pieces to be a little bit better. We thought perhaps he would be able to use them as night suits or something. So we left the other fabric pieces in the hall closet - to be used as floor sheets or to be given to some poor devotee and brought the other two to his room.

He looked at them and said, I think there were a few more.

 "Those are not any good - not of your standard". Kulwant ji replied. 

"So, we placed them in the storage room to be given to the needy people”.

He said, "No. That is not right. Please bring those also to me".

Madan ji rushed to the storage room and quickly brought those fabrics back - respectfully placed them before him and apologized.

Dr. Sahib took one piece of fabric in his hand, looked at it smilingly, spread it on his bed, and sat down on it. 

Then he took the other one, opened it, and placed it on his legs.

And then, in his usual smiling and charming style, he addressed us in a soft and sweet tone, which turned out to be a great lesson for all those who were present in the room.

He said, "Never underestimate someone's feelings, their emotions of Shradhaa- Bhavana and never play with their sentiments. 

You don’t know what was in their mind when they did that Seva. 

They may be too poor to buy expensive materials, but their Bhavana is no less than anyone else. They brought it for me, gave it to me – to be used by me, for my body. And I must accept it with the same Bhavana - with the same love. I must use it in some way or the other.

Indeed, I will not want to wear it as a dress, but I can certainly sleep on it using it as a bedsheet for a couple of nights when I am here and use the other one to cover myself while I sleep. This way, their Shradhaa will be fulfilled in some way. Then later, we may use these for some other purpose or give them to someone who can use them".

How great was his thinking of respecting everyone's feelings - their Shradha–Bhaavna.

                                            ' Rajan Sachdeva '