From One Master to Another

A full fortnight before his passing away, the Great Master had executed his last will, nominating Sardar Bahadur Jagat Singh as his spiritual successor. On the morning of 20 March, 1948, I was sitting with Rai Sahib Munshi Ram (retired District & Sessions Judge, Punjab, who after his retirement in 1941 had been acting as the Great Master’s secretary) when Gandhi, the personal attendant of the Great Master, came and said that the Great Master wanted to see Rai Sahib. He immediately left, and, on his return after about fifteen or twenty minutes, told me that the Great Master had nominated Sardar Bahadur Jagat Singh as his spiritual successor, and a will was to be written to that effect.

Sardar Bahadur Jagat Singh was a retired vice-principal of the Punjab Agricultural College at Lyallpur and was already held in the highest esteem by satsangis for his piety, devotion and high spiritual attainment. His humility and meekness is evident from the following incident: Prior to the execution of the will, the Great Master had sent for Sardar Bahadur Jagat Singh and said to him, “I wish you to carry on my mission which my great preceptor, Baba Ji Maharaj (Baba Jaimal Singh) had entrusted to me. You are being nominated as my successor.”

Tears rolled down Sardar Bahadur Ji’s cheeks. Acknowledging the exalted status of the Satguru, he addressed his beloved Master as emperor of emperors, the highest of the high, and with folded hands said: “The emperor’s throne befits none but the emperor of emperors. May you live forever! I am but a slave.”

The Great Master did not speak, but cast a loving gaze on him, and Sardar Bahadur Ji quietly left the place, with tears still flowing from his eyes. He was, however, later called again. In the meantime, the will had actually been executed. The Great Master told him that his orders had to be carried out. Sardar Bahadur Ji then humbly bowed down at the feet of the Master and said, “I submit to your command, my Master!”
_{Call of the Great Master}

That exalted status is yours,
  When I bow my head before you;
Yet this head I bow
  Is but a gift from you to me.
Far more than my destiny allows
  From your gracious hands I receive;
Yet even my destiny
  Is but a gift from you to me.
_{Anonymous Urdu Couplet, as quoted in Legacy of Love}