Taken from Sikh Digest Magazine--
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"I was standing in Ardas with Sree Sahib in my hand to preform sevaa for Degh when someone behind me began doing Simran swaas-swaas. The breathing was really strained as if the person was in Bairaag. I couldn't look back then but when i began serving Degh I was able to indentify the mystery Naam-lover. It was the young boy, Indraj Singh" A dear brother told me thus about this young Singh.
A child if you look at his age. A wise Bairaagee when you realize his spirtuality. Such as the innocent Indraj Singh. Some people had observed him crying in Bairaag during Keertan but non realized how pure and love-lorn was his state. Guru Saahib took him into the Sacchi Dargehh recently and he is no longer amidst us in the physical form but his stories and lessons of practical living continue to inspire us. There wasn't an iota of cleverness in him. Whatever he was told by his parents about Gursikhi, he took it literally and lived accordingly. The examples are amazing and have opened my eyes to the hypocrisy in my own living.
"Guru Saahib says that if you come acorss a Sikh, you must greet the Sikh with a humble Gur-Fateh", his mom told him once. Indraj Singh took the lesson to heart. Ever since, he would get off his bike to say "Vaheguroo jee ka khalsa, Vaheguroo jee kee fateh!" to every passing Gursikh and "Sat Sri Akaal" to Punjabis.
"Beta, Sikhs are instructed to not entertain any lustful thoughts and love and respect those of opposit sex as their own children, siblings, or parents". How the Innocent Indraj Singh implemented this in his life came to light the day some girls from his class came to offer their condonlences at his passing away. "He called all of us 'sister'. We feel like we have lost a true brother". How much better all of our lives could be if everyone could follow in Veer Indraj Singh's footsteps!
"I don't recall any time when we had to repeat ourselves to Indraj Singh. He was very obedient, very quiet and dutiful," tell his father, S. Jaswinder Singh. Someone once told him to wear a mala for Simran. It just became another body part for him. Whatever may be the situation he would find a way to keep the mala on his self.
Narration of his last moments by his Dad (S. Jaswinder Singh) and Mom (S. Ravinderpal Kaur)
Dad: He had a minor heart defect since birth that needed surgical correction. We kept postponing it in the hope that the defect would heal on its own. However, after our trip to India earlier this year, where we had traveled the length and breadth of the country to pay obeisance at each historic Gurdwara, the doctors recommended that surgery be preformed. On my hesitance, Indraj Singh commented, "Daddy, I can handle it. Dont worry about it. Let's go through with it." We relented and the date was set.
Mom: On the day of the surgery, I told him, "Beta, let me hold on to your mala, I'll give it to you later. Just keep your focus on the Shabad". Even while being wheeled into the operating room, he was murmuring the Shabad.
Dad: Some time after the routine surgery, complications developed and things turned for the worse as an infection seized him. Indraj Singh's blood was clotting and the wounds were not healing. The doctors administered a blood thining agent that created new problems. A mysterious virus gripped his bruised and bleeding body. Unable to diagnose the cause of the multiple serious complications, the doctors placed Indraj Singh under a "Cold Blanket" (a procedure where the body tempreture is dropped to around 30 degrees celsius) to stall the spread of virus.
Mom: Throughout the ordeal whenever Indraj Singh was conscious he never complained of any pain or discomfort. I asked him a few times one day to really tell us if he was hurting but his reply as before was in the negative. I then remarked, "Beta, too bauhut Bholla Hai". "Singh Bholey hi haundey ney Mummi" Was his reply.
Dad: Gursikhs around the world were praying daily for him. One singh in Toronto would do Five Sukhmani Sahibs for Indraj Singh. Gursikhs in Vancouver preformed a Sehej Paath for him besides praying daily at Amritvelaa. Many were the Choupayee Sahib Paaths done by even young children. There were numerous others in Europe and India. Out of the blue, one day, we got a call from a Granthi Singh of Sree Darbaar Sahib, Amritsar. "Khakey da ki naam hai. Eis laiee Ardaas Karni Hai". They preformed ardaas for him both at Darbar Sahib and Akaal Takhat Sahib. Some kind soul must have prompted them.
Mom: We were getting desperate. It had been more than a month of seeing our litle one in such a horrific state. Is Guru Saahib not listening to our Ardas? Litle did i know that in His own mysterious way He was paving the way for the emancipation of our son.
Dad: Indraj Singh had been asking me to let him Take Amrit at every Ammrit Sanchaar that would come up since he was five. I stopped him each time as i was apprehensive of violence in schools and someone grabbing his Kirpaan to cause damage. I assured him that we would take him to an Amrit Sanchaar the day he graduated from High School. I guess we was not prepared to wait that long. When the doctors first told us that his chances of survival were minimal, we became anxious to fuffil his wish for Amrit. It was a difficult situation. Indraj Singh was not in a shape to be taken out of the hospital and we had never heard of Punj Piyaarey going to the hospital to an Abhilakhi. I spoke with several Singhs but there didnt seem to be a soultion. I then called my father in India. Although he rarely speaks, that day my father patiently spent a long time with me on the phone. He stressed that we must get the boy Amrit. I was almost out of options when i came across a Singh who does sevaa with the DamDami Taksaal. He informed us that they have written maryadaa that allows for such exemptions. My heart lept with joy. Atleast. our son will go as Gurmukh! Amrit was our administered as per the Singhs' maryada.
Dad: I was particularily tired on the night of September 21st 2005 having spent almost the entire day by Indraj Singh's bedside. Instead of heading home i just collapsed on the courtesy sofa beside his bed and fell half asleep. Around 2:00am my brother-in-law woke me up. The doctors had advised that Indraj Singh was in his last hours and we should call whoever needed to see him. I immediately sent for someone to fetch my wife. We did Simran for a few hours and then did our complete nitnem. Indraj Singh was holding on. Then a though struck me. Sukhmanee Sahib has 24 Ashtpadees. They account for each breath we take in a day making them worthwhile. Let us do Sukhmanee Sahib with Indraj Singh. None of us knew it by heart, though. I called a Singh who worked at a nearby office. He showed up about 3 mins later with a couple of Gutkey Saahib. We all did Sukhmanee Sahib. Indraj Singh was most peaceful after the Paath.
Mom: I was very emotional at the time. We could hear Indraj Singh doing simran but he was beyond the stage of coming back to us. I pulled myself together for the Ardaas. Somehow, the Ardaseeyaa prayed to Guru Saahib to give Indraj Singh a place in Sach Kaand. This is usually not done for lthe living but it all came just naturally. After the Ardaas, when we said Fateh, i distinctly heard Indraj Singh reply back, "Vaheguroo jee ka khalsa, Vaheguroo jee kee fateh". As we all let out jikaare, all monitoring systems shut down. Our son had really left for his True Mother, Mata Sahib Kaur.
Dad: The passing away of our son was so spirtually uplifting that no one cried much then. The following two weeks were like our home was turned into heaven. Keertan day and night and Sehej Paath all day. Finally on the day of the cremation, the scene of hundreds of Gursikhs there to give Sachiyaa Aseesaa to Indraj Singh was one to behold It felt like Gurbaani was imprinted all around us, floating, swinging to melodious tunes .We are so lucky to have had the chance to parent such a Gurmukh soul. May Satguru Ji forgive us for any mistakes that we made in caring for him and may he forever seve Satguru.
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Vahegurooo.
Bull chaak maauf Karnee.
Vahegurujikakhalsa Vahegurujikifateh
