The Devotion of Baba Fareed Ji – A Story of True Sewa
At the age of 89, Baba Fareed Ji, still yearning to complete his spiritual journey, set out in search of a True Master. One day, he happened to hear a group of disciples singing the praises of their Guru—Guru Kaki Bhakte-Yar Ji. As he listened, a powerful energy—an omnipresent force—washed over him. Deeply moved, Baba Fareed Ji asked about their Guru and expressed a heartfelt desire to meet him.
Though he had visited many spiritual leaders in his life, it was only upon meeting Guru Kaki Bhakte-Yar Ji that Baba Fareed Ji felt an inner connection—a spiritual spark that no other had awakened in him.
During his first visit to Guru Kaki Bhakte-Yar Ji’s assembly, Baba Fareed Ji attempted to demonstrate the spiritual powers he had acquired over the years. His intent was to show his worthiness and devotion to be accepted at the Guru’s feet. He performed two miraculous feats:
However, these displays of power were not appreciated by Guru Kaki Bhakte-Yar Ji. Instead, the Guru posed a piercing question that shook Baba Fareed Ji’s soul:
“Have you come here to bow to the Guru, or to become one yourself?”
This one sentence cut through Baba Fareed Ji’s ego like a sword. For the first time in his life, a Master had shown him his real mistake—not through rejection, but through truth. Deeply humbled, Baba Fareed Ji was spiritually transformed by this realization and resolved to serve only this Guru for the rest of his life.
Eventually, Guru Kaki Bhakte-Yar Ji allowed him to stay, but with one strict condition: Baba Fareed Ji would not be seen by or speak to the Guru. He was allowed only to perform sewa (selfless service). Accepting this condition with complete humility, Baba Fareed Ji began his long journey of devotion.
At the age of 89, he dedicated 14 continuous years to serving his Guru silently.
One day, while performing his usual sewa of arranging hot bath water for the Guru, Baba Fareed Ji faced a problem—he couldn’t find any fire to heat the water. In those times, fire was a scarce resource due to poverty and the high cost of oil. Desperate, he wandered from house to house in search of a flame. Finally, he noticed a lamp glowing in one house and knocked at the door.
A woman, known in the village for living a life of worldly indulgence, answered. When Baba Fareed Ji humbly asked for a flame for his Guru’s service, the woman mocked him.
“You’ve come to me for fire at the age of 107? What can you possibly give me in return?” she jeered.
“Will you give me your eye?” she added sarcastically.
Without hesitation, Baba Fareed Ji replied, “Yes, I will.”
Thinking he was joking, the woman handed him a knife in amusement. To her shock, Baba Fareed Ji took the knife and pierced one of his eyes, offering it for the sake of his Guru’s service.
Overwhelmed and shaken by this act of pure devotion, the woman fainted. When she recovered, her heart was filled with remorse. With tears in her eyes, she begged Baba Fareed Ji for forgiveness and asked for freedom from the sins of her past.
Baba Fareed Ji blessed her, assuring her that she had been accepted in the divine court, and her sins had been washed away. Tying a cloth over his bleeding eye, Baba Fareed Ji returned to his duty and continued preparing the hot water for his Guru—never once speaking of what had happened.
Fourteen years passed, and then, for the first time, Guru Kaki Bhakte-Yar Ji looked at Baba Fareed Ji and spoke:
“Why have you tied up your eye? What happened?”
Baba Fareed Ji simply replied, “My eye has come.”
But the Guru, knowing everything without being told, smiled and said:
“Oh really? Then open the cloth and see—your eye has indeed returned.”
Baba Fareed Ji removed the cloth, and miraculously, his eye was restored, by the mercy of his Master.
This sacred sakhi (spiritual anecdote) serves as a timeless inspiration—a testimony to the immeasurable dedication of a true sewak (devotee). Such commitment cannot be counted, described, or explained—it can only be lived, felt, and walked by those who truly surrender to their Master.