Shri Babaji Bhagwan had an ardent devotee in Sardar Sohan Singh at Amritsar. He was a wine merchant and had a shop in the city. His residence was above his shop. He beseeched Shri Babaji Bhagwan to come and stay with him along with his family. On seeing the love of his devotee Shri Babaji Bhagwan had no alternative but to accept his invitation and to go to live with him at his residence above the wine shop.
It was a strange combination – that of worldly intoxication and divine intoxication. Here was a merchant distributing worldly wine, and there a Divine Saki–Shri Babaji Bhagwan–pouring forth his goblet of spiritual wine. The difference between the two wines was that the wine of the world made one forget one’s “I” and “mine” for a short while only, whereas the spiritual wine made one lose one’s “I” and “mine” forever. The first wine gave a temporary self-forgetfulness followed by despair, while the second wine filled one with a bliss that was never-ending and which also brought prosperity in its wake.
Though there were many who desired the wine of the world, there were few who had a thirst for spiritual wine. Sardar Sohan Singh had forgotten that his wine would cease to be desirable when once people had tasted of the spiritual wine of Shri Babaji Bhagwan–which was free in contrast to the high priced bottles of the wine shop.
In a few days the people had forgotten all about the wine of the world and were craving for the spiritual intoxication of Shri Babaji Bhagwan. Multitudes began to throng to Shri Babaji Bhagwan for his darshan and blessings.
The divine radiance of Shri Babaji Bhagwan was at such a peak during those days that no one could stand before him and yet retain his consciousness.
One glance from the Divine Saki would be enough to make people forget the world. The wine of Reality was no less powerful than the wine of the world. Shri Babaji Bhagwan was like a seasoned singer who could not restrain his singing when confronted by discordant notes.
There was the voice of Shri Babaji Bhagwan personified in his verse:
Bayaa ai Shekh dar khumkhaanaye maa
Ke sharaabe khur dar kausar na baashad
Come, O Shekh, into my drinking tavern,
And drink of that wine not found even in Heaven
Very soon Sardar Sohan Singh’s wine-shop became bereft of all customers. Sardar Sohan Singh found himself all alone with no one prepared to drink his wine.
However this did not distress Sohan Singh, because he himself had, during this time, turned to drinking the divine wine that Shri Babaji Bhagwan gave with his mere presence in his house. The intoxication that Sohan Singh derived from this spiritual wine made him forget the profits and losses of the world.