Param Sant Kirpal Singh Ji Maharaj
Important Dates,
Places and Events
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Glimpses from His life,
casting an
interesting light on its many
variegated aspects, some of which are compiled here for the benefit
of those interested in the Master and His Teachings
1894____February 6. Kirpal Singh was born in Sayyad Kasran, district Rawalpindi (now
in Pakistan), to Sardar Hukam Singh and Gulab Devi, as
the youngest brother of three. His eldest brother was Prem Singh, and His elder
brother Jodh Singh. Later, His sister Sumitra would be born. Kirpal Singh was brought
up in a Sikh household, and was educated at the Edwardes Church Mission High
School in Peshawar. His family’s reputation was excellent. They were known
throughout the area for honesty, high principles and their love for and service
to the people.
October. Baba Jaimal Singh
Ji and Bibi Rukko were walking along the Kohmari
Road of Murree Hills (now in Pakistan), where Baba Sawan Singh
Ji was inspecting the government work in progress there, in his capacity as
Sub-Divisional Officer.
October 15. Baba Jaimal
Singh Ji initiated Baba Sawan Singh Ji. Baba Ji remained at Koh Murree for
two months. Hazur used to sit at the lotus feet of
Baba Ji to avail of the benefit of Satsang and spent time practicing meditation
(Bhajan) in accordance with his directions. (Pita-Poot: The Father & the Son)
1898____Since 1891, Baba Jaimal Singh Ji lived on the edge of the River Beas, where in 1898 the
foundation stone of the Dera Baba Jaimal
Singh was laid and a Satsang hall built (different from big hall built in
1934).
Kirpal Singh began meditating at the age of four.
1899____Kirpal Singh joined an English
missionary school, the Edwardes Church Mission High School near Kohati Gate, Peshawar
(now in Pakistan).
1902____Foundation
of the Satsang Ghar of Dera
Baba Jaimal Singh laid.
1903____December
29. Baba Jaimal
Singh Ji left
the earthly plane.
1906____Kirpal Singh read of Ramanuja and, like
him, became determined to give out the wealth of spirituality if He one day
would receive it.
1908/09--“When I was in Peshawar, studying in the
ninth grade, I used to take my books to study in a garden named Shahi Bagh.”
(Sant Kirpal Singh, The Night is a Jungle, p. 343)
Kirpal Singh one day met Darbari Lal, an
elderly man reputed to be an atheist, in the Shahi Bagh (Great Garden) of
Peshawar, who asked Him, “Where is the Shahi Bagh?” and Kirpal Singh replied
that it was in fact right there where he was standing. Darbari Lal said, “Here
there are only trees and shrubs. How do you say that this is the Shahi Bagh?”
Kirpal Singh quickly followed the import of the old man’s words and asked him
about the Sadhan (method) he was practising. Pointing
to his forehead between the two eyes, the old man said, “I derive great peace,
solace and bliss when I sit here within, between the two eyes. This is the real
Shahi Bagh.”
When He was 14 years old, Kirpal Singh became acquainted with the inner circle of the Dev Samaj
society in Peshawar upon invitation by the son of Shri Dev Guru Baghwan. He met Baba Kahan there, whom He thereafter
visited off and on. Hazur Sawan
Singh Ji Maharaj, too, had been visiting this holy man.
“Our Master used to visit one Baba Kahan at Peshawar. I was then
in my school life, I also used to go to him.” (Sant Kirpal Singh, Morning
Talks, p. 139)
“As a student, I was reading in the ninth class and
the teacher was so satisfied with me that he would leave the class to me for
teaching in his absence – that very class in which I was a student. So hard
work is another name for genius, mind that.” (Sant Kirpal Singh, The Light of
Kirpal, p. 423)
“So I always say, ‘Decide what is your
aim in life!’ When I was reading in the ninth class, one retired missionary
came and gave a talk. One, two, three days, four days. After that, he
questioned everybody, ‘What aim have you decided upon?’ Everybody said in his
own way, ‘I want to become an advocate’; some said a doctor; some said a
businessman, so on. I was sitting in the back row. When I stood up, I said, ‘I
read for the knowledge’s sake.’ He gave a one-hour talk about that. So that
decision sometimes comes naturally, otherwise we have, by discrimination, to
come to that decision sooner or later. Why not start from the experience had by
others and start all at once with it? This will save you time. Make the best
use of the time you are here.” (Sant Kirpal Singh, “Decide your Aim in Life”,
Sat Sandesh May 1975)
“I used to study in a Christian school, and always had an
inquisitive nature. I knew that we said ‘Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji Maharaj,’ for
in India we attach many respectful terms to the names of Masters and certain
respected people, and had noticed that the Christians called their great Saint
merely Jesus. So I went to a Christian bishop and
questioned him: ‘Why do you not put a prefix to Christ’s name, when even the
most insignificant common man is at least referred to as Mr. Somebody?’ The
bishop said, and I can still distinctly remember his reply, ‘We consider Christ
the son of God, and as we cannot glorify God, so we cannot extol Christ. If we
start prefixing his name, we will make him smaller, not greater.’ ” (Sant Kirpal Singh, “To Gain His Pleasure”, Sat Sandesh
Dec 1970)
“When I was in school, there was one
geometrical problem and the professor came in to the class and said, ‘You could
not solve this geometrical problem last year.’ He addressed me and one or two
more, ‘Try tomorrow – tomorrow is Sunday. Try to see if this could be solved.’
The next morning, I went and sat down. First, I solved that problem in a very
long way, then in a short-cut way. On Monday we attended the school. He asked,
‘Well, have you come to any conclusions? Have you solved the problem?’ ‘Yes,’ I
told him, ‘I have solved it in two ways.’ I showed him on the board. Teacher
naturally likes students like that.” (Sant Kirpal Singh, The Light of Kirpal,
p. 161)
1909/10--Kirpal Singh heard about a holy man, Baba Kahan, who preferred a
solitary life of contemplation. He was known to curse and strike out at people
who came to waste his time and disturb his meditations. However, he had a
special regard for Kirpal Singh and would lovingly ask him, “Why have you
come?” – “Just to see you”, Kirpal Singh would reply. After a while, Baba Kahan
would say, “Alright, now go.” Only after meeting His Master, Baba Sawan Singh Ji Maharaj, Kirpal Singh came to know that Hazur also used to visit Baba Kahan during the same time
period, but strangely enough they never met. Kirpal Singh knew that Baba Kahan
held a spiritual power and would tell His friends, that “Kahan has got
something, but he is a hard nut to crack.” (Love, Light and Life)
Kirpal Singh was well acquainted with most of the scriptures:
the Sikh Guru Granth Sahib, the Bible, and many others, but he began to read
everything again, including all the biographies he could find of past masters
and great sages - looking for direct clues to the soul and its nature. Since he
felt that the translations were not reliable, he began to study Persian - to
master this language so well that he could read the original form of the Koran
and also read the lives of the Muslim saints. With the help of a teacher,
Kirpal passed the final exam with good marks even before he graduated from high
school. (Love,
Light and Life)
1911____In 1911, Kirpal Singh graduated from
Edwardes Church Mission High School, Peshawar,
at the top of His class. He had by then read the books from two libraries.
(Sant Kirpal Singh, The Light of Kirpal, p. 216)
Kirpal Singh got married to Krishna Wanti;
however, lived alone for more years thereafter.
Baba
Sawan Singh Ji retired from Government Service and
came to live permanently at Dera Baba Jaimal Singh, located three miles away from the Beas railway station. He purchased
waste lands and fields and with the construction of new houses the Dera grew considerably.
1911/12--“I
may tell you of the condition of my mind in the year 1911 or 1912. In those days I had a great inner urge
for God. … I had an opportunity to sit beside a dying person. That had a tremendous
effect on me. With the purity of life, I had also developed the faculty to read
the future. All these came to me in a natural way. But with all these I could
not solve the enigma of life. The sight of the dying one before my very eyes
quickened the intensity of my heart. I could feel that there was something that
was slipping out of the person, but I could not make out what it was. I had yet
no inkling of the life-impulse. While it was still surging in me, it was ebbing
out in the other. The lady on the deathbed called her friends and relations to
meet them before leaving them for good. And in an instant thereafter she closed
her eyes never to open again. This is how she passed away in my very presence,
and I felt bewildered. I was flabbergasted to see the dead body before me. The
life in her had gone out, but I still felt that it was working in me. I
followed the bier to the cremation ground along with others. While on the way,
my eyes inquiringly looked at the bier but could not make out anything. Even
the learned and the wise do not know how to solve this mystery. Upon reaching
the cremation ground, I saw the dead body of an old man being laid on the
funeral pyre. Alongside that pyre, we set up another pyre for the body of the
young lady that we had carried on our shoulders. The contrast between the two
scenes – the young and the old – deepened the anguish in my heart. Neither one
could escape the clutches of death. Both were lying lifeless before me. I wanted to know what life was.” (Sant Kirpal Singh, “Search for
Truth, Sat Sandesh March 1969)
Once in Lahore, Kirpal Singh witnessed a young lady dying and also saw the
body of an old man on pyre. On the cremation ground He then saw an inscription
on the “smadh” of Munshi Gulab Singh which read: “O
ye that move! We too were like you once, enjoying life to the full. But alas!
Now we are a handful of dust beneath this stone.” These three scenes in quick succession affected Kirpal Singh to the
core. He started night-long vigils ruminating over the enigma of life.
When Kirpal Singh graduated from high
school in 1911, He wished to serve humanity and further His education in
medicine or agriculture. His father, however, wanted him to take up employment
and earn money. So, He went out into the fields looking
for a lonely place to sit quietly and calmly and think about the future.
“I can only say for myself that in 1912
it took me ten or eleven days to decide. At night I used to go out when nobody
was there; I would decide for and against what should be my aim. I had ambition
in life, too, and I had a little background, with God’s grace. So, I decided
once for all, God first and world next. All scriptures say you do that and all
things shall be added unto you. I had a good position in the office, the
highest officer believed in me more than the comptroller. So
my point is, decide what you want! Don’t you want to go home?” (Kirpal Singh,
“Don’t you want to go Home?”, Sat Sandesh Jan 1975)
1912____January 4. At the age of 17, Kirpal Singh joined the Military Engineering
Service at Peshawar.
His mother Gulab Devi passed away, which
Kirpal Singh had already seen 6 months before, when He advised her to give up
all worldly attachments and to focus her attention entirely on God.
“I was first at Peshawar, and then I was
transferred to Nowshera station: a
river (the Kabul River) runs by there. I used to sit by that riverside for
hours. Then I came to Jhelum side.
That is also by the riverside (the Jhelum River), and I sat there for hours on
end. I was very fond of swimming, too … In the meantime, I was transferred to (the Military Accounts Department in) Lahore: that was also by the riverside. I
passed my days there.” (Sant Kirpal Singh, "How I met My Master",
Sat Sandesh July 1975)
“When I was in Lahore, I used to go to the Ravi River at night.”
(Sant Kirpal Singh, “The Temple of God”, Sat Sandesh
March 1970)
Once in 1912, Kirpal Singh had only one
anna (1/16 rupee) left with Him and a week ahead before pay-day. He spent the
entire week with that solitary anna, living on gram and water and never stooped
to borrowing, and this principle he has held all through His life.
1915____“In 1915 –
long after that I went to my Master – I got a fever that lasted for about eight
months. I used to lie there, cover my head and think of the Lord.” (Sant Kirpal
Singh, “Be True to your Own Self”, Sat Sandesh June 1976)
1917____When
Kirpal Singh’s father Hukam Singh became seriously ill, Kirpal Singh took leave
from His office and hurried home to nurse him. During the illness, His father also lost his memory, and his
mental state became not unlike that of a little child. He was required to be
retaught the names of each and every small item such as a spoon, glass and bowl
etc. Kirpal Singh Ji explained the process of Remembrance of the Lord (Simran)
to his father, with the result that his mental condition became normal and his
memory also recovered in due time. When after several months His father could
speak a little, he thanked his son, “Pal, your selfless service has not gone
unnoticed. I am very pleased with you. If there are great bounties in the
blessings of the parents, then you shall get whatever it is that you ask for.”
Kirpal Singh Ji replied, “Respected father, you are aware that worldly goods
such as money, name and fame or progeny is not what I desire. I only wish to
realize God, nothing else do I desire for myself.” After a brief silence, Sardar Hukam Singh announced, “I have not seen God, and others may
or may not see him, but you will get Him without a doubt.” Kirpal Singh Ji
began to have darshan of the Radiant form of His future Master, Huzur Baba Sawan Singh Ji Maharaj in his meditations from that very
night on. (Pita-Poot: The Father & the Son)
“My
true birth was in May 1917, the day that I left my body and travelled the heavens with Hazur.” (Sant Kirpal Singh, “To Celebrate a True Birthday”,
Sat Sandesh Feb 1970)
1919____After an influenza epidemic had swept
all over India by September 1918, Kirpal Singh formed a social service corps in
Lahore, then the capital of the Punjab,
for the care of the victims. They also buried those who died from the disease,
while even their closest relatives fearfully kept away from them. His example
also inspired others to help. But after the last case of influenza in Lahore
was beaten followed yet another blow: plague. Once again, people were dying,
even in larger numbers than before. Thousands left their sick and dying
relatives and ran for their lives. Lion-hearted Kirpal once more entered the
arena – this time alone, for no one would help him. Tying a cloth over His nose
and mouth, He worked incessantly – not stopping to sleep. Slowly, those who had
not fled the city began to notice him working alone and unafraid of his
cheerless task … Working under Kirpal’s instructions
they metamorphosed into brave human beings, picking up the bodies, piling them
into carts and transporting them outside the city for cremation. (Pita-Poot:
The Father & the Son)
“I will tell you of an instance in India
in 1919.
There was a friend of mine in Peshawar. At that time influenza was sweeping the
country. I went to see him. He was then reading a book on Yoga. When I asked
him what he was doing, he said since death was overtaking everybody, he was
reading that book to find the Yoga-way. ‘I may as well learn something about
life after death and am reading a book on Yoga,’ he added. I told him: ‘Is it
not too late now? How can you begin to dig a well when you are dying of
thirst?’ A week after this conversation I went to see him again. It was Sunday
and the gentleman lay on his death-bed. My words had proved true. It had indeed
been too late.” (Sant Kirpal Singh, The Night is a Jungle, p. 72)
1921____“In 1921, I was posted in the accounts branch of an Indian Army
Regiment. An army orderly used to cook my food. I had given him strict
instructions not to allow anyone to enter the kitchen, and also told him to
recite holy verses while preparing the food. It was my practice to sit for
meditation daily in the dead of night. One night I noticed negative thoughts
disturbing my meditation. I woke the orderly up and asked him if there was
any-one with him in the kitchen that night. He said no, but he was telling a
lie. Later he admitted it.” (Sant Kirpal Singh, “He
came to make us Satsangis”, Sat Sandesh April 1968)
Kirpal Singh was posted at Dera
Ismail Khan as an Accounts Officer of the 36th Sikh Regiment. A
fearful looking dacoit who was personal bodyguard to the Indian Commanding
Officer, used to terrorise the people there. However, during Kirpal Singh’s
absence, he used to clean His residence. One day, Kirpal Singh met the
dacoit in his quarters mid-afternoon by surprise. With folded hands, the dacoit
explained that whenever he had a glimpse of Him, he began to tremble and his
past sins came before his eyes. Kirpal Singh told him to repeat the Name of the
Lord and helped him to begin a new life. (Love, Light and Life)
Also, at Dera
Ismail Khan, one day Kirpal Singh refused to accept a graft from a contractor:
“I am paid by the Government for the work I do in this office”. He remained
determined even when his colleagues and family members urged Him to make a lot
of additional money for his family in this way. (Love,
Light and Life)
September 14. Son Darshan Singh was born at Kountrila, district Rawalpindi.
1924____February. In 1924, Kirpal Singh's search finally
reached fulfillment. In January of that year, the
coldest month even in India, Kirpal felt an urge to sit beside a river and just
watch the water flow by to calm His inner restlessness. He discovered that not
far from Lahore (where he was then
posted) the River Beas was flowing by. On His next day off, He arrived at the Beas railway station in the morning. (Love, Light and Life)
“I was extremely fond of rivers. Wherever I happened to be, I would look for a stream nearby and
find a solitary spot for my meditations. When I went to Lahore, I had the river
Ravi. And so it was at Jhelum. For hours together, I
would sit by the riverside absorbed in thought. While at Lahore it struck me to
see Beas river. It was this lure of the flowing water that led me to Beas.”
(Sant Kirpal Singh, The Night is a Jungle, p. 135)
“There was also the river Beas: ‘Let me have a look at that!’ One Sunday
morning I left by train and detrained at Beas station. There was an old man
there; he was a station master of the station. I asked him which side the river
flows. He was a devotee of the Master: ‘Do you want to see the Master?’ – ‘Does
a Master live there?’ – ‘Yes!’ – ‘Where?’ – ‘On the riverside.’ I told him, ‘I
have two things now. I’ll enjoy the river scenery and also see the Master at
the same time.’ Then he directed me there. Master was sitting upstairs; he was
taking his meal inside. I went out and sat outside. After half an hour or so,
he came out. I was wonderstruck: he was the same man who had been appearing to
me for seven years before, from 1917 to 1924. I paid homage to him: ‘Why so
late?’ He said, ‘That was the most opportune time that you are to come.’ So this is how I met the Master. ‘The Guru appears when
the chela is ready’ – even to the most skeptical
mind. Perhaps none of you have been so skeptical as I
was. I was afraid, you see, lest I go to somebody who had not met God; and my
life would be spoiled. When I went to him, then – once or twice, every Sunday I
used to go – he looked after me like a father looks after his son’s coming:
‘All right, arrange this room, bring this bedding,’ this and that thing. I
requested, ‘Well, Master, don’t you worry, I’m here, at your feet.’ – ‘All
right, now, you’ll have to look after this Dera; go
on with it. Those who come, you’ll look after them.’ These were the words he
expressed, the very first time. The next time there was initiation – this was
early February – and all were sitting in initiation, Master said, ‘You sit
inside.’ I was coming. He gave initiation there; I was inside, sitting in his
room. This is how I was initiated! I was waiting for him; perhaps he will call
me – or what? I couldn’t dare move, because he did not call me. I was sitting
inside. Then he returned. I asked him, ‘Will you kindly initiate me?’ – ‘Oh,
yes, surely.’ What the mystery of life is – what is a man, what is a soul – was
solved in little or no time.” (Sant Kirpal Singh, "How I met My
Master", Sat Sandesh July 1975)
“When I met my Master physically and sat at His feet, the month
was February; the day was Basant Panchmi.” (Sant
Kirpal Singh, “To Celebrate a True Birthday”, Sat Sandesh Feb 1970) In 1924, Basant Panchmi, the first day of spring, fell on February 9.
“I was the
first man in my village to be initiated, and it started some trouble. I was
called to the temple there and I tried to explain to them, finally saying, ‘All
right, there is a difference; why not take a few men, say four or five, and we
will go and talk together heart to heart – you may choose the most learned
men.’ A number of people took a vow to kill me as a result; they fixed a
meeting place, choosing the time at ten o’clock at night, with the purpose of
killing me as I walked through the
village to the appointed place. But when the hour came and I walked to the
meeting place, they did meet me on the way but had no courage to attack me.
Some months after this incident, the ringleader of this plot came to Lahore and
I met him one day in the street. I at once invited him to my home, telling him,
‘Come, dear friend, have your food with me today.’ When we reached my house, he
sat down and cried. Naturally, I asked him what was wrong, and he replied, ‘You
knew I was the one who led that plot to kill you, and yet you have welcomed me
to your home.’ He was quite overcome.” (Sant Kirpal
Singh, “Your life should show criteria”, Sat Sandesh May 1974)
1927____Had a vision of the passing away of Hazur Baba Sawan Singh Ji as it
actually occurred twenty-one years later.
Kirpal Singh moved to Rawalpindi.
“In the beginning I used to put in more time. I was transferred to Rawalpindi. The first
day I was there, everybody knew it. ‘A follower of the Master!’ They were
saying this and that thing. That
even came to be known to Bibi Hardevi, who is sitting
here. She never knew me before that. People said, ‘Well, he’s here; he’s a very
great follower of the Master.’ She said, ‘What greatness lies in him?’ ‘He puts
in six hours a day in meditation.’ She said, ‘All right, if he puts that in,
then I’ll put in six to seven hours – then I’ll meet him.’ Suchlike competition
is good.” (Sant Kirpal Singh, “How I met my Master”, Sat Sandesh July 1975)
There were already two or three separate
Satsangs held in different parts of Lahore, but Baba Sawan
Singh was not satisfied with this arrangement. He asked Kirpal Singh who lived
in Rawalpindi at that time to hold a
central Satsang in Lahore to bring everyone together. The first meeting had but
a single man as audience, but Kirpal’s two-hour talk
vibrated with such force and power that during the following weeks the
attendance increased into large numbers. (Love,
Light and Life)
Huzur entrusted the work of satsangs to Maharaj Kirpal Singh Ji at the cities of Lahore, Amritsar, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi, Sialkot, Wazirabad, Nowshehra, Jhelum etc. (Pita-Poot:
The Father & the Son)
1928____Kirpal Singh was transferred to Lahore.
1929____Birth of son Jaswant Singh.
1930s___Once Baba Sawan
Singh went to Sayyad Kasran,
the village of Sant Kirpal Singh. After Satsang, the headmaster of the local school,
Sardar Gopal Singh, stood up and said, “Sardar
Sahib, so far as you initiate the deserving ones into the esoteric mysteries of
the beyond, it is all right. But when you initiate even the undeserving for the
mere asking, it seems rather queer and improper.” Hazur
replied, “Brother, if you talk of the deserving candidates, I can tell you in
confidence that even I was not deserving when Babaji
bestowed on me the riches of Naam.” And then added, “If a wealthy person would
like to share his riches with his poor brethren, why should anybody grudge it.”
(The Beloved Master)
Once, Hazur
went to the village of Sayyad Kasran for a Satsang.
There was a huge gathering. The Akalis likewise held
a big dewan (meeting), in opposition to Hazur’s
mission. After the Satsang, both in the morning and evening, people would
partake the langar – a sort of free community kitchen. On that day, at
about 2 in the afternoon, when after serving sangat,
the langar had finished, some hundreds of Akalis
came and asked for food, just to embarrass the organisers. They were in no mood
to wait and asked to be served food immediately. When S. Kirpal Singh was
informed of the situation, he hastened to the langar, and finding that
there was hardly anything left, ordered that a fresh meal be prepared. The Akalis, however, insisted on immediate service. At this
juncture, Hazur Baba Sawan
Singh Ji came to the langar and asked, “Kirpal Singh, why don’t you
serve food to these people, when there is enough of it for the purpose. Take
the basket of chapatis, cover it with a cloth and begin serving them – and
do likewise with the vegetables.” No sooner said than done. The chapatis and
the vegetables were accordingly served and to the astonishment of those serving
the food and those partaking of it, there was no dearth and the Akalis had their fill. (The Beloved Master)
1934____September
30, 1 p.m. Foundation stone for the big Satsang Hall at Dera Baba Jaimal
Singh was laid by Baba Sawan Singh Ji.
1935____On Ravi Road, land was acquired for the Lahore Satsang Ghar.
(The Ocean of Grace Divine)
1936____The foundation stone was laid for the
Lahore Satsang Ghar on Ravi
Road by Baba Sawan Singh Ji. Kirpal Singh was
entrusted the responsibility of supervising the construction.
1939____Kirpal Singh initiated around 250 persons at Dera Baba Jaimal Singh as ordered by, and in
the presence of, His Master.
“It so happened in my life that once my Master had about 250
people in the monthly Satsang initiated by me. There was a big row started by
those who were hankering after the Mastership: ‘The Mastership is gone!’ In His
lifetime, no Master would permit that. He can authorize anybody to initiate at
a far-off place, but does not do it in His presence in His own Satsang.” (Sant Kirpal Singh, “Be True to your Own Self”, Sat Sandesh
June 1976)
Kirpal Singh began writing Gurmat Sidhant (“Wisdom of the
Masters”, in Punjabi), a treatise on science of spiritual, which was on the
request of Kirpal Singh was published under the Name of His Master. Kirpal
Singh then lived in Ram Gali in Lahore. Sawan Singh ordered Him to
refrain from visiting any home, regardless of any plea whatsoever. This relief
alone enabled Kirpal to maintain His meditation routine and also devote some
time to the work on Gurmat Sidhant.
“So, there was a big row, a great conspiracy against me: ‘He
made off yesterday, like that. Master is authorizing him to give initiation in
His own presence, in the Dera!’ A whole controversy
went on against me like anything – so much so, that there were letters coming
in – in all languages – from different towns saying: ‘He’s such a man; he’s
such a man.’ And Master was keeping – keeping up – all those letters with Him.
At least He knew at heart of hearts what I was. But He sent me a message:
‘Don’t go to any man or attend anything in anybody’s house, except the Satsang.
There you may go for holding a Satsang.’ Hitherto, what did I use to do? When I
left the office, I used to visit the sick, the poor, the needy and others who
wanted help. I gave talks here and there until late at night, until nine or
ten. In the morning, it was also like that. So now, because I only had to go to
the Satsang place on Sunday, I had ample time. Then I wrote the big book, Gurmat Sidhant. I had ample time at my disposal, you see. So that propaganda
was carried out against me for eight or nine months regularly. And the people
around Him would not suffer me to go near the Master. Well, at a distance I
used to have a look. And His eyes helped me, of course.” (Sant Kirpal Singh,
“Be True to your Own Self”, Sat Sandesh June 1976)
Baba Sawan
Singh encourages Him in a letter
to conduct satsang and complete his spiritual
progress in meditation. Further on in the letter, Baba Sawan
Singh stated that he was "greatly pleased" with Kirpal Singh, adding
that "You [Kirpal Singh] are serving the Lord with all your resources –
body, mind and money."
1942____September 11. When Baba Sawan Singh was in Dalhousie,
a letter arrived from Kirpal Singh in which he wrote to Him that further
separation had become unbearable. Baba Sawan Singh
thereupon cancelled his further program and immediately returned to the Dera Baba Jaimal Singh.
1944____Gurmat Sidhant was published
in two volumes, comprising one thousand pages each. At that time, Kirpal Singh
presented the first copy to Baba Sawan and Hazur showed it to the eighty thousand people gathered in
the Dera for Satsang, lifting it high so that all
could see. He told the people that this was the one book that mattered for all
lovers of spirituality – that true seekers would need to read no other book. He
placed the two volumes reverently on His head saying, “This is where it
belongs.” Kirpal Singh had put Sawan’s name as
author, instead of His own, but Sawan asked him to
put something there, if only a nom-de-plume. Kirpal
obeyed Hazur’s request and used the name “Jamal” (persian name, meaning “Light”).
September 5. Passing of His elder brother, S. Jodh
Singh.
1946____July 22. Passing of His eldest brother, S. Prem
Singh.
Kirpal Singh was promoted to Deputy
Assistant Comptroller of Military Accounts.
1947____March. Kirpal Singh retired after 35 years of meritorious service in the military accounting. He was loved
and admired both by His officers and subordinates. At the farewell in Lahore, everyone was in tears.
“I tell you, when I was going to retire, I was in government service as a Military Accounts
Officer. I was going on a pension, and people advised me to have my pension
commuted so that I could continue working for another ten years. Then I told
them that I didn’t want to commute my pension. Why? I knew I had my mission
before me.” (Sant Kirpal Singh, “A Matter of Death and
Life”, Sat Sandesh June 1970)
Shortly after the day of His retirement,
Kirpal Singh went to Dehra Dun (now
in Uttarakhand State) near the foothills of the Himalayan mountain range, to
look for some suitable land to buy, on which to build a house. (Love, Light and
Life)
One
day Baba Sawan Singh held a satsang
in the Dera Baba Jaimal
Singh. Once again, He asked Kirpal Singh to give a discourse. Speaking into
the microphone so that all could hear, Sawan Singh
said, “This is the work you will have to do in the future.” This was another
indication of his destined spiritual successor. (Love, Light and Life)
July. After the new border lines for the
partition of India were announced, Kirpal Singh started moving the satsangis and their families out of Lahore. He Himself left Lahore with His family at the very last
moment possible, heading straight for the Dera at
Beas. (Love, Light and Life)
August. After India’s partition on August 15,
1947, more than 150 Muslims from neighbouring areas, fleeing from the wrath of
the Akalis, sought refuge in the Dera
at Beas. Hazur asked Kirpal Singh to look out for
Muslim caravans trekking their way to Pakistan, and escort these refugees and
entrust them to the care of their co-religionists. On the other hand, He was
seen escorting Sikhs across the border into India; saving lives wherever He
could.
September
3.
Baba Sawan Singh agreed to be taken to a hospital in
Amritsar for medical examination. Before leaving, He constituted three
committees. One was a committee for management of Dera
affairs; the second was for agriculture and land development at the Dera. The third was the Satsang Committee, for which Kirpal
Singh was responsible, as for all spiritual matters. (Love,
Light and Life, Pita-Poot: The Father & the Son)
October 11. Kirpal Singh went to Amritsar in response to
an urgent call from His Master. In a week's time His Master’s condition was again better.
October 12, 7 a.m. Hazur called
Kirpal Singh into his hospital room and said, “Kirpal Singh! I have allotted
all other work but have not entrusted my task of Naam-initiation and spiritual
work to anyone. That I entrust to you today so that this holy and sacred
science may flourish.” (A brief life-sketch of Hazoor Baba Sawan
Singh Ji Maharaj)
November. Baba Sawan Singh approved the plans for Ruhani Satsang (spiritual gathering) submitted by Kirpal Singh –
spirituality stripped of all outer encrustations and presented as a science.
1948____March 28. Last Satsang held by Kirpal Singh in
the Dera
during the lifetime of Hazur.
April 1. Last meeting with His Master. Baba Sawan Singh Ji transferred His Spiritual Wealth to Kirpal
Singh through the eyes.
April
2, 8:30 a.m. Hazur Baba Sawan Singh Ji left the earthly plane.
April 6. Sant Kirpal Singh left Dera
Baba Jaimal Singh in Beas for Delhi, where He stayed
just for three weeks. Seeking seclusion, He proceeded to Neeldhara opposite of Hardwar
across the Ganges River and stayed there at Moni
Baba’s ashram for almost three months. Then
he went to Rishikesh, where he took
a room in Rani-ki-Kothi
("House of the Princess") on the south bank of the Ganges. Kirpal Singh spent four months here in
seclusion and met holy men in the area, among others Sri Shivananda
and Yogiraj Raghuvacharya. (Love, Light and Life)
“When my Master left the body, I had to go to the wilderness. I
had some experience of the jungle and secluded places for five or six months. I
went to the home of Hindu theology (Rishikesh), so to say. Shivananda,
who has since passed away, lived there and many other yogis as well.” (Sant
Kirpal Singh, “How I met my Master”, Sat Sandesh July 1975)
“When I went to Rishikesh in 1948, I met a yogi (Raghvacharya) who used to leave his body by patanjali yoga.
He was about one hundred years old, and welcomed me with all respect and told
me, ‘I have spent all my life in learning this yoga, and only after many, many
years was I able to leave the body. How did You get it?’ I told him I learned
at the Guru’s feet, and explained how a demonstration is given, an inner
experience which is increased daily.” (Sant Kirpal Singh, “Enter at the
Straight Gate”, Sat Sandesh July 1974)
Sant Kirpal
Singh met many Sadhus in Risikesh and once asked them
about the Yoga due to which Savitri (after leaving the body) followed Yam Raj
or the god of death who was taking the soul of her husband Satyawan.
None could explain the mystery.
In Risikesh, Sant Kirpal Singh used to sit in meditation for
hours on a big stone which was midway in the waters of river Ganga (Ganges).
Once it was announced by administration to vacate lower houses as the water in
river Ganga might rise by 5-6 feet. Kirpal Singh, however, remained serenely in
His meditation. But as soon as the rising water finally touched Him, it
suddenly began to recede rapidly.
(Love, Light and Life)
Sant Kirpal
Singh once was searching books in Swami Ram Tirath‘s Library in Risikesh.
The librarian came to help Him find a certain book, when he suddenly bowed
down, put his head on Kirpal Singh’s feet and said: “Your eyes seem to be the
eyes of God”.
Early
September. Kirpal Singh gave His first Initiation
to Shri Gopal Das, at the behest of his Master.
November. On the way back to Delhi Kirpal Singh visited Dehradun. (Love, Light and Life)
Sant Kirpal Singh started His Mission by
giving the first public Satsang at No. 7 Daryaganj in New Delhi. (Love,
Light and Life)
December 2. Sant Kirpal Singh gave His first group
initiation in His own rooms in Radio Colony, No. 1
Kingsway Road, Kingsway Camp, Old Delhi. (Love, Light and Life)
1949/50--Kirpal Singh published “A Brief Life Sketch of Hazur Baba Sawan Singh Ji
Maharaj”, an account of His Master’s life.
The Satsang location was moved from No. 7 Daryaganj, to 35 Rajpur Road, Old Delhi.
(Love, Light and Life)
A house in Malka Ganj, New Delhi, called Anar-ki-Kothi ("House of the Pomegranate Tree") was
rented for Satsangs and initiations. (Love, Light and
Life)
1950____Ruhani Satsang established according to
the guidelines previously approved by Hazur Baba Sawan Singh Ji.
1951____June 11. A sizable plot of land was purchased
near a railway line in Shakti Nagar,
a suburb of Delhi, from a member of parliament named Atma
Singh Namdhari and registered in the name of the Sawan Ashram Trust.
June 22/23. The first Satsang was held in the
afternoon of a hot, humid day with not a speck of cloud in the sky. But when
all gathered for the Master’s talk, a thick cloud spread overhead and Sawan Himself showered His blessings with a fine drizzle,
followed by big raindrops. After the Satsang, is was decided by satsangis to do the work of clearing and levelling the land
not by a contractor but by themselves.
July 26. Construction of Sawan Ashram was
complete. A row of rooms had been built including Kirpal Singh’s residence, a shed (shelter) for meditation and Satsangs, an office and a kitchen, and a
well. The open space in the center would seat thousands of people during Satsangs.
July 27. Satsang on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Hazur Baba Sawan Singh Ji.
Kirpal Singh live from His pension only. He had a tube well sunk
in His house so that even the water for His household was provided from His own
income. (Love, Light and Life)
1954____“Man
kow Thyself” and “Simran” booklets where printed.
First tour to Pilibit, Uttar Pradesh.
Sant Kirpal Singh’s name began echoing
around the world, spread by word of mouth, through His writings and His
responses to the increasing number of incoming letters, through visions and
dreams about the Master.
November
5. Kirpal Singh gave a talk „World Peace in the Atomic Age“ at the “Pacific Conference” held at Sapru
House, New Delhi, organised by the Institute of Pacific Relations. After
receiving initiation, a South Korean official of the Korean Government started
dancing with joy and hugging trees at Sawan Ashram. (Love, Light and Life)
December. The publication of the Sat Sandesh magazine was started in Hindi and Urdu languages.
1955____Tour to Deolali, Bombay
and Bhopal.
May
31, 7.30 pm. Sant Kirpal Singh left Delhi for His First World Tour, departing from Palam Airport, via Bombay
(changing planes), Cairo, Rome and Geneva (brief touchdowns). Stations of His journey in the West were: UK: London, Southwick – USA: New York, Washington DC, Louisville, Baldwin,
Chicago, Beaumont, Hollywood, Santa Barbara, San Jose, Oakland, San Francisco,
Chicago, Washington DC, Philadelphia, St. Petersburg, Washington DC, Boston –
UK: Southwick – Germany: Berlin, Bonn.
November 2. Leaving from Duesseldorf, via Geneva and Cairo, Kirpal Singh returned
to Delhi on November 3, 11 p.m.
“Even before I arrived in America, there were people who knew
nothing about me who were seeing the Master’s form and also Baba Sawan Singh Ji within. When they saw me physically they
told me that they had been seeing me within for months, and some for a year or
more. Brothers, it is all His work, not mine.” (Sant Kirpal Singh, “To gain His
Pleasure”, Sat Sandesh Dec 1970)
“During my first world tour, on the way back to India, I agreed
to pay an unarranged impromptu visit to Germany. Someone who was accompanying
me remarked, ‘But how will those people recognize You, for they have never seen
You? In other countries at least the program was
prepared. Even if they recognize You by Your clothes, how will You know them?’
I replied, ‘He Who is sending me there will make all the arrangements – why
should I worry? He will Himself arrange all to receive me.’ When the plane
landed in Germany there was a small crowd awaiting me, and each person had a
rose in his hand.” (Sant Kirpal Singh, “To gain His Pleasure”, Sat Sandesh Dec
1970)
“It happened that I went to Berlin in 1955 on my return from the
United States. There, as I did not know the German language, I simply engaged
an interpreter to interpret what I said in English. Well, after a few minutes,
the people in the audience said: ‘Look here, stop! You don’t interpret
correctly. We understand more from His eyes than from what you say.’ So receptivity gives more than words: it gives
life-impulse.” (Sant Kirpal Singh, “Three Questions”, Sat Sandesh July 1976)
1956____November 5. Sant Kirpal Singh gave the inaugural address to the Ninth General Session of
UNESCO, held in Delhi. His speech “World Peace in the Atomic Age” is a road map
for attaining world peace.
1957____Second tour to Pilibit, Uttar Pradesh.
November 17 – 18. The first
World Fellowship of Religions (WFR) Conference was
held at Diwan-i-Aam
(“Hall of Public Audience”) at the Red Fort, Old Delhi, and
at Vigyan Bhavan. Sant Kirpal Singh was unanimously elected President
of the World Fellowship of Religions.
“There
was one grand conference held in India at Delhi in 1957, where over 250
delegates were invited. They came from different religions and from different
countries, and there was a gathering of over 200.000 people.” (Sant Kirpal
Singh, “The Esoteric Side of Religion”, a talk held in Grand Rapids, Michigan,
October 29, 1963)
1958____April 20. First tour to Pakistan. At
the insistent requests of the disciples in Pakistan, the Master went to Lahore
and spent 5 days there, delivering discourses on spirituality.
When Master and His party (Tai Ji, Gyani
Bhagwan Singh, W.S. Mongia
and his wife) passed the last of three checkpoints to Lahore at the border, a
group of Baba Sawan Singh’s satsangis
was waiting there for the Master’s darshan. In Lahore, satsangis
had planned for His stay and Satsangs to be held at a
place where all satsangis initiated by Baba Sawan Singh Ji before the partition of the country would
gather. Master stayed at Bungalow No. 31 in Shalimar Garden-Town, the residence
of Mr. Mahmud Shaukat, Master’s chief representative in Pakistan. During a tour
of the city, they passed by Kirpal Singh’s old residence and His old place of
work, the Narsingh Das Building. (Love, Light and
Life)
1959____February. A regional conference of the World Fellowship of Religions held in Kanpur, U.P.
Tour to Kashmir. On the way, in Pathankot,
Satsang was held and initiation given. Kirpal Singh arranged to feed 150
surprise guests from food prepared for just a few satsangis.
Second tour to Pakistan. The
Master and His party (Khuku Narendra, Tai Ji, W.S. Mongia and wife) got into the train at Amritsar Railway
Station at about 12:00 noon. At the railway station, Lahore, the Master was
accorded V.I.P. treatment and nobody in the Master’s party was checked or
searched. Again, Master stayed at Mr. Shaukat’s house where hundreds of satsangis from various parts of Pakistan had collected for
Master’s Darshan.
His Books “The Jap Ji!”, “Spirituality”
and “Prayer” were published.
1960____February 2. The second World Fellowship of Religions (WFR) Conference was held in Calcutta,
with 260 delegates and 60,000 visitors attending. Sant Kirpal Singh was
unanimously re-elected President of the World Fellowship of Religions.
July 26-28. Bhandara for Hazur Baba Sawan Singh’s Birth
Anniversary.
His Books “Naam or Word” and “A Great
Saint – Baba Jaimal Singh: His Life and Teachings”
were published.
1961____Publication of His book “The Crown of
Life: A Study in Yoga”.
1962____Third tour to
Pakistan.
September 2. Sant Kirpal Singh became the first non-Christian
to be honoured with the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Knights of Malta.
October 6. Sant Kirpal Singh was declared National Saint of
India by Ram Lila Committee at Ramlila Grounds, Delhi, in presence of Pandit
Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of independent India.
1963____April. Forth tour to Pakistan.
Master and His party (Tai Ji, W.S. Mongia
and his wife) travelled by train from Amritsar to Lahore, and again stayed at
the house of Mr. Shaukat. Throughout all His tours in Pakistan, the Master
would make half a dozen people sit in each room of the house and initiate them.
The old satsangis brought their sons and grandsons
with them for initiation.
June 8, 10.45 p.m. Sant Kirpal Singh left Delhi for His Second World Tour, departing from Palam
Airport. Stations of His
journey in the West were: Germany: Frankfurt, Duesseldorf, Hamburg, Mecklenburg
Castle, Berlin, Hannover/Goslar, Bonn, Nuernberg,
Munich – Austria: Innsbruck – Greece: Athens – Italy: Rome, meeting with Pope Paul
VI at the Vatican – France: Paris – England: London, Southwick – Eire: Dublin,
Drogheda, Navan – USA: New York City, Washington DC, Philadelphia, New York
City, Franklin NH, Worcester VT, Hampton and Jackson NH, Waterbury and
Greenwich CT, Rochester NY – Canada: Hamilton and Toronto ON – USA: Detroit MI,
Grand Rapids MI, Chicago IL, Western Springs IL, Galesburg IL, Davenport IA,
Louisville KY, Minneapolis MN, Seattle WA – Canada:
Vancouver BC – USA: San Francisco/San Jose CA, Morgan Hill, Carmel, Fresno,
Sonora, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, La Crescenta, Los Angeles, Tustin, Harmony
Grove/Escondido, Tustin, Beaumont CA, Dallas and Houston TX, Tampa FL, St.
Petersburg, Sarasota, Miami FL – Panama: Panama City – USA: Miami FL, Baltimore
MD, Washington DC, New York City. (Love, Light and Life)
1964____January 29. Kirpal Singh left New York via Frankfurt and Munich and returned
to Delhi at 5 a.m. on January 31,
1964. (Love, Light and Life)
“I had the chance of meeting many political leaders in the West,
during my tour, and I reminded them that they had been given children of Got to
take care of, and they should do so in the best possible way.” (Sant Kirpal
Singh, “The Light of Kirpal”: Prayer)
“During this tour, I met with people from the Tyrol. Some Italians
in the Tyrolean area had control over the people there. They were revolting,
and they had bombs and other weapons. I met the governor, and we had a one-hour
talk. He said, ‘I do not know what to do. I don’t follow what is to be done.’ I
told him, ‘Delay. Light will shine.’ And what happened? We are now in
correspondence. War did not break out.” (Sant Kirpal Singh, “The Ocean of
Intoxication”, Sat Sandesh April 1975)
“During my last tour of the United States I gave a talk on
December 25, 1963, on the subject “Christ lived before Jesus,” in which I told
them that Christ Power and Guru Power are the same. Similarly, the Shabd, the Word, the God-into-expression Power and God
Himself are all the same, and that Power working at the Human Pole we call a Guru.
That very talk has been printed under the title, God Power, Christ Power,
Master Power.” (Sant Kirpal
Singh, “Are you even half a Disciple?” Sat Sandesh Sept 1972)
1965____February. The third
World Fellowship of Religions (WFR) Conference
was held at Ramlila Grounds, Delhi.
Sant Kirpal Singh was unanimously re-elected President of the World Fellowship
of Religions.
Publication of the book “The Wheel of
Life”.
October. Tour to Nagpur,
Maharashtra.
1966____Summer. Tour to Nainital
and Bhimtal,
Uttar Pradesh.
October 2. On the occasion of Mahatma Ghandi’s
birthday, Kirpal Singh gave a talk during a commemorative gathering at the
Gandhi Grounds, New Delhi.
1967____January 22. As suggested by Sant Kirpal
Singh, the All India Voter’s Conference was held at Patel House, New Delhi,
with Kirpal Singh serving as the Chairman of the Reception Committee. (Love, Light and
Life)
Publication of the books “Godman” and
“Spiritual Elixir”.
1968____January. The monthly magazine Sat Sandesh started its publication in English and Punjabi.
April 5-15. Ardh Kumbh Mela was held at Hardwar.
Kirpal Singh had a Ruhani Satsang Camp set up and He gave Satsang for the
benefit of the millions of pilgrims who attended the spiritual fair, among them
many religious leaders and yogis. The free camp kitchen served Master’s satsangis and visitors from other camps alike. (Love,
Light and Life)
Kirpal Singh’s book “The Mystery of Death” was published.
Summer. Tour to Srinagar, Kashmir, via Ambala, Jullundur, Pathankot, Jammu and Udhampur. Kirpal Singh gave talks in the private
home of the group leader of the area, and public talks in the Srinagar city
auditorium. The Master also visited Pahalgam, a small mountain village some 47 miles from
Srinagar. (Love,
Light and Life)
1969____February 6. The Diamond
Jubilee Celebrations for Sant Kirpal Singh, held in connection with the
National Integration Day was attended by many prominent social and religious
leaders, as well as by numerous of His devotees. Besides the Master, various
religious dignitaries delivered their talks as well. Even Yogiraj
Raghuvacharya, at the age of 113 years, had come from
Rishikesh and gave a short talk.
February 7, 5 p.m. The Abhinandan Patra
was presented to Sant Kirpal Singh, at the auditorium at Vigyan Bhavan, New
Delhi, by Kaka Sahib Kalelkar, an associate of
Mahatma Gandhi. The Abhinandan Patra was a scroll on
which the Master’s achievements were acclaimed. (Love, Light and Life)
September. Tour of the Punjab.
Sant Kirpal Singh visited Ludhiana
for two days, the border town of Firozpur and finally Amritsar, with
stops in several villages in those areas. He was accompanied by eleven satsangis visiting from overseas. All went in three cars:
The Master’s Ambassador sedan, the Master’s old Studebaker station wagon and a
second Ambassador loaned from a satsangis for the
tour. In Firozpur, Kirpal Singh gave a talk in a Hindu temple, He visited a
school for the blind and a leper colony. (Love, Light and Life)
November 2. Sant Kirpal
Singh held a special Satsang on the occasion of the 500th birthday of Guru
Nanak (*1469).
Visit
to the University of Kurukshetra,
Haryana, where Kirpal Singh gave three talks.
1970____February 6, 5 a.m. Morning darshan, Satsang and meditation on Sant Kirpal Singh’s birthday
at Sawan Ashram, Delhi.
February 6, 9 a.m. Satsang dedicated to the inauguration of Manav Kendra,
Dehra Dun, in the Himalayan foothills. The Mayor of Delhi, Hansraj Gupta,
presided over the event.
February 6-8. The fourth World Fellowship of Religions (WFR) Conference under
Sant Kirpal Singh’s presidentship began in the afternoon of February 6 at the
Ramlila Grounds, Delhi. Kirpal Singh was re-elected 4th time the
President of World Fellowship of Religions.
March 24. A suitable site had already been found
for the construction of the Manav Kendra on the east side of the main road
coming from Delhi just before reaching Dehra Dun, and it was now duly
registered.
Construction
of Manav Kendra began by numerous sevadars (volunteer
helpers) levelling the ground, shifting earth by carrying baskets on their
head. They were fed at each meal by an outdoor kitchen. An already existing hut
served as temporary daytime residence for Kirpal Singh who Himself directed the
work, so that twelve months’ work was accomplished in one. (Love, Light and Life)
April 3. Sant Kirpal Singh’s wife Mata Krishna Wanti passed away.
April. Second tour to Srinagar and Pahalgam, Kashmir,
taking the same route as in 1968, complemented by a visit to the remote village
of Gulmarg. (Love,
Light and Life)
Construction
of Manav Kendra in Dehra Dun
continued, immediate tasks being: site levelling, laying roads, building
temporary sheds, planting trees, and construction of a large water tower. From
His house in Rajpur Road, Kirpal Singh would usually
arrive at the site at 9 a.m. and not leave before 8 p.m.
Publication of the book „Morning Talks“.
1971____February 6-7. Sant Kirpal Singh’s birthday celebration at Sawan Ashram. Early morning darshan was followed by
meditation and Satsang, and on February 7, sic hundred souls received the Holy
Naam initiation. Thereafter, the Master left for Dehra Dun to spend some time at Manav Kendra, where work was
on-going. A lot of earth was to be moved for the construction of the Mansarovar.
Sant Kirpal Singh attended the funeral rites for Maharishi Raghuvacharya in Rishikesh
who had passed away at the age of 115 years. Together with well-known yogis and
rishis, Kirpal Singh led the funeral procession from the Darshana Mahavidyala Ashram down to the Ganges River. (“The Passing of a Yogi” Sat Sandesh May 1971)
April 2. The Mansarovar was filled with water
on the anniversary of Baba Sawan Singh’s leaving this
earth plane. The Master called this day “The True Integration of Mankind Day”,
Manav Kendra being a perfect example to promote this cause.
The Master travelled from Delhi to Dehra
Dun as often as possible, speeding up the work by His very presence. Once a
tractor was levelling the high boundary of the Mansarovar.
The driver, after stopping the tractor to take a meal, started eating grams
(flour from chick peas) with gur (palm sugar). A
little boy sitting near the driver, suddenly started the tractor and the
tractor along with the driver and little boy turned turtle and fell around 5-6
feet down. But to the astonishment of all, not even a minor scratch came to
both of them. Even the tractor remained fully in order. (Love, Light and Life)
September. Madame Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, sister of
Jawaharlal Nehru, visited Manav Kendra.
1972____February 6. Sant Kirpal Singh's 79th birthday
(according to Indian counting birth is considered the 1st birthday) was
celebrated at Manav Kendra, Dehra Dun. After early morning meditation,
Satsang was held and another Satsang followed in the evening. The official
opening of the homeopathic dispensary and
hospital was performed by Maharaj Jagjit Singh,
head of the Namdhari sect of the Sikhs. (Love,
Light and Life)
March 14. His Excellency, the then President of India Mr. V.V. Giri visited Manav Kendra and was heartily welcomed by Sant
Kirpal Singh.
June. The Manav Kendra school, Manav
Vidya Mandir, was inaugurated by Shri Udit Narain,
Revenue Minister for Uttar Pradesh.
August 15-18. Tour to Baroda, Gujarat.
August 26, 2 a.m. Sant Kirpal Singh left Delhi for His Third World Tour, departing from Palam
Airport. Stations of His
journey in the West were: Germany: Frankfurt, Cologne, Berlin, Nuernberg, Stuttgart – Switzerland: Zurich – Italy: Milan –
France: Paris – U.K.: London, Liverpool, Birmingham, Bedford, Eastbourne – USA:
Washington DC, Charlotte NC, Philadelphia PA, New York NY, New Haven CT, Boston
MA, Sanbornton NH, Calais and Burlington VT – Canada: Montreal, Toronto – USA:
Chicago IL, Cincinnati OH, Denver CO – Canada: Vancouver – USA: San Francisco,
Berkeley, San Jose, Anaheim, Los Angeles CA, Dallas TX – Mexico: Mexico City –
Panama: Panama City – Ecuador: Quito – Colombia: Bogota, Cali – Venezuela:
Caracas. (Love, Light and Life)
“So this is what I have to tell you, in
a few words: what is before us and how fortunate we are to have been put on the
Way. Now we are to work for that, you see. That costs you nothing. Our Master
used to say, ‘What does it cost you? One or two hours of sleep!’ Instead of
sleeping eight hours, sleep six hours. You don’t have to pay for anything; it
is a gift of nature. Like all other gifts of nature, it is free. … the last two
times I was here – in India too – I gave all my talks free; no tickets, no
donation boxes. Why? Because it is a gift of God. The books I have written, you
know? – No Rights Reserved. I know it is a gift from God.” (Sant Kirpal Singh, “The Gift
of the Living Master”, Sat Sandesh Jan 1973)
December 28. Sant Kirpal Singh left South America via Rome, Italy, where He gave
two public talks followed by an initiation for a large group. (Love, Light and Life)
1973____January
2. Sant Kirpal Singh returned to Delhi.
February 6. Sant Kirpal
Singh’s eightieth birthday (according to Indian counting) was celebrated at Sawan Ashram. The day began with an early morning
Darshan followed by a brief talk and meditation. In two sessions in the morning
and in the evening, numerous speakers gave their addresses including the Mayor of Delhi and the
Head Lama of Ladakh. (Love,
Light and Life)
February 7, 4 p.m. Sant Kirpal Singh was once again
presented an Abhinandan Patra by Raja Mahendra
Pratap at the conference centre Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, honouring Him on
behalf of various religious, social and political leaders of India.
April 2. National Integration Day celebrated at Manav Kendra,
Dehra Dun. The construction work of the hospital, the home for the aged, the
school and the farm was complete.
“From an early age, I had this single-minded purpose. I was very
fond of reading; and after the study of many books, I came to
the conclusion that man-making is the highest ideal. Man-service comes
next, and land-service third. In the Manav Kendra, all three ideals have been
incorporated. Even as a young man, I loved to serve people, particularly those
sick in hospitals, who I would attend morning and evening before
and after my daily work; and I would help those who could not afford to buy
medicines. Here in Manav Kendra, we have started a hospital for the poor who
will get free treatment. For the homeless, aged people who are indigent, the
Fathers’ Home has been started. In land-service there are agriculture and dairy
farm sections. There is the Mansarover, elliptical in
shape with dimensions of 350 feet by 200 feet, the surrounding of which is an
ideal place reserved for meditation. Nature has helped us by providing a strong
spring of pure water which feeds the Mansarover and
supplies all Manav Kendra. As is very evident nowadays, the present system of
education is defective insofar as it does not cover moral education, which is
the very basis of good citizenship and brotherhood. This will be included in
the Manav Kendra Education Scheme which was inaugurated by the Uttar Pradesh
Finance Minister who was greatly impressed with the proposed scheme.
We have started with a small school, but the facilities will be
enlarged to meet requirements up to university level. There is also a
probability of starting a language school that thoughts may be exchanged by
people of different tongues. The library, which will hold books of all
religions and philosophies, has also been started. If you study the scriptures
of all religions, you will find the one basic teaching of the Masters rooted in
them all. They teach that all mankind is one, and that the way back to God is
also one alone, and that is by direct contact and connection with the Light and
Sound principle, innate in all beings. This connection with the God Power can
be made only while the soul is in the human form, and in no other species.
Remain in your own religion, but do not rest until you have been connected back
to the Lord. He Himself will then take you back to Himself.” (Sant Kirpal
Singh, “Solve the Mystery of Life”, Sat Sandesh Oct 1973)
April 13. The Vice President of India, Shri G.S. Pathak,
visited Manav Kendra, Dehradun. He was presented with a set of the Master’s
books, followed by a tour of Manav Kendra.
April 14. His Excellency, the Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Mr. Ali Akbar Khan, visited Manav Kendra.
June. Kashmir tour.
July 27. A Bhandara
was held at Sawan Ashram to remember the 116th birth
anniversary of Baba Sawan Singh.
12.-14.
August. An All India Freedom
Fighters Convention was held at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
October. Punjab tour. A large
group of overseas initiates were allowed to accompany the Master in a small
bus. Sant Kirpal Singh laid the foundation stone of a free eye clinic near
Amritsar. The tour further included Ludhiana, Pathankot and Jullundur. (Love, Light and Life)
December. Sant Kirpal Singh inaugurated the second Manav Kendra, at Kandari, district Baroda
(Gujrat). The 15-day trip continued to Bombay and surrounding area with many stops en route. Again, He took a bus full of Indian and Western satsangis with Him. (Love, Light and Life)
1974____An open invitation to all initiates was
sent out together with the Master’s 1974 Christmas and New Year message, to
attend the upcoming World Conference on Unity of Man.
February 3 –
6. Sant Kirpal Singh sponsored and presided over the Unity of Man
Conference in Delhi. Numerous delegates arrived from Australia,
Austria, Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, England, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece,
India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Malta, Nigeria, Thailand and the United States.
February 3. A long walking procession led from
Gandhi Grounds to the Ramlila Grounds, with more than 100,000 women, men and
children participating, leading through the busiest city areas. The inaugural
session began at the Ramlila Grounds in the evening, and India’s Vice-president
Dr. G.S. Pathak inaugurated the Conference. The
Master followed with the Presidential Address starting with a quote from Thomas
Carlyle: “A mystic bond of brotherhood makes all men one.” (Love,
Light and Life)
February 4. A Conference
of World Peace was held, inaugurated by India’s Minister of Defence, Shri Jagjivan Ram. Sant Kirpal Singh concluded His speech about
who truly may be called a man with one of His mottoes “Do Good, Be Good, Be
One”. The evening session saw the Conference
on Unity of Religions, and Panel Conferences were held at Viyan Bhavan. (Love, Light and Life)
February 5. First open session held, attended by
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi who joined a large number of dignitaries on the
podium. After welcoming the Prime Minister, the Master spoke about the power of
love working through radiation, and what the qualities are of a person to be
called a man. The Prime Minister in her speech said that a book called
“Essential Unity of all Religions” had a profound impact on her when she was
still very young. (Love, Light and Life)
February 6. Before daylight, Sant Kirpal Singh
distributed Parshad to everyone at
the Ramlilia camp, a temporarily erected tent town,
before He climbed the huge platform. At 5 a.m. large crowds silently enjoyed
the Master’s darshan on that cold morning, then they started singing from their
overflowing hearts. Kirpal Singh spoke about how His own Master once entrusted
the spiritual work to Him. Another
public session followed at noon. During the concluding session, four panel
resolutions where read out.
March 28, evening. At Manav Kendra, Dehra Dun, Kirpal Singh gave a short talk to His disciples, being a synopsis of His
teachings. And about the Unity of Man Conference He added, “I was so pleased to have you all here at this time, at the plea of the Conference which
was held at the level of the human body. I think this was the first conference
of its kind since King Ashoka – centuries ago. Many conferences have been held
at the level of religions, but at the level of man it was a great revolution –
to which those who were here will bear witness – to tell you a great truth.”
(Sant Kirpal Singh, “Your Life Should Show Criteria”, Sat Sandesh May 1974)
March 21 – April 15. The Ruhani Satsang/Manav Kendra camp at
the Kumbh Mela, Hardwar,
was well attended especially during Satsangs. Sant Kirpal
Singh held the National Unity Conference in Hardwar and presided over the
meeting in which leaders of half a million sadhus sat together for the first
time. They resolved that all holy men should go far and wide to spread the
message of national integration. (Love, Light and Life)
April 2. The Bhandara
for Baba Sawan Singh was held at Manav Kendra, Dehra Dun,
during which Kirpal Singh related incidences from His Master’s life.
May 15. Sant Kirpal Singh issued a general
Circular on the Unity of Man, clarifying the purpose of the World Conference
held in February, especially for those of his followers who had not been able
to attend.
July 26 –
28. Rashtriya Sant Samagam
(National Assembly of Saints) organised by Sant Kirpal Singh in Delhi. The
event was inaugurated on July 26 by Shri Kedar Nath Sahni, Mayor of Delhi.
July 27. Evening session in remembrance of the 117th birth anniversary of Baba Sawan Singh.
July 29. Sant Kirpal Singh gave His last
initiation sitting during which 1.087 souls received the gift of Holy Naam.
August 1. Sant Kirpal Singh addressed members of the Indian
Parliament (being the first spiritual leader to be honoured with this
invitation), speaking about the spiritual path, and explaining the purpose of Sawan Ashram, Manav Kendra, His visit to the Kumbh Mela, and of the Unity of Man Conference.
August 15. India’s Independence Day. Sant Kirpal Singh’s last
Satsang Talk in Hindi, Sawan Ashram, Delhi, on the
importance of human independence.
August 17. The last Darshan Talk in English to
disciples from outside India was held on the roof terrace just outside Master’s
bedroom, at Sawan Ashram, Delhi. The following
question and answer session was concluded by the
Master saying “Go Jolly”.
August 20. Sant Kirpal Singh gave His last Darshan
– a brief glance from His bed.
August 21, 6.55 p.m. Sant Kirpal Singh Ji Maharaj withdrew
His attention from His body for the last time.
Sources
·
A
brief life-sketch of Hazoor Baba Sawan Singh Ji Maharaj
by Sant Kirpal Singh (included in: A Great Saint – Baba Jaimal
Singh)
·
Glimpses
of the Great Master
Cami Moss (editor), Hongkong Hilton, Hongkong, 1st edition (1986)
·
How
I met My Master
Talk given by Sant Kirpal Singh on January 24, 1964 in
·
Love,
Light and Life
Events in the life of a great Master Soul. Devinder
Bir Narendra and Eileen Wigg, 1st edition
(2010)
·
Morning
Talks
Ruhani
Satsang – Divine Science of the Soul, 5th edition (1988)
·
Pita-Poot:
The Father
& the Son (Sawan and Kirpal)
Book
in Hindi and in English by Harish Chander Chadha,
Editor Hindi Sat Sandesh, Ruhani Satsang, Sawan
Ashram, Shakti Nager, Delhi-110007, India.
·
Portrait
of Perfection
SK Publications, Kirpal Ashram, 2 Canal Road, Vijay Nagar, Delhi 110009, India.
2nd edition (1994)
·
Sat
Sandesh – The Message of the Masters (1968-1976)
·
The Beloved Master
by Bhadra Sena, Ruhani Satsang, Sawan
Ashram, Shakti Nagar, Delhi-7, India. 1st edition (1963)
·
The
Light of Kirpal
Sant Bani Press, Sant Bani Ashram, Sornbornton, NH, 4th
edition (1996)
·
The
Night is a Jungle
Ruhani Satsang – Divine Science of the Soul, 2nd edition (1984)
·
The
Ocean of Grace Divine
Bhadra Sena (editor), Kirpal Printing Press, 29/1,
Shakti Nagar, Delhi 110007, India. 1st edition (1976)
·
The
Saint and His Master
by M.B. Sahai and R.K. Khanna, Ruhani Satsang, Sawan Ashram, Shakti Nagar, Delhi-7, India. 1st
edition (1968)