The long-awaited tour of  His Holiness Sant Kirpal Singh Ji Maharaj began on August 26, 1972, at 2 a.m. (after a two-and-a-half hour delay) from Palam Airport, New Delhi. The dear ones started assembling at the airport from 8 p.m. on. Many chartered buses were used to transport Master's children from Sawan Ashram and other localities, and a large number of people reached the airport on their own. By 11 p.m. many thousands had gathered to have a glimpse of their Beloved and hear his parting words. The Master arrived at 11:30 p.m. and went to the dais, where he spoke to his anxious children. He said that he was not going abroad because of his own wish, but in obedience to orders from the Higher Power for a specific purpose—there are many sheep to be looked after. He consoled his dear ones, and told them that during his physical absence from India, they should try to put in more time to holy meditations and advance spiritually within. Most of the dear ones were weeping at the thought of the coming long separation. At 1:30 a.m. the Master said a final goodbye and was escorted to the waiting airplane in a car. After brief stopovers at Kuwait and Rome, the plane landed at Frankfurt, West Germany (the Master's first stop) at 1 a.m., local time. During the flight, a man came up to the Master and told him that he had seen the Master's picture when he was a little boy, had longed to meet him ever since, and was extremely happy to see him now, quite unexpectedly.
    Frankfurt Airport is very big, with two stories, and the baggage and customs procedures took a long time. Mrs. Bi-anca Fitting (the Master's Representative in Germany) was waiting on the top floor for the Master; when he did not come, she went downstairs. Not finding him there either, she came back up. But in the meantime the Master had gone down! She was frantically trying to locate him, when at last they met. She thanked the Master very much for coming to Germany, and her eyes were moist—a child meeting the Father after a long wait of many years.
 
 

    Master's first program was set up at Koln (Cologne), where about a hundred brothers and sisters were waiting at the airport in tears of joy. The Master met each one of them individually and asked about their welfare. All of them followed him to the Dom Hotel, where he was to stay. A little later he had personal meetings with a few of them before addressing them jointly at 5 p.m. in the conference hall of the hotel, which was packed to capacity. Pin drop silence prevailed as the Master answered questions from the floor on a wide range of subjects.
    Regarding meditation, he explained that out of the many sounds that can be heard inside, those that are stronger and clearer should be attentively listened to. When concentrating, no attention should be paid to the body below, nor to the eyeballs which should not move, nor to the breathing going on.
    Regarding selfless service, the Master explained that we should serve others selflessly without any desire for any reward, and added that even animals and birds serve themselves and their own children.
    In reply to a question about a doctor putting to sleep a dog who was in agony, the Master commented that the questioner had love for his dog and could not bear to see him in pain, so he submitted to the doctor's decision. When asked whether giving food to a wild animal could be regarded as service, the Master explained that animals are our younger dumb brothers in the family of God. He related the very sweet story of Rabia Basri, a Muslim lady Saint, who was making a pilgrimage to Mecca. On her way there she saw a dog dying of thirst. Leaving the caravan, she went to a nearby well but found there was no rope for the bucket. She made a rope out of her clothes, but it was not long enough. Finally, she tied her long hair to the rope and was able to reach the water, bring up the bucket, and save the dog. By this time her caravan was far away; but the Voice of God told her that she had fulfilled her pilgrimage right there.
    Explaining the potency of thought, the Master said that even poisonous snakes respond to loving thoughts and will not bite. They attack because of the reaction of the person they are confronting, full of fear and hate. But there are instances of young innocent children playing with them and not being bitten. Someone asked about touching others. The Master said, You love your daughter, son, sister, and pat them with a clean and innocent mind. No harm, if it is done with pure thoughts in time of need for sympathy or service.
    In response to a question about karmic debt, the Master explained that man was in the highest rung of all creation and had been endowed with the power to discriminate between right and wrong. He should do right actions, pay off his karmic debts cheerfully, and along with that, work for reaching his True Home. He suggested that the questioner might like to read The Wheel of Life.
    In connection with inner spiritual development, the Master stressed that the dear initiates who have already been put on the way must be regular in their meditations and maintain the self-introspection diary and weed out their failures day by day if they wish to have progress within. He further explained that physical association with the Master cannot be underrated, as the initiates are benefited by his direct presence —one-third by word of mouth and two-thirds through His Radiant Eyes. Yet those who are living far away are not deprived of Master's Grace if they develop receptivity—just as a radio message can be heard from a vast distance.
    Finally, the Master explained that we must not drift around; we should decide what we want and then work for it whole-heartedly. We have to rise above body consciousness to have inner progress, and we should do that daily if we wish to reach our True Home. This can only be done with the help and grace of a competent Master, who are few. We should take full benefit from them. You have been put on the Way: now work whole-heartedly and regularly, and progress within.
    At the end of the talk, everyone was sitting quietly gazing at the Master and imbibing His Grace, and no one wanted to leave. After a while the Master said, "You are feasting in me and I am feasting in you."
    That night many people came to meet the Master and seek guidance for their personal problems. He cheerfully satisfied them all.
    The next morning (Aug. 27) the dear ones assembled in the Conference Hall of the hotel for meditation. The Master gave a thorough explanation of the theory of the Light and Sound Principle and instructed them very carefully in the correct way to meditate. About 110 people, the vast majority of those sitting, had wonderful inner experience. Many saw the Radiant Form of the Master within. The Master emphasized the importance of putting in regular time and told them to be earnest in their practices, as this was the way spiritual experiences can be increased with His Grace.
    An initiate brought her old mother, who had never met the Master. She asked him for grace. The Master touched her forehead and told her to look very minutely between the two eyebrows. She was overjoyed to see divine Light within. The Master advised her to concentrate regularly so as to make progress.
    Some people asked about initiation, and the Master was willing to give it to them; but it was not possible, as the extremely crowded schedule in this city left no single three-hour period of time available.
    A wonderful meeting was held in the afternoon, at which many people had to stand as the seats were filled. When the talk and questions were over, again no one was in a mood to leave! They just sat on, looking at their Beloved's charming face and getting radiation to quench their thirst. Sometimes the Master broke the silence with remarks going deep into their hearts. At last, the meeting came to an end about 6 p.m., as another public meeting was scheduled for 8:15 p.m. in the Cultural Hall of Koln.
    There, to a capacity audience, the Master spoke on the mystery of life, telling them that we are all brothers and sisters in God, with no high and no low. Outwardly and inwardly both, we all have the same organs, and God has given us equal privileges. We must therefore love one another, since we are all His children. We may have joined different social bodies, but all the same we are men—ensouled bodies—and we have to transcend the body and contact the God-into-Expression Power within; but we are identified with the body so much so that we have forgotten ourselves. We are helpless, and need the help and guidance of a competent Master Saint, who will help us solve the mystery of life and take us to the True Home of our Father. This talk had a profound impact on everyone. The Master advised everyone to give serious thought to the subject and act accordingly, in the interest of their spiritual welfare.
    After the talk, a few people asked the Master for private interviews. Despite his incredibly full day and the lateness of the hour (it was now 10:30 p.m.), he readily agreed, and many people derived benefit.
 
 

    The following morning (Aug. 28) the Master flew from Koln to Berlin. Many dear ones followed him to the airport and wept at the time of parting. About thirty devotees flew with him on the same plane and obtained rooms at the same hotel in Berlin, just to be near him as long as possible.
    One of the Conference Halls in the hotel was booked for Master's talks, and Master met the initiates there twice that day—from 4 to 6 p.m., and from 8 to 10 p.m. The Master told them he was glad to be amongst them once again, and stressed that the true purpose of life on earth could only be achieved if the dear ones live the life enjoined by him.
    Meditation was scheduled for the following morning (Aug. 29) at 9 a.m. The Master asked them whether they wanted to put questions first, or sit in meditation. They wanted to meditate. The Master was pleased, and explained that this was the Bread of Life and the Water of Life. We are fortunate to have both the man-body and the inner contact from a practical living Master. This is the golden opportunity, and we must make the best use of it. Then he gave detailed instructions for meditating correctly. After the sitting, 102 persons (the vast majority) were found to have had experience of Light in various degrees. The Master told them they must develop these experiences, and he urged them to maintain the self-introspection diary in the larger interest of their spiritual welfare.
    A lady initiate came from East Germany and told the Master that Government restrictions there prevented them from sending even letters on spiritual subjects and diaries to the Master. She said, how lucky are those who have the privilege to be with him and correspond with him freely! The Master consoled her and her husband so sweetly, and assured them the Master Power would be extending help wherever they were.
    That afternoon the Master answered questions in the Conference Hall. Someone asked about the difference between self-surrender and self-discipline. The Master said that self-surrender is very difficult, and that it is reached by leading an ethical and pure life of self-discipline. He gave an example of Hazrat Ibrahim, who purchased a slave. When he asked the slave, where will you sit?, he replied, where would you like me to sit? When he asked him, what will you eat?, he said what would you like me to eat? He said, What will you wear? What would you like me to wear? Finally the slave added, You see, I am your slave: I have no choice of my own. Hearing this, Hazrat Ibrahim wept and said, O God, he is greater than me; I have not become Your slave as yet. This is an example of self-surrender, which is very difficult. But one can achieve proficiency in self-discipline by taking care in our living from day to day, and this will eventually result in self-surrender.
    One of the initiates said that since they were deprived of the Master's physical presence, they liked to keep his pictures. The Master explained that the pictures are for remembrance only, not for worship or visualization. If you see a photograph of your parents, you do not think of the paper but of your parents. In the same way, a photograph of the Master will bring you his sweet memory.
    Someone asked about Jesus Christ dying for the sins of others, and Master said that was according to the Law of Sympathy. Those who had had the good fortune to meet him and seek his grace while he was on earth had been benefited, and he quoted Christ's own words (in John 9:5) As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
    Then the question was asked, how can people benefit now?, and Master explained that the Christ Power or God Power is always working on some chosen human pole; the world is never without it. Those people who lived before Jesus Christ and came to the human pole through which the Christ Power was working at that time got benefit, and so are the loving seeking souls of the present day.
    One lady said that she couldn't stand it when people thought bad thoughts about her. The Master said that she should radiate loving thoughts for all. If abuses are returned, they multiply and become even more harmful. He told a wonderful story about Lord Buddha and a man who came to abuse him. All day long the man abused him, until the sun set. As he got up to leave, Lord Buddha asked him, Well, dear friend, if someone brings you a present, and you do not accept it, to whom does that present belong? And the man said, Why, to the one who brought it. And Lord Buddha said, Well, dear friend, I do not accept this present you have brought. And then he gave him a lantern so he could find his way home.
    A mother said that sometimes she had to be unkind to her children, and wondered if this was a failure in nonviolence. The Master made it very clear: it is the duty of parents to make their children understand properly by loving and firm persuasion, not by beating, which will not have positive results.
    To another question, the Master said that sleep during meditation should be avoided. You should meditate when you are fresh after rest, or take a bath or light exercise to avoid sleep. It is very important to remain wide awake during spiritual exercises.
    Closing the meeting, the Master said that there had been a lot of questions answered during the past two days. It is now up to you to act on what you have learned.
    At 8 p.m. the Master spoke to another packed hall at Urania House, Berlin. He said that the main purpose of our life is to know ourselves and then to know God, Who is controlling the universe. We have been given this golden opportunity and we must make the best use of it. We find two statements in the holy books: one, that no man has seen God at any time, and two, various references to the fact that He can be seen. The first statement refers to the Absolute God, and the second to the God-into-Expression Power. In order to dip inside and have experience of this Power, we have to seek the guidance of some competent Master of our own time, who opens our third eye or single eye. Christ, Kabir, Guru Nanak, and others have said that one cannot see God with outer eyes. Those eyes are different with which we can bear testimony. When the living Master gives a demonstration, we see the Light of God and hear the divine melody, both of which are already within us; but we have not been able to experience them as yet. He emphasized the necessity and importance of spiritual discipline under the guidance of a competent living Master. The audience listened very attentively.
 
 

On Aug. 30, the Master left Berlin for Nuremberg. About 35 initiates traveled in the Master's plane just to be with him a little longer. When Master arrived, it was discovered that many more initiates had arrived from Berlin, either by car or train. A large, eager, but well-disciplined crowd greeted him at the airport. Everyone followed him into the Grand Hotel, where he was to stay.
The Master gave a talk and answered questions at 4 p.m. at the hotel. Many non-initiates were present, and some of them asked for Initiation. The Master told them to first grasp the theory and observe the dietary regulations and their applications would be considered. He told the people that many of them were put on the Path many years back, and asked them if they were progressing from day to day. He said that we must take stock, see where we stand, and take all necessary steps for improvement.
    One person said that he had difficulty observing chastity. The Master explained that marriage means selecting a companion in life for weal and woe, and both should help each other in life and help each other to know God. They should learn to control their passions and live a sober life. Self-introspection is very necessary. He emphasized that chastity is life and sexuality is death. One who lives a chaste life does not require any "tonics," etc., and lives a healthy life. He cautioned that we should not look into the eyes of others, especially of the opposite sex, as such passion flares up from the eyes.
    Someone wanted to know how receptivity can be developed. The Master explained that it required constant effort by the initiate. True living, chastity, implicit obedience of Master's commandments both in word and spirit, are prerequisites. He said that the Master is constantly watching the endeavors of His children. If we develop love for Him, He will radiate more loving thoughts to us, and we will become receptive.
    Before concluding, the Master said, For a few minutes I will look at you and you keep on looking at me. He then gazed at each one individually and radiated loving life impulses to everyone.
    After the meeting, a few people discussed their problems with the Master privately.
    Later on the same night, Master gave a heart-to-heart talk to a large audience, including many newcomers, at the hotel. He said that we are all men first and then Hindus, Muslims, Christians, etc. We are not only body but something more—conscious entity. Man body is a wonderful house we live in. In spite of the nine apertures in the body, we cannot run away from it as some hidden power is controlling us in the body. This power is called God, the contact with which can be had in the body. Thus we have to take a dip inside, which is not an easy task; to do it, we have to take help from someone who has found God and can guide us. The scriptures contain personal experiences of the Saints of the past, which inspire us to want the same experiences. Like all other arts, spirituality can also be taught by a competent guide who is well-versed in the subject. The Master has a body like us, but he is competent to guide us in the Beyond. Just as wrestlers put in long hours in physical exercises, seekers after Truth also have to put in strenuous effort under the competent guidance of a living Master.
    The Master explained that God is love and love is God. The way back to God is also love, and we have to develop love for all as God lives in every heart.
    That same night at 8:30 p.m. the Master gave still another talk. This time he told how, when he was in Lahore, he used to go to the riverside for meditation and stay there all night long. Another man would also come there and do physical exercises all night, while Master was doing spiritual ones. His name was Gunga, and he later became a famous wrestler. So in any field of endeavor, sincere and earnest efforts are necessary. The Master knows the way and He can guide us on the Path. He has controlled the outgoing faculties and traverses into the Beyond. So long as we have not done it, we have to work for it, under the guidance of Him who has done it.
    While going to churches, temples, etc., is a good thing, we must remember that the human body is the real temple which God made in the womb of the mother, and by delving deep into it we can have first-hand experience of God. The outer temples and churches are made in the image of the human body, and the symbols of light and sound are kept in them to remind us that the Light of God and Musk of the Spheres or Naam is within the human body. The Master said that while he was in service, there was a Christian working under him. During a religious discussion, the Master asked him to find out from the Bishop of Lahore why they ring the bells in churches. The Bishop said that it was only to call men together! The Master pointed out that in other faiths, the bell is rung by the worshiper himself after entering the temple; and that in all religions the bell is symbolic of the Audible Life Stream. But for want of people who have gone inside and heard the Bell Sound within, we have forgotten this. The Master said that in earlier times, even children of five, seven and nine years were made twice born and given the Gayatri Mantra as well as contacted with the Inner Light referred to in that Mantra.
    Master explained that sickness, poverty, etc., come up as a result of reaction of our past karma. We should happily accept them, as we are thereby liquidating our give and take. But if we are put on the Way back to God, and our soul feeds on the Bread of Life by contacting the Light and Sound inside, then we become strong and the bad karma does not bother us.
    The next day, Aug. 31, the Master gave a meditation sitting at 9 a.m. in the same hall. He explained that the ultimate goal of our life is to reach our true Home, and for this we have to knock on the door which, as the scriptures say, will be opened. We now have to take a step in the right direction.
    Then followed the sitting, in which 250 people had inner experiences.
    After the sitting, the Master mentioned that we should work hard, stand on our own legs, and help others, physically as well as intellectually, who are in need, as this will invoke more grace and bring in humility. He added that the Masters send out their best wishes for peace to all the world over.
    At 4 p.m. the dear ones gathered in large numbers in the same hall to hear the Master answer questions. A newcomer who had had inner experience in the meditation that morning thanked the Master for the gift, and asked him how she should proceed further. The Master told her to look intently and minutely into the Light and absorb her whole attention into the hearing of the Sound.
    An initiate said that he had pain in his spine during meditation. Master told him to adopt any pose that was comfortable for him, and not to pay attention to the body.
    One man said that he was frightened of snakes. Master commented that sometimes children play lovingly with snakes and are not bitten, because they have no ill will. Thoughts are very potent. He told a story of King Akbar the Great, who was taking a walk with his minister, Birbal. Birbal told the King that every thought had a definite reaction, and suggested that he think something specific about a man who was approaching them. The King thought, that man should be killed. When the man came near, they asked him to have no fear, but tell them honestly what thought had come to him when he first saw the King. The man said that the King's head had looked like a watermelon to him, and he wanted to break it with his fist.
    Another initiate asked how Master takes on the karma of His children. Master replied that it was in accordance with the Law of Sympathy. He said that when the first Mogul Emperor Babar's son, Humayun, was very sick, he prayed to God that he should be sick instead of his son. History tells us that Babar's request was granted. So, if the sickness of Humayun could be taken over by his father, why shouldn't a competent Master take over the karma of His dear ones?
    A newcomer asked, if someone sees the Master within before initiation, is that the same as initiation? The Master said No, it is not. Some people have a background, and the Master's Form manifests to them to show them that they are to be guided further by Him.
    Someone told the Master that he gets frightened for some reason whenever he was alone. The Master very lovingly told him that no one is ever alone; God is with every one. But, he added, sometimes these things have physical causes; if so, it may be treated, preferably by homeopathy.
    A questioner said that he had heard that everybody had to pay karmic debts. The Master said that when one rises above body consciousness, the effect of the karmic reaction is considerably toned down, by Master's grace, and the pinch is not felt. But it is necessary for the initiate to have faith and loving devotion for the Master, and there should be perseverance. The maintenance of the self-introspection diary is also very important.
    The dear ones asked Master if they could sit in silence for a few minutes and just bask in His loving radiation. The Master kindly agreed, saying that silence speaks more than words.
    A public meeting was arranged that night at 8 p.m. in the Meistersinger Halle, Nuremberg, a large hall accommodating 1200. The audience listened attentively as Master touched every aspect of life with the yardstick of spiritual advancement and pointed out how miserable we are in the earth life. He explained that the suffering can be overcome and the mystery of life solved, if we learn to die while living under the guidance of a living Master. Frequently he quoted from Christ, Kabir, and Guru Nanak to bring home to his listeners that the Surat Shabd Yoga is an age-old science taught by Masters in the past, which he had come to revive again under instructions from his Beloved Master, Baba Sawan Singh Ji.
    At the conclusion of the talk, the audience spontaneously burst into applause. Master asked them to stop; he said it was not necessary to applaud, he had not given them a lecture but had spoken to them from his heart.
 
 

    Early in the morning of the next day, Sept. 1, the Master left for Stuttgart by train. The railway station was near the hotel, and the Master walked there, accompanied by many of His devoted children. It was a very sweet sight; many people took pictures, and people passing by on the road stopped and asked what was happening. When the train left at 9:30, many devotees burst into tears. Others went right along with Him in the same train, as they could not bring themselves to say goodbye. A separate compartment was reserved for the Master and His party, but the initiates stood outside in the corridor to be as near Him as possible. After a while, the Master asked them to go to their seats and rest. But they preferred to remain standing in the corridor. On seeing this, the Master humorously remarked that since they had paid first-class fare but were standing in the corridor, they should ask for a refund. This made everyone laugh. Then the Master told of an incident of a third-class ticket holder who couldn't find any room in the third-class compartment, so he went into the first-class section and sat on the floor. When the conductor came, he wanted to charge him for traveling first-class; but the man said that he was not using the first-class facilities, he was only sitting on the floor. The Master remarked that the devotion of these dear ones was similar to that shown by the dear ones who had worked so hard at Manav Kendra, and meditated there. He also said that those who long to derive benefit from the Master and want to progress spiritually are really fortunate. "I wish all of them to tread on the Path."
    The Master spoke about inconvenience while traveling, and said that very few Saints had traveled very far, Guru Nanak being the main exception with his four long journeys in all directions. Generally, he said, Saints gave out Spirituality in their own territories, and traveled very little. He was undertaking his third long tour as a puppet in the hands of his Beloved Master. He said this very humbly, and it had a tremendous impact on his listeners.
    Further, the Master said that once God asked a Saint what gift he would like. The Saint replied that he was a drop of the ocean of all consciousness. If the drop merges in the ocean, the ocean derives no benefit; therefore, he prayed to remain outside the ocean and asked for strength to spread God's message of love to suffering humanity. As Master said this, we all became aware that He is taking upon Himself the hardships of such arduous journeys for the sake of humanity—for the sake of all of us.
 
 

    After a few stops, the train reached Stuttgart at noon. The Master was taken to the Park Hotel, where he stayed in the same suite used by the President of Germany. It was explained that it was meant for VIP's. . . .
    At 4 p.m. in the conference hall of the hotel, the Master spoke on the true value and purpose of our life on earth. He said that the whole world was in a grand delusion, and that there is a dire need for right understanding. Every word was full of meaning and force.
    Later that afternoon, the Master gave a brief meditation sitting in the same hall. The following morning he gave another sitting, and later that day, in response to urgent requests, he initiated 19 persons who were observing the vegetarian diet and other requirements. They all had experience of the Light and Sound and were overjoyed at getting the rare gift of Naam.
    That afternoon (Sept. 2) the Master met with all the European group leaders. He said that he appreciated the efforts they were putting in for the Holy Cause which enabled many a sincere struggling dear one to come on the Way, God willing. He stressed the need of living an honest, chaste and humble life, so as to set an example for others. He urged them to cooperate with each other and find a solution to any problem by mutual discussion. But He said to feel free to refer any important issue to Him for guidance where necessary. They were asked to treat themselves as soldiers of the front line to carry the message of peace and spirituality to the maximum number of people. When the Master asked them if they were sending diaries, they all said they were and expressed their gratitude for the inner help and guidance that Master had given them. He suggested they study the sacred literature relating to the Science of the Soul thoroughly, so that they could reply to all possible questions, and told them they were all on His mind and they should remain in contact for feasible guidance.
    At 7:30 p.m. the Master spoke at the Gustavsiegle Haus to about 500 persons. He told them all are children of Light and are brothers and sisters in God. Speaking of the competency and work of the Master, He gave an example: There is a certain prisonhouse, where conditions are bad and the prisoners suffer terribly. One man visited there, had compassion on them, and arranged for the construction of good and airy rooms. Another man visited there and saw to it that the quality of the food was improved. Still another brought good clothing. All of these things were helpful, but the prisoners were still prisoners. A fourth man visited the prison-house with the key to its door and the power to use it. He let the prisoners out. Such is the work of the Godman. Fortunate are those who take advantage of Him and benefit from His guidance; they will reach their true Home some day.
    Before leaving Stuttgart (and Germany) on Sept. 3, many people came to the Master's hotel for darshan. He met with each one individually and advised them to be regular in meditation and to enjoy the divine radiation of the Master Power.