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Chapter Seven: Prophet of Peace – Second World Tour
“Peace be unto all the world over, under Thy will, O God.” Thus spoke Guru Nanak who went far and wide on foot: north into the Himalayas to meet the yogis there; south to Ceylon; east to Malay and the Assam side; and west up to Persia and Arabia. For what? To spread the message of God, the message of love and peace. We should radiate thoughts of love and peace from our own selves. But we have forgotten this. If we understand the unity which already exists, and live up to it, then the kingdom of God can come on earth. And for living up to it, we have to live a life of love. Mahatma Gandhi dreamt of a kingdom in which there would be no need for police or military. All Masters who came in the past worked for spirituality, and side by side they worked for the good of the people. The same goal is before us even today, and I consider it the need of the hour.
I left India on June 8, 1963. I gave only two days notice. Many people came on planes and trains to see me off. It was difficult to manage the multitudes. I told them, “Now your brothers in the West want me. Would you not spare me for a few days? You have been enjoying for so long – wouldn’t you like your brothers in the West to be benefited?” Naturally they all had to raise their hands in accord.
When we reached Bombay it was so crowded we couldn’t get to see anybody, so they had to arrange for the people to stand in lines and pass by me. -80-
On this tour I had three main objectives. The main purpose was, of course, spiritual. As you know, the highest aim of a man’s life is to know God. People are drifting into atheism because they have found no firsthand experience of God and do not get anything substantial from the outer forms and rituals. They say there appears to be no God. They see those belonging to one religion or another not living up to what their scriptures say. So the people point to them and say, “If the believers in God live such lives, what is the good of such a God?” So the need of the hour is for a Godman or Master to bring them in contact with the God-in-action Power so they can testify there is God. The Masters alone can say they can testify there is God. The Masters alone can say they have seen God and can make others see God in this temple of the man-body. So the first aim of my world tour was to bring those people who are seeking God into contact with God, and through the grace of my Master, Baba Sawan Singh Ji, that experience of God is being extended to one and all. Whosoever came was put on the spiritual way. They were given some firsthand inner spiritual experience of the Light and Sound of God to start with, and those who are following the path with right earnest are progressing.
The second purpose of this tour was to bring all children of God together. We are all children of God whether we belong to one religion or the other, whether we belong to one country or the other. That makes no difference. We need not change our religions or outer forms or rituals, but we must realize the unity that already exists, which we have forgotten. I found people working for that goal in their own narrow circles. I explained to them, “Let us pool all our efforts. One man is doing something here, the other is doing something there. What if we all sit together?” The pity is we are not well informed about the religions of others. We simply know about our own school of thought. All scriptures bear testimony to this underlying unity. By parallel study of religions you will find the same truth everywhere.
The third purpose of my tour was to reach the religious heads, the political heads and the social heads, because it is they who are guiding people at large. If their angle of vision is changed and they become true theists, then others can become closer to God. A true theist is one who sees God, whose inner eye is open to see God. He sees God everywhere, as I see you and you see me.
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The Master visiting European cities at the beginning of his second tour
The Master in Germany, 1963
“It was in Germany in 1963 and we were in an excited, happy mood, expecting to please Master Kirpal Singh Ji by giving him a beautiful framed photo of Baba Sawan Singh Ji. When he went to the shop where he had brought the photo to be framed, the shopkeeper gave it to him and said, ‘Sir, the gentleman on the photo must be a very great saint. I cannot take any payment for framing it.’
“When our Beloved Master arrived in Germany, the satsangi brother handed the photo to him and asked me to relate in English what happened with regard to the shopkeeper. For the first time I saw how tears welled up in the radiant eyes of my Beloved Master, and he graciously accepted that photograph. Spontaneously my husband said, ‘Master, I have a copy of this same photo of your great Hazur which I always keep with me.’ Master was very moved, and said, ‘Please, give it to me.’ With tears rolling out of his eyes he turned the photo over, wrote something on it, and then gave it to me to read to the others. When I read it, my heart was breaking, seeing the expression of such love. The Master wrote: ‘Kirpal Singh, slave of Master Sawan Singh Ji.’ And so our Beloved Master Kirpal Singh Ji made us also fall in love with his Master.” By Brigitte Boehm -82-
Hazur Baba Sawan Singh
The inscription written by Sant Kirpal Singh on the back of Hilmar Boehm’s photograph of Hazur Baba Sawan Singh
So, on this tour I’ve met as many religious heads as possible – even those who were very close-minded and would not like to talk to others. I went to Innsbruck, Austria. That town was under so much control of the bishop there that even the reporters could not give reports about our arrival unless the bishop gave his sanction. I went to see him and we had a long talk. Then he permitted the reporters to give a report in the papers. He said, “All right, you can give discourses, too.” So I gave discourses, and all of them did attend.
Why did I meet religious heads? For two reasons. If the religious heads come around and have right understanding, others will follow them. I also had contact with political and social heads. Again you’ll ask, “What for – your job is only spiritual, why are you after that?” I think the time has come for an awakening all around. Wherever I went I found that men are driven like animals by the social and religious leaders. What they say is considered the word of law, “Bible-truths.” That may be right, that may be wrong. When I talked with them they owned that they were giving the people wrong teachings. I told them, “The awakening should arise from the leaders, not from the masses.” They said, “You are right, but we cannot change it all together, all at once, or there will be revolt.” -83-
Sant Kirpal Singh in Athens, Greece, 1963
Sant Kirpal Singh and Pope Paul VI meeting in Rome in 1963
In Rome I had a meeting with Pope Paul. It was a heart-to-heart talk. I also had a long discussion with the Vatican group, and the bishop in charge of the Church’s relationship with non-Christian religions.
Afterwards it was announced in the papers in Ireland that the Church was going to call for a conference of all religions. So this is the work of God, with the grace of my Master -84-
At the Ducal Palace of Oldenburg in Eutin, Germany. The Grand Duke welcoming Sant Kirpal Singh at a reception held in the Master’s honor.
Weapons cannot give peace. If at all we can bring peace, the religious leaders, social leaders and the political leaders must have right understanding.
I met political heads because if they are changed, there will be peace. For example, in the Tyrol much trouble arose. There was a revolt, and the people had bombs and weapons. So I had a talk for about two hours with the governor there. The governor said, “We are in a dilemma. What to do? My country wants war. I cannot decide.” I told him, “Look here, if there is anything bad, always delay. Perhaps in that delay God will make some arrangements to set things right. If there is anything good, you must do it at once. Try to reconcile the differences.” There was a riot there but it subsided, and there was no war. The governor wrote to me, “When are you coming back? We need you.”
I told all the political heads I met, “So many children of God have been placed under your care. Each country should live and let others live. If the president or king of one country cannot properly look after the children of God placed under his care, then other leaders should help. What is the use of killing millions of people? This is a very simple formula and it works wonderfully: If one country has to care for and serve more people than it can manage, then let other countries help provide for those people.”
So the purpose of my meeting these leaders has been to bring all children of God together, to bring peace to the world. Love of God is love of humanity; they are interlinked.
In Dublin, with President De Valera of Ireland; Right, Sant Kirpal Singh with Prime Minister Lemass. Also seen is Devinder Kaur Narendra, one of the disciples from India who accompanied the Master on tour. -85-
In the United States I went almost everywhere, and I also went to Canada. I traveled four or five months. I repeated the same message I have always given: All mankind is one.
Sant Kirpal Singh’s arrival in Washington, D. C., National Airport, September 1, 1963
God is love and souls being of the same essence as that of God are also love, and the way back to God is through love alone. This is the basic teaching of all Masters who came in the past. Love is innate in us but we have forgotten. When we love God, as God is in all, then we must love everybody.
Unless the self expands to cover the entire creation of God, there can be no permanent peace.
Friends Meeting House, Washington, D. C.
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The Master at the home of T. S. Khanna
Many of my talks were given in churches. Outsiders are rarely allowed to speak in churches, yet the ministers welcomed me, for they said that these teachings are as given in the Bible. I advise people to look to their scriptures to find the answers to their problems. However, most of those answers are only thoroughly understood by those who know the inner spiritual science. For others, it is something like a hidden treasure being handed down from generation to generation.
Once, in a Unity Church I was given a pamphlet to read. It said, “Christ lived before Jesus.” So Christ is the God Power or the Guru Power which continues for the guidance of child humanity. Christ lived before Guru Nanak, before Jesus, even before Buddha and all other saints. We are children of God. How can He disregard His children? Let us take for granted that those who believe only in their own saints and prophets will be saved. But what about the fate of those who were born before or after Guru Nanak, or Mohammed, or Buddha, or Jesus? Will they all be doomed? This is speaking from the common sense point of view.
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Left: The Indian Ambassador B. K. Nehru meeting the Master in Washington, D. C. On the Master’s right is Helen McDaniel, one of the Master’s earliest disciples in the West. Right: Supervisor Bonelli presenting a plaque of honor on behalf of the County of Los Angeles for the Master’s work for spirituality and world peace.
Left: The Master with the Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Church of Boston, 1963; Right: To the Master’s right is the chief librarian of the Library of Congress, 1963 -88-
At the Unity Church, Chicago
In America I appeared on television. I was interviewed by a chief editor of a paper, a bishop, a Jew, a Roman Catholic and a Protestant. They would ask questions and would expect the answer then and there. They asked, “How do we know that we can experience God? How do we know that God exists?” I asked them, “When you have a pain in your stomach how do you know?”
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Sant Kirpal Singh at a Jewish synagogue In Chicago -90-
Left: The Master meeting the mayor of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada Right: In California
These ashrams were established for the purpose of meditation retreats. They afford a quiet place where meditation and contemplation can be enjoyed for longer periods of time, undisturbed by the busy life in the cities.
At Kirpal Ashram, Vermont
At Sant Bani Ashram, New Hampshire -91-
Left: At the Ramakrishna Mission in California; Right:At Paramahansa Yogananda’s Self-Realization Fellowship Ashram, Los Angeles, California
When the Master visited Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, a child overheard his parents speaking of the Master’s arrival. The boy was unable to contain the excitement created by the thought of meeting a “Great Saint” from India and the news spread like wildfire throughout his school and neighborhood. Children began flocking to the house where the Master was staying. The Master greeted all of them affectionately, giving each an apple. Towards evening baskets of apples had been distributed and when the fourth group of children was with the Master someone asked if the children could have a sitting for meditation. The Master asked the children if they would like that. They replied, “Yes.” A brief explanation of how to meditate was given. When the children were asked afterwards if they saw anything, all of them, except a few who could not sit still, replied that when they closed their eyes they saw Light.
Children’s meditation sitting in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, 1963 -92-
The whole creation is the temple of God. There is no place where He is not. In minerals life is sleeping; in plants life is dreaming; in birds and animals life is awakening; and in man life is awake. As such we are brothers of all creatures, of plants, of birds and animals. So the flowers and trees, sparrows and doves are as members of our own order. How simple, pure, loving and beautiful they are! We should love all. We should live in fellowship with all creatures, with all life. One must not interfere with the life of any animal in God’s creation.
Left: Sant Kirpal Singh at the Seaquarium in Miami, Florida Right: Sant Kirpal Singh with the director of the Seaquarium
A Master never believes in or performs miracles for attracting people and gaining their credence, as a juggler would do. He keeps his treasures well concealed in the deepest recesses within him. He may, if necessity demands, make use of his powers on some special occasion. The disciples, of course, every day feel the hidden hand of the Master working for their welfare and advancement.
The Master visiting one of his disciples, Frank Laginha, in a Sonora, California hospital
When the Maser was in Louisville, Kentucky, he received a phone call informing him that Ernest Beldauf, a group leader, had met with a serious car accident while traveling to see him. Beldauf was under intensive care. The Master made his way into his room in spite of the nurses’ protestations. The patient’s chest had been badly crushed and he was unable to speak. By nodding, he indicated the most painful spot. The Master gently placed his hand on the man’s chest and asked him to concentrate in meditation. On the following day, the news came of a remarkable recovery. Beldauf’s chest was healed and he was already sitting up. -93-
The Master at the Panama Canal In Panama, outside the house of Wally Crawford
In Panama, 1963, the Master drinking coconut water -94-
For the initiates, one of the highlights of the Master’s tour was the celebration of his birthday – which for the first time in the West was held in his physical presence. The celebration was held early, on January 25, 1964, at the Friends Meeting House in Washington, D. C. During the course of the introductory remarks, Mr. Khanna mentioned that the carpet the Master was sitting on had been used by Baba Sawan Singh. Instantly, the Master pulled the carpet out from under himself and put it on his head, then gently laid it aside. He then gave a very moving talk on love and devotion in which he said, “Whom you love, you love his things. I was thrilled to know this had been my Master’s…”
January 25, 1964, Friends Meeting House, Washington, D. C. The Master using a handkerchief to put out the candles on his birthday cake.
The true celebration of one’s birthday will occur when you live a life of love. To my mind, I don’t feel joy for the day on which I was born. I will feel joy only if the purpose for which I was born is fulfilled. I want you to love. That will give you physical health, moral health and spiritual health. That is the only way back to God.
Ever since I came in contact with you physically in 1955, I have been carrying your sweet remembrance with me all along. During the daytime, when in India, I was very much burdened with the work over there, but at night I was all along with you, replying to your letters. I have been appreciating the loving thoughts which you have been sending me from time to time, and your anxiety to have me here. I wanted to be here, but on account of exigencies of service I was tied down over there. Though physically I was bound there, in my mind and spirit you were with me all along; that I can assure you. Even hereafter the God in me will be with you, guiding you and helping you in all your affairs. It is through the grace of my Master Baba Sawan Singh Ji that this is being extended to you, and that will continue hereafter, too. -95-
I don’t want anything from you except love. If you love, you will be truly nonviolent, truth- speaking, and truly chaste. Your love will go into the soul and not remain in the body. You will have love for all, and love knows service and sacrifice. When you love, you will give, give and give, with no compensation. If need be, you will sacrifice yourself for the good of others. If you learn this lesson, there will be peace in the world, peace all around, and the kingdom of God will come on earth.
On January 29, 1964, Sant Kirpal Singh completed his second world tour and left the United States to return to India. -96-
Chapter Eight: World Fellowship of Religions
The archers may be many, but the target is one. Since we are worshipers of the same God, then naturally we should have love for one another. You will find that two drunkards will embrace each other irrespective of whether they are of the East or the West, or belong to one religion or the other. But do you find that among those who profess to be lovers of God – between followers of one religion and those of another? They are lovers so far as their own faith is concerned. If they are lovers of God, they all should sit together and love one another.
Delhi, India, February 9, 1964
Integration of all mankind is the need of the hour. This work was being done with the grace of my Master, Hazur Baba Sawan Singh Ji, who had the idea of building a common platform for men of different faiths to sit together. In 1957 on the occasion of the first Conference of World Religions here in Delhi, I had a meeting with the sponsor, Muni Sushil Kumar, and said to him that the same work is already being carried on and that we could set our shoulders to the wheel and work together. The first session of the World Fellowship of Religions was an outgrowth of the deliberation of the first Conference of World Religions. Now the World Fellowship of Religions has established centers in different parts of the world and enlisted support from dignitaries in all walks of life. -97-
I was elected president of the World Fellowship of Religions from 1957 onwards. Through this organization many differences were smoothed out between the religions. Previously, the conditions were so bad that members of some sects would not even take water from the hands of members of other sects. They would not care to see each other’s faces. They would not attend each other’s religious gatherings. Now it is much improved; they do sit together and talk as a result of the regular conferences which were held for a number of years. The first session was attended by representatives of all great religions from all over the world. About two hundred fifty delegates from various countries and one hundred thousand people attended.
The second conference was held in 1960 in Calcutta. More than two hundred thousand people gathered together with delegates from all religions. A resolution was to be passed. Because almost all believed in God they put the word “God” into the resolution. A group of Buddhists said, “We don’t believe in God. The name of God should not be in the resolution. When even one party does not believe in God, that cannot be the resolution of the World Fellowship of Religions.” I called for their leader and had a heart-to-heart talk. I asked him, “Do you believe in the sayings of the Buddha?” He said, “Yes.” Then I quoted from the scriptures of Buddha: “Self finds refuge in the Self. But unless we have control over our selves it is hard to gain.” “What other refuge can there be?” I said, “This Self is the Overself in which our mortal self finds refuge. This Overself is termed God. Our souls emerge from the Universal Soul and have no other refuge except the Universal Soul.” The Buddhists then agreed, and the resolution was passed.
When in the West I had heart-to-heart contacts with the religious heads. I found in many cases they were working for the same principle, but they didn’t know about each other. All leaders are trying to bring together the subsects of their religion. But our purpose is to bring all religions together on one common ground for the purpose of understanding each other. This innovation was brought up by my Master, Hazur Baba Sawan Singh Ji. When we understand each other, we are closer already. So for this purpose we have been contacting different religious heads in all these countries. Almost all religious and political leaders have given a very good response.
Left: Sant Kirpal Singh sitting with Dr. Rajendra Prashad, the first president of India Right: Sant Kirpal Singh with Dr. Zakir Husain, the third president of India -98-
After the second world tour Sant Kirpal Singh met with Prime Minister Nehru on February 16, 1964, and subsequently with Vice-President Dr. Zakir Husain who conferred with him and discussed the significance of his world tour. Earlier, on February 9, 1964, Sant Kirpal Singh was honored by representatives of fifty-two religious organizations, and a mammoth audience of sixty thousand people gathered at a Sant Samagam (Assembly of Saints) held at the Gandhi Grounds in Delhi. He addressed the Congregation saying:
The rifts and divisions that we see among men of various religious formations today are man- made, not God-made. If the founders of the different religions were to come today and see their followers they would refuse to recognize them as such. What is the reason? We are not acting according to their teachings. Their greatest teaching is that we are all devotees of God and since God resides in all hearts, we should love all creation.
On February 20, 1964, Sant Kirpal Singh was honored by holy men of the Shehanshahi Ashram, the Ram Tirtha Ashram, the Ramakrishna Mission and the Tibetan Lamas of Rajpur, and he was later invited to visit Swami Chitananda at Sivananda Ashram inRishikesh, where he also met Yogi Raghuvacharya.
Sant Kirpal Singh with Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, the second president of India
Sant Kirpal Singh with Jawaharlal Nehru (seated far left), the first prime minister of India -99-
The third World Religions Conference was held in Delhi on February 26, 1965, after my return from America. As a result, the heads of thirty-six religious formations are beginning to get together and understand each other.
After the first conference I resigned from the presidency of the World Fellowship of Religions. But still they reelected me. After the second, third and fourth conferences, I again resigned and they again reelected me. Somebody asked Muni Sushil Kumar, “Why have you chosen him as president?” He replied, “Look here, I am bound in this religious form, and you are also bound in your form. We have found that he is free.” Many men feel the unity that exists, but they are bound hand and foot. They cannot do anything about it; they won’t dare utter these things for fear of being declared heretics. But it is not heresy – it is true theism. Did not Christ cast out those in the synagogue, saying: “It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.” There is commercialism going on everywhere. I do not mean in any way to destroy these formations, but we should learn to rise above them, as we are one already. The cornerstones of better understanding are love and humility. Love is the cementing power which not only unites man with man, but man with God.
Sant Kirpal Singh speaking with Lal Bahadur Shastri, the second prime minister of India
A group of the delegates who took part in the 1965 World Religions Conference -100-
The following are excerpts from a talk given by Sant Kirpal Singh during the third World Religions Conference.
With the yardstick of love – the very essence of God’s character – let us survey our hearts. Is our life an efflorescence of God’s love? Are we ready to serve one another with love? Do we keep our hearts open to the healthy influence coming from outside? Are we patient and tolerant toward those who differ from us? Are our minds coextensive with the creation of God and ready to embrace the totality of His being? Do we bleed inwardly at the sight of the downtrodden and the depressed? Do the distresses of others distress us? Do we pray for the sick and suffering humanity? If we do not do any of these things, we are yet far removed from God and from religion, no matter how loud we may be in our talk and pious in our proclamations. With all our inner craving for peace, we have failed and failed hopelessly to serve the cause of God’s peace on earth.
The third World Religions Conference started in Delhi on February 26, 1965, with a procession led by delegates of the various religions. More than one hundred thousand people formed a mile-long procession and they marched from the Gandhi Grounds to the Ramlila Grounds.
Morarji Desai inaugurated the Conference. Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri while addressing one of the sessions remarked that the politicians had failed to manage the affairs of the State and he invited men of religion to show them the way. -101-
The World Fellowship of Religions has come into being so that the representatives of different religions may have some common forum to sit together, shoulder to shoulder, in an honest attempt to understand the unities in the ever-revolving panorama of apparently diverse forms and modes of life and thought.
Autographed cover of the souvenir volume published for the fourth World Religions Conference
1970 World Religions Conference. The conference was held on February 6, 7, and 8 at the Ramlila Grounds in Delhi. This conference was inaugurated by H. H. Nichidatsu Fuji Guruji of Japan, and was presided over by Morarji Desai, then deputy prime minister of India. -102-
The object of this conference is not to found any new religion, as we have already so many of them, nor to evaluate the extant religions we have with us. All religions, with their variegated forms and colors, are like flowers in the garden of God and smell sweet. The most pressing need of the time, therefore, is to study our religious scriptures thoughtfully and to reclaim our lost heritage. Everyone has in him a pearl of priceless value, but as he does not know how to unearth it, he is going about with a beggar’s bowl. It is a practical subject and even to call it a religion of soul is a misnomer, for soul has no religion whatsoever. We may, if you like, call it the science of the soul, for it is truly a science, more scientific than all the known sciences of the world and capable of yielding verifiable results.
In this august assembly of the spiritually awakened, we can learn the great truth of the oneness of life. We must then sit together as members of the one great family of man so that we may understand each other. We are, above everything else, one – from the level of God as our Father, from the level of man as His children and from the level of worshipers of the same truth or God called by so many names.
At Sawan Ashram. The Master with some of the disciples who served at the Ashram, including B. N. Mehta, R. K. Jain, and S. P. Chopra.
Sant Kirpal Singh with a Muslim leader. Also seen are some of the Master’s staff, including A. R. Manocha, B. S. Gyani, H. C. Chadda, and G. M. Ahuja. -103-
The Master gave this message in February 1970 on his birthday:
I have great love for all of you. Indeed if you knew how much I loved you, you would dance with joy. You will become so intoxicated by his love that it will carry you straight into the arms of your Beloved within. Only in this way will the Master’s birthday be celebrated as he wishes.
Photo shows the celebration of Sant Kirpal Singh’s birthday on February 6, 1970 which coincided with the fourth World Religions Conference. From left to right are the Master’s daughter-in-law Harbhajan Kaur, Bibi Lajwanti, Madame Hardevi, Sant Kirpal Singh and his son Darshan Singh.
Second from the Master’s right is Pir Zamin Nizami, the chief priest of the Durga Sharif (shrine) of Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia in Delhi
Besides his work with the World Fellowship of Religions, Sant Kirpal Singh had close associations with heads of different sects and religious groups in India. Some of those with whom he was in contact were: Swami Sivananda, Meher Baba, Anand Moi Ma, Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan, Satguru Jagjit Singh and Shankracharya -104-
T. L. Vaswani (left) and J. P. Vaswani (right) with the Master
The Master at the cremation ceremony of Yogi Raghuvacharya, seen to Sant Kirpal Singh’s right wrapped in flower garlands. Raghuvacharya died at the age of 115 years. -105-
The Cry of the Soul
Listen O Lord to the piteous cry of the soul Writhing in agony and wailing for union with Thee.
The world is engaged in reaching the planets, But no one discovers a balm that soothes.
No one shares the misery of his brothers; There’s none to heal the human heart.
The powerful atom has bewitched the world, But the soul has lost its halo, its glory.
Let unity and love prevail on all planes of creation, And Thy chosen Messengers preach the love divine.
Tipplers of the same divine wine, let us be knit in love; Our colorful vestures may vary but we are of the one essence.
All firestones, despite their different shapes, strike the same fire; All cows – white, brown, black or brindle – give the same white milk.
Everyone holds a different measure in his hand, But is equal in the tavern of life.
Let all come forth and march in loving union; The greater the trials, the more united we shall be.
O God, lead us aright; give us courage, Help us to live up to the Great Masters’ ideals.
Unite us in a love which surges into our life-stream, Making our lives a symphony, soft and sweet.
The soul cries for the dawn that smiles at the weary wayfarer, And for the divine Light to embrace the whole cosmos.
From the poem, “The Cry of the Soul,” by Darshan Singh recited at the third World Religions Conference -106-
Chapter Nine: Manav Kendra – Man Center
These are a few things that I learned at the feet of the Master: man-making, man-service, and land-service.
At Manav Kendra in Dehra Dun, U. P., India
Good work has been done through the World Fellowship of Religions. Now men can mix with others – but one danger is ahead. Leaders of the World Fellowship of Religions are wanting to strengthen their own formations, in spite of the fact that the inner way is the same for all. When the narrow-mindedness was reduced, the following notions arose: that all Hindus should become one, all Muslims should become one, and so on. In this way, huge pillars are being raised against each other. So how can there be true integration? How far can we tolerate each other?
To combat the danger of religious chauvinism, it was thought necessary to start the work of regeneration from the roots. Man-making must take precedence. This can only be done by inculcating in people generally the humanistic idea of unselfish love and selfless service, with special emphasis on man-service, land-service and animal-service (animals being our younger brothers and sisters in God). This idea took concrete shape in 1969 with the decision to set up Man-Making Centers or Manav Kendras here in India and abroad.
This Manav Kendra or Man Center has been started on the lines of Kabir, Guru Nanak, Christ, and all rishis of old: that first we are all human beings – brothers and sisters in God. We are man first in a physical sense. Then we are conscious entities, drops of the Ocean of All- consciousness, and worshipers of the same God. As man, soul, and God, we are all one. On my seventy-fifth birthday they asked me to give my message. I gave it in six words: “Be good, do good, be one.” The main purpose of Manav Kendra starts on these lines. Its first purpose is man-making. From an early age, I had this single-minded purpose. 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 is third. In the Manav Kendra, all three ideals have been incorporated. We already have the spiritual gathering, Ruhani Satsang, in which the principle of man-making is upheld. This was my mission, through the grace of God. Whatever I have understood I have placed before you. Now man-service and land-service have been added. -107-
The site for Manav Kendra was almost a jungle, and in the early days there were no accommodations. The Master would often work under a tree and when it rained he would sit in his car and do his work there. As the construction work continued he went on dealing with the correspondence and from time to time he would personally inquire about the progress of the work and visit the construction sites.
Sant Kirpal Singh helping in the construction of Manav Kendra -108-
The first structure built at Manav Kendra was the four-story tower to hold the water tank. Before beginning the work of pouring the concrete to form the roof, Master had all the men, women and children stand together while one man led them in singing a song from the scriptures. The singing continued throughout the whole night along with the work. Ladies were carrying baskets of mud on their heads while the men hoisted the concrete up the ladder to the top of the tower. Because the job of pouring the concrete had to be completed, everyone was still at work when the Master went to his house at one o’clock in the morning. Everyone wondered if the Master was going to rest. Then the message was sent to everyone to come and have food. All five hundred workers found, to their surprise, that the Master was graciously putting food on each and every plate.
The Mansarovar at Manav Kendra. The water tower can be seen in the background.
At the Mansarovar
The Man Center has been started at Dehra Dun at the foot of the Shivalek range of the Himalayas. There is a Mansarovar, an oval-shaped reservoir out-of-doors around which people can sit in peaceful meditation. The earth below has given to us a spring with a very powerful flow of water which comes without pumping. This large pool is over three hundred fifty feet long and two hundred feet wide. On one side is a bathing-ghat. Nature herself has supplied the water source, otherwise where could you get so much water in Dehra Dun? We have formed sitting places for meditation, and in front of that is the satsang ground. -109-
The tenth Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh, is said to have traveled through the area of Manav Kendra on horseback nearly three hundred years ago when it was all jungle. He took rest under the large tree which comprises five different types of trees coming out of one base. While moving through this area the horse he was riding became stuck in a deep mud-filled hole. It was with great difficulty that the horse was able to free itself, and on withdrawing its leg, water sprang forth from that spot.
At the time Manav Kendra was being constructed all the experts were searching for a spring to supply water for the project. The Dehra Dun Valley is faced with a great shortage of water, and after much research it came to the Master’s notice that the engineers were unable to locate any spring. Then Master got up and requested the engineers to try digging at a certain spot. This spot is believed to be the one in which Guru Gobind Singh’s horse became stuck three hundred years ago. Upon digging, water was found and it seemed to hold great potential for a powerful source. All the drilling machines were set, and the digging began. However, the spring was not supplying enough water. The work continued but all efforts to draw the water out with the intensity needed seemed of no avail. Again it was brought to the Master’s notice that they were not succeeding. Master came to the spot where the digging was going on and asked everyone to sit in meditation for half an hour. Then the engineers once more attempted to draw the water out. The water came up, but still it was not strong enough. When everyone was at the point of giving up, the Master took out one cupful of water and drank it. To the wondrous relief of all, the water then started to gush from the spring with great force. The supply was enough to not only fill the Mansarovar and meet the needs of the Kendra, but also to help the surrounding area whenever it was faced with shortages.
The tree at Manav Kendra under which Guru Gobind Singh is said to have rested -110-
One day it was mentioned to the Master that cutting down certain trees was unavoidable for carrying on the work of construction. The Master said, “Trees and water are the greatest blessings of God. Before cutting any tree, think it over thoroughly.” As the Master had compassion for the entire creation, he did not wish that the trees be destroyed. The result was that the architects designed the Master’s single-story residence in such a way that the trees remained intact and their trunks were allowed to pass through the rooftop of the house.
Master’s residence at Manav Kendra.
There is a library for books about the teachings and lives of great men, as well as the scriptures of all religions.
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We have also built a hospital for man-service. For the indigent, elderly people who have nobody to look after them, there is a sweet old-age home so they may pass their last days in peace.
Even as a young man I loved to serve people, particularly those sick in hospitals whom I would attend morning and evening before and after my daily work. I would help those who could not afford to buy medicines. We should have selfless service to all living creatures in sorrow and distress: if one limb of the body is in torture, the other limbs can have no rest. “Service before self” should therefore be our motto in life.
Left: The old-age home at Manav Kendra Right: The hospital at Manav Kendra providing naturopathic, ayurvedic, unanic, allopathic and homeopathic treatment freely to all
Selfless service is done in two ways. The first is physical service. If somebody is sick, go and serve him. The Masters have always been for the poor and needy, to console them, to raise them up to the level of every man. If you attend a sick person or stand by an afflicted one, you serve the divine cause. Certainly you do not and cannot take away the sickness or affliction, but surely you can help in assuaging the suffering by your kindly words and deeds. Every sweet word uttered or helping hand extended to those in distress goes a long way in purifying the mind and the body. A loving heart is a fit receptacle for the divine grace, for God is love. We never lose anything when we give. Love knows only to give, give and give. At the moment of giving you feel joy within. That is the compensation you get, direct. Selfless service is a great reward in itself. When you serve others, you are serving Him.
The Master with disciples at Manav Kendra in 1970 -112-
I have started a new educational scheme to look after the children who are the budding hopes of the coming generation. The real aim of education is to develop the character and individuality of a pupil – his mind, will and soul power. The best education is that which teaches us that the end of knowledge is service. This service is another name for love and fellowship, which constitute the very essence of personal and social life. Love and fellowship bring with them peace, gentleness and humility, basic values of life the significance of which has been repeatedly stressed by the sages and prophets of India and the world. To nurture these values, to practice them, and to adopt them wholeheartedly in life, is what is known as spirituality. Gentile, a great thinker, said, “A school without a spiritual content is an absurdity.” Modern education is largely egocentric and makes men spiritually and socially incompetent; and young people enter life with a view to gaining money on earth and applause for their own personal enjoyment, forgetting that true happiness begins only when one goes out of one’s little self – the ego – and seeks the larger Self. A man may pass university examinations and yet remain ignorant of the realities of life. He may have read a thousand books, yet be no better than a boor. But true education will make him truly cultured, and the soul of culture is courtesy.
The Master with Sati Bajwani, the principal of the school at Manav Dendra, 1973
In this process, the situation of the school also plays a major role. The German word kindergarten is quite suggestive in this context. Kinder means child, and garten, garden, indicating that every school should be situated in a lovely spot of nature. The Manav Kendra is situated at a healthy and picturesque spot in the Doon Valley, presenting a glorious and tempting view of the snow-clad peaks of the Himalayas. In the true tradition of Manav Kendra, the Man Center – it belongs to all mankind for the creation of understanding, peace and progress. The institution is dedicated to the concrete realization of human unity and is projected as an entirely new concept of integral education and moral living according to the ethics of spirituality. We envisage such an atmosphere where persons will be able to grow and develop integrally without losing contact with their souls. -113-
Manav Vidya Mandir – the school at Manav Kendra, 1973
Children from the surrounding area attend the school
Along with all this is land-service: there is a provision for a dairy farm to provide an ample supply of milk. Everyone must have food, so there will be development of agriculture on modern scientific lines.
The dairy farm at Manav Kendra -114-
Social, religious and political leaders came to visit the Master at Manav Kendra.
Sant Kirpal Singh, with Maharaj Jagjit Singh, head of the Namdhari Sikhs, to his left on the way to inaugurate the free homeopathic dispensary at Manav Kendra, February 6, 1972.
The Master’s February 6, 1972, birthday celebration was held at Manav Kendra. The photo shows Darshan Singh reciting a poem in praise of the Master. -115-
On the immediate right of Sant Kirpal Singh is Dr. V. V. Giri, president of India. On March 14, 1972, Dr. Giri gave the following talk at Manav Kendra:
“So long as we realize that all human beings are equal, both in the sight of God and man, then we can realize the objectives and principles that Sant Kirpal Singh Ji has placed before us…If you are human, if you are kind, if you are charitable, if you are humane, you are really following the tenets of all religions…That seems to be the objective of our great individual here, and I am very glad he is trying to inculcate these principles among the people of this country…”
With Sant Kirpal Singh is G. S. Pathak, vice-president of India, who on April 13, 1973, gave the following message at Manav Kendra:
“The work that I have seen here has greatly impressed me. I think that in this age there is a great need for institutions of this kind. It gives me great pleasure to see, especially in this age, that here a great effort is being made not only to protect and keep our moral discipline and culture, but to also improve and increase it – and I congratulate all those connected with this institution who, acting on the teachings of Sant Kirpal Singh Ji, are working for the ideals for which it stands.” -116-
With Sant Kirpal Singh is Madame Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, sister of the late Prime Minister Nehru and the first woman president of the United Nations General Assembly. On April 2, 1973, at Manav Kendra, she said:
“Maharaj Ji has started this Manav Kendra. Everyone who comes here should try to understand this oneness of all men, irrespective of religion, dress, food and language. Maharaj Ji has come here, has come down to the level of man, and with all his strength is uplifting mankind; but we must also help ourselves.
“I humbly ask you to spread what you are learning here, and the example you see here. This teaching should be spread everywhere so that in Maharaj Ji’s lifetime he may see the success of his mission.”
The meaning of true life is service and sacrifice. So long as you want, first and foremost, to be blessed yourself and you expect others to minister to you, you will remain strangers to the way of spirituality. When you will wish others to be blessed, you will begin to speed on your way back to God. -117-
Chapter Ten: Lord of Compassion
Master souls come into the world out of sheer compassion for suffering humanity. They have of necessity to put on the physical raiment, full of impurity as it is, because they have to work on the physical plane among human beings. The way in which they come into and go out of the world is, however, quite different from ours. They come and go of their own free will, while we do so under the irresistible force of karmic pressure.
When the world turns its back, the Guru is standing beside you. Through desert and forest, over seas and mountains, in this world and the next, he is with you.
Having received the protection of a God-realized man, do you think he would ever forget you? The Master always holds his disciples in the innermost heart center.
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“In 1968, our son Raji was to leave for America to go to a university in Chicago. It was the Beloved Master himself who had selected the school. On the day Raji was to leave India, I went to the ashram to find out if the Beloved Master was going to accompany us to the airport to see him off. When I got there I asked the Master if he would be free that evening. Master said, ‘Oh, I am very busy. I have no time.’ After he said that, I did not dare speak further, but in my heart I was feeling sad and dejected that he would not be able to accompany us. After a moment the Beloved Master looked up and said, ‘Don’t you know I’m very busy tonight! I have to go to the airport to see Raji off. If I don’t go, who is going to wipe off your tears?’ ”by Harbhajan Kaur
Sant Kirpal Singh at Palam Airport, Delhi, seeing off his grandson Raji, who was departing for the United States to continue his education. Darshan Singh is embracing his son.
Forgive me, but the task of the Guru is not an easy one. To make something of the disciple, to put him on his feet, to give him new life, to help him reach his True Home – this is the Guru’s work. Giving lectures or fine talks is not the Guru’s work. His talks are merely to help them be aware that they are in deep forgetfulness, but the Master’s duty is a matter of custody.
It often happens that the disciple is due for heavy suffering because of the karmic reactions from the past, but through the Guru’s protection it can be reduced from the gallows to perhaps a slight pinprick.
Once I received urgent news that a certain disciple was dangerously ill. I wrote and told the people to advise the patient to concentrate within. They wrote back and said that my instructions had been conveyed to the patient by telephone, and within hours she had started improving and was on the way to recovery. This was just through a word on the telephone, so you can see that thousands of miles between Master and disciple cannot stop the protection of the Master Power. -119-
The Master always saves the disciples, no matter how dangerous a situation they may be in. His protecting arms serve as a shield and buckler, and the disciple leads a charmed life, as it were. He takes in his own hands the entire process of winding up the karmic impressions of the jiva (soul).
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“It happened in February 1974, on the first day of the Unity of Man Conference. I had hardly covered fifty yards on returning to my house on an errand when a motorcycle came from the other side, hit me, and I was thrown off my scooter. My head was dashed upon the ground and I felt I was becoming unconscious. I was bleeding profusely from my head and nose, vomiting blood and feeling faint.
“They took me to the medical camp at the site of the Conference for treatment. My eyesight began to go. Meanwhile someone informed the Master of my accident and he replied, ‘Don’t worry, everything will be all right.’ I was lying on the stretcher when they told me that the Master was coming. I felt a unique beauty at that time, and my eyesight began to come back immediately. By the time he entered I could see him. He looked at me and said, ‘Be brave, don’t worry. The accident would have been fatal, but by the grace of Hazur Baba Sawan Singh you have had a narrow escape. There is nothing to worry about.’
“Later he again came to see me, and by this time my head was badly swollen, like a balloon. He put his hand on my forehead, pressing a little. He said, ‘Don’t worry, it’s a small thing. It will go.’ After he left, the swelling was over within an hour. In the afternoon he came, and at that time my stomach was upset. I told him, he pressed my stomach and the stomachache was over.
“On the next evening he suggested that I speak from the podium at the Conference. I said, ‘Well, I can’t get up, but if you put the mike here I could narrate this incident and people will come to know how much power you have, even though you don’t want to show it!’ He laughed.” By Manohar Singh
The Master is sitting beside Manohar Singh, his nephew, who had just been in a near-fatal accident. -121-
The Master might be anywhere, but his thoughts and protection are constantly with his disciples wherever they may be.
“By the grace of Maharaj Kirpal Singh my two sons qualified for admission into the Air Force Academy and the National Defense Academy respectively. But when the time for joining their academies drew near, I and my wife became panicky. We went to the ashram, thanked the Master for his benevolence, and prayed that our children might not be posted into the military services, for it was perilous and full of difficulties. Maharaj Ji gave a hearty laugh and said, ‘Leave your children unto the Guru and become carefree.’
“My eldest son is now a squadron leader. The first time he was sent on a solo flight he successfully did his job and returned to the ground. To his dismay he found the ground engineer in a huff as he had noticed an elderly Sikh gentleman in the copilot’s seat directing the movements of the aircraft. On a lengthy interrogation my son was obliged to admit that the figure seen was his spiritual Master, who always remained with him whenever he was flying the aircraft.” By Desh Raj Arora
We frequently hear accounts of how the Master has protected his children. At death, he appears before the child, who in full consciousness happily states, “The Master has come.” When a child learns to rise above body-consciousness at will, the Master is there to protect and guide him, talk to him and take him upward from stage to stage. -122-
On April 3, 1970, the Master’s wife, affectionately known as Mataji, took leave of this world and returned to her spiritual abode.
For the last four or five months of her life, Mataji was forced to spend more time resting in bed, although she was still able to slowly make her way into the Master’s quarters which annexed her own. Eventually she was unable to get around anymore, and while the Master was on tour in the later part of March, her condition worsened. On March 30, the Master asked her if she was ready to leave, and she replied, “Yes, in three days.” The Master thought for a moment and then said, “Well, in three days, that means April 2 – I will be very busy that day (due to the occasion of the commemoration of the death anniversary of Hazur Baba Sawan Singh) – April 3 would be better, in the early afternoon, say 1:30 p. m. – I will be more free then.”
At about 1:00 p. m. on the third it was noticed that Mataji’s condition had become very serious. When told about Mataji, the Master said, “I know it.” The Master went to Mataji and looking down at her very kindly, asked, “Are you prepared?” She looked up and said, “Yes.” The Master said, “Are you sure your heart is absolutely clear – with no hatred for anyone?” She replied, “Yes, I have nothing against anyone in my heart.” The Master said, “Then why are you not smiling?” With this, the thin shrunken face, blue with suffering, began to glow with joy. The blueness went, and the countenance became clear and serene. Ripples of laughter came forth and she looked radiant with happiness. Taking hold of the Master’s hand she said, “Forgive me, if I have ever done anything to offend you.” The Master smiled. She said, “Both forms are here – I am seeing you outside and inside.” Then Master said, “All right, now close your eyes and relax,” and with these words he returned to his room. Within ten or fifteen minutes, Mataji had left.
Krishna Wanti, the Master’s wife -123-
Sant Kirpal Singh at the cremation of his wife, Krishna Wanti
At the cremation of Mataji. Family members from left to right (standing): Manohar Singh and Joginder Singh, and to the Master’s left are Darshan Singh, Dr. Gurdev Singh, Kundan Singh, and Jaswant Singh’s young son, Surinder Singh. Kneeling at the Master’s right is his youngest son, Jaswant Singh. The little boy to the Master’s right is his grandson, Bawa (Manmohan Singh). -124-
The Master fell ill while in Dehra Dun, where he was directing the work at Manav Kendra. On June 29, 1971, he underwent surgery in a private nursing home in Delhi.
They gave me first one injection and then another to make me unconscious, but I was still in my full senses. I asked the doctors, “What do you hope to accomplish by these injections?” They said, “We want to make you senseless.” I asked, “How can you make a conscious being senseless? If you want me to withdraw, I will do so, but your drugs can do nothing.”
Just as they had completed the operation I opened my eyes. The surgeon-in-charge was amazed that a man could return to his senses while under so much anesthesia. He said, “I saw your greatness on the operation table. From now on I come to you as a devotee.”
The saints voluntarily take upon themselves the burden of their own initiated souls by the Law of Sympathy without a murmur of complaint. The Law of Nature must be compensated for in one form or another. At times, the Master allows his body to suffer in some slight measure which for an ordinary individual might have been a great travail.
The Master giving darshan from his veranda at the nursing home
After three days in the hospital the Master went on the veranda of his room to give his darshan to the many disciples downstairs longing to see him. His softly spoken message to them was conveyed to the crowds by his son Darshan:
I am pleased to see you all, and I thank those who have come from far distances. The sickness which was there has now been cured, and I thank Dr. Mahajan for his help. The remaining one percent adjustment is being made. My Hazur has accomplished a good deal of service through me up to now, and I can tell you there is much more yet to be done in the future. I request you all to lead a good life from now on – a chaste life – especially those who live in our ashrams. I know you try – but now really do it.
The Sunday after returning to the ashram, Sant Kirpal Singh said:
If you think I am ill, you should correct that thought at once. I am not ill; only the body has had to endure, and that endurance is nearly finished… -125-
The Master on his arrival back in the ashram following his operation. Standing with him are two of the nurses who served him at the hospital.
I have great love for you. I know you also have love for me, but perhaps you do not realize the extent of my love.