Thursday, 1 November 2012

The Great Master

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Baba Sawan Singh
ReligionSant Mat, Radha Soami, Sikhism
Other name(s)Great Master
Bade Maharaji
Personal
BornJuly, 1858
Jatala, Punjab
DiedApril 2, 1948
Punjab India
Senior posting
Based inPunjab
TitleSant Satguru
Period in office1903 - 1948
PredecessorBaba Jaimal Singh
Baba Sawan Singh (1858–1948), also known as "The Great Master" or "Bade Maharaji" was an Indian Saint. He was the second Satguru of Radha Soami Satsang Beas (RSSB) from the death of Baba Jaimal Singh in 1903 until his own death on April 2, 1948.[1] Before he died he appointed Sardar Bahadur Jagat Singh as his spiritual successor at Beas.[2][3] Disciples of his who after his death have formed separate spiritual missions [4] include Sant Kirpal Singh, Baba Somanath, Pritam Das, Shah Mastana Ji [5] and Ishwar Puri.[6]


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[edit] Life

Sawan Singh Grewal was born into a Sikh family on 27 July 1858 in village Jatala, District Ludhiana. His father was Subedar Major Kabul Singh and his mother was Mata Jiwani. He was married to Mata Kishan Kaur and together they had three children. He passed Engineering from Thomson College, Roorkee and joined the Military Engineering Service. His bearing was majestic and attractive.
He studied scriptures of various religions but retained a strong connection with the Gurbani of the Sikh religion.[7]
He had contact with a mystic of Peshawar named Baba Kahan who he hoped to get initiation from but was refused:
"I associated with him for several months and during that time he showed supernatural powers on several occasions. When I asked him if he would shower grace upon me by initiating me, he answered: 'No, he is somebody else; I do not have your share.' I then asked him to tell me who that person was so that I could contact him. He replied: 'When the time comes, he will himself find you.'"[8]
Later when Sawan Singh was stationed at Murree, he met Sant Jaimal Singh, who said to his companion that he had come to initiate Sawan. After much arguing and discussion and several conferences with Jaimal Singh, Sawan became thoroughly convinced and received Initiation from Jaimal Singh on the 15th day of October, 1894. Sawan was very devoted to his master Jaimal Singh.
Sawan Singh retired in 1911 and developed Dera Baba Jaimal Singh (Beas) --the "camp of Baba Jaimal Singh" where Baba Jaimal had settled in 1891-- and built houses, bungalows and a Satsang Hall. Sawan sheltered victims of the communal holocaust of the Partition of India. His following included Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, and for the first time, thousands from abroad, the US, UK, Switzerland, Germany, including Dr. Julian Johnson and Dr. Pierre Schmidt. True to his name Sawan, the Season of Rain, he showered his Master's wealth freely.

[edit] Notes and references

  1. ^ Sondhi, S. L. (Ed.) (1981). Radha Soami Satsang Beas: Origin and growth. Dera Baba Jaimal Singh: Radha Soami Satsang Beas.
  2. ^ Radhasoami reality: the logic of a modern faith by Mark Jurgensmeyer. p.52. Princeton University Press, 1991
  3. ^ David lane. 'The Radhasoami tradition: A Critical History of Guru Successorship]' (1992). Garland Publishers, New York ISBN 0824052471[1]
  4. ^ Radhasoami Gurus (Beas). Appendix Two, Beas gurus and branches: A Genealogical Glossary. Author: David Christopher Lane. Publisher: Garland Publishers. Publication date: 1992 [2]
  5. ^ [3]
  6. ^ http://markkaz.com/ishwar/
  7. ^ Spiritual Gems, Letter No.1.
  8. ^ Spiritual Gems, Letter No.1.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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