Saturday 9 December 2017
Beas Satsang Schedule 2018
| Month | Place | Day | Date | Time |
| FEBRUARY | Beas | Sunday | 11, 18 & 25 | 10:00 |
| MARCH | Beas | Sunday | 18, 25 | 09:00 |
| APRIL | Beas | Sunday | 1 | 09:00 |
| MAY | Beas | Sunday | 13, 20 & 27 | 08:30 |
| JULY | Beas | Sunday | 1 | 09:00 |
| SEPTEMBER | Beas | Sunday | 2, 9 & 16 | 08:30 |
| OCTOBER | Beas | Sunday | 14, 21 & 28 | 09:00 |
| DECEMBER | Beas | Sunday | 2, 9 & 16 | 10:00 |
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India Satsang Tour Schedule 2018
| Month | Place | Date | Day | Time |
| JANUARY 2018 | Raipur | 20 & 21 | Sat & Sun | 09:30 |
| Biaora (M.P) | 23 & 24 | Tue & Wed | 09:30 | |
| Indore | 27 & 28 | Sat & Sun | 09:30 | |
| FEBRUARY | Hyderabad | 3 & 4 | Sat & Sun | 09:30 |
| Saharanpur | 6 & 7 | Tue & Wed | 10:00 | |
| MARCH | Jammu | 3 & 4 | Sat & Sun | 10:00 |
| Mumbai | 6 & 7 | Tue & Wed | 09:30 | |
| Delhi | 9, 10 & 11 | Fri, Sat & Sun | 09:00 | |
| Jamshedpur | 13 & 14 | Tue & Wed | 09:30 | |
| MAY | Paror | 5 & 6 | Sat & Sun | 09:30 |
| JUNE | Solan | 2 & 3 | Sat & Sun | 10:00 |
| AUGUST | Bengaluru | 18 & 19 | Sat & Sun | 09:30 |
| SEPTEMBER | Delhi | 21, 22 & 23 | Fri, Sat & Sun | 09:00 |
| NOVEMBER | Rudrapur | 3 & 4 | Sat & Sun | 10:00 |
| Lucknow | 6 & 7 | Tue & Wed | 10:00 | |
| Nagpur | 10 & 11 | Sat & Sun | 09:30 | |
| Sikanderpur | 17 & 18 | Sat & Sun | 10:00 | |
| Delhi | 23, 24 & 25 | Fri, Sat & Sun | 09:00 | |
| Suratgarh | 27 & 28 | Tue & Wed | 10:00 | |
| DECEMBER | Jaipur | 22 & 23 | Sat & Sun | 10:00 |
| Ahmedabad | 25 & 26 | Tue & Wed | 10:00 | |
| Mumbai | 28, 29 & 30 | Fri, Sat & Sun | 09:30 | |
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Baba Jaimal Singh ji (1839–1903)
Baba Jaimal Singh , popularly called "Baba Ji Maharaj", was a Punjabi who became a disciple of Soami Shiv Dayal (the Sant Mat saint of Agra and founder of the Radha Soami spiritual movement). He served as a soldier (sepoy) in the British Indian Army attaining the rank of Havildar. After retirement he settled in a desolate and isolated spot outside the town of Beas (in undivided Punjab, now east Punjab) and became a spiritual teacher. The place came to be called Dera Baba Jaimal Singh, and is now the world centre of the Radha Soami Satsang Beas organization.
Baba Jaimal Singh was the first chief of Radha Soami Satsang Beas until his death in 1903. Baba Jaimal Singh granted his Will to Baba Sawan Singh and ordered him to succeed as the second RSSB Chief.
Baba Jaimal Singh was born July 1839 in the village of Lath Ghuman (Ghoman), near Batala, District Gurdaspur, undivided Puñjab, undivided India. His parents were Jodh Singh, a farmer, and Daya Kaur. His mother Daya Kaur was a devotee of Bhagat Namdev, and from the age of four Jaimal started visiting the local shrine dedicated to the memory of Namdev.
At the age of five Jaimal started his education with Baba Khem Singh, a Vedanti sage. Within two years Jaimal had become a good reader of the Guru Granth Sahib and also read the Dasam Granth.
At the ages of 12–13, he understood that the Guru Granth Sahib rejected Pranayama, Hatha yoga, Japa, places of pilgrimage, fasting and rituals as means to finding The One God described by Guru Nanak. Jaimal came to the conclusion that he had to find a master who practiced the meditation on the Anhad Shabad, the Inner Sound.
He especially wanted a master who could explain the Guru Granth Sahib's reference to the Panch Shabd, the Five Sounds. One such phrase is one from Guru Nanak:
- Ghar meh ghar daykhaa-ay day-ay so satgur purakh sujaan. Panch sabad Dhunikaar Dhun tah baajai sabad neesaan.
- The True Guru, the All-knowing, Primal Being shows us our true home within the home of the self. The Five Primal Sounds resonate and resound within; the insignia of the Primal Sound is revealed there, vibrating gloriously.[1]
Between the ages of 15 to 17, Jaimal Singh undertook an arduous journey through North India on a lengthy quest for a teacher, having had decided at age 14 that he needed to find a Master of the Panch Shabd. In 1856, his travels culminated in Agra at the feet of his master "Soami" Shiv Dayal Singh who initiated him into the Practice of the Five Sounds.
After his initiation, Jaimal Singh was set on becoming a sadhu and devoting his attention full-time to abhyas (spiritual practice). His guru, however, told him that the followers of the Sant tradition earned their own living. Jaimal, on the other hand, had no inclination to follow his family tradition of farming since it would entail taking a wife. Hence, Shiv Dayal advised the teenaged Jaimal to join the Army.
Ministry
In October 1877, Shiv Dayal Singh instructed Baba Jaimal Singh to start preaching and initiating the holy Naam in Punjab and to spread it to all over the world, as the essence of Surat Shabd Yoga had been forgotten.
Jaimal Singh left the Army on June 7, 1889 and retired to his village. Later he built a hut at the village of Bal Saran on the banks of the river Beas, Puñjab, and started living there. This place is now known as Radha Soami Satsang Beas. On a visit to Mari Pahar, now in Pakistan, Jaimal Singh initiated Baba Sawan Singh, a military engineer, who eventually became his successor.
After his retirement from the government, Baba Jaimal Singh spent the rest of his life in the service of disciples and followers who came to his dera. He died on December 29, 1903.
Teachings
Jaimal Singh's teachings were those of his master who taught the need for a living spiritual guide, adept in the practise of the Naam or Inner Sound principle. Having practiced many different sadhna / sadhana / sadhan during his youth, Jaimal Singh was able to describe the merits and shortcomings of the various yogic methods in relation to Surat Shabd Yoga, the practice which he learned from his master.
Some excerpts from his teachings:
Suffering and troubles are blessings in disguise, for they are ordained by the Lord. If our benefit lies in pain, He sends pain; if in pleasure, He sends pleasure. Pleasures and pains are tests of our strength, and if one does not waver or deflect, then the Almighty blesses such souls with Naam (or Shabd).
What the Lord considers best, He is doing. Do not bring yourself into the picture. Live by the words of the Master, and continue performing your earthly duties. When the fruit is ripe, it will fall of its own accord without injury to itself or the bearing branch. But if we pluck the unripe fruit forcibly from off the tree, the branch is injured and the raw fruit shrivels and is of little use. Meeting a competent Master is the fulfillment of human birth: this is the fruit of life. To live by His commandments insures its proper nurture. Daily Simran and Bhajan, to the maximum possible, are the best food and nourishment, and mergence with Shabd is its ripening and falling off.
Suffering and troubles are blessings in disguise, for they are ordained by the Lord. If our benefit lies in pain, He sends pain; if in pleasure, He sends pleasure. Pleasures and pains are tests of our strength, and if one does not waver or deflect, then the Almighty blesses such souls with Naam (or Shabd).
What the Lord considers best, He is doing. Do not bring yourself into the picture. Live by the words of the Master, and continue performing your earthly duties. When the fruit is ripe, it will fall of its own accord without injury to itself or the bearing branch. But if we pluck the unripe fruit forcibly from off the tree, the branch is injured and the raw fruit shrivels and is of little use. Meeting a competent Master is the fulfillment of human birth: this is the fruit of life. To live by His commandments insures its proper nurture. Daily Simran and Bhajan, to the maximum possible, are the best food and nourishment, and mergence with Shabd is its ripening and falling off.
Baba Sawan Singh Grewal (1858–1948)
Baba Sawan Singh Grewal 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.
Before he died, he granted his Will to Sardar Bahadur Jagat Singh and appointed him as his spiritual successor.
Disciples of his who after his death have formed separate spiritual missions include Sant Kirpal Singh, Baba Somanath, Pritam Das and Mastana Balochistani.
Life
Hazur Maharaj 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 Thomason College, Roorkee and joined the Military Engineering Service.
Hazur Maharaj 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 Thomason College, Roorkee and joined the Military Engineering Service.
He studied scriptures of various religions but retained a strong connection with the Gurbani of the Sikh religion.
He had contact with a mystic of Peshawar named Baba Kaahan who he hoped to get initiation from but was refused:
He had contact with a mystic of Peshawar named Baba Kaahan 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.'"
Later when Maharaj Sawan Singh was stationed at Murree, he met Baba Jaimal Singh, who said to his companion that he had come to initiate Sawan. After much arguing and discussion and several conferences with Baba Jaimal Singh, Hazur Maharaj Saawan Singh became thoroughly convinced and received Initiation from Baba Jaimal Singh on the 15th day of October, 1894.
Hazur Maharaj Saawan 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. Hazur Maharaj Saawan Singh 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 Julian Johnson and Pierre Schmidt.
Sardar Bahadur Jagat Singh (1884-1951)
Baba Jagat Singh called Sardar Bahadur Jagat Singh, was a college chemistry professor, a disciple of Hazur Maharaj Sawan Singh, and finally the third Master of Radha Soami Satsang Beas. Remembered as quiet, inconspicuous, and unassuming, he was called "the perfect disciple."
Background
Spiritual Path
On 28 December 1910 he was initiated into the Mystic Practice of Surat Shabd Yoga or Nam Bhakti by Hazur Maharaj Sawan Singh. Throughout his service he made it a point to spend most of his weekends with his guru Hazur Maharaj Sawan Singh at the Dera. After his retirement in 1943, he spent most of his time in meditation and Shabd Abhyas (Practice).
Demise
He died on the morning of 23 October 1951.
Maharaj Charan Singh Ji Grewal (1916–1990)
Sant Charan Singh Ji Grewal (1916–1990) was the fourth chief of Radha Soami Satsang Beas. He became chief in 1951 following the death of Sardar Bahadur Ji Maharaj Jagat Singh, and served the Beas sangat until his death at the age of 73. Before his appointment as successor he practiced law in Hisar and Sirsa. He was an initiate of Baba Sawan Singh (who was his paternal grandfather) and he was the successor of Sardar Bahadur Jagat Singh. His own successor and the present Chief of RSSB is Baba Gurinder Singh Dhillon, his nephew.
The Philosophy of Radha Soami Satsang Beas
The Beas branch of Radha Soami gurus teach a spiritual philosophy they say is based on the teachings of mystics from all religions. Their headquarters have been at Dera Baba Jaimal Singh, near Beas in the Amritsar district of northern India since 1891. Radha Soami Satsang Beas, with centres located worldwide, is a registered non-profit, charitable society, independent of any political or commercial affiliations. ]
AncestorsThe Beas branch of Radha Soami gurus teach a spiritual philosophy they say is based on the teachings of mystics from all religions. Their headquarters have been at Dera Baba Jaimal Singh, near Beas in the Amritsar district of northern India since 1891. Radha Soami Satsang Beas, with centres located worldwide, is a registered non-profit, charitable society, independent of any political or commercial affiliations. ]
- S.Harbans Singh Grewal (Father)
- Baba Sawan Singh Ji (Grandfather)
- S.Kabal Singh Grewal Ji (Great grandfather)
- S.Sher Singh Ji (Great great grandfather )
Baba Gurinder Singh Ji Dhillon (1990–Present)
Personal History
Gurinder Singh ji was born August 1, 1954, into a family of the Dhillon clan who were followers of the Radha Soami Satsang Beas.
He was educated at the Lawrence School, Sanawar, in the Shimla Hills of Himachal Pradesh and obtained his bachelor's degree in Commerce from Punjab University, Chandigarh. He was in Spain working before coming back to India to accept his nomination as the next spiritual head of RSSB in 1990. He lives off his own income and in keeping with the policy for all volunteers (sevadars), he does not receive any money or honorarium from the society.
Philosophy and teachings
RSSB is a philosophical organization based on the spiritual teachings and dedicated to a process of inner development under the guidance of a spiritual teacher.
There is a spiritual purpose to human life is a central belief – to experience the divinity of God within all of us. In the Indian language, Radha Soami means ‘lord of the soul’ (radha = soul; swami = lord,) satsang describes a group that seeks truth, and Beas refers to the town near which the main center is located in northern India. There are a number of other contemporary movements that use the name ‘Radha Soami’ but Radha Soami Satsang Beas is not associated with any of them.
RSSB was established in India in 1891 and gradually began spreading to other countries in the mid 20th century. Today RSSB holds meetings in more than 90 countries worldwide. It is a registered non-profit society with no affiliation to any political or commercial organizations.
The philosophy teaches a personal path of spiritual development which includes a lacto-vegetarian diet, abstinence from intoxicants, alcohol and mind-altering drugs, a moral way of life and the practice of daily meditation. There are no rituals, ceremonies, hierarchies or mandatory contributions, nor are there compulsory gatherings. Members need not give up their cultural identity or religious preference to follow this path.
The meditation method imparted at the time of initiation is known as Surat Shabd Yoga and is practiced according to the living master instructions. It is a solitary practice where the disciple concentrates within with eyes closed, usually sitting cross-legged or any other comfortable position, and performs simran: repeating the five holy names (which may be looked upon as a 'mantra'). This is followed by bhajan: an attempt by the disciple to listen to the divine Sound or 'Word' (also known as Shabd) within. Both these practices form the complete method of meditation as prescribed by Surat Shabd Yoga within Sant Mat.
Spiritual Discourses
RSSB’s main centre, Dera Baba Jaimal Singh (or simply the ‘Dera’), is named after its founder who settled there in the late 1800s, and is located in Beas, Punjab. Since the Dera is the home of the spiritual leader of the organization, large crowds visit on specially designated weekends to hear Singh's discourses. He also gives satsang at other major centers of RSSB in India. He goes on tour to the various RSSB centers outside of India during the months of April–August. This is for the benefit of the disciples that do not have the opportunity to travel to India.
Radha Soami ji
About Radha Soami Beas
RSSB’s main centre is Dera Baba Jaimal Singh, named after its founder who settled there in the late 1800’s. Located in Punjab, India, the ‘Dera’ is a self-contained community with both administrative and residential facilities. Although the centres throughout the world are affiliated with RSSB India, each country's administration is autonomous, with a Board of Management that operates under a standard constitution modified to comply with local laws and conditions. Administration is handled entirely by volunteers, and operations are funded through unsolicited donations. The organization does not engage in any fundraising activities.
There are more than 5,000 RSSB centres throughout India, and internationally RSSB-affiliated organizations hold meetings in more than 90 countries. Meetings are held in rented halls, community centres or RSSB-owned properties. The purpose of these gatherings is to explain the RSSB philosophy. The meetings are non-denominational and open to the public. No fees are charged and there is no advertising or proselytizing.
RSSB has a publishing department that has produced more than 70 original titles on spirituality. Volunteers have translated a large selection of these books into 35 languages. A 20,000 square-metre library at the main centre in India will eventually house a collection of nearly 500,000 volumes concentrating on world religions, mysticism, philosophy and related subjects. The library will be open to scholars and researchers of all faiths.
In order to consolidate RSSB’s medical outreach and health initiatives, it has set up a sister organization, the Maharaj Jagat Singh Medical Relief Society, which operates three rural charitable hospitals: in Beas, Punjab; Sikanderpur, Haryana; and in Bhota, Himachal Pradesh. All three hospitals function as primary care facilities with fully functioning medical departments such as: ophthalmology, orthopaedics, gynaecology & obstetrics, ENT, surgery & anaesthesia, paediatrics, radiology, and dental. All medical services, including medicine and in-patient care are provided free of charge. The Beas Hospital is the largest hospital with 260 beds and treats on average 1,200 patients each day through its Outpatient Department (OPD). The Sikanderpur Hospital has 50 beds, the Bhota Hospital has 75 beds, and each treats about 450 patients each day through their Outpatient Departments. The large number of OPD patients is a reflection of the limited number of medical facilities in these rural farming communities. No distinction is made as to the background of the patients, either in regard to their economic status, social standing, or religious affiliation.
While the focus of the path is spiritual, centred on an internal meditation practice, at the same time members are encouraged to volunteer their free time in seva (service), voluntary service to others regardless of religion, caste or colour. In this context, RSSB has supported disaster relief efforts in a number of emergency situations, building multi-purpose community shelters and housing. These include the Gujarat earthquake of 2000, the Kashmir earthquake of 2005, Leh cloudbursts and landslides of 2010, and the Nepal earthquake of 2015.
The Main Centre
Dera Baba Jaimal Singh is a mini-township with 7,000 residents. Since the Dera is the home of the spiritual leader of the organization, large crowds visit on specially designated weekends to hear his discourses. These crowds average between 200,000 to 500,000 people depending on the season. The administration has become highly skilled in managing and providing facilities for large numbers of people on a short-term basis.
The Main Centre
Dera Baba Jaimal Singh is a mini-township with 7,000 residents. Since the Dera is the home of the spiritual leader of the organization, large crowds visit on specially designated weekends to hear his discourses. These crowds average between 200,000 to 500,000 people depending on the season. The administration has become highly skilled in managing and providing facilities for large numbers of people on a short-term basis.
The Satsang Venue
In order to provide a sheltered satsang venue for these gatherings, the Dera’s engineering department has constructed one of the largest covered structures in Asia, designed and fabricated on site using a lightweight space-frame technology. The roof provides a covered area where up to 500,000 people can be seated, and which can easily be expanded as the need arises. A computerized digital audio system was specially designed for the venue to provide the best possible sound for such a challenging environment.
FoodIn order to provide a sheltered satsang venue for these gatherings, the Dera’s engineering department has constructed one of the largest covered structures in Asia, designed and fabricated on site using a lightweight space-frame technology. The roof provides a covered area where up to 500,000 people can be seated, and which can easily be expanded as the need arises. A computerized digital audio system was specially designed for the venue to provide the best possible sound for such a challenging environment.
To feed the visitors three meals a day, several approaches are taken. The langar (a place where food is served free of charge) is the primary means. The free langar complex covers over 48 acres and operates around the clock. Capable of feeding up to 300,000 people per meal, 50,000 in a single sitting, it has a mostly volunteer staff who prepare and serve simple but nourishing food suitable to local tastes. As an example, the langar annually cooks more than 350,000 kilos of rice and uses more than 2.6 million kilos of wheat to make the traditional flat breads. Meals are also served at canteens and snack bars at a nominal price.
Shelter
The colony is visited by people from around the world and all walks of life. To provide temporary accommodations for everyone, a variety of facilities are offered, all free of charge. There are a number of guest hostels with individual rooms and attached baths, hostels with dormitory-style rooms, and other large buildings to house visitors.
The Community
The Dera seeks to be as self-sufficient and environmentally friendly as possible. Every year thousands of trees are planted. Many lawns and parks beautify the colony and provide space for visitors and residents to rest and relax. More than 1,250 acres of land are cultivated for growing vegetables and fruits that are used in the langar and by Dera residents. Organic farming methods are being adapted to local conditions. The Dera has its own water supply, water treatment plant and solid waste treatment facility. It has its own electrical sub-station and large electrical generator back-up facility to supply emergency power to the whole community. In addition, the Dera generates 19.5 megawatts (peak) electricity from photovoltaic (solar) panels mounted on the rooftops of eight large sheds.
The Pathseekers School is a recent project established for the benefit of the children of Dera residents and the staffs of the Dera and Beas hospitals. It currently serves approximately 850 students from the primary to secondary levels. The school is professionally run and equipped with up-to-date laboratories and computers, and offers a full range of arts, sports and academic programs. The students receive a well-rounded education – up to India’s Certified Board Education standard.
