About Kirpal Singh

Kirpal Singh was one of those blessed souls who are spiritually commissioned to fulfil the purpose of God the Father on earth. 

Kirpal Singh was born in a simple rural household in Sayyad Kasran in the Punjab – then in India, now in Pakistan – on February 6, 1894. From His early years, He displayed a notable zeal for solving the mystery of life. Soon after the completion of His academic preparation, He decided that for Him: 

God comes first and the world comes next.

After meeting Master Sawan Singh physically in 1924 and receiving initiation, He gave Himself up heart and soul to the service of His Master. Kirpal Singh retired from service in the government of India in 1946, and from then on devoted Himself exclusively to the Divine Tasks entrusted to Him by His Master. Sawan Singh Ji Maharaj cast off His earthly frame in 1948. From that time until 21 August, 1974, when He Himself left the physical body. Kirpal Singh displayed an equally keen solicitude for the execution of the duties of the Spiritual Commission of Mastership granted to Him by His Master for the Spiritual Benefit of all mankind. 

Kirpal Singh founded Ruhani Satsang in 1948, and then built Sawan Ashram – after His Master’s name – in Delhi in 1951. During His span of earth-life as spiritually commissioned Master from 2 April 1948 until 21 August 1974, Kirpal Singh put hundreds of thousands of aspirants on the Spiritual Path within, both in the East and in the West. He wrote a number of books in English and in Punjabi on the various aspects of Spirituality. These books have subsequently been translated into Hindi, Urdu, French, German, Spanish, Greek, and several other languages. Kirpal Singh undertook three extensive world tours in 1955, 1963–64, and again in 1972, each lasting from four to six months. These tours brought about a new Spiritual Awakening in the countries in which He visited in Europe, and in North and South America. 

Elected as President of the World Fellowship of Religions for fourteen years, Kirpal Singh served for four consecutive terms. Four conferences of the World Fellowship of Religions (WFR) were held: in 1957, in Delhi; in 1960, in Calcutta; in 1965, in Delhi; and again, in 1970, in Delhi. The work attendant to the organisation and arrangement for these conferences was managed by Kirpal Singh. Delegates attended these various WFR Conferences from the major religions and sects in the East and in the West, with the aim of developing more harmonious relations with each other and developing a greater understanding of their mutual work to turn the attention of all men to God. In India, and during His tours abroad, a number of honours were bestowed upon Kirpal Singh in recognition of His efforts on behalf of all mankind. For instance, He was the first non-Christian to be honoured with the ancient chivalric Order of St John of Jerusalem, Knights of Malta.

Kirpal Singh was the founder and president of Manav Kendra¹ – or Man Centre –, which was set up near Dehra Dun in India, to serve as an operational model to all the world over of the practical principles of Man-making, Man-service, and Landservice. 

While living a life of signal simplicity in a manner completely consistent with His teachings, Kirpal Singh was always accessible to the humblest seekers after Truth, no matter how busy He was in other affairs. His life was integral to His teachings in all aspects, for what He taught was more than a system of philosophy – it was a way of life leading to expedient Spiritual Emancipation. The validity of this way of life manifested itself in the life of Kirpal Singh and in the beneficial experiences of His disciples.

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Footnote: 1) During His physical soujourn, Kirpal Singh has found two Manav Kendras which were all under construction. It should have been four Manav Kendras, one for each direction. The Manav Kendras should connect Spiritual Education and development to human beings with practical aspects such as comparative religious studies, open kitchen, school, hospital, rest home and own farming. The first Manav Kendra was finalised in Dehra Dun, the second was currently under construction at that time. The third was established in 1973 and it is the still active project Kirpal Sagar. Nowadays, this project does not fulfil the function, which was originally intended, anymore. Instead of that, it has become a collecting basin of people who love to carry out hidden rituals and to act outwardly. The construction of the fourth Manav Kendra never materialised.