Abhinandan Patra
presented to
His Holiness Sant Kirpal Singh Ji Maharaj
Founder, Ruhani Satsang & Manav Kendra on the auspicious occasion of his 80th Birth Anniversary
at Vigyan Bhavan on the 7th February, 1973
By Raja Mahendra Pratap Ji on behalf of Heads of different faiths, social organisations and devotees
Gracious Master!
We greet Thee on this auspicious occasion of Thy 80th Birthday which also marks the 25th anniversary of Thy ministry on earth as Sant Satguru, the True Master, fulfilling the Divine Mission of Thy Great Master, Hazur Baba Sawan Singh Ji Maharaj, of bringing all mankind together in one common fold of Spirituality. And as we look around we see the fruits of Thy ceaseless labour of Love, the Ruhani Satsang, founded 25 years ago and now spread all over the world, giving out Thy gift of Life and Light to all seekers of Truth, whoever they be, wherever they be, opening the door to all that knock; its sister organisation, the Manav Kendra – man centre –, a mighty edifice raised by Thee for the unity and service of man, which celebrates its third anniversary today. The occasion gains added significance in that it affords us all here assembled, belonging to different faiths and strata of society – to bring together whom you have done so much – an opportunity to publicly felicitate and greet Thee on the triumphant completion of Thy Third World Tour which, with the two preceding it, has brought about a welcome transformation in human thought and endeavour.
In the present fragmented world where a mad lust for domination, mutual bickerings and dissensions have made the situation so fissionable and the holocaust of thermonuclear war threatens the very annihilation of mankind, Thou art a great solace to all, revealing the Divinity of soul and kindling in us the fond desire for Love and Unity. Indeed, we greet in Thee, oh Holy Saint, a Living Embodiment of the Highest Traditions of nobility and magnanimity, self-purification, simplicity and service of mankind. Besides, Thy deep and wide Love which envelops all men of all creeds and which represents the quintessence of the best doctrines and philosophies.
Ruhani Satsang, which has grown into a world centre of Spiritual Effulgence and the Manav Kendra are among the best institutions working for bringing about harmony among different cultures and understanding environmental needs for man’s Spiritual Growth. The hopes and wishes of our worthy Prime Minister, Shrimati Indira Gandhi, who in her message wished ‘this exciting Project to become a centre of light and peace’ are finding their fruition in the tremendous work being done at the Kendra.
The Kendra does not impart the empty and dreary education of textbooks which brings dissociation of head and heart; it rather imprints on the mind of every inquisitor that the end of knowledge is service. We know that a man may read a thousand textbooks, yet be no better than a boor; so herein lies the need for institutions like Ruhani Satsang and Manav Kendra. Perhaps when Al-Ghazali, a man of scholarship and meditation, said that ‘knowledge without action is insanity, and the noblest action is service’; and when Shil Bhadra, the head of Nalanda University, replied to Huen Tsang’s question, ‘What is knowledge?’ that, ‘Knowledge is perception of the principles or laws of life, and the best principle of life is fellow-feeling, sharing with others what you have,’ they had such institutions as Ruhani Satsang and Manav Kendra in mind. Very aptly did our respected Rastrapati, Dr V. V. Giri, during his visit to the Kendra at Dehradun, describe the work being done at the Centre as God’s work.
Illustrious Master!
We revere Thee for the gift of Spirituality that Thou givest so freely, and the message of Peace and Unity, Love and Truth spread by Thee all over the world through sermons, books and periodicals which have been translated into various languages of the world, and Spiritual Discourses, mass meditation sittings, copious correspondence and world tours, reaching out to all seekers of Truth. Linked with the Word Eternal and endowed with Cosmic Consciousness. Thou hast spread the gospel of the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man to the earthbound millions. By Thy very presence and Divine Touch thousands are immersed in rapt contemplation and are shown the Light of God within, giving clear evidence of the True Master.
On this sacred occasion when we are honouring Thy birthday we feel that thousands of people throughout the world rejoice with us at the realisation that the Great Master is still incarnate, still a source of Light, in the lengthening shadows of the Iron Age, heralding the advent of halcyon days.
We pray to God and to Thee to carry on this beneficence till the end of time, for the Eternal Good of humanity.
Muni Shushil Kumar Ji
Jain Muni; Sponsor, World Fellowship of Religions
Maha Mandleshwar Swami Ved Vyasanand
Sanatanist Leader; President, Rishikul
Mahatma Anand Swami Saraswati
Leader, Arya Samaj
Mufti Atikul Rehman Usmani
Former President, Jamiat-ulama-i-Hind
Shri B.D. Dastoor
Parsee Leader
Mohammed Yusuf Mir
Jamait Islam-i-Hind
Amar Nath Sharma
Ruhani Satsang
Satguru Jagjit Singh Ji Maharaj
Head of the Namdhari Faith
Rev. Kushak Bakula, M.P.
Buddhist Leader; Head Lama, Ladakh
Pir Zamin Nizami Bukhari
Sajjadahnashin, Dargah Hazrat Nizammuddin Aulia
Rev. Padri Abdul Huq
Christian Leader
R.N. Shah
Secretary, National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahai’s of India
Dr D.P. Pandey
Director, Manav Bharati
Shri H.K.L. Bhagat, M.P.
Vice-President, All India Pranami Parishad
Bakshi Jagdev Singh
Chairman, Sikh Brotherhood International
Chanda Singh (Malaysia)
Srimati Har Devi
Vice-Chairman, Manav Kendra
T.S. Khanna (United States)
Reno H. Sirrine (United Stares)
Lucille Gunn (United States)
Arran Stephens (Canada)
Olga Donenberg (United States)
Mrs Bianca Fitting (Germany)
Nana-Kow Bondzie (Ghana)
Sant Singh (London)
Edna Shinerock (Canada)
Russell Perkins (United States)
Jerry A. Turk (United States)
Dr John Lovelace (United States)
Dr M.M. Chopra (Convenor)