Glimpses of the Past

Reminiscences of Darshan Singh, as reconstructed from an incomplete tape by people who were there

Shortly after the ending of the Unity of Man Conference – on Saturday night, 16^th February 1971 – a sweet gathering was held at Sawan Ashram on the porch of Master’s house. Called a sevadars’ tea party, it was a sort of special Satsang for those dear ones who had worked so hard to make the Conference a success. Master sat on a couch and lovingly presided over the proceedings, while each of the sevadars who wished to, got up and spoke what was in his heart. Finally, Master also spoke, very lovingly, in Hindi, to close the meeting; after which tea and sweets were served to all present, including a number of Western devotees who were specially invited.

For those of us who understood only English, the highlight of the evening was when Darshan Singh, the Master’s son, stood up and told stories of the past, when he was a boy and the Master was a young man. He began by mentioning how Master always had been, even then, to His family members and all who knew Him, ‘an example of True Love, of selfless Love.’

He spoke of an incident which took place in the year 1930, when he was in his teens and Master in His thirties. He said he returned home from school one afternoon to find the Master in the company of an old man and carrying a box on His – the Master’s – head. The box, it turned out, was the old man’s luggage; and the old man ‘had taught our Master when He was a student. That old man stayed with us for about a fortnight; Master would attend to him personally from dawn to dusk. In the morning, you know, He would take out water with His own hands – we had a hand pump – for the teacher’s bath; then He would go with him throughout the day, and accompany him wherever he wanted to go.’

Eventually, Darshan said, Master arranged for the old man – who had fallen on hard times – to get a fresh start and another chance in life.

Then he spoke of the formation of the Sawan Service League¹:

We formed the Sawan Service League in Beas, under the guidance of Baba Sawan Singh Ji Maharaj. We were seven young members of that blessed league. And Oberoi², he used to be a little kid and he used to help us in our assignments at that time. You know, we carried on all the work under the benign guidance of our present Master. And one thing, you know, that He emphasised with us – because we were very young at that time – He would always emphasise the point of humility.

He said,

Whenever you are serving you should be humble, and it will attract the attention of all those who come in contact with you.

He said,

Here you are serving as a messenger of good will of Hazur Maharaj Ji, and you must radiate His teachings. You must get it in yourself and then pass it on to others so that they see an example; then they come nearer to the Master’s Feet.

And He had a high sense of duty. I remember when my little sister was six months old, she died. The same morning Master had to go to Amritsar for a Satsang. So Master left her at home, and asked Dalip Singh to carry the dead body of the girl to the cremation place; and He went and held Satsang.

Again on one occasion, I was physical ill – I was about sixteen years old – and the doctor said that from the medical point of view there was no hope for my life. Master had to go to Amritsar³.

So Master left me in that condition and went to Amritsar for the Satsang. From Amritsar the Master thought that since He had come all the way to Beas, He should go and have darshan of Hazur Maharaj Ji there; and He would come back later. Of course, when He went there and Hazur asked Him about me, He told Him I was in this state; He said,

Why, I don’t have to worry about it; whatever burden is there I have just given to You.

And Hazur accepted that burden; and I recovered.

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Footnotes: 1) The Sawan Service League was formed for the purpose of finding out persons who were in need of help and giving them what they needed. The members, who included S. Charan Singh of Beas, served under the guidance of Kirpal Singh, Who was appointed advisor to the group by Baba Sawan Singh. 2) Avtar Singh Oberoi, a cousin of Darshan’s and somewhat younger, who is now a tireless worker in Master’s cause. 3) To hold Satsang under His Master’s orders.