Brief Life Sketch – Hazur Sawan Singh

Search for Truth

The different phases of the Master’s search after Truth make an inspiring narrative. The Child of Light wrapped up in the aura of cosmic consciousness, oblivious of His surroundings, radiated something of the Light and Glory that He was. A Sadhu passing by, who happened to see the child contentedly sucking His thumb, stood still and stared long at Him as one transfixed.

Then seeing the consternation at the face of the mother he said,

Forgive me for having a Darshan of the king of kings, the elect of God Who has come for the salvation of the human race. Look at the shining padam chakra on the sole of His feet. I have only one regret. The Great Saviour will not stay long with us.

The Sadhu bowed low at the child’s feet and went his way.

It is said that Baba Jaimal Singh, the Spiritual Preceptor of Hazur Sawan Singh Ji, transferred His own life to Him to enable Him to complete the great task entrusted to Him.

Love of solitude and meditation was ingrained in Him from His very childhood. He preferred to stay at Home than to go out with His playmates. From His parents He imbibed the qualities of contentment, forgiveness, humility, devotion and selfless service. He was singularly free from bigotry and dogmatism, which enabled Him to make a comparative study of scriptures of different religions with a necessary open mind. He gained a command over different languages – Hindi, English, Urdu, Persian and Punjabi and was able to study in depth religious literature of the Hindus like the Vedanta, the writings of the Sufi Saints of Persia in their original language and the sayings of Saints and sages of various religions. He had collected rare books on religion in His personal library, some of which were in the manuscript form. These books include literature on Pranami Mat and other religious sects and movements whose names even are known to few people. We find notings by Hazur in His own handwriting in all these books.

Parallel study in depth of different religions which was the first step in His search for Truth later helped to lay the foundations of His successful worldwide movement to bring together men of different religious persuasions on one common platform of Spirituality and invested His discourses with a rare power. In a few simple words He would sum up the whole substance of voluminous religious texts with such clarity that a child would understand the intricate problems of theology. By His discourses and books He proved and brought home the fact of the Unity of all religions. He proved that the basic teachings of all great religions were the same and that all Saints and Sages Who came, irrespective of the time and the religious formation They belonged to, gave out the same Truth.

Hazur met enlightened men, the sadhus and faqirs of different religious formations and orders during His search for Truth. During His two years stay at home He had the benefit of the society of Bhai Bhoop Singh, a Tyagi – a renunciant. Under his influence He used to think of renouncing the world and devoting Himself whole-heartedly to God-Realisation. But being the only son of His parents He felt that He owed a duty to them and one who shirks a duty cannot become complete. At Farrukhabad He used to hold discussions with various Sadhus particularly Bhai Nihal Singh Thohewale.

When He was posted at Peshawar Hazur used to visit Baba Kahan, a holy faqir. The God-intoxicated Baba did not like people to intrude upon his privacy and abused them and even threw stones to chase them away. But he welcomed Hazur with great affection and Hazur also used to take something, money or gift, for Baba Kahan.

One day Hazur asked him for the gift of Spirituality to which the Baba replied,

You will certainly have Spiritual Benediction from a perfect Saint in the fullness of time, but, not from me.

Whereupon Hazur enquired,

Where shall I search a person?

The Baba replied,

All your efforts to search Him shall be in vain. The Master will Himself find you at the appointed time.

During His tenure of government service He was sanctioned for a long time in the Murree Hills. There He resided near Bharpura Mal Dharamshala where Sadhus going on a pilgrimage to Amarnath caves used to stay. Hazur used to have discussions with these Sadhus and gained something from each one of them.