The last Days of Hazur

IN 1949, one year after the passing of Baba Sawan Singh, his spiritual son and successor, the living Master Kirpal Singh, published in English and Hindi the small pamphlet, “A brief life sketch of Baba Sawan Singh Ji Maharaj.” This was the first published writing of the Master under his own name, and it has been in print ever since. The following excerpts represent only a small portion of the entire booklet, including most of the narrative relating to the final months of Hazur’s life.

Throughout Hazur’s lifetime, he left no stone unturned for reforming and improving the angle of vision of the masses. In spite of His attaining the age of 90, he set aside all his bodily comforts and stubbornly devoted 18 out of 24 hours of the day in the service of humanity and thus afforded spiritual satisfaction to every aspirant both publicly and in seclusion.

physical structure composed of flesh, blood and bones, like any machinery can only work up to a limited extent. The result of this carelessness toward his bodily rest, and consistent hard labor, came to be that His physical framework could not endure the burden of weariness anymore; and on continued requests and entreaties from almost every individual , Hazur yielded to their prayers and was inclined to take rest and seek medical advice. Accordingly in September 1947, he came to Amritsar for medical treatment; but before leaving the Dera (Dera Baba Jaimal Singh in Beas, Hazur’s Headquarters) a managing committee for management of Dera affairs was constituted there.

His health improved a little at Amritsar, but became worse on October 4, 1947, at 7 o’clock, he called me. when I was present in His august presence, he said, “Kirpal Singh! I have allotted all other work but have not entrusted my task of Naam-Initiation and spiritual work to anyone. That I confer on you today so that this holy sacred science may flourish.”

Hearing this, my eyes were filled with tears, and afflicted as I was, I beseeched: “Hazur! The peace and security that I have in sitting at thy feet here cannot be had in higher planes..” My heart was filled with anguish, I could not speak any more and sat staring – Hazur encouraging and caressing me all the time.

After this whenever I had the honor to be in seclusion with Hazur, he talked about the interior affairs of Dera and instructed me how to act when He departed forever. 

During the days of His confinement on the bed of sickness ( in the last days of February, 1948) one day Hazur inquired: “How many souls have been initiated by me?”

Registers were consulted and after counting was finished, Hazur was replied, “Up to now, about 150,000 souls have been awakened by Hazur.” Hazur said, “All right.”

The same day in the evening when I was with him, Hazur said:
“Kirpal Singh! I have done half of your work and have given Naam to over one and a half lakhs persons; and the rest you have to accomplish.”

I, with folded hands and faltering words, said: “Hazur….it will be as Hazur orders……but…….I have a request………I wish that this last half of the work may also be finished by Hazur…..we will dance as Hazur will make us Dance…..I wish Hazur may remain with us and sit only watching and all orders will be complied with in Hazur’s presence.”

Hazur silently lay gazing at me.

In those very days, one night Hazur, mentioning His inner esoteric experiences, remarked:
“The sun has risen high. Can the people of Jullunder also see this sun?”

The relatives and friends sitting nearby were ignorant of this secret expression. The opinion of the doctor in charge was also, like other beside Him, that Hazurs brain was not working properly on account of his illness.

A little later, at night when I went to him, Hazur repeated the same question, addressing me:
“Kirpal Singh! The sun has risen high. Can the people of Jullunder also see this sun?”

I replied, “Yes, Hazur, the sun has risen high – and not only the people of Jullunder, but also those living in England or America who will traverse to inner planes can see this sun.”

Hazur said, “You have correctly answered my question.”

Again one day the Master spoke thus:
“I am not tied to one or any particular place. The Saints who come commissioned from above tell the world of the true path, and those who come seeking true knowledge are informed of the way to meet God . worldly people in order to meet their worldly needs gather round them and use them as a means of earning a livelihood . when such wealth is accumulated in abundance, a number out of them turn out to be worshippers of Mammon, whose lust can never be satisfied. When such circumstances are created, Saints withdraw from such a place. The souls of sincere seekers after Truth cannot get any solace from such a place. Such places then become the seat of mahants and gaddi-nashins. True Saints are not fastened to any religious sect or dress. They are free personalities. They are neither a party to one not a foe to the other. They impart the true lesson as to how to reach God. those who apply themselves to the spiritual practices in their company will succeed while the others who keep aloof and far away from them remain unlucky.”

On another occasion, Hazur said : “Kirpal Singh ! The people will flock to the place where they will find the riches of Naam. What have you to gain from Dera ? You better leave Dera. When Baba Ji came from Agra,* he brought with him neither money nor followers. He fetched within Him only His Guru, and through His blessing the present Dera came into existence….
Keep on impressing the need of spiritual practices on the need of spiritual practices on the entire sangat (following ) and go on doing Satsang . The souls are getting help from within and will continue to get it. You obey the orders of your Guru . If an obedient wife acts according to the people call her bad names , let them do so . You have to carry on the mission under the orders of your Master . Do not care if Mrs. . Grundy grunts. Tell everybody to do abhyas fondly and invert within to reach the astral form of the Master.”
Thereafter, whenever during Hazur’s lifetime I had an opportunity to go to Him , He talked on the subject of propagating spirituality and gave necessary instructions regarding its real shape , significance and basic fundamentals. 
Consequently , during Hazur’s lifetime and in sitrict conformity with His wishes, in November 1947 , a proposal for “ spiritual Satsang” was laid before Him, the main objects of which were solely the ethical and spiritual benefit of mankind in general ,irrespective of caste, color or creed. This was heartily appreciated by Hazur, who said: “I’m wholly and solely at one with thee in this endeavor,” and directed me to give practical shape to the scheme. It is therefore due to his blessing alone that Ruhani Satsang (i.e. spiritual Satsang) today is working successfully in and outside. The sole objective of this Satsang is to present spirituality to mankind in general in a lucid scientific form. The subjects of purification, knowledge of self, and knowledge of God are being dealt with practically so that people of different castes and creeds – living in their own circles – are being benefited thereby. Old followers (those initiated by Hazur) as well as new ones are deriving benefit from this science and every day’s spiritual experience of both of them plainly show that Hazur Maharaj sahib is helping them with His hidden Hand far more forcefully than ever. 

Such ever-living personalities are personified specimens of self-sacrifice. Even during His confinement to bed – not caring for His tender health – Hazur continued to quench the thirst of those thirsty for spiritual guidance and teachings. Besides the outer help there was inner guidance also, to its fullest extent. Such Master souls are mere human beings to our eyes but in reality are the unseen supreme Power, clothed in body, that works unfettered Beyond the limits of the body also.

During Hazur’s illness, when he was unable to change his sides unaided, many strange incidents came to light. even then He helped individuals outwardly as well as guided them on higher spiritual planes.

In the opinion of the doctors, he was suffering from tumor of the bladder. All possible medical aid was rendered but to no avail.

The subject of the illness of Saints is perplexing. The fact of it is this illness of Hazur was the result of the weight of our Karmic debts, of the deeply heaved sighs and tears of those afflicted amongst us.

Our dealing of Saints also get the best example of exalted human standard of living and character. They voluntarily take upon themselves the burden of their own initiated soul without a murmur or word of complaint, and this becomes their usual task.

Every day Hazur grew weaker and weaken in the body, from the night of March 29, 1948, to the morning of April 1, unusual restlessness and visible “fluttering” was seen visiting His physical frame. This symptom was also created for putting to test those surrounding Him.

Throughout the period of His illness, Hazur said many times: “If a person proficient in Bhajan and Simran sits by me, I feel comforted and relieved. Therefore those who come to me or sit near me should do Simran.” 

Accordingly, at the time of appearance of this symptom of fluttering of the body. Hazur again spoke several times in these words:

“If the person who has to do the work of spirituality after I depart, comes and sits by me, my trouble will be gone.”

To comply with this (evidently the last wish of Hazur came and sat in the Bhajan and Simran one by one, by Hazur’s bed – side, but there was no relief whatever in the fluttering symptom of Hazur’s body.

On the morning of April 1, 1948, it was extremely benevolent of Hazur to afford a chance to this humble servant – of course through the assistance of a lady in nursing service of Hazur – to be by the side of the Master, in seclusion, for about ten or fifteen minutes. At that time with a heavy heart I sat near his bed and prayed to Hazur:
“Master ! Thou art above body and bodily influences , unconcerned with comforts and helpless beings are afflicted hard and cannot endure the sight of Hazur’s thus suffering bodily. Thou hast all powers. We would be extremely grateful if Hazur very graciously removes this indication of disease on His body.” 
It is true that prayer succeeds where all other human efforts fail . Hazur with His utmost benevolence accepted this prayer. 
After the prayer, when I opened my eyes , Hazur’s body was in a state of perfect repose. Hazur’s forehead was shining resplendently. He opened his mercies showering lovely eyes intoxicated in God divine love and caste a glance at my humble self, both eyes gleaming with radiance like a Lions eye. I bowed my head in solemn and silent adoration and said; “it is all Hazur’s own benignity.”

Hazur kept steadily gazing for three or four minutes into my eyes, and my eyes, in solemn wonder, experienced and indescribable delight which infused a beverage like intoxication down to the remotest pores of my entire body – such as was never before experienced in my whole life. Then those mercies showering eyes closed, and not to open again. 

Thus in his ninetieth year, on the morning of April 2nd, 1948 at 8.30, this brilliant sun of spirituality, after diffusing his light of in the hearts of millions of his children, disappeared to rest below the horizon at Dera Baba Jaimal Singh. 

This untimely passing away of our beloved Master was an irreparable loss… for all of us who received benefit from the … existence of His August self … but those who during his life time, restricted their intercourse with that emperor of Saints to the physical plane envy, and never witnessed his glory and greatness on the astral and other inner planes with their own eyes, are feeling the poignant pangs of separation the most. Those, however, who had a good fortune to meet him on inner planes while he was in the physical body are comparatively less tormented, for they can even now rise at will to that mightiest of the mightiest and seek solace by talking to him. Blessed indeed are such souls, because through them are still communicated the requests and messages of other disciples and adhyasis to Hazur and in response Hazur orders to them.

Though Hazur has separated from us physically yet in reality he is not far away. That Power is immortal and indestructible and is still is supervising the actions and guiding those initiated by him …. 

It is therefore clear that for those approximately 150000 initiated by Hazur, the guiding Master in Hazur himself. Consequently all this should engage themselves in Bhajan and Simran with full faith, confidence, trust and Dhyan of Hazur alone. All this shall be looked ultimately by the same form of Hazur. That immortal messenger of our future betterment is continuously watching and superintending us each moment. Many disciples of Hazur are getting his darshan within, and those who are thus blessed are mitigating their sorrows by talking – far more freely than ever before – face to face with him. We too, if we divert our attention from this mortal world and worldly connections and turn to him, then Hazur with his illimitable kindness will – and there is no doubt about it – appear to bestow His darshan and, and enveloping us in the circle of his radiance, take us along to place us at the feet of long loved Lord.

Let us raise our hands in prayer that Fountainhead of all peace and comfort may grant patience to all those of us left behind, and inspire us with courage and strength to enable us to fly to Hazur in higher spiritual regions, to talk to him and to place our head at his feet.

KIRPAL SINGH 

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