E-mail David Christopher Lane
directly at dlane@weber.ucsd.edu
Author: David Christopher Lane Publisher: Garland Publishers Publication date: 1992
E-mail David Christopher Lane
directly at dlane@weber.ucsd.edu
I
want to go back to the home base now.
Appendix Two
BEAS GURUS AND BRANCHES
A Genealogical Glossary
JAIMAL SINGH "Babaji Maharaj" Ministry Dates: 1884 to 1903 [Although Jaimal Singh is reported to have started initiating at an earlier date, the names of his first initiates are not available] Guru: Shiv Dayal Singh Successors: Sawan Singh; Bagga Singh Center: Dera Baba Jaimal Singh, Beas Distinctions: Founder of the Beas lineage, the most popular Radhasoami group in the world. Sources: A Great Saint ; Spiritual Letters ; and Heaven On Earth .SAWAN SINGH "Great Master" Ministry Dates: 1903 to 1948 [Retired from Army service, however, in 1911, at which time he established residency at the Dera] Guru: Jaimal Singh Successors: Jagat Singh; Kirpal Singh; Pritam Das; Mastanaji of Baluchistan Center: Dera Baba Jaimal Singh, Beas Distinctions: Perhaps the most influential Radhasoami guru of the 20th century; responsible for developing the largest Radhasoami group in the world. Sources: Glimpses of the Great Master ; Heaven on Earth ; and Spiritual Gems .
JAGAT SINGH "Sardar Bahadur" Ministry Dates: 1948 to 1951 Guru: Sawan Singh Successors: Charan Singh Center: Dera Baba Jaimal Singh, Beas Distinctions: Shortest reign of the Beas gurus, and one of the shortest tenures of any master in Radhasoami history. Sources: Science of the Soul ; Heaven On Earth ; Treasure Beyond Measure .
CHARAN SINGH "Maharaj Ji" Ministry Dates: 1951 to 1990 [Started initiating in 1953] Guru: Sawan Singh Successors: Gurinder Singh Center: Dera Baba Jaimal Singh, Beas Distinctions: Initiated the largest number of seekers in the history of Radhasoami; one of the most popular gurus in Indian history. Sources: Treasure Beyond Measure ; The Living Master ; and Light on Sant Mat .
GURINDER SINGH "Maharaj Ji" (until 1995/96) ["Baba Ji" or "Master" since a new memo has come out] Ministry Dates: 1990 to present Guru: Charan Singh Successors: ? Center: Dera Baba Jaimal Singh, Beas Distinctions: Nephew of Charan Singh and great grandson of Sawan Singh; born on August 1, 1954, Gurinder is one of the youngest gurus in the Radhasoami tradition. Now heads the largest Radhasoami-related organization in history. Sources: Special issues of R.S. Greetings and Science of the Soul .
KIRPAL SINGH "Sant/Maharaj" Ministry Dates: 1948 to 1974 Guru: Sawan Singh Successors: Darshan Singh; Thakar Singh; Ajaib Singh; Judith Lamblion; Dr. Harbhajan Singh Center: Sawan Ashram, Shakti Nagar, Delhi Distinctions: Popularized Sant mat teachings in the West; chief split-off from the Beas line. Sources: Portrait of Perfection ; Ocean of Grace Divine ; and Crown of Life .
DARSHAN SINGH "Sant" Ministry Dates: 1974 to 1989 Guru: Sawan Singh Successors: Rajinder Singh Center: Sawan-Kirpal Mission, Vijay Nagar, Delhi Distinctions: Son of Kirpal Singh; accomplished Urdu poet; and founder of Sawan-Kirpal Mission. Sources: A Brief Biography of Darshan Singh ; The Beloved Master ; and The Secret of Secrets .
RAJINDER SINGH "Sant" Ministry Dates: 1989 to present Guru: Kirpal Singh Successors: ? Center: Delhi, India; Chicago, Illinois Distinctions: Eldest son of Darshan Singh; grandson of Kirpal Singh. Lived for almost two decades in the United States; divides his time between Delhi and Chicago. Sources: Sat Sandesh .
THAKAR SINGH "Sant" Ministry Dates: 1974 to present Guru: Kirpal Singh Successors: ? Center: Delhi; Chandigarh Distinctions: Infamous for his ethical transgressions; allegations against him include sexual molestation, systematic violence, and misuse of satsang funds. Sources: "A Brief Biography of Mine."
AJAIB SINGH "Sant Ji" Ministry Dates: 1974 to present Guru: Kirpal Singh Successors: ? Center: Sant Bani Ashram, Rajasthan Distinctions: Originally initiated by Charan Singh of Radhasoami Satsang Beas in 1953 but later denied it; popular successor to Kirpal Singh in the United States and South America. Sources: The Impact of a Saint by Russell Perkins; "Two Fools" by Richard Handel and Arran Stephens; and Support for the Shaken Sangat .
R. HARBHAJAN SINGH Ministry Dates: 1974 to ? Guru: Kirpal Singh Successors: ? Center: Amritsar Distinctions: Started to initiate new seekers into the path of Sant mat by means of tape-recorded initiation session of the late Kirpal Singh. Sources: David C. Lane, Radhasoami Mat .
[RUHANI SATSANG, INC.] "Divine Science of the Soul" Ministry Dates: 1974 to present Guru: Kirpal Singh Successors: ? Center: Anaheim, California Distinctions: Organizational board which does not formally endorse any guru as Kirpal Singh's rightful successor Sources: Correspondence with Ruhani Satsang, Inc., Anaheim, California.
BABA SOMANATH Ministry Dates: 1948 to 1975 [Apparently did not start initiating until the 1950's] Guru: Sawan Singh Successors: ? Center: Bombay; Bangalore Distinctions: Baba Somanath (1885-1976) conducted satsang and gave initiation in South India. He was initiated by Sawan Singh of Beas after having practiced kundalini yoga for many years. Sources: Christopher McMahon (American initiate).
PRITAM DAS Ministry Dates: Unclear Guru: Sawan Singh Successors: ? Center: Ujjain Distinctions: Former guru in his own right before resigning his post and receiving initiation from Sawan Singh of Beas. Sources: With a Great Master in India.
MASTANA OF BALUCHISTAN "Mastanaji" Ministry Dates: 1948 to early 1960's Guru: Sawan Singh Successors: Satnam Maharaj Center: Baluchistan Distinctions: It is not known when Mastanaji began giving initiation on his own, as he brought seekers to Jagat Singh at Radhasoami Satsang Beas after Sawan Singh's death. His initiates were primarily from his own district. He died in 1960. Sri Satnam Ji Maharaj served as Mastanaji's successor. The name of the group is Sacha Sauda and a number of Hindi books have been published by them. Sources: With the Three Masters (Volumes Two and Three).
BAGGA SINGH "Maharaj" Ministry Dates: 1903 to 1944 Guru: Jaimal Singh Successors: Deva Singh Center: Tarn Taran, Punjab Distinctions: Minority successor of Jaimal Singh; celibate; close association with Sawan Singh of Beas. Sources: Personal interviews with the Chawla Family, Orange County, 1988. With the Three Masters (Volume Two).
DEVA SINGH "Saint of Tarn Taran" Ministry Dates: 1944 to 1961 Guru: Bagga Singh Successors: Sadhu Singh; Partap Singh Center: Tarn Taran, Punjab Distinctions: Appointed by Sawan Singh of Radhasoami Satsang Beas in 1944. Sources: With the Three Masters (Volume One and Two)
PRATAP SINGH "Saint of Tarn Taran" Ministry Dates: 1961 to 1988 Guru: Bagga Singh Successors: Son (blood lineage) Center: Tarn Taran, Punjab Distinctions: Appointed after there was a political dispute over the selection of Sadhu Singh. Kept ties with Charan Singh of Radhasoami Satsang Beas. Sources: "The Enchanted Land" by David C. Lane.
SADHU SINGH "Maharaj" Ministry Dates: 1961 to Mid-1970's Guru: Bagga Singh Successors: Teja Singh Center: Firozpur Distinctions: First acknowledged successor of Deva Singh at Tarn Tarn; celibate. Sources: Personal interviews with the Chawla family.
TEJA SINGH "Maharaj" Ministry Dates: Mid-1970's to present Guru: Sadhu Singh Successors: ? Center: Firozpur, Punjab Distinctions: Waited almost a decade after his appointment in the mid-1970's to commence initiation. Sources: Interviews with the Chawla family.
GHARIB DAS "Garib" Ministry Dates: 1878 to 1917 Guru: Shiv Dayal Singh Successors: Ram Behari Lal Center: Sarai Rohilla, Delhi Distinctions: Least known of Shiv Dayal Singh's successors. A physically blind sadhu, who kept on friendly terms with Jaimal Singh. Sources: Agam Prasad Mathur, Radhasoami Faith ; The Way Out Is In by Ram Behari Lal; and Atma Gyan by Ram Behari Lal.
RAM BEHARI LAL Ministry Dates: 1917 to 1939 Guru: Gharib Das Successors: Gyan Das Center: Sarai Rohilla, Delhi Distinctions: Author of the English book, The Way Out Is In . Sources: The Way Out Is In ; and Atma Gyan .
GYAN DAS Ministry Dates: 1939 [though first appointed in 1932] to date not known. Guru: Ram Behari Lal? Successors: ? Center: Sarai Rohilla, Delhi Distinctions: Last living guru of the Sarai Rohilla line. Sources: Personal interviews with the temple mahant at Sarai Rohilla.
