Sant Kirpal Singh Qogin, philosopher, writer, public figure in India, spiritual leader of Sant Mat. Date of Birth: 06.02.1894 Country: India

Biography of Sant Kirpal Singh

Sant Kirpal Singh Maharaj Ji was a yogi, philosopher, writer, and social activist from India. He is considered the spiritual successor of the teachings of Surat Shabd Yoga and Sant Mat. Sant Kirpal Singh was born on February 6, 1894, in a simple Sikh family in the suburb of Sayyad Kazran. He attended a Christian missionary school in Peshawar and developed an interest in esotericism during his childhood.

After completing his academic education, Kirpal Singh joined the Indian government and got married. However, he felt a deep longing for spiritual knowledge and began studying esoteric, philosophical, yogic, and religious literature. Despite studying sacred scriptures in English, Urdu, Hindi, Persian, and Punjabi, he felt a sense of emptiness.

In 1924, Kirpal Singh met his teacher, Baba Sawan Singh, in the city of Beas. Baba Sawan Singh accepted Kirpal Singh as his disciple and initiated him into Surat Shabd Yoga. For the next 24 years, Kirpal Singh balanced his spiritual discipleship with the responsibilities of being the head of his family and holding a high-ranking government position with hundreds of subordinates.

In 1946, Kirpal Singh retired from his government service and dedicated himself fully to the divine work entrusted to him by Sawan Singh. In the same year, Baba Sawan Singh passed away, and Kirpal Singh, devastated, went to Rishikesh. It was in the same year that Sant Kirpal Singh founded the Ruhani Satsang.

In 1951, he purchased a piece of land on the outskirts of Delhi and built the Sawan Ashram, named after his teacher. Sant Kirpal Singh made three trips to the United States, Europe, and Latin America in 1955, 1963-1964, and 1972, each lasting from four to six months. During his travels, he explained the profound principles of spiritual awakening according to various religious beliefs with ease and simplicity. As a result of these trips, hundreds of Europeans embraced meditation and a spiritual way of life.

Due to the universality of his teachings, Sant Kirpal Singh was unanimously elected as the President of the World Fellowship of Religions in 1957. He held this position for 15 years and convened four World Conferences. In 1963, during his second trip around the world, he met with various religious and national leaders, including Pope Paul VI, the Patriarch of the Eastern Orthodox Church, and many royal and state figures.

On August 26, 1972, Sant Kirpal Singh embarked on his third and final trip around the world, where he was greeted by massive crowds. He visited numerous cities in Europe and America and concluded his journey on December 31 in Rome. In India and during his international travels, Sant Kirpal Singh received numerous honorary titles, recognizing his contributions to the spiritual revival of humanity. He became the first non-Christian to be awarded the ancient Order of St. John of Jerusalem (Knights of Malta).

Sant Kirpal Singh taught the unity of all religions and the inherent right of every individual to attain self-realization and knowledge of God. He did not advocate a new faith but spent many years studying and comparing religions. With his theoretical and practical knowledge of spiritual practices, he provided the key to understanding the correct interpretation of sacred scriptures, often hidden behind ancient terms. In his books, he conducted a comparative study and demonstrated the common essence of all religions, citing quotes from sages and masters throughout history.

His main disciple to whom Sant Kirpal Singh passed on his teachings and knowledge of Surat Shabd Yoga was Sant Manavendra Singh Ji Maharaj. Although this fact is disputed by other disciples due to the lack of documentary evidence, Sant Kirpal Singh founded Ruhani Satsang in 1948.

In 1974, he organized the World Conference on Unity of Man, which was attended by thousands of official representatives and participants, including leaders from major religions and sects from the East and West. The conference aimed to foster harmonious relations between religions and deepen understanding of their common goal of directing humanity's attention towards God.

On April 12, 1974, Sant Kirpal Singh led the National Unity Conference at the Kumbh Mela in Haridwar, with the participation of many sages and spiritual leaders committed to working together to resolve religious disputes and improve the economic conditions of the poor in India.

In 1974, Sant Kirpal Singh was invited to address the members of the Lok Sabha, becoming the first spiritual leader to speak before the Indian Parliament in history.