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SANT NIRANJAN SINGH JI PATIALA BY SURJIT KAUR
from http://www.niketan.com.my/

I, Surjit Kaur had his first "darshan" when Sant Ji came to perform the marriage ceremony of my younger sister. At that point, my father, the late Sardar Santokh Singh Ji, was the managing director of the State Bank of Patiala. Sant Ji came to our house on the 10th May 1958. Since then, by the Grace of Akal Purakh, I had been with him. I have thus witnessed him spending his whole life in the service of suffering mankind.

Sant Ji was a rare personality, unique in many ways. His very presence gave one a great sense of serenity; a quality which he seemed to radiate. While sitting in his presence there was no necessity for conversation; his holy presence by itself brought peace and tranquility.

The divine verses emanated from his lips melodiously and the Sangat listening to him was astonished and spellbound by his very melodious voice raining "Amrit" in the form of Gurbani. The penetrating 'pin-drop' silence invariably overwhelmed the audience whenever he performed the Katha to thousands of people gathered to listen to his priceless teachings on Guru Ji's way of life.

From his childhood Sant Ji became receptive to spiritual influences. At the age of seven he sought seclusion and would be alone for hours on end reciting the Gurbani. At such a young age he never failed to awake at 1.00 am and do kirtan until 4.00 am when he would break his fast by taking some curd. He was at Dam Dama Sahib for seven years from the age of seven doing kirtan daily at Amritvela. At the age of fourteen he came to Patiala and started the "Gurshabad Di Vichar" at Gurdwara Sahib Dukhniwaran (the historic temple of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji). Sant Ji commenced giving religious discourses (known as katha) for nearly half a century at Patiala and at other towns and cities in India.

Sant Ji traveled extensively over India and foreign countries such as Canada, USA, Singapore and Malaysia. He had spoken to eager audiences wherever he visited, and never failed to kindle the light of religion in many hearts.

He gave material help and spiritual comfort to those who came to him for help. He was indeed a picture of benign simplicity and disseminated love to one and all that came to him.

A great philosopher, a genius and a great thinker, he never failed to cast a spell on his audience whenever he spoke on any subject. Words came to him in effortless fluency, and he was extremely careful to weigh every word before uttering.

Sant Ji's mother and father: Sardar Isher Singh and Sardarni Mata Harnam Kaur Ji were real spiritual guides and teachers to Sant Ji during his childhood and adulthood. His mother was a very generous and kind-hearted soul - a pillar of help to Sant Ji.

Sant Ji received his early education from Baba Gopal Singh Ji, the Head Priest (Granthi) of Gurdwara Sahib, Sulisar and continued his education at Guru Ki Kashi at Dam Dama Sahib. When he was four years old he was blessed by the great saint of Kalyug, His Holiness Sant Attar Singh Ji of Mastuana Sahib, Sant Attar Singh Ji told Baba Ji's mother that her young child would become a Brahmgiani one day.

He had his education of "Dasam Granth" from Giani Sahib Singh Ji and his Sanskrit education from Pandit Kartar Singh Ji. During his childhood Sant Ji was blessed by Sant Gulab Singh Ji, Sant Nand Singh Ji of Patiala, Sant Nand Singh Ji of Kalera, Sant Jawala Singh Ji of Harkowal and Sant Teja Singh Ji. They not only blessed him but also commented that such a soul is very rarely born on this earth.

Whenever he gave his discourses, mute wonder lurked in the hearts of his listeners at the sweetness of his gentle words. At that juncture he seemed to have arisen from his centered consciousness to the Divine plane of the Self. He expounded the Guru's words in such a way as to move the heart of each and every one of his listeners.

Sant Ji had a thoroughly grounded knowledge of the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, the Islamic Koran, The Bible, the Vedas, the Puranas and the teachings of Gautama Buddha, to name some. Great men like Sant Ji do not have to preach; their very presence open their hearts to others and, in doing so, give their innermost experiences. In Sant Ji's holy presence one would feel at peace and at ease.

Sant Ji had the knack of making you feel that you are the focus of his attention and love. His heart emanated loving kindness to all. His image lingers in one's mind after coming away from his divine presence.

When anyone of his loved ones should fall ill, or was in pain and in distress; he suffered more than they did, as if he was taking their difficulties and ailments upon himself.

His touch was healing; it cooled the fevered brains of his devotees, and his words of love and hope poured balm on the suffering souls. Despite helping the needy, Sant Ji still asked himself whether he was competent and qualified enough to render the healing touch and to impart the Divine message of God's Grace to the suffering humanity. Sant Ji used to question himself as to whether he was worthy of the trust and the love, which his people placed in him.

There was complete unanimity in his thoughts, words and deeds. He possessed a lovable and affectionate nature. Truthfulness, honesty, sincerity, love and devotion were the inherent traits of his personality. He had a very sympathetic and tender heart.

He always tried to console the hearts of the aggrieved people and attended to their problems with love and affection. People afflicted with worldly or spiritual problems never hesitated to seek solace and peace of the mind in Sant Ji's company.

The uniqueness of Sant Ji's personality was that he was a learned scholar, a very good speaker, and a man of great mystic vision. Therefore, his conception of God was not merely a scholarly presentation or an outcome of logical reasoning but it was the expression of his profound divine meditation and intuition.

Sant Ji was a great humanist. The entire mission of his life was to remove the pain and miseries of the suffering humanity and to provide man with vigor and energy with which to face the ordeals of a practical life. To lead a life of peace, progress and solace in this material world, and also in the hereafter, is the summum bonum of every human aspiration.

To be able to attain this cherished goal Sant Ji prescribed the following three paths:- 1) The path of Spiritual Knowledge; 2) The path of self discipline; 3) The path of love.

He himself was a great lover of knowledge. It was his firm conviction that without knowledge it is a very difficult task to discipline the self. Spiritual knowledge is a divine gift for the individual. Man should harness all efforts to gain divine knowledge and to realize the Self.

Extracts from a very important speech given by Sant Giani Naranjan Singh Ji at Nanak Mata on the 28th of February 1971 was recorded by me at that time.

In that speech Sant Ji, for the first time, mentioned about Sant Attar Singh Ji's Brahm Vidya Niketan. It was his vision that this Brahm Vidyala would be an example before the world and would ultimately produce high spiritual souls. Sant Ji further says in his speech that the concept of Brahm Vidya Niketan is the Voice from the Court or "Dargah" of the Lord to the Sangat of the world, for the betterment of mankind, suffering from spiritual darkness.