10 December - Birth Anniversary Of Dr Harbhajan Singh

Birth Anniversary of Dr Harbhajan Singh December 10, 2009

My birthday is linked with all of you. If you are happy, if you are sincere to the Master, and if we all live loveably – this credits the Master. Dr Harbhajan Singh

Unity of Man – Sant Kirpal Singh

www.kirpalsingh-mission.org

Master’s Messenger Bhaji had a very fine way to explain the theory of Master’s teaching. When people were tied with attachment and doubts, He could bring them to His holy teaching, he told what the true purpose of life was and could bring them again inside. Bhaji felt it his duty, which was given by Master. Surinder Kaur

Unity of Man is not even an organization; in very simple words, Unity of Man means: a group of conscious people. Sant Kirpal Singh said, “I want to give my work into the hands of conscious people.” Harbhajan Singh

Unity of Man In His last circular under the title “On the Unity of Man” , dated 15 May, 1974, Sant Kirpal Singh laid down a guideline for His further work. According to Sant Kirpal Singh’s instructions, Bhaji continued His work under the name of “Unity of Man”.

The so-called worldwide campaign for Unity of Man is not intended to affect the existing social and religious orders in any manner. In fact, each one has to continue to work for the uplift of man in its own way. Additionally, this campaign has to carry the clarion call of Unity of Man to as large a mass of humanity through its own vehicle as it can, so that the message cuts across the barriers of misunderstanding and mutual distrust and strikes home to every human heart. This campaign has to be carried out not by intellectual wrestling, but with optimum desire and anxiety to put the Unity of Man into practice so that it becomes a real living force. The method of propagation has to be by self-discipline and self-example rather than by declarations and proclamations.

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It would be prudent to say that the campaign for Unity of Man has to be carried out above the level of religions without in any way affecting any religious or social orders. It has to obtain in practice the blessings and support of all those who believe in the Gospel of Unity of Man, and give its strength by taking this Gospel to every human heart and convincing them of the need of its acceptance in daily life. It will neither be tagged with Ruhani Satsang nor with any other similar organisation. The enthusiasm of its admirers will be the real force working behind the campaign. Extract of the circular of Sant Kirpal Singh

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People ask me, “What is your position?” My Master is the competent Master, He is the king beyond all kingdoms, and I am a borrowed servant of Him.” Harbhajan Singh

The First Visit to Germany As Master had said in Amritsar, “We will start our work from West Germany,” in 1976, Bhaji and Biji made their first Western tour to Germany

Since it was known that Bhaji had been with Master at His physical departure, many asked him about Master’s commandments and His future Mission. Bhaji conveyed Master’s instructions and in countless heart-to-heart talks and lectures he cleared everything in detail. He did not only speak about Master’s guarantee, his words proved true. Whenever Initiation was given, people got inner experiences as at the time of Sant Kirpal Singh. In the beginning when I told that Master had said we would start our work from Germany, everyone laughed at me. They said, “It is not a new thing over there. Master has a lot of Centres in the West, especially in Germany.” They never knew that after Master the work would re-start from there. Now they say that I was right.

but this is all from the Master. He may withdraw it or He may leave it with me, I am always thankful to Him. In any way my wish is that my brothers and sisters should also become like our Master. They should be aware of the Master. They should know about the competency of the Master – that is sufficient. That is my subject. If they know my Master, I am very happy. I am not in the field for any reason of my own. Whatever I have learned from my Master, I give to all – He showed us our contact, and through His grace we knew that this contact cannot break. He is the Supreme, if He does H.S. something, it will remain. In the beginning there were few co-workers, but soon in several places regular Satsangs took place and Satsang groups came up, the first in 1976, in a rented farmhouse called “Kirpal House” near Traunstein. This house was renovated and used regularly for Satsangs and also for Initiation.

People ask me, “What is your position?” Very clearcut I would tell you – my position always remains one and the same: My Master is the competent Master, He is the King beyond all kingdoms, and I am a borrowed servant of Him. He is within and outside also, and He is guiding me all the times. It is His Although the telephone and mail connection was very grace. This has nothing to do with my competency, difficult at that time, and Bhaji could only come one

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Dr. Harbhajan Singh and his wife Surinder Kaur with disciples from Germany, 1977

or two times a year, the work in the West and in India continued in one opinion, and there was a close connection. Often it happened that letters arrived from the Western disciples expressing the same ideas as just discussed in India. People wondered if Bhaji maybe made phone calls there over night. Despite of the distance, people still managed to work in harmony and unity. Bhaji also in agreement said, “Hearts always remain very close – if we really love the Masterpower; truth and love have no barrier.”

One lady from Germany was with Bhaji and Biji in India. She asked Bhaji if she could write to him, when after returning home she had a question. Bhaji agreed, saying that she would get surely answer to any of her questions from inside. Later in the West she told Bhaji that she had really started to write letters on several occasions, but without finishing she each time had received the answer she was looking for from within. She was not the only one who experienced that Bhaji’s words came true, that if one really cries from the heart, the Masterpower is responding.

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From 1976 till 1995 Bhaji visited the European countries nearly every year and most of the time Biji accompanied him. Out of the innumerable talks and

Satsangs only some extracts can be given here and we cannot describe all the unforgettable times when Bhaji spoke about Master.

Left: Dr. Harbhajan Singh with his wife in Fuschl am See, Austria, 1978 Above: With disciples after Satsang in Landshut, Germany, 1980

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Extension of the Work At the begin of the eighties the first lectures in the West were organized on behalf of Unity of Man

A Unity of Man Conference took place in München in September 1981, and a lecture series in Salzburg, October 1981, with which the extension of the work in the West started. I have come over here not to preach any ism or sect as we already declared, but I have come over here to tell about the highest teaching which Christ, Guru Nanak, Kabir, and in this time Sant Kirpal Singh laid

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stress on. He gave the practical experience thereof. God does not live anywhere in the churches, temples or in the mosques, but He lives in the true temple of this human body. We have this connection right from the time we came into this world and still this continues with us. It is very important to know first about that very Power, the Christpower, MasterpowHarbhajan Singh, Salzburg 1981 er, Godpower.

Left: During the lecture in Salzburg Above right: Unity of Man Conference, München, 4-6 September, 1981 Centre right: Dr. Harbhajan Singh in the Centre at St. Gilgen, 9 September, 1981 Below right: Unity of Man bus for lecture tours

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The Centre for the West This rented building in St. Gilgen, Austria served as Centre in the eighties

Above left: Main building Below left: Residential building Above right: During Satsang, 1984

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In the beginning of 1980, a little house in Austria, St. Gilgen, Brunnleitweg, served as our Centre until a bigger place could be rented in the same village. It was established as the main Centre for the West in 1981. This Centre consisted of two buildings which were connected by a courtyard. In the main building the upper part was used for the Centre. It had a large Satsangroom, accommodations for

guests and a printing press. Here in 1983, the first edition of the regularly issued brochure “Sayings of Sant Kirpal Singh” was printed and distributed free of charge. The other building served as residential building, with further accommodations for guests. There Bhaji and Biji used to dwell during their stays.

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At the end of the dining room, there was a fairly large sitting area with a green L-shaped sofa, which we lovingly called “the Green Corner”. This was like a spontaneous meeting point, where we often had question and answer talks with Bhaji and Biji. They also liked coming to this area and talking about their time with Master and we felt very close to them by the way Bhaji was able to bring to life these moments; he was able to bring Master into our hearts with the same passion

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he felt. The way we shared our relationship with Bhaji was special – he was speaking to us at our level as a friend, and yet kept Master as his focal point. He could quite easily treat us like his companions, yet we also very well knew he was of a higher virtue and respected him for that. Above: Green Corner Right: In the dining room

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To know ourselves you may call meditation. To help others in spiritual matter that is Mission. From the spiritual point of view: If you help someone, it credits the Master. In that way you improve yourselves a lot. You are going to publish all these books for mankind – that is Mission. You let others know what is what (help or hindrance on the way) – that is Mission. You support those who want Initiation – that is Mission. You pick up the virtue or goodness of a person and you try to improve him from within and do not criticize him – that is Mission. You love all – that is Mission. Harbhajan Singh

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During Dr. Harbhajan Singh’s summer visit in 1986, whenever he could spare some time, he used to sit in the courtyard writing about different aspects of the higher values of life. Some extracts are given below.

Forgiveness There are two forces in the world, one is justice the other one is forgiveness. Justice is a good thing in the world, but what forgiveness can bring about in the world, justice cannot do. If punishment is always the only solution for the sinner, the sin and the sinners cannot finish in the world. You cannot wash blood with blood. If we demand justice, justice gives the punishment for the sin done. The sinner surrenders to the punishment, but from within he develops hate for the one who made him punish through justice. During punishment, his tendency of hate develops more and continually gets stronger and (turns into) revenge. Whenever he meets or comes across the person concerned, he radiates thoughts of revenge. Forgiveness is a gift from God. This arises from the core of the heart. The qualities of forgiveness, if developed, work wonder in the world and in the heart of the sinner.

together. Taking revenge in the world has murdered humanity, civilizations and the innocent. Every action has its reaction. Your thoughts are very potent. You create a loveable thought, it creates a loveable reaction. You create a respectful attitude, there will be respectful feeling everywhere. How does it work? Your thoughts are very potent and are further modified with your loveable efforts. If we sow the seeds of love, we will have a tree of love where in abundance flowers of compassion with beautiful charm and smell will bloom out and will produce enough healthy and energetic fruits. If out of fear and revenge we sow thorny bushes, we should never hope to pluck bundles of grapes from there. In the same way, you cannot hope ever to create woollen or silken cloth out of rayon. If you determine that you won’t think evil of anybody throughout your life, you become the abode of love and contentment. If you happen to come across a sinner, or a sinner happens to come across you, the sinner at once will begin to shed off his sins out of a sudden change. Sometimes the sinner gets emotional and cries out of the love and devotion which spark out of your personality. The Master always remains the central figure (outstanding example) of that phenomenon.

By forgiving, the poison of revenge dilutes and does not kill the man, and the feeling of revenge flies away. The forgiver becomes the abode of love, happiness, humility and contentment. He can cross over thousand problems by his developed virtues and remains stable and broad-hearted throughout. If you are in the process of revenge, this continues both ways (reciprocally) and grows more and more. It always gives uneasy and painful reactions. If in between you create the feeling of forgiveness, the same feeling reacts To forgive and forget is easy for those who have all viron the other side. If it is put into practice, the strong tues in them. They are soft-hearted and broad-minded. and overcrowded black clouds of bad thoughts with- They have fear and respect of God all the time. er away in no time. Both sides emerge and feel the reaction of the steady and calm moon and the hope We are bound with Pralabdh Karmas and certainly of the sun which once for all dispels the darkness of have to finish them. Masters say you can make them hatred and revenge. Instead, a respectful friendship soft and easy-going by regular devotion and love. continues to develop. Forgiveness has the qualities Devotion and love give birth to humility and humilnot to look back to revenge. The two cannot exist ity to forgiveness. During life time, you are involved

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in severe problems. This law of humility and forgiveness works wonderfully. Otherwise you cannot get rid of the reaction. Humility does not know who is offensive and who is defendant, who is sinner and who is innocent. Forgiveness washes away the dirt of the sinner and reminds him of the right way of life, whereas it gives a tremendous boost of vibration of love to the innocent. To forgive is the act of brave persons in the world. This has never been the work of weak and unstable persons. A brave person is always happy and contented, whereas even in good atmosphere, a weak person remains half-hearted. Where there is forgiveness, there the forces of love surround the atmosphere like the honey bees surrounding the honey place. After forgiving and forgetting, nobody wants to leave the other. They always want to see each other, want to talk loveably and exchange loveable thoughts. They even feel shy to remember the sin and the revenge. The sin and the revenge fly away and are not to be seen thereafter. They are completely washed from the atmosphere. Kabir Sahib says, “Everywhere everyone demands goodness.” Goodness is the reflection of forgiveness. By forgiving, the fire of anger begins to extinguish. There is no other way to make it cool. By cementing the forgiveness in the heart, wrath runs away permanently and you get rid of the ego as well. To ‘forgive and forget’ is the heritage of the Saints alone and of those who follow the words of the Saints.

Illusion and Ignorance All human beings are miserably attached to the world and find no way to get rid of its effect, like a wall which does not leave the picture painted thereon. In this struggle, man wishes something, but something else happens. The binding factors go side by side. We do everything beforehand to obtain peace and make efforts to avert pain. We only pay attention when pain happens. The whole world, poor or rich,

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or king, are like beggars; but no one knows how to part with. The whole world is proud of falsehood, not knowing that it is not more than a dream. This world is like a show staged in a dream which ends in a moment. Some attain their purpose and meet Master, others go in separation. Due to Pralabdh Karmas, we meet and separate one after another. Where are our brothers and friends? See with open eyes: some have already gone, some are ready to leave. O man, take it as guaranteed that all you own and love in this world is not yours! In both ways you are the loser. You suffer. Either these (things) leave you, or you leave these things. There is no doer in the world except God Himself. He Himself is everywhere and acts everywhere and through all. If we understood this very secret, we would prefer to be the mouth-piece of God. He is pervading everywhere. He is all-consciousness, and the essence of all-consciousness is love. He Himself is love and spreads love everywhere. The other aspect of the same power is His play. Out of this play man entangles himself into the strong net of coming and going. When his mind compels him not to accept the play in full, man accepts the play which is only in his favour. This is ignorance. With ignorance one loses the merits and collects demerits. If it is removed by the grace of God, man sees through his own eyes: He is the only doer, he sees that He is the fisherman, the fish, the ocean and the net Himself. He Himself is the metal ball of the net and the bait. He is the tank and He is the swan. He Himself is the bride and the bride-groom. He is the father, He is the mother. He is the son, He is the wife. We differentiate and so we create attachment against love and reality. We do not see the reality. We create artificiality according to our attachment. In both ways man suffers. And knowing not the reality, one is miserably in attachment. The reaction of the worldly attachment is never love. Instead there is lust, wrath, avarice, worldly love and ego. Five demons bring a lot of wealth in form of diseases, and a stream of fire begins to flow inside. Just to hide away these shortcomings and dirt, man begins to decorate outwardly and becomes slave of the man-made remedies. Man

Original handwritten manuscript by Dr. Harbhajan Singh about “Forgiveness”

becomes the slave to self-created problems. He does not take the artificial things as such, but takes them as true. This is illusion. Illusion demerits the soul and the soul loses its power. Being weak, he takes most of the things beyond his power, and when he sees these things partially or wholly done (by another one), he takes it as super-natural. Man is bound in chains of illusion. Illusion creates fear. Out of fear, the attention is fixed to illusion – see the condition

of a dreaded person. The whole world is afraid of its own feelings. This is illusion. Doing the temporal or the worldly affairs without the proper guidance or realization, is to lose the worth of human life. Some rare persons understand the reality at once, others cry afterwards. There may be many problems in your life, but there is always a definite hope, if you take the advantange of His presence.

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St. Gilgen – Headquarters for the West As more and more people started coming to the Centre, we realized we had to think about getting bigger premises. In 1987 a beautiful house in St. Gilgen, Steinklüftstraße 34, could be bought. It is located near the lake Wolfgangsee, Austria.

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Master saw our love and blessed us with His Centre in St. Gilgen. He sees the heart and the wish of the child and also gives the way. When His colour was growing so much, He gave us the Centre, which we could afford. Harbhajan Singh

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Left and right: During renovation

Under Construction It first seemed impossible for us to afford a house for a Centre here, but then we found a suitable property. As it was in a desolate condition, we were able to purchase it, and with the help of all, it was repaired and renovated. We always felt the nearness of the real owner of the house. Like all other Centres of Unity of Man, it is a place that does not belong to any individual, but is kept as an open house for all who search for spirituality. Bhaji simply expressed: “It is the house of your Father.”

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Through working together we learnt it was possible to work in harmony on a spiritual level though people of all walks of life met each other. Bhaji said about this time: Did you think it would be possible for you to do all those things? In the beginning you claimed, since it was not so easy to buy such a big place, that a good place was very costly. But when you decided, Master gave you help. It was not difficult, everything came itself. In the beginning I said, “Master doesn’t need your money. Master needs

you. If you come, you give everything to Him.” Master needs your heart, Master needs you. Others, they need money, they don’t need you. This Centre which is being built – to whom does it belong? It belongs also to all those who have still to come into the world. The souls, which are gifted by God, will certainly come here. They will bow down their head here, because they will experience what we are experiencing. Some even will experience much more.

Now this grace is growing more and more. Whatever you could do, it was your own commitment, you could do it for the Master, and you did it wholly and solely. Your attention worked with Master’s Mission, and really you could do a lot. It was Master’s wish to create a Centre in the West.

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On the foundation day – the day we took possession of the Centre – Master blessed us with His shower. Then Bhaji said, “Now we have got at least one Centre.”  Master answered, “Thousands of Centres will come up.” Surinder Kaur

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Room for Satsang and meditation, 1987

Rooms and Facilities On 21 August, 1987, the first Satsang was held in the new Centre. When Bhaji came from India in December he spoke in his first Satsang:

and what we have done for others. Everyone does for himself, but who does for others?

I think and I feel also that you have all love and deIt was always Master’s wish to have a Centre be- votion for Master, and you felt His vibration. Master longing to Unity of Man, and you have made it so gave bread and water of life to anyone who worked beautiful. You did a lot of work, it is a selfless service. there. This type of service, earned by the disciple at Now you know, so many benefits are there in selfless any time in his lifetime, is a big heritage in itself. Few service, and you can be proud of what you did in the years before some of our brothers and sisters asked us, name of your Master. It is a blessing from Him – love “Is this vibration, which we always felt whenever we from Him. One thing more: You have sympathy with visited India, possible here or not?” We said, “Yes, it is each other. It is all through devotion. With devotion possible here, but how is it possible?” You have done it you did each and everything. The vibration which is practically! This year when we came in the month of here, you felt, you feel, and you will go on feeling. You March, we also felt that vibration. We are seeing the know, Sant Kirpal Singh has taught us a lot of things, physical world with the physical eyes, and we cannot but have we done something practically? When peo- differentiate. Not merely by opening the Third Eye, ple see something practically done by you, they are but out of His vibration and radiation one starts to always happy. Practice pays. Theories are taught eve- feel His presence – He is here. H.S. rywhere. People like to see how much we have done,

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You are seeing this place (the Centre), it is created by you, by the grace of the Master. You find solace, comfort and you are getting good ideas from here. All your questions, all your querries are answered here. You carry vibration with you, that helps you everywhere. Satsang is a hedge against lots of negative factors. For this purpose one must wait till the weekend to meet. When you sit together, lots of problems are automatically off. Christ said, “Where more than two sit in my name– there I am.” Master says that it is beyond praise, where people sit in His sweet remembrance, where people sit in His name, where people decide about their future: to live for others, to forget their old problems and surrender to the Masterpower. Harbhajan Singh

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Right: Guest room Below: Meeting room

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Tapes and videos recorded at the time of Sant Kirpal Singh and during Lectures and Satsangs of Dr. Harbhajan Singh and Mrs. Surinder Kaur are archived and brought to modern standard. They are the basis for the literature published by Unity of Man. To provide brochures and books free of cost, the Centre was equipped with a printing press. Volunteer workers help in translating and printing. The brochure “Sayings of Sant Kirpal Singh” is sent all over the world.

Left: Office and Print office Below: Audio- and Video archive

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Reverend Haack from the Protestant Church was a known specialist for all kinds of religious and spiritual groups. On 7 October, 1989, he accepted an invitation to visit our Centre. Bhaji had a long heartto-heart talk with him and answered all his questions. In the end, Reverend Haack was so impressed by Bhaji’s personality that he asked him to write something in his private diary, in which he collected the words of outstanding personalities he had met in his life.

Above left: Dr. Harbhajan Singh with Reverend Haack Below left: Dining room

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Left: Dr. Harbhajan Singh with his grand-daughter, July 1988 Below: House for accomodation

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The Centre includes a little house which is used for accommodation and partially as stock. It is favoured by the children.

One time, during Bhaji’s summer visit, the children prepared a little programme for Bhaji. They invited him for a dinner and sang some songs, and Bhaji in return brought a tape with songs from the Indian children.

People of all ages meet at the Centre, and families come with their children during their vacation. The children loved Bhaji very much, and he was very loveable to- The children wanted a photo with Bhaji. He agreed wards them. and gave a short talk afterwards.

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Dear children, you are singing very nicely, you are know the thoughts of all. If one knows a good thing, singing from your hearts. You know, our Master was he tells others, then everyone knows. By getting toa brilliant student. He was always top in the class. gether one becomes more conscious. Why? Because His attention was only one-sided. He was self-centred. He always said, “Do one work at The third thing is, parents are very dear to you – aren’t one time. If you do one work at one time, you will they? Your brother, your sister, they are very dear to always be self-centred and that will bring you con- you, but you are also all brothers and sisters equally. sciousness.” If the attention of the child is diverted, All should be loved equally. This is awakening. The for example if he likes to play outside when it is time whole world belongs to you. You have to awaken for the studies, then he will neither be able to play this love, brotherhood and unity everywhere in the nor be able to study, because he is not self-centred. world. His attention is going in both directions. If you do something – do it whole-heartedly. Whatever you If your attention is identified only in the house, only want to become in the world, you can become, it is to your near and dear ones, then who are the othyour heritage. Do you know what you are learning ers? They are also your nears and dears. Then what here? You are learning something which no school is the purpose? You should have respectful love for is teaching, and by knowing that subject you can be the parents, you should have respectful love for the very happy throughout your life. nears and dears, and you will learn and give out everywhere the same thing. Attachment is at the level of Secondly, your purpose of getting together is very senses and mind, whereas love comes through the good and fine. Sitting together means that you have consciousness and awakening. It is the food for the love for each other, you have common thoughts. We soul. So you should have love for each other. H.S. can remove misunderstandings and can learn what each one learnt. Then one knows what others know. So by sitting together, by getting together, you can Right: Dr. Harbhajan Singh, St. Gilgen, 1989

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As mountains surround the Centre, we were lucky when Bhaji one time accompanied us on a short trip to the mountains. There he rembered his stay with Master in Srinagar which is also a highlying region surrounded by mountains. Arrival at the airport Salzburg, December 1987

The world is very beautiful, but only due to Him. Generally we see the picture, but forget the painter. Always remember the Creator behind the creation and never forget Him. Harbhajan Singh

A visit in the mountains, called Postalm, near the Centre, December 1987

Bhaji’s 60th Birthday When Bhaji and Biji arrived in December 1992, we took the opportunity to celebrate Bhaji’s sixtieth birthday. This was the only time we could celebrate it with him in the West.

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My birthday is linked with all of you. If you are happy, if you are sincere to the Master, and if we all live loveably – this credits the Master. We celebrate the Master’s birthday, all our birthdays together, because we are working for Him and He came to serve the humanity. Our cause is the same as that of our Master. I do not differentiate the birthdays. My birthday is entirely dependent upon all of you. I am dependent; I told you, my life is in your hand, because whatever we both have got from the Master, we have given to all.

Harbhajan Singh

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When the real disciple of the competent Master comes in the Sangat, you feel some fragrance, and when you embrace him or come near to him, the flow of inner light is growing more. Surinder Kaur

Whenever Bhaji was travelling somewhere, or whenever he read some newspaper, he used to write something in the name of our Master or he wrote one or two lines in the form of a poem Surinder Kaur

Books and Writings Throughout his life Bhaji gave Master’s message for the whole world. With his Satsangs, talks, messages, poems, letters and books, he brought Sant Kirpal Singh into the hearts of all. In Europe, Bhaji had time to focus on the writing of his books, whereas in India, it was nearly impossible. During the years from 1990

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to 1995, one could see Bhaji always with a pen and paper; sometimes he gave us the little papers for typing, or we found them lying somewhere. During his stay in December 1990, in St. Gilgen, Bhaji wrote his first book, entitled, “Forever with Master, Vol. I”. In this book Bhaji wrote beautiful poems full of love and

During his stay in St. Gilgen, 1992

inspiration. In the prose part, he cleared all about the time before and after Master’s departure, as well as about the successorship and the so-called masters. At the end of the year 1992, the second book “Forever with Master, Vol. II – Gurmukh” was published. The term ‘Gurmukh’ means ‘True Disciple’ and the book

describes all the qualities and virtues in the life of a Gurmukh. In 1994, under his supervision, the biography of Sant Kirpal Singh was published. There exist also many unpublished manuscripts.

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Left: Working on the book “Forever with Master, Vol. II” Right: Original text of the book “Forever with Master, Vol. II”

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Lecture Tours Each year when Bhaji came, a summer lecture tour was organized in various European countries. In his lectures, he spoke about the purpose of human life and treated the different aspects of spirituality such as ethical life, karma, meditation and the need of competent guidance.

I came to the holy feet of Sant Kirpal Singh. He was a Word-personified Form. He said, “My dear child – you do that work!” He is holding me, so that I cannot do anything wrong. I say this throughout the world, ‘Come, do you want the experience? Come, sit and see! That is your heritage – take it back. Try to know who is your Father. It is beyond your senses what He will give you’. This is the reason why I never say, ‘I am the Master’, though He has given me all possibilities. He has given me the blessing, He Himself told me, “Do this work.” He gave me the Initiation-chart and much more. Even then I do not claim it. I see my Father is doing everything, and that is sufficient for me. Harbhajan Singh, London 20 May, 1989

Right: Bhaji at the airport for the flight to London

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According to the teaching of the competent Masters, Bhaji clearly differentiated between spirituality and occultism, by explaining the negative effects of spiritual healing and the dangers of supernatural powers. He pointed out that the true aim of meditation is selfknowledge and God-knowledge and always referred to

the Holy Scriptures, which speak in one opinion about the direct and natural way back to God; whereas different types of meditation invented by man have negative effects on the soul and become a hindrance on the spiritual way.

I have the privilege to come to a great country, which With social and moral values of life you can feel produced great personalities, who fought against in- happy. Sometimes you feel unhappy, sometimes you justice, poverty, hunger and lots of inhuman factors. have intolerance, and sometimes you have tolerance. Here in this city many peace treaties of international So there are ups and downs in the life. How can we significance were held and signed. Here lots of re- overcome these problems? ligious institutions belonging to different faiths and nationalities are welcomed, which are flourishing the It gives me a lot of happiness that French people want brotherhood of men under the fatherhood of God, unity. They want the brotherhood of men under the peace and equality. fatherhood of God. They want the higher values of life, and that is what started here with lots of instiSo this is really a big work. At least it is a stepping- tutions. I tell you, unity already exists, but we have stone to social and moral values of life. The social forgotten it. It is only to be revived, it is in man. and moral values of life are stepping-stones to some extent to get some pleasures to remain in peace, but this can be said to be a stepping-stone to reality, a stepping-stone to the higher values of life. Extract from the lecture in Paris 25 May, 1989

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Dr. Harbhajan Singh on tour, 5 June, 1993

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Man is always changed from heart forcibly nobody can be changed. When somebody is changed out of love, he will not commit mistakes. Remain in your religions, love all traditions, and give due respect to all rituals and rites, but do not be affected by the shackles thereof. Harbhajan Singh

Dr. Harbhajan Singh in Bonn-Bad Godesberg, 11 June, 1991

Left and right: During the lecture tours Bhaji and Biji were welcomed in the houses of the co-workers

Whilst accompanying Bhaji on various lecture tours and journeys, we at first hand were able to witness how natural, confident and self-centred he was. There were no airs and graces about him; no matter what

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personalities he met; yet at the same time he had a natural authority about himself. He never showed any fear or resilience to anyone. Being with him gave us a lot of confidence and strength.

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Once in Sweden Bhaji was asked if he ever had problems in his life. Bhaji answered, “My Master has prepared a very beautiful garden for me, I have only to cross through its fragrance and I never felt problems.” Bhaji always used to say that somebody has fetched him from inside. These are the signs of devoted souls or Bhaktas, they will never look at things as good or bad, they always will go on with His love. Surinder Kaur

Left: Bhaji and Biji during their stay in Stockholm, Sweden

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Frankfurt,Germany, 6 January, 1991

What is soul? The soul is a ray of His (God’s) thought. Soul is a ray of His wish. The soul felt its identity when it was separated from the ocean – the ocean of consciousness, and for that it had to assume different forms. It bears the physical, astral and causal body and is living in the material world, in the material nature. Who knows, “I am the soul”? This awakening and right understanding came out of its own self, from the soul, and it could know that it has to go somewhere, but it is tied in the body with mind and matter and cannot get out of it. However, the link is there. No one can separate the link from the origin. You know, as the clouds burst in the skies and it rains on the earth, so does it happen with the soul. When the

thought of that power, which is within vibrates, it awakens the soul in the body. The soul is not satisfied in this human body. The greatest help we can give is the help to the soul. It is the greatest selfless service, the service to our own self. The Masterpower reminds us, “You are the spirit, you are the soul.” Man is the first creation of His thought. Everything else came afterwards. It is our ignorance that we think the fish lives in the ocean. That power is innate in the soul and due to Him we know that we are of the same essence as that of God. So the ocean lives in the fish and not the fish in the ocean. If we know that, we are nearer to H.S. the goal.

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Wherever Bhaji and Biji went, they tried to get some inspiration for Kirpal Sagar, looking for nice garden architecture, sportand lecture halls, etc.

Left: At the Britzer Garten – Neukölln, Germany, 10 June, 1993 Right: During a lecture tour in Luzern, Switzerland, 1993

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Left and right: Dr. Harbhajan Singh visiting a home for old aged in Berlin, Germany, 11 June, 1993

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When Bhaji visited a home for old aged in Berlin on 11 June, 1993, he got the opportunity to see some of the private rooms of the residents. When he just left the

room of one lady, who did not speak English at all, one could hear her saying in German, “What a great personality visited my room today.”

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This teaching is very old. From where did it come? It is God’s teaching, and it is in man. When God made man, He made man of His own image. He dwells in man. So man has the highest rung in the whole creation. It is said, the macrocosm is in the microcosm, so all you need here and hereafter is within you. Harbhajan Singh

Left and right: At the book-fair in Leipzig, Germany, 5 June, 1993

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which may give us eternal happiness and makes us realize our self and the Overself. There are instances from the lives of various great personalities who came in the past, who sacrificed their worldly wishes and who preferred the higher values of life. Their teachings are with us. They sacrificed for the cause of Truth, for the welfare of others, to maintain the humanity in the world, and they created humility out of their self-sacrifice. They lived in the world, but they were no burden to the world. Burdens are only our attachments and wishes. You can read beautiful examples in the Holy Scriptures, how they lived in the world. They knew very well that what they had got was a gift from God, and their purpose was to distribute and flourish it everywhere. I mean to say that we should take those great personalities as an example. Let us not do something only to please ourselves but to learn how to sacrifice our wishes and to change from bad views to good views, to leave the worldly background and to have the contact with the spiritual background that is innate in everyone of us. A time comes in the life of every person when he is given a chance to realize his purpose. If we misuse that very time, we lose a great opportunity in our life. Therefore we should regard this Satsang for which we have come together here as a golden opportunity. We should forget the world, we should forget each Above and right: Arrival and lecture in Amsterdam, 6 August, 1994 and everything, otherwise it is not going to leave us. You may try to run after Maya (illusion) – you cannot catch it. You may try to love it, but it won’t come Spirituality is the science of the soul and directly under your control, but if you try to forget it using deals with the soul and not with the physical organs, the worldly things for your necessity only, without mind, or intellect. All Masters speak in one opinion caring too much for it, it will surrender and bow about this subject, and their experiences are written down before your feet – this is what Kabir says. It down in the Holy Scriptures. However, we do not at- includes everything in the world. But we are to think, tend to them. Only what we have listened and also what is of first, second and third preference to us. We digested that matters to us. What we learn and forget have to differentiate what we need and what we do or do not digest, is not the food for the soul. We must not need, where we have to help and where we have attend to these things and we should realize, what is to withdraw our attention, what is for others and written in the scriptures and what is our subject but what is for God. All that we have to realize ourselves. that we have forgotten. We trust only that very subject which suits us and serves our purposes, or we Now you see, there is a physical and a spiritual aspect want to attend to those who tell us the way how to of life. The physical aspect of life means the worldly fulfil our wishes and be happy in the world. Masters aspect of life. By the way how we live the worldly asdo tell us how to overcome all those things and then pect of life we have to justify our position in order to to create a strong wish or a ruling passion in our life maintain the spiritual aspect of life. Only while living

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in the world we can learn that aspect. If you want to run away from it, you won’t be able to learn it. The world is a playfield for the play between your mind and your soul, and you are the player. You are not the mind, you are not the body. You are the soul, you are the player in the game. How to play this game in the world? We simply have to learn to live with right thoughts, not with the outgoing faculties of the mind, because by living with them, we are miserably misled in this playfield and we are losing the game all the time. We have to win the game because it is only played by us, by ourselves. We have to play it, since we caused reactions. We came into the world only to justify our position in the play-field and to finish with this game. Various great Masters did a wonderful job in this playfield. They always were the winners. As I told you, you are the player and it is your game. You must not be the loser of this game any more because the power (which is keeping the game a going) is only given by you. You give the power and you are the main player therein. Master has given beautiful references from His life, and most of you have read His life-history. He was a very good player. He did each

and everything that favoured Him. And through the way He played this game He taught a spiritual lesson to everyone. He played the game very exactly. How? For worldly purposes He did everything in the name of God and thus He credited God. He didn’t want to take the credit out of it. Whereas, if in some way we make a mistake, we should take it upon ourselves. We should think over what more efforts we have to put in to credit the Master, to credit our soul. Each day we can learn something in our life. I’m telling you all these things, since right from the beginning we have got the birthright to have His power. However, we were not taught all that, maybe due to the negligence of our parents, maybe due to the bad effects of the world, or due to some so-called teachings. Now you are given the chance to sit here (in the Satsang) – it is God’s grace. Christ said, “Where more than two sit in my name, there I am.” Your purpose of coming here is unique: Only to realize your self and to realize the Overself, and that is a golden opportunity now. So let this be a new beginning in your life. Extract of a lecture by Dr. Harbhajan Singh

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During the lecture tour in the Netherlands on August 1994, Bhaji agreed to have a picnic on the seaside. At the shore Bhaji held Satsang.

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Meeting Personalities

Dr. Harbhajan Singh with Dr. von Weizsäcker, Annual Youth Meeting in Berlin, Germany, 1992

Students of the Kirpal Sagar Academy accompanied Dr. Harbhajan Singh to Berlin. On 12 June, 1992, they took part in a reception given by Dr. Richard von Weizsäcker, former President of Germany, during the annual youth meeting at Bellevue Castle in Berlin. The photo above shows Dr. Harbhajan Singh presenting a Kirpal Sagar brochure to Dr. von Weizsäcker, along with an invitation to the Unity of Man Conference in Kirpal Sagar, 3-6 February, 1994.

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During this reception one boy spontaneously asked for an autograph and Dr. Harbhajan Singh loveably agreed and added some lines.

Meeting Mr. Michail Gorbachev accompanied by his wife Raissa and Mr. Likothal 1993, in Bern, Switzerland

Meeting Mr. Michail Gorbachev 1993, in Bern, Switzerland

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Meeting his Eminence Cardinal König of the Roman Catholic Church, 28 June, 1993, in Wien, Austria

A talk with the scientist Prof. Dr. Pietschmann at the Institute of Theoretical Physics in Wien, Austria

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UN World Conference on Human Rights In June, 1993, Dr. Harbhajan Singh with his wife and a delegation of Unity of Man participated in the UN World Conference in Wien, Austria

The delegation of Unity of Man

At the World Conference on Human Rights in Wien, Austria, Dr. Harbhajan Singh introduced the conception of the work of Unity of Man to representatives of science, religion, politics and personalities of public life.

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He explained the aims of the World Conference on Unity of Man, from 3 to 6 February 1994, to hold at Kirpal Sagar, India, and invited them to participate. Dr. Harbhajan Singh held two lectures within the scope of the NGO-programme (Non Government Organisation)

Plenary Session of the States Conference on Human Rights in Wien

and on 18 June, he had the honour to address the Plenary Session of the States-Conference. Unity of Man further contributed to the activities with an exhibition illustrating the aims and activities of

Unity of Man as well as the project Kirpal Sagar in India. The delegation of Unity of Man further participated in the NGO discussions and deliberations.

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With Ibrahima Fall, Secretary-General on the UN World Conference of Human Rights in the United Nations office at the Austrian Centre, Wien

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At the UN World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna in June 1993, I was asked to speak in the Plenary Session because I gave this very universal teaching there. The General Secretary of the Human Rights Conference, Mr. Ibrahima Fall, said to me, “You have a very universal view that appeals to everyone, you may speak there.” I replied, “Whether we are politicians, religious or spiritual leaders, our purpose is one and the same and that is Man-making and Manservice.” Harbhajan Singh With Mr. Lichem, leader of the podium discussion

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Address to the Audience of the Plenary Dr. Harbhajan Singh, 18 June, 1993

Dear brothers and sisters, I want to share my views on these most important issues. I want to have some heart-to-heart talk with you, because I think the problems of the world are not political, but they are more spiritual. So we have to find a way out of these problems. As for example, there are individual problems in different countries. Whether we are politicians, religious or spiritual leaders, our purpose is one and the same: that is manmaking and man-service. If we live up to it and do with it, there will be total perfection, rather the solution to all the problems in our different countries. Then, on the international level, we have to form a common opinion. Which common opinion? – That which already exists from our religions. I would like to tell you that God made man and man made religion. Never in history a competent Master ever created a religion, but religion was created after their physical departure by the so-called followers of the faith. Thereafter, they created lots of shackles therein. Now all these problems in the world are due to the shackles and not due to the true religion. So what are those shackles? Everyone knows because this man body is a true temple of God. Everything is within. It is a true Bible, a true Church, it is a true Mosque, it is a true Koran, it is a true Gurdawara, a true temple. Man is made on the image of God. So what do we have to find? – That we are all one in God. We are all one, our Father is one, and our purpose is one, and our way back to God is one.

answer is also within. Supposed, you put me a question, and I gave you the wrong answer, you would never cooperate with me, since you have the right answer within you. So man is first a human being, then we are wearing different labels, and we are reading in different schools and colleges. Our purpose is to rise above the shackles. Secondly, my opinion is that there are so many problems that have gone beyond the care of man, and if we clutch to them, they will create more hatred and bloodshed in the world. There is only one solution: to forgive and forget. For there is a law of justice, and there is a law of forgiveness. The law of justice can do a lot in the world, but what the law of forgiveness can do, the law of justice cannot do. He who forgives and forgets, is the brave and strong one. The law of forgiveness is also called the law of grace. So he who forgives and forgets, is gracious and loveable to all. In my opinion, these are the things with which we have to be very sincere, potent and positive. Now all those Masters who came into the world lived hundred percent for others, and our purpose is also the same. It is from the Holy Scriptures that to live beyond necessity is a sin. If really we live up to it, we can save a lot for the poor and the needy, and we can overcome lots of shortcomings of the human beings. My last point concerns the problems of the women. So far I didn’t think that women are different from men. Both cannot live without each other. But the woman is the inspiration to the husband, to the children, as well as to the surroundings. Christ has told in the Bible, “Husband should love his wife as Christ loves the church.”

On this issue we have to see how peace can be cemented in the world, how all these affairs can be set right. If people really rise above their isms, sects and What does it mean? It is a beautiful thing to live with religions, and premiers and presidents rise above it. If really we live with it, then there will be no probtheir kingdoms, peace is already there, the human lem in the world. Because the woman is a source of rights are already there. These are lying within man. bliss, and in the womb of the mother she gives the Everything is innate in man. If there is a question, the right understanding to the unborn child, (that is al-

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Talking with the Roman Catholic Cardinal Etchegaray

ready) blessed by the Light and Sound Principle that lived with in the past, that becomes fake and void was taught by all the competent Masters of the world. for her. When the child comes out of the womb of the mother, it cries due to its detachment. What do we do? We There is a very potent and positive way of life, and show the light or we ring the bell, and the child feels we should live in this direction and we can give a lot happy with it. to all other people. “Ye be perfect as your Father is in the heaven.” These are most important issues, and Now what should we do in this matter? When the you will find that all those problems in the world are woman cries, she would only need the love and fa- due to different shackles, arising out of different relivour from the man. If it is not given, her heart be- gions, but we should try to know the very base of the comes stone-like, and whatever and whosoever she problem, that has arisen out of it. In this direction, I

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Presenting an invitation for the Unity of Man World-Conference to Mrs. Corazon Aquino, Former President of the Philippines

would like to tell you, that our purpose in this world is very unique, and we should love others as we do love our dear ones. This is the way to expand our own self to embrace the whole humanity and prove ourselves as human beings in the true sense of the word. Only when we rise above the narrow confines of our own self, our own family, our own community or nation, we can take into our hearts the concerns and sufferings of our near and far neighbours. It is

the way for any individual, and it is the noble task of those who help the cause of others. While sitting in the heart of this beautiful country, we should have appreciation for those who have put their heart and head, and let us pledge ourselves to go with higher values of life, since the purpose of human life is to meet a good end. Let us go back to our country to preach the truth through our higher values of life, so that there is an eternal peace in our heart. Thank you all.

Extract from the address

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