Introduction to “Pita-Poot — Father and Son” by the Author
“Pita-Poot” is the life-story of two divine Master Souls — Shri Hazur Baba Sawan Singh Ji Maharaj and His spiritual disciple Son, Maharaj Shri Kirpal Singh Ji — as it could possibly be presented in written-descriptive form.
The greatest Teaching that Saints present through their own lives is that one can obtain the ultimate aim of human existence, viz. self-knowledge and God-realization, even while living in this world and performing one’s worldly duties. This is why a great majority of saints, masters, gurus (teachers), spiritual leaders, Paigambers (Prophets), incarnations of God (Avatars) came into this world to guide us, were house-holders, very few being recluses.
The Sants (competent Masters) have said and have displayed through their own life conduct that the communion of the human with the divine, the merger of the droplet with the Ocean and becoming integral with it, is no impossibility, accident, anecdote or fable. Indeed, this is the ultimate destiny of the human life! The human form is considered to be most superior because only in this form can the being unveil the very secret of life and can get to know its own self and experience God. Not only have the Sants stated as much, they have provided its first-hand experience to seekers that came in contact with them as well.
In this gross Kali-yuga (Iron Age) era, Shri Hazur Sawan Singh Ji Maharaj and his most obedient spiritual son, Maharaj Kirpal Singh Ji have rejuvenated these dormant spiritual Teachings. They presented the divine truth in accordance with the tastes and mindsets of people and have doled out the priceless gift of Spirituality with both hands i.e. by making the people sit beside them, making them rise beyond the realm of mind-matter and outer faculties through their grace, and granting them the wealth of self-knowledge and God-realization in the very first sitting itself, all of which has little parallel in history.
“Pita-Poot” is a story of the merciful God-power that manifests, and shall indeed continue to manifest, in the human form during every age and at all times, connecting and merging people with Itself. The world has never been, and shall never be, devoid of such competent, gracious Masters.
“In each and every age, He creates His devotees
and preserves their honor, O Lord King.”
— Guru Ram Das (SGGS: page 451 line 12)
This is like the immutable divine law of demand and supply—where there is hunger there is food, where there is thirst there is water—which none can alter.
It would not be out of place to describe here the circumstances and manner in which this book came to be written, the need for which was being strongly felt. When Hazur Baba Sawan Singh Ji Maharaj gave up his mortal coil, He anointed Maharaj Kirpal Singh Ji as his spiritual successor, who then, upon the instructions of, and through the mercy and grace of his Satguru, took up the task of the salvation of beings. The very first booklet that He published in Hindi, Urdu, Gurumukhi (Punjabi) and English languages was titled, “Brief Life History of Hazur Baba Sawan Singh Ji Maharaj” containing his Master’s life-history and Teachings. In addition, during his Satsang discourses, He would always quote parallels from Hazur’s life or his own life. Therefore, whatever that has been written from time to time about the two great Masters in India or abroad is either taken from that booklet or from Maharaj Kirpal Singh Ji’s Satsangs.
In this manner, the significant events of the lives of the Father and the Son (“Pita-Poot”) came to be written, although not in a chronological order. At the very best, it could be called a bouquet of beautiful memories; there was no complete record of the various events in it. At that juncture, if any question did arise regarding any of the subjects in the book, there was no answer to be found in it. For example, prior to being initiated into the Surat-Shabd Yoga path, what was Maharaj Kirpal Singh Ji’s practice of meditation? When and where was He initiated (time, and not date) by Hazur Maharaj? Before achieving spiritual perfection, what difficulties did Maharaj Kirpal Singh Ji undergo? and suchlike. Therefore, several questions arose, the answers to which were difficult to find in any of the books written until then.
This problem could only be solved should Maharaj Kirpal Singh Ji himself settle all the queries giving adequate time at a stretch. Considering the busy schedule of Maharaj Kirpal Singh Ji, there seemed little hope of finding such an opportunity. However, with his boundless mercy and grace, He himself created such an opportunity while He was in Rajpur (Dehradun) and gave the time to the author of this book to ask questions continuously for two to three weeks, the fruit of which is now in the service of the readers in the form of this book. However, this description also remains incomplete. The truth is that should anything be written on the life of the Sants, it can never be complete. Even so, this chronological life history of the Masters would contain a great deal for the authors and researchers that would follow.
While writing this book, special care has been taken to see that, to the extent possible, the life history of the Masters (Pita-Poot) should be in their own narration. The primary source of the events captured herein are either Maharaj Kirpal Singh Ji’s own words, without changing a syllable, or are taken from his Satsangs. The elaborate description of nearly one-hundred and twelve pages about the Teachings of Hazur Maharaj is taken entirely from Maharaj Kirpal Singh Ji’s Satsangs or his own elaborations and explanations of myriad subjects related to Spirituality. The author of this book, in order to carry on the narrative, has applied his appendages in between the Gracious Master’s oratory, but this does not lower the dignity of the same. Every word of this book contains life-giving exhortations and an inspiration to rise high. The limitless sea of life is at full glory in it. The sermons and Teachings of the Beloved Master contain the gist of the religious scriptures and biographies of the great seers and saints. His life-story is as though the Ocean has been contained in a pot. Every word of this description of unbounded life-flow has an imprint of immortality, as they have emanated from his heart, the very source of endless life.
Some old, historical and rare photographs and sacred poems of Maharaj Kirpal Singh Ji in Urdu, Hindi and Punjabi are also given in this book. The last two poems were written in Dehradun and Maharaj Ji did not write any poems after them.
With every breath of life, I praise and express my gratitude to God, who gave this unworthy servant the opportunity to sit at the lotus feet of the two great Masters and to speak with them eye-to-eye, and to God Almighty, who gave these incompetent, unworthy hands the power to write the story of Life Eternal.
Sawan Ashram Delhi
April, 1973 Harish Chandra Chadha