Satguru Baba Hardev Singh Ji Maharaj

All About Satguru Baba Hardev Singh ji Maharaj.

EARLY LIFE


His Holiness Baba Hardev Singh Ji Maharaj was born on February 23, 1954 in Delhi. It was a divine gift to the divine family of the then Nirankari Baba Avtar Singh Ji and Jagat Mata Budhwanti Ji. As grand parents, they showered all the worldly as well as spiritual blessings on the child Hardev. His parents Baba Gurbachan Singh Ji and Rajmata Kulwant Kaur Ji were equally affectionate.

With the growth of child Hardev, grew his thoughtfulness and sobriety. He saw every object and observed every event with due curiosity but used to keep silent. Respect, regard for elders and trait of humility could be noticed in him from the very childhood. Interest in congregations and listening to discourses also became conspicuous in him. The kind and pure hearted child Hardev was always openhearted and emotional. He was mostly seen tight-lipped, rarely using his tongue. He also started taking keen interest in photography.

Hardev Singh Ji received his elementary education at home. With his sharp intellect, he learnt alphabets of Hindi, English and counting very quickly. Thereafter, he was sent to Rosary Public School, Nirankari Colony, Delhi, where by sweet nature and intelligence he cast spell on teachers and fellow students. They say that boy Hardev was often found in the class sitting thoughtfully with eyes half-shut. But he was always discovered to be fully attentive and responsive to what the teacher taught.

In 1963, Hardev Singh Ji was sent to the residential Yadvendra Public School, Patiala, an institution of national fame, from where he passed the high school examination in 1969. His co-operative and compassionate nature made him popular with the teachers and the fellow-students alike. His school education was equally supplemented and cemented with spiritual touch received through the letters of his affectionate mother, Rajmata Ji.

During his stay in the school, Hardev Singh Ji also developed keen interest in mountaineering. With his class-fellows and even alone, he would cover difficult terrains to reach certain places. This hobby added the trait of patience and perseverance in his life. He was never found tired or worried. He was also very skill-ful in vehicle driving and horse riding.

On completion of school education at Patiala, Hardev Singh Ji returned to Delhi and started further education under Delhi University and also took keen interest in the socio-spiritual activities of the Mission. He became very regular in Sangat and Sewa. His humility earned him the name 'Bhola Ji'.

In 1971, Hardev Singh Ji joined the Nirankari Sewa Dal as its primary member and enjoyed himself serving in cotton Khaki uniform. He organised "Youth Forum" in 1975, which focused on promoting truthful and simple living, service with devotion and love, refraining from incurring undue expenses and practising prohibition.

During the Annual Nirankari Sant Samagam in Delhi in 1975 Hardev Singh Ji was married in a simple ceremony to Sawinder Ji, daughter of devoted saints Shri Gurumukh Singh Ji and Smt. Madan Ji of Farrukhabad (UP). Born on January 12, 1957, Mata Sawinder Ji is well educated and duty conscious.



SPIRITUAL MENTOR

Baba Hardev Singh Ji Maharaj became the spiritual mentor of the Mission under tragic circumstances. On April 24, 1980 the orthodox fanatics had snatched from the Mission the Satguru and a crusader for peace and tranquility from the world, Baba Gurbachan Singh Ji. Young Hardev had lost not only the Satguru but his beloved father also. This was the moment when forbearance, patience and tolerance of every follower of the Mission was under severe stress and a grave test. The very future of the Mission had been challenged. Nirankaris who had been taught to surrender to the will of God were finding it difficult to accept the verdict of 'destiny' that sounded to them as a deliberate violation of 'divine law'.

At the same time, every Nirankari believed that the Satguru is an ever-living entity which must manifest itself in some other physical frame or human body. They had, however, not to wait for long. Immediately after the funeral of the mortal remains of Baba Gurbachan Singh Ji at the electric crematorium in Delhi on 27th April, 1980, Hardev was greeted and hailed as the Head of the Mission and everybody present witnessed the Satguru manifesting in him. Hardev who was known for his quiet nature, addressed the devotees as a perfect spiritual master.

His Holiness declared, "Baba Gurbachan Singh Ji's martyrdom is the will of God. Perceptions differ from people to people . The ignorant say that it may lead to bloodshed but the devotees believe that being a supreme sacrifice, it shall usher in peace and harmony. Imbibing such lofty ideals, we should continue to spread the Mission with a greater zeal."

Baba Hardev Singh Ji Maharaj ruled out even the remotest thought of vengeance saying that 'it would go contrary to what Baba Gurbachan Singh Ji lived and sacrificed his life for'. He exhorted devotees to carry on his message of compassion, goodwill, love and Truth and pray for the welfare of one and all. The result was quite instantaneous and healthy. Nirankaris remained non-violent even in the face of serious provocations from mis-guided fanatics and extremists.

PEACE AT ANY PRICE

The supreme sacrifice of Baba Gurbachan Singh Ji and the first holy discourse by Baba Hardev Singh Ji had far greater and much deeper significance. The former showed that the Mission had paid the heaviest price for peace. Earlier, more than 60 leading missionaries’ forbearance was put to the hardest test when they were compelled to undergo the agony of judicial custody for about two years for the fault that was found to be not theirs at all. Now the Mission lost its spiritual mentor whose only fault was that he preached Truth and peace. Baba Gurbachan Singh Ji showed utmost respect to the saints, Gurus and prophets of the past. He held the holy scriptures in highest esteem. The only thing that he pointed out and stressed was that one must know the God he or she worships. Mere reading the religious books was not sufficient, he said. He wanted that their believers must follow the teachings in practical life, whosoever be the great master they believe and whatsoever the holy scripture they worship. His critics, however, did not try to verify the Truth he proclaimed, nor did they see how he sought to preach it. And he became a victim of their fanaticism, their ignorance.

Coming to the first holy discourse by Satguru Baba Hardev Singh Ji Maharaj and the message contained therein, one must appreciate that the words came from a youth of 26 years whose loving father had been assassinated brutally. Ordinarily, such a youngman must be burning with feeling of vengeance. In this case, he had all the resources at his disposal. He had only to give a hint that could cause riots and disturb peace for the entire country, may be many countries. But Baba Hardev Singh Ji chose to accept the price the Mission had been required or called upon to pay for peace. And with his call to Nirankaris to continue to spread the voice of truth while praying for goodwill of all, a disastrous mishap stood averted. No doubt the followers of the Mission continued to suffer both in terms of life and property here and there, the voice of Truth spread far and wide carrying with it the message of peace, love, humility and tolerance.



EXTENSIVE TOURS

In order to translate his commitment to peace, love and universal brotherhood into action, Baba Hardev Singh Ji lost no time and undertook extensive tours within the country and abroad. He was also conscious of the fact that Nirankaris all over India and elsewhere in the world needed to be pacified and consoled over the sudden disappearance of Baba Gurbachan Singh Ji from their midst in physical form. The situation being what it was, it was not an easy affair to travel far and wide and organise mass congregations on a large scale. Even then, Baba Ji went to the remotest areas and encouraged one and all to keep the flag of love, peace and human unity flying.

Though the spiritual tours of Baba Hardev Singh Ji sought to cover vast areas with long distances, his approach was at the same time intensive and intimate. He travelled mostly by road and met people as they were, where they were. He would mix up with them, sit with them, dine with them, so that he could know them as intimately as possible. Naturally, wherever he went, people found him sharing their pleasure and pain as a member of the family. In fact, Baba Ji showered his blessings just like any head of the family.

Baba Ji’s tours abroad also took him to almost every part of the world. He was welcomed and received by large number of people as ‘apostle of peace and Universal Brotherhood.’ People from different states and countries would assemble at one center and listen to His Holiness. Besides Indians, many others took interest in what the Mission sought to preach or Baba Ji wanted to convey.

The people including those connected with administration, particularly law and order, also did not take long to understand the reality. Baba Ji's discourses in different parts of the country and abroad and the over-whelming response from the masses they received convinced them that the Mission stands for peace and non-violence, progress and prosperity and lasting happiness based on spiritual enlightenment. After 27 years today, when one looks back and realises the new heights the Mission has touched, feels fully convinced that Baba Hardev Singh Ji has lived upto his commitment of carrying those lofty ideals to every nook and corner of the world for which Baba Gurbachan Singh Ji had laid down his life.




EXPANSION

The Mission has found tremendous expansion in all directions during the past 27 years. The ever-increasing number of participants in the Samagams in Delhi and other places bears testimony to the fact that the message of the Mission is going home and attracting the seekers of truth. The attendance at the regular congregations is also growing thicker and thicker.

A number of new branches of the Mission have been set up and so is the case with Satsang Bhawans. Many new Missionaries have been appointed in order to reach out places far and wide. The North Eastern and Southern States of India are also now fully familiar with the Mission and its philosophy and branches are functioning regularly in the various parts of these areas.

Baba Hardev Singh Ji is quite meticulous in his approach to the organisational requirements of the fast expanding Mission. He convened a conference in Delhi in 1987, on the lines of the two Mussoorie Conferences convened by Baba Gurbachan Singh Ji in 1965 and in 1973. It reviewed the decisions taken at Mussoorie and re-emphasised the areas that were considered relevant in the contemporary perspective. In addition it was decided to organise blood donation camps at different places on the occasion of Manav Ekta Diwas as a gesture of selfless service to humanity and a humble acknowledgement of the supreme sacrifice of Baba Gurbachan Singh Ji for the noble cause of human welfare. Another important decision of this Conference was to set up a full-fledged Department of Social Welfare and place it under the charge of a Member of the Executive Committee of the Sant Nirankari Mandal.

In order to encourage the participation of devotees in the expansion of the Mission, the organisation was decentralised. Today Delhi has 30 Sectors, while the country is divided into 50 Zones. There is a provision of constant co-ordination at every level as also between the Headquarters and the smallest branch of the Mission. The tours of the missionaries are planned and organised in such a way that the benefit of their talent gets distributed over the widest possible area. The list of Pracharaks (preachers) was also reviewed in 1994.

The Santokh Sarovar Complex in Delhi has been developed into a center of attraction not only for Nirankari devotees but others also. With its 5-acre reservoir of neat and clean water and another 20 acres of lush green lawns with rows of beautiful flower plants, the Complex is a valuable anti-pollution gift to Delhi's ecology. A new museum by the name of Journey Divine has also been setup for the spiritual benefit of the Mankind. Quite close to the Complex, the Mission proposes to have a general hospital, for which 10 acres of land have already been acquired.

The Mission has found considerable expansion in other countries also. The followers of the Mission have spread out to almost every part of the world. In almost every salvation tour of His Holiness some new areas or countries are included. Consequently, in addition to the better known areas of U.K., U.S.A. and Canada, the countries like Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Philippines, Spain, Sweden and several others have also received Baba Ji’s blessings. The number of Sant Nirankari Satsang Bhawans abroad has multiplied manifold during the past 27 years.

Baba Hardev Singh Ji has paid special attention to the youth abroad. Born in the countries of their residence, they stood cut off not only from their parental language, but the noble values for which the Indian culture has been known in the world, also. Baba Ji attracted them to the forum of the Mission and reminded them that they could adopt these values without coming into conflict with their environment. Today the Nirankari youth is an example for others.


As a matter of fact, the Mission has never been orthodox and against scientific and technological advancement provided it is meant for human welfare. It believes that man must endeavour to make life more and more comfortable. Today Baba Hardev Singh Ji is utilising the latest technology even for the spread of the Mission’s message.

Thus we find that the Mission which began as a small effort towards spiritual enlightenment has become today a mass movement of God-Knowledge and Universal Brotherhood. Every Nirankari considers himself or herself fortunate to have Baba Hardev Singh Ji Maharaj as the divine motivator for taking the message of the Mission to every doorstep. According to Baba Ji the Mission must work as a deep reservoir of peace, love and understanding to stem the wild fire of hatred, jealousy and ill-will. Hence the stress on our own behaviour based on spiritual enlightenment. The Mission is certainly poised for greater and greater heights since the peace and tranquility, love and faith it preaches and practices is exactly what the trouble-torn world needs today.

About Sant Nirankari Mission

The Sant Nirankari Mission (SNM), also known as Universal Brotherhood Mission, is a spiritual organization. It was formally launched in May, 1929 when Baba Buta Singh ji bestowed the Divine Knowledge to Baba Avtar Singh ji in the province of Punjab (British India).

The Sant Nirankari Mission is neither a new religion nor a sect of an existing religion, but an all-embracing spiritual movement dedicated to human welfare although earlier Nirankari leaders had reverence for the Sikh Guru Granth Sahib. Its objective is to establish Universal Brotherhood among people from diverse backgrounds throughout the world.

Today, SNM has over 100 branches outside India, most prominently in Britain and North America. Its world headquarters is located in Sant Nirankari Colony, Delhi. Baba Hardev Singh Ji provides spiritual guidance for Nirankari devotees. The group is characterized by its focus on a living leader.

Etymology

Sant- refers to a devotee in Hindi and Nirankar -refers to the "formless God". "Nirankari" is a person who is devoted to this formless entity.

Nirankar

The exact description of Nirankar (or formless God) below is taken from the official Sant Nirankari website.

"The Mission believes in God, who is One, omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient, eternal, formless, a non-psychic objective reality and perceivable. He is distinct from celestial bodies such as sun, moon, stars; earthly elements such as earth, water, fire; and subtle elements such as air, ethar and jeeva. These nine elements constitute the entire creation and are distinguishable from the tenth, the All-pervading Divine Spirit, which creates, sustains and regulates the whole universe. This aspect of cosmos has been termed as 'Nirankar' (Formless God), though invisible yet all-pervading. In fact what we see is unreal as it decays and dies. But what we do not see is reality because out of that invisible power the visible comes into existence. The changeless in the changing physical world is called God and the changeless in the changing human body is called the Soul. The one who experiences it is known as 'Nirankari'. The sole aim of the Mission is to impart the knowledge of Nirankar (The Formless God) to the seekers' soul."

In fact, as mentioned in an article published in February 2006 issue of the English version of the Sant Nirankari (which is the main publication of SNM), that "It is the clarion call by the Nirankari Mission to one and all, 'Come and see God.' "

Basic ideology

The fundamental beliefs of the Sant Nirankari Mission include:

God exists.

God is a single entity, though He has been called by several different names such as Allah, Ishwar etc. throughout history.

God is formless and therefore may also be called as (Nirankar)

God can be personally realised. In fact, God realisation is the sole purpose of human life.

All human beings are God's children.

A True Spiritual Guide reveals God. Without a True Master, a human being cannot attain God-realisation.

There is only a single True Master in the world at any present time.

If a human being wishes to gain God Knowledge, they must ask for it.

God can be seen.

Following the five principles (see below) is essential for attaining God-realisation.

Five principles

During the session in which a devotee receives Divine Knowledge, the devotee is also introduced to the Five Principles[6] that he/she must practice to the best of their ability.

1. All assets - physical, mental and material - belong to the Divinity and man, as a mere trustee, should use them as such. One should not feel proud of their possession

2. Not to be proud of one's caste, creed, race, faith and other class distinctions and hate others on this account. All men should be regarded as such. One has to feel himself as one with whole human family and love the mankind.

3. Not to look down upon anybody because of his mode of dress, diet and living.

4. Not to renounce worldly life to become a vagrant recluse or ascetic but to lead family life in accordance with normal social norms and sustain family by honest livelihood.

5. Not to divulge the Divine Knowledge bestowed by the Satguru to others without his permission. Never to be possessed by pride because of enlightenment.

The original description of the Five Principles may also be found in Avtar Bani Verses 9A to 9E. The explanation of these verses may also be found in the book titled The Unique Mission, authored by Amrik Singh.

Simran

Nirankari devotees are introduced to the simran (prayer) below when they are given Divine Knowledge from an authorised saint, who has been appointed by the Satguru.

Tu hi Nirankar

Main Teri Sharan Haan

Mainu Baksh Lao

A direct English translation[7] might be:

Thou formless One

I take refuge in Thee

I pray, forgive me

The devotees use this simran to attain spiritual strength. They may pray whenever/wherever they feel like (after all for them God is omnipresent, i.e. all around), but constant realisation of formless God is encouraged. This is reflected by the Avtar Bani verse 117, which says that "Keep on remembering God, saying Tuhi Nirankar [One Thou Formless God] and keep on singing the praise of God; do remember Him every moment and make Him dwell in your mind." (Please refer to the Punjabi version for the original verse as this is only an English translation)

Saints often advise "Hath kar wal, te dil yaar wal", which simply means that while worldly responsibilities are being carried out using the body, the mind of devotees must remain connected with Nirankar.

The simran also has some salient points of interest. Notice that it involves the use of the word "Ik" (One). The idea behind this is to simply illustrate the principle that God is a single entity, even though this entity has been called by several names used throughout history by different people. The simran also uses the word "Nirankar", to signify the formless nature of this entity. The use of the words "teri" (thy) and "Tu" (thou) highlights the fact Nirankari devotees relate to this entity as closely as the way two ordinary human beings interact with each other.

Satsangs

Sant Nirankari members have no particular place of worship as it is considered that regardless of wherever you are, whatever you are doing, you can worship formless God. The members meet at places called Satsang Bhawans (Congregation Halls), to share their spiritual experiences and praise the almighty formless God. The mission believes that congregations help devotees to strengthen their faith, increase their devotion towards Nirankar and attain spiritual steadfastness. This is reflected by the verse 56 of Avtar Bani, which says that "Seek the company of True Saint, this will bring spiritual glow on your face; seek the company of True Saint, this will remove impurity from your heart." (Please note that there are other verses 57, 112, 138 and 223 that elaborate on this point. Please also refer to the Punjabi version for the original description as this is only an English translation)

The congregations are open to all without any discrimination of religion, caste, nationality, colour or race, and irrespective of whether one is rich or poor, and literate or illiterate. Holy scriptures of different religions or sects are also read and the common aim of all religions i.e. selfless love for all is stressed upon.

In Satsang Bhawans a chair on a stage (platform) is reserved for a pre-decided devotee who will represent the Satguru and other devotees pay respect to Satguru by bowing down to him. Another devotee, known as stage secretary, sits on stage floor and manages events. Nirankari's also bow down (to touch the feet) of one another irrespective of age, gender, financial or social position as they believe and perceive the presence of God in all. Touching each others feet is also seen as a practice useful in removing pride or ego from a devotee's mind.

A typical Nirankari congregation

A few minutes before the satsang is due to begin, the stage secretary or another appointed devotee sings verses from the Avtar Bani. The Nirankari congregation usually then begins with the following verse (Thou Formless One 1; Avtar Bani), reproduced below. (Note that the congregation usually sings this in Punjabi language, but the English translation of this verse is available here). Normally, devotees present in the congregation sing along with person on the stage, but there is not a strict obligation to do so.

THOU FORMLESS ONE 1 (Taken from: www.nirankari.org Literature>English>Avtar Bani>Prayer 1)

O' Thou, formless, colourless and boundless God, millions of bows unto Thee;

O' Thou, beyond the comprehension of mind, intellect and wisdom, millions of bows unto Thee.

O' Thou, the Infinite, incomprehensible Lord, millions of bows unto Thee;

O' Thou, the Lord of Lords, the Supreme Sovereign, millions of bows unto Thee.

O' Thou, Eternal, Ageless, Omnipresent, millions of bows unto Thee;

O' Thou, the Redeemer of sinners in all ages, millions of bows unto Thee.

O' Thou, the Omniscient, Knower of the instincts of all beings, millions of bows unto Thee;

O' Thou, the Divine Name and the One the Divine Name stands for, millions of bows unto Thee.

O' Thou, the Sustainer of all living creatures, millions of bows unto Thee.

Avtar says, O' the Sustainer of the life-breath, millions of bows unto Thee.

O' God, I pray for Thy shelter, Thy support, I sacrifice my body and mind unto Thee;

Avtar says, I do sing Thy praise day and night.

None can move without Thy command;

Avtar says, I cannot do anything, only Thy will prevails.

The congregation then proceeds and this is where most of the variation between different congregations occurs. Devotees at this stage are called upon to express themselves. This can be either in the form of a speech, poem or a devotional hymn but sometimes plays may also be enacted. To gain a greater insight of the kinds of hymns, speeches, poems and plays presented in the congregations, the reader is referred to the youth section of the official website. The website also hosts a whole range of regional and national congregations in audio-visual format under the Archives section, some of which may be in English. It may also be of interest to know that most devotees begin and end their presentation by saying "Saints say with love, Dhan Nirankar" or its Punjabi/Hindi equivalent.

Towards the beginning of the final discourse by the saint presiding on the stage, the congregation recites the following verse (Invocation; Avtar Bani), reproduced below. (Note that the congregation usually sings this in Punjabi language, but the English translation of the invocation is available here). The speech from the presiding saint is usually of the longest duration, but may vary anything from 15 minutes to an hour. Some presiding saints use a selected Avtar Bani verse that they may like to base their speech upon. In that case, the stage secretary reads about two lines of a particular verse at regular intervals during the speech.

INVOCATION

O' Almighty God, beyond attribute and formless;

Thou art the creator of the universe; Thou art the sustainer of all.

Thy vast entity is there in every particle of the universe;

Thou were true in the past, art true at present and shall be true in future, and the world is an illusion.

O' God, Thou dwelt in every being, Thou art beyond decay, and Thou art the supreme creator;

Be kind and bless everybody to transcend the ocean of materialism.

Thou art formless and in form, Thou art the nurturer of the universe;

Endless is Thy glory, Thou art the supreme donor, the boundless.

O' the Supreme Father God, all human beings are Thy own children;

Be kind and benevolent to all, may all be redeemed.

The congregation finally concludes with a prayer (see the English translation below) that all devotees sing along in the end. The prayer may be heard at www.nirankar.org >Multimedia>Devotional Songs>Juke Box>Album: Avtar Bani Hindi Vol. 1 Singer: Jagat & Pushap Lata Music: Jagat. Play both the Param Pitta Parmatama and Sumiran (Dhuni) . You will need Real Player for this. Note that this is in Hindi Language.

Thou Formless One; Hail the True Master (Taken from Holy Avtar Bani, available at www.nirankari.org > Literature>English>Avtar Bani>First Verse)

O' the Supreme Father God, Thou pervadeth each and every particle;

Thou art the Supreme Doer, the Commander, and the Master of all.

Beholding Thee all around, Avtar prays unto Thee;

Thou art the Lord of Lords, and I am the humblest of the humble.

Nirankari Sant Samagam

Annual Nirankari Sant Samagam in Delhi can easily be described as the "Mission in Action". Its message of human unity, equality and fraternity based on spiritual awakening finds a fine expression. People from all shades and layers of society assemble at one place forgetting their social, economic or financial status. The mammoth gathering presents a view of unity in diversity, and mutual love, respect and understanding. Humility marks the conduct of every devotee participating in the Samagam so much so that one is found touching the feet of the other irrespective of the age, sex or the status.

Sewa Dal (Volunteer group)

Main article: Sewa Dal

While the Sant Nirankari Mission is a spiritual movement, it believes that devotion to Nirankar (formless God) may be expressed by exemplary behaviour towards other human beings. The Mission therefore has actively promoted the creation of a Sant Nirankari Sewa Dal (i.e. a volunteer group).

Dhan Nirankar (Hail the formless God)

The English translation of this greeting (Dhan Nirankar), which is used by all Nirankaris, means "Hail the Formless God". It symbolises that the devotee seeks to "welcome the Formless in the person he meets and eulogise only 'Him' in his or her 'auspicious' company".

Avtar Bani

The Avtar Bani outlines the key philosophy of the Sant Nirankari Mission. It may in fact be considered the Bible or Quran of the Mission. It is named after its author Shahenshan Baba Avtar Singh. Its initial version was first published in 1957. Its "Big Brother", the 'Sampuran Avtar Bani ' (meaning - the complete Avtar Bani) was published in 1965. The Avtar Bani was originally written in easy Punjabi verse, but some stanzas were in the Urdu and Sindhi Language. It contains 376 hymns which describe the qualities of Formless God (Nirankar), the important role of a True Spiritual Guide in attaining God realisation, the kindness and grace of the True Master, the purpose of human life, the five fundamental principles, true devotion and how a man can lead a saintly life. The Avtar Bani is not worshipped as a holy religious book like the Quran or the Bible, but it is highly regarded by the Nirankari devotees for its authenticity. It has been published in Gurumukhi, Devnagari, Urdu and Roman scripts. It has also been translated and published in English (verse and prose), Hindi, Bengali, Gujarati, Tamil, Telgu, Nepali and Marathi verse. The full online versions of the Avtar Bani may be accessed through the main Nirankari Website, via the Literature and the E-books links.

Normally, a verse from the Avtar Bani is read out before every discourse in most congregations (except when His Holiness Himself is giving the discourse). The verses are also read out at the beginning of each congregation. Devotees are however free to sing/read these verses as hymns anytime they prefer for personal spiritual enlightenment. In fact, many Nirankari households keep a copy of it. Of course, Avtar Bani may also be available from the Publications Department found in each Satsang Bhavan (congregation hall).

Famous slogans

The five famous slogans below shed light on the philosophy of the Mission. Reference: Nirankari EU

True Religion Unites, Never Divides

Peace, not Pieces-let us work for it

Unity in Diversity, not Uniformity

Know One, Be One, Believe in One

Our Mission is Universal Brotherhood

Besides these slogans, remarkable sayings of Baba Gurbachan Singh ji and His Holiness Baba Avtar Singh ji may also be found in the books titled Precious Pearls and Spiritual Sparks respectively.

Voice Divine

Voice Divine is an internet radio programme of the Sant Nirankari Mission which presently broadcasts monthly. A typical programme lasts approximately for an hour. It is mainly hosted by Nirankari Studio team. The programme includes interviews from eminent saints in the mission, discourses by His Holiness and devotional hymns. Past episodes may be accessed online through the Multimedia section of www.nirankari.org

Sant Nirankari Mission Sarovar Complex

Santokh Sarovar (Holy Lake)

The Sant Nirankari Sarovar Complex contains a sarovar (Holy Lake) which contains Holy water. It is named after the devotee, Reverend Santokh Singh ji (Source: Voice Divine episode November 2003). The sarovar is surrounded by a beautiful park. Many devotees use the sarovar during the Annual Nirankari Samagams (very large congregations), which are held in November every year in New Delhi, India.

Nirankari Museum

The Nirakari Museum was officially launched by Baba Hardev Singh ji on 22 February 2005.[8] The museum is located within the Sant Nirankari Sarovar in North Delhi. The museum depicts the journey of Nirankari Mission through audio-visuals and pictures.