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Singh, Kirpal Maharaj 417 J

Guru Gobind Singh had three wives. His first Singh, Kirpal Maharaj (1894–1974) teacher
marriage was to Mata Jeeto of Lahore, who gave of Sant Mat and Radhasoami
birth to three sons, Jujhar, Zoravar, and Fateh. Kirpal Maharaj Singh was a dynamic and influen-
He later married Mata Sundari of Lahore, who tial reformer and international champion of inter-
gave birth to another son, Ajit. She survived faith cooperation. He helped disseminate the Sant
Singh and was revered as a great teacher by Sikhs Mat teachings in India and around the world.
after her husband’s death. His last wife, Mata Kirpal Singh was born on Februrary 6, 1894,
Sahib Devi of the Jehlam District, went to Guru in Sayyad Kasran in the Rawalpindi District of
Gobind after vowing to marry no one else. He the Punjab in what is now Pakistan. He was
did not wish to marry but agreed to a platonic educated at the Edwards Church Mission High
relationship in which she could share her life School in Peshawar. In January 1912 he signed up
with him. for government service in the Military Accounts
Singh taught the oneness of humankind, Department, an occupation that he pursued until
love and worship of God, self-awakening, and retirement in 1947 as deputy assistant control-
social justice, all part of the Sikh heritage. His ler of military accounts. Throughout his early
unique contribution, however, was to organize life he studied the basic scriptures of the Sikhs,
the Khalsa (pure ones) order in 1699, probably Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, and Zoroastri-
in response to his father’s martyrdom decades ans and began to believe that various religious
before. The purpose of the Khalsa was to pro- philosophies communicate the same basic truth,
mote sacrifice for DHARMA, the right way of liv- which is the need for each person to attain both
ing. Members were enjoined to resist any form self-knowledge and God-knowledge.
of slavery based on class, caste, or religion and In 1917 he first had contact with his teacher,
to prioritize their commitment to social justice. Baba Sawan Singh of the Beas lineage of RADHA-
Guru Gobind even advocated the use of arms SOAMI teachers. He was later married and became
when in resistance to oppression. He also insti- the father of two sons. In February 1924 he
tuted the five K’s, observed by male Sikhs to was formally initiated by Baba Sawan Singh and
the present day: (1) kesh, long hair; (2) kangh, given the name Naam, “the word.” It is said that
a comb; (3) kach, short pants (for quick move- his teacher Sawan Singh passed all his spiritual
ment); (4) kara, a steel bracelet; and (5) kirpan, knowledge onto his disciple through one look in
a knife. the eyes. In 1935 he began writing and composing
Guru Gobind Singh declared that upon his his text, Gurmat Sidhant. On April 2, 1948, after
death the line of individual gurus would end and the death of his teacher, he began his ministry in
the authority of the guru would rest solely in the Radhasoami lineage. At the end of that year
the scripture—the Adi Granth (called the Guru he started his mission and began giving regular
Granth Sahib)—and in the Khalsa, the fellowship initiations.
of pure followers. Guru Gobind Singh died on In June of 1951 he founded the Sawan Ashram
October 7, 1708. in Shakti Nagar, Delhi. Four years later he went
on his first world tour. In 1956 in Delhi, he gave
Further reading: Surinder Singh Johar, Guru Gobind the inaugural address to the Ninth General Ses-
Singh (New Delhi: Enkay, 1987). sion of UNESCO. In 1957 he became the founding
president of the World Fellowship of Religions; he
later presided over four World Religious Confer-
Singh, Jaimal See RADHASOAMI MOVEMENT; ences over a period of 14 years. In 1962 he was
SANT MAT MOVEMENT the first non-Christian to be honored with the

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