Darshan Singh (Sant Mat)

Darshan Singh (1921–1989) was a spiritual leader, mystic poet and humanitarian who was the founder and head of Sawan Kirpal Ruhani Mission / Science of Spirituality from 1974 until his death on May 30, 1989. He was the spiritual successor to Sant Kirpal Singh. Darshan Singh was considered one of India's leading mystic poets writing in the Urdu language. Upon his death he was succeeded by Sant Rajinder Singh.

Biography

Born in India on September 14, 1921, Sant Darshan Singh was the son of Sant Kirpal Singh Ji. In 1926, at age of 5, Sant Darshan Singh was initiated into the path of Sant Mat or Surat Shabd Yoga by Hazur Baba Sawan Singh Ji Maharaj of Beas. For the next 22 years, Sant Darshan Singh served the mission of Hazur, and continued his service through the ministry of Sant Kirpal Singh’s from 1948-1974. Darshan Singh was educated at the Government College, Punjab University (Lahore). He went on to have a distinguished 37-year career with the government of India, retiring in 1979 as Deputy Secretary of the Finance Ministry. In 1974, before his passing, Sant Kirpal Singh appointed Darshan Singh as his spiritual successor.

Darshan Singh was considered a Master of Surat Shabd Yoga (Sant Mat) and the founder of Sawan Kirpal Ruahni Mission / Science of Spirituality, a spiritual organization with international headquarters in Delhi, India and Chicago, Illinois (USA). During his 15 year ministry, he founded Kirpal Ashram in Delhi, and established over 550 centers in forty countries. He presided over the Sixth Conference of the World Fellowship of Religions, the Asian Conference of Religions for Peace, and the Fifteenth International Human Unity Conference, held in Delhi, India., in 1988. In addition, he was acclaimed as one of the India’s greatest mystic poets writing in the Urdu language. He wrote three poetry books: Talash-e-Noor, Manzil-e-Noor and Matah-e-Noor. Two of his collections of poems, Manzil-e-Noor (Abode of Light) and Matah-e-Noor (Treasure House of Light) won him Urdu Academy Awards. He was the founder member of Halka-e-Ababe-Fikr (a literary forum of poets).

In 1986, Darshan Singh was invited to the United Nations to confer on the subject of inner and outer peace with UN Deputy Secretary-General Dr. Robert Muller.

His English publications include: The Wonders of Inner Space, Spiritual Awakening, The Secret of Secrets: Spiritual Talks, and A Tear and a Star. He also published hundreds of articles and poems on spiritual topics in various periodicals. His writings have been translated into fifty languages.

During Sant Darshan Singh’s four world tours, he was presented with the keys to many cities and was honored by the Columbian parliament with its Medal of Congress and by the Congress of the United States with citations of merit.

Darshan Singh died in 1989 a few days before leaving for a Tour of Conferences in the West for 3 months, already all reserved. ^[1]

After the death of Darshan his physical son, Rajinder Singh (b. 1946), “succeeded” him.

Sources

This information has been collected from Darshan Singh's autobiography: "Love Has Only a Beginning" - 1996, ISBN 0-918224-39-X

Ambassadors of Peace, a Dialogue At the United Nations Between Dr. Robert Muller & Sant Darshan Singh Published by University for Peace ISBN 9788185380117

References

Lall, Inder Jit. "Darshan: Modern Sufi Poet", Patriot, April 18, 1983 Lall, Inder jit. "Darshan's mystic verse", Evening News (Hindustan Times), December 8, 1981 Lall, Inder jit. "For verse, but for the better", Financial Express, November 27, 1988