Mastana Balochistani

Masatana (at far left) as founder of the Dera Sacha Sauda

Mastana Balochistani (or Shah Mastana, honorifically known as Mastana Ji Maharaj) was the founder of the socio-spiritual organization Dera Sacha Sauda on 29 April 1948 in Sirsa (modern Haryana). Mastana was originally from Balochistan, and emigrated as a refugee following independence in 1947.[1] Alternately, Mastana's religious leader Beparwah Shah, sent Mastana to minister to the Baagdis people near Haryana, and Mastana lived there in a cave, doing manual labour and donating his wages to the local poor.[2]

Work

Shehanshah Mastana SHAH taught the method of meditation (Naam Shabd) to thousands of people over a period of twelve years (1948-1960). During this period, unpaid, he distributed money and goods to people. People from various parts of the country started coming to Dera Sacha Sauda and became its followers.

Shehanshah Mastana was born on Kartik Poornima in 1891 in village Kotra, tehsil Gandhey, district Kalat (Balochistan). Sh. Pillamal was his father and Smt. Tulsa Bai his mother. It was a Kshatriya family. He was named Shri Khemamal Ji. Later Huzoor Baba Sawan Singh honoured him with the name of ‘Shah Mastana Ji’. Huzoor Baba Sawan Singh further declared him "Mastanon ka Mastana, Shahon Ka Shah - Shah Mastana Ji". At the age of 14 years, Mastana left home in search of a perfect spiritual Guru (teacher). At last, after searching for nine years, he reached Beas in the state of Punjab in India, where he met Baba Sawan Singh. Mastanaji attended his Satsang (spiritual congregation) and learned the method of meditation (Naam) from him. Baba Sawan Singh entrusted Mastana with the task of conducting spiritual discourses (Satsang), and teaching meditation to the people in the provinces of Balochistan, Sindh and Punjab.

Later Baba Sawan Singh assigned Shah Mastana Saheb duty in the vicinity of Bagarh a (region of northern Rajasthan and western Haryana). He made Mastana saheb his spiritual successor and sent him to Sirsa in Haryana. Mastana saheb, on the orders of Baba Sawan Singh Ji, established Dera Sacha Sauda and raised public awareness of Naam-Shabd. He laid the foundation of Dera Sacha Sauda in 1948 in Sirsa. He laid the principle of earning through hard work and absolutely prohibited acceptance of donations or charity of any kind, and coined the Nara (slogan) “Dhan Dhan Satguru Tera Hi Asra", "Praise, Praise be to the True guru, you are the true benefactor".

Mastana saheb built 25 ashrams in Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan . Facilities of drinking water and langar (community meals) were provided in these ashrams. He taught the practical method of meditation to thousands of people in simple language. He laid down three basic principles of Dera Sacha Sauda:

Mastana sahib performed his assigned duties until 18 April 1960, before discarding the mortal frame in Delhi.

References

  1. ↑ Frontline. S. Rangarajan for Kasturi & Sons. 2007. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  2. ↑ Annie Zaidi (2010). Known Turf: Bantering with Bandits and Other True Tales. Westland Ltd./HOV Services. pp. 113–. ISBN 978-93-80032-44-3. Retrieved 22 April 2012.

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