Shiv Dayāl Singh Seth popularly known as Soamiji Maharaj was an Indian spiritual personality, who was the founder of the 19th-century spiritual faith – Radhasoami movement. He was honorifically called ‘Param Purush Puran Dhani Huzur Soamiji Maharaj’ by his followers and devotees.
Table of Contents
Wiki/Biography
Shiv Dayāl Singh Seth was born on Monday, 24 August 1818 (age 59 years; at the time of death) Panni Gali, Agra, Ceded Provinces, British India. His zodiac sign was Virgo. He learnt Hindi, Urdu, Persian, Gurumukhi, Arabic, and Sanskrit languages in school.
Physical Appearance
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Black
Family
Parents & Siblings
His father’s name was Lala Dilwali Singh Seth, and he belonged to the Sahejdhari Khatri community. Lala Dilwali Singh Seth and the grandfather of Soamiji Maharaj were the followers of Sikh Guru Nanak and spiritual guru Tulsi Saheb. He had two brothers named Rai Bindraban and Chachaji Sahib.
Wife & Children
He was married to Nārāini Devi at an early age. She was later addressed as “Rādhāji” by her followers and devotees. Her father’s name was Izzat Rai of Faridabad.
Soamiji’s Wife – Srimati Naraini Devi
Soamiji Maharaj had no children as after getting the Surat Shabd initiation within him, he left the worldly pleasures and locked himself in a room for 15 years to meditate. He spent the remaining years of his life while delivering spiritual discourses.
Religion
Sant Mat, Radha Soami
Caste
He belonged to a Vaishnava family in Agra.
Sect
Uttari Bharat ki Sant Parampara (Sant Tradition of North India)
Childhood
Soamiji Maharaj’s parents were from Punjab. They moved to Agra, Uttar Pradesh on the command of the colonial British government who were planning to set up a major military centre there, and they were recruiting the staff for the base, and they trusted heavily on Sikhs from the Punjab region. When Soamiji Maharaj was five years old, he was sent to school where he learnt Hindi, Urdu, Persian and Gurumukhi, Arabic and Sanskrit languages. In his childhood, his family followed a local living guru named Sant Tulsi “Saheb” of Hathras, India.
Sant Tulsi Saheb
Young Shiv Dayāl Singh
After completing his education, Soamiji Maharaj started working as a Persian language translator to a government officer. Later, after getting some experience in the Persian language, he quit his job and became a Persian language tutor to the Raja of Ballabhgarh. Soamiji Maharaj joined his family business and left the teaching soon after the death of his father. Soon, his brother got a government job in postal services that allowed an alternative source of income for the family, keeping this fact in mind Soamiji Maharaj abandoned his family business.
Inception
After leaving all the profits of his family occupation, his mind diverted towards spiritualism. Soon, he started meditating, delivering spiritual discourses that were based on the Sikh scriptures, teachings of Tulsi Sahib and his medieval predecessors. Gradually he developed his personal following. He initiated his devotees through yoga practice. Soamiji Maharaj lived his entire life in Agra while teaching sant mat and meditating.
Spiritual Knowledge
After the death of Tulsi Sahib in 1843, Soamiji Maharaj practised Surat Shabd Yoga for fifteen years by locking himself in a room within a room. He kept himself absorbed in Surat Shabd Yoga within. According to a spiritual site, he did not come out of the room for more than one day.
Spiritual Discourses
In 1861, he publicly delivered a spiritual discourse (Satsang) on Vasant Panchami (a spring festival) in Agra. These spiritual discourses continued for 17 years. Therefore, Vasant Panchami is an important day for the followers of the Radhasoami faith. His followers did Abhyas (Spiritual Practices) according to him and came to know about the immense powers of their Guru by meditating and concentrating their minds and soul behind their closed eyes. It enabled them to realise the power of his grace and the original abode of a soul. His spiritual discourses emphasised love, true Guru, Satsang and the secrets of five words i.e Naam (Name). These ethics of life must be followed to attain salvation and redemption. This Abhyas (Meditation Practice) was made so easy by Soamiji that any man, woman, young, old can perform it. With the passage of time, this faith in the lord and this reunion of the lord with soul gave birth to the Radhasoami Faith. The devotees having trust, earnestness and faith in Soamiji Maharaj often visited his place for having his Darshan, following the further instructions in their performance of Abhyas, and asking the difficulties they faced within while meditating or concentrating on the Surat while understanding its secrets and mysteries. The followers of Soamiji experienced immense powers and glory in the devotional practices by realizing his internal grace and mercy. He was popularly known as Huzur Maharaj. On 15th February 1861, on Basant Panchami Day, Soamiji Maharaj announced the Satsang opened publicly. Soamiji Maharaj continued explaining the secrets of Original Abode, giving initiation to the Parmarthis, and the procedure to reach that Abode through Surat Shabda Marga at his residence. For seventeen and a half years, the Satsangs (spiritual discourses) continued day and night. Sometimes, the Satsangs that began in the evening continued till midnights or even the next morning. His teachings were mainly influenced by Tulsi Sahib’s Surat Shabd Yoga ( the union of the soul with the divine power while listening to the inner sounds), Guru Bhakti (a complete devotion to the master) and a high character with a moral living with a strict Lacto-vegetarian diet and abstinence from meat, drugs, alcohol and sex outside marriage. The masters of this sect themselves are married; therefore, they do not promote celibacy. It promotes following the spiritual path while living in a family.
Beliefs
Soamiji Maharaj’s beliefs and practices include:
Following a Living Guru who follows the path of truth and lives a simple life and never asks for a single penny from his followers. Bhajan (remembering the Sat Naam and following other living practices). Listening to the Satsangs. Seva (serving others without any consideration). Kendra (visiting the Radhasoami shrines or community organization). Bhandara (a large gathering of the devotees to listen to the spiritual discourses of the present guru).
Initial Followers
After Soamiji’s death in 1878, he was succeeded by several disciples. The names of his disciples include his wife Nārāini Devi, his brother Partap Singh (“Chachaji”), an appointed head of the sadhus named Sanmukh Das, Jaimal Singh Maharaj (an army soldier), Gharib Das of Delhi, Rai Salig Ram, each of them began their own separate centres for spiritual discourses. After the death of Soamiji Maharaj, his several followers claimed to be his rightful heirs. This distress led to the rapid multiplication of various Masters and their Satsangs all over India. They all follow the same manifestations of Soamiji Maharaj and his teachings that is explained as the Sant Mat or the path of the saints. Rai Salig Ram Saheb Bahadur was one of his beloved disciples of Soamiji Maharaj. He served Soamiji Maharaj’s initiative for twenty years with all his riches, mind and body. He used to bring water to Soamiji Maharaj on his shoulders from a well that was a mile away. The names of Soamiji Maharaj’s female disciples were Shibboji and Bukkiji. They were both sisters. Soamiji’s youngest brother named Partap Singh and his son Sudarshan Singh Seth were both Soamiji’s followers. Partap Singh was his devotee from the age of ten or twelve. A follower named Vishnoji was the permanent attended of Soamiji Maharaj to take care of him, and he was given charge of the Soamiji’s kitchen.
Literary Works
He wrote two books, both titled Sar Bacan (“Essential Utterances”).
Branches of the Radhasoami Movement
Radha Soami Satsang, Beas
One of the largest branches of the Radhasoami Faith is at Beas. This was established by Jaimal Singh, one of Shiv Dayal Singh’s disciples in Punjab 1890s. Under the guidance of each subsequent successor, this branch has spread enormously over the decades (from Sawan Singh to Jagat Singh and Charan Singh to the current master, Gurinder Singh Dhillon). Approximately, two million followers were initiated at Beas, Punjab.
Radha Soami Satsang, Beas
Radha Soami Satsang – Soami Bagh, Peepal Mandi, and Dayalbagh
In Agra, at Soami Bagh, a memorial tomb was built to honour the founder, Soamiji Maharaj.
Radha Soami Satsang, Soami Bagh
At Peepal Mandi, Rai Salig Ram started his own centre after the death of Soamiji Maharaj, and he was succeeded by his son, grandson, and great-grandson, Agam Prasad Mathur. The largest centre in Agra is at Dayalbagh that was prospered under the guidance of Kamta Prasad Sinha, Anand Sarup, Gurcharandas Mehta, Dr M.B. Lal Sahab, and Professor Prem Saran Satsangi.
Radha Soami Satsang, Dayalbagh
Ruhani Satsang
Kirpal Singh, a disciple of the Beas Master, Sawan Singh, initiated a Radhasoami-related group titled Ruhani Satsang in Delhi. In 1962, Manavta Mandir was established by Faqir Chand in Hoshiarpur, Punjab.
Manavta Mandir, Hoshiarpur
The Tarn Taran Satsang was established by Bagga Singh. Radha Swami Satsang Dinod, founded by Param Sant Tarachand Ji Maharaj (Bade Maharaj Ji).
Radha Swami Satsang, Dinod
Sacha Sauda Dera in Hissar, Haryana
Satnam Singh, whose guru Khema Mal (“Mastanaji”) was a disciple of the Beas guru, Sawan Singh, founded a branch related to Radhasoami at Sacha Sauda Dera in Hissar, Haryana. Its current master, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, was convicted in a rape case in 2017. During his arrest and conviction, his followers sparked riots that caused over thirty deaths in the area.
Sacha Sauda Dera in Hissar, Haryana
Foreign Countries
Radhasoami Faith has also extended its movements in North America, including Paul Twitchell’s Eckankar, Ching Hai’s Quan Yin, John-Roger Hinkins’ Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness (MSIA), and Gary Olsen’s MasterPath.
Death
Soamiji Maharaj died on 15 June 1878 at the age of 59 at Panni Gali, Agra, North-Western Provinces, British India.
Facts/Trivia
Soamiji Maharaj lived on a meagre diet. According to a spiritual source, for twenty years, he did not take more than two ounces a day.
An actual original photograph of Soamiji Maharaj
The ashes of Shiv Dayal Singh are still buried in a sacred garden at Dayal Bagh in Agra.
At Soamiji’s home, there was room within the room in which he used to meditate. He was born and departed in the same room. After the age of six, this was the room in which he spent most of his meditating. Baba Jaimal Singh and Saligram Bahadur were also initiated by Soamiji in this room. This was considered as the room where Soamiji often conducted initiations into inner light and sound meditation.
Soamiji’s Meditation Room-Within-A-Room
There is also a mysterious well at Soami Bagh at Soamiji’s house.
An old photo of a mysterious well at Soamiji’s home
With the passage of time, Radhasoami trust and Radhasoami Satsang Administrative Council at Soami Bagh, Agra renovated the well from outside.
The new image of the mysterious well (renovated) at Soamiji’s house