Latest Official RSSB Information
During this period of global shutdowns and closures, including most of the satsang centres in India and abroad, we will now post important information here on this website in addition to Dera’s normal procedure of distributing such information through all Chairpersons and Representatives. You may check here periodically for any new information.
UPDATE: 7 May 2020English Satsangs will now be available on the Additional Official RSSB YouTube Channel: On May 5th Dera announced the new YouTube Channel for Indian-language satsangs given at Dera. Dera has now added English-language satsangs as well beginning this Sunday, May 10th. On every Wednesday & Sunday both an Indian-language satsang and an English-language satsang will both be uploaded. (No translations will be offered for these satsangs.)
Radha Soami, or Radhasoami Satsang, is a religious organization founded by Shiv Dayal Singh in 1861 on Basant Panchami Day in Agra, India. It derives its name from the word Radha meaning soul and Soami which refers to True God or One God as swami of His souls as all souls are created by him. The Radhasoamis, states Mark Juergensmeyer, are considered in Punjab as an offshoot of Sikhism.
UPDATE: 07 May 2020Satsang – Denial and Acceptance
Essay – Do We Need a Minister of Loneliness?UPDATE: 5 May 2020
Additional Official RSSB YouTube Channel: Dera has launched an additional YouTube Channel called “Beas : Satsang
” showing the morning Indian-language satsangs being delivered at Dera Baba Jaimal Singh during this period of COVID-19 restrictions. Satsangs delivered by Dera satsang kartas (speakers) will be uploaded every week on Wednesdays and Sundays. The satsangs are mostly in Punjabi with an occasional satsang in Hindi. These videos are intended for streaming and not for downloading. Since these videos are meant only for this short period until normal satsangs resume, there will be no translations of these videos.UPDATE: 3 May 2020Satsang – Love Defined
Essay – The Meaning of SatsangUPDATE: 1 MAY 2020
English Translations of Shabad Collection 1 are now available online on our RSSB Website and on the RSSB Official YouTube Channel. After selecting a shabad to play from Collection 1 on our website, click “English Translation” in the audio player window and the translation will appear. When playing a shabad from Collection 1 on our YouTube Channel, click on “SHOW MORE” below the description and you will see the translation.UPDATE: 1 May 2020
Spiritual Link: May/June 2020 IssueUPDATE: 28 April 2020
Essay – Transforming Prison into a Refuge
Essay – What Is Our Perspective on Life?UPDATE: 23 April 2020
Essay - Happiness Is Available Right Now
Essay - Shabd Amrit DharaUPDATE: 21 April 2020
Video – A video sponsored by the Karnal District Government, Haryana. “Measures to Combat COVID-19: Provision of Shelter Homes for Migrant Labourers” in Karnal District.UPDATE: 19 April 2020
Satsang - Very Beauteous Is the Body-Bride
Essay - Time and OpportunityUPDATE: 16 April 2020
New Photograph of Baba Ji – A new photograph of Baba Ji has been released.Click on the link or see it on the website at: Audio/Video/Photos/Photographs. It is also available for download.UPDATE: 16 April 2020
Satsang - A Hero's Journey
Essay - Thoughts from Lockdown
DEPT. OF OVERSEAS SATSANG CENTRES
15 April 2020
Ref. No.: PA/WC/OSC/16/20
Subject:
The Cancellation of Satsang Programs in India for May 2020
- Due to the continuing health crisis in India and abroad caused by COVID-19, the Master has taken the following decisions in the interest of the sangat.
- The satsang program scheduled in Solan on May 9 & 10 has been cancelled.
- The satsang program scheduled for Dera, Beas, on May 17, 24, & 31 has been cancelled.
- Naam Daan at Dera, Beas in May has also been cancelled.
- The restriction on entering Dera remains in effect. The sangat from India and abroad are requested not to attempt to visit Dera during this period.
It is requested that everyone strictly follow the Master’s instructions.
UPDATE: 12 April 2020Satsang:The Secret of Attention
Essay:The Coronavirus and Karma TheoryUPDATE: 10 April 2020
Video: Seva with Love: Preparing Packed Meals – A short video documenting the meal packing seva at Dera. Over 125,000 meals are prepared at Dera every day and sent to nearby villages. At Satsang Centres all across India approximately 12 lakh (1.2 million) meals are prepared each day and served to those in need.UPDATE: 8 April 2020
Satsang: Trusting Mystery
Essay: The World Has Come to a Full StopUPDATE: 5 April 2020
Newspaper Article: “COVID-19 crisis: Radha Soami Satsang Beas prepares food for 12 lakh people (1.2 million) per day across India”
UPDATE: 3 April 2020
Newspaper Article: “Do not insist on going home, we will win your hearts with sewa.”
Radha Soami comes to the aid of the district administration during these difficult times of the lockdown. Refuge given to 1,000 migrants.
UPDATE: 2 April 2020
Audio Books - These three Audio Books are taken from the latest editions of RSSB publications. Over time we will continue to add recordings of more books. These recordings can be downloaded and stored on your portable devices for more convenient listening.
Essay:Dera’s Response to the Coronavirus Pandemic
Newspaper Articles: Two new newspaper articles have been added reporting on RSSB’s contributions in providing help and support to the general public during this coronavirus situation.UPDATE: 29 March 2020
Newspaper Articles – Several recent newspaper articles about RSSB have been added to the Newspaper Article page which can be found under the “NEW” tab or under the “HOME” tab on the website.
DEPT. OF OVERSEAS SATSANG CENTRES
27 March 2020
Ref. No.: PA/WC/OSC/13/20
Subject: New items on RSSB Website and Official YouTube Channel
To all countries abroad,
Inspirational Thought (video) - A new Inspirational Thought video will be put up every week on Friday morning (GMT) on the website and on YouTube. In about 60 seconds, these short video clips give an “inspirational thought” that we can all reflect on. The English-language videos are taken from Maharaj Charan Singh’s Question & Answer sessions with English-speaking disciples. The Punjabi-language videos are taken from Maharaj Ji’s Punjabi satsangs. Both language videos have English and Hindi subtitles. Each new video will be added to the collection and can be played from the list at any time.
The following are the latest additions to the RSSB Website www.rssb.org and our Official RSSB YouTube Channel:
RSSB Website
Homepage:
Latest Official RSSB Information
NEW Menu Tab: The NEW tab provides links to all new additions
Publications/Satsangs & Essays:
Satsang: Rumi on Meditation
Satsang: Freedom from Misconceptions
Essay: Advice from the Master in Times of Upheaval
RSSB Website & Official RSSB YouTube:
Inspirational Thought (Video)
Video: What is there to Feel Tense About? (A 60 second video with a special message for today and for always; taken from Hazur’s trips to the USA.
Video: Inspirational Thought (The first video in the new weekly series.)
24 March 2020
Ref. No.: PA/WC/OSC/12/20
Subject:
1. Latest Dera Information to be posted on our RSSB Website
2. Beware of Fake Information Posing as Official
During this period of global shutdowns and closures, including most of the satsang centres in India and abroad, it is a challenge getting the latest official information from the Dera to the members of the sangat. To help improve this situation we will now post important information on our official RSSB website, www.rssb.org. You will find a link at the top of the Homepage: Latest Official RSSB Information
Click the link and it will take you to the Information Page. Here the sangat can find the latest information sent by Dera for the sangat abroad. You may check the website periodically for any new information. In addition, we will continue to send all important information directly to all Chairpersons and Representatives, who will do their best to distribute it to the sangat as they normally do.
IMPORTANT: We wish to bring to everyone’s attention the fact that the internet and many social media sites, particularly WhatsApp, often spread wrong and misleading information concerning RSSB and its activities. Recently a fake letter was being heavily circulated among satsangis. The perpetrator of this forgery copied the Dera letterhead and even copied the Master’s signature and wrote a poorly worded letter in bad English. Yet satsangis were confused. Dera requests that if you do not receive information through your Chairperson, Representative, local Secretary, or see it posted on our official RSSB Website, then you can assume it is not official and not to be trusted.
The sangat is strongly requested not to pass information on to others that comes from unofficial sources. Do not become a link in the chain of disinformation.
DEPT. OF OVERSEAS SATSANG CENTRES20 March 2020
Ref. No.: PA/WC/OSC/11/20
Subject: Should not use internet or other means for satsang
Since the closing of satsangs in many countries around the world, I have been receiving emails asking if it is okay to set up satsang via internet/social media/or phone conference calls. Dera has never been in favour of this. During this relatively short period that satsangs will be cancelled, there is plenty of spiritual inspiration that can be taken from all the Sant Mat books, from our website: www.rssb.org, and from our official RSSB YouTube channel. Our website has many interesting Articles, eBooks, Essays, and Satsangs; as well as Hazur’s Questions & Answers, over 600 shabads, audio & video recordings of satsangs, and several devotional movies. We are continuing to add more material all the time.
Many of you may have heard that Dera has stopped all satsangs on the pandal to protect the sangat from the spreading of the coronavirus. For the time being Dera will use its already existing internal cable TV network (used for showing Indian TV channels to Dera residents) to show satsang every morning, delivered by a local Punjabi speaker and pathi. This is only available within Dera for the Dera residents. This is unique to Dera and not something that can be copied nor should it be.
On Friday, counsel for Malvinder Singh, a former promoter of Religare Enterprises Ltd, told a Delhi court that his client did not have a “single penny”, and accused investigators of not arresting the “person to whose doorstep the money leads as he is heading a great religious organisation”. “This gentleman”, the counsel said, “runs an entity called Radha Soami Satsang Beas (RSSB) trust. He is a very powerful man and has high political relevance.” Malvinder Singh and his brother Shivinder Singh have been arrested for allegedly diverting funds and causing a loss of Rs 2,397 crore to Religare Finvest Ltd (RFL), a subsidiary of Religare Enterprises Ltd. The brothers were followers of the RSSB at one time.
What is the Radha Soami Dera, and when was it founded?
According to the officials of the Dera Beas, the seed of today’s bustling dera was sown by Baba Jaimal Singh (1839-1903). He was a disciple of an Agra-based guru, and after retiring from the British Indian Army, he set up the dera Baba Jaimal Singh, a mud hut on the bank of the river Beas, 45 km from Amritsar, in 1891.
One hundred and twenty-eight years on, the dera today is a well laid-out township sprawled over 3,000 acres of land, home to some 18,000 people, complete with hostels, a shopping mall, and facilities for an aircraft to take off and land. It is the headquarters of the Radha Soami sect, which was registered as a non-profit society under the Societies Registration Act in October 1957.
Of the 3,000 acres of land at the dera, over 1,200 acres is dedicated to agriculture. The dera claims to have an installed solar power capacity of 19.5 MW, including a rooftop plant with panels spread over 42 acres and a capacity of 11.5 MW.
How many followers does the dera have, and where?
Dera officials claim there are around 20 million followers, spread over 90 countries all over the world. They say the dera has around 5,000 big and small centres across India and overseas. Some 18-20 of the bigger centres are spread over several hundred acres each.
The Beas centre is the largest, and is visited by some 12 million to 13 million followers every year, according to dera records. Some 2.5 lakh people can attend the satsang at the Beas dera at a time, it is said.
The dera has property worth around Rs 3,000 crore, which includes the land of its centres all over the world, and three large hospitals. The dera regularly purchases land for new centres.
Who heads the dera?
The “gentleman” referred to in the Delhi court is Baba Gurinder Singh Dhillon, the fifth and current head of the Radha Soami Satsang Beas. He became the head of the dera in 1990, and lives in Beas.
Baba Jaimal Singh, the first head of the dera chose Baba Sawan Singh, a civil engineer by profession, to be his successor. Baba Sawan Singh, who remained the dera head from 1903 to 1948, was followed by Baba Jagat Singh (1948 to 1951), and Baba Charan Singh (1951 to 1990).
Is Radha Soami a religion?
According o the dera officials, it is a spiritual organisation that respects the teachings of all religions, and is dedicated to “inner development” under the guidance of a spiritual leader (Guru).
The dera’s philosophy is of “selfless service and voluntarism”. Its followers are taught not to be a burden on anyone, and to achieve spiritual goals through meditation and satsang (spiritual discourse). They believe in practising “naamdaan”, which is given by the spiritual guru for daily practice, and to invoke their inner voice.
Followers of the dera believe in doing their work themselves, and even in the Beas dera, all works, including construction, is carried out by dera vounlteeers.
Does the dera have any political affiliations?
The Radha Soami Satsang Beas has never expressed its political and commercial affiliations openly. However, leaders of all political parties, including the Congress, SAD-BJP, and AAP, visit the dera during elections. Several politicians are its followers. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat too, visited the dera during his visit to Jalandhar last year.
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