Document: The Parting Instructions — Last Words or Commandments of Soamiji Maharaj (Shiv Dayal Seth, Sant Radhasoami Sahib)
“No devotee was so near and dear to Soamiji Maharaj as Hazur Maharaj [Rai Salig Ram Bahadhur] was. In his letters to Hazur Maharaj he addressed him as ‘Aziz-az-Jan’, meaning dearer than self. In ecstasy, grace and mercy, once he said, ‘I do not know whether I am Rai Salig Ram’s Guru or he is mine.’” (“Petals of Love”, by A.P. Mathur, Agra)
The Parting Instructions — Last Words or Commandments of Soami Ji Maharaj (Shiv Dayal Seth, Sant Radhasoami Sahib) to Sadhus, Satsangis and Satsangins (Male and Female Disciples)
On the Early Morning of Saturday, June 15th, 1878
1. Soamiji Maharaj called Chandra Sen, a satsangi who used to come from the village Kursanda every month on the day of the full-moon for His Darshan, asking him to sit close to Him and have His Darshan with rapt attention, urging him to fix His Form (Swarup) in his heart, because, He added: “On the next full-moon day he would not get that Darshan”. Soamiji Maharaj then observed: “Your Bhakti (devotion [love]) has reached perfection.”
2. At about 8 AM, Soamiji Maharaj observed that the time of His departure was nearly at hand. Thereafter, Soamiji Maharaj withdrew His Surat (spirit) and also all diffused spirituality. Only the whites of the eye-balls were visible, and His body began to shake; the nails of His hands and feet grew pale. A quarter of an hour later, He brought down His Surat and then declared that: “the Mauj [Divine Will] has now changed and there is still some time.” Then Lala Seth Pratap Singh [Chachaji] enquired: “When is the Mauj [for] now?” Soamiji Maharaj replied: “Sometime in the afternoon.”
3. Thereafter, Sadhu Bhara Singh and other satsangis began to offer Bhet [presents, gifts] and tendered their respects and salutations. At this, one Lala Jagan Nath Khatri, a neighbour, remarked that they should let Soamiji Maharaj’s dhyan (attention [meditation]) remain inwards and that this was not the time for offering Bhet. Thereupon, Soamiji Maharaj, addressing Lala Jagan Nath, observed that: “True dhyan [meditation] means that one is able to withdraw one’s Surat and bring it down at one’s will. I have already moved up the location of My spirit into the lap of Sat Purush last night. I have come down only to say a few words to you.”
4. Soamiji Maharaj said: “You all know that I was six years old when I started my spiritual practices. It is for that reason that I have gained complete success in them”. To illustrate the point, Soamiji Maharaj said: “One who does not know how to swim cannot learn swimming if told to do so when he maybe drowning and he would certainly be drowned, but one who has learnt to swim from his very childhood shall never be drowned even in midstream. Our physical body is merely a bundle of flesh and bones covered with skin. Life-long performance of spiritual practices should make one remember the Name of the Supreme Being at the time of departure from the world. People should therefore practice repeating the Holy Name in such a manner that they may not forget it even while moving about or while engaged in worldly activities.”
5. Then Soamiji Maharaj, addressing Huzur Maharaj and all the satsangis and satsangins [male and female initiates], said: “After my death you should show as much respect to Radhaji as you have been showing to me, and consider her and junior Mataji ([Chhoti Mata] widow of Rai Bindraban Saheb, [younger brother of Soamiji Maharaj]) as equals”.
6. He then ordered Radhaji not to neglect Shibbo, Bukki and Vishno.
7. About Sadhu Sanmukh Das, He said: “He is appointed as the Head of all the sadhus, but not like other mahants (1) going about in the world. Both Sanmukh Das and Bimal Das will act as officers of sadhus. They shall reside in Soami Bagh. Partapa [i.e. Lala Seth Pratap Singh — Chachaji Saheb, the youngest brother of Soamiji Maharaj] shall be the Master of the Bagh [Garden].”
8. He then exhorted house-holders not to accept any service (seva) from sadhus.
9. On enquiry by one of the female devotees [Riddhi Bibi] as to who would look after them, Soamiji Maharaj ordered that Radhaji would look after the females and that Sanmukh Das would be in charge of sadhus.
10. He further ordered that ladies must not go to Soami Bagh and serve sadhus living there; they should, instead, visit Radhaji and serve her. Then He declared that it was He who had made it possible for all to live together without any harm coming to anyone.
11. Bibi Bukki requested that Soamiji Maharaj might order her departure also. He asked her to be of good cheer and said that she would soon be called away and that in the meantime, she should continue concentration on the Holy Form internally.
12. Lala Seth Pratap Singh then made a similar request. Soamiji Maharaj said: “You have yet to do a lot of work. Stay in Soami Bagh, attend the Satsang and make others also do the same”.
13. Seth Sudarshan Singh (2) then asked whom should they look to for guidance after Him. Soamiji Maharaj said: “Whoever needs spiritual guidance should seek it from Salig Ram (Huzur Maharaj)”.
14. Addressing Lala Seth Pratap Singh, Soamiji Maharaj observed: “The Faith I had given out was that of Sat Naam and Anami. The Radhasoami Faith has been introduced by Salig Ram (Huzur Maharaj). You should let it also continue. Satsang must go on. Satsang shall spread far and wide in future.”
15. Then Soamiji Maharaj consoled all the people and said: “Let no satsangi, whether a house-holder or a sadhu, feel distracted [worry at all]. I shall be with one-and-all and they shall be looked after with more and more Grace [in future]”.
16. Continuing, He declared: “In Kali Yuga (3) no other spiritual activity will succeed. It is only the contemplation of the Satguru’s Form, repetition of the Name of the Supreme Being, and concentration on Shabda [Spiritual Sound] that will be successful and beneficial”.
[16. Then Soamiji Maharaj observed that “In Kali Yuga, no spiritual activity would be successfully performed except the contemplation of the Swarup (Form) of Sat Guru, Sumiran of Nam (Repetition of the Holy Name) and Dhyan of Nam (contemplation of the Holy Name).” (Last Utterances Soamiji Maharaj translation)]
[16. He continued: “No other Kami (effort) will be successful in Kaliyug. Dhyan or contemplation of the Sarup of the Satguru and Simran of Nam will be successful.” (Last Commandments of Swami Ji Maharaj translation)]
17. Lala Seth Pratap Singh prayed for perfect manifestation of the Shabda within himself [internally]. Soamiji Maharaj said: “If one is able to listen to the internal Shabda within himself and enjoys its bliss, it is the manifestation of Shabda (i.e. Spiritual Sound) for him”.
18. After that, addressing Radhaji, Soamiji Maharaj said: “I have been throughout my life attending to both mundane and spiritual duties alike. You should continue performing your worldly duties [social observances] and let the sadhus do their duty”.
19. Soamiji Maharaj then left the courtyard and went into His room. He departed from His physical body at the age of 60 years at quarter to two in the afternoon, June 15th, 1878.
(20. Soamiji Maharaj had no children. Radhaji lived for about sixteen years after Soamiji Maharaj and stayed at Pannigali where Huzur Maharaj went to pay respects to her off and on. Towards the latter part of her life, she went to Jhansi and stated that she will breathe her last there. She departed from this world on November 1st, 1894.])
(21. Later events and developments clearly indicate that a bright and prosperous future is in store for the Radhasoami Satsang founded by Param Purusha Puran Dhani Soamiji Maharaj.)
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NOTES:
(1) The title ‘mahant’ refers to the head of a Hindu monastery or the head of a group of sadhus.
(2) Seth Saheb, the youngest son of Chachaji Saheb, and nephew of Soamiji Maharaj.
(3) The yuga or age when Kal exerts his extreme influence. The present age is Kali Yuga.
