Baba Sawan Singh was born on July 27, 1858, also known as “The Great Master” or “Bade Maharaji” was an Indian Saint. He was the second Satguru of Radha Soami Satsang Beas (RSSB) from the death of Baba Jaimal Singh in 1903 until his own death on April 2, 1948.

The Great Master, Huzur Maharaj Baba Sawan
Singh ji, has been one of the greatest exponents of the teachings of the Sant Mat, that the world ever produced. Born in 1858 in a highly respectable Jat family of Punjab, He showed signs of great Spiritual Understanding from early childhood. As a boy he could repeat by heart the Japji Sahib of Guru Nanak and Jap Sahib of Guru Gobind Singh. His great spiritual hunger and thirst for Knowledge of Truth and Reality brought him in contact with Baba Jaimal Singh Ji, in 1894, who at the time of initiating Him remarked that He had been holding something for Him in trust from the Lord,
which he had discharged that day.

Sawan Singh Grewal was born into a Sikh family on 27 July 1858 in village Jatala, District Ludhiana. His father was Subedar Major Kabul Singh and his mother was Mata Jiwani. He was married to Mata Kishan Kaur and together they had three children. He passed Engineering from Thomson College, Roorkee and joined the Military Engineering Service.

Later when Sawan Singh was stationed at Murree, he met Jaimal Singh, who said to his companion that he had come to initiate Sawan. After much arguing and discussion and several conferences with Jaimal Singh, Sawan became thoroughly convinced and received Initiation from Jaimal Singh on the 15th day of October, 1894.

Sawan Singh retired in 1911 and developed Dera Baba Jaimal Singh (Beas) –the “camp of Baba Jaimal Singh” where Baba Jaimal had settled in 1891– and built houses, bungalows and a Satsang Hall. Sawan sheltered victims of the communal holocaust of the Partition of India. His following included Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, and for the first time, thousands from abroad, the US, UK, Switzerland, Germany, including Julian Johnson and Pierre Schmidt.

Baba Sawan Singh (1858–1948), also known as “The Great Master” or “Bade Maharaji” was an Indian Saint. He was the second Satguru of Radha Soami Satsang Beas (RSSB) from the death of Baba Jaimal Singh in 1903 until his own death on April 2, 1948.

The Spiritual practices taught by Him for God- Realization are the same as taught by Christ, Kabir,. Nanak, Paltu, Dadu, Jagjiwan, Tulsi, Maulana Rum, Shamas Tabriz, Hafiz, Mujadid Alf Sani, and other Saints of the world. These practices are mentioned in the
Vedasas”AnhadMarg,”by the Mohammedan Mystics as”Sultan-ul-Azkar,”and in the Bible as the”Word”or the “Logos”. The followers of the Great Master included people of all religions, countries and nationalities. When He started His work, the Light of Sant Mat was slowly fading out. People under the influence of priestly classes had taken to rites and rituals and had forgotten the teachings of the Saints. Nobody knew what the Surat Shabd Yoga was. Now, by His grace, there are established big Sat Sang Centers, not only in the length and breadth of India, but throughout Europe, America, Canada, South Africa and other countries.

His famous book, “Gurmat Sidhant” — “Philosophy of the Masters” — consisting of two big volumes of 1000 pages each, and His “Discourses” in two volumes, have been translated into English and many other languages.

He had contact with a mystic of Peshawar named Baba Kahan who he hoped to get initiation from but was refused:

Later when Sawan Singh was stationed at Murree, he met Jaimal Singh, who said to his companion that he had come to initiate Sawan. After much arguing and discussion and several conferences with Jaimal Singh, Sawan became thoroughly convinced and received Initiation from Jaimal Singh on the 15th day of October, 1894.

Sawan Singh retired in 1911 and developed Dera Baba Jaimal Singh (Beas) –the “camp of Baba Jaimal Singh” where Baba Jaimal had settled in 1891 — and built houses, bungalows and a Satsang Hall. Sawan sheltered victims of the communal holocaust of the Partition of India. His following included Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, and for the first time, thousands from abroad, the US, UK, Switzerland, Germany, including Julian Johnson and Pierre Schmidt.