One of the most meaningful aspects of my father, S.P. Singal’s, life was his devotion to his Guru, Swami Baba Mohan Dass Ji Maharaj. My father often said that the strength, clarity, and integrity he carried through both his career and family life came directly from the blessings and guidance of his Guru.
In his autobiography, Straight Talk, Straight Walk, (scroll down for full PDF download) he dedicated an entire chapter to describing his first meeting with Maharaj Ji, the experiences he had under His grace, and how those blessings shaped his path.
I am honored to share this chapter here in his own words.
“Chapter 19: My Spiritual Master, Swami Baba Mohan Dass Ji Maharaj
When I was in Chandigarh, I heard stories from a journalist friend about a swami ji in Jalandhar whose miracles he had witnessed. Another Sikh friend, Pritam Singh, also spoke about him.
In 1978, while on an official tour to Jalandhar, I visited Pritam Singh and asked if he could take me to the ashram of swami ji. He agreed and, after we arrived, he asked me to sit with the others present in the ashram while he went inside to meet him.
Soon, a person came out and announced that swami ji was calling for the visitor from Chandigarh. I went inside, bowed my head, touched his feet, and sought his blessings. With folded hands, I requested him to accept me as his disciple. From that moment onward, I began addressing him as Maharaj Ji — though most disciples called him Baba Ji.
Blessings and Guidance
I started visiting the ashram regularly, especially on Vyasa Puja (Guru Poornima) and his birthday, which fell on the eighth day after Diwali.
One night, while staying in the Electricity Board quarters, I saw Guru Maharaj in my dream. On my next visit to Jalandhar, I requested him to grace my residence. To my surprise, he replied that he had already visited my home.
Later, when I moved from the Electricity Board residence to the DC’s house, Guru Maharaj visited in person. It was there that he gave me guru mantra and told me that I would always have his blessings in my actions and my life.
I had always read that God is Omnipresent, Omniscient, and Omnipotent. I had never seen God, but when I met Swami Baba Mohan Dass Ji Maharaj, I felt that I had truly seen and met the Divine.
How I handled difficult situations in Patiala, the decisions I took, and the way I conducted myself in life — all of it was possible only through Guru Maharaj’s blessings. He always told me not to worry, that he was watching over me and guiding me. And indeed, I knew he was always with me.
His Grace Across Generations
Guru Maharaj’s blessings touched not only my life, but also my family’s. He once visited my elder son’s house in New Jersey and my daughter’s in Dallas during his first U.S. trip in 1998, and later blessed my younger son’s home and my elder son’s clinic under construction in 2012.
He blessed my daughter with the responsibility of spreading his message in the U.S. and beyond — a mission she has fully devoted herself to.
I last met Maharaj Ji at his ashram in Jalandhar on Holi Day in 2013. As he walked from his meeting room to his personal chamber, he told me he was already 94 years old — though he never looked it — and that it was time for him to leave this world. Later that year, in October 2013, he took Maha Samadhi in his ashram in Haridwar.
Miracles and Devotion
Guru Maharaj established ashrams in Haridwar and Jaipur, and even built a Hanuman Mandir in Canada. My family and I were fortunate to visit Canada on the occasion of the installation of the Hanuman Murti, and later again in 2020 for the unveiling of Maharaj Ji’s own Murti. I was honored to perform the unveiling, while my daughter spoke about his life.
Now, every Saturday, my daughter holds satsang on Zoom, where disciples from Britain, Australia, India, and elsewhere share their experiences — many of which are nothing short of miracles.
Guru Maharaj was known to enter Samadhi for nine days, emerging only on Dussehra. Once, in 1987, I could not visit during Navratri. When he came out of Samadhi, a disciple asked why I had not come. Guru Maharaj replied that I was busy shifting my residence. Indeed, I had been moving my belongings that very day — something I had told no one. Yet, Maharaj Ji knew.
Another time, on his birthday in Jalandhar, Bhai Sahib Singh Hazoori Raagi sang a Shabad. As he sang, Guru Maharaj entered a deep trance for an entire hour, only emerging once the recital ended — leaving Bhai Sahib Singh himself amazed.
The Ripple of Education and Blessings
I was the first in my family to attend college. My progress inspired my uncles, despite limited means, to send their own children for higher studies. This single step changed the trajectory of our entire family.
Today, my children, grandchildren, nephews, and nieces carry forward that light — excelling in medicine, finance, education, law, and more. I believe none of this would have been possible without God’s grace and the guiding hand of Guru Maharaj.
Even now, in the evening of my life, I see his blessings reflected in the brightness of my family, and in the values he instilled within me”
End of Chapter 19
My father’s words are a reminder of how deeply a true teacher can touch one’s life. His devotion was not just about rituals or visits to an ashram — it was about trust, guidance, and the felt presence of grace in everyday choices.
This chapter reminds us that the spiritual path is not walked alone. A Guru can be a living reminder of the divine — someone who reflects back our potential, holds us steady in times of challenge, and gives us courage to live in truth.
Even though my father is no longer with us in this physical world, his faith and his words live on — and through them, so does the light of our Guru’s teachings.
For those who would like to read more of his reflections, I’ve made the full PDF of his autobiography available here:
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