Sant Ajaib Singh Ji Maharaj was born on September 11, 1926, to a Sikh family in the Punjab town of Maina. Orphaned within days of His birth, Ajaib was raised by His great-uncle and aunt. Like most natural mystics, the young Ajaib became interested in spiritual matters at an early age. He was reading Sikh scriptures when He was five years old. He quickly became impressed by the consistent emphasis in Jap Ji and the Adi Granth on the necessity of having a true spiritual teacher, or Satguru, and spent years looking for such a One who could show Him the way home to God. Throughout His youth, Ajaib sought out any yogi, faqir, sadhu or holy man who could explain the mysteries of God, Guru and Naam alluded to in Sikh writings. In this way, His unfoldment mirrored that of Baba Jaimal Singh. Read More
While in His teens, Ajaib met a sadhu who worked miracles (psychic phenomena which held no interest for the young seeker) and gave Him His first mantra, “Hey Ram, Hey Gobind,” which satisfied His yearnings for the time being. In 1940, when he was just 14 years old, Ajaib met His first major teacher, Baba Bishan Das, a sadhu who came from the spiritual lineage of Baba Sri Chand, Guru Nanak’s son. Though not a fully realized Satguru, Baba Bishan Das was versed in Shabda Yoga up through the first two inner regions (i.e., the Astral and Causal Planes) and gave Ajaib the first two of the Five Holy Names which provided access to these regions. It was Baba Bishan Das who changed the youth’s name from “Sardara Singh” (the name given by His aunt and uncle) to “Ajaib Singh” (meaning “Wonderful Lion”). A couple of years later, Ajaib was drafted into the army, which afforded Him a chance to travel and see much of the world. In the mid-1940’s His regiment was stationed near Beas in the Punjab. During this time Ajaib met Great Master, Hazur Sawan Singh Ji Maharaj, and asked Him for initiation. However, Sawan Ji refused, reportedly saying that “the One who would initiate him would come to him later by Himself.” Throughout the rest of Sawan’s life, Ajaib spent His time around Dera Baba Jaimal Singh, the Master and Sawan’s senior disciples as much as He could. This period of association left a deep impression upon ajaib about the efficacy of Sant Mat, and instilled within Him a deep yearning for the One who would give Him full initiation. Sometime after Sawan’s passing in 1948, Ajaib left the military and home to live with his family. After some time there, He moved to Kunichuk in Rajasthan, where He built an ashram and working farm in the middle of the desert. This ashram endures as His primary residence and spiritual center in India.
Ajaib returned to his ashram in Rajasthan, undoubtedly wondering where this Master who Sawan had promised could be found. Like many of Great Master’s devotees living in remote areas in India, Ajaib was unaware that Kirpal Singh had left Beas after Sawan’s passing and been giving Holy Naam initiation from the new Ruhani Satsang spiritual center at Sawan Ashram in Delhi. And so it wasn’t until 1967, when Kirpal Singh was on tour in Rajasthan, that the two finally were able to meet. Ajaib had been having visions of Master Kirpal’s radiant form during meditation for the past year and immediately recognized Him as the One Sawan had promised. Because of His distance from Delhi, Ajaib didn’t often visit Sawan Ashram during his Master’s lifetime. Instead, He followed Kirpal’s instructions and applied Himself assiduously to His meditation, often spending entire days doing inner devotion in His cellar. His primary outer contact with Kirpal was during the latter’s occasional visits to Rajasthan, when He would make special trips to Ajaib’s ashram and spend quality time alone with Him. During Kirpal’s last visit, in the spring of 1972, He reportedly transferred His spiritual authority to His Gurumukh disciple. After sitting quietly as Ajaib gave Naam initiation on His behalf to 50 seekers, Kirpal took Him aside and, as Ajaib recalls, “Maharaj Ji passed His very life and power into my soul through the eyes. And I begged the Master not to do this, as I feared that it would not be long before He too would leave.”
After Kirpal’s passing in August 1974, there was some uncertainty as to who would take His place. Grief-stricken at His Masters death, Ajaib was in no mood to step in and assume responsibility as Living Master. Instead, He went into seclusion until early 1976, when some of Kirpal’s initiates began having visions of Ajaib within during meditation, and began making pilgrimages to Rajasthan to see Him. As a result, Sant Ajaib Singh Ji (affectionately known as “Sant Ji” by His disciples) assumed responsibility for giving spiritual guidance to a significant portion of Kirpal’s satsangis, and offering Naam to new seekers as well. Since then, Sant Ji has made several trips to the United States, doing tours, giving initiation and staying primarily at Sant Bani Ashram in Sanbornton, New Hampshire. He has several books published, Including “Streams in The Desert”, “In the Palace of Love,” and “The Ocean of Love: The Anurag Sagar of Kabir,” as well as large supply of audio tapes (both of Himself and Kirpal Ji). He left the body on His own will on July 6, 1997. He wrote a Bhajan (In Punjabi & Translated in English), Before he left HIS body:
Kone kahe mai mar jana hai Mai ta Kirpal ghar jana hai Who says that I have to die? I have to go to Kirpal’s Home Lama choda sagar jehda Hole hole tar jana hail Slowly, slowly I have to cross this long and wide ocean Jivan de rah vich aai Maut moi ne mar jana hai Stupid death, which has come in the way of life, has to die Jivan de nakshe andar Rang Sawan da bhar jana hai In the map of life The color of Sawan has to be filled Vaddi sari umra bhogi Rehna nahi e ghar jana hai I have enjoyed a long life I don’t have to live – I have to go Home Kirpal di charcha honi hai Ja jina Naam jap jana hai The talk of Kirpal will happen And as much meditation on Naam as is supposed to happen will happen Koi mera rah na roke Jana hai sachmuch jana hai No one should stop my way I have to go; really I have to go Aapne hi mai ghar jana hai I have to go to my own Home Jad vi chahvega Ajaib Khali pinjar kar jana hai Whenever Ajaib will wish He will empty the cage
