Satguru, or sadguru, means a "true guru" in Sanskrit. The term is distinguished from other forms of gurus, such as musical instructors, scriptural teachers, parents, and so on. A satguru has some special characteristics that are not found in any other types of spiritual guru. Satguru is a title given specifically only to an enlightened rishi or sant whose life's purpose is to guide the initiated shishya on the spiritual path, the summation of which is the realization of the Self through realization of God.
Kirpal Singh was a spiritual master (satguru) in the tradition of Radha Soami.
Contemporary Sant Mat Movements, mostly among the Radha Soami tradition, are esoteric philosophy movements active in the United States, Europe, Australia, Latin America, and especially India. These movements assert that Sant Mat shares a lineage with Sikhism and contains elements of thought found in Hinduism, such as karma and reincarnation. They further assert that Sant Mat also contains elements found in Sufism and has inspired and influenced a number of religious groups and organizations. They refer to this spiritual path as the "Science of the Soul" or 'Sant Mat', meaning 'teachings of the saints'. More recently it has been described as "The Way of Life" or "Living the Life of Soul". It incorporates a practical yoga system known as Surat Shabd Yoga.
Surat Shabd Simran is a type of spiritual meditation in the Sant Mat tradition.
Radha Soami is a spiritual tradition or faith founded by Shiv Dayal Singh in 1861 on Basant Panchami Day in Agra, India.
Shiv Dayal Singh, known by the honorific "Param Purush Puran Dhani Huzur Soami Ji Maharaj" by his disciples and devotees, was an Indian spiritual guru and founder of Radha Soami, a 19th-century spiritual sect.
Sawan Singh, also known as The Great Master or Bade Maharaj ji, was an Indian Saint or Sant. He was the second spiritual head of Radha Soami Satsang Beas (RSSB) from the death of Jaimal Singh in 1903 until his own death on 2 April 1948.
Born Shri Beli Ram Ji, Shri Swami Swarupanand Ji Maharaj, was an Indian Guru of Shri Paramhans Advait Mat lineage. He is also known as "Shri Nangli Niwasi Bhagwaan Ji", as "Hari Har Baba", as "Sadhgurudev Ji" and as "Second Guru". Born in the village of Teri in Kohat district, India, he was initiated into the sanyasas in the early 1900s in Teri by Shri Paramhans Swami Advaitanand Ji, who named him Shri Swami Swarupanand Ji. During Swami Advaitanand ji's life, Swami Swarupanand ji created an order of sanyasis in northern India and founded several centers with the purpose of disseminating his master's teachings.
Kabir Panth is a Sant Mat denomination and philosophy based on the teachings of the 15th century saint and poet, Kabir. It is based on devotion to him as one guru as a means to salvation.The adherents of Kabir Panth are from many religious backgrounds as Kabir never advocated change of religions but highlighted their limitations. According to some scholars, this tradition belong to Vaishnavism with universalist leanings. In respect of Kabir, his followers celebrate Kabir Jayanti.
Advait Mat or Paramhans Advait Mat is a cluster of panths in northern India. It was founded by Shri Swami Advaitanand Ji Maharaj (1846–1919) who is also known as Paramhans Dyal Ji Maharaj. He declared Swami Swarupanand Ji Maharaj as his spiritual successor. Swami Swarupanand Ji Maharaj founded more than 300 ashrams with the purpose of disseminating his master's teachings. Swami Swarupanand Ji Maharaj had initiated more than thousand of his disciples into the sanyas. Many of his disciples went on to establish spiritual institutions to spread the same knowledge.
Jaimal Singh (1839–1903) was an Indian spiritual leader. He became an initiate of Shiv Dayal Singh. After his initiation, Jaimal Singh served in the British Indian Army as a sepoy (private) from the age of seventeen and attained the rank of havildar (sergeant). After retirement, he settled in a desolate and isolated spot outside the town of Beas and began to spread the teaching of his guru Shiv Dayal Singh. The place grew into a colony which came to be called the "Dera Baba Jaimal Singh", and which is now the world centre of the Radha Soami Satsang Beas organisation.
Jagat Singh (1884–1951) was an Indian spiritual leader and the head of Radha Soami Satsang Beas. He served as the guru for Beas Dera for three years, until his death in 1951 at the age of 67. He worked as a college chemistry professor at an Agricultural College and was honoured for his service by the British as Sardar Bahadur. After retirement he was chosen by his spiritual master to be his successor, becoming the third spiritual head of Radha Soami Satsang Beas. Jagat Singh assigned the duties of his successor and guru to his initiate Charan Singh.
Sirio Carrapa is an Italian teacher and practitioner of mysticism and Surat Shabd Yoga in the Sant Mat tradition. He was a disciple of Kirpal Singh and Ajaib Singh, and he is acknowledged as a spiritual Master, carrying on the work of his Masters.
Saint Garibdas Ji Maharaj was a spiritual leader and reformer, born 1717 to a family of Dhankhar jats in the village Chudani, District Jhajjar, Haryana, India. A rich farmer, his spiritual journey started when "Almighty God" Kabir came to meet him and initiatiated him at the age of 10 years. After getting spiritual awareness from "Almighty God Kabir", he uttered many Banis that are collected as holy book Garib Das ki Granth. Garibdas Panth is also a Kabirpanth. Saint Garib Das Ji told through his Banis that Kabir Sahib is the supreme God in Satlok. Garibdas died in 1778 A.D., and over his remains, a memorial was established.
Baru Sahib also known as the "Valley of Divine Peace" is located in Himachal Pradesh, India.
Baba Devi Sahab (1841–1919) was one of the leaders of the Sant Mat religious movement, popularizing it throughout North India and Pakistan.
This is a list of gurus who gave teachings about Shabda, the Path of Sound.
Darshan Singh (1921–1989), also known as Sant Darshan Singh Ji Maharaj, was the founder and head of Sawan Kirpal Ruhani Mission / Science of Spirituality from 1974 until his death in 1989. The spiritual successor of Kirpal Singh, Singh was also widely recognized as one of India's leading poet-saints, writing in the Urdu language. Upon his sudden death on 30 May 1989, he was succeeded by Rajinder Singh.
Dharamdas was an Indian saint, Bhojpuri language poet and one of the disciples of Kabir. It is said that after becoming Kabir's disciple, he gave away all his rich possessions.
Brahmin Sikh is a Sikh religious group whose members belong to Brahmin community. They played a key role in the early years of Sikhism. Sometimes they are called Kashmiri Sikhs, for those who are of Kashmiri origin.
