Books

Books and publications

by Sant Kirpal Singh

These publications are complete copies of any given title, available in HTML or PDF (or both) formats.

Earlier editions or versions of most of these titles are available here.

Printed copies of these books and publications are available from our Book Store.

“I have written books without any copyright—no rights
reserved—because it is a Gift of God, given by God, as much
as sunlight; other gifts of God are also free.”

—from a talk by Kirpal Singh at Santa Clara University, San Jose, California on November 16, 1972.

These publications’ dedication.

Books

All of the following books include this dedication by the Author:

Dedicated to the Almighty God working through all Masters who have come and Baba Sawan Singh Ji Maharaj at whose lotus feet the writer imbibed sweet elixir of Holy Naam—the Word

The Crown of Life [ HTML   2012 PDF ] – an extensive study of Yoga. The first half of the book details the nature and rewards of the many forms of yoga. The second half of the book is an in depth study of Surat Shabd Yoga, the Yoga of the Celestial Sound Current, which the author states is “the Crown of Life”. Addressing the seeker regarding Surat Shabd Yoga the author completes his preface to the book with the following message:

“..And above all, he will, I hope, realize that mergence with the Supreme Lord is no mere daydream or hypothetical postulate of a monistic school of philosophy, but a living possibility whose realization is the true end of human existence and whose attainment, given the right guidance, the right method and the right effort, lies within the reach of all, irrespective of age, sex, race or creed.”

GODMAN[ HTML 2013 PDF] –  There is always at least one authorized spiritual Guide on earth at any time. What are the characteristics which will enable the careful seeker to distinguish Him from those who are not competent? A complete study of the Supreme Mystics and Their hallmarks.

From the preface:

” For twenty-four short, beautiful, inspiring years, it was my blessing to be under the love, guidance, and protection of a Godman, Supreme Master Hazur Baba Sawan Singh Ji Maharaj. Introducing the zealous seeker after Truth to a Godman is answering the perennial queries:

What is God? How can His creation know Him?

It is my privilege to relate the mission of a Godman: Commissioned from above to give free to suffering humanity the gift of Naam (Shabd) the effulgent melody — symphonic radiance which leads the jiva (embodied soul) back to his Father’s Home.”

His Grace Lives On [2005 PDF] – During 17 days in the month of August 1974, preceding His physical departure on August 21st, Kirpal Singh gave 15 darshan talks, mostly in the form of questions and answers, to a small group of His disciples at His ashram in New Delhi, India. These talks have been bound together with the unabridged text from Master Kirpal’s address to the Parliament of India and His June 1971 afternoon darhsan talk – True Meditation

A Great Saint: Baba Jaimal Singh [text from Usenet postings in a .zip archive PDF] – A unique biography, tracing the development of one of the most outstanding Saints of modern times. Should be read by every seeker after God for the encouragement it offers. Also included, ‘A BRIEF LIFE SKETCH Of The Great Saint, Baba Sawan Singh’, the successor of Baba Jaimal Singh. He carried on Baba Ji’s work, greatly expanding the Satsang and carrying it across the seas.

The Jap Ji: The Message of Guru Nanak:[HTML2013 PDF] the book has five major parts: An extensive introduction which gives the reader a broad background of spiritual teachings; an English translation and commentary on the Jap Ji — the beautiful hymn which serves as the prologue to the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh scriptures; a biographical study entitled: Guru Nanak and His Teachings; a glossary and the Jap Ji in its original Punjabi text. 

From the Preface: The following version of Jap Ji, or the message of Guru Nanak, is sent out into the world in order to feed hungry souls, and quench their thirst for true knowledge of the Higher life.

The original Punjabi text of the Jap Ji is exquisitely written and it is impossible to translate it without some loss. An effort, however, has been made in these pages to present a literal translation of the text to the public. Where the reader might lose the true import, recourse has been made to a free rendering.

The Jap Ji deals with the practical aspect of the problem of spirituality more than with mere theory. Neither is it a mere work of literature. Earlier translations into English have tended to ignore this and have often failed to convey the true import of the original. In this rendering, an effort has been made to concentrate upon the message that the Jap Ji contains, rather than to indulge in a literary exercise. The study of this work will help all people, irrespective of the religion that they may profess.

and the Jap Ji’s Prologue:
 There is One Reality, the Unmanifest-Manifested;Ever Existent, He is Naam (Conscious Spirit),The Creator; pervading all;Without fear; without enmity;The Timeless; the Unborn and the Self-existent;Complete within Itself.Through the favour of His true Servant, the Guru,He may be realized.He was when there was nothing;He was before all ages began;He existeth now, O Nanak, and shall exist forevermore.

The Light of Kirpal [ HTML1996 PDF ] – Collection of 87 talks given from September 1969 to December 1971, containing extensive questions and answers between the Master and western disciples visiting at that time. Many of the source recordings are available on the MP3 page.

Naam or Word [ HTML 2017 PDF ] – an in depth study of the Celestial Sound Current or God into Expression Power called variously: Naam, Word, Music of the Spheres, Shabd, etc. “In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God and the Word was God” The first portion of the book explains what Naam is and offers references from the various world religions. Subsequent chapters detail the various attributes of Naam and related issues. 

From the introduction: “While the mystics of all times and all climes tell us with one voice that this Inner Reality or Truth is not only a matter of intuition and feeling but of actual super-sensuous realization and it is in this connection that the study of Yoga – Surat Shabd Yoga in particular – reveals its importance. We cannot, if we really seek the Truth, afford to ignore spirituality, as so many modern thinkers have tended to do, for It is a highway to Truth, and as suggested, perhaps the only highway to Truth. It is in this context that an attempt has been made to explain in this book the basic concept (which of course is the same in spite of an endless variety of nomenclature) of the various words used by the Masters to signify the Wordless in His primordial manifestation – the life current creating, sustaining and controlling the endless creation.”

The Night is a Jungle 2007 PDF– links that follow are individual talks in HTML]– A series of 14 public talks given by Kirpal Singh … selected to serve as an introduction to His Teachings. The first, entitled “God and Man” begins:

“Let me introduce myself, I have come to you as a man to man. I am just as any of you are. Of course, each man has got the same privileges from God. I developed in a way that concerns my own Self. What I learned at the feet of my Master about my own Self, the real Self, I will put before you so that those who are seeking after Truth may find some guidance.”

Also included are: “The Higher Values of Life“, “The Kingdom of God“, “The Most Natural Way“, “Guru, Gurudev, and Satguru“, “Let Us Reform Ourselves“, “Oh Mind! Listen for Once“, “Thief of Your Life’s Breath“, “Chastity and Forgiveness“, “Change Your Habits Now“, “Gurubhakti: A Lesson in Love“, “Protector and Protection” and “The Night is a Jungle“.

Morning Talks [ HTML1988 PDF ] – a transcription of a sequence of talks given between October 1967 and January 1969. The scope of the talks is broad, covering many aspects of Spirituality in a direct and simple way; and, as such, the talks are intellectually enlightening. More importantly, the spirit of the talks reflects the pure and loving nature of the Speaker whose life was a brilliant example of Spirituality in action. 

From the 1970 Birthday Message:

You will receive further help and encouragement when you read my latest book, entitled “Morning Talks“, which is now in the final stages of publication. These talks, which were given by me in the mornings at the time a number of dear ones from the West were staying here at the Ashram, cover almost every facet of what is required to progress on the Way back to God, and succeed one another in such a way as to form a God-given spiritual textbook.

PRAYER: Its Nature and Technique [HTML2010 PDF]  – This is the most specific and helpful manual of mystical prayer written in modern times. All forms and aspects of prayer are discussed, from the most elementary and and dualistic to the ultimate stage of “praying without ceasing” where all life is a prayer. Its author, a great contemporary saint, draws upon the knowledge he has gained both theoretically, as a lifelong student of comparative religion and practically, at the feet of a great Master. The result is a book that glows with the love and peace of its author. At the end of the book are collected prayers from religious traditions.

From the author’s introduction: The secret of a successful prayer lies not so much in the words we use, nor in the time we devote to it, nor in effort that we put into it, as it lies in the concentrated attention that we may give it at the seat of the soul so as to make it soulful. The most natural form for a fruitful prayer is the yearning of a soul without the agency of words, oral or mental, with the tongue of thought. A prayer like this generates and releases such a fund of spiritual energy that all the Cosmic powers are attracted and combine together, shaping out things as best as possible.

Spiritual Elixir [1988 PDF] – Collected questions addressed to Kirpal Singh in private correspondence, together with respective answers. Also contains various messages given on special occasions. Formerly in three separately published parts; now bound together in one volume.

SPIRITUALITY: What it is [HTML  2015 PDF] – A straightforward explanation of man’s ultimate opportunity. Explores the Science of Spirituality. From the Introduction:

TO THE HONEST SEEKER

“God is in the soul and the soul is in God, as the sea is in the fish and the fish is in the sea.” —St. Catherine

The term ‘Spirituality’ is hard to define. The scope and extent of the subject is so vast and varied in its many aspects that it can hardly be put into so many words. Suffice it to say that it deals with the immutable and eternal facts of life—the active principles that are enlivening the entire creation. The quest for the ‘Spirit’ and for the ‘Laws of Spirituality has ever been in the human breast from the dawn of consciousness in man; yet with all its hoary antiquity, the subject retains its freshness as ever before and shall continue to do so. The Spirit or Soul is the vital flame in man, in the light and life of which he lives and has his being, and no wonder that in every clime and in every age, the leaders of spiritual thought—the sages and seers, the saints and sadhs—have attempted to solve the mystery of life. The subject of Spirituality is concerned purely with the problems connected with the Spirit or Soul—to wit its origin or source, what it is, its seat in the body and its relation thereto, how it functions in the physical world, whether it is possible to separate it at will from the body and bodily adjuncts, the mind and the senses, and if so, the various processes connected therewith. It deals with the spiritual journey through different spiritual planes and the spirit’s capability of traversing the same, the ultimate goal or destination to which this journey leads, and other allied topics, such as the welfare of the spirit, how to feed it and with what, for on its health depends the health of the mind and the body. These are some of the vital questions that fall within the purview of our inquiry.

Surat Shabd Yoga – a short introduction to The Path and the teachings of Kirpal Singh made up of: the circular “Instructions to Seekers After Truth”, an abridged version of chapter 5 of  the book “The Crown of Life” and a brief life sketch of Kirpal Singh.  2006 PDF

Teachings of Kirpal Singh – a compilation of the extensive writings and talks by Kirpal Singh on the subject of spirituality. Grouped into five general headings: The Holy Path, Diary, Meditation, New Life in the World, and New Life in God. Republished in 2005 as 3 volumes. [PDFs: Vol 1 – The Holy Path, Vol 2 – Self Introspection, Vol. 3 – The New Life2017 PDF]

The Way of the Saints: SANT MAT [1989 PDF] – collected short writings of the author, including some of the booklets, circular letters, and seasonal messages. The book has three parts:

  • The Life and Teachings of Baba Sawan Singh Ji
  • Discourses & Essays: 12 works ranging from Man Know Thyself and The Essence of Religion to World Peace in the Atomic Age
  • The Circular Letters: 16 letters covering timely topics such as: The Spiritual Aspect of the Vegetarian Diet and On the Unity of Man

The book also includes several black and white and color prints of the author and Baba Sawan Singh Ji.

Exerpted from The Essence of Religion

With the yardstick of love (the very essence of God’s character) with us, let us probe our hearts. Is our life an efflorescence of God’s love? Are we ready to serve one another with love? Do we keep our hearts open to the healthy influences coming from outside? Are we patient and tolerant toward those who differ from us? Are our minds coextensive with the creation of God and ready to embrace the totality of His being? Do we bleed inwardly at the sight of the downtrodden and the depressed? Do we pray for the sick and suffering humanity? If we do not do any of these things, we are yet far removed from God and from religion, no matter how loud we may be in our talk and pious in our platitudes and pompous in our proclamations. With all our inner craving for peace, we have failed and failed hopelessly to serve the cause of God’s peace on earth. Ends and means are interlocked and cannot be separated from each other. We cannot have peace so long as we try to achieve it with war-like means and with the weapons of destruction and extinction. With the germs of hatred in our hearts, racial and color bars rankling within us, thoughts of political domination and economic exploitation surging in our bloodstream, we are working for wrecking the social structure which we have so strenuously built and not for peace, unless it be peace of the grave; but certainly not for a living peace born of mutual love and respect, trust and concord, that may go to ameliorate mankind and transform this earth into a paradise for which we so fervently pray and preach from pulpits and platforms and yet, as we proceed, it recedes away into the distant horizon.

The Wheel of Life/Mystery of Death –  two books bound as a single volume.

update: There are 2007 editions of each book separately (see below) and a  2015 combined edition (PDF) has been published.

The Wheel of Life [ HTML   2007 PDF ] covers the issue of Karma or ‘as you sow, so shall you reap’.

Everything in the Universe is the fruit of a Just Law, the Law of Causality, the Law of Cause and Effect, the Law of Karma. Gautama Buddha

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.Galatians VI:7

From a talk on karma:

Sowing a seed—that’s a point to be understood: when you sow a seed, it will bring forth similar seeds. There is action-reaction; then again a reaction and the thing goes on like that. There’s no end to it. After sowing the grain, a man cannot stop having the harvest—the fruit will come. So there are many actions. Actions are of one kind, but there are three aspects to them. There are certain actions which we are doing now, daily—fresh actions; fresh seeds are sown, you might say. Some have already been sown and are bearing fruit. Others have been sown, but are not yet bearing forth fruit. So there are three kinds of karmas or actions. Our present life depends on those reactions of the past karmas which are bearing fruit. They are called pralabdha karma. On that karma our length of life is based. According to that, some people get children, some die, some are ugly, some are old, some have a give-and-take. This is based on those karmas or seeds which have grown in the past and are now bearing forth fruit in action. This you cannot change. When a railroad line is laid down, the train will run over it. Before you lay down any railroad line, it is up to you to lay it down this way or that way. But once it is laid down, the train will have to run over it. So, as I told you, some karmas are bearing fruit; some we are doing fresh; and others have not yet borne any fruit—that will come up in due course. So we are independent within certain limits to do some actions, and we are also bound to some extent. Action, reaction, action, reaction goes on—there’s no end to it.

When a Master meets someone, he does not touch the present reactions which are coming up; for our life is based on that. He lets it alone, he lets it go on. But he does two things: For the future, he lays down a line of conduct, beyond which we should not transcend: don’t think evil of anybody, even in mind, not to speak of in word or in deed. Be truthful, even in mind. Don’t think up anything wrong—acting and posing, scheming, polishing, doing something underground and then above board doing something else. And further: be chaste, even in mind, word and deed. And have love for all: because all men are alike; they have the same privileges that each one of us has. So love all, because God is in the hearts of all: whether they are rich or poor, whether they are learned or unlearned, they all have the same privileges from God that you have. Also, do not hate others—even in mind, word or deed. And further, when you are to love God and love all humanity, then you must give selfless service, not selfish service: for love knows service and sacrifice. Selfish service will again cause a reaction to come. If you serve selflessly, for the sake of God in others, then that won’t bear forth fruit.

—–

And from the preface to The Mystery of Death [ HTML   2007 PDF ] :

” Death is the greatest enigma in life. It has baffled humankind from times out of mind. And yet despite all attempts to solve the mystery, it has remained as mysterious as ever before. The Saints … know the shadowy character of death. They teach us that death is not what it seems. It is a joyous birth (born again) into a life more beatific than we ever dreamed of here. It is just as sun sets on this side of the globe and rises in the other part. They point out and demonstrate to us the way to conquer the seemingly invincible and terrifying death and thus become fear-free. This is the grand lesson that we can get from the Saints.”

Earlier versions of most titles are available here.
Printed copies of these books and publications are available from our Book Store.