Skip to main content

Spiritualism simplified? About Guruji who speaks less, spends time in 'deep' meditation

By Arup Mitra* 

Take the Gita or Durga Saptasati, the ever-assuring lines claim that the manifestation of God on earth is possible again and again. As per the requirements of the human society, incarnations and arrivals of divine souls do take place from time to time.
The class of ‘nitya siddha’ remains always connected to the divinity. Individuals belonging to this class, even when they pursue certain daily paraphernalia, are always engrossed in deep contemplation.
Widely known as Guruji, Shri Nirmal Singh was of such high level texture, who spent the later years of his life in Delhi, educating people in the field of divinity and practising self-less love. Prayers and meditation without any material objective is the essence of his preaching.
He spoke less, spent his time in deep mediation and suggested others to do the same. The divine consciousness does not have to be told anything; as we connect ourselves to the supreme, we evolve and gradually learn to dwell in that divinity always. Life is a temple where we worship divinity by becoming a part of this vastness.
The book Guruji: Life and Spiritualism (Rupa, 2023), written by one of his followers, C Roul, is a wonderful exposition of spiritualism that India practiced over the centuries and produced its graceful appearances repeatedly throughout the human civilisation.
Guru ji has been a part of that great legacy, that great spiritual tradition, India carried over since time immemorial. His life and messages, enchanting the absolute truth, purifies the mind as the reader flips through the pages. It reminds one of one’s own true self and ignites the urge and makes one conscious of realising the ultimate of human life.
The book unravels the depth of regional history, intricacies of psycho-analysis of different phenomena in our life -- starting from dream to several transcendental experiences, the intellectual clarity of concepts, the systematicity of rationality and finally, the all-inclusive supreme divinity, overarching our complete existence. While detailing the personal experiences the author brings out the spiritualism simplified and reinstated for individual absorption.
Book unravels depth of regional history, intricacies of psycho-analysis of different phenomena in life
Guruji, as the mahapurusas do, lived for others showering his self-less love and removing the sufferings of others so that they could lead a peaceful life and avail of all opportunities to experience divinity.
As Ramakrishna strongly believed, in the contemporary age it is not possible to practise spiritualism, completely ignoring the hand bleeding profusely. Guruji, therefore, tirelessly engaged himself in rendering good to others so that at least some of them rise above the material world to realise the spiritual heights.
When life remains confined to the narrow lanes, where will be the space for the chariot of spiritualism to come nearby? In different human forms divinity takes material manifestation in order to come close to us and speak loudly the eternal mantra for having the vision of universal form. 
That vision is the ultimate and final experience which helps the stream of life to merge with the ocean of eternity. Thereafter, as long as one is alive it is the state of jivanmukta that one relishes – the ultimate joy for which one has evolved from amoeba, little by little.
In this book, the author as a dutiful disciple has constructed such a timeless temple for his Guru, that it will provide space to enumerable to worship and get free from worldly ties.
---
*Professor, South Asian University

Comments

TRENDING

Neville Cardus: The man who turned cricket writing into poetry

By Harsh Thakor*  Neville Cardus was one of the most remarkable literary figures of the twentieth century. A prolific English writer and critic, he achieved distinction in two vastly different fields: cricket and classical music. Entirely self-taught, Cardus rose from humble beginnings to become both the cricket correspondent and chief music critic of The Manchester Guardian . His achievements in these contrasting disciplines earned him widespread acclaim and established him as one of the foremost critics of his generation. In February 2025, the cricketing and literary world marked the fiftieth anniversary of his death, which occurred in February 1975.

​Ideological shifts and structural realities within India's left-wing insurgency

​By Harsh Thakor*  The Maoist insurgency in India is arguably at its weakest point since the formation of the Communist Party of India (Maoist) in 2004. Years of sustained counterinsurgency operations, leadership losses, shrinking territorial influence, declining recruitment, and growing technological advantages enjoyed by the state have significantly eroded the movement's operational capabilities. 

The Dalit body on screen: Stereotypes, sacrifice, and subjugation in Hindi films

By Dr. Prem Singh*  Despite centuries of reformist efforts, from Gandhi and Ambedkar to contemporary activists, the caste system remains deeply embedded in the Indian psyche. One of the primary reasons for this persistence is the religious sanction provided by Brahminical scriptures, which have shaped not only social structures but also cultural and artistic expressions.