Baba Avtar Singh Ji

Baba Avtar Singh (Dec 31, 1899 – Sep 17, 1969) was the second spiritual guru of Sant Nirankari Mission – a 20th-century spiritual movement started in Rawalpindi (now in Pakistan). Out of reverence, he’s also referred to as Baba Avtar Singh Ji Maharaj or Shenshah ji by the disciples of the Sant Nirankari Mission.
== Life events ==
Baba Avtar Singh was born in a small village named Latifal in Jhelum District (now in Pakistan) on December 31, 1899. His parents were Sh. Mukha Singh and Smt. Narayani Devi. When he was just 6 years old his father passed away due to illness, following which Avtar Singh spent his childhood in the care of a local Paathi (priest). Due to spiritual atmosphere around, he got interested in reading and reciting holy scriptures. 
At a young age of 12, he had to work hard for living. He initially started working at a hotel, then as a porter at a railway station and later, he started to work in a bakery. Seeing his sincerity and impressed by his hard work and performance, his employer gave him partnership in the business. 
On 25 May 1929, Avtar Singh met his spiritual guru, Baba Buta Singh, in Peshawar. He thereon followed Baba Buta Singh as a disciple and received the divine God Knowledge. Later, in 1943 Baba Buta Singh ordained him to be the spiritual leader of the mission, carrying forward the message of unity oneness in the world.
Following the partition of India in 1947, he shifted to Paharganj, Delhi from Rawalpindi. In 1948, Baba Avtar Singh founded Sant Nirankari Mandal (the administrative wing of the Mission) with the Headquarters at Delhi.
In 1962, Baba Avtar Singh passed on the leadership of the mission to Baba Gurbachan Singh.
Baba Avtar Singh breathed his last on September 17, 1969. 
== Teachings ==
Avtar Singh’s words and teachings were captured as poetic verses and were compiled to create the Sampuran Avtar Bani. The Avtar Bani thus became a holy scripture, which is now considered the essence of the Nirankari Ideology. It was published in 1957. Below are key messages of the book:
* God is Formless and One.
* No one knows God’s beginning.
* The Formless God is the Ultimate Reality, infinite and eternal, beyond time, beyond birth and death, beyond places – it is same everywhere – the same for everyone, irrespective of one’s caste, colour, race, religion or nationality etc
* Self-realization is possible through God-realization.
* God has bestowed man with this body as the greatest gift which one should use in complete surrender to God Almighty;
* All are the children of one God, no matter what background one comes from. We should love everyone as human beings whether they be good or bad.
* We should not hate anyone on account of dress and diet.
* We should lead life as a responsible householder and not to wander from place to place in search of God, which is omnipresent. 
== References ==
==External links==
* Baba Avtar Singh Ji - Sant Nirankari Mission
* Rajan Sachdeva's Diary: Shehanshah Baba Avtar Singh ji
* Baba Avtar Singh Ji - The Sindhu World
* Nirankari Mission History: BABA AVTAR SINGH JI
* Teachings of Shahenshah Baba Avtar Singh Ji
Category:1899 births
Category:1969 deaths
Category:Spiritual teachers
Category:20th-century Hindu religious leaders
Category:Indian spiritual teachers