Dr. Raja Mrigendra Singh 1928-2014
By: Dr. Kanwaljit Kaur
Nirmal Saraai is established by the grace of Vaheguru following Guru-disciple tradition, in honor of Shrotia Brahmnisht Brahmgiani guru Raja Mrigendra Singh ji, descendant of the royal Patiala family of Punjab, India. With Raja ji’s blessings, his compassionate gift of priceless gems of Gurbani in the Damdamā Taksāl Sāstri Gurgum Vidya/knowledge are shared with all the earnest seekers of the One Universal Eternal Reality. He was well known and respected by everyone for his life-long devotion to Gurbani and classical Gurmat sangeet, enriching everyone he met with his vast knowledge of all aspects of Gursikh scriptures including Bhagat’s Bani, Dasam Granth, Bhai Gurdas Varaan, Gursikh history and geographic facts and all other texts/Granths by the ancient Nirmala Sants/Saints. He was well-versed in multiple South Asian and European languages including Sanskrit, Urdu, Persian, Arabic English, Latin and Hebrew. His knowledge went far beyond Gursikh scriptures and included Indic, Buddhist, and Semitic scriptures. He lived by the teachings of Gurbani. Whenever questioned by anyone on any topic, he always felt humbled and honored sharing his vast knowledge without an iota of ego.
He always quoted Guru Arjun Devji’s teachings on Ang747 of Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji (SGGS ji) in ਸੂਹੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ॥ Soohee Mehlā 5: ਖਤ੍ਰੀ ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣ ਸੂਦ ਵੈਸ ਉਪਦੇਸੁ ਚਹੁ ਵਰਨਾ ਕਉ ਸਾਝਾ ॥ Khatree Brahmana Sood Vais updæs chahu varnā ka-o sājhā
Tr-Teachings of Guru are the same for all four sects of society, Khatree, Brahmana, Sood, and Vais.
His passion was to spread the doctrinal message of Universal Oneness, of jagat Guru Nānak Dev ii, the founder of the Gursikh faith, for diversity is apparent and needs no proof, even a cat knows he is different from a dog, and a dog knows he is different from an elephant and so on.
Guru Nānak Devji raises awareness to the fact on Ang 1153 of SGGS ji in ਭੈਰਉ ਅਸਟਪਦੀਆ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ਘਰੁ ੨ Bhairo Asatpadee-ā Mehlā 1 ghar 2: ਬੇਦ ਕਤੇਬ ਕਰਹਿ ਕਹ ਬਪੁਰੇ ਨਹ ਬੂਝਹਿ ਇਕ ਏਕਾ ॥੬॥
Bayd Katayb karahi kah bapuray nah boojheh ik aykā. ||6|
Tr-If you have not cognized the One and Only, after reading Vedas, indicative of Indic Scriptures and Ketabs, indicative of Semitic Scriptures; then what have you deciphered?
Guru Nanak Dev ji explains in Kirtan Sohila with the analogy of the Sun in ਰਾਗੁ ਆਸਾ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ॥ Rāg Āsa Mehlā 1: ਸੂਰਜੁ ਏਕੋ ਰੁਤਿ ਅਨੇਕ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਕਰਤੇ ਕੇ ਕੇਤੇ ਵੇਸ ॥੨॥੨॥
Sooraj ayko rūt anayk. Nānak kartay kay kaytay væs. ||2||2||
Tr-There is One Sun with different seasons and weather conditions. Nānak proclaims similarly the One Universal Creator has infinite manifestations. ||2||2||
If one fails to understand that Oneness; One fails to decipher the Immortal Self/Atman, and its Oneness with Parmātma and this world one is part of.
Raja Mrigendra Singh ji, was the son of Maharaja Bhupendra Singh of Patiala, born on July 21, 1928 at the Rajgarh Vilas Palace in Chail, where the Patiala royal family spent its summers. His mother was Rani Chandra Bhaga Devi. He was brother of Yadavindra Singh, the last Maharaja of Patiala. On March 24, 2014 he completed his worldly journey at the age of 85.
Raja ji would narrate this routine, with fondness, as if it were happening at present, being raised along with his sisters and brothers, under the guidance of an English guardian, Mr. Cells, practicing strict discipline in daily life. The children, as young as five, would rise at 6 A.M. and after bathing would proceed to the gurdwara in the palace for their daily morning nitnem (prayers). In the evenings, after finishing the school homework and playing, they would bathe, then dress up to go back to the gurdwara and recite Rehras before dinner; followed by Kirtan and Katha with instruction in Gurmat, concepts based on the Sikh and Indic scriptures, imparted by scholars of the Nirmala tradition. Mr. Cells would make sure that all the children in their night suits would cover their heads and recite the Sohila before turning off the lights and going to sleep.
The young prince had already memorized the entire Holy Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji by the tender age of 14, and was initiated, into the Gursikh Amrit ceremony, according to the traditions of the Patiala royal family which dated back to 1705, when his ancestor, Baba Ram Singh, the father of Ala Singh who founded the state of Patiala, was initiated by Guru Gobind Singhji Himself. Guru Gobind Singh ji sent a group of Sikhs to Benares, for the study of Vedic Scriptures, all other extant theologies and writings of the subcontinent in multiple languages in order to establish institutions of comparative religion and higher learning in Gurmat within the Sikh community. Upon their return, Guru Gobind Singh ji honored them with the title of 'Nirmalas’ literally meaning 'immaculate' or 'without blemish." When Guru Sahib left for South India, he put the Nirmala institutions under the supervision of Bhai Dharam Singh and Bhai Daya Singh (two of the first Punj Pyarey). Many of the Sikh scholars of the 19th century were scholars of these institutions, providing the primary sources of religious learning in our community ever since. Patiala Raj Guru, Mehant Sadhu Singh ji, was a Nirmala Sant/Saint coming down from this lineage of the Nirmalas.
The Damdamā Taksāl, the oldest of the Sikh seminaries, fell in the princely states of Punjab that escaped British influence after the fall of the empire of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, and was thus able to adhere to traditional methods for the study of Gurbani.
Mrigendra Singh ji completed his formal education at the Bishop Cotton School in Simla, and later in Lahore, currently in Pakistan, at Aitchison College. Following a Master's in Music from the Gandharv Maha Vidyalay, Bombay, he earned a PhD from Guru Nanak University in Amritsar. He inaugurated the Guru Ram Das Sangeet Vidyala at Amritsar. He was trained in special fields of classical music as well as Gurmat Sangeet with the legendary Mahant Gajja Singh, a student of Mir Rahmat Ali. Patiala was also a renowned center of classical music; the court was home to more than a hundred musicians of the finest caliber. Bhai Mehboob Ali of the Patiala Gharana trained him in the sitar, sur-bahar, and veena. Akhtar Hussein Khan, also of the Patiala Gharana, trained him in vocals. There were many other royal court musicians who constantly guided him in perfecting his musical skills. His concerts were highlights of events such as the Bhai Mardana music conference and the Mughal Sur-Bahar concert.
His passion for learning Semitic religions and its integration with the doctrine of Universal Oneness of Guru Nānak Dev ji inspired him to come to USA in 1972 on a scholarship to Yale University Divinity School. Subsequently he pursued the study of comparative religions and ethnomusicology, obtaining a Master of Arts in religion. During this time, he became a teacher of the Sikh religion and taught the Patiala Gharana music at Yale. He lived in New York for over 40 years and continued teaching as Associate Professor at New York City University (CUNY), and the State University of New York at Mount Vernon and Purchase.
He was the recipient of the Honor Bukhara by King Mohammed Zahir Shah of Afghanistan. In 2011 Mrigendra Singh ji was honored with the Tagore Akademic Puruskar by the Sangeet Natak Academy of India for his life-long Contribution in Performing Arts.
Over his academic career he published numerous books on Music and Sikhism, including The Patiala Gharana Music Tradition, Patiala Gharane ka Sangit ka Udgam aur Vikas, North India's Patiala Classical Musical Traditions, Mughal Shahi Gavaiya Khan Sahib Tan-Ras Khan, and many research papers on the music of the subcontinent.
Throughout his life he had been immersed in research, the study of Gurbani having allowed access to many ancient manuscripts from the Patiala archives. His last book Jap Nissan, in Gurmukhi script published by Punjabi University, Patiala, is the masterpiece of Taksali Gurgum Vidya. It delves in depth into the philosophy, metaphysics and mysticism of the Gursikh religion, and will be the guiding light for generations to come.
With love and gratitude in my heart, I pay my obeisance to Vaheguru for gracing me with Poora/Perfect Guru who showed me the path to seeking the Eternal Reality.
ਗਉੜੀ ਬੈਰਾਗਣਿ ਮਹਲਾ ੪ ॥ Gauree Bairāgan Mehlā 4: Ang168
ਧੰਨੁ ਧੰਨੁ ਗੁਰੂ ਗੁਰੁ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਪਾਧਾ ਜਿਨਿ ਹਰਿ ਉਪਦੇਸੁ ਦੇ ਕੀਏ ਸਿਆਣੇ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Dhan Dhan gurū gur Satgur pāDhā jin Har updæs kee-ay si-ānay. ||1|| rahā-o.
Tr- I venerate the great perfect mentor Satgur who has imparted the wisdom in me to comprehend the Ultimate knowledge of Har. ||1||Pause||