At first my head I bow and place in RADHASOAMI'S Darbar, Who, under His Mercy and Grace, is effecting Jivas' Uddhar.

All-powerful is my Merciful Guru, he liberates Jivas sinning all through. He takes up to Sat Pur sinners so great, to receive whom, even Hell is afraid. I am fallen, mean and merit-all-nil, but in His Saran He took me still. To the Lord so gracious and benign, myriads and myriads of obeisance mine.

The Supreme Being, Param Purush Puran Dhani RADHASOAMI, incarnated Himself as Soami Ji Maharaj, at Panni Gali, in the city of Agra. He was born on the night of the eighth day of the dark half of Bhadon, at half past twelve, in the year 1875 of Vikram Calendar (corresponding to night between 24-25 August, 1818 A.D.) in a Khattry Seth family. In His unbounded grace and mercy, He gave out His secrets, and promulgated the Radhasoami Faith. His name was Shiv Dayal Singh.

Soamiji Maharaj's infancy passed in a normal way. After, however, attaining the age of five, He began to devote Himself to studies and to Parmarth (religion practices) of the highest order. His mother used to give Him bath early in the morning and prepare Him for devotion. And soon He would engage in His devotional practices. Side by side, His studies were also going on. he was so quick that it looked as if He was simply revising the previous lesson.

Soamiji Maharaj acquired mastery in the branch of learning to which He applied Himself. Besides Hindi and Gurumukhi, He studied and mastered the Persian Language, much in vogue those days. He also wrote a book in that language. The sublimity of the subject matter and thoughts and ornate style were such that the book could be understood by accomplished scholars alone. He also know Sanskrit and Arabic.

Soamiji Maharaj devoted great attention to imparting religious instructions and explaining spiritual matters. In fact, the very purpose for which He had incarnated Himself was to redeem, by His words, the souls that had strayed in this world. His elucidations of the principles of true religion were so nice that people, on hearing them, were left spell-bound. His words were so firmly implanted in their hearts that they came to have full faith in Him. It was said that He was endowed with magical powers; whoever went to Him, was converted to His views.

Often boys of various communities Khattri, Brahman and Bania, came to Soamiji Maharaj for learning Persion, which He taught gratis. Those who studied at His Feet, derived great benefit. people often went to Him with requests. Soamiji Maharaj would not be at ease till He had done what they wanted. He treated the poor and needy with great love and affection, and projected His grace in the fulfilment of their objects, so that they would return happy and satisfied.

Soamiji Maharaj's father, Lala Dilwali Singh, was originally a follower of Guru Nanak. He used to read with great love and fervour Nanak Saheb's Banis (compositions) and recited Japji, Sodar, Rohras, and Sukhmani daily. This had been the practice in the family since the times of Soamiji Maharaj's grandfather. There is still in existence, in his handwriting, the book Sukhmaniji in Persian.

Later on, Soamiji Maharaj's father came in contact with Tulsi Saheb of Hathras, who was a perfect Sant, Occasionally, Tulsi Saheb visited Agra also. Because of His Satsang, faith in Sant Mat took deeper roots in Soamiji Maharaj's father. He served and associated with Sadhs throughout his life.

Soamiji Maharaj's mother, paternal aunt, maternal grand-mother and others had also attended the Satsang of Tulsi Saheb for a considerable period. They were all convinced of the sublimity of the Sant Mat (Religion of Sants), and the efficacy of the Surat Shabd Yoga. But some of them were not fully acquainted with the secrets. Soamiji Maharaj graciously explained to them the secrets and details of the stages on the way. In the evening Satsang, He would deliver discourses which fully satisfied them, and strengthened their faith and conviction. His paternal grand-mother, maternal grand-mother and father's sister would never treat Him as a relation, but as a Guru. For Tulsi Saheb had once warned Soamiji Maharaj's mother not to look upon Soamiji Maharaj as her son, adding that a Param Sant had incarnated Himself in her family. Since then, Soamiji Maharaj's grand-mother and others treated Him with great reverence, respect, love and affection.

Param Purush Puran Dhani Soamiji Maharaj was Param Sant. Among Sants and Faqirs, the status and position of a Param Sant ranks the highest. It is, therefore very essential to explain here the word 'Sant', by which, people in general, mean an ascetic. A Sant is He whose Surat (spirit), having passed through Pind and the three divisions of brahmand, has reached Sat Lok which is also known as Dayal Desh and which is beyond the limits of Kal. Beyond Sat Lok, leaving two stages in between, is Anami, i.e., Radhasoami Pad. It is the final and the highest stage. Reckoning from Sat Lok above, it is third, and from Sahas-dal-kanwal, it is eighth. This is the real Abode and the Throne of Soamiji Maharaj.

Soamiji Maharaj was married into the family of Lala Izzat Rai of Faridabad, near Delhi. His consort came to be known by the appellation Radhaji Maharaj. Soamiji Maharaj used to explain Parmarthi matters of the highest order to Radhaji. She heard His discourses in Satsang as well. After learning Hindi, She Herself used to read and recite holy books. The discourses produced so deep an impression upon Radhaji Maharaj that She had Her entire jewelery, worth thousands of rupees, spent by Soamiji Maharaj.

Anecdotes of Grace and Mercy