Radhasoami Satsang Beas
Radhasoami Satsang Beas (RSSB) is the Punjab branch of the Radhasoami movement, founded at Dera Baba Jaimal Singh (1891) by Baba Jaimal Singh — now one of the world’s largest spiritual communities, centered on surat shabd yoga (inner sound meditation).
Overview
The Radhasoami movement arose in Agra (1861, Swami Shiv Dayal Singh); Baba Jaimal Singh (a disciple of the Agra line) settled on the Beas river (1891); the Dera grew under Sawan Singh, Charan Singh, and Gurinder Singh Dhillon (the present Baba Ji) into a global satsang with millions of initiates.
Core teachings
Surat shabd yoga: meditation on the inner Light and Sound under a living master’s initiation (the Naam); vegetarianism, abstinence from intoxicants, and ethical life as prerequisites; the guru as the path’s necessity; God as Shabd (the Word).
Practice and work
Daily meditation (two-and-a-half hours prescribed), satsang (the Sunday gatherings at the Dera draw hundreds of thousands), langar and volunteer-run hospitality, and charitable hospitals and schools (the Beas hospital’s free care).
Modern status
The Dera remains among the world’s largest spiritual centers; the initiates’ network spans continents; the movement’s succession and publications (the RSSB press) are its public face.
Verification notes
- Founding (1891) and the succession line are documented.
- Audited against Wikipedia (September 2026).