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As Head of Radhasoami Faith
While making his glorious record of achievements in various
academic, administrative, social, philanthropical, and other
public fields, Prof. Mathur remained at heart a spiritualist.
The blending of intellectualism and spiritualism in a single
personality is a rare phenomenon witnessed once in ages. It
is combining of Heaven and Earth, raising worldly actions
to spiritual heights and infusing spiritual values into practical
life. Prof. Mathur constantly remains conscious of the fact
that he belonged to a long ancestry of spiritualists beginning
with Param Purush Puran Dhani Hazur Maharaj, the founder of
Radhasoami Faith in the middle of the nineteenth century.
When Param Purush Puran Dhani Kunwarji Maharaj departed for
his heavenly abode in 1959, the onerous task of heading and
organising Radhasoami Satsang fell on the young shoulders
of Prof. Mathur. He was just 29 years of age when he became
Head of Radhasoami Satsang of Peepal Mandi. On his accession
to this apex position in the Faith, he was hailed as Dadaji
Maharaj, and he is universally known as such ever since then.
On his installation to this august position all his spiritual
ancestors invisibly blessed him, with the result that a spiritual
halo visibly emerged and encircled his head. His followers
and devotees feel blessed to see this halo around him.
The following are the cardinal principles of Radhasoami Faith
which Prof. Mathur illustriously heads:
Radhasoami is the Supreme Being, the highest
of all, full of bliss, love, light, force, energy, spirit
and all the noble virtues.
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Radhasoami Faith upholds the theory of incarnation. The Supreme Being
Radhasoami incarnated himself as Soamiji Maharaj and Hazur
Maharaj to grant salvation to jivas in this world.
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The holy name Radhasoami is Dhunyatmak which reverberates
in the mind and spirit of a devotee. This name has been
revealed by the Supreme Being Radhasoami incarnate himself.
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Every true devotee of this Faith must believe this name to be
Dhunyatmak and have absolute faith in Hazur Maharaj as
the Supreme Being incarnate.
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Hazur Maharaj alone is the Supreme Being incarnate and no one
else should be called by this name. Hazur Maharaj is the
mainstay of this faith.
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True salvation can be attained by practicing Surat Shabd Yoga
and Bhakti of the Guru of the time. True Guru is the Nij
Dhar and Nij Putra of the Supreme Being. The Guru is the
representative of the Supreme Being and possesses all
his attributes - love, bliss, light, energy, truth and
spirit. The Bhakti of the Guru is the Bhakti of the Supreme
Being.
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The Guru, like the Supreme Being is all love and mercy.
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The Guru of the time is enjoined by the Supreme Being to discuss,
describe and interpret the mahima and leela bilas of Hazur
Maharaj.
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Sar Bachan, Prem Patra and Prem Baani are the decrees of the
Supreme Being Himself. A devotee must adhere to and practise
the edicts enunciated in them.
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While a Satsangi can live in the family, he should live a life
with least involvement in the world. A midpath is advocated
between spiritual practices and material pursuits.
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A Satsangi should renounce rigid rituals and unnecessary
asceticism.
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The different groups of Radhasoami Faith should have regard
for each other and unite in a bond of universal love,
fraternity and compassion.
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Radhasoami Faith does not believe in external rituals, outward show
and exhibitionism.
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The Satsangis should give up all their internal bickerings
and conflicts and go to the saran of the true Guru of
the time. The Guru would save them from the snares of
Kal and Maya. and grant them salvation.
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The Satsangis should regularly go to the Holy Samadh of Hazur
Maharaj and Soamiji Maharaj which are the replica of Satlok
in this world. They should also regularly attend Satsang
and receive the benediction of the True Guru of the time.
Religious
Tours
Dadaji Maharaj has been working hard in his mission of strengthening
and expanding the Radhasoami Faith. On the insistence of many
of his disciples and followers Dadaji Maharaj set out on an
extensive tour of Rajasthan in 1962. He went to several remote
places including Sirsa, Abohar, Ganganagar, Ajmer, Sujangarh,
Churu, Sardarshahar, Jaipur, etc. His Satsang at all these
places was attended by thousands of people, most of whom got
inducted into this Faith. He also extensively toured over
Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, M.P., Orissa, Bengal, Eastern
Provinces, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Bihar, TamilNadu,
Punjab and remote places in Uttar Pradesh. Everywhere he was
most warmly received and applauded and thousands of men and
women joined the Radhasoami Satsang.
Anniversaries and Bhandaras
The centenary celebrations, anniversaries and Bhandaras are
religiously and devotionally held at Hazuri Bhawan on every
auspicious day. The first centenary celebration of the Founding
of Radhasoami Faith was magnificently celebrated on Basant
Panchmi Day in 1961. Likewise the 75th Bhandara of Param Purush
Puran Dhani Hazur Maharaj was held with equal magnificence
in 1963. Similarly the Bhandaras on the auspicious days relating
to Kunwarji Maharaj, Lalaji Maharaj, and Hazur Maharaj and
Soamiji Maharaj are held every year, and thousands of Satsangis
from all over the country and abroad come with full devotional
reverence to participate in them. The fame and glory of Peepal
Mandi Satsang is increasing and expanding far and wide under
the benediction of Dadaji Maharaj.
Literary Works
That Dadaji Maharaj is a great scholar and intellectual, an
eminent historian and researcher, and an acclaimed orator
and author is known to all, but many do not know that he is
a celebrated poet and connoisseur of classical music too.
Only a month ago I called upon him one evening and found him
composing and reciting sonorous verses and hymns extempore
which two or three of his disciples were noting down hurriedly.
I was surprised to see him in a poetic frenzy and was reminded
of the great Milton who used to recite verses in the like
manner for his Paradise Lost and his daughters or disciples
used to note them down. I was told that Prof. Mathur had thus
composed two volumes of poetry which have been published.
His speeches on different occasions run into hundreds of recorded
tapes.
He has composed and published several volumes of prayers,
hymns, shabds, devotional songs and ghazals and richly added
to the scriptures and history of Radhasoami Faith. His Premawali,
Prem Ragini, Prem Tarangini and Amrit Bachans are reverentially
read, recited and meditated upon by lacs of his disciples
and followers. He has also published the justly acclaimed
Centenary Souvenir on the 175th birthday of Soamiji Maharaj.
He has also published the biographies of Lalaji Maharaj and
Kunwarji Maharaj, which are authentic records of their lives.
Construction and Renovation
A scholar of architecture and archaeology as he is, he has
applied his knowledge and experience of these branches to
add to the beauty and magnificence of Hazuri Bhawan by the
renovations and new construction on a large scale. He built
the Samadh of Param Purush Puran Dhani Kunwarji Maharaj with
his own 'Karseva' and that of the Satsangis. He also renovated
the chambers of both Hazur Maharaj and Kunwarji Maharaj. A
very important new construction added to Hazuri Bhawan is
a huge four-storied Hazuri Rasoi fully equipped with all modern
gadgets. Here food is served free of cost both times to the
Satsangis dwelling here or coming from outside. The renovations
added to the magnificence of Hazuri Bhawan, present a beautiful
and reverential blending of antiquity and modernism.
Having made a humble estimate of the illustrious life and
personality of Prof. Mathur in the first section of this write-up,
I would now venture to highlight his achievements as the Vice-Chancellor
of Agra University for full two terms. A separate section
devoted to this phase of his life is justified on the ground
that lacs of people outside his religious sect came into
contact with him in his capacity as the Vice-Chancellor. Moreover
his achievements in this capacity were so commendable and
of permanent value that they need to be dwelt upon in a separate
section in detail.
When Prof. A.P. Mathur assumed office as Vice-Chancellor of
Agra University for the second term in April 1988, a prestigious
Daily newspaper commented: 'A Historian makes history'. Indeed,
Prof. A.P. Mathur, the historian, made history by holding
the reins of the university as Vice-Chancellor for the second
term. No Vice-Chancellor of Agra University before him had
occupied this apex position for two full terms.
The University took long strides on the path of all-round
development and progress during the tenure of Prof. Mathur
as Vice-Chancellor. The record of developments and achievements
on all fronts - academic, administrative, financial, residential
and affiliating wings, opening of new vocational courses and
regularization of academic session, co-curricular and cultural
activities, and games and sports - was unprecedented. A brief
and systematic account of Prof. Mathur's achievements is given
here under.
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