RSSB's ties to Religare mix money and spirituality

As shown in my previous post, there's an intimate relationship between Radha Soami Satsang Beas (RSSB), a religious/mystical organization headquartered in India, and Religare -- a large global financial services group.

The current RSSB guru is Gurinder Singh Dhillon. His sons, though only 26 and 20 years old, are among the 400 richest Indians owing to millions of Religare shares having been transferred to them at a very low cost via insider trading deals.

And the guru himself has acquired about half a million dollars worth of Religare shares in a similar fashion. (For details on all this, read "Religare's money connections with the Radha Soami guru.")

When I first received an email from somebody who was knowledgeable about the RSSB - Religare relationship, my first reaction was there's nothing wrong with making money. 

I still feel that way.

However, the more I learned about the ties that bind RSSB and Religare, the more I was bothered by how the "vibe" of the spiritual organization I was an active member of for over thirty-five years has changed. 

The guru who initiated me back in 1971 was Charan Singh. My recollection is that his family owned quite a bit of farm land in the Punjab, and this is how he and various relatives supported themselves.

Back then it appeared to us Western disciples that business dealings and spiritual pursuits were kept entirely separate in the Radha Soami Satsang Beas organization. If there were ties between members of the group becoming rich, and becoming godly, this wasn't obvious. The emphasis was on "selfless service," not self-aggrandizement.

Times have changed. I've been told that almost all members of the board of directors of Religare are Radha Soami Satsang Beas initiates, or "satsangis."

Also, that the RSSB guru literally runs the company -- he makes all the important decisions and spends a considerable amount of time driving the business. The children of high-ranking satsangis, along with family members and friends of the guru, work for Religare.

All Religare establishments reportedly are strictly vegetarian, in accord with one of the rules for RSSB initiates. No employee, whether a member of RSSB or not, is permitted to bring any sort of non-vegetarian food inside the gates of the buildings. So no pepperoni pizza delivery for a guy or gal working late on company business.

Charitable activities of RSSB reportedly have been cut back considerably, with the guru being quoted as saying, "We are a spiritual organization, not a charitable one." This strikes some initiates as hypocritical, given how busily the guru and those close to him are acquiring wealth through RSSB connections.

Apparently now the only organized RSSB charitable activity for the poor is the Beas hospital that was built many years ago, when Charan Singh was the guru. The annual "eye camps" that provided free medical care for cataracts and other problems have been discontinued. (Another guru's "dera" offers them, though.)

Sunil Godhwani, Religare's Chairman and Managing Director, is a Radha Soami Satsang Beas follower and the guru's closest aide. Malvinder and Shivinder Mohan Singh, the brothers (nephews of the guru) who founded Religare and transferred millions of shares in the company to the guru's sons also are RSSB initiates.

I have some personal experience with insider transactions, since my father was a co-founder of a company -- Systems and Computer Technology Corporation -- back in the 1980's or thereabouts. (My mother divorced my father when I was very young and I never had any contact with him until I was in my thirties, so I'm sort of vague on details.)

Feeling guilty over how he had ignored one of his sons, my father transferred several thousand shares in the company to me. As a founder, he'd gotten them dirt cheap. And over the years, as I followed the company's fortunes, I saw how frequently shares were traded back and forth in insider deals.

In general, this is completely legal. Also, common.

However, there's something strange about the sons of a guru, who is considered by disciples to be "God in human form" and master of their spiritual destiny, becoming some of the richest people in India after being gifted millions of shares in Religare without ever having worked for the company.

(Gurpreet, the oldest son, is a director of Religare's British affiliate; I've been told that Gurkirat, the youngest son who is still in college, has no connection with the company.)

My wife worked as a psychotherapist in private practice for quite a few years. Through her I learned about the issue of "dual relationships." 

Dual relationships exist whenever a therapist interacts with a client in any capacity beyond the one role as therapist, for example, also being their client’s teacher, consultant, business partner, or sexual partner. If you perform a role other than therapist for your client, it may introduce desires and goals that are yours rather than the client’s and can risk the possibility that you will place your needs above theirs. Maintaining unselfish judgment is critical to your role as an effective, professional therapist.

If this is true of someone who merely functions as a guide to living a more satisfying worldly life, it sure seems that a guru who is viewed by his clients/initiates as being the master of their spiritual life (including an afterlife) needs to be even more careful about mixing up money with a therapeutic relationship.

Here's another view of dual relationships: 

Dual relationships between psychotherapists and their clients/patients are in the most general sense considered inappropriate or unethical.  In nearly all situations a dual relationship involves a risk that treatment may become biased or influenced by a non-treatment relationship between the professional and consumer.

During the more than three decades I was involved with Radha Soami Satsang Beas, I frequently observed first-hand the astounding devotion initiates, which naturally included me, had toward the guru.

I've seen destitute Indians happily placing a rupee (23 cents) or two into a "seva" (donation) container. I've seen initiates working tirelessly without pay for hours, days, and weeks in a spirit of service to the guru. I've seen disciples jump at the chance to do the most dirty or difficult volunteer work if this would further a project ordered by the guru.

It's well known that when people are in different positions of power (such as boss/employee or teacher/student), different interpersonal dynamics come into play. The lower-ranking person really isn't "free" in the usual sense of the word. 

This is why psychotherapists are so concerned about the dangers of dual relationships. Power imbalances can easily result in people being taken advantage of, even when they appear -- and may even feel themselves -- to be acting voluntarily.

What I've learned about the dealings between Radha Soami Satsang Beas and Religare doesn't feel right to me.

It definitely goes against the grain of what I used to enjoy about being a member of RSSB: the focus on meditation, mysticism, charitable giving, and service to a spiritual community where everybody did their share, and nobody (seemingly) tried to get more than their share.

That said, maybe I'm old-fashioned.

Maybe I don't understand how modern-day gurus and their relatives can engage in insider trading deals with disciples while still remaining true to their philosophical principles. Maybe I'm missing the benefit to RSSB of having an inner circle derive large financial benefits that aren't available to other initiates.

All I know is that philosophically and ethically, there are reasons for concern here. This morning I dug out a couple of RSSB books that I've got stored away in our garage. 

I wanted to remind myself what was said in "Honest Living," one of the core Radha Soami Satsang Beas publications, about materialism.

Since it is a natural tendency of all human beings to strive for happiness and to improve their situation in life, the success of our spiritual journey depends on what we put first, our spiritual or material goals.

...The danger lies in making material goals our priority. We are then equating riches with happiness and we immediately become vulnerable to compromising those very principles established to safeguard us.

Now, everybody has to support themselves in some way. The RSSB teachings certainly don't discourage initiates from trying to make money.

However, it strikes me as discordant when the RSSB guru, his family, and high-ranking members of the RSSB organization are so deeply involved in the business of Religare. Should a religious group whose aim is release of the soul from the bonds of worldly attachment be so heavily focused on materialistic corporate goals?

It's also important to keep in mind that relationships between people in a guru's family can be quite different from the usual sorts of familial ties.

I can understand why at first glance my arguments above about "dual relationships" would be discounted -- given that the founders of Religare who gifted shares of the company to the guru's sons (and Gurinder Singh himself) are related to the guru. What's wrong with family members giving gifts to each other, and going into business with each other?

Usually, nothing.

But being related to a guru who is considered to be God in human form is a much different deal than being related to an everyday Homo sapiens. This really often is a dual relationship in the classic sense, because the guru functions both as an infallible spiritual guide and a relative: father, grandfather, uncle, son, or whatever.

In Legacy of Love, a RSSB biography of Charan Singh, Gurinder Singh's predecessor (and uncle), this special relationship of a guru with devoted family members is described:

Sardar Harbans Singh, Marharaj Ji's [Charan Singh's] father, was the third son of Great Master. More than anything else, he was remembered for his absolute obedience to Great Master. When he was told by him to send his boys -- Maharaj Ji and Shoti -- to Dera for their education, he never questioned Great Master's wish.

He handed them over so fully into Great Master's trust that for many years the boys had no idea he was their father and thought of him as an uncle. His complete faith first in Great Master, and later, in his son, needs to be seen in the context of the practical difficulties those very close to a Master face in accepting his divine power and role.

For someone to accept a close relation or friend as the Master, he or she has to be able to relinquish all self-interest in the relationship. Since, as Maharaj Ji so often pointed out, most of these relationships are based on some level of self-interest, it is a rare person who can make such a sacrifice. It is a gift of grace, Maharaj Ji would say, to recognize a saint.

Fascinating.

First Sardar Harbans Singh gave all his obedience to his father, who also was his spiritual guru. Then, when Charan Singh became the guru, Sardar Singh transferred his "complete faith" to his own son.

This is difficult to understand for those, like me, who aren't steeped in Indian culture. I, along with my psychotherapist wife, can't believe that any human being is capable of rising above any form of self-interest -- and is worthy of unconditional obedience and trust.

Yet this is how a "perfect guru" is viewed by ardent disciples, including members of his own family. As the saying goes, if the guru says jump, the only question for them is how high?

This offers a different perspective on financial dealings among and between initiates of Radha Soami Satsang Beas. When the guru is involved in these dealings, they take on a deeply spiritual perspective since Gurinder Singh is considered to be (1) infallible and (2) utterly unself-interested.

Well, as I often say, maybe. But that's highly unlikely.

So when profound religious faith in a guru is intertwined with business transactions that involve him, there's a strong possibility of spirituality becoming strangely mixed up with material concerns and desires.

Comments

[Robert Searle]

Rose,

Thank you for the new link. It is interesting that the name of the webhost does not appear on it. Moreover, some of the comments on it seem to raise a red flag as to the rationality of the writer(s).

Also, what we are seeing with the RSSB is the beginning of the end. What Gurinder is doing is simply the Mauj, or Divine Will. So, how can he be punished as such?? Realize that it was not Charan Singh who appointed him but his own inner Master "Sawan Singh" (or his Higher Self, or Personal God as indicated by Faqir Chands understanding) as revealed in the Will. The former may well have had doubts about Gugu. Charan was simply submitting to the commands of his inner Master, or"God", or the "Higher Self" which probably for whatever reasons wants to see the demise of RSSB Gurus at some point in the future. Hence, Gurinder Singh becomes Master, and sets the ball rolling....

Incidently, RSSB does not believe that the last five Sikh Gurus were perfect. Maybe Sar Bachan in the end may replace the need for a Living Guru...Anything is possible!!!

[tucson]

Tara wrote: "... I don't care about the high flying business people and their crooked ways, as long as they don't call themselves GIHF and rob innocent followers of their emotions, time and money.

--That is the crux of the matter and why, if all of this is true, Gurinder is a bad dude...really bad. A con artist. People invest the foundation of their lives on this fraud, this cynical creep. All this love and obedience to the "perfect sat guru" and he just takes it to the bank. Sickening. I hope tAo is right and there is a mass awakening to the sinister reality of RSSB and they leave the cult in droves.

[Robert Searle]

Thank you very much Tara for your communication. Obviously, you know your stuff so to speak!

However, as far as I am concerned the REAL MASTER is ones Higher Self which lies within irrespective of whether the outer physical link to it (ie GS) is corrupt, or not.

I have explained all this before in connection with Faqir Chand, but the trouble with it is that people find such a notion socially unacceptable. This is understanble especially if more serious revelations emerge from the outer "master"!

[Robert Searle]

Tara,
This is just another message to you in public. You appear to be well-connected as far as RSSB is concerned.

On this site I mentioned that Gurinder sometime before he became the Master was involved in something "questionable" of a business-like nature. But the Dera sent a mesage to those connected with the matter in which it was said that he was a Perfect Master!!! Hence, he could do no wrong even though something appeared possibly "wrong". This claim I heard from an English teacher who was working in Spain...and was mystified about the whole matter, and asked what power are we dealing with?

I am wondering whether a number of "high up" Satsangis knew that he was regarded as a "Perfect Master" before Charan passed on? With your connections you might be able to throw light. Apparently though, some people were surprised that he was made a successor to Charan Singh....

....which incidently takes me back to the Wikipedia entry which now says the GS succeeded Charan Singh. There is no mention of him being a Sevadar. However, in the discussion section I mention this, and so far it has not been removed...

Also, I have noticed a few Facebook Religare sites....

[Roger]

Robert,

You stated,

"I am wondering whether a number of "high up" Satsangis knew that he was regarded as a "Perfect Master" before Charan passed on?"

--Before Charan passed on, I'm guessing that Gurinder would have been a regular satsangi. Maybe, a "high up" one. To be given the "Perfect Master" title before his Master Charan 'passed on' would be an interesting bit of info.

[Robert Searle]

Tara,

Again,thank you for taking the time to come out with some more illuminating comments. You seem to have quite a bit of "inside" knowledge (so to speak!)about the Dera, and GS..

[Roger]

Hi Tara,

Thanks for your message. You mentioned,

"At the time of the announcement, Gurinder was in Spain. He received a phone call after Charan's passing that he had been chosen by his Master ( Charan ) to become the next Param Sant Sat Guru of RSSB."

---Does anyone know who called Gurinder on the phone? How was the authorization/confirmation of succession carried out? By mouth or some certified documentation? If Gurinder was truely engaged in a 'big' suprise, then one can guess that there was no pre-authorized succession 'action' plan in place. I'm guessing.

The formal process of succession is what I would find interesting, based on your message. Thanks again..Roger

[Robert Searle]

Tara,

I was intrigued by the following comment...

".....I know of a number of similar incidents where the RSSB publicists pulled out one of these cards...
" His Will / Perfect Living Master / He Knows Best / Do Not Question " etc....."

I am wondering if you still own one, or more of these cards mentioned above. It seems somewhat bizarre.Are such cards still being used, and how often, and where usually?

More light please....

[Robert Searle]

The following maybe of interest, and relevance and comes from "foolishworld"...The English may seem a little odd....

People of this world are so fool they make comment without knowing the facts. Private jet is not bought from people's money by RSSB Guru it was given to Him by her cusion sister who is extremely rich. And she till now giving huge amount in seva. And RSSB Guru doesn't need anyone's money even if you will see their family history 100 years ago when they were not Guru, they were royal family and having huge acres of land. They announced many time during satsang not to give money in seva if it is not earned honestly. I am 100% sure whole of money which is received is not managed by RSSB Guru but people like me and you who are working in management. All money is managed by many groups of people totally on the wellfare of humanity. Even Babaji give a lot of money in seva from his private business and also send tons of foodgrain free from his farmhouse. Because he has huge land and it is too much for Him to consume all of it. But people of this world can never imagine that this is possible---there can be goodness, truth and love. Because they are culprit and have association with all culprit people. Thief always think others as thieves. Poeple greedy of money always think that others are also greedy like them. Their mind plans are to deceive and kill others for money so they think whole world' s people are thinking the same way.....

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:7bU4AnwTQg4J:www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/aka68/my_mom_is_in_a_cult_radha_soami_satsang_beas_shes/%3Fsort%3Dnew+gurinder+singh+sant+mat&cd=69&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk

[Roger]

Thanks Tara,

Your message was very educational. Many thanks to you. Were you around to know Charan on a personal level?

I found this interesting,

"In the will Charan had mentioned that he had received an insight from his Master ( Sawan Singh ) to appoint Gurinder Singh as the next Guru of RSSB."

---It would be interesting to understand what an 'insight' is according to a GIHF.
Interesting from a blogging conversation point of view. I don't make a big deal out of any of this. It's just a interesting topic.

Thanks again to you, Roger

[Robert Searle]

Tara,

Silly me....about the "cards!" But you never know!! And yes, I suppose the post from another site was a bit lame to put it mildly. I just put it here just for fun if you can call it that!!

[Juan]

Tara, you said,
At the time of the announcement, Gurinder was in Spain. He received a phone call after Charan's passing that he had been chosen by his Master ( Charan ) to become the next Param Sant Sat Guru of RSSB.... I remember having a conversation with GS a few years ago and he himself told me about the " phone call " and what a surprise it was to him.
I am surprised, I saw Gurinder in Dera when Charan Singh died and he was present at the time of cremation also, to my knowledge he had left Malaga for India after the Easter.

[Robert Searle]

I think my blog maybe of interest.

http://thoughtsandvisions-searle88.blogspot.com/2010/09/religare-gurinder-and-beas-satsang-part.html

There is still more material to go on it when I have the time,and energy...

[Robert Searle]

Maybe someone throw light on this...

http://bangalore.click.in/classified/real-estate/houses-flats-rent/3-bedrooms-apartment-for-rent-yelahanka-1591347.html

There is reference to Radha Swami Estates! I assume this maybe a Beas operation which may have been discussed already? Dayalbagh Satsang on occassions allow the name of Radhasoami to appear on their business I believe !

[Nietzsche]

http://www.unp.co.in/f16/radha-swami-satsang-beas-expose-business-dealings-65652/

Found this story about a man that thought his apartment belonged to him and later his family but it turns out that his payment was to be seen as a deposit so Gurinder told him. His apparently belonged to the dera the payment allowed him to live there during his life. It shows too how the administration works with lawyers to maintain the feudal dera organization. There is no need to make a last will everything goes to the dera anyway.

[Robert Searle]

The following google search link gives references to some "new" data, and dealings by Radha Swami Estates...

http://www.google.co.uk/#sclient=psy&hl=en&q=radha+swami+estates&aq=&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=&pbx=1&fp=fb65bc885a9abf7

With respect to Nietzche I believe the info in his link has been put on this site before..

[dave]

i was walking in the woods the other day and security guards walked towards me in a threatening manner (this is a public footpath)... most peculiar behaviour. For an organisation so committed to spirituality (God 'is love'), they are doing very well at alientating themselves from the local villagers, they even tried to ban people from walking in the woods adjacent to Haynes Park.
Not a very loving way to go about welcoming people... in fact rather disturbing. Sounds like the case of a good cause turned corrupt (like all organised religion)

[Brian Hines]

Tara, I can't recall how much I've shared on this blog about my own extensive "security seva" experiences. Someday I'll check my past writings and add on to them. This is an interesting subject. It says a lot about the religious mind, how people relate to other people when they feel they are on a mission from God.

[Someone]

Having read the initial post and peoples comments, one must understand there is nothing illegal in the activities of Gurinder Singh Dillion regarding Religare in this story. Yes, I can understand peoples initial reactions and concerns, but one has to earn money in this world in order to live in this world. Sprirtuality promotes honest living, especially living off your own income. It does not matter whether you purchase shares or work as a shoe cleaner. As long as you do not do anything illegal in the process, there is no harm done.

[Brian Hines]

Someone, I don't agree with you. Here in the United States, as around the world, lots of people have been hurt by financial dealings by big investment firms which weren't technically illegal, yet were decidedly wrong (derivatives trading that caused a collapse of the housing market, and many other shady practices).

Just because something is legal doesn't mean it is the right thing to do. Someone can legitimately be criticized even though they haven't broken the letter of the law.

[Seeker2011]

As a Brit, most here would consider that the 'law' as such, that is what is considered legitimate - whether within society at large, or within the more rarified world of business - is always open to interpretation ... so it is never a matter of being absolutely right or wrong, rather how much one may slip/slide within given parameters.

Considering what is now known about Gurinder's business dealings perhaps it could be argued that he has become quite adept at slipping & sliding! And, it is that - yes - which has raised legitmate concerns amongst those who follow the spiritual path of Sant Mat?

[Robert Searle]

The following mahy be of interest. It is from a Sikh site....

http://www.sikhsangat.com/index.php?/topic/61749-radha-soami-a-mix-of-money-and-spirituality/

[Brian Hines]

Robert, that link you shared has content copied from one of my own blog posts about RSSB and Religare.

[Robert Searle]

I do not understand. What is the problem? There is reference to your blog after all?

[Brian Hines]

Robert, I didn't see any reference to my blog post in the person's discussion group sharing, so I wasn't sure whether you realized the material came from this blog. There's no problem in sharing the info. However, I do think that when people copy something from a web site, they should clearly indicate the source -- just as a courtesy (well, also as a matter of copyright law).

[Rodger Rabbit]

Malvinder & Shivinder Singh are worth 3.5 Billion US Dollars according to the Forbes billionare list in March 2012. It must be nice to be rich, and to make the Forbes list!

http://www.forbes.com/profile/malvinder-shivinder-singh/