Though millions of people are born in this world, yet only a few of them are destined to leave an unforgettable impression.  Such people are born for the whole of mankind.  They come to share the weal and woe others.  They can not be bound by any worldly considerations of caste, creed or religion.   To wish and work for everyone’s welfare is their ultimate aim.  When such a noble hearted - person comes in contact with an enlightened Master who bestows God-knowledge upon him, then such a one offers himself completely with all his physical, mental and material assets for the welfare of whole humanity.  Vyas Dev Ji was one such rare personality.  He was Called ‘Rishi’ on account of his immense contribution towards humanity in general and Sant Nirankari Mission in particular.

Vyas Dev Ji was born on 27^th October, 1915, in the prosperous family of Rai Bahadur Mulchand Ji and Smt. Kheri Devi in Peshawar (now in Pakistan).  His father was an Honorary Magistrate.  His paternal uncle was also working on a similar assignment.  Materially, there was no dearth of anything in the house.  He was the apple of his parents' eye and was brought up by them fondly. 

Vyas Dev passed his matriculation examination in Peshawar.  He graduated later and did his M.A. in Mathematics from a college in Lahore and returned to Peshawar.  By faith, his family belonged to Arya Samaj.  Vyas Dev, however, was more inclined towards the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev and he recited Gurubani.  In time he became a strong seeker of the Ultimate Reality i.e. God. 

A God-fearing lady, Mata Atma Devi, came from Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, and began to live in Vyas Dev Ji’s neighbourhood.  She too was a strong seeker of Truth.  She had a firm faith that only Satguru, the True Master, could bless her with God-knowledge.  Where there is a will, there is a way: this applied rightly to Mata Atma Devi.  Luck smiled upon her and her burning desire was fulfilled by her coming in contact with Shri Kishan Chand who had been blessed with God-knowledge i.e. ‘Braham Gyan’ by Nirankari Baba Buta Singh Ji.  Mata Atma Devi also attained ‘Braham Gyan’ through him and apprised Vyas Dev Ji that she had attained ‘Brahm Gyan’ from Baba Buta Singh Ji and thus achieved the ultimate aim of her life.

Vyas Dev Ji was well acquainted with Shri Kishan Chand but since the latter had never mentioned about Braham Gyan, Vyas Dev Ji did not know that he was a spiritually enlightened person.  It was in 1938 that one day Baba Buta Singh Ji visited the locality where Shri Kishan Chand lived and called him from outside his home saying ‘Let us go to Satsang’.  Vyas Dev Ji too heard the voice.  He came out of his residence and was much impressed by the divine glow in Baba Buta Singh Ji’s eyes.  He paid obeisance to Baba Ji and expressed his keen desire to know God.

Baba Buta Singh Ji was always in search of persons desirous of knowing the Truth.   So, he took Vyas Dev Ji to the Satsang.   After the Satsang was over, Baba Buta Singh Ji blessed him with ‘Brahm Gyan’, thus changing the entire course of his life.   Vyas Dev Ji became a faithful devotee of his Satguru and an ardent preacher of Sant Nirankari Mission.  His lofty life after God-realisations is an ample proof as to how deeply he imbibed in his heart the God-knowledge bestowed upon him by the Satguru.

It was Baba Avtar Singh Ji, then a close associate of Baba Buta Singh Ji who influenced the life of Rev. Vyas Dev Ji the most as each and every step of Baba Avtar Singh Ji’s life comprised of Satguru’s command as well as an abiding faith in the Formless.  He was so much moved by Baba Avtar Singh Ji’s regard, respect as well as love for the saints, that he too, aimed his life to follow the footsteps.  Baba Ji’s command was equivalent to God’s command for him.  For this true devotion, Vyas Dev Ji came to be know as Rishi Vyas Dev Ji.

Though there was no dearth of money in the house, yet Vyas Dev Ji wanted to start some work because of the teachings of his True Master that along with God-devotion, one should earn one’s livelihood with one’s own hands and not become a burden upon others.  Therefore, Vyas Dev Ji started a crockery shop at Beadon Road, Lahore.  However, he did not do well in this business.  In the meanwhile, the partition of the country took place in 1947.  As a result, he first came to Delhi and then finally settled in Bombay where his younger brother had already been residing.

After reaching Bombay, Vyas Dev Ji started stationery business.  At the same time, he was always on the look out for some other Nirankari saints. One day he came in contact with Bhai Sahib Balwant Singh Ji (who later settled in Bangalore) and started holding congregations, mostly in hutments.  Slowly and gradually the Sangat began to increase.  Bhai Sahib Kahan Singh Ji and Behn Jagdish Ji also came in contact with Vyas Dev Ji during these days and the Satsang started taking place at their residence.  As Vyas Dev Ji’s interest was more in preaching the ideals of his Satguru than in his business, he started losing interest in the same.  One day he closed down his business telling his colleagues that he could not tell lies.  Then, he got a job for himself in Coca-Cola, a reputed company.    But, after sometime, he left that job too.

In the meantime, because of his consistent efforts, Bombay’s Sangat increased so much that it became impossible for him to take time out for anything else.  So much so, that the Satsang began to be held in many other localities of Bombay e.g. Kalyan, Thane, etc.

When Satguru Baba Avtar Singh Ji visited Bombay in 1957, he was so pleased with the devotion and abiding faith of Vyas Dev Ji that he asked him to devote his whole time to the propagation of the Mission.  It was due to his untiring services and devotion that the Sant Nirankari Satsang Bhawan was built in Dadar in 1958 and he started living there.  Thereafter it became the sole mission of Rishi Vyas Dev Ji’s life to obey the directions of his Satguru and to convey his message to the masses.  Propagation of the Mission through his words, serving the saints with his hands and remembering the Formless in his heart became the sole objective of his life.  His conscientious and devoted life was like an open chapter of the life of a true ‘Brahm Gyani’ who loves all and hates none and who serves in a selfless and loving manner every one that comes in contact with him.

It is hardly believable that Marathi saints, whose native language is quite difficult to understand, could listen to and understand the speeches of Vyas Dev Ji in a manner as if the speaker and the listener were one and the same.  Lakhs of people could attain Brahm Gyan in Maharashtra because of the selfless contribution of Rishi Vyas Dev Ji..  The message of Truth and love not only spread in every nook and corner of Maharashtra, but also in the adjoining states.  As a missionary of Sant Nirankari Mission, Rishi Vyas Dev Ji also visited some other countries.   He went to America and Canada at the invitation of saints in these countries and propagated the message of the Mission.

Rishi Vyas Dev Ji was fortunate enough to have a good and understanding life-companion.  His wife, Kanta Ji (now Parmukh and Zonal Incharge, Bombay) stood by him in preaching the ideals of the Mission.  While he was extremely busy in preaching and propagating the ideals of the Mission, Kanta Ji left no stone unturned in serving the saints selflessly.  The principle of ‘Charity begins at home’ was rightly followed by Vyas Dev Ji.  It was due to the unceasing efforts and contributions of all, that another Satsang Bhawan was built at Chembur in Bombay.  These magnificent Satsang Bhawans are, in fact, historic monuments that will ever echo his devoted and selfless spirit of service for the Mission.

Rishi Vyas Dev Ji was the Parmukh of South-West branch of Sant Nirankari Mission in India.  Besides, he was nominated the member of Working Committee of Sant Nirankari Mandal by Baba Gurbachan Singh Ji in 1979.  He worked day and night and brought thousands of people from diverse cultures, languages, and States into the Mission’s fold and transformed their lives.  He was honoured with the title of ‘Brahm Rishi’ by International Parliament of Religions in 1985 in Canada.

Vyas Dev Ji was an impressive orator.  His speeches left the audience spell-bound and had a telling effect upon them.   He had thorough knowledge of many scriptures.   He used to quote extensively from these scriptures stressing the need of a Satguru who only could emancipate a person from the cycle of births and deaths by revealing the Truth i.e. God.  Whenever he recited the slokas (hymns) of Baba Farid, it appeared as if Baba Farid himself was speaking.  Likewise, whenever he recited ‘Kabir Bani’, it appeared as if Kabir himself was making the presentation.

Vyas Dev Ji was humble to the core of his heart.  Once he went to a family who lived in a hutment.  The door of the room was quite low.  While Rishi Ji was entering the room, his forehead struck against the door and started bleeding.  He at once remarked that it was all due to his own mistake, he should have bowed before entering the room: but to learn that, he had to bear the injury.  He personally practised every word that he spoke. 

While Vyas Dev Ji was on a missionary tour to Canada, he completed his earthly sojourn and merged in the Formless Nirankar on January 13, 1986.  His body was consigned to flames in the Chapel of Meadowal Crematorium in the city of Brampton, Ontario.  Among the large number of fellow devotees and relatives who were present were Rev. S.S. Bassan, Rev. Dev Raj Bajaj from India, Rev. J.S. Puri from America and Rev. Partap Singh from U.K.

The Annual Samagam of Maharashtra that year which was held on January 18-19, was attended by an exceptionally large number of devotees to pay their homage to Brahm Rishi Vyas Dev Ji.  Besides Nirankaris, a large number of general public too attended the Samagam.

In his discourse during the Samagam, Baba Hardev Singh Ji Maharaj recounted and eulogized the selfless services and sacrifices rendered by this untiring missionary and exhorted all to follow his example.  He was a scholar, preacher and organizer par excellence.   Though he was the incharge of Bombay Branch, his field of activity was not confined to Bombay alone.  Baba Ji also said that Vyas Dev Ji was a perfect disciple as well as a devotee.  In fact, he was extensively touring the country and foreign lands for the propagation of Truth.  In the poetic symposium held on second day of the Samagam, the devotees could not help praising the ideal saintly life of Vyas Dev Ji.  Besides, they also lauded the role of his wife Kanta Ji in the service of the Mission.

In recognition of his long and selfless services to humanity through spirituality, the local administration named an important road in Mumbai as Rishi Vyasdev Nirankari Marg.  Certainly this will keep his memory alive for generations to come.