Prem Rawat (Prem Pal Singh Rawat) whose devotees call him Maharaji (meaning Ultimate Ruler) first came to attention in the West as Guru Maharaj Ji - the self-proclaimed Perfect Master and Lord of the Universe ridiculed in the media as a fat, squeaky-voiced God boy. He had inherited his titles and position as the Satguru, The True Revealer of Light and Spiritual Master of the Divine Light Mission, India (Divya Sandesh Parishad) when his father died in 1966. His father, Hans Rawat, was a successful Indian guru, self titled HRH (His Royal Highness) Yogiraj Param Sant Satgurudev Shri Hans Ji Maharaj. As a child the youngest Rawat son was informally called Sant Ji, more formally Balyogeshwar ("Born King of the Yogis") and even more formally Param Sant Satgurudev Shri Sant Ji Maharaj. In the West Rawat dropped these more verbose titles in the early 1980's and instructed his followers to call him Maharaji. He has also changed the names of his organisations many times: Divine Light Mission (DLM), World Welfare Association (WWA), World Peace Corps (WPC) and Divine United Organisation (DUO) became Elan Vital in the early 1980's and in 2001 The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) was created and from 2010 his major orgs are Words Of Peace Global (WOPG) registered in Holland, Words of Peace International (WOPI) in the USA, HDSK (Human Development through Self Knowledge) in Great Britain and Raj Vidya Kender (Royal Knowledge Society) in India. He no longer claims to be an Incarnation of God but an internationally famous humanitarian leader and teacher of peace. He's neither.
DIVINE NEWS
Special letter
"My mission in this world is to establish peace, but I need cooperation from all. We are very, very fortunate to have received this Knowledge and now it is our duty to spread it throughout the world. The way in which to do this is through Divine Light Mission, because Divine Light Mission is the mission that has been created for the purpose of spreading this Knowledge. It is like if you want to get from one city to another, it is easier to take the road that is already existing than to try to build a road of your own. So, now we must all join together and help the Mission to establish peace on this earth, and not only earth, maybe the universe.
Hope you understand the letter and take it into your consideration, because it's very important.
Blessings to all of you."
Sant Ji Maharaj |
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Our Man in Hong Kong
There has been an ashram in Hong Kong for nearly a year now. Not many people come to satsang but Guru Maharaj Ji's name and face are well known, thanks to posters and good newspaper coverage. Mahatma Tribeninanand Ji stayed for two weeks last October when twelve people received Knowledge from him. Hopefully Guru Maharaj Ji or Shri Bal Bhagwan Ji will pay a visit some time this year.
Spreading Knowledge to the Chinese people cannot be done from this standpoint of Indian or western approaches to Truth. The idea of 'God' is not important to the Chinese and there is no concept of 'original sin'. The Tao is the essence of everything, and an old Ch'an master was completely sincere when he said that the most important thing in the world was the head of a dead cat. By this he was implying that the Knowledge is omnipresent.
In Chinese philosophy the universe is made up of the interplay of light and dark 02 the Yang and the Yin, and the Tao is the source of and the harmony between the two. Of course, there are no value judgements concerning ultimate good and evil.
The Chinese people will come quickly to Knowledge once a hard core of active and understanding premies comes into being. The three goals of the Chinese mind are health, wealth and happiness, and once they are convinced that Guru Maharaj Ji's Knowledge gives these excellent qualities for free and without obligation, they will all come running.
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A Sydney afternoon
On a mellow Sunday afternoon Centennial Park saw a Divine Wedding Feast by about 120 premies and Mahatma Padarthanand Ji.
The setting was somewhat removed from the standard conception of reality that the world entertains. In front of a duck pond surrounded by carefully manicured lawns a sculpted lady surveyed our antics from her haughty pedestal. Huge white balloons sporting Missed-out faces hung off sundials and children's hands. A yellow nylon kite decorated with a glitter image of Guru Maharaj Ji and the inscription 'Higher and Higher' played above the musicians. A bed of ridiculously bright flowers provided a natural 'hide' for the divine photobugs who took candid shots of cartwheeling premies, physically impossible smiles and innocent passers-by who came for the music and stayed for prashad and satsang. It was so beautiful it had to be a publicity stunt for 'Lost Horizon'. It was so real it was unbelievable.
Mahatma Ji brought the picnic/ceremony to a moving climax by declaring to the bashful young couple (David and Carol Ransome [nee Page]) that they were "one in the Spirit, one in the Lord, and now you must become one in the heart" and handing them two bananas each and a cardemom seed to share. Things became a little misty-eyed as the band glided into some romantic numbers.
The afternoon was a perfect example of internal unity being manifested outside. It was also a lesson: When premies interact together naturally they provide a gentle means of propagation, through His Grace, which outweights all our determined efforts to `convert'. It showed how much we must live this Knowledge rather than preach it.
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Editorial note
The Golden Age is aware that we have been remiss in fulfilling the main function of a newspaper: to provide news. Please accept our humble apologies. However, we feel it is not entirely true to rest all the blame on our desk. Apart from articles like 'Our Man in Hong Kong' and 'Sydney Picnic of Bliss" the other small items are usually found by the editor while ferreting through files and letters. Please excuse that genuine efforts at communication from your state were overlooked, but we can't go on ferreting like this! So, check out the Truth News Service notice in this paper and please contribute.
Shri Hans Editorial
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THE GOLDEN AGE
As this issue of The Golden Age is mainly a Darshan souvenir special, it seems appropriate to take the theme of the first editorial from the satsang of Bal Bhagwan Ji. He once said that a scientist read in a textbook that there were whales in the ocean, so he went down to the beach and sampled the water with a test tube. On finding no whales in his sample, he concluded that the book was mistaken. In the same manner, man tries to grasp a limitless state with limited means; he attempts to hold infinity in his finite mind.
Premies can also unwittingly limit themselves. By viewing our ability through the vista of our past achievements and failures, we feel we have only a certain amount to offer in service. Or by flying off in anticipation of the results of enlightenment, we undertake enormous tasks and when the conclusion falls short of cosmic we begin to wonder if we are destined not to stick our minds out on new adventures. But if we observe what has to be done from the standpoint of Knowledge, in that meditation, we see what we can move towards clearly and we feel a joy on realising that our talents and abilities can still expand towards that infinite state. We can learn to use our minds like multi-faceted instruments. As we serve Guru Maharaj Ji, so should our minds serve us.
The point is that this newspaper needs creative effort. The communication has to be two-way. Don't feel limited because you have never written an article before nor covered a news story. Each one of you can become a special correspondent, always ready to co-respond with our brothers and sisters. We would like to know what everyone is doing in other countries. We Would like to show you the world inside and outside the Mission.
This Knowledge is not techniques of meditation but the growth of spiritual experience within ourselves. It cannot be preached, it can only be lived. Through our actions in this world we gain greater insight into our own nature. If our actions are dedicated to the service of Guru Maharaj Ji we move quickly and surely towards the full realisation of Knowledge. Life is not a piecemeal affair of interpretation based on memories but an experience which is fulfilling, whole, holy. In life we are the complete person. In that complete person is the ability to express the joy of life. So, once more to the point, feel free to express that enjoyment in the pages of this newspaper. All the elaborate ways ill which we try to reach the minds and souls of fellow Lilian beings can be condensed to one message: Guru Maharaj Ji is on planet Earth and He has made us very grateful that we are alive. The Golden Age is just another shout of joy among millions.
A popular poster bears these words, "If you never bite off more than you can chew, you'll never accomplish all that you can".
The Golden Age sends its warm greetings to our elder brother publications and our heartfelt Jai Satchitanands to premies everywhere.
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BAL BHAGWAN JI IN AUSTRALIA!
a quick inspection of the National Headquarters in Wentworth Avenue. Two delighted Mahatmas invaded a health food store specialising in Indian delicacies while Bal Bhagwan Ji visited Bondi Beach, famous for its shining sands and effluent discharge pipes. Once again Bal Bhagwan Ji graced us with His presence at the Mosman Town Hall program that night.
The next day, satsang was held in the hall at National Headquarters. Mahatma Rajeshwaranand gave satsang for two and a half hours about the sanctity of taking Knowledge and the importance of devotion.
Bal Bhagwan Ji visited the Divine "Golden Seed" Farm, looked through every room of the house and walked round the fields twice. He discussed farming with the premie residents and left them totally blissed out. Again He attended the night-time program at Mosman where His satsang was preceded by the words of our resident saint, Mahatma Padarthanand.
Sunday was a very holy day, spent entirely at the Residence. In the morning Bal Bhagwan Ji watched two films, "The Peculiar People", a record of the Australian Guru Puja, and two showings of "High as a Kite", a piece of avant-garde animation about the more cosmic effects of Maharaj Ji's Knowledge, which Bal Bhagwan Ji described as "progressive film making". He discussed movies with the Shri Hans Productions team and gave many ideas fora feature film depicting a man's search for and discovery of peace.
That afternoon a beautiful program was set up on the tennis court. Bal Bhagwan Ji gave satsang and 'formal pranam' Darshan. After the program Bal Bhagwan Ji was going to do a video interview but after about fifteen minutes during which He described different aspects of the Bible, He changed His mind.
On Monday He was interviewed by TCN-9, a local television station. Bal Bhagwan Ji then took the Mahatmas and a crew of premies on a heavenly harbour cruise. That night's program was publicly advertised and the Mosman Town Hall was packed. He left a rapt audience with these words, "If you're looking for peace, keep searching, and good luck".
By Tuesday, we were just beginning to realise that this was the "special, amazing Darshan" Guru Maharaj Ji had mentioned to the Australian delegates at Millennium. Bal Bhagwan Ji had played and laughed with us so much and it was time for Him to go. He had brought an incredible joy into our lives and a loving ache into our hearts with His absence. That afternoon He left for Brisbane, on the first leg of His tour of Australia. We can only wait hopefully for His return, the return of Knowledge personified.
SMILLIKIN!
Just glancing at figures of the Mission's Income/ Expenditure shows a tendency to "living beyond one's means". The present attitude is that one should always spend at least what one has, if not more than what is available. It could be described as premies' "emotive urgency" or "unbridled exaggeration of a situation" without due concern for the implications of certain expenditures. Many justifications etc. can be offered, but the facts are plain and simple we have spen way beyond our size of operations by exaggerating our rate of expansion. There should never be any reason for the Mission being in debt. It should always be balanced. When it isn't, it is just another reflection of the imbalance in the practice of the Knowledge if we really all did Service, Satsang and Meditation, at the right level of our own particular development, then our minds would be able to gauge what is necessary and sensible and what is merely a disguise for a "mind trip". To achieve this situation needs more than the realization by a Treasurer or Secretary, it needs the realization by ALL premies whether they have access to the Mission's funds and operations or not. If premies are extravagant or selfish with their own finances then they are depriving the Mission of a potential resource. This has the same effect as someone wasting resources within the Mission.
The world's economic/resource situation is growing cause for concern to all. Premies, like all humans, will be put to the test of just how selfish, or alarmist they are as things become tighter in the material world. Significant trends are indicating definite shortages of resources globally. As for our position, we can either trust and work with Guru Maharaj Ji or we can restrict our focus and think that because everything is "collapsing" then we should start considering our own individual safety and premies aren't beyond this tendency.
To trust in Guru Maharaj Ji doesn't mean we should "stand aloof" while it all goes on. We need a permanent consciousness of who is controlling things and of the reality beyond the chaos. We need to be detached in the same manner as a mother who is giving birth: willing to understand the pain of childbirth and at the same time conscious of the end result.
What we must do NOW is prepare for the circumstances, to be constantly aware of our actions and their consequences because they will definitely affect the Mission's position in the near future. In isolation, or out of context, a particular action may not appear to be disastrous or particularly damaging but its consequences most certainly can be. All actions must be aimed at perfection and at ultimate efficiency. This means we constantly need to place decisions in perspective to our position, both financially and spiritually, present and future. Premies need encouragement and example to be frugal, not miserly, but careful with the resources they might have at their disposal.
Please don't be confused by the overt sternness of this letter, simply let it emphasise to all in the Mission the need for a significant margin of safety by way of a practical attempts to manifest safe, cautious and common sense actions.
Your brother trying to avoid laughing at his own seriousness,
Raymond Milliken
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Prem Rawat's "Knowledge" has three parts: regularly listening to his speeches, doing voluntary work for organisations serving him or donating money and daily meditation correctly practicing the four techniques he recommends. The techniques are so simple it's hard to see how they could be practiced incorrectly. First technique ("Divine Light") involves sticking your thumb and middle finger on your eyeballs (NB: with eyes closed) and your index finger between your eyebrows. Second technique: ("Heavenly Music") poking your thumbs into your ears and listening. Third technique: ("Holy Name") thinking about your breathing (NB: continue to breathe). Fourth technique: ("Nectar") curling your tongue backwards and tasting. Rawat's father taught slightly different techniques but either way it's difficult to see how these could produce the benefits claimed for them especially as Rawat claims His Knowledge is the only method of attaining real happiness and love in this life.
