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.

THE GOLDEN AGE

It is easy to see that man has just been through a terrible age, culminating in two world wars, Vietnam and the threat of nuclear annihilation, not to mention the breakdown of the family unit, pollution and an incredible rise in mental instability. Although man's complicated mind has taken him to a high level of technological achievement, his uncontrolled desires have used the tools of science in acts of violence and exploitation against his fellow man.

Scriptures have described this time as Kali Yuga, the Dark Age or Iron Age. It has a tradition of cruelty and suffering. Crusades and inquisitions have been launched in the name of an all-loving God. Millions have been butchered for the cause of national pride. Ruled by fear, man has turned away from his brother, anxious to protect his own small ways of finding satisfaction and happiness. He cannot give love because his heart is empty and he cannot offer peace because his own mind finds peace in things that shatter easily.

Fortunately, the Dark Age is dead. As a fever brings release from illness, in the same manner the world is undergoing a crucial change. Finding little contentment in material objects, man's outlook is towards something more permanent. This is the age of the discovery of self, When at last the question "Who am I" will be answered for all who ask. For centuries, spiritual values have been discussed but now the actual spirit will be revealed. It is that spirit the energy of creation that can bring l9ve to the empty heart, permanent peace to the mind and a clear understanding of man and nature. It is that spirit which can bring world unity.

So how do we contact that energy? There has always been a person on this planet capable of revealing the source of life. He is called Perfect Master because he teaches perfection, which brings peace of mind. He is totally at one with that spirit. And at the beginning of each age he comes with the greatest power. Jesus the Christ came for the Piscean Age. Now Guru Maharaj Ji, the 16 year old Perfect Master, is here. He has come to usher in the Golden Age.

The Golden Age has been prophesied as the time when peace will be established on earth. But prophecies aside, we need practical proof that the Golden Age has arrived. How will this age be fully established? What is powerful enough to have man living in harmony? To have peace on earth, each person must have peace of mind. The mind must be controlled by something greater than itself, something that gives satisfaction which is not subject to change or decay. And that is spirit or infinite energy or God or whatever label you wish to apply to that which is indescribable. Contacting that spirit is meditation. Guru Maharaj Ji has the ability to reveal spirit through four simple techniques which concentrate the mind on light, music, energy and nectar within the human body. In this way the senses are satisfied and a human being becomes self-sufficient. In this way Guru Maharaj Ji will bring about the Golden Age. How can people not investigate this source of peace when all else fails?

In past ages the news of Truth spread slowly. John the Baptist was a voice crying in the wilderness, Perfect Masters rode on donkeys or travelled on foot. In the Golden Age the propagation of Truth will be astonishingly rapid. Guru Maharaj Ji's message, that peace is available, has already been conveyed to millions through the media of film, television, radio and newspaper. Through telecommunications satellites there will be a time when "every eye shall see Him."

You don't have to believe this editorial. These words are not just idealistic theory; they are subject to investigation. If you are truly interested in this practical experience of peace, you can go to Divine Light Mission, hear more about it then ask a Mahatma, a close disciple of Guru Maharaj Ji, to give you that revelation of spirit called Knowledge.

New Zealand's first experience of holy darshan began on Tuesday the 19th March when Shri Bal Bhagwan Ji, accompanied by Mahatma Rajeshwar, arrived at Auckland International Airport. The skies, which had been rainy all week, suddenly cleared as his plane swooped down, and remained blue for the whole of his visit.

The full force of New Zealand premies greeted him at the terminal and what was lacked in numbers was made up in warmth. As in Australia, Bal Bhagwan Ji was wonderfully accessible to the devotees, constantly expounding his insights on science and religion.

He attended three public programs in Auckland, one of them an address in Hindi to the local Indian community. All his satsangs were heavily attended, the last being particularly well thronged by older folk including many priests. Fortheirbenefit Bal Bhagwan Ji conducted in addition to his regular satsang, a stirring question and answer session, which had many reaching for their Bibles for talismanic relief.

Over the weekend Mahatma Ji disappeared to do programs in Hamilton and Wellington, leaving Bal Bhagwan Ji entirely with young Western devotees. He consented to drive to Rotorua and inspect the somewhat sulphurous scenic beauty of geysers and lakes, and so two carloads of very fortunate premies experienced their dreams of darshan coming true. In the residence at other times Bal Bhagwan Ji played constantly with us, filling the house at all hours with the music of Blue Aquarius and Rhythm in Bliss. Actually his personal schedule was slightly upset by the continual eastward travelling against the clock (from Perth to Auckland in three days) and so he was apt to be awake late into the night and several times went for midnight drives. On one such expedition a small hedgehog was found by the roadside, taken home, comforted with milk and solemnly named "Hogan". It was delightful to see Bat Bhagwan Ji displaying so much solicitude for Hogan, and an indication of how much he is constantly caring for all the creatures of this world.

At last it was time for Bal Bhagwan Ji to depart for Fiji. In the magical seven days of his stay he had infused so much energy into the premies that now only a propagation explosion can satisfy it. And as a final blessing he encouraged us to search New Zealand for suitable land to build Guru Maharaj Ji a pollution-free retreat, here in this quiet and remote southern playground.

IN FIJI After New Zealand, Bal Bhagwan Ji paid a short visit to Fiji, where first reports indicate that two beautiful programs, attended by capacity crowds, were held at the Suva Civic Auditorium. He was accompanied by Mahatma Rajeshwar, who stayed on in Fiji. Bal Bhagwan Ji flew to Los Angeles on his way to Copenhagen with Mata Ji to visit the site of Guru Puja '74 before returning to India for the Vaisaki Festival. Mahatma Rajeshwar, presently in Fiji, will shortly visit New Zealand for two weeks. He will give programs in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington and Christchurch. After that there is a good chance that he will visit Australia again before going on to Hong Kong and Japan.

On 30th March, after overseeing the preparations in Fiji for Bal Bhagwan Ji, Mahatma Padarthanand Ji returned to Sydney, Australia, to begin another National Tour. He gave satsang that night, and the next day attended a picnic program at the Divine Residence, Mosman. The following day, Mahatma Ji flew to Brisbane on the first leg of his tour. Saturday APRIL 13 - 18 MELBOURNE Friday APRIL 19 - 25 HOBART Friday APRIL 26 - MAY 12 ADELAIDE Monday MAY 13 - 27 PERTH The same day as Mahatma Ji's arrival, the sixth Annual Argyle Celebrations Day took place in the Rocks area of Sydney. Rhythm in Bliss, the National Mission Band, took part in the parade, filling the streets of Sydney with mellow music. Divine Sales also provided a stall in the area set aside for charities.

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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.