Satguru:True dispeller of darkness and revealer of light.
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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.
Satguru:
True dispeller of darkness and revealer of light.
See also Wikipedia Online Dictionary
Perfect Master:
English equivalent of Satguru. A Perfect Master is one who teaches the perfect Knowledge, the knowledge and love of God. Christ and Buddha were Perfect Masters in their own times.
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Guru Maharaj Ji:
Guru in Hindi means Teacher, Maharaj Ji means Great King. Guru Maharaj Ji's disciples usually call him Guru Maharaj Ji, though his full title is
Balyogeshwar Paramhans Satgurudev Shri Sant Ji Maharaj.:
Balyogeshwar means Born Lord of Yogis. Paramhans means Highest Soul. Shri Sant Ji Maharaj indicates the present Guru Maharaj Ji.
Mahatma:
In Hindi, Maha means Great and Atma means Soul. A Mahatma is a great soul who is empowered by Guru Maharaj Ji to reveal the Knowledge. An Apostle.
Knowledge:
Knowledge is the heart of Guru Maharaj Ji's teachings. In a Knowledge Session, a Mahatma reveals the four techniques of inner meditation, known as Divine Light, Divine Harmony, the Word and Nectar. However, to know the techniques without
having the Grace of the Perfect Master is quite useless.
Grace:
The blessings of the Perfect Master. The power which allows us to practice meditation. "Knowledge without Grace is like a car without petrol." says Guru Maharaj Ji.
Satsang:
Literally, satsang means the company of truth. Satsangs are spiritual discourses about the Knowledge and in praise of the Perfect Master. To tell someone about Knowledge is called "giving Satsang."
Service:
Selfless actions performed out of love for the Perfect Master and compassion for the sufferings of humanity. It is not considered to be service if you mow your neighbor's lawn while your neighbor's house is burning down with his children
inside. Similarly. the first service any disciple of Guru Maharaj Ji has is to inform people that the Perfect Master is here, offering them the gift of eternal life.
Meditation:
Concentration of mind. True meditation is meditation upon the endless source of energy which is within us all, and which underlies all Creation. It is this meditation which Guru Maharaj Ji teaches to His disciples.
Darshan:
Coming into the presence of the Perfect Master or a member of His Holy Family.
Ashram:
Shelter. To live in Guru Maharaj Ji's shelter. Hence, a place where disciples live together in service of their Perfect Master. For they have discovered that His service actually is perfect freedom.
Premie:
Literally, a lover of God. One who has taken Guru Maharaj Ji's teachings into his heart. A disciple.
Jai Satchitanand:
A greeting between premies. Literally. All victory to Truth, which is the consciousness of bliss. Roughly, I salute the True Self within you.
Bolie Shri Satgurudev Maharaj Ki Jai!
All praise and honor to the Perfect Master!
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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.