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.

Guru Maharaj Ji Is Here

Mahatma Gurucharanand applies a Tilak to the young Satguru Maharaji (Prem Rawat) Satsang given by Guru Maharaj Ji on July 31, 1966. Mahatmas and dear premies, please sit in peace; listen and see. The first thing is that Guru Maharaj ji is here. I say that Guru Maharaj Ji has, for some reason, clouded your wisdom. Do you think that he would leave you? I see him exactly the same with these very eyes, but your wisdom is changed and has turned your mind in such a way that you think the last ceremony is performed. Guru Maharaj Ji is here. Would Guru Maharaj Ji force you to realize God within by leaving you? What must you have been thinking? No such test has been taken yet and never will it be taken. Therefore do not think that he is not present. Your mind is so much changed, such a curtain is over your eyes, that he is before you but you don't understand. He is within you and outside you, but your mind is confused. I know that Guru Maharaj Ji is here. He is in very subtle form and very apparent too.

The young Satguru Maharaji (Prem Rawat) with mahatmas I will tell you what happened at Dehra Dun after Guru Maharaj Ji left his body. I was sleeping. On one side of me Mata Ji was sleeping and on the other side a cabinet was standing. On that side, I suddenly felt that there was a man. I looked closely, wondering what this was all about. Then I saw that Maharaj Ji was there. I turned around and Mata Ji was still sleeping so I looked again to the other side and saw that Maharaj Ji was there. I talked with Guru Maharaj Ji about certain matters.

So Guru Maharaj Ji is here. He has not gone anywhere. If you want him to come before you then I will reveal him to you. You'll be glad to know that I will give proof and make him apparent tonight. I will give proof at 9:00. How will you see Maharaj Ji before you? I will give you proof how you will see. When a man leaves the body or when the god of death takes him away, his body is left behind. But Guru Maharaj Ji is present before you, he has not gone anywhere.

If you think that Guru Maharaj Ji is gone, your mind is confused. Otherwise, how could I have talked to him? Tomorrow I will show you what power I have brought to this world with me. Just as Prahlad manifested God by the power of meditation I will also manifest Guru Maharaj Ji before you by the power of meditation.

The young Satguru Maharaji (Prem Rawat)
As printed in And It Is Divine magazine, the official magazine of the Divine Light Mission, USA




















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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.