NEW DELHI - The government said it has twice tried to question a 14-year-old guru with a large Western following about $40,000 worth of money and valuables seized by Indian customs.

K. R. Ganesh, the minister of state for finance, told Parliament that one interview with guru Maharaj Ji was unsuccessful because four members of Parliament who accompanied him refused to let government agents talk with him alone.

Valuables in Valise

The valuables were in a valise taken from the guru's secretary, Bihari Singh, when the guru's party arrived in New Delhi on Nov. 7 for a festival in the capital and a month of meditation in the Himalayas. The guru's spokesmen contend the valise's contents belonged to the 350 American devotees who companied him,

Ganesh said the guru was summoned to appear before an assistant collector of customs on Nov. 7. His lawyer asked that the collector come to a downtown hotel, and the government complied.

8 Other People

Twenty minutes after the agents arrived, Ganesh said, the guru showed up with eight other persons, including the four members of Parliament.

The lawmakers argued for 40 minutes over the customs men's decision that they could not sit in with a tape recorder on the Interview, Ganesh said.

Then two of the parliamentarians left, taking the guru with them.

Ganesh said the investigation, reported to have been ordered by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, was continuing.

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.