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 TIMES WEDNESDAY MAY 31 1972    7

"All I ask is your love, all I ask is your trust and what I will give you is such a peace as will never die"

GURU MAHARAJ JI

The Perfect Lord of Love, come amongst mankind today to save the world
by giving True Knowledge of the Divine Light and Holy Word of God, can be seen on

Man Alive tonight-8.10, BBC2

Guru Maharaj Ji though his body is only 14 years old, is the perfectly enlightened soul, the Light of the World for this time as was Jesus for His, the Buddha for His, etc. He has incarnated at this time of darkness ignorance and confusion to establish peace in the world by bringing peace to men's hearts.

People need peace and real peace can only come from the practical realization of God. So people need God and Guru Maharaj Ji is giving the practical realization of God.

The biggest confusion in the world is about God. This is being removed by Guru Maharaj Ji.

Guru Maharaj Ji gives the Eye to see God as we see the world. Guru Maharaj Ji gives the Ear to hear God as we hear the world. Guru Maharaj Ji gives the Word which created the world. Guru Maharaj Ji gives the Water that quenches all thirst.

Guru Maharaj Ji is the Light that lives inside everyone. To know Guru Maharaj Ji is to know oneself. Wise people should know that thing which is immortal and universal.

For this purpose only Guru Maharaj Ji is here now in the world. Recognize him by the Knowledge He imparts.

See Him on television tonight.

"If I told you an elephant was 2" high would you believe me? Or if I told you an ant was 7' tall would you believe me? Of course not. But if I showed you, you would have to believe me. Believe in the practical, not in the theory. If you say God exists I will ask you to show me. You must see God face to face and ...

... I can show you that God exists"

Issued by the Divine Light Mission, 3 Woodside Avenue, London, N6. Tel 01-883 5386

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.