The Mirror: Your Divinity – that's what your disciples
call you. May we also call you that?Maharaj Ji: If you want. See, some call me your Divinity, others say: such an idiot.
Der Spiegel interview with the 15-year-old Guru MaharaJ Ji
The Mirror: Your Divinity – that's what your disciples
call you. May we also call you that?
Maharaj Ji: If you want. See, some call me your Divinity, others
say: such an idiot.
The Mirror: And what are you?
Maharaj Ji: A humble servant of God.
The Mirror: They sing your praises in hymns as the Lord of the
Universe. Do you also want to make people on other planets happy?
Maharaj Ji: That is absolutely ridiculous. But you are educated
people, much older than me. I am only 15 years old. If someone came
along and told you he has seen flying saucers, you would also say:
absolute nonsense. God has sent me here on this planet in order to
bring peace. If he would have made me a Martian, then I would be on
Mars. Therefore I announce my Knowledge on Earth.
The Mirror: What is it - this Knowledge which brings your
disciples ecstasy?
Maharaj Ji: One cannot put it into words, and also one cannot
print it in a newspaper. It is infinite. Perhaps it looks like this:
(Maharaj Ji draws a wavy line in the air with his hands). It is like
a great wonder, like a building without foundation, how a blind man
sees the most beautiful light and describes it, how a lame person
goes to the well and draws nectar out of it.
The Mirror: Do you speak of God, if you talk about the
Knowledge?
Maharaj Ji: Believe me, one cannot really express it. It is in
us, as God is in us.
The Mirror: Do you want to create a new religion - like Jesus,
Mohammed or Buddha?
Maharaj Ji: These three also did not come into the world with the
intention of creating a new religion. Only after their death did
people try to do so.
The Mirror: Are you sure that your disciples aren't trying the
same?
Maharaj Ji: I' m trying hard to prevent that.
The Mirror: Do you want to announce “the Golden Age"
in Houston in November?
Maharaj Ji: I am a peace bomb, I am bringing the thousand years of
peace. In Houston we will celebrate an enormous festival. See, in
India we began with completely small celebrations. We were like a
car with a weak engine. If you to it-do there somewhat, then it was
like a 280, and if you to it-do some more, then you have finally a
600, and that is the largest Mercedes Benz. And in the meantime we
have become so large and strong.
The Mirror: Another Indian guru nevertheless ranks the Beatles
among his following. Can you also offer prominent names?
Maharaj Ji: There are some but I don't have them in my head. I'm not
a computer.
The Mirror: How does one have to live, if one wants to follow
you?
Maharaj Ji: Everybody knows himself how he has to live.
The Mirror: Does one have to be poor?
Maharaj Ji: You can be poor and freak out and you can be rich and
freak out.
The Mirror: May one eat meat?
Maharaj Ji: We recommend to do without meat.
The Mirror: And what about sex?
Maharaj Ji: That is different. Devotees, who live in the ashram, may
not. For people who have families, this restriction doesn't apply.
The Mirror: Are drugs permitted?
Maharaj Ji: We do not want people to take drugs.
The Mirror: Do you want to marry?
Maharaj Ji: Oh man, today I am not married and people ask me why I
am not married. If I would marry tomorrow, there became however
which loose-go. The press would estimate itself: The guru married,
the guru married. If I drive with the Rolls Royce, they ask me: Why
you drive with the Rolls-Royce! If I would drive with the bicycle,
they wanted to know: Why do you sit on the wheel?
Today, man I am not married and people ask me why I am not married.
If I would get married tomorrow, what would start there, however?
The press would go for it: the guru has married, the guru has
married. If I drive in a Rolls-Royce, they ask me: why do you drive
in a Rolls-Royce?
If I would go by bicycle, they'd want to know: Why
do you sit on the bike, then?
The Mirror: And why did you drive around in a Rolls-Royce in
London recently?
Maharaj Ji: If Jesus would come today, he would also not be offered
a donkey any more.
The Mirror: You demand from your disciples: Give me your body,
give me your mind, give me your money. Which is the most important
to you?
Maharaj Ji: I want only one, and that is this crazy mind. For that I
have a thick bag. And all of them give it to me.
The Mirror: Your disciples live on the subsistence level
everywhere in the world and transfer the rest to the account of the
Divine Light mission.
Maharaj Ji: That is not compulsory. But we need the money, in order
to do good works.
The Mirror: How big is your personal bank account, how large is
your stock portfolio?
Maharaj Ji: I have neither one nor the other.
The Mirror: In November 1972 you tried to smuggle jewelery and
watches to the value of 220,000 Marks into India.
Maharaj Ji: That is an absolutely wrong statement. The newspapers
reported that.
The Mirror: What really happened at that time?
Maharaj Ji: I'll say nothing about it. I have lost confidence in
newspapers. I talk with them about it and the next day something
completely different is printed. I am giving you a chance here.
The Mirror: An American physician, who examined you in Denver,
wrote you have an executive illness and suffered from a peptic
ulcer.
Maharaj Ji: I don't have it anymore, it disappeared by itself.
The Mirror: How can you become sick at all? Nevertheless, Buddha
teaches illness can be overcome by meditation.
Maharaj Ji: It's already become better. I was only three days in the
hospital.
The Mirror: Do you want to sacrifice yourself for mankind?
Maharaj Ji: I am afraid, I do it.
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.