Prem Rawat's Teachings about the Guru - In His Own Words

Despite the rather strange question and answer session recorded on August 1, 1972, Prem Rawat or Guru Maharaj Ji as he called himself until the 1980's had no compunction stating he was the one and only living Perfect Master. The following are just some quotes from his speeches in which he discusses this concept. The full text of the speeches are linked to each quote and date of the speech and the publication in which the transcript was published are recorded. I believe that the books that are used in America are quite different than the ones they use in India. But still they say that any word showing an action that takes place, that is a verb. And to me, "Guru" is a word that shows action. But to me, "Guru" is not a noun. It's not a name. It's the function of a person, of somebody who comes into this world to save us. And the particular meaning of the word "Guru" is "gu" meaning darkness and "ru" meaning the Light. The one who takes us away from the darkness that we are in and puts us into the Light is called "Guru."

Swiss Alps Festival, August 26, 1972
One thing you must understand is who is Guru, and who is God? And what is the difference? God is the name of power, God is a sort of noun. Guru is a complete adjective. It indicates a movement from 'gu', darkness, to 'ru', light, and so this word is performing a very great action. And this word 'guru' is an adjective, and a verb too, because it shows us that some work is being done. So who is Guru? When God Himself incarnates in this body, He is called Guru, because only God is the power who can bring us from darkness and put us into light.
Divine Light, Volume 2, Number 4, December, 1972

Holi, 7th April 1979

And what an opportunity, what a setup, what a stage is then, in fact, created. We all come. All the devotees get together and with that sincere love, pray to Guru Maharaj Ji, pray to that Savior, pray to that Perfect Master to help us.

Elan Vital, Summer 1979, Volume III, Issue 2

Royal Albert Hall, London, May 28, 1979.
A lot of people have this attitude, "Why do we need a guru?" You don't need a guru. You don't. Because if you are saying; "guru" in the connotation that you have home-brewed, then you don't need that person. Obviously a lot of people think that guru is a person who has a beard, long hair, is old, has wrinkles on his face, and lives in the Himalayas. On every sixth full moon in the year he drops down, sits under the banyan tree, stays there for twenty minutes and then goes back to the Himalayas. If that's your translation of a "guru" then you definitely don't need a guru. Then you need a Perfect Master. And whatever your head says, "This is what it is. This is what it is. This is what it is - Perfect Master ..." A lot of people have asked that question over a period of time, "Are you perfect? Are you the Perfect Master? Are you perfect?" There is a vast, vast difference in those questions. Perfect is one thing. The body cannot be perfect. Anything that was created once, anything that had a beginning, anything that once was not, is stamped imperfect and shall never be perfect. Ever. But only that Knowledge is perfect. And the one who can teach us, one who can guide us, is the Perfect Master, the perfect guide, the perfect teacher. And that's what we need in our lives. We need somebody to show us the Light.
Light Reading, 1980

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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.