Sant Ji: Youngest Son of a Successful Godman/Guru

Everything written about Prem Pal Singh Rawat's childhood from "official" sources is hagiographic but there's little doubt he had a very happy childhood up until he started school. He had a mostly absent father and a domineering mother but he had 3 older brothers, his father's older first wife, a sister and a horde of servants and premies to dote on him and he lived in a wealthy (by Indian standards) home in a beautiful garden. His birth was auspicious, the sky lit up in brilliant colors and a sweet music could be heard all around.

When he was an infant, Mata Ji used to walk along the River Ganges, holding Sant Ji in her arms. But she would not go there too often, for the waters of the Holy Ganges would rise up until it touched the Lotus Feet of Sant Ji, almost drowning her. The Ganges would then recede back into its channel.

Santji was a spiritual prodigy. At 18 months old he would wakeup his father's disciples at 4am and threaten to beat them if they didn't meditate. Young Santji was learning from his father. At 3 years old he enjoyed opportunities for performing on stage which he obviously loved, as did his daughters but not his eldest son and presumed heir. At 6, it was claimed, he could give satsang in Hindi and English.

The young boy was able to watch and learn and practice his craft while being young and cute enough to obviate criticism. He claimed that he realized the Knowledge at 6 years old after only a few week's meditation. This was accepted and taught as being the same as enlightenment in the early Divine Light Mission. The young Rawat confirmed this many times. What 'enlightenment' meant was never defined and Rawat has never shown any distinguishing signs. His behaviour has been identical to that of a fraud and charlatan. He has never granted any follower an enlightened status, he has continuously disparaged their 'consciousness' for 50 years.

When his father died, he was commanded by a Voice to accept incarnation as the Satguru and with the notoriety that came with being an 8 year old Godboy he maintained his father's large following with tours and speeches of divine bombast during his school holidays. In India he was publicly known as Balyogeshwar Param Hans Satgurudev Shri Sant Ji Maharaj, one of the "self-styled holy men, bhagwans (gods), swamis (lords), rishis (sages), maharishis (great sages), acharyas (teachers) and sants (saints) and gurus who have innumerable religious organizations that proliferate in India." - The Guru Business by Kushwant Singh, New York Times

"The Perfect Master never dies. Maharaj Ji is here, amongst you now. Recognise him, obey him, and worship him." - Prem Rawat, 8 years old

After a few years of schooling, learning his trade and chafing under the domination of his mother a light arose in the West, a young English hippie, Brian Kitt, arrived at Dehra Dun and revealed a path out of dusty drudgery in dowdy Indian automobiles into Western freedom in gleaming jets though this was hardly what the soon-to-be Mahatma Saphlanand thought he was doing. Following Pitt a draggle of other Westerners looking for the Mystic East or cheap dope or both began arriving. Prem's posse was hardly the cream of the crop but despite apperances, enough of them excelled in blind faith, ignorance and chutzpah to begin an astounding new cult that quickly surpassed all other Eastern new religious movements despite being universally ridiculed in the press and the higher reaches af the counter-culture.

And then He came to the West and tried to establish peace and rule the world for a thousand years of peace in the Age of Aquarius.

So how did a Boy God who drew a crowd of over a million end up as a has-been minor Godman?
The usual story: sex, drugs, booze, eating too much and living high on the hog.

And then there was the competition from his brothers. Satpal of Manav Dharam who took over the Indian Divine Light Mission and Bhole Ji who runs a complementary organisation dedicated to their father Hanslok Ashram.