Rome 1st November, 1981 Arti

At the conclusion of Rawat's speech on the 1st November, 1981 in Rome, Italy he remained on stage while the audience of premies (i.e. devotees) sang Arti. This was not unusual but filming it and distributing it on video was unusual and provides evidence that at this time Rawat (Guru Maharaj Ji or Maharaji) was leading his followers further into an Indian inspired devotional worship of him as a divine figure. This stage of his career was culminating at this time and then ended unexpectedly in the following 18 months when he closed the Divine Light Mission ashrams and forbade his followers to continue their nightly public meetings at which they spoke of him, their adoration of him and their practice of his blissful "Knowledge." As the audience was not miked, their singing is only just audible but the lyrics can be understood with the help of this lyric sheet.

Arti

Jai Gurudev Maharaj Ji
Your glory fills the world
Protector of the weary and the weak
You bring the death of attachment
You bring the mind true detachment
Save us from the ocean deep
Jai Dev, Jai Satgurudev

Creator, Preserver, Destroyer
Bow their heads and pray to You
All bow and pray to You
Scriptures sing Your glory
Heavenly hosts sing Your praises
Your virtues are ever true
Jai Dev, Jai Satgurudev

Chanting, fasting, charity, austerity
never bring you knowledge of the soul
will never reveal your soul
without the grace of satguru
without the Knowledge of Satguru
rites and rituals never reach the goal
Jai Dev, Jai Satgurudev

In the river of bondage to maya
All are swept out to sea
All are sinking in the depths of the sea
Guru's boat is the holy name
Guru's ship is the holy word
In seconds he has set us free
Jai Dev, Jai Satgurudev

Anger, desire, attachments
Rob us of eternal life
Take away our heavenly life
Satguru gives us true Knowledge
Satguru is eternal Knowledge
The sword that kills our problem life
Jai Dev, Jai Satgurudev

Religions harp their own glories
Call to follow their own path
Welcome me to follow their own way
The essence of all was revealed
The seed of all was revealed
I walk on the true way today
Jai Dev, Jai Satgurudev

Nectar from Satguru's feet is
Holy and it cleans us of our sins
So sacred in cleaning us of sin
When he speaks, darkness flies away
When he speaks, darkness cannot stay
Doubts removed, new life then begins
Jai Dev, Jai Satgurudev

Mine, Thine, Wealth, Health
Give them to the lotus feet of love
Give them to the lotus feet of the Lord
Give yourself to Satguru
Sacrifice yourself to Satguru
Be united with the blissful Truth
Jai Dev, Jai Satgurudev

Bible, Gita, the Koran
Sing the glory of Your Name
They all sing the glory of Your Name
Angels sing Your great glory
Heavenly hosts sing Your praises
They find no end to Your fame
Jai Dev, Jai Satgurudev

Desires have robbed me and left me
Trapped in the darkness of the night
Yes, they've trapped me in the darkness of the night
Guru gives holy Name and Light
Guru gives Holy Name and Sight
Cross the ocean by His Love and Light
Jai Dev, Jai Satgurudev

Many past forms you have taken
Now we have come in your control
Again You have come to save the soul
In this time of darkness
To lead Your devotees from darkness
You have come as Hansa the pure soul
Jai Dev, Jai Satgurudev

Come to the shelter of Guru's grace
Come with your heart and your soul
Bring Him your heart and your soul
Cross the worldly ocean
Cross it by your devotion
And attain the supreme goal
Jai Dev, Jai Satgurudev

Twameva Mata, chaa pita twameva
Twameva bhandu chaa sukha twameva
Twameva vidya dravinam twameva
Twameva sarvam muma deva deva
Twameva sarvam muma deva deva
Twameva sarvum muma deva deva

You are my mother, and You are my father;
You are my brother, and You are my friend.
You are riches, You are wisdom;
You are my all, my Lord, to me.
You are my all, You are my all;
You are my all, my Lord, to me.

Guru Maharaj Ji, my life is within You;
From You I was born, and to You now I go.
Forever I'm Yours, my longing is endless;
This heart of mine aches to be one with You.
Forever I'm Yours, my longing is endless;
This heart of mine aches to be one with You.

Wherever I look your face is before me;
Your golden Love melts all my troubles away.
I give You my heart, for in You it will mellow;
Maharaj Ji, my Lord, my life is Your play.
I give You my heart, for in You it will mellow;
Maharaj Ji, my Lord. my life is Your play.

Oh, wondrous lord, my Guru Maharaj Ji,
Your Grace is a river that flows on and on.
You fill my heart with Your Love overflowing;
Please let me come home, find my rest at Your Feet.
You fill my heart with Your Love overflowing;
Please let me come home, find my rest at Your Feet.

Our Lord is the maker of all things created;
He keeps them and brings them all home to His Word.
Our Lord's the Superior Power in person;
I bow down before such a wonderful Lord.