This is an extract from the young Satguru's speech on his birthday, 10th December, 1971 at Prem Nagar ashram in India. It was called the "Piñata speech in the definitive book "Who Is Guru Maharaj Ji?" and was published in many official Divine Light Mission documents including Reflections of An Indian Sunrise. In that speech He spoke of Himself in divine terms, in one of his most overt declarations of his divine power. Click here for the full speech the 14 year old Prem Rawat gave that day in which he reveals he is "God, that person who is perfect … who Has manifested Himself as a Guru and who has come into this earth many times to save mankind."

An autobiography of a flower

It will be Maharaji's 40th birthday in just a few days time. Last year he celebrated both his 30th anniversary as a master and 25 years of work in the West. Over this time, many things have changed, but his message has not. The following extracts are taken from his address at his 14th birthday party at Prem Nagar, Hardwar, India, on December 10, 1971, attended by 350 westerners.

Rivers flow from all sides to merge with their source, and that is the sea. From the sea they were taken up by the sun into the clouds, and eventually went to the mountains, then showered as rain, and now they are so great, so fast, they are running to meet and embrace their source. Nothing in the world can stop them. They just go to meet with the whole who was their source, who is their source and will be their source. We have to find him and get together and be one with him, because if we are two, we have got duality. Wherever there is duality there is darkness. Wherever there is frustration there is ego.

Man is completely surrounded by it and he is put into prison by the chains of his mind.

We have to be tied into the one cord of love. Because, you see, there are flowers in the garden; there is string to tie the flowers. There is everything, but there is no garland. But once the flowers come and are united on the string, they form a garland.

There is an autobiography written by Kalidasa, "Flowers", which says, "0 Lord, ever since you made me, I have had one wish. That is that you should please unite me with all my friends into one string of love around your neck, so that I may be most fortunate to feel your divine personality." This is the autobiography of that flower.

And this cord of love is only given by the master of the time. No one else is able give that love to you. This solid thread of love had been carried over from centuries and centuries, ages and ages.

And my master also taught me, first of all, this thread of love. And then I was able to realize the importance of this embodiment of love.