Maharaji's Quest
In the early 1980s to the utter surprise and often horror to his dedicated followers Guru Maharaj Ji (as Prem Rawat was then calling himself) summarily shutdown all Divine Light Mission structure and activities. Many of his 'premies' had lived in an ashram for a decade, tens of thousands of the 'premies' had been attending 'satsang' as many as 7 nights a week and meditating 2 hours a day every day. Enquiries in 2023 by Don Johnson amongst the remaining living DLM administrators of the time as to any discussions or proper warning proved negative. There was little explanation if any at all. Almost all staff were fired and most of the offices were closed. There were very few day-to-day activities following the closure of DLM and the ashrams. Satsang was held in premie's homes. Maharaji kept touring minimally, but in most countries the organization consisted of one or two people running mail/information programs, and who also organized the few programs at which Maharaji spoke. The collapse in donation was catastrophic and by the end of the 1980s Rawat found himself with half of the following he'd had in the 1970s.
He is prepared to do things that seem counter-intuitive and disastrous as was his unilateral destruction of Divine Light Mission, its structure and its administration. He then took the remnants of nearly 15 years of work and cavalierly refashioned the doctrines, the techniques, the beliefs and the followers. Those who remained, accepted it all. Since the destruction of Divine Light Mission and the public disavowal of its doctrines and his 'divine' spiritual authority he has continued to act as if he has a personal authority to do with his followers whatever he sees fit.
Maharaji's Self-Belief
I think that its obvious that Maharaji believes that he is the only person who can communicate the importance of his Knowledge, convince people to try it, teach them necessary techniques and go on and continue to practice it. He might need some help in getting people to learn that He and the Knowledge exist and to carry out tasks that support his endeavours but that is the limit of their involvement. He taught that Knowledge does not make you a better person in any way. It doesn't make you a person who can successfully tell other people about the Knowledge (outreach).
Examination of the few 1980s publications show 'Maharaji' mostly interested in a personal jet and more money but publicly, at least, he went on as if nothing had changed never looking back. He spent the 80s and 90s flying around to wherever there were enough followers to make it worthwhile and using any new technology to make recruitment of new followers and retention of the old ones work as well as possible.
Maharaji's Student Re-education and Re-Training
He was never satisified with the work of his 'students' and tried various training and re-education methods. By 2001 he he had created an organised and highly regimented method of outreach and education of the 'aspirants' before their initiation into the meditation techniques which was now done via a video/computer system. All of this was done by volunteers who had no direct, personal contact with the interested and newcomers. Maharaji was close to making that process completely automatic as well.
Maharaji's Tech and Digital Evolution
He spent 20 years transforming Elan Vital into an organisation that presents Maharaji's message but only through Maharaji. His followers should pay but not play. He succeeded. Outreach went from person to person interactions to small local standardized video events showing recorded speeches of Rawat's and now (2025) there is only Prem Rawat's videos available through the internet. Recruitment from a messy interpersonal process to the Keys to a web-based PEAK course, identical for all. Retention of current members is still is not completely web-based as Rawat still does some personal appearances but that cannot last much longer.
It would appear that around the year 2000 he decided that it was not going to be enough just to be secretly worshipped by a small group of aging people left over from the 70s and the public leader of a minor meditation/wellness group. He wanted to be known and respected just for himself. The only thing he could do to attain real respect was to publicly admit his career had been bogus from the very beginning in 1966. He would sell off the assets he'd fraudulently received and make reparations as best he could. He decided to try another way. His organisations would just pretend he was internationally recognized and respected until he was and he would spend everything they had doing it but not on real philanthropy, on the appearance of real philanthropy.