Advait Mat

Hans Rawat was part of the North Indian Sant Mat tradition, and claimed an imaginary lineage of "Perfect Masters" stretching back to time immemorial and he was the follower of, and claimed to be the successor of an actual guru in a line, albeit a short line, of gurus. However, Hans was not the designated successor of his guru and though his followers have claimed he was "robbed" the evidence does not support him. There has been considerable confusion over Rawat's antecedents due to the complexities of groups in the Sant Mat tradition and the similarity of names used by the gurus and the publishing of ashram gossip.

The first of these was Shri Paramhansa Dayal Ji aka Shri Swami Advait Anand Ji who was was born in 1846 in Chhapra in Bihar Province, the son of Shri Tulsi Das Ji. His mother died when he was 9 months old and he was raised by disciples of his father. He was formally initiated into spiritual knowledge by Shri Paramhansa Ji Kedarghat Kashiwale. In 1863 when He was seventeen his foster mother died and he became a wandering, naked sadhu for sixteen years until 1879. From 1884 until 1915 he taught Surat Shabd Yoga, Sahaj Yoga (Self-realization), Guru Bhakti (devotion to the spiritual Master) and service unto humanity to one and all mainly in the Jaipur - Agra area though he covered Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Orrisa, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and the North West Frontier Province.

Beli Ram of the Vasudeva family was born on 1st February, 1884 in the town of Teri in the North West Frontier Province. In 1904 Dayal Ji, the first Master, came to Teri and met and initiated him. In 1907 he went to Agra for darshan of Dhyal Ji, became a sadhu and was given the auspicious name of Shri Swami Swarup Anand Ji.

On 3rd May 1919, Dayal Ji wrote a will:

"Dear Khan Chand Ji,

May you be ever safe and happy ! After best wishes for the future life it may be known that you let all Satsangis (devotees) old and new, know that it has been observed by Shri Maharaj Ji that there are two types of successors, physical and spiritual. Baba Vishudh Anand Ji has been the physical successor for the last one and a half year and this is known to all.

The spiritual successor is Baba Swarup Anand Ji. Whosoever will listen to His Satsanga (spiritual discourse) and have spiritual teachings from Him, will be benefited. This is My blessings. Bai Yog Anand Ji and Bhagat Amir Chand Ji should also make it known to every one that My spiritual successor is Baba Swarup Anand Ji. Moreover, I also bless that there would be more than ten thousand devotees of Baba Swarup Anand Ji. Whosoever listens to His spiritual discourses and gets initiated by Him would be blessed."

The first Master died at 6. A.M. on 10th July, 1919. On the 13th July, 1919, the day of Vyas Puja, the Hukam-Nama (order) regarding the spiritual successor was read out to all and 2nd October, 1919, was fixed for the 'Raj Tilak' (accession to the 'Gaddi') ceremony. Swarupanand built up a significant following of devotees, mahatmas, ashrams, shrines, etc. On his death Vairaganand, who had been appointed head mahatma, was Swarupanand's designated successor and was accepted by the other mahatmas.

Shri Shri 108 Shri Swami Vairag Anand Ji Maharaj, "the embodiment of love, the source of light of Devotion and spiritualism, the builder of the destiny of human beings", was born on Tuesday, the 13th April, 1898 in Bannu District in the North West Frontier Province. He was initiated by the Second Master in 1916 and in March, 1918 he accompanied Swarupanand to Teri for darshan of Dayal Ji.

In November, 1939 he moved his permanent residence to Shri Anandpur where work went on for many years to create a .

The Fourth Master - Shri Shri 108 Shri Swami Beant Anand Ji Maharaj
The Fifth Master - Shri Shri 108 Shri Hazoor Swami Darshan Puran Anand Ji, succeeded to the spiritual gaddi of Shri Anandpur Durban on 10th June 1970.

There are Advait groups in Anandpur and Nangli Sahib among other places and in Hardwar and Malibu and they have built temples to honour their Masters or, in the Rawats' case, themselves. The Malibu Maharaji Temple was paid for by gifts from people who believed Prem Rawat was the Lord Of The Universe but is privately owned.