Like It Or Leave It … Or Else

Throughout his career Prem Rawat has used repetitive, impromptu speeches, nearly all of which are recorded for posterity, as his main if not only, tool of teaching and communication. He does not appear overly attached to logic or facts as he boasts that in his Knowledge "experience rules supreme here not facts." With such an ocean of verbiage to choose from there can be differences of opinion about exactly what he is teaching and what he has taught. Context is very important in elucidating his true meaning as is the audience to whom he is talking. I think most people would accept that teachings and instructions given to committed disciples would be closer to the truth than things said to a diverse audience in a public forum whom he was trying to interest in his "Knowledge". This is apparent when considering what he teaches about the results of disillusionment with and non-practice of his Knowledge once it has been "revealed" to you and he has accepted you as a "student." Prem Rawat's policy in this was consistent with statements he made on other topics.

Prem Rawat Speaks With Forked Tongue

Prem Rawat has one message for the media and the public and another message for those who are committed to him and his teachings. This certainly can look like deceit to an impartial observer.

You have to take his knowledge and test it. If this knowledge gives you peace, well and good, go ahead. If not, leave it and try to find another way.

This was the first message told to people being proselytised as this quote from an interview with Michael Dettmers published in the Divine Times of January 1976 makes clear:

"Okay, but what about the people who have Knowledge already? … a lot of us were hit with: "Just take Knowledge and if it doesn't bring you instant realization of God, leave it."

On November 2, 1971 in front of a mixed audience he tells them if his Knowledge does not give them peace to leave it. On November 27, 1971 in front of an audience of his Western followers committed enough to fly to India to spend months following him and practising his Knowledge he quotes a revered Indian saint who says that if he stops meditating on the Word, he will die. The message to the young guru's followers is pretty straightforward.

Later in December 1971 he reiterates this message to his devotees that they will die if they stop meditating.

If you don't practise this Knowledge you will get rotten inside. There is so much energy contained in this Knowledge, just imagine how much harm it will be able to do you if you know it but do not use it properly - Fernbank, London, 28th February, 1972.

Because if you do not meditate on this Knowledge, it's like it is there, it's gonna do you no no good. Like, I was giving that example the other day that, you know, you can have one truckload of vegetables, and you can have one pocketful of vegetables, and you can have one okra. And if that one okra rots in your house, it doesn't matter so much because you can just put it right down the drain. But if you have three truckloads of that okra in your house, and they start rotting, you might as well forget it, because you won't be able to blow them down the sink. The sink will clog, and then there'll be more rotting going on. And it's like, if it was a small small mantra, and of course it'll do you no good either - if there was a small small mantra which was of no good, was not able to give this mind peace, and it would rot if you would not meditate on it, that's okay. - Denver May 6, 1974

If you receive Knowledge, and then you don't do meditation, that's really bad. It can really be very, very bad. And I'll tell you why. Vegetables are very good for you, very healthy, very natural. You can go and buy about three truckloads of vegetables and put them into a room. But if you don't eat them, you know what'll happen? They'll start rotting. And when vegetables start rotting, they make a big mess. Though they are beautiful, they are good, if you don't utilise them in the right way, in the right time, they can be very, very bad. So it's the same way with Knowledge. Knowledge is very beautiful, and it is what you want. But if you don't do meditation, it'll rot, it'll start rotting inside of you and it'll be very, very bad. You'll be confused, and that's the way it is. - Sao Paulo, Brazil, 4 January 1976

These claims by Rawat that not meditating using the techniques he teaches will make you rot or die are nonsense. They are being quoted merely to show how deceitful he is and was from such a young age.

No doubt, the young Rawat and his devotees used this sort of catch-phrase many more times in his three "World Peace Tours" while attempting to recruit more followers though these next two are the only ones I could find in my records. I certainly heard it many times in satsang from mahatmas and other premies. From 1974 on his focus was on retaining existing followers rather than gaining new ones and I can find no more mentions of "love it or leave it." Instead he continued to focus on the dire effects of "receiving Knowledge" and then not practising it until the 1980s after which he seemed to have a strict policy of accentuating the positive in public and pretending that everyone who "received Knowledge" practised it and achieved the remarkable results he claimed they could.