Prem Rawat's Eldest Brother: Bal Bhagwan Ji
Bal Bhagwan Ji (who renamed himself Satpal Maharaj is one of India's most successful "Godmen") and politicians and is Prem Rawat's eldest brother. Before the "family split" in 1974 he was third in the Holy Family pantheon behind his youngest brother and his mother Mata Ji. He is the Perfect Master of Manav Utthan Seva Samiti and the Spiritual Life Society and is a powerful political figure in Uttakharand and has been a Member of the Indian National Parliament with international recognition.
In 2009, Words of Peace Global released a video detailing Rawat's Perfect Master lineage in which Prem Rawat told a story in which he claimed his father's orders to the young Bal Bhagwan Ji were that Sant (Prem Rawat's boyhood nickname) was to be the One and that Prem could "do whatever he wants."
On March 17th, 1974 he came to Australia and was secretly proclaimed by Mahatma Rajeshwar - and acclaimed within the premie community - as the incarnation of God without whom Guru Maharaj Ji (Prem
Rawat) who is Greater Than God could do nothing. In retrospect this appears to have been part of the powerplay within the organisation as
Mata Ji and the Secretary General of the Indian Divine Light Mission, C. L. Tandon became disillusioned with the young Prem Rawat's drinking, dope smoking and
extravagance ie his playboy lifestyle.
None of this was known to the Australian premies who ecstatically enjoyed their "experience" of Bal Bhagwan's darshan and worshipped him as if he really was the number one devotee of The Lord of the Universe and the exemplar of meditation.
While the Australian premies thought Bal Bhagwan Ji was a part of the Holy Family and believed that the "Holy Family" was holy they felt exalted and "blissed out" in his presence. "Darshan"
is neither divine or even unusual except in the importance and exalted position it is given in the concepts of the Rawatism religion.
The Golden Age magazine recorded this visit and the premies' experiences of joy and devotion in virtually the same language they gushed over that of the guru himself. The major difference was that Bal Bhagwan Ji obviously enjoyed hanging out with ordinary premies socially whereas Prem always cut himself off from the bulk of his followers except for a small byzantine court of vetted followers.
- Bal Bhagwan Ji arrives in Australia to be greeted by an ecstatic outpouring of love and devotion. I know because I was there and was completely shocked and surprised to be part of the celebration and to be honest I was carried along with the crowd though in a more restrained and incredulous fashion.
- Press Interview at Sydney Airport (International Terminal) - 21st February, 1974 - 8.35 a.m.
- "Honeymoon In Meditation", Bal Bhagwan Ji's Satsang, Mosman Town Hall, Sydney, Australia, 21/2/1974. I was there that night and as it was close to home I brought some of my skeptical friends and family members along as BBJ was promoted as the great intellectual of the Mission. While my sisters were quite nice about it my mates continued to make fun of me and "Boogie Wangee"/ "Booger Wungee" / "Bugger Warngee", etc, etc for quite some time to my chagrin.
- Develop a Superhuman Nature An interview with Bal Bhagwan Ji, eldest brother of Guru Maharaj Ji, 8th March, 1974 in Tasmania by Rob Love, ABC announcer
- This satsang of Bal Bhagwan Ji's which contained photos of him was titled: Pictures Of God. He spoke at the Divine Residence, Hobart, March 9, 1974. The article was written after Mahatma Rajeshwar gave secret satsang that BBJ was somehow an incarnation of God
- Divine News of Bal Bhagwan Ji's activities in Australia
- Good News: Bal Bhagwan Ji's activities in New Zealand
Bal Bhagwan Ji's command of English was far superior to that of his youngest brother, Prem or Guru Maharaj Ji. He had a far wider knowledge of scriptures, religion and spirituality and general knowledge, especially scientific ideas that could be simplified and taken out of context to provide "evidence" for the truth of Divine Light Mission's claims. It is interesting to compare the "satsangs" of the two brothers from that time and speculate on what might have happened if the eldest brother had been the chosen one. After taking control of the Indian DLM he created an organisation in the USA, the Spiritual Life Society and his teachings became more esoteric and intellectual (at least compared to his youngest brother) though the "Knowledge" remained the same. There are copies of their organisations magazine, Eureka available: Eureka Vol 1 #1 and Vol 1 #2 and part of a book he published under his new name, Satpal Maharaj in 1984: The Secret Knowledge.
Bal Bhagwan Ji (or Satpal Maharaj as he is now known) is a successful Godman in India with a far larger following than that of Prem Rawat (Maharaji). He was a successful Congress Party politician and has been a Member of the Indian National Parliament. In 2014 he switched parties and joined the BJP. He and hs wife are important spiritual and political figures in Uttarakhand.