BRAHMA KUMARIS WORLD SPIRITUAL UNIVERSITY

'Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University' (BKWSU) or 'Prajapita Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya' is a monastic, renunciate^[1] Millenarian^[2]^[3] new religious movement (NRM) of Indian origin. It teaches a form of meditation called ''Raja Yoga'', which differs from the classical Raja Yoga described by Patanjali.^[4] Brahma Kumari (''literally: "daughters of Brahma"''). The religion promotes four main principles of life; Yoga, Gyan, Dharna, Seva (meditation, knowledge, practice, service) and advocates a vegetarian diet, celibacy, and avoidance of alcohol, drugs, and tobacco.^[5]

Early history

The origin of BKWSU can be traced to the group "Om Mandali", founded by Lekhraj Kripalani (1876-1969) in Hyderabad, Sindh in the 1930s. Lekhraj Kripalani, known as "Dada Lekhraj" and later known as "Brahma Baba" to his followers, was a Bhaibund merchant and follower of the Vaishnavite Vallabhacharya Sect.^[6]^[7] Dada Lekhraj (Brahma Baba) retired from his business in 1932 with assets of 1,000,000 Indian rupees to turn to spirituality. Their original spiritual knowledge was obtained though divine revelations and divine visions by sisters who had the gift of trance-vision, and included "detailed knowledge ... on the basic concepts of soul, God, World, Time, Space, Karma, Mukti, Jeevanmukti, Heaven, Hell, Creation, Sustenance, Destruction, various Yugas, Maya and its various forms, the true kind of Yoga-Meditation, the divine virtues and the methodology to practise them."^[8] Lekhraj started holding satsangs which attracted many people and the group became known as Om Mandali. In 1937, he named some of his followers to a managing committee, then reportedly transferred his fortune to the committee.^[9] Several women joined Om Mandali, and contributed their wealth to the association as well.^[10]
Some members of the local Bhaibund community reacted unfavorably to his movement. Many young married Sindhi women attended his ashram and were being encouraged to take vows of celibacy, so the Om Mandali was accused of breaking up families.^[11]^[12]
Some Hindu members of the Sindh Assembly threatened to resign unless the Om Mandali was outlawed. So, the Sindh Government used the Criminal Law Amendment Act of 1908 to declare the Om Mandali an unlawful association. Under further pressure from the Hindu leaders in the Assembly, the Government also ordered the Om Mandali to close and vacate its premises.^[13] The Om Mandali successfully appealed against the Government order in court.
In April 1950, after the partition of India, the Brahma Kumaris moved to Mount Abu in India, saying that they had been instructed by God to do so. After Dada Lekhraj's (Brahma Baba) death in 1969, his followers expanded the movement to other countries.^[14]

Expansion

Om Shanti Bawan, the main hall at the Brahma Kumaris headquarters

Beginning in the 1950s, the Brahma Kumaris began an internationalization expansion program,^[15] establishing centers across India with female teachers. From 1964 to 1969 methods of outreach began involving exhibitions, seminars and conferences in different parts of India.UK, only one-third of the 42 centers are run by males.^[16] According to the BKWSU website, there are currently 825,000 students and over 8,500 Raja Yoga centres in 100 countries and territories.^[17] According to sources quoted in the Adherents website, worldwide membership ranges from 35,000 (in 1993) to 400,000 (in 1998).^[18]

Activities

The Brahma Kumaris conduct seven one-hour-long courses in their philosophy and open-eyed meditation technique. The organization offers courses in "positive thinking," "self management leadership", and "living values."^[19]
The Brahma Kumaris also have a number of voluntary outreach programs in prisons.^[20]

Lifestyle

The movement teaches that the world is approaching a time of great change that will be heralded by war, natural calamities and suffering. As a form of developing inner spiritual resilience, the Brahma Kumaris adopt a disciplined lifestyle^[21] which involves:

★ Celibacy, including no sex within marriage.^[22] So long as chastity is followed, marriage and family life are allowed.

★ ''Sattvic'' vegetarianism, a strict lacto-vegetarian diet^[23] (excluding eggs, onions, garlic and/or spicy food) cooked only by the self or other members.^[5]

★ Abstaining from alcohol, tobacco and non-prescription drugs.

★ Regular early morning meditation at 4:00 to 4:45 am, called 'Amrit Vela.'

★ Regular morning class at approximately 6:30 am.^[25]

★ Men and women traditionally sit on separate sides of the room at the centers during classes.

★ Brahma Kumaris can be identified by their frequent adoption of wearing white clothes, to symbolize purity.^[26]^[27]^[28]

★ Recommends that companions (friends/family) be good (satsang) soul-aware ''yogi''s as opposed to those given over to worldly pleasures, known as ''bhogi''s.

Beliefs

In 1952, after a 14 year period of retreat during which Dada Lekhraj (Brahma Baba) published numerous pamphlets, newspaper articles and wrote letters to important national and international figures, a more structured form of teaching began to be offered to the public by way of a seven lesson course. The movement has distinguished itself from Hinduism and projects itself as a vehicle for spiritual teaching rather than a religion.^[29]

Central beliefs

Central to its faith are the beliefs that:

★ The human being is an eternal soul living within a physical body and is not the physical body which is dualistic "I am a soul, my body is a garment".

★ Reincarnation happens only from one human body to another.

★ Humanity is currently reaching the end of the current cycle and thus the world will be destroyed, a time referred to as "Destruction".

★ India Subcontinent will be the site of the future Golden Age paradise and that a form of Hindi is the original language of humanity, all other continents being destroyed. Followers are taught that only they will live in the coming Golden Age paradise^[30] as Gods and Goddesses.

God

God (Shiva) is considered to be an eternal soul like human souls but the Supreme one. He is knowledgeful and His purpose is to awaken humanity and restore harmony, giving power through the Brahma Kumaris' practise of ''Raja Yoga'' and eliminating evil and negativity. He is not the creator of matter which is itself considered to be eternal.⁴

Self

Human and even animal souls, called atmas, are believed to be an infinitesimal point of spiritual light residing in the forehead of the body it occupies. Souls are believed to originally exist with God in a "Soul World," a world of infinite light, peace and silence called Nirvana. Here souls are in a state of rest and beyond experience. Souls enter bodies to take birth in order to experience life and give expression to their personality. Unlike other Eastern traditions, the soul is not thought to transmigrate into other species and does not evolve but rather devolves birth after birth. Within this "point of light" all aspects of the personality are contained and is said to enter the human body in the 4th to 5th month of pregnancy.^[31]

Cycle of time

Time is considered to be cyclic, repeating identically every 5,000 years, and is composed of five ages (''yugas''): the Golden Age (''Sat Yuga''), the Silver Age (''Treta Yuga''), the Copper Age (''Dwapar Yuga''), the Iron Age (''Kali Yuga'') each exactly 1,250 years long,^[32] and the Confluence Age (''Sangam Yuga''). The Confluence Age is said to be 100 years long, and believed to have begun again in 1936 with the descent of Shiva, during which present day civilization is to be completely destroyed by natural disasters, civil and nuclear war.^[33] Benjamin Beit-Hallahmi states this information is generally hidden from non-members.^[34]
During the first half of the cycle, procreation is believed to be possible through the power of yoga without sexual intercourse.^[35] The Universe is never transformed into primordial or atomic state matter, nor does the world ever becomes devoid of human beings.^[36]

Tree of humanity

It is taught that all of life will die and return to Nirvana, then take birth in the forthcoming cycle at their predestined time and place. This is portrayed as the "Kalpa Vriksha Tree", or the "Tree of Humanity", in which the founder Brahma Baba (Dada Lekhraj) and his Brahma Kumaris followers are shown as the roots of the humanity. A new world order starting with the birth of Krishna and a population of 900,000 is believed to go on to enjoy 2,500 years of paradise as living dieties before humanity splits and the religious founders incarnate. Each creates their own branch and brings with them their own followers from the Infinite Light, until they too decline and splits, schisms, cults and sects appear at the end of the Iron Age.^[37]
The aim of the individual Brahma Kumari is to gain a high status in the coming paradise, perhaps even a select 108 who are 'totally victorious' and will rule there. Members of the physical families of Brahma Kumaris who have contact with the University are said to become members of the 16,000 top souls and at the end of each Cycle, everyone will see visions in which their personal destinies will be fully disclosed.

Meditation

The Brahma Kumaris teach a form of meditation called ''Raja Yoga'', which according to Reender Kranenborg may not be the same as classical Raja Yoga as described by Patanjali,^[38] through which members are encouraged to purify their minds. This may be done by sitting tranquilly in front of a screen on to which Dada Lekhraj's image is projected, then making affirmations regarding the eternal nature of the soul. , , George, Chryssides, , ,
Lawrence Babbs described another practise where "the student or students sit in a semi-darkened room facing the teacher (usually a woman). Just above and behind the teacher's head is a red plastic ovoid that glows from a lightbulb within, in its center is a tiny hole which appears as an intense whitelight against the red glow. This device represents the Supreme Soul (known as Shiv Baba) who is the presiding deity of the universe. With devotional songs playing softly in the background, student and teacher gaze intently at each other, either in the eyes or at the forehead. While doing this the student is supposed to imagine him or herself as a soul and not as a body. The student is told to think of themself as separate from the body, as bodiless, as light, as power, as bathed in the love and light of the Supreme Soul, and so on. This might continue for fifteen or twenty minutes".^[39] Babb also states that while staring (gazing into the eyes of an adept) at the teacher, many students experience visual hallucinations involving lights.

Murlis

David Barrett states, "Unlike traditional forms of Hinduism, the Brahma Kumaris' teachings come not so much from ancient scriptures but from revelations given in trance states". However, the mediumistic messages known by Brahma Kumaris as "Murlis" read at the 6.30 am meetings are slowly developing the nature of potential scriptures. The earlier ones channeled by Lekhraj Kripalani while he was alive, are now repeated in a five year cycle. They are supplemented by later murlis channelled by Hirday Mohini of Delhi in trance states, and these too are written down.
There are two types of mediumistic messages; ''sakar'' and ''avyakt'';

★ ''Sakar'' Murlis refer to the original classes said to be spoken by "Shiva" through the medium of Lekhraj Kripalani in the 1960’s, before he died of a heart attack on 18 January 1969.^[40] These include teachings by Shiva and the life of personal experience of Lekhraj.

★ ''Avyakt'' Vanis, or Murlis, refer to the teachings of Shiva and the soul of the deceased Lekhraj Kripalani combined through a medium named Hirday Mohini, or "Dadi Gulzar".^[41] The Brahma Kumaris believe that the soul of Lekhraj Kripalani has become perfect and now has the role of an angel. These messages are understood by members of the BKWSU to be the words of God. The Murli's are what the Brahma Kumaris use to direct their personal spiritual effort and institutional service.
One must complete the Brahma Kumaris foundation course before starting to attend morning murli class and visiting the headquarters in India during the period when, according to Howell and Nelson, "deceased founder communicates via trance-medium".^[42]

Achievements

In India, the BKWSU is noted for its charitable Village Outreach Programme in Mount Abu and its administration of the Global Hospital and Research Centre (GHRC), established in 1991 and funded by the J. Wattammull Memorial Trust. In 2004, the Brahma Kumaris established the G.V. Mody Rural Health Care Centre & Eye Hospital, located at the base of Mount Abu.^[43] The Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University is an international non–governmental organization (NGO) in general consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations^[44] and UNICEF.^[45] It is associated with the UN Department of Public Information.^[46]
The Brahma Kumaris have undertaken two major international projects; ‘The Million Minutes for Peace’ in 1986 for which they received 7 Peace Messenger Awards and ‘Global Cooperation for a Better World’ in 1988.
The organization now has 100s of branches internationally and

★ was awarded 7 UN Peace Messenger Awards 1987 for its co-ordination of the ‘Million Minutes of Peace’ project.^[47]

★ Pioneering work in solar energy and sustainable energy, including developing the world's largest solar cooker.^[48]

★ Chief administrator Prakashmani awarded Peace Medal of the United Nations for the year 1981 for the ‘Million Minutes of Peace’ project.^[49]

★ granted International Peace Messenger Initiative status by the U.N.for the Global Co-operation for a Better World campaign.^[50]

Use of mediumship

The BKWSU is believed by its members to have been established by ''Shiva Baba'' (God-Father Shiva, described as the Supreme Soul and conceived as the one God of all religions) through the medium of the group's founder Lekhraj Kripalani.⁷ From the beginning, a number of trance-messengers have received messages and teachings. BKWSU History According to an account by Sister Denise, who was at that time Director of the San Francisco Center, a medium has been used to directly channel a message from a deceased senior Brahma Kumari, Didi Manmohini.^[51] In its early days, children would commonly go into trances, having visions of Krishna and Vaikunth (Golden Age Heaven) and engaging in ecstatic dances for as long as 7 days. A number of mediumistic female followers known as ''Sandeshputris'' (trance messengers) also helped add to the group's spiritual knowledge through psychic visions.
The deceased human founder Lekhraj Kripalani continues to be channelled through a senior sister (Hirdaya Mohini, referred to familiarly as Dadi Gulzar) at the organization's Rajasthan headquarters. The combined presence of the BKWSU's human founder and the spiritual being the BKWSU believe is God are referred to as ''BapDada'' (meaning Father and Grandfather) by BKs, especially in the context of their manifestation via this trance medium, through which the pair continue to direct the organization to this day.^[50]

Divine indication

Pratibha Patil, the UPA-Left candidate and current president of India said on camera during the Indian presidential election, 2007, that she spoke to the spirit of the deceased leader.^[53] of the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University at their headquarters in Mount Abu, Rajasthan.^[54] Patil stated that she had received a mediumistic message indicating great responsibility coming her way during the last season in which the spirits called "Bapdada" communicated with the faithful of the Brahma Kumaris sect.^[55]^[56] She had gone to seek the blessings of Hirday Mohini, also known as Dadi Gulzar or Dadiji.^[57]

Controversies and criticism

★ Dr. John Wallis wrote an article critical of the group, focusing on recruitment methods, the issue of celibacy, failure of end of the world prophecies, and alleged re-editing of revelatory messages.^[58]

★ In a paper for the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, Howell wrote that teenage girls surrendering to the organisation were required to pay the equivalent of a dowry to the organization. The payment was meant to prevent parents from "dumping" their daughters at the BKWSU as a way to avoid the costs of ordinary marriages. ^[59]

References

1. Women under the Bo Tree: Buddhist nuns in Sri Lanka, , , , Cambridge University Press, 1994,
2. Millennium, Messiahs, and Mayhem: Contemporary Apocalyptic Movements, , Thomas, Robbins, Routledge, 1997,
3. Redemptive Encounters: Three Modern Styles in the Hindu Tradition (Comparative Studies in Religion and Society), , Lawrence A., Babb, Oxford University Press, 1987,
4. Brahma Kumaris: A New Religion?
5. Brahma Kumaris: Conquering A Callous World with Purity
6. The Brahma Kumaris As a Reflexive Tradition: Responding to Late Modernity, , John, Walliss, Ashgate Publishing, 2002,
7. Adi Dev: The first man, , B. K Jagdish, Chander, B.K. Raja Yoga Center for the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University., 1981,
8. BKWSU History
9. A History of Celibacy, , Elizabeth, Abbott, James Clarke & Co., 2001,
10. Struggles and Sorrows: The Personal Testimony of a Chief Justice, , Hardayal, Hardy, Vikas Publishing House, 1984,
11. The New Believers: A Survey of Sects, Cults and Alternative Religions, , David V, Barrett, Cassell & Co., 2001,
12. Peace and Purity: The Story of the Brahma Kumaris a Spiritual Revolution, , Liz, Hodgkinson, HCI, 2002,
13. The Indian Problem: Report on the Constitutional Problem in India, , Reginald, Coupland, Oxford University Press, 1944,
14. Alternative Religions: A Sociological Introduction, , Stephen J., Hunt, Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., 2003,
15. Gender Role Experimentation in New Religious Movements, , Julia, Howell, Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 1998
16. Gender Role Experimentation in New Religious Movements: Clarification of the Brahma Kumari Case, , Julia Day, Howell, Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 1998
17. Brahma Kumaris Administration
18. Adherent Statistic Citations
19. Religious Organisations in the UK and Values Education Programmes for Schools, , Eleanor, Nesbitt, Journal of Beliefs and Values,, 2003
20. It's Always Possible : One Woman's Transformation of India's Prison System, , Kiran, Bedi, Himalayan Institute Press, 2007,
21. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism'' Vol. I, entry "Brahma Kumaris", , James G., Lochtefeld, Ph.D., Rosen, New York, 2002,
22. New Religious Movements: Challenge and Response, , Bryan, Wilson, Routledge, 1999,
23. Women Under the Bo Tree,:Cambridge Studies in Religious Traditions, , Tessa J., Bartholomeusz, Rosen, New York, 1994,
24. Brahma Kumaris: Conquering A Callous World with Purity
25. Encyclopedia of New Religions; New Religious Movements, Sects and Alternative Spiritualities, , Prof Frank, Whaling, Rosen, New York, 2004,
26. The Penguin Dictionary of Religions, , John, Hinnells, Rosen, New York, 1997,
27. New Religious Movement: A Practical Introduction, , Eileen, Barker, HMSO, London, 1989,
28. The Encyclopedia of American Religions, , J. Gordon, Melton, Gale, Detroit, 1993,
29. Encyclopedia of New Religious Movements, , Julia Day, Howell, Routledge, 2005,
30. Encyclopedia of New Religious Movements, , Julia Day, Howell, Routledge, 2005,
31. Hindus In America Speak out on Abortion Issues
32. The New Believers, , David V, Barrett, Cassell & Co, 2001,
33. Brahma Kumaris: Conquering A Callous World with Purity
34. Apocalyptic Dreams and Religious Ideologies: Losing and Saving Self and World, , Benjaminin, Beit-Hallahmi, PSYCHOANALYTIC REVIEW, VOL 90; PART 4, 2003,
35. Redemptive Encounters: Three Modern Styles in the Hindu Tradition (Comparative Studies in Religion and Society), , Lawrence A., Babb, Oxford University Press, 1987,
36. The Liberation of Women in and through the Movement of the Prajapita Brahma Kumaris, , V.S., Lalrinawma, Cambridge Press, Delhi, 2003,
37. Year 2000 doomed: Mankind destroyed' [Exclusive report on imminent world destruction], , Keerthi, Kelegama, Cambridge Press, Delhi, 1998,
38. Brahma Kumaris: A New Religion? Reender Kranenborg
39. On celibate marriages: the Polish Catholics' encounter with Hindu spirituality, , Lawrence A., Babb, Glancing: Visual Interaction in Hinduism", Journal of Anthropological Research, 1981
40. A Unique Experience. Autobiography of Dada Vishwa Ratan, , Vishwa, Ratan, Om Shanti Press, 2000,
41. Brahma Kumaris: Landmarks in History
42. On celibate marriages: the Polish Catholics' encounter with Hindu spirituality, , , Howell and Nelson, Glancing: Visual Interaction in Hinduism", Journal of Anthropological Research, 1998
43. Brahma Kumaris: Global Hospital
44. ECOSOC
45. List of UN NGO and respective status within UNICEF
46. DPI/NGO Directory
47. When Prophecy Fails: The Brahma Kumaris and the Pursuit of the Millennium(s), , John, Walliss, , 1999,
48. BBC
49. The Sunday
50. Hinduism Today
51. Beloved "Didi," Sivabhaktar and Co-Head of Brahma Kumaris, Passes In Bombay
52. Hinduism Today
53. Race for Raisina: Shekhawat vs Patil
54. Patil kicks up another row
55. Battle for the palace
56. Pratibha believes in spirits?
57. Dadi Hirdaya Mohini- Joint Administrative Head
58. When Prophecy Fails: The Brahma Kumaris and the Pursuit of the Millennium(s), , John, Walliss, British Association for the Advancement of Science, Sheffield, 1999
59. Gender Role Experimentation in New Religious Movements: clarification of the Brahma Kumari case, , Julia Day, Howell, Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 1998

External links

★ Brahma Kumaris International website

★ Brahma Kumaris Indian website

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