Lineage of Perfect Masters
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Much of the research that confirmed this lineage or parampara was done by the academic
and devotee of Prem Rawat, Ron Geaves BA, MA, PhD, CertEd,
Senior Lecturer, Programme Leader and Chair in Religious Studies from Chester University. The information was originally published on Maharaji Net
and though that site is no longer available, the lineage has the authorization of Prem Rawat himself as shown in this information
from the Elan Vital video: 'Passages'.
Unfortunately there is nearly always controversy over the succession of a Perfect Master and there was considerable argument over whether
Shri Hans succeeded Shri Swarupanand Ji as many of the mahatmas believed Shri Hans could not be the Perfect Master as he was a married man.
Ron has personally tracked down an eyewitness and recorded the truth of the succession from this 101 year old mahatma only one day before he died!
Truly a great, modern miracle!
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This is not a Perfect Master!
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HRH Yogiraj Param Sant Sadgurudev Sri Hans Ji Maharaj (1957 - )
Prem Rawat, known also by the honorary title Maharaji (formerly Guru Maharaji), is the present Perfect Master and succeeded shortly after the death of his father,
Shri Hans Ji Maharaj in 1966. He has a wife and four adult children, is a successful private investor of independent means and currently lives in Malibu, California.
Born in India, he started addressing audiences at the age of three and gave his first published address when he was only four. At eight, he started presenting his message of peace throughout the Indian subcontinent. At thirteen, he was invited to speak in London and Los Angeles.
The dissemination of his message, which is made available in more than 88 countries and 70 languages, is entirely supported by voluntary contributions and the sale of related materials. He supports himself and his family through independent means.
He founded The Prem Rawat Foundation which promotes his message of peace and spearheads significant humanitarian initiatives around the world in 2002. He has received countless public honours.
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HRH Yogiraj Param Hans Sadgurudev Sri Hans Ji Maharaj (1900-1966)
Hans Ram Singh Rawat[1], known by the title HRH Yogiraj Param Hans Sadgurudev Sri Hans ji Maharaj, born (November 8, 1900 - July 19, 1966) in Gadh-ki-Sedhia, north-east of Hardwar, Uttarakhand, India. His parents were Ranjit Singh Rawat and Kalindi Devi.[2] He was considered a satguru by his students who called him affectionally "Sri Maharaji" or just "Guru Maharaji".
He had a daughter from his first wife Sinduri Devi, and four sons from his second wife Rajeshwari Devi, later known as "Mata ji". |
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| Sri Swarupanand Ji Maharaj (1884-1936)
Beli Ram, Sri Swami Swarupanand ji Maharaj (1884-1936) Born in Kohat, India was a guru of the Advait Mat lineage. He was also known as "Second Master" and as Sri Nagli Sahib.
The young Beli Ram was initiated into the sanyasas by Advaitanand Ji in the early 1900's in Teri who named him Swarupanand Ji. During Advaitanand's life, Swarupanand created an order of sannyasins (or renunciates) in northern India and founded several centers with the purpose of disseminating his master's teachings. [1]
In 1935 he moved from Punjab to Delhi. He died a year later on 9th April 1936 in the village of Nagli, near Meerut[2]. At the time of his death Swarupanand had ten thousand followers and more than three hundred ashrams in northern India. There were reported indications made by Swarupanand about Hans Ji Maharaj being his successor that were later contested by a group of mahatmas that did not appreciate the fact that Hans ji was married , making him a "householder", a status that in their views as renunciates was not acceptable[3]. According to another account, Swarupanand was succeeded by Shri Swami Vairag Anand Ji Maharaj, also known as the "third master" [4]. |
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Param Hans Dayal Sri Adwetanand Ji (1840-1919)
Shri Paramhansa Dayal Ji, known also as Advaitanand Ji (other spelling Adwetanand), or Shri Swami Advait Anand Ji Maharaj (born Ram Yaad)[1] (c.1846-1919), son of Tulsi Das Ji, was born in Pukh, Nakshatra in the province of Bihar, India.
Dayal Ji, is also known as the "first master" and is considered part of the Advait Mat lineage or parampara. He is said to have initiated the "second master", Swarupanand Ji in the early 1900's.[2] |
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Sri Anandpuri Ji Maharaj (1782-1872)
Sri Swami Anandpuri ji Maharaj (1782-1872) is known as the founder of the Advait Mat tradition. He was initiated by Totapuri [1].
When he was 90 years of age, he reportedly wrote in Urdu on a paper: "Accept Paramhansa Ram Yaad" referring to Dayal Ji, the one that went to become the "first master" of Advait Mat[2]. |
There is no photo of Sri Swami Anandpuri ji Maharaj |
Sri Totapuri Ji Maharaj (1780-1866)
Ishwar Totapuri (also Tota Puri) (1780-1866), born likely in Punjab, India, was a parivrajaka (wandering monk) who followed the path of the Advaita Vedanta. He regarded the gods and goddesses of dualistic worship as fantasies of the mind and reportedly spent forty years practicing austerity and other disciplines of self-exertion.
By the time he arrived at Dakshineswar Temple in 1864, he was a wandering monk of the Dasnami order of Adi_Shankara, and head of a monastery in the Punjab claiming the leadership of seven hundred sannyasins. He initiated Ramakrishna into Advaita Vedanta [1], as well as Anandpuri Ji from the Advait Mat tradition [2].
Totapuri was "a teacher of masculine strength, a sterner mien, a gnarled physique, and a virile voice". Ramakrishna affectionately addressed him as Nangta, the "Naked One", because as a renunciate he did not wear any clothing[3]. |
A naked, wandering monk
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Jesus Christ (6BC-32AD)
Jesus Christ (6BC-32AD), was born in Nazareth, Palestine and was a Jewish carpenter who was crucified in AD32 by the Roman authorities.
Prem Rawat has confirmed that Jesus was, indeed, the Perfect Master of his time. |
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The preceding information has been confirmed by the present Perfect Master, Prem Rawat and so we can be sure that these were the
living Perfect Masters of their time and they were the only Perfect Masters of their time.
While we cannot
be absolutely certain about earlier Perfect masters we can be reasonably sure the earlier Perfect Masters included
the following as both Prem Rawat and his predecessor have often quoted them in their satsangs.
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Tulsi Das (1532 - 1623)
Goswami Tulsidas (1532-1623; Hindi: ????????)) was a Awadhi poet and philosopher. He was born in Rajpur, India in the district of Banda in Uttar Pradesh, during the reign of Humayun. Tulsidas wrote twelve books and is considered the greatest and most famous of Hindi poets. He is regarded as an incarnation of Valmiki, the author of Ramayana written in Sanskrit. He wrote Ramacharitamanasa (The Lake that is the Story of Lord Rama), an epic devoted to Lord Rama. This Awadhi version of Ramayana, like many translations of the original Sanskrit Ramayana, is read and worshipped with great reverence in many Hindu homes in northern India. It is an inspiring book that contains sweet couplets in beautiful rhyme called 'chaupai'. Vinaya Patrika is another important book written by Tulsidas. He is considered one of the northern Indian Sants.
He is the first Perfect Master to have revealed the secrets of the entire creation to world at large (see his two verses, both entitled: "Kar Nainon Deedar"). He met with opposition from Pandits and Maulvis alike. Sultan Sikandar Lodi attempted to punish him by various means such as by drowning, by fire and by mauling under an elephant's feet. His verses, though encompassing the highest secrets of Sant-Mat, clearly remain close to the common man's heart even today. He often uses strong language to denounce the prevalent ritualism. Of his works are 'Bijak', 'Granthavali', 'Shabdavali' and 'Anurag Saagar'. The King of Benaras was among his disciples. He had a galaxy of renowned disciples such as: Dharamdas Ji, Mir Taqi, Ganaka Ji, Pipa Ji, Dhanna Ji, Sadana Ji etc.
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Guru Nanak Dev Ji Maharaj (1469 - 1539)
Nanak was born at Talwandi (Nankana Sahib) to Kalu and Mata Tripta, who were Bedi Kshatris. He married Bibi Sulakhani and had 2 sons, Srichand and Lakshmidas. He was taught Farsi and Accountancy. His father tried to involve him in family business, but he spent the money to feed holy men instead. He was then sent to his sister's at Sultanpur and was employed at Nawab Daulat Khan's grocery store.
He was given darshan and initiated by Sat Purush himself in the form of Kabir Sahib when he was aged 27 on a riverbank (whom he is said to have later met physically at Varanasi in 1542). He travelled 4 times to East: upto Assam and Burma, South: upto Sri Lanka where 'Pran Sangli' was written, North: upto Tibet and Mt. Sumeru in the Astral Plane where he met Siddhas and Naths and West: Baghdad, Iran, Mecca, Kabul. Hindus and Muslims alike loved him alike and holy men visited him from afar. He is said to have met Sheikh Ibrahim in the lineage of Baba Farid. Emperors Babar and Humayun came to him. Baba Budha, who "crowned" 5 of the Gurus was a prominent disciple of his. 'Jap Ji', 'Asa di Var', 'Rahi Ras', 'Sohila' and 'Sodar' are his prominent works, besides the verses in 'Granth Sahib'.
Towards the last part of his life, he settled at Kartarpur, which he founded on banks of river Ravi. During the last years he witnessed the brutal sacking of Saiyidpur by Emperor Babar. Upon his death, his body was also claimed by both Hindus and Muslims. Monuments raised at the spot were swept away by the river. It was here the city of Dera Baba Nanak came to be built.
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Sant Kabir Das Ji Maharaj (1398 - 1518)
Kabir was found in a lotus pond near Benaras by Neeru and his wife Neema who adopted him and named him Kabir (the Most High). He had a son, Kamal and a daughter, Kamali by Mata Loi. Though a Hindu by tradition, he was a Muslim by upbringing. He said he had been sent by the Lord himself. He was a weaver by profession. He died at Magahar, considered a damned place, and both Hindus and Muslims claimed the body.
Although, Ramanand Ji was his outer Guru, ultimately it was Kabir gave Ramanand Ji true knowledge. In fact, in the previous 3 ages, he revealed his names as: Sat Sukrit, Munindra and Karunamaya. In his present age birth, he mentions Jaidev and Namdev among lineage of his Gurus. He is revered even today by Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs alike. His verses are included in the 'Aadi Granth' of the Sikhs.
He is the first Perfect Master to have revealed the secrets of the entire creation to world at large (see his two verses, both entitled: "Kar Nainon Deedar"). He met with opposition from Pandits and Maulvis alike. Sultan Sikandar Lodi attempted to punish him by various means such as by drowning, by fire and by mauling under an elephant's feet. His verses, though encompassing the highest secrets of Sant-Mat, clearly remain close to the common man's heart even today. He often uses strong language to denounce the prevalent ritualism. Of his works are 'Bijak', 'Granthavali', 'Shabdavali' and 'Anurag Saagar'. The King of Benaras was among his disciples. He had a galaxy of renowned disciples such as: Dharamdas Ji, Mir Taqi, Ganaka Ji, Pipa Ji, Dhanna Ji, Sadana Ji etc.
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Other generally accepted Perfect Masters and great saints include:
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