"I Am a Peace Bomb"

Der Spiegel interview with the 15-year-old guru

The Mirror: Your Divinity – that's what your disciples call you. May we also call you that?
Maharaj Ji: If you want. See, some call me your Divinity, others say: such an idiot.

The Mirror: And what are you?
Maharaj Ji: A humble servant of God.

The Mirror: They sing your praises in hymns as the Lord of the Universe. Do you also want to make people on other planets happy?
Maharaj Ji: That is absolutely ridiculous. But you are educated people, much older than me. I am only 15 years old. If someone came along and told you he has seen flying saucers, you would also say: absolute nonsense. God has sent me here on this planet in order to bring peace. If he would have made me a Martian, then I would be on Mars. Therefore I announce my Knowledge on Earth.

The Mirror: What is it - this Knowledge which brings your disciples ecstasy?
Maharaj Ji: One cannot put it into words, and also one cannot print it in a newspaper. It is infinite. Perhaps it looks like this: (Maharaj Ji draws a wavy line in the air with his hands). It is like a great wonder, like a building without foundation, how a blind man sees the most beautiful light and describes it, how a lame person goes to the well and draws nectar out of it.

The Mirror: Do you speak of God, if you talk about the Knowledge?
Maharaj Ji: Believe me, one cannot really express it. It is in us, as God is in us.

The Mirror: Do you want to create a new religion - like Jesus, Mohammed or Buddha?
Maharaj Ji: These three also did not come into the world with the intention of creating a new religion. Only after their death did people try to do so.

The Mirror: Are you sure that your disciples aren't trying the same?
Maharaj Ji: I' m trying hard to prevent that.

The Mirror: Do you want to announce “the Golden Age" in Houston in November?
Maharaj Ji: I am a peace bomb, I am bringing the thousand years of peace. In Houston we will celebrate an enormous festival. See, in India we began with completely small celebrations. We were like a car with a weak engine. If you to it-do there somewhat, then it was like a 280, and if you to it-do some more, then you have finally a 600, and that is the largest Mercedes Benz. And in the meantime we have become so large and strong.

The Mirror: Another Indian guru nevertheless ranks the Beatles among his following. Can you also offer prominent names?
Maharaj Ji: There are some but I don't have them in my head. I'm not a computer.

The Mirror: How does one have to live, if one wants to follow you?
Maharaj Ji: Everybody knows himself how he has to live.

The Mirror: Does one have to be poor?
Maharaj Ji: You can be poor and freak out and you can be rich and freak out.

The Mirror: May one eat meat?
Maharaj Ji: We recommend to do without meat.

The Mirror: And what about sex?
Maharaj Ji: That is different. Devotees, who live in the ashram, may not. For people who have families, this restriction doesn't apply.

The Mirror: Are drugs permitted?
Maharaj Ji: We do not want people to take drugs.

The Mirror: Do you want to marry?
Maharaj Ji: Oh man, today I am not married and people ask me why I am not married. If I would marry tomorrow, there became however which loose-go. The press would estimate itself: The guru married, the guru married. If I drive with the RollsRoyce, they ask me: Why you drive with the Rolls-Royce! If I would drive with the bicycle, they wanted to know: Why do you sit on the wheel?
Today, man I am not married and people ask me why I am not married. If I would get married tomorrow, what would start there, however?
The press would go for it: the guru has married, the guru has married. If I drive in a Rolls-Royce, they ask me: why do you drive in a Rolls-Royce?
If I would go by bicycle, they'd want to know: Why do you sit on the bike, then?

The Mirror: And why did you drive around in a Rolls-Royce in London recently?
Maharaj Ji: If Jesus would come today, he would also not be offered a donkey any more.

The Mirror: You demand from your disciples: Give me your body, give me your mind, give me your money. Which is the most important to you?
Maharaj Ji: I want only one, and that is this crazy mind. For that I have a thick bag. And all of them give it to me.

The Mirror: Your disciples live on the subsistence level everywhere in the world and transfer the rest to the account of the Divine Light mission. Maharaj Ji: That is not compulsory. But we need the money, in order to do good works.

The Mirror: How big is your personal bank account, how large is your stock portfolio?
Maharaj Ji: I have neither one nor the other.

The Mirror: In November 1972 you tried to smuggle jewelery and watches to the value of 220,000 Marks into India. Maharaj Ji: That is an absolutely wrong statement. The newspapers reported that.

The Mirror: What really happened at that time?
Maharaj Ji: I'll say nothing about it. I have lost confidence in newspapers. I talk with them about it and the next day something completely different is printed. I am giving you a chance here.

The Mirror: An American physician, who examined you in Denver, wrote you have an executive illness and suffered from a peptic ulcer. Maharaj Ji: I don't have it anymore, it disappeared by itself.

The Mirror: How can you become sick at all?
Nevertheless, Buddha teaches illness can be overcome by meditation. Maharaj Ji: It's already become better. I was only three days in the hospital.

The Mirror: Do you want to sacrifice yourself for mankind?
Maharaj Ji: I am afraid, I do it.