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After Maharaji's marriage and the break-up of the holy
family, some premies in the West abandoned him, but most
remained. Due to his marriage and the turmoil with his
family, the number of programs and festivals in the West
declined in 1975 and 1976.
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Few programs occurred in the West until
November, when a large international program was
held in Orlando, Florida. Prior to the program, a
group of four westerners, all Americans, were
designated by Maharaji to be "initiators" (this
title replaced the earlier title of "Mahatma"). At
the Orlando program, Maharaji again wore his
Krishna costume, and gave darshan, (in which
premies filed by, bowed down, and then kissed his
feet).
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Maharaji and
devotee/wife, Marolyn.
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Many premies in the West believed that Maharaji was the
incarnation of god on earth. This belief was supported by
the various statements that he and his Mahatmas had made, by
the opulent thrones and crowns he wore at programs, by his
titles ("Lord of the Universe" and "Perfect Master"), and by
devotional songs like Arti which were sung to him by
his devotees, and which described him as a deity.
But major changes in the way Maharaji presented himself were
being discussed within DLM. In late 1975, steps were taken
to change his image among the premies. According to various
former premies, and the former president of DLM, Bob
Mishler [Mishler
interview], some premies close to Maharaji
were increasingly concerned that many premies had been
believed that Maharaji was the incarnation of god when he
was, in fact, no such thing. Mishler and others thought that
this was having a negative effect on both the premies and
Maharaji himself. There were reports that Maharaji was often
stricken with anxiety and had developed a serious drinking
problem.
Through the first half of 1976, DLM issued various
proclamations in which the premies were instructed to begin
viewing Maharaji as merely an inspirational teacher, or as a
"humanitarian leader". Many premies were confused by these
changes, but others merely viewed these as the latest
attempts to make Maharaji more acceptable to a wider
population for propagation purposes.
Premies were told to be less "cult-like." Ashram residents
were encouraged to consider leaving the monastic life, and
many did. Some ashrams closed, and many ashram premies left
the ashrams to get married, while others returned to school
and began repairing damaged relationships with their
families. Many premies simply stopped practicing Knowledge
during this period.
The extent to which Maharaji was behind these changes is
unclear. However, it appears he did support them at least
initially. In the Summer of 1976, a series of programs were
held in North America, at which much of the Hindu trappings
(Krishna costumes, Arti, etc.) were conspicuously missing.
Maharaji appeared at these programs in business suits, and
darshan was changed from filing by and kissing his feet, to
a sort of "receiving line" in which the premies merely filed
by and nodded, waved or smiled. Maharaji obviously agreed to
these changes to some extent.
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