2.

Background of Prajapati Brahma Kumaris

Prajapati Brahma Kumaris emerged as a new Religious Movement that originated in Hyderabad
(now, Pakistan) during the 1930s. It was a time when people of India were carrying on vigorous
struggles for political independence. It is also known as Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual
University (Prajapati Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya).1 From the very start of their
Movement, the Brahma Kumaris (BKs) have rejected the notion of a guru, as this implies worship
of a human being. They consider it inappropriate to worship a human being no matter how
enlightened or praiseworthy he or she might be, and as such they do not deserve this kind of
exaltation. Therefore, Brahma Baba is never worshipped as a guru, and his name is still little
known outside India.2 The earliest teachings focused on meditation and the practice of purity as
fundamental to true spiritual capacity. Women were in a deplorable condition during those period.
The pressure of traditional customs and norms continued to determine the society’s attitude
towards women. However, this Movement is distinctly identified by the prominent role women
play in the movement. It gave high value to women and included them in high positions of
leadership. The major difference between the Bks and other spiritual movements, both ancient and
modern, was that it was young women who were being prepared to take the message into the
world.3

3. Beliefs of Brahma Kumaris

The Bks use the term “Supreme Soul” to refer to God, meaning God is supreme among all souls.
God is believed to be like souls, but subtle point of light invisible to the naked eye; unlike humans
beyond the cycle of birth and death and the effect of actions in the form of experience of pleasure
or pain. God is the Supreme Father, Mother, Teacher and Preceptor of all human souls. God is
seen as the perfect and constant embodiment of all virtues, powers and values. God is believed to
be the unconditional loving Father of all souls, irrespective of their religion, gender or culture.
Being incorporeal, Bks views that God is represented by an oval-shaped stone or light in many

1
Julia Day, “Brahma Kumaris” (Daughters of Brahma), Encyclopedia of New Religious Movements, ed. Peter B.
Clarke (New York: Routledge, 2006), 71.
2
Liz Hodgkinson, Peace and Purity: The Story of the Brahma Kumaris: A Spiritual Revolution (Deerfield Beach, FL:
Health Communications, Inc., 2002), 2.
3
Matt Tomlinson, Wendy Smith, Lenore Manderson, (eds.) “Brahma Kumaris: Purity and the Globalizatiom of
Faith”, Flow of Faith: Religious Reach and Community in Asia and Pacific, (New York: Springer, 2012), 51-52.
religious traditions. Example, Hindus worship an oval-shaped stone called Shivlingam or
Jyotirlingam, meaning a symbol of Shiva or symbol of light. Muslims worship an oval-shaped
black stone called Sang-e-Aswad (holy stone), which is placed in the Kaaba in the Grand Mosque
in Mecca. The founder of Christianity, Jesus Christ, said God is light. The sanctuary lamp that
burns before the altar in many Christian and Jewish places of worship symbolizes God’s eternal
presence. Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, also sang the praise of the One who is “all light”
and incorporeal, while Zoroastrians worship God in the form of fire.4

4. A general summary of the teachings of the movement of the society

The founder and his movement teach that God Shiva is the Supreme Father, Benefactor and
Creator. According to the Bks, the world is eternal, it is a continuous process and undergoes
changes where complete dissolution of the world never takes place. They believe that God brings
about its transformation after 5000 years. Beyond this world is another world which is called
“Brahmaloka” or “house of peace”. There is neither pain nor pleasure, neither birth nor death in
the “house of peace”.5

The Movement believes that the world is comprised of four ages, namely: the Golden Age, the
Silver Age, the Copper Age and the Iron Age. And each age lasts for 1250 years. The BKs
teachings revise Hindu beliefs in a Golden Age that deteriorates into successive ages in an
endlessly recurring cycle of time. They also believe that we are now in the worst age, on the eve
of destruction, and only BKs, who have purified themselves through a vegetarian diet and chastity
and cultivated ‘soul consciousness’ will be reborn in the Golden Age. ‘Perfection’ is the goal and
not enlightenment; and only through perfection comes a life of ‘deity’ in the heavenly world of the
Golden Age.6
According to the Movement, souls are eternal and are atomic in size. Each souls has to be born 84
times according to the law of karma. Souls do not stay in Paramdham (Soul World)) eternally.
They come back to this earth after sometime. Once a soul is born in human body, its successive
rebirths will also be in human bodies and not in animal bodies as believed in popular Hinduism.

4
Raja Yogi B.K. Jagadish Chander, One Week Course: For attainment of Complete Purity, Peace & Prosperity
(Rajasthan: Prajapati Brahmakumaris, 1996), 61-63.
5
V.S Lalrinawma, “The teachings of the Prajapati Brahma Kumaris o the status and role of women in society,” ed.
Dr. H. Vanlalauva, Mizoram Theological Journal, July-Dec.2001, Vol III No.2: 30-31.
6
Day, “Brahma Kumaris”, 72.
Through Raja Yoga, a human being can cross 63 births and the remaining 21 births will be enjoyed
in a heavenly earth. According to them, the present day suffering is mainly the result of ignorance.
They believe that ignorance and false knowledge can be wiped out by Raja Yoga spiritual
education.7

5. Role of Brahma Kumaris Movement in the Society

The Movement articulates that it is the responsibility of the entire society to acknowledge the
contribution of ordinary and great women as character builders and family builders. The BKs
Movement teaches that women’s contribution is commendable in building the future of the family
and the society. The Movement asserts the equal status of both genders. It also teaches against
dowry, divorce, infanticide, burning of brides, child-marriage, and political and religious
discrimination. Brahmacharya (celibacy) is also taught in all centres, since sex is considered to be
one of the causes of the bondage of women. The Movement does not approve of patriarchal
dominance in the society. It works hard to bring about political, economic, religious and
educational awareness among both genders through daily lectures, seminars, conferences and
literature. Emphasis is given on spiritual education through Raja Yoga meditation. The Movement
helps the poor and the deprived classes. It also renders social service to victims of natural
calamities.8

7
Lalrinawma, “The teachings of the Prajapati Brahma Kumaris on the status and role of women in society”: 30-31.
8
Lalrinawma, “The teachings of the Prajapati Brahma Kumaris on the status and role of women in society”: 34.
REFERENCES

Day, Julia. “Brahma Kumaris” (Daughters of Brahma). Pages 71-72. Encyclopedia of New
Religious Movements. Edited by Peter B. Clarke. New York: Routledge, 2006.
Hodgkinson, Liz. Peace and Purity: The Story of the Brahma Kumaris: A Spiritual Revolution.
Deerfield Beach, FL: Health Communications, Inc., 2002.
Jagadish Chander, Raja Yogi B.K. One Week Course: For attainment of Complete Purity, Peace
& Prosperity. Rajasthan: Prajapati Brahmakumaris, 1996.
Lalrinawma, V.S. “The teachings of the Prajapati Brahma Kumaris on the status and role of women
in society. Edited by Dr. H. Vanlalauva. Mizoram Theological Journal, July-Dec. 2001. Vol III
No.2: 30-31.
Tomlinson, Matt, Wendy Smith, Lenore Manderson, (eds). “Brahma Kumaris: Purity and the
Globalizatiom of Faith”. Flow of Faith: Religious Reach and Community in Asia and Pacific. New
York: Springer, 2012.