Brahma Kumaris and their beliefs

Brahma Kumaris is a spiritual awareness mission not affiliated to any religion. It is different from Hinduism, being based on mediumistic teachings. The Brahma Kumaris follow complete celibacy both in and out of marriage. Brahma Kumaris are strictly lacto-vegetarian and eat food that is cooked either oneself or by a member of BKWSU (Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University). They wear white clothes as a symbol of purity. Meditation is part of their life, and Brahma Kumaris start it at 4 a.m. every day. They claim to teach practical meditation for developing inner strength, believing in personal transformation. But the sect is also not free from controversies. Splitting up families, use of hypnotic methods, and being a destructive religious group are a few of the allegations leveled at them.

Beliefs of Brahma Kumaris are:

  • The soul is everlasting and resides within the physical body. However, it is not a part of body.
  • In reincarnation, the soul leaves one human body and enters another. It does not take non-human bodies.
  • The time of destruction is about to come as humanity is close to its end. According to them, the world is going to end and with this, the Golden Age Paradise will commence.
  • Only the Indian subcontinent will survive in the Golden Age Paradise. Hindi is regarded as the original language of humanity. Only Brahma Kumaris who have been spiritually purified will take rebirth in the Golden Age Paradise as gods and goddesses.

Who is the God of Brahma Kumaris?

Shiva Baba, god of all religions, is considered as a spiritual guide of Brahma Kumaris, whose objective is to awaken the humanity and remove evils. Shiva Baba is a supreme soul and a point of light. Followers of Brahma Kumaris believe that Shiva Baba speaks to humanity through the spirit of Brahma Kumaris. Because they believe all matter to be eternal, He is not the creator of any matter.

Explanation of the Self

Human atmas as well as animal souls are extremely small part of the ultimate spiritual light. There is a ‘Soul World’ where all souls live with God, a world of tranquility and endless light. That world is known as Nirvana. The soul cannot experience anything in that world. In order to experience life and to give meaning to their individuality, souls enter bodies. But a human soul never transmigrates to another species. By the process of rebirth, the soul gets devolved rather than evolved. Brahma Kumaris also believe that a soul can possess another body against its will.

Time repeats itself

After every 5,000 years, the cycle of time comes full circle and repeats itself. It consists of five yugas or ages – the Golden Age (Sat Yuga), the Silver Age (Treta Yuga), the Copper Age (Dwapar Yuga), the Iron Age (Kali Yuga) and the Confluence Age (Sangam Yuga).

End and Destruction

Brahma Kumaris passionately believe that world would end one day. The time between hell and heaven on earth is 100 years’ long and has already been started in 1936. This is the time in which the entire civilization would come to an end by natural or man-made means. Though different years for destruction have been given by Brahma Kumaris, nothing has happened till now. Destruction years given were as 1950, 1976, 1987 and 2000. According to Brahma Kumaris, the  Golden Age will start in 2036.

Raja Yoga – Meditation

Raja Yoga is a form of meditation and is different from the one propounded by Patanjali. Mind purification is stressed in Raja Yoga.

Murlis – Their teachings

Teachings of Brahma Kumaris are not present in ancient texts as the sect is very new. Murlis are the mediumistic messages of Brahma Kumaris in the form of sakar and avyakt. Sakar are actually the teachings of Shiva, which were told to Lekhraj Kripalani by Shiva himself in the 1960s. Avyakt Vanis, or Murlis are the teachings of Shiva and the soul of Lekhraj Kripalani. Hirday Mohini, or “Dadi Gulzar” is the medium. Murlis are used both for the personal spiritual endeavor and institutional service.