Prajapita Brahma: Self-transformation is the key to world transformation

Authored by: By B K Brij Mohan
India has a rich legacy of spiritual leaders who have significantly influenced the country and the world with their teachings, philosophies, and life examples. An inconspicuous figure among them stands out to be the one whose thoughts, words and works have remained the same.
One such example is Prajapita Brahma who founded the Brahma Kumaris, a spiritual organisation led by women, which is the largest of its kind in the world.Almost a hundred years back when women were allowed little education, social space, or individual freedom, he takes up a task quite unique and unprecedented in human history.
A wealthy jeweller by vocation, Prajapita Brahma had a series of divine visions that inspired him to retire from his lucrative business and create a spiritual community to study, practise and promote the principles of a virtuous and meditative life. Conceived in Hyderabad Sindh, this women-led spiritual group initially named as Om Mandli, later moves to Mount Abu after Partition, to spread its spiritual services from there, across the globe.
The aspirants of this group mostly women and girls have been attracted to the movement's divine teachings that emphasise on virtuous living and egalitarian practices, without any bias or discrimination against the fair sex – a sharp contrast to the prevailing social milieu then. These seekers of life's truths have tended to utilise their time, thoughts and resources in intense spiritual study, meditation, and self-transformation.

Gradually facilitating the community to evolve into a full-fledged organization, Prajapita Brahma entrusted its total administration to a committee of women and willed his life's earnings for the upkeep and growth of the organisation in the service of humankind. Perhaps it is first time that an organisation led only by ladies has ventured to wholly assign leadership role and position to the women section in the then male dominated society.
This step seems to be an outcome of the spiritual truth and the first teaching of Bhagwad Gita - that human beings are basically souls residing in physical bodies. The soul is a sentient point of energy which has no gender. The body is the mundane medium through which the soul thinks, speaks, and acts. Qualities such as intelligence, courage, and industriousness are innate in the soul, regardless of the gender of its garb. Therefore, there is no reason why women cannot perform tasks that men can, so long as they are physically capable. Practical inculcation and application of such spiritual wisdom in every aspect of life become a notable feature of Brahma's and the Brahma Kumaris' teachings.
Prajapita Brahma has continued to remain the spiritual beacon of this spiritual community for whom he sets himself as an example and role model of godly teachings to follow. His constant emphasis on cultivating divine awareness of being a soul, would naturally help to evoke and emit the soul’s core qualities of purity, peace, love, and contentment around. To him, soul-consciousness is also a pre-requisite for realising living and lasting relationships with Supreme Soul, the spiritual Father of all souls.

Remembering God with the awareness of being His child soul, is Rajyog which literally means connection with the Divine. Through this spiritual connection the soul receives God’s power which enables it to stay tuned to its innate virtues in all circumstances. The equanimity of a yogi that the Gita speaks of, is attained by regular practice of Rajyog.
Prajapita Brahma has always emphasised self-transformation as the key to world transformation, by adopting an inside out approach. The world around us is the creation of the collective consciousness of all the people inhabiting it. Making the world a better place means creating a better human consciousness first. Prajapita Brahma sets himself as the life example to elevate one’s thinking and consciousness to a noble state of being, completely free from vices, violence, and sensual addictions, by living a life of spiritual precepts and their practices.
The writer is chief spokesperson of the Brahma Kumaris. January 18 is 55th Ascension Anniversary of its founder, Prajapita Brahma.
(Views are personal)