From http://sahajayoga.org
Birth and Childhood
Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi was born on March 21, 1923 to a Christian family in Chindawara, India. Her parents were Prasad and Cornelia Salve, direct descendants of the royal Shalivahana dynasty. Seeing the beauty of this child who was born with a spotless brilliance, they called her Nirmala, which means 'Immaculate'.
Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi was born on March 21, 1923 to a Christian family in Chindawara, India. Her parents were Prasad and Cornelia Salve, direct descendants of the royal Shalivahana dynasty. Seeing the beauty of this child who was born with a spotless brilliance, they called her Nirmala, which means 'Immaculate'.
Later on she came to be known by the multitudes by the name of
Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi - the revered Mother who was born with
her complete Self Realization and knew from a very young age that she
had a unique gift which had to be made available to all mankind.
Her parents played a key role in India's Liberation Movement from under
British rule. Her father, a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi, was a
member of the Constituent Assembly of India and helped write free
India's first constitution. He was a renowned scholar, master of 14
languages, and translated the Koran in Marathi. Her mother was the
first woman in India to receive an Honors Degree in Mathematics.
Fighting for India's Freedom
As a child, Shri Mataji lived with her parents in
the ashram of Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi saw the wisdom of this child and used to
appreciate her immensely, affectionately calling her Nepali due
to the Nepali features of her face. Even at a young age, her
deep understanding was evident to Gandhi, who frequently sought
her advice on spiritual matters.
As a child, Shri Mataji lived with her parents in
the ashram of Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi saw the wisdom of this child and used to
appreciate her immensely, affectionately calling her Nepali due
to the Nepali features of her face. Even at a young age, her
deep understanding was evident to Gandhi, who frequently sought
her advice on spiritual matters. 
Shri Mataji's involvement in the freedom struggle is extremely remarkable.
She was very courageous and played a daring role as a youth leader of this
campaign. In the 1942 "Quit India Movement" announced by Gandhi, she was
even arrested and put in jail along with other freedom fighters for
actively participating in this movement.
Shri Mataji was born with a complete understanding of the human nervous
system and its energetic counterparts. In order to become acquainted with
the scientific vocabulary attached to these subjects, she studied medicine
and psychology at the Christian Medical College in Lahore.
Sahaja Yoga is born
Shortly before India achieved independence she married Sir. C.P. Srivastava,
one of India's most dedicated civil servant officers, who was knighted by
the Queen of England. In India it is believed that the wife brings luck to
her husband - this is most certainly the case for Sir. C.P. Srivastava.
Shortly before India achieved independence she married Sir. C.P. Srivastava,
one of India's most dedicated civil servant officers, who was knighted by
the Queen of England. In India it is believed that the wife brings luck to
her husband - this is most certainly the case for Sir. C.P. Srivastava.
He rose in government ranks very quickly though he was an absolutely honest
person. He held the post of the Joint Secretary to the Prime Minister's
office of the late Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri in the years 1964-66. Shastri
himself was an ideal model for a Prime Minister in India's political history.
Afterwards he was elected for 16 consecutive years to be the Secretary
General of the United Nations International Maritime Organization.
As Sir C.P. Srivastava moved in fame from the Indian history to the
worldly scene, Shri Mataji, after fulfilling her familial duty of bringing
up her two daughters, embarked on her spiritual mission.
Although she knew about her own spiritual consciousness she did not know how
to present it to the people of modern times. She was also aware of the
problems encountered by the earlier spiritual personalities who came on this
earth like Jesus, Mohammed, Buddha, and others when they prophesized the truth
directly to the people.
As she was pondering on the many faceted problems confronting human beings,
on the 5th of May, 1970, on a lonely beach of Nargol (about 150 km from Mumbai)
a divine spiritual experience filled her whole being and suddenly she found
an answer to her question. She discovered a historical process of en-masse
Self Realisation through which thousands of people could get this connection
to their Spirit and thereby their inner transformation.
Spreading of Sahaja Yoga around the world
Shri Mataji made this experiment of awakening the spiritual power of every
human being (which the Hindus name the Kundalini, the Muslims as the Ruh and
in the bible it is described as the Holy Ghost) and was amazed at the results.
Shri Mataji made this experiment of awakening the spiritual power of every
human being (which the Hindus name the Kundalini, the Muslims as the Ruh and
in the bible it is described as the Holy Ghost) and was amazed at the results.
She tried it first on people near to her and noticed they were transformed
physically, mentally and spiritually. Slowly she found out that only this
process had the potential solution for all human problems and therefore
she decided to spread it on an en-masse level. She invested her own time and
money to talk to people and give them the key to their own spiritual power.
Those few people who started feeling this spiritual power, which flowed like
a cool breeze over their whole body, especially over the palms of their hands
and on top of their head (around the fontanel bone area) were quite astonished
that it worked. Though they argued and disputed over it they could not
disbelieve their own experience. Under the instructions of Shri Mataji they
tried giving this power to others, which really gave them the faith that this
was the true spiritual experience that was being prophesized in every religion.
Amazingly, without any financial support from any person, Shri Mataji neither
charges for Her lectures nor for Her ability to give Self Realisation, nor
does one have to become a member of this organisation. She insists that you
cannot pay for your enlightenment and to-date she continues to denounce the
false, self-proclaimed "gurus" who are more interested in the seekers' purse
than their spiritual ascent (see our Seeker's Guide).
Since 1970, Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi has kept a busy schedule, travelling around
the world to teach the techniques of Sahaja Yoga meditation. She has demonstrated
her capacity to trigger the awakening of the spiritual power in human beings
(Kundalini) at an "en masse" level.
Large numbers of people, without distinction of race, religion, age or social
status have acknowledged the value of her teachings by establishing Sahaja Yoga
centers in over 75 nations. These people who live a normal family life, tap to
their inner spiritual power through daily Sahaja Yoga meditation and have
achieved a complete balance of their lives on the physical, emotional, mental
and spiritual levels. They understand the integration of all religions and
spiritual paths not at a mental level, but through their direct, tangible
experience on the central nervous system. Thousands of years ago, the Blossom
Time was prophesized to come when, in these modern times of crisis, thousands
of seekers of Truth are going to experience this connection with their Spirit.
International achievements and recognition
An official guest in the former Soviet Union, she enabled over 100,000 people to experience their Self-Realization. She regularly speaks to audiences of 10,000 to 20,000 in the former Eastern bloc nations and has filled year after year the Royal Albert Hall in London for her conference on Sahaja Yoga.
An official guest in the former Soviet Union, she enabled over 100,000 people to experience their Self-Realization. She regularly speaks to audiences of 10,000 to 20,000 in the former Eastern bloc nations and has filled year after year the Royal Albert Hall in London for her conference on Sahaja Yoga.
Shri Mataji has delivered thousands of lectures, given many television and radio
interviews, and been the subject of hundreds of newspaper articles around the
world. An articulate speaker, Shri Mataji is the founder and sole director of
Sahaja Yoga or "Vishwa Nirmala Dharma", which is an established non-profit
organization in many countries worldwide.
Shri Mataji has been recognized worldwide by several prestigious institutions
for her selfless work and for the powerful results of her spiritual teachings.
In 1994, the Mayor of Brazil's capital welcomed Shri Mataji at the airport,
presenting her with the key to the city, and sponsored all of her programs.
In 1995, the Indian Government granted Shri Mataji a one hour primetime
television series, broadcast nationally. During the same year, Shri Mataji
was an official guest of the Chinese government and was invitied to speak
at the International Women's Conference in Beijing. Also in 1995, she was
awarded by the Romanian Ecological University an Honorary Doctorate in
Cognitive and Parapsychological Sciences.
She has been recognized and greeted by the mayors of several cities in North
America (Yonkers, NY, 1994 & 1996, Los Angeles, 1993 and 1994, British Columbia,
1994, Cincinnati 1992, Philadelphia 1993, Berkeley, 1997). She was given a
Proclamation by the US Congress in 1997 which was submitted to the Congressional
Records. Shri Mataji was declared "Personality of the Year" in 1986 by the
Italian Government.
NGOs created by Shri Mataji
Nirmala Devi
In her tremendous compassion and concern to alleviate human sufferings, Shri Mataji has been able to create a number of NGOs (Non Governmental Organisations) to solve the most immediate problems of the world in the last 25 years. To mention a few:
In her tremendous compassion and concern to alleviate human sufferings, Shri Mataji has been able to create a number of NGOs (Non Governmental Organisations) to solve the most immediate problems of the world in the last 25 years. To mention a few:
- An international hospital in Mumbai to help patients all over the world to get a chance to cure themselves through Sahaja Yoga methods. This hospital has been producing quite successful results in curing a number of incurable diseases like cancer, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis etc.
- An international cancer research centre in Mumbai in order to study the effects of Sahaja Yoga methods on curing various illnesses, including psychosomatic diseases.
- An international music school in Nagpur to promote classical music.
- A charity house for the poor people in Delhi, to provide shelter to destitute and homeless people. Also to help them through the process of Sahaja Yoga to become better individuals.
Conclusion
Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi has dedicated her life to triggering the spiritual ascent of mankind through Self Realization, reclaiming the role of women in the spiritual evolution, and guiding humanity to correct today's moral dilemmas. It seems that the light of Gandhi's vision is being brought to fulfilment by this great lady who is revered as the compassionate Divine Mother by her followers, as the "Messenger of peace" by Ayatollah Rouhani, an Avatar of the modern era by Claes Nobel, grandnewphew of Albert Nobel (the creator of the Nobel foundation) and Chairman of United Earth.
Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi has dedicated her life to triggering the spiritual ascent of mankind through Self Realization, reclaiming the role of women in the spiritual evolution, and guiding humanity to correct today's moral dilemmas. It seems that the light of Gandhi's vision is being brought to fulfilment by this great lady who is revered as the compassionate Divine Mother by her followers, as the "Messenger of peace" by Ayatollah Rouhani, an Avatar of the modern era by Claes Nobel, grandnewphew of Albert Nobel (the creator of the Nobel foundation) and Chairman of United Earth.
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