Shri Hans Raj Maharajji, his Life and Work

Shri Hans Raj Maharajji is a spiritual Master in India, who lives in Rishikesh.
Sacha Dham, his ashram, is situated on the bank of the Ganges, at the foothills of the Himalayas. What is unusual is that he became enlightened the very next day after meeting in Allahabad the one who was going to become his Master, Shri Sacha Baba Kulanandji. This happened on October 3, 1955 and he was thirty-three years old.

Spreading the Teachings of his Master

From them on, his work was to help spread the teachings of his Master throughout India, around which he travelled for decades. And that was how little by little, thousands of men and women gathered around him and became his disciples. He did not just give theoretical teachings since for Maharajji, oral teachings, however important they may be, are not enough to bring about the desired progress in a seeker. For him, the latter must experience God directly in his own inner consciousness. That is why he gave and still continues to give his disciples a precise technique which, if applied with perseverance and regularity in daily life, ensures their spiritual growth.

Graceful Simplicity

Shri Hans Raj Maharajji is characterized especially by true simplicity and very pure, unconditional, limitless love for all beings whatever their origin, religion, race or social class may be. He makes no difference between rich and poor, wise and ignorant. He loves each one as he is for, as he says, “I only see souls in front of me, in other words children of God, all equal. The outer differences are of no importance.” In his presence, the visitor feels purer, closer to his soul, and provided that he is a little sensitive psychically, he will feel a very strong, harmonious vibration which will bring inner peace and calm his spirit.

The Aim of the Sacha Lineage

After the death of his Master Shri Sacha Baba Kulanandji in 1983, the heavy responsibility of continuing the work of this great line of saints called the Sacha Lineage (Sacha means Truth, God) to which his Master belonged, was passed on to Maharajji.

The aim of this lineage is two-fold : on the one hand to help the entire humanity to turn to spirituality, for humanity is now entering a delicate era which holds the most exalting promises in store, but also terrible perils if humanity continues to walk blindly forward without giving due importance to spiritual values; on the other hand to lead all sincere, worthy disciples to the state where they will become workers for what is usually called the Common Good, the Universal Good or the General Good, in short, people who will work for the benefit of the entire human race.

The Universal Soul

For this Maharajji, since he has taken up the torch, only goes out very rarely for short visits. He works especially in what is called the Universal Soul, a high spiritual plane from which one can reach the entire humanity. His work is therefore not at all aimed at trying to get disciples to come to him, but rather that each person, wherever he is on the planet, will adopt a religion or a personal path which he will follow sincerely by putting God in the centre of his life, so that God’s Purpose for humanity can be achieved in the best conditions.

Two Simple but Powerful Techniques

The sincere and regular practice of two powerful techniques – meditation and Gurumantra will not only bring about the spiritual growth of the disciple, but will also allow him to be in contact inwardly with Maharajji in order to receive spiritual direction, specific teachings or even help if necessary, for a personal problem which is not connected to spirituality. Moreover, from time to time he gives personalized advice when it is needed.

Do Everything With Your Heart

The only thing Maharajji asks of his students is that whatever they do, especially their sadhana (spiritual practice), they should do it with their heart, since for him, the heart plays an essential role in the relationship with the Self, with God and with the whole creation. He does not restrict his disciples to a particular form of yoga either, or to any particular path. Maharajji only gives the powerful instruments to progress, provided that the student is sincere in his practice.

They Have Come from Everywhere

Little by little, starting from the 1980s, foreign disciples from the five continents came to Maharajji to be guided also, and today they are still coming. This had been predicted by Sacha Baba Kulanandji who had said that those who had been Maharajji’s disciples in other lives and who were now incarnated would come back again to be with him and be guided by him. He had also predicted that the work of the Sacha lineage, known as the Sacha Mission, would spread throughout the world. Today, Maharajji has a few thousand disciples from different religions in the world (Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Islam, Jewish, Sikh etc.). Some of them had no particular faith or were even atheists before meeting Maharajji. He never advises disciples to definitively retire to monasteries, temples, caves or forests since for him, one must find God wherever one has his duties to carry out to the society and one’s family. The time when one would completely cut oneself off from society is now a thing of the past.

Not Limited by Space or Time 

It must also be mentioned that during the 1990s, Maharajji no longer wanted to accept disciples in order to devote himself to his work in the world, but he could not refuse those who continued to come and knock at his door in search of inner light and peace. Consequently, up until today, men and women continue to seek his guidance. Let us also add that those who, for one reason or another, cannot go to India, can be guided by Maharajji if they pray sincerely and so connect with him through inner aspiration. There are examples of this all over the world. Maharajji is not limited by space or time. He manifests himself wherever his disciples and sincere hearts are in search of divine light.

Centers of Light

In addition to Sacha Dham ashram, Maharajji has founded other ashrams in India, which constitute centers from which divine light shines, allowing each seeker to go and quench his thirst. In addition, two of his most advanced disciples: ShantiMayi and Prem Baba, have each founded an ashram, respectively “Terre de Sacha” in the Pyrenees in France (not far from Spain) and Sacha Mission near Sao Paulo in Brazil. It must also be mentioned that ShantiMayi’s disciples, scattered everywhere on the five continents, and Maharajji’s have also opened secondary centers which carry on the ideals and teachings of Maharajji and the Sacha lineage here and there on the planet. ShantiMayi herself travels a lot around the world to personally transmit these teachings.