Brahma Kumaris and so-called Raja Yoga: The Real Story
Remembering those who have taken their lives as a result of associating with the BKWSU
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The Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University is a large international cult that teaches a philosophy that is unique unto itself whilst maintaining an appearance of traditional eastern schools of thought. The message is one of love and peace, of purifying one’s karma and of helping the souls of the world achieve happiness. What they actually believe is extreme and unrelated to any scripture. Their organisational practises are deceptive if not fraudulent. The result has been traumatic for many.
The growth of the Brahma Kumaris over 70 years has been the result of the dedicated efforts of those who have come and gone during that time. They believed in spirituality but trusted people they shouldn’t have. Many people have given many years of their lives, all their effort, money, and other resources while they were manipulated by their desire to be better people than they believed they were. When they were exhausted they were abandoned by an organisation that has no duty of care policy or practise and that accepts no responsibility for the outcomes it creates.
This website is dedicated to minimising trauma and saving lives by pressuring the Brahma Kumaris (BKs) to implement a meaningful duty of care program. The following pages will allow you to understand The Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University and how it operates, demonstrate that the BKWSU is a cult, and provide evidence of deception and tax fraud. It will help you to understand how people become trapped in its ranks. And how members and former members reach such desperation that they take their own lives.
Each of the following pages opens with a brief summary. If you want to know more, read on….
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By editor, August 28, 2008 @ 1:33 am
Greetings. Please keep in mind that it is not the purpose of this site to malign the BKs – that would require unsubstantiated slander. There is nothing on this site that is unsupported or that could not be argued in a court of law.
Also keep in mind that the purpose of this site is to press the BKs for a duty of care policy. We are contacted regularly by distressed members and ex members of the BKs and their families. I have talked some of these people back from the brink of suicide. Why do they need to come to us?!
The BKs themselves take no responsibility at all for the trauma people experience as a result of their association with them. That they have no duty of care program, especially given the context of what they promise, is criminal. When the BKs finally implement an effective and laudable duty of care program, this site will be taken down.
Regards, BKwatch
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By Sanjeev, August 29, 2008 @ 1:39 am
AUM Shanti.
Dear Editor,
Please write about what you mean by duty of care program which you expect BK institution to adopt. Or email it to me. Eagerly waiting for your reply.
Thanks.
Sanjeev.
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MC Sharma Reply:
June 14th, 2009 at 6:31 am
On Shanti,
Dear Editor
I shall be grateful to know about one or two of the ex-Bks in order to satisfy myself that their problems are really due to their association with the Bks.
Thanks
MC
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By editor, August 29, 2008 @ 8:39 am
Sanjeev, this whole site is about duty of care. In particular, please go to the page marked “duty of care”.
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By rstaff, December 17, 2008 @ 7:14 am
I would like to applaud this site.
I had contact with this organisation some years ago and had severe doubts about it’s integrity. the BKs undoubtedly have some decent members BUT they do claim to be the only group God speaks to. They say they do NOT elicit money but there are heavy suggestions to donate specific amounts (e.g. I was once in Oxford and it was suggested £70 would be a good donation).
They advertise locally in Nottingham their stress classes with no info about their beliefs. I know many people lured in by this only to be invited to ‘progress’ and take the meditation when the dogma is introduced. When I attended I was told that yoga and other religions were ‘bhakti’ or MINDLESS DEVOTION and that BKs were the only ones with the truth.
Knowing many Indian people, they warned me that the BKs were ‘twisting’ yoga/hindu philosophy. I really think we should all lobby the charities commission. I believe truth will always win in the end and that one day the BKs will be shown up for what they are – an elitist cult
Cheers Rob
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By Samba, February 12, 2009 @ 3:08 am
I was never a BK but am pained to say that two of my sisters and my mother are trapped by their sweet talk. My sisters are not allowing thier sons to marry and have psychologically convinced them that marrying is equal to hell. They have slowly gone away from the rest of the family of 4 sisters and 3 brothers. Currently they are thoroughly miserable but are imagining that this is the way to reach heavens.
I highly appreciate your website in providing a true perspective of this most harmful cult.
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shayell Reply:
May 11th, 2009 at 12:13 am
you know, marriage is the result of the lust and once a person is being trapped in it he or she forgets about the spirituality and starts being body concious,then come the ego, greed, anger…its coz we tend to live on high expectation. when the expectations are not fulfilled then comes the frustration.then the life becomes miserable.
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Rashmi Nair Reply:
June 10th, 2009 at 4:00 am
I am curious to know the counter argument to this point- you say that physical attraction is merely lust. Lust is generally defined as a conscious negative sexual attraction towards something/someone. It is a conscious experience. How is it that in sleep, particularly is slow wave sleep (which is when the autonomic nervous system takes over and you are essentially not under conscious control over the body or mind) the brain generates ’sexual signals’ in the amygdala and frontal cortex to cause automated orgasm and ejaculation? We consider in the medical profession as the body’s natural way to clear the reproductive organs of fluid and debris. Another point- why do women menstruate and have all the physical features prepared for conception and birth? Why are physically and hormonally controlled to physically reproduce? The error in your argument is that you equate attraction for lust which is incorrect. Sex and attachment are natural processes for all living creatures and are in no way sinful or harmful and I consider despite coming from a scientific background, a creation of God. What the BKs teach people is unhealthy and is of great concern.
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Rashmi Nair Reply:
June 10th, 2009 at 4:11 am
In addition- dissapointment does not equate to misery. It is a natural part of life to win and lose. Nobody and nothing wins all the time. You see, everything exists relative to everything else. We do not know what it is to be happy without knowing what it is to be sad. Expectations is the way people aim and direct the events they want to occur in life and are in no way bad to have. With regards to love- love exists in many forms. We cannot all be brothers and sisters simultaneously because nature does not work that way. There is parental love, sibling love, platonic love, romantic love. BKs only seem to find that romantic love is the only ’sinful and impure’ type? Its still love. And marriage is the religious and SPIRITUAL bond to manifest that. What BKs teach is to forgo all your responsibilities. When you have none, how then will you face difficulties in your life? You wouldn’t.
SP Reply:
June 18th, 2009 at 8:02 pm
I have had few encounters with BK communities and was quite impressed initially. However I do not understand this whole concept of Celibacy and Spirituality. Well, just hypothetically, if each and every single “Soul” tried to become pure and there for become celibate, There would be no one alive to hear from the supreme!
Secondly, if you refer to any Hindu Scripts, including Vedas (Considered to be original source of all knowledge there is), there is no mention of connection between spirituality and marriage, let alone sex!
All sages and Vrishis as they are refereed to in Hinduism were married.
I think that Marriage and Lust takes one away from spirituality is just load of non-sense. True spirituality, ideally, should enable a person to become aware of and in control of senses, which by the way, does not mean supress them!…
Being a Hindu myself, it pains a lot to see such kind of extremely modified way of living that pushes most of its member to suffer most horrible psychological problems.
I wish Shivbaba somehow finds a moment to think about it and does something about it..as there is no hope from within BKs
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By Nav, March 3, 2009 @ 8:12 am
I have recently joined Brahmakumaris and have found that they are very much in line with Bhagvad Geeta and Upanishads. I have studied both.
Can you publish the name of the people who have suffered because of BKs. Communicating with them may open our eyes to the truth as you see it. Otherwise it may be just another hate site by a person who failed to live upto the high ideals
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By Joel, March 4, 2009 @ 5:16 pm
Responding to Nav, teaching, culture and behavior are different. Teachings of Christ and Mohammed are also high, yet do not equate to virtue among the successors, whatever their position. Be happy with the Brahma Kumaris if that is your inclination. If you have questions, the forum is full of personal stories. You can find some highlights in the Classic Posts section.
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By Kyrie, March 17, 2009 @ 12:31 am
my apology to the publisher but even i had not visited any BK center for a quite long time, i tell you many had been changed for a better, and i am one of those living evidence, why don’t you close you’re eyes and open wide you’re horizon. om shanti…
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editor Reply:
June 11th, 2009 at 5:20 am
Some people have taken benefit – but only by passing through. Other people stayed and in the end were so deeply trapped in this cult that they took their own lives. You need to open your eyes and not just assess the situation on your own passing experience.
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SP Reply:
June 18th, 2009 at 8:17 pm
I completely agree with Editor,
I think there should be a defined exit strategy for BKs who do not wish to remain BKs anymore!
From what I have seen, they are in such cases, subjected to extreme alienation.
There is no support from leadership to facilitate this process! Which creates so many psychological issues. If you are BK, your 99% of world revolves around “Brahmins”, which means you obtain DeFacto superiority over all other souls on the planet. Which means a long time BK is No One outside BK circle, no social connection, no support system, Nothing!
I do not support Hate mechanism, but I wished there was a way to create more harmonious belief system than how it is at present.
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By unenlightened, May 31, 2009 @ 5:46 pm
I have personally met the three people above – numbers 2,3, & 5. I have been attending talks & meditations with the Brahma Kumaris at a local library, for around 6 months. Tonight I decided to do some digging into their beliefs & history, after enrolling on a course with them – needless to say I won’t be going back to attend anything else.
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By Tania, June 1, 2009 @ 10:25 pm
good site
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By LISA, June 7, 2009 @ 3:49 pm
PEOPLE SHOULD MAKE UP THEIR OWN MINDS ABOUT THINGS, NOT LISTEN TO SOMEONE ELSE. IF A PERSON IS SUICIDAL THEY NEED MEDICAL ATTENTION.
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By editor, June 7, 2009 @ 6:12 pm
We agree. But anyone who is deeply involved with the Brahma Kumaris does not – they have been convinced that their only salvation is as a BK. This is the centre of the problem and why we have this site: the Brahma Kumaris have failed in the duty of care of their members to the point that people become so confused that they commit suicide.
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By MC Sharma, June 14, 2009 @ 8:47 am
Hi, detractors of BKs,
May be my short experience with the BKs would perhaps convince you all that the problem lies not with this org, but the individuals who attribute their problems to the working of this institution.
I, along with my wife (Whom I have since started calling her as my YUGAL and my wife calls me the same) started going to the BKs ‘Rajyog’ centre a few months back. The reason was that both of us were greatly interested in meditating and were looking for some guidance. We took the 7 days course before joining the ‘Murli Classes’. We explained that we were not interested in the ‘classes’ as such but would like to learn the techniques of the ‘Raj Yog’ meditation only. We were told that the techniques would be explained in the ‘Murli ‘ classes. The 7 days course did not impress us at all since it was all about the ‘Kalpa cycle’ ‘Sangam Yug’ , the approaching ‘Millennium’ the Sat Yug etc. etc. We just could not bring ourselves to believe in such things having no scientific basis. Anyways, we regularly attended the ‘Murli’ classes for a fortnight or so and imbibed the BKs technique of meditation. Also, we attentively listened to the GYAN read out to us in the classes. We analyzed the short experience and concluded as follows:
Raj Yog : The term has been borrowed from Patanjali’s Sutra where the Raj Yog consists of 8 steps, namely, (1)Yama – Non-killing, truthfulness, non-stealing, continence, and non-receiving of any gifts; (2) Niyama – cleanliness, contentment, austerity, study, and self-surrender to God; (3) Asana –posture; (4) Pranayama-control of breathing; (5) Pratyahara- restraint of senses from their objects; (6) Dharana –fixing the mind on a spot; (7) Dhyana- meditation(Concentration) and (8) Samadhi- super-consciousness.
We immediately understood that (1) the BKs have started from step 6 and ignore step 8. (2) The objective of the BKs is not to reach super-conscious state through the rigorous training of the classical Raj Yog but to practice concentration on the Self and to be able to observe the inner happenings of the mind as a witness (Sakshi) and to ultimately control the working of the mind. (3) To our queries, we were told that there is no prohibition if one wishes to practice other steps. (4) BKs also term this technique as Sahaja (easy) yoga and rightly so. (4) This is the only way through which the mass of humanity could practice concentration and control ‘self’.
Now, pl tell me if you guys could take an exception to this and indulge in criticizing BKs for bringing Raj Yog (Albeit in modified form) to every home and accusing them of twisting traditional systems which always remained on paper and only a few take advantage. Our experience is that the technique is successful in achieving the stated objective if practiced regularly with devotion.
In my nexst post, I would attempt to clear other cob-webs in your minds if the website permits.
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thenakedtruth Reply:
June 14th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
MC Sharma,
Your response was rather interesting for it was not only informative and possibly accurate too, but filled with ignorance at the same time. Take a moment to think about what some very well-intentioned BK’s may have gone through to have reached this place where criticism is long overdue. Now, once you’ve taken a moment to come down from your high chair, be thankful that you are not one of them.
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Not another cultie Reply:
June 30th, 2009 at 3:59 am
MC Sharma …
You are correct that the Brahma Kumaris have taken the term from elsewhere but their practise has nothing to do with Raja Yoga or Patanjali.
What you are basically doing is what many of us did before … fool ourselves into believing on the basis of what thought we already knew. Yes, the fact that you are new makes you easy to be duped in the same way that we were all duped before.
Ask your center-in-charge why they have re-write the channeled messages that are meant to be God speaking in person hiding all the failed predictions of the End of the World … WWII, 1950, 1976, mid-1980s … it has been going on and on like this.
The only truth you will discover about the Brahma Kumaris is that the money and followers’ properties going in one direction … into the Brahma Kumaris’ pockets.
Why does a cult that believes in the End of the World need so many Freehold properties and so much land!?!
Does it not seem like extortion to you?
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By thenakedtruth, June 14, 2009 @ 1:36 pm
Shaye’s reply above is BK speak. Good BK’s are like obedient sheep who follow the herd, believe everything they are told, and then repeat it. To say that marriage is a result of lust is the kind of blank generalized statement that reveals either lack of education or lack of experience. People marry for many reasons some of which happen to be love, and love is a spiritual quality. Having sex does not suddenly cancel out love. The BK’s have second grade sex education. If you are 7 and under you might benefit from it. But for mature adults who know the difference between thoughtless sex and love between two people who care about each other, will find the BK information about sex not just infantile but simply wrong and dangerously misleading.
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By MC Sharma, June 16, 2009 @ 10:27 pm
I doubt if Shaye’s reply could be termed as BK speak. I have not come across any thing written/spoken in the Bk classes where such a view of marriage is taken. Possibly, such views may have been meant for the ’surrendered’ individuals and not for generality (like in the case of christian nuns). What is emphasised is control of ‘Kama’(among other ‘vikars’)by developing powers of self-control through Raj Yoga and shaye and Rashmi Nair , perhaps would agree with me that excess of ‘Kama’ like any other excess is bad and harmful to an individual. Controlled ‘kama’ could clear the physiological debris and also strengthen mutual bonding and regulated procreation. In the process of clearing debris, more often, people end up sapping their vital energies. Now, this excess has to do more with thought process/ mind set than merely with biological function. This kind of thought process could be controlled by acquiring self-control through Rajyoga. That is all there to it. Pl do not bother yourself about the life style of the ’surrendered’ bks. It is their choice. You can just avoid excesses by controlling your thought processes. While trying to clear the ‘debris’ how often we care whether the ‘dump yard’ owner is also in a position to receive the debris? I would be grateful if any ex-BK could quote from any Murli which would confirm Shaye’s view. Thanks for listening. My next post would address Samba, February 12, 2009. Thanks for listening
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Rashmi Nair Reply:
June 17th, 2009 at 4:40 am
I think the way they choose to live their lifestyle should be a matter of concern especially when they are a close member of your family. If one chooses to practice a more austere lifestyle for one’s own good then that is fine- however when those lifestyle choices not only impact them as people and make them consider those around them secondary or unimportant, then theres an issue. Your comments regarding that marriage is not portrayed that way in the teachings is incorrect because I have gone to classes myself and taken the gyan and that was what was told to me when I asked the same question- that “marriage is not a necessary relationship”. Fine marriage isn’t- but intimacy is as human beings.
The actual practical side of Raj Yoga is a positive thing and I wouldn’t object to it personally. However, the so called ‘gyan’ that comes along with it I think are highly reprehesible on ethical and moral grounds and for someone who is watching their loved ones slip away to this rotten organisation it is a painful thing to witness.
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Rashmi Nair Reply:
June 17th, 2009 at 4:42 am
Oh and every married couple I met in my time at the meetings were extremely disfunctional and unhappy. If thats not evidence then I don’t know what is.
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By vasudevarao nandipati, June 23, 2009 @ 11:09 am
I have been with BKs for 9 years. Later I got married. No repentence. I sometimes visit the BK center with my wife.
Hear the teachings. Decide yourself what to do. No body imposes anything on you. Keeping balance is also taught in the class. Interpret the murali on your own. Then you will not blame anyone. Because Gita also taught all these things. People interpreted it in their own way and lived happily with gita. Regardng money: Decide yourself how much you can donate. Then be within that limit. Dont blame the organisation.you lost balance and blaming the organisation. it is you who to be blamed for losing the balance.
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editor Reply:
June 24th, 2009 at 1:59 am
You cannot make comments about me without knowing me or my story. One thing that is important to keep in mind is that it is very different for a westerner to join the Bks. For Indians there are many paths and many gurus – to accept some teachings and ignore the rest is quite normal.
When I came across the BKs the relationship of westerners with the BK teachings was very different. It really was an all or nothing type situation – you just weren’t allowed to view from a distance. It has changed more recently because so many people left the organisation and they just had to relax a bit. Now it is more like a whirlpool – if can stay on the outside it is fine, but if you get too close to the centre you will get sucked in. In my day it was just like a big hole and if you got too close you just got pushed in.
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thenakedtruth Reply:
June 29th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
I agree with the editor because I am a westerner. Besides, if vasudevarao nandipati had learned anything about compassion his answer would have been different regardless of whether he was Indian or Western. The bottom line is, the organization is to blame for giving bad advice. If they had been hired help, they would have been fired. But they used spirituality and a bunch of Indian verbage that’s all Greek to us. Not to mention the hokus pokus of their ghost entity. In the west we have something called liability where you are responsible for your actions. We don’t just nonchalantly hand it over to some ghost and call it God.
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