Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University
Brahma Kumaris international logo
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| Formation | 1936 |
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| Founder | Lekhraj Kripalani |
| Type | Religious organization |
| Legal status | Foundation |
| Purpose | Educational, Philanthropic, Religious Studies, Spirituality |
| Headquarters | Mount Abu, Rajasthan, India |
| Location |
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| Coordinates | 24°35′33″N 72°42′30″E / 24.5925°N 72.7083°ECoordinates: 24°35′33″N 72°42′30″E / 24.5925°N 72.7083°E |
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Area served
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Worldwide |
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Key people
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Janki Kripalani, Hirdaya Mohini |
| Website | International India |
The Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University (Prajapita Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya) or BKWSU is a new religious movement that originated in Hyderabad, (current-day Pakistan) during the 1930s. The Brahma Kumaris (Sanskrit: ब्रह्माकुमारी, "daughters of Brahma") movement was founded by Dada Lekhraj Kripalani, who later took the name Brahma Baba. It is distinctly identified by the prominent role women play in the movement.
The Brahma Kumaris teaches a form of meditation that focuses on identity as souls (as opposed to bodies). They believe that all souls are intrinsically good and that God is the source of all goodness. The university teaches to transcend labels associated with the body, such as race, nationality, religion, and gender, and aspires to establish a global culture based on what they call "soul-consciousness".
In 2008, the movement claimed to have more than 825,000 regular students, with over 8,500 centers in 100 countries.
The Brahma Kumaris, originally called Om Mandali, started in Hyderabad, Sindh in north-west India. It received this name because members would chant "Om" together, before having discourse on spiritual matters in the traditional satsang style. The original discourses were closely connected to the Bhagavad Gita.
The founder, Dada Lekhraj Khubchand Kripilani (who became known in the group as "Om Baba") was a wealthy jeweller who was respected in the community for his piety. He reported what he said were a series of visions and other transcendental experiences that commenced around 1935 and became the basis for the discourses. He said he believed there was a greater power working through him and that many of those who attended these gatherings were themselves having spiritual experiences. The majority of those who came were women and children from the Bhaibund caste - a caste of wealthy merchants and business people whose husbands and fathers were often overseas on business.
After about three years of meetings it became clear that Om Mandali was giving very special importance to the role of women, and was not adhering to the rigid caste system. The group had named a 22-year-old woman, Radhe Pokardas Rajwani (then known as "Om Radhe") as its president, and her management committee was made up of eight other women. People from any caste were allowed to attend meetings. The group also advocated that young women had the right to elect not to marry and that married women had the right to choose a celibate life. In tradition-bound patriarchal India, these personal life decisions were the exclusive right of men.
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