Dadi (elder sister) Prakashmani (a diamond or jewel of light), aka Kumarka was the second administrative head of Prajapita Brahma Kumaris Godly Spiritual University (after Mamma). Dadi's childhood (loukik) name was Rama (रमा) who was born on 1 September 1922 in the northern Indian province of Hyderabad, Sindh which now is in Pakistan. Her father was a great worshiper and devotee of Vishnu and Rama also had a deep devotional love for Shri Krishna. Rama was only 15 years old when she first came in contact of the Om mandli (a group to whom baba use to speak the Gyan Murli in the early days), which was started around 1936 itself. This was the time around Diwali of 1937...
Rama had holidays from school during Diwali (a major festival in India) and so her loukik father asked her to go visit a Satsang (spiritual gathering) opened nearby. Actually, this satsang was formed by Dada Lekhraj upon his visions and directions imparted by the incorporeal God himself (Shiv baba). This Satsang was called as Om Mandli.
''On the first sight of the first day of seeing baba speaking murli, Rama lost in some other world. A few days back, she had a vision of Shri Krishna in a vast royal garden during early morning. The same vision she again got when she saw Dada Lekhraj (later, Brahma baba). She immediately recognised a divine presence in this gathering. She then also joined the Om Niwas boarding school (opened by Dada Lekhraj) where she used to teach literature to the children along with practising early morning meditation and Soul consciousness (as directed in early Murlis).
Introduction in Brief
In those early days, Baba gave a new name to Rama. A message came from subtle region (sukshma vatan) that the new name of this kumari (Rama) will be 'Prakashmani'. Know more of this on our History page.
In 1939, dadi, along with the Om Mandli came to Karachi (Pakistan) and after 12 years of tapasya (penance), in March 1950 (after independence of India) the entire group came and settled in Mount Abu, which is still the centre place of Prajapati Brahma Kumaris. For the first time, in 1952 service was started around India. BK Prakashmani also went on service and many centres were opened by her. Dadi mainly stayed in Bombay (now, Mumbai).
Till 1965, dadi was yet guided by Mamma. But after June 1965, as mamma left the body, dadi gained more responsibilities of the organisation and centres.
As a Head of Organisation
On 18 Jan 1969, as the aloukik father of Yagya (Brahma baba) left the body (became avyakt), Dadi Prakashmani was given the responsibility of Yagya along with Didi Manmohini. As you may know, the avyakt part of BapDada began immediately in 1969 and hence no one had a feeling of how would everything happen. Now Dadi was directly responsible to look after the entire yagya, services and BK family. In the 1970s, services took a flight. Centres were opened in foreign countries (UK, US, Australia). Dadis became an instrument (nimmit) for this worldwide service. In 1984, Didi Manmohini also left the body. Then after Dadi Prakashmani handled even more responsibilities of centres.
Dadi's Services
In 1954, Dadi led a delegation to the Second World Religious Congress in Japan. She went on a six-month tour of Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia, delivering spiritual talks and lectures and promoting RajYoga meditation, which helped millions of souls to restore inner peace, power, harmony and happiness in their lives.
In the year 1986, under the supervision of Dadi Prakashmani, 'Million Minutes of Peace' appeal was organised by the United Nations (UN) on the occasion of the international year of peace. This served people of all backgrounds to unite together to observe peace and brotherhood, and it also brought a big value to Brahma kumaris, which was then recognised as an international NGO by the UN.
Alongside, centres in India also started to grow. Dadi opened many centres in all the states of India. She personally visited most of them. Due to her immense contribution in bringing betterment in many people's lives, she was given many regional and national recognitions, including the messenger of peace award by the United Nations.
Today, there is a BK centre or a Geeta Pathshala at every 6 to 10 km distance wherever you live in India. All this happened by 2007. On August the 25th, 2007, Dadi Prakashmani left the physical body and joined the advance party (as later clarified by BapDada in the year 2013)
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Dadi's Nature
Dadi's nature was very sweet, tolerating and co-operative. She was hard working and does all the service of Yagya, like attending spiritual seminars, giving lectures, opening centres, and even helping to prepare food for the visitors. Everyone loved dadi as a mother, a guide and a dear friend. The speciality of dadi however, was the feeling for baba's yagya as one big family. "No one is a stranger, we all are children of one father", she reaffirms.
Dadiji would describe herself as an instrument of Shiv Baba, to serve the souls by reminding them of their innate virtues and powers– and that it is through the awakening of these inner qualities that we can collectively transform our world.
At 10:05 am local time on 25th August 2007, the soul of Dadi Prakashmani passed away to the subtle world (sukshma vatan) while her body was in coma and under medical observation at the Shantivan complex on Mount Abu Road in Rajasthan, India.
Honours given to Dadi Prakashmani
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Dharma Chakra Medal (1984)
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Key to city of Los Angeles (1984)
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City Medals of Sao Paulo and Frankfurt (1984)
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United Nations International Year of Peace Medal (1986)
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International Peace Messenger Award from the UN Secretary General (1987)
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Honorary Doctor of Literature from Mohanlal Sukhadia University, Udaipur, India (1992)
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Giant Award for Social work from Giant International, Mumbai (1994)
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’Dharma Ratna’, by World Religious Parliament, New Delhi.
Some words of Dadi Prakashmani…
“As in a family, the basis of this organisation is love, and it flourishes because it is nourished with trust and respect”.
“Only a powerful soul can offer love. Only a powerful soul can afford to be humble. If we are weak, then we become selfish. If we are empty, we take; but if we are filled, we automatically give to all. That is our nature.”
“If you have the feeling that you belong to everyone, and look after everybody as a trustee, you are enabled to do the righteous actions. By having love, rather than attachment.''