Home > Health > Yoga > Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi
Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi
Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi was one who brought about the practice of Sahaja Yoga in order to reinstate the spiritual power

Share this Article:

Shri Mataji Nirmala DeviShri Mataji Nirmala Devi reintroduced the method of Sahaja Yoga. She was born in March 21, 1923 in a Christian family in Chindawara, India. Prasad Salve and Cornelia Salve were the parents of Nirmala Devi. The family was the direct descendent of the royal Shalivahana dynasty. When Nirmala Mataji was born she looked beautiful and had a spotless brilliance. That is the reason why her name was Nirmala, means immaculate.

Later on, she was known towards the multitude by the name of Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi. She had complete Self Realization from her very childhood and at very young age she had the unique gift, which she made available to all mankind later.

Nirmala Mataji`s parents were the freedom fighters in British Governed India. Her father was a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi. He was the member of the Constituent Assembly of India and helped to write India`s first constitution. He was also a famous scholar and knew fourteen languages. Prasad Salve also translated Koran in Marathi. Nirmala Mataji`s mother was the first woman in India to receive the Honors degree in Mathematics.

Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi lived with her parents in the Ashram of Mahatma Gandhi during her childhood. Gandhi found the wisdom in the child and used to appreciate her talent. He also affectionately called her Nepali because of the Nepali features at her face. Gandhiji even used to ask her suggestions in the spiritual matter, as she possessed a deep insight.

Shri Nirmala Mataji was involved in the freedom struggle very closely. She was very courageous and she took a daring role as the youth leader of the campaign. In the year 1942, Gandhiji announced "Quit India Movement", in which Nirmala Mataji took active part and was arrested and prisoned along with the other freedom fighters.

Shri Mataji was born with a complete understanding of the Human nervous system and its energetic counterparts. She wanted to be acquainted with the scientific vocabulary related to these subjects and for this reason she studied medicine and psychology at the Christian Medical College in Lahore.

Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi Shortly before India achieved the independence Shri Nirmala Mataji married Sir C.P.Srivastava, who had knighthood title given by the Queen of England. He was one of the India`s most dedicated Civil Servant Officers. It is believed that Nirmala Mataji brought luck to her husband`s life. She embarked on her spiritual mission after fulfilling her familial duty of bringing up her daughters.

Although Nirmala Mataji was aware about her spiritual consciousness she was not quite sure how to present it to the people of present days. As she was meditating on the various problems of human being on 5th of May 1970 on a lonely beach of Nargol, she was suddenly filled with divine spiritual experience and she found an answer to her question. She went through a historical process to communicate her self-realization with thousands of people and made them go through spiritual transformation.

Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi tried the method of awakening the spiritual power of every human being, which is called Kundalini by Hindus, Ruh by Muslims and Holy Ghost by the Christians. Sri Mataji tried the process first on her close people and noticed their physical, mental and spiritual changes. Slowly she understood that this process is effective for all human problems and so she decided to spread this method in en-masse level. She invested her own money and time to talk to the people and gave them the key to their spiritual powers. The people who felt the spiritual power experienced a cool breeze over their whole body, especially on their palms of their hands and the top of the head (around the fontanel bone area). Everybody was quite astonished at the working of this process. Many people argued and disputed but they could not disbelieve their own experience. Under the instructions of Shri Mataji, they tried to transform the power to others and thus they realized that they had also gain some true spiritual experience that was found in every religion.

Shri Nirmala Mataji neither charges for her lectures nor for the transformation of the spiritual experience. Even it is not necessary that one have to be the member of the organization. Though it is very surprising that Shri Mataji has no financial support from anybody. She insists that one need not pay for enlightenment and even today she is helping the human beings with this selfless attitude.

Since 1970, Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi went through a very busy schedule. She traveled 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 being or arising of Kundalini at an en masse level.

Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi A huge number of people irrespective of race, religion, age or social status have acknowledged the value of Nirmala Mataji`s teachings and established Sahaja Yoga Centers in over seventy-five nations. The people who live a normal family life has exploited their inner spiritual power through Sahaja Yoga meditation and have attained a complete balance of their lives on the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual levels. They also realized that the integration of all religions and spiritual paths are not only in the mental level but also through their direct tangible experience in the central nervous system. In ancient time, this method evolved which is still very significant in the modern days.

Shri Nirmala Mataji has delivered many lectures, given many televisions and radio interviews and been the subject of hundred of newspaper articles in India as well as all over the world. She is the regular visitor of Russia and UK to serve her spiritual mission. She is well recognized by several prestigious institutions of Europe and America. Mataji has been also a guest in China and Brazil. Shri Mataji was declared "Personality of the Year" in the year1986 by the Italian Government.

Shri Nirmala Mataji was tremendous concerned to create a number of NGOs to alleviate human sufferings. Shri Mataji established an international hospital in Mumbai help patients to be cured by Sahaja yoga methods. This hospital is producing successful results in curing a number of incurable diseases like cancer, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis etc. She has promoted an international cancer research institute in Mumbai studies on the Sahaja yoga method to cure various illnesses, including psychosomatic disease. Shri Nirmala Mataji has built an international music school also to promote classical music. She has also built a charity house for the poor people in Delhi, which provides shelter to destitute and homeless people. She also practiced them the method of Sahaja yoga so that they become better individuals.

Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi has sacrificed her life to trigger spiritual ascent in human souls and reclaimed the role of women in spiritual evolution. She always followed the ideals of Gandhiji. Shri Nirmala Mataji was called divine mother by her followers and Ayatollah Rouhani called her " Messenger of Peace".


Share this Article:

Related Articles

More Articles in Yoga


Meditative Asanas
Meditative Asanas are essentially designed to aid one’s meditation and concentration, and formed the basis for several other Asanas in creating a complete physical culture.
Cultural Asanas
Cultural Asanas refer to the daily physical exercise postures that train the body and mind in Yoga Practice.
Soma Chakra
Soma Chakra is a minor chakra in the seventh chakra which is located above the third eye, in the centre of the forehead.
Jihva-Bandha
Jihva Bandha is one of the cultural asanas that improves the nervous and circulatory system. It means tongue-lock which strengthens the muscles of the neck and the cervical nerves.
Nauli Kriya
Nauli Kriya is a cultural asana where the Yogi rotates the abdomen speedily like a rotating whirlpool.
Tantra Kundalini
The Kundalini Tantra is the awakening of the vital force according to the Kundalini.
Kundalini Chakras
Kundalini Chakras are psychic energy centres or vortices, which connect between our psychic and physical energy systems.
Tadasana Yoga Asana
Tadasana, or the Mountain Pose is a standing Yoga posture with feet together and hands at the sides of the body, and improves one`s height and flexibility.
Asanas in Sitting Position
Asanas in Sitting Position help in aligning the spine and develop a sense of stability required for practice of pranayama and meditation.
Types of Yoga
Types of Yoga benefits the practitioner mentally, physically and spiritually. However, speculating the right Yoga as per the need of an individual is very important.
Siddhasana Yoga Asana
Siddhasana is one of the most well known meditative postures, and is termed ‘the chief of all Asanas’ in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika.
Asanas in Standing Pose
Asanas in Standing Pose are generally held for shorter times than other poses, and tend to be more energetically uplifting and opening.
Patanjali Yoga Sutras
The Patanjali Yoga Sutras are compiled by Maharshi Patanjali in 2000 BC and are considered to be the basic texts of Yoga.
Vakrasana - Yoga Asana
Vakrasana is a simplified form of the Ardha Matsyendrasana, an asana named after Matsyendranath, the founder of Hatha Yoga. It stretches the thigh and tones the abdomen.
Types of Yoga Asanas
Types of Yoga Asanas are stated on varied bases like postures, methods and objectives. The practice of yoga asanas provides a wide range of mental and physical benefits.
Impact of Yoga on Excretory System
Impact of Yoga on excretory system is indefinable as it not only helps the particular system but the body.
Yoga Asanas
Yoga Asanas are comfortable and peaceful postures that make the physical body ready for the higher and more spiritual levels of Yoga practice.
Surabhi Mudra
Surabhi Mudra is a powerful and effective mudra that helps in breaking barriers and achieving ultimate meditation.
Yoga - Discipline for Complete Health
Yoga is the traditional physical and mental disciplines in India that aims to keep body and mind fit.
Kubera Mudra
Kubera Mudra, a form of Hatha Yoga, leads to the elevation of mental peace and physical relief by proper practice and cleanses frontal sinuses.
Asanas in Lying Position
Asanas in lying position are known as Supine pose which are helpful to relax the body as well as to strengthen the muscles.