Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Passes Away

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi,

the illustrious sage of the Vedic Tradition of India, and guru to the Beatles, who over 50 years ago introduced the West to transcendental meditation to spiritually regenerate mankind and create world peace, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, February 5, 2008 at his international headquarters in Vlodrop, The Netherlands.

Read a short biography of Maharishi

Three weeks ago, on January 11, 2008, Maharishi publicly announced that he would be "retiring into silence," and said he was "closing his designed duty" to his spiritual master, Guru Dev. "I can only say, 'Live long the world in peace, happiness, prosperity, and freedom from suffering.'"

He then placed the administration of his global movement under the "capable leadership" of Maharaja Adhiraj Rajaraam, world-renowned neuroscientist, and his 48 international Ministers and Rajas (administrators)-along with thousands of teachers of Maharishi's Transcendental Meditation and directors of his movement throughout the world.

Maharishi's decision to retire was inspired by news that more than enough experts have now been trained in his peace-creating technologies of consciousness to raise any nation to invincibility and secure peace and prosperity for the world-and that his global organization is now in place to maintain this peace permanently.

"Maharishi's work is complete. He has done what he set out to do in 1957-to lay the foundation for a peaceful world. Now, Maharishi is being welcomed with open arms into Heaven," said Maharaja Adhiraj Rajaraam, first ruler of the Global Country of World Peace, Maharishi's global educational organization.

In his farewell message on January 11, Maharishi announced the establishment of the Brahmananda Saraswati Trust, named in honor of his teacher, Guru Dev, to support large groups totaling more than 30,000 peace-creating Vedic Pandits in perpetuity across India.

"The Brahmananda Saraswati Trust will ensure the glorification of life on earth on a permanent basis, for the individual and the nation. For all millennia to come, the world is going to be a peaceful, happy world. The future is bright-and that is my delight," Maharishi said.