Yes, John has it right - in 1973 I was a Knowledge selector only, picking people for K, and then helping the mahatma at the K session. I worked closely with a number of mahatmas of the time - Gurucharnanand, Ashokanand, Gyanyoganand, and several others.At that point there had only ever been one 'official' western Knowledge-giving mahatma, Saphlanand (originally a guy called Brian from Plymouth, England). I say 'official' cos both in USA and in UK several premies put on Indian robes and stated calling themselves mahatamas, without Maharaji's or Mataji's permission. M did not approve of this, and in fact at my prompting he stopped them all.
I was however almost an 'official' mahatama! In 1971 Maharaji asked me to drop university, and become a full-time mahatma. I asked him if I could think about it overnight, and after an agonising and sleepless night, I decided that I would sacrifice all my 'worldly' responsibilities, and do it.
When in the morning I went to tell him my decision, he said to me scathingly 'My mahatmas must obey me instantly'!! And that was the end of that!
-- Mike
