▁went ▁into ▁deep ▁med itation ▁for ▁ 7 2 ▁hours ▁after ▁this ▁incident , ▁which ▁led ▁to ▁ ▁( re count ing ▁of ▁previous ▁lives ). ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁R akes h ▁visited ▁H amp i ▁and ▁stayed ▁for ▁eigh teen ▁months . ▁A ▁s ats ang - m andal ▁( dev ot ional ▁group ) ▁was ▁formed ▁by ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁and ▁some ▁follow ers ▁had ▁already ▁started ▁to ▁call ▁him ▁g uru ▁by ▁ 1 9 8 0 . ▁During ▁his ▁visit ▁to ▁his ▁a unt ▁in ▁Ja ip ur , ▁he ▁decided ▁to ▁dev ote ▁rest ▁of ▁his ▁life ▁to ▁spiritual ▁activities . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 3 , ▁he ▁visited ▁H amp i ▁again ▁and ▁stayed ▁there ▁for ▁two ▁years . ▁There ▁he ▁was ▁nominated ▁as ▁M ata ji ' s ▁successor . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 5 , ▁he ▁returned ▁to ▁M umb ai ▁upon ▁his ▁parents ' ▁request ▁and ▁started ▁studying ▁religious ▁texts , ▁pract icing ▁y oga ▁and ▁learning ▁Indian ▁classical ▁music . ▁He ▁observed ▁silence ▁for ▁twelve ▁hours ▁a ▁day ▁and ▁tra ve led ▁extens ively ▁between ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁and ▁ 1 9 9 0 . ▁During ▁this ▁period , ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁follow ers ▁around ▁him ▁continued ▁to ▁grow . ▁During ▁his ▁hol id ays ▁in ▁Nep al , ▁he ▁decided ▁to ▁purs ue ▁the ▁college ▁studies . ▁ ▁He ▁completed ▁B . ▁A . ▁from ▁Os mania ▁University , ▁Hy der