A common feature of many Eastern religious groups which have found a foothold in Western society is the presence of a charismatic guru around whom belief and devotion can be centered. This study examines one such religious leader, Guru Maharaj Ji of the Divine Light Mission. Attention is directed towards the nature of the guru in the eyes of his followers, the task and mission both assumed by him and attributed to him, and the devotional or worshipful aspect exhibited by the devotees. The ambivalent figure of this guru and the possible crises of the Mission, namely, the question of the sucession of the guru and the youthful age of Maharaj Ji, are deemed important enough to influence the future course of the Divine Light Mission and the role the guru will play in its life.