At the age of only eight years, when Her parents were jailed for participating in the freedom struggle of India, she took up the responsibility of caring for her younger siblings. “The feeling that whatever our parents are doing is for our country’s freedom was so elevating… that we never even thought of little comforts that children ask for,” Shri Mataji recalled. At the age of seven, Shri Mataji spent some time with Mahatma Gandhi at his ashram. “He was a tremendous hard task master, but an extremely loving and compassionate person,” said Shri Mataji. “He always used to talk to me in a way as if I was a grandmother and he used to discuss things with me, most surprising to all others, in a way, (as if) I was wiser to everyone. Shri Mataji's childhood was dedicated to freedom struggle and to Her study of Medicine at the Christian Medical College in Ludhiana and at the Balakram Medical College in Lahore (Pre Independence India). In 1947, India finally became a free nation. It had been many years since Shri Mataji’s childhood discussions with Mahatma Gandhi, but not long before his last days, he asked to see Her. “I met him… immediately he recognized,” Shri Mataji recalled. “He said, ‘Meet me after prayer.’ When I met him, he said, ‘Now take to constructive work. Take to constructive work...”

 Shortly before India achieved independence Shri Mataji married Sir C.P. Srivastava, one of India's most dedicated civil servant officer, who was knighted by the Queen of England. He served as Secretary-General Emeritus of International Maritime Organisation. He was the Joint Secretary to the Prime Minister's office of the late Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri in the years 1964-66. Prime Minister Shastri Ji himself was an ideal model of honesty in India's political history. He was also awarded Padma Vibhushan in 2009 by the President of India. Shri Mataji, after fulfilling her family duty of bringing up her two daughters, embarked on her spiritual mission. She never discriminated against anyone, whatever his or her religion or background, and encouraged integration at all times. As Shri Mataji’s younger brother Shri H.P. Salve, fondly known as Babamama, recounted: “During the communal riots (at the time of the 1947 partition) there was an occasion when someone knocked at the door. When Shri Mataji opened it, she found one lady and two gentlemen standing at the entrance looking extremely frightened and scared. They told Shri Mataji that they were refugees from Pakistan and since one of them was a Muslim, the Hindus were after them, chasing them with drawn swords. Shri Mataji took them in without a moment’s hesitation and hide them in a room. "After some time some people came with drawn swords, and said that a Muslim was hiding in the house. Shri Mataji categorically denied and saved their lives. The three persons later became renowned personalities of Bollywood. 

H. H. Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi discovered this process of Kundalini Awakening called Self-Realisation on 5th May 1970 and has since given Self-Realisation to seekers all around the world. The Kundalini Awakening through Sahaja Yoga Meditation changed the lives of millions of people all over the world as she traveled across continents to ensure seekers all over the world get their Self-Realisation. Sahaja Yoga started with H.H. Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi spending Her own money and by selling Her precious jewellery and dedicated Herself for the evolution of mankind. It was Her perseverance and dedication to the cause of evolution of mankind that today Her disciples are in almost every large city across all major countries. She believed that the kundalini power once awakened within the seeker has the potential to resolve all physical, mental, emotional and spiritual issues. Seekers who received their Self Realisation felt the cool breeze (vibrations) on their palm and above the head thus scientifically feeling the Kundalini movement within the seeker. Self Realisation has always been the ultimate goal of all religions and spiritual traditions and has been described differently in various religions.

 H. H. Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi said that while in Nargol, on 5 May 1970, she witnessed the rising of the Primordial Kundalini within Herself. Later she described the experience as follows: "I saw my Kundalini rising very fast like a telescope opening out and it was a beautiful color that you see when the iron is heated up, a red rose color, but extremely cooling and soothing". She stated that the potential for all humanity to gain spiritual self-awareness was realised at this time, which H. H. Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi characterised as a "historical process of en-masse self-realisation and inner transformation". Soon after She founded Sahaja Yoga to provide seekers their Self Realisation.