Heaven and Hell – influence of Guru

Writer’s Note — I am sharing this post with a lot of trepidation . I don’t wish to cast aspersions on any of the people mentioned below and have had no personal experience with them . My only personal experience has been the grace of Swami ji- and it is to him that I surrender completely 

For the first time in life , after I read Swami ji’s consecutive posts on Private vs personal and Surprise!I reflected on my own beliefs. I kept my spiritual leanings strictly to myself . But  after being deeply moved by the 2 posts ,I was willing to throw away the blanket of privacy and openly stand as a  soldier to the cause of reviving the Sanatana Dharma .

And when I did that , I realized for the first time the grave we are digging for ourselves – as far as the cause was concerned ,when I faced criticism , my sanity was doubted and my well meaning friends beseeched my husband to stop me from treading the spiritual path.  Let me just recount  two incidents from this weekend . Meera ji’s post on Jaago Sadhak Jago and Hetal ji’s post on speak up – also added some motivation to put down my thoughts -so my deepest gratitude to them .

This weekend I was on an emotional roller coaster as I saw people recounting their tales of bliss and horror , of inspiration and total dejection — thanks to their Guru.

The first story

I had to connect one of my closest friends to my Jija ji ( Brother in law) who was in India for the last rites of his mother . My friend — a very successful coach and entrepreneur became fanatic about the cause of organ donation, when her father — an illustrious former head of Intelligence Bureau and Administrator of Lakshdwweep — died of ILD — while awaiting lung transplant . This friend — moved heaven and earth to save him, only to lose the battle . But post his demise — she put her energy to use in canvassing for organ donation — with doctors , hospitals ministers , traffic police and RTOs .(Regional transport offices) . Thanks to her efforts — a few RTOs designed license forms that — opted you in for organ donation unless you specifically opted out. She tried to create awareness by organizing various seminars with eminent doctors from AIIMS( All India Institute of Medical Sciences)/ other institutes — emphasising on the need for organ donation and the ease of doing the same . She often ran into the religious biases and traditional notions which prevented families from opting for organ donation . So , she was really intrigued when I told her that my Jija ji’s mother , an old and traditional lady donated her entire body for organ donation and medical purposes inspired by her Guru .

My Jija ji(eldest cousin’s husband to be precise) is a successful tech CEO based in the US . His siblings are successful and eminent doctors .While talking about his mother and her last wish— he was clear that it was the Guru’s inspiration for organ donation that made his mother overcome all traditional barriers, family pressure and social questions and preclude her own cremation. “ Guru’s inspiration goes a long way to change your beliefs , he said and sighed — before adding — “both in the positive and the negative direction.”

Given the cryptic response – I quizzed him further. And  he mentioned the story of his younger brother — a well respected doctor at AIIMS — who became absolutely devoted to Baba Ram Rahim Insaan- the leader of Dera Sachcha Sauda (  Messenger of God Fame.  Actor ,Screenwriter ,singer director You can look up his most popular songs – you are my love charger  ). His wife felt he was being brainwashed and tried to protest and stop her husband . On Babaji’ s instructions — that the wife was simply unable to understand and appreciate his divinity- this doctor walked out of his marriage and married someone else — another devotee suggested by Baba ji . ( A few years back — Baba ji was in the news during his trial for the murder of an ashram inmate — and there were mob violence  issues not just in Sirsa  where the Dera was based ,but in all of Punjab which another one of my friends, a fearless District Collector, deftly  handled  .) Jija ji’s younger brother still proclaims — “ Pita ji ( as Baba Ram Rahim is called)  was framed”

“My mother’s Guru inspired her to leave her organs for everyone’s benefit and my brother’s Guru made him give up everything and leave his family behind for his own  benefit” he summed up.

The Second Story

I had forwarded Swami ji’s post (Surprise !) to my entire family and was trying to get my friends and family to use the Sadhna App. A well meaning friend sought my husband out and insisted with him that we watch the series on Discovery Plus — “ My daughter joined a cult”  The series is on the rise and fall of Swami Nithyananda — a well known preacher from South India — who aside from being the prime accused in various sex scandals — proclaims himself to be God — the avatar of Shiva himself .  He calls himself Paramshiva .The web-series is critical of him and brings out how he exploited the faith of devotees who totally surrendered to him . The ex devotees mention how their lives had become living hell and they just looked for any way to escape . He asked his female devotees for nude selfies and have inappropriate relationships in the guise of bringing alive the Goddess in them . He  forcibly detained children away from parents ( which eventually caused his downfall ) and beat them up as testified by ex devotees and ashram inmates .

  The sage in question eventually escaped India and currently runs his own government in an island  near Ecuador—  which he calls Kailasha.  You can find his official blogs on Medium (under the name His Divine Holiness)

The reason this well meaning friend recommended, that we watch the series, is because Nithyananda — exhorted his followers to rise in response to decline of Hindu Dharma and my friend felt I was following the same path and he was worried about my mental sanity and well being . I found it an almost comical situation of ignorance and misconception( after my anger on what I viewed as an insult to Swami ji had cooled down )- but I did respect the genuine concern for my well being . So, I reassured this friend –and gifted him a copy of If truth be told. My husband who otherwise has always been critical of my spiritual interests and never misses an opportunity to crack a joke about them has never once said anything about Swami ji -and so thankfully no further push came from him.

But both of the above instances brought out to me why people of my generation and the younger generation view the spiritual path with suspicion and may question the wisdom of surrendering to a Guru.

Painting everyone with the same brush is neither fair nor desirable .India has had a great tradition and lineage of Saints ,and Masters who made this land a sought after spiritual paradise. It is sad to see that glorious tradition being vilified by a few rotten apples. Guru shishya parampara is one of the most sacred institutions and must remain so always !

In our quest to revive Sanatana Dharma — lets be authentic walking testimonials of how a Guru like Swami ji can transform your life and truly bring to life divinity in every aspect . I do realize now how bogus swamis and crooks make life infinitely difficult for the real and truly outstanding spiritual leaders . But that is the truth of the times. It is time we make our truth shine brighter than ever and  reflect the light of the sun that our Swami ji is. Would love to hear your thoughts. Jai Sri Hari.