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Gurus,GodmenandGoodPeoplebyKhushwantSingh

Gurus, Godmen and Good People

TheclimateofIndiahasalwaysbeenproductiveofProphetsandMessiahs.
EveryagehashaditsquotaofmenandwomenclaimingkinshipwithGod
someevenclaimingtobeHishumanreincarnations.Neitherthemarchof
sciencenorthespreadofMarxistatheismhasmadetheslightestimpactonthe
widespreadbeliefinthespiritualpowersandmissionsofthesegodsinhuman
form.TounderstandtheIndianmindyouhavetounderstandwhattheirgurus
andGodmenmeantothem.
TherearemanyselfstyledBhagwans(Gods),Swamis(Lords),Rishis(Sages),
Maharishis(GreatSages),Acharyas(Teachers)andSants(Saints)andGurus
withlargefollowings.Itisnotpossibletomakeanestimateoftheirnumbers
becausewildlyexaggeratedclaimsaremadebyeachoneofthem.Butitcanbe
assumedthatmostreligiousHindusandSikhs(togethermaking85%ofthe
populationofIndia)andsomeMuslims,ChristiansandParsisaswell,pay
homagetosomelivingsaintortheotherwhomtheyregardasGodincarnate.
WhyGurusflourishmoreinIndiathaninanyothercountryhasbeenexplained
byPeterBrentinhisGodmenofIndia(Penguins).Hewrites,"IntheWest,we
arefreetoworkfortheapprovalofthoseweloveandrespectandwhomwe
wouldliketoloveandrespectus.NotsotheIndians.ForIndians,
particularlythoseofthemiddleclasses,"saysBrent,"thereareonlytwo
directionstheycangotoprovethattheycanlove,andbeloved.Oneistowards
homosexuality,theothertowardstheGuruthetwonotbeingmutually
exclusive."
AccordingtoBrent,Indianscultivateintimaterelationswith
viiiGurus,GodmenandGoodPeople
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Gurusbecausetherearetraditionalinhibitionsagainstminglingofsexesand
thetyrannyoffathers.TheyoungIndianmalemaynotindulgeinlove"oreven
lookatgirlsofhisownclass,butcanformthemostpassionatefriendshipand
expressitwithcaresseswithhisguru."Furthermore,thegurudisciple
relationship"isinsomewaysanidealversionofthatwhichshouldexist
betweenfatherandsonbutdoesnot."TheGuru,thoughthefatterfigure,isthe
rescuerfromtherealfather'sdominance."Heisthefatherwhohasbeen
choseninthisway,thediscipleremainsfreeinhisbondage,boundinhis
freedom."
BrentconcedesthatthereismoretotheGurudisciplerelationshipthan
"frustratedsexualityorthepsychologicalwoundsinflictedbyover
authoritarianfathers".Hegoesontoexplodethefacileassumptionthatthe
GuruistheIndianversionofthepsychoanalyst.Oneisateacher,theothera
doctoronedealswithspiritualaspirations,theotherwiththepsychologically
maimedonestrivestotakeawayhisdisciplefromtheworldwhichaccording
tohimisillusory,unrealtheotherattemptstoreadjusthimtoit.Thefinal
successofonewouldbeconsideredtheultimatefailureoftheother.AnIndian
whoexplodes"AhamBrahmasmi"(IamGod)hasachievedhisgoal.A
Westernerwhomakesevenalesserclaim,"IamBonaparte",wouldbelocked
upinalunaticasylum.
***
ThoughthereisnothingnewintheteachingsoftheGodmenfortheIndians,
theyhavebeendrawingmoreattentionbecauseofthepublicitytheyreceivein
theEuropeanandtheAmericanpress."GoingtoPhoren"(Foreign)hasbecome
apartoftheIndians'oneupmanshipGodmenarenoexception.Andforeign
devoteeshavebecomeanimportantstatussymbol.Theyareparadedbeforethe
IndiansasproofpositivethatatlonglastthematerialisticWestisturningto
spiritualIndiaforguidance.
ThetechniquesrecommendedbytheGodmanarethesameaspractisedbythe
gurusoverthecenturies.Firstcomestheinitiation.Oncetheneophyteis
consideredfittobeenrolledtheGurugiveshimtheDiksha(spiritualgift)ofa

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consideredfittobeenrolledtheGurugiveshimtheDiksha(spiritualgift)ofa
sacredmantrawhisperedintheear.Thismaybejustonewordlikethenameof
oneofthegods,RamaorKrishna,oraverse"RepeatthenameofShiva
Gurus,GodmenandGoodPeopleix
andyourdifficultieswillberesolved".ThisistheGurumantra,thesecretbond
betweenGuruanddisciplewhichmustneverbedivulged.Thedevoteemust
thereaftermeditateinabsolutesilenceandstillhiswaveringmindbyrepeating
theGurumantratohimself.Heshouldfocushisinnervisiononaspotbetween
theeyesabovethenoseandregulatehisbreathing.Thepracticeisdesignedto
openthemysticthirdeyethroughwhichdivinelightcomesfloodingin.Itcan
bealongprocess.ButsomeGuruslikeMaharishiMaheshYogi(onetime
GuruoftheBeatles)claimtohaveevolvedamodeofinstantmeditation.
MaheshYogi'stechniqueisheldatadiscountbypractitionersoftheart.
MostGurusrecommendpracticesinwhichthedisciplecandrophisorher
inhibitionsandletthemselvesgo.Althoughdrugsanddrinkareforbidden,
chanting,singinganddancingthatproduceasenseofeuphorialeadingtoa
tranceareapproved.Atsomeoftheseseances,disciplesdiscardtheirclothing,
shriek,leapaboutwildlyandpassout.
PeterBrentinterviewedmanydevoteesandaskedthemtodescribetheir
experiences.AyoungAmericandisciplesaiditwas"likeyourmindis
immersedinathickseaofhoney..likejumpingintoabathtubfullofvaseline
andyouhavethiswarm,warm,thickfeelingallthroughyou.."TheGuru,
continuedtheAmericandisciple,appearsasif"he'sgotlikegreatteatsallover
himandwejustsuckandsucktheheavygoodnessoutofhim".
IputthesamequestiontoaprettyItaliangirl,GraziaMarcianoofParmawho
hasbecomeadevoteeofBhagwan(God)ShriRajneesh,theheadoftheneo
SannyasInternational."Lifehadbecomemeaningless.Icouldnotfindthe
answerinconventionalreligion,"shereplied."Myadventureintomeditation
startedbythesurrenderofmyego,myIness,mydesiretobesomeone.It
culminatedinamagicalmomentwhentherewasjustawareness,peace,adeep

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culminatedinamagicalmomentwhentherewasjustawareness,peace,adeep
cosmicfeeling."
Whenhefeelshisendisnear,theGurunominatesasuccessor.InIndian
religiousterminologythisis"asonelamplightsanother".
Themanchosenisusuallytheclosestdisciple.Butwhenmoneyorproperty
(ashrams,temples,landandhouses)areinvolved,itisnotunusualforthefather
tonamehisson(asinthecaseofShriGuruMaharajJi)orrelativesandthus
keeptheguruship
xGurus,GodmenandGoodPeople
andthepropertyinthefamily.Disputesaboutsuccessionresultinschismsand
oftencomeupbeforeCourtsofLaw.
***
AlloverIndiaonecomesacrosspicturesofawizenedoldmansittingonaslab
ofstonewithonelegontheother.ThisisSaiBabaofShirdi,alatterdaySaint
ChristopherofIndia.MiniatureshrineswithSaiBabafigurinescanbeseenin
nichesinthebazars,hungontreetrunksanddrapedwithfreshmarigold
garlandsCabdrivershaveSaiBabamedallionsontheirdashboardslotsof
peoplewearthemintheirnecklace.
SaiBabaofShirdidiedmorethanfiftyyearsago.Eightyearslaterhisspirit
enteredthebodyofayoungboy,SatyanarayanaRaju,ofthevillageof
Puttaparthi(DistrictAnantapur).Hebegantoperformmiraclesandwassoon
acclaimedastheincarnationoftheShirdiSaiBaba.
SathyaSaiBabahasabiggerfollowingthananyofthecontemporaryGodmen
ofIndia.Whereverhegoes,peopleflocktohimintheirhundredsofthousands
tohavehisdarshan.Inthecities,hisarrivalsnarlsuptrafficontheroadsfor
manyhours.NexttoIndiraGandhi,heisthebiggestdraw.
SathyaSaiBabasportsashockofcurlyhairswhichsitonhisheadlikeablack

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SathyaSaiBabasportsashockofcurlyhairswhichsitonhisheadlikeablack
halo.Hedrapeshisbodyfromhisshoulderstohisfeetinaflamingsaffron
robe.Heperformsmiracleswithawaveofhishandfromtheairheproduces
vibhuti(sacredash),wristwatches(madenotinheavenbutinSwitzerland),
rosariesandringswithhispictures.(KennethKeating,latelyU.S.Ambassador
inIndia,wearsonewhichSathyaSaiBabareducedtotherightsizebysimply
blowingthroughit.)Atleastonceayear,heregurgitatesshivalingas(phallic
emblemsmadeofstone).HowardMurphet,anAustraliandisciple,hasmadea
longcatalogueofmiraclesperformedbythismiraclemaninhisbiographySai
Baba:ManofMiracles(Macmillan).Theseincludehealingthesickandeven
bringingthedeadtolife.
SathyaSaiBabahasbroughtsolacetomanypeople.ThelateDrK.M.Munshi,
onetimeMinisterofCentralGovernment,describedhimasa"Godpossessed
individualwhoplantstheseedoffaithinmenaseedwhich,whenit
blossoms,willliberatemefromgreed,hateandfear."
Gurus,GodmenandGoodPeoplexi
AnothermiraclemanwhohasastartlingresemblancetoSathyaSaiBaba,
growingthesamebeehivemopofhairandwearingthesamebodylength
saffronrobeisthethirtysevenyearoldBhagwan(God)SriNeelakantha
Tathaji.WhenIwenttopaymyrespectstohimhe"materialised"sacredash
andabrownberryoutoftheair.
Iaskedhimhowhecametoacquirethesesupernaturalpowers.Hedidnot
remembertheprecisemomentwhenthedivinespiritenteredhisbodilyframe
butotherpeoplenoticedstrangephenomenaabouthim.Whenheputhishand
ontheforeheadofamandownwithfever,thefeverlefthim.Whenhetouched
thegangrenouslegofamanonhiswaytothehospitaltohaveitamputated,the
gangrenedisappeared.Adevoteesittingbesidemewhisperedinmyear:"My
hearthadstoppedbeating:Iwasdead.TheBabagavemeasecondlife.Can't
youseeheisdivine?Look,thereisalightroundhishead!"Ilooked.DidIsee
ahaloroundtheBaba'shead?
SimilarmiracleswereperformedbyDadaji.Iwasintroducedtohimbyawell

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SimilarmiracleswereperformedbyDadaji.Iwasintroducedtohimbyawell
knownIndianfilmstar,AbhiBhattacharya.Beforethespiritcametopossess
him,DadajiwasAmiyaRoyChaudhury,afamilymanwithafamilybusiness
inCalcutta.ImethimafewmonthsagoinBombayandwroteofthemeetingin
mydiary:
Dadajiisatall,lightskinnedmanwhowearshisblackhairlong.Hisyouthful
handsomenessbelieshisseventyyears.Hiseyeshaveahypnoticspellbinding
power.Anaromaknowninesotericcirclesasthepadmagandha(fragranceof
thelotus)fillstheroom.
Dadajiseatshimselfonthedivanandbeckonsontome.Ishuffleupandsit
besidehislegs.Hetriestofixmeinakindlybuthypnoticstare.Hewantsto
knowwhyIhavetocometoseehim.Itellhimofmylackoffaith,mydisbelief
intheexistenceofadivinepowerandmycuriosityabouthimandhis
following.
"WhatifSriSatyaNarain(TrueGod)wantstocommunicatewithyou?"he
asks.Ilookpuzzled."Whatifhesendsyouamemento?"Heasksagain.He
raiseshisrighthandintheair,andonhispalmlyingopenandemptybeforeme
appearsamedallionwithanimageofanelderlyman."ItisSriSatyaNarain's
gifttoyou,"assuresDadaji."No,itisnot,"Iprotest."You,Dadaji,
xiiGurus,GodmenandGoodPeople
havegivenittome."Hesmiles."IamnooneitisallthedoingofSriSatya
Narain!"
"Whatisyourname?"heasks.Itellhim.Hetakesbackthemedallion,rubsthe
reversesidewithhisthumb.Whathadbeenablanksurfaceisnowembossed
withmyname.Onlymynameisnotcorrectlyspelt.Aminutelaterandas
mysteriouslyasbeforeagoldchainappearsinthepalmofhishand."Thisisto
wearthemedallionroundyourneck,"hesaysgivingittome.Herunshis
fingersthroughmybeardandmyentireframeexudesthefragranceofthelotus
flower.

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Gurus,GodmenandGoodPeoplebyKhushwantSingh

Thenumberofsaintlymenandwomenarebeyondenumeration.Everydistrict
hasitsquotaoflivingsaintstowhompeopleturnforadviceonspiritualand
worldlymatters.Menwillaskthemaboutbusinessaffairs,barrenwomenfor
blessingsofmotherhood,youngmenforhelpintheirexaminations,sickpeople
forcharmsagainstsickness.AndeveryonewillcomefortheirdarshanOfthe
livingsaintsthemostfamousisAnandamayeeMa.PrimeMinister,Indira
Gandhi,hasvisitedheronmanyoccasions.
TheseventysixyearoldAnandamayeeMa(MotherofBliss)isaphenomenon.
Althoughshehasanumberofashrams(somewithschoolsattachedtothem)in
differentpartsofIndiawhereherdevoteesliveandmeditate,theonlysolace
mostofthemgetfromherisherdarshan.Shehasnomessagefortheworld.
AnandamayeewasborninvillageKheora,nowinBangladesh,in1896.Her
realnamewasNirmalaDevi.HerparentswereBrahminsandwhenNirmala
wasthirteenshewasgiveninmarriagetoaBrahminboy,RamaniMohan
Charkavarty.Itwouldappearthatthemarriagewasneverconsummated.
NirmalaDeviwasawaywardchildsubjecttoprolongedperiodsofdepression
whenshebecamedumb.(Oneperiodlastedthreeyears.)Shewanderedabout
thecountrysidealone.Shehadseizureswhenlikeepilepticsshefoamedfrom
themouth.Butshewasabeautifulchildwhogrewintoabeautifulwoman.It
wasatDaccathataclerkworkinginagovernmentofficediscoveredthat
NirmalaDeviwasinfactareincarnationofthegoddessKali,consortofShiva.
ThisclerkwasofthesameageasNirmalaDevi.Inhisbiography,MotherAs
RevealedToMehedescribeshowfromtheseventeenthyear,various
supernaturalphenomenabegantobe
Gurus,GodmenandGoodPeoplexiii
manifestinher.Herbodywouldgointoconvulsions,adoptingyogicpostures,
andshewouldchantthenamesofgodsandgoddesses.
TheclerkwasaMatribhakta(worshipperofGodintheformofamother).He
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TheclerkwasaMatribhakta(worshipperofGodintheformofamother).He
proclaimedhertobetheuniversalmotherandgaveherthenameof
AnandmayeeMa.Bhaiji(brother)asherclerkdevoteecametobeknown,
servedAnandamayeefortwelveyearstillhediedofconsumptionattheageof
forty.ArthurKoestlerinhisLotusandtheRobothasdescribedBhaiji
uncharitablyassomethingofatragicclown.

"Whoareyou?","Whatareyou?"BhaijiissaidtohaveaskedAnandamayee
Masoonafterhehadattachedhimselftoher."Whatachildishquestiontoask!"
retortedAnandamayeeMa."WhatIwasbefore,Iamnow,andshallbe
hereafter.IamwhateveryouoranybodymaythinkIam.Theyearnings(ofthe
seekersoftruth)havebroughtthisbody.Youhaveallwanteditandsoyou
havefoundit.Thatisallyouneedtoknow.Soplaywiththisdollforsome
time.Furtherquestionswillbefruitless."
"Thesewordsofyours,Mother,donotsatisfymyyearning,"insistedBhaiji.
Hearingthisshespokewithslightvehemence,"Say,say,whateveryoudesire,"
andimmediatelyadazzlingfloodofheavenlylightshoneforthfromHerface.
Bhaijirecordsthathewas"struckdumbwithaweandwonderAllmydoubts
werelaidatrest."However,hetriedtotestherbyplacingaliveemberonher
foot.Itburnt,developedintoablisterandsuppurated.Whenmedicinesfailed,
Bhaijisuckedthepusoutofherlotusfeetwithhisownmouth.
AnandamayeeMastillreferstoherselfas"thedoll"or"thebody".Sheallows
herdevoteestobatheanddressher.Shedoesnoteatwithherownhandsher
femaledevoteestaketurnstoplacefoodinhermouth.
AnandamayeeMa'sfollowingalsorunsintohundredsofthousands.The
majorityofthemarewomen.Amongstthemthereistheusualsprinklingof
foreigners.
TheMotherisaladyoffewwords.Shesmilessilentlymostofthetime
sometimesgiggleslikealittlegirl,playswithhertoesandabruptlyorders
suppliantstogoaway.Neverthelessthecrowdsflocktoher,sitinraptsilence
withtheireyesshutimbibingtheauraofsanctitythatpervadestheplace.One
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ofthewomenclosesttoheristhedaughterofawealthySikhlandowner.She
xivGurus,GodmenandGoodPeopleGurus,GodmenandGoodPeoplexv
leftherhusbandafewdaysafterhermarriagewithoutconsummatingitandhas
servedAnandamayeeMafaithfullyforthelastthirtyyears."Whathaveyougot
outofallthis?"Iaskedher.Sheansweredmyquestioninoneword,
"Everything".
***
TherearemanynotableomissionsinthisanthologyofGurusandGodmen.
Thisismoreforpaucityofspaceratherthananydisfespect.
MyowninterestinthephenomenonofGodmenwasrousedbymymeeting
withDadaji.AlthoughIamaconfirmedagnostic,theexperiencewastraumatic.
IhavehadsimilarexperienceswithotherslikeNeelakanthaThatajiandBaba
Bhootnathwhonotonlyreadmymindbuttoldmedetailsofmyfamily.And
whenItookmyleaveproducedprasadamofcardamomsoutofhispalmand
continuedpouringthemouttothedozensof'otherswhoweretherewithme.In
thehomeofthefilmstarLeenaChandavarkarIsawoillampswhirllike
dancingdervishesassoonashermotherbegantochanteveningprayers.
Althoughbaffledbythesemanifestations,Idonotconsiderthemrealevidence
ofspiritualpowers.Ihavelittledoubtthatnoneofthemcouldstandthetestof
scientificscrutiny.However,whatimpressedmemorethanwhattheseGurus,
GodmenandGodwomendidorhadtosaywastheadorationtheyinspiredin
theirfollowingandwhatitdidtomanyofthem.Ihaveseenpeopleonthe
vergeofnervousbreakdownrestoredtomentalhealthepilepticscuredof
epilepsydrugaddictsridofdrugaddictiondiabeticsabletoproducetheirown
insulinevenseriousphysicalinjurywhichhadstubbornlyrefusedtoyieldto
medicaltreatmentrespondtothehealingtouchoftheGuru,Whenitcomesto
therelationshipsoftheGuruandhisdisciples.theageofmiraclescanbyno
meansbeconsideredtohavepassed.
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TheunflaggingandunqualifiedfaiththatdisciplesreposeintheirGurushasto
beseentobebelieved.WhenrecentlyDadajiwasarrestedonchargesof
forgingawill,hisdevoteethefilmstarAbhiBhattacharyaexplainedtomethat
thiswasthedoingofDadajihimself,hisownleela,totestthefaithofhis
followers.Noneofthemwerefoundwanting.ItwasthesamewithSriSathya
SaiBaba.Acivilsuitfiledagainsthimforrecoveryofalargesumofmoney
waswidelypublicisedinthepress.Butitdidnotmaketheslightestdentinhis
enormousfollowing.NorhasthepopularityoftheyoungGuruMaharajJi
diminishedbecauseofchargesofsmugglingforeigncurrency,livinginagrand
styleandmarryinghisAmericansecretaryafewyearsolderthanhimself,
levelledagainsthim.Tothedisciple,theGuruisGodandthereforeperfect.
SinceIdonotbelieveinGod,Icanhardlybeexpectedtobelieveinhishuman
manifestation.Ithoughtitbesttoletdevoteesspeakontheobjectsoftheir
devotionsandrestrictedmyeditorialbluepenciltocorrectingonlyblatant
errorsofgrammar.Thenarrativeisoftenrepetitive,fullofsuperlativesand
exaggeratedclaimsregardingthefollowing.Butitdoesconveysomethingof
thefervencythatGurusandGodmeninspireintheirfollowing.Theonlyperson
whodoesnotfallintothecategoryofGurusandGodmenisMotherTeresa.I
haveincludedherbecausesheisawonderfulpersonasworthyofworshipas
anyhumanbeingIhaveeverknown.
KhushwantSinghEditor
TheIllustratedWeeklyofIndia

TheSatsangProject:SeeSitePolicyforstatementregardingcopyright

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