The Swami & His Muse

Dear One,

Greetings!

What does it take to make a holy man into a hollow man - Just a scandal. That's right and that's all. India is a land of holy contradictions. Within seconds a man is turned into a god and with equal rapidity, the same god-man is pulled down to the status of a miserable wretch. We Indians, have a unique monopoly on blind faith and such enterprising "god men" exploit this weakness of ours to gain popularity and money. We are a naive breed too; despite having eyes to see, an intellect to help us understand and a sharp mind to discriminate; we still fall for the "Divine Miracle Trap" quite easily.

Such is the recent story of a god man, who was pulled down from his divinity by the very people who made him divine at the first instance. What a pitiable story of a man who was made a superman; and in equal measure, it is also the story of those countless, deluded people who followed a fallen man, only to end up falling in the same ditch of shameful repentance.

In remote Tamil Nadu, is an ashram that attracts millions of faithful devotees every day. The head of the ashram, is a young charismatic guru, who claimed to be a spiritual caretaker to the millions who followed him blindly to gain a sneak peak into salvation. Men and women of high social ranks and caliber along with the simple native village folks, sit together at his feet and listen to every word that falls from his lips as virtual drops of divine nectar. His followers give him a respect fit for a demi-god, investing him with hundreds of miracles performed or simply made up.

A spiritual guide is like your own mother, always selfless and pure. Can you ever question the credibility of your own mother? Never. Likewise, the status of a spiritual guide is pristine and sacred to all the aspirants who walk the path. Guru means the dispeller of darkness, but if the guru himself is engulfed in darkness, who else can you turn to. A guru is a spiritual mentor and you least expect a mentor to misbehave or misguide. Buddha, observing this mortal frailty, rightfully said, "Be your own guru, do not depend on anyone for your own salvation". Adi Shankara, too, in his famous poem, Atma Shatakam, claims, "I have no earthly guru, for the real guru is in me."

All these enlightened Masters knew that no one can be anyone's salvation. You have to earn it all by yourself and for your self. No one else can do it for you. They can just show you the way, and you have to walk the path, all alone. But in the Hindu tradition, much importance is given to the Guru, or the spiritual guide. We give them a status much above God Himself/Herself. However, I firmly believe that the true essence of "Guru" has lost it's rightful meaning by our banal misinterpretations and senseless actions. A guru these days is someone whose main job is to assure you of material, mental or spiritual security. Alas! if we could only understand; guru is someone who grants clarity and guidance based on his own soulful experiences, and encourage you to walk your own path with confidence.

This sadhu, or man of god, who was a connoisseur of a million eyes made a big, brutal mistake. He slipped from his noble path and got embroiled in some unholy controversies, by finding secret pleasure in exploiting women. He preached openly about the holiness of his immaculate life, and he secretly found pleasure in bedding gullible women. What an utter waste of the faith of the faithful. You might want to argue that after all, we are human beings, and we do slip at times. I agree, we do. That's because we are normal human beings and we do not claim to be a sacred superman with a million devotees to take moral responsibility of. With great responsibility, comes greater sacrifices and only the fittest survive.

God men like the one discussed, are not privileged to lead a life of a common man; as they take strict vows of life long celibacy to prepare and commit themselves for a higher purpose. Their words then carry a sense of truth, when they live what they preach to others. However, when you lead a dual life, one of a holy god man and the other of a reckless womanizer, you are putting into jeopardy the faith of a million souls who treat you as their reverent guide.

Countless people have found this truth to be utterly unpalatable and they are consoling themselves otherwise. But who can prevent truth from coming out in the most hideous ways. The culprit's story is now out, as well as his immoral sexcapades. He tried his best to extinguish and salvage his reputation, but sex scandals unfortunately spread faster than wind and fire. It consumes everything on its path. Aftermath of the scandal are illegal DVD's of this bogus swami and his muse, available for Rs.100, making his staunchest devotees go red in anger and disgust, and on the other hand making him a idol for another million of perverts like him to follow suit. Wow. Blessed is India and blessed are we Indians, who accept everything with blind faith!

Spirituality is not in following someone blindly. It is about opening your eyes to reality, and seeing it as it is.

Peace in oneself. Peace in the world.