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March 10, 2008 | 10:03 AM
Mahashivratri with Sat Guru 'Jaggi' Vasudev
About 5 years ago I met an unassuming young man in a Sadhu's garb in Puert Rico. Both of us were attending the conference on Deepak Chopra's 'Alliance of the new Humanity" and that was when I had my first 'ride' with him ! We drove into the middle of the night searching for a place where a function was being held in the old town. Driving with 'jaggi' is a hair raising experience. I called him the 'speed' Guru then. Of course he will not let any one else take the wheel just in case life becomes a little more sedate. There were other adventures on the way which I will write about later, but please read on to discover with me what I was really moved by..
We lost touch and then I came across 'Jaggi' again at a dinner at Mukesh Ambani's house. Both of us had been speaking at the YPO function along with such brilliant people as Mohammad Yunus. I have written about that meeting in this blog before. We hugged as old friends that had indulged in some hair raising adventures in a different time and in a far away land. He then invited me to his Ashram in Coimbitore. To come and celebrate Mahashivratri with him.
I had no idea what to expect. I do not follow the rituals of the spiritual search, preffering to follow a more personal path. though I do not deny the potential in ritual . And yes I attended the rituals at the Ashram, and saw the positive effect of those rituals on people that accepted them unquestioningly. And yes I attended the Mahashivratri celebrations along with almost 700,000 people that came to the celebration to dance, chant, and listen to the most wonderful music through the night. I was moved by that experience. How can one not be ?
But that is not what I wanted to talk about . But the incredible work that his ashram is doing. Every one that works in the Ashram is a volunteer and they come from all over the world and from every profession. Doctors, lawyers, teachers - every walk of life is represented there. And they all come to give, looking for only their own spiritual awakening in return. And no they do not walk around chanting all day. They sleep barely 5 hours a day, run schools, working at finding new ways to protect nature, expand education to rural areas into the interiors of Tamil Nadu - and soon elsewhere in India and soon all over the world. They have a rejuvenation centre based on old techniques where the sick come to be replenished.
And yet for the incredible amount that is achieved by these volunteers, they are some of the most calm and most loving people you will see. There is nothing of that corporate sense of self importance and hurry that you are slammed with when you visit any major corporate office. , ,
And the organization is just so unobtrusive, but so effective. Have you ever attended a political rally ? Politicians boast about a 100,000 people that attended a political rally, and people will push you around, there will be scuffles and there will almost be more policemen than crowds. Police cars, blaring loudspeakers, lathi's, heckling - everything.
Now imagine 700,000 people that turned up to the Mahashivratri celebrations. I barely saw any policemen. The whole thing was handled by the kindest and gentlest of volunteers. People were going wild dancing when "jaggi' danced. But not a single incident that led to any ugliness at all.
The next night I was at Jaggi's house to celebrate his daughter's birthday. He told me that not a single pair of shoes was lost. That for the thousands of cars and two wheelers that came to the celebrations, just one motorcycle went missing, and he personally stayed up till the volunteers traced it and returned t to the owner.
Sat Guru Jaggi Vasudev talks only about Sprituality. About change and about bettering the human condition through an understanding of your own spiritual powers. And through Yoga. He actively renounces religious dogma. Are these the new center's of a resurgent India ? Jaggi and other such individuals that become the central force around which people gather to go out to change the world for the better ?
shekhar
14 Comments Posted. Post your comment
Hey Morning Rays,
Just wanted to tell you that you have your heart in the right place. Keep smiling.
Cheers!
thank you :- )
hey morning rays, thats an incident.
you really seem to have some focus at the right place. i was just packing my stuff for my month ahead to all these places that you have talked about and happen to read you here. though i have already been to auroville and osho commune(as i call it, its more of a resort now and thats what they call it...come what may that place still has serenity like nature's habitat), jagi vasudev's place at coimbotore would be my first visit on which Shekhar has already thrown some light some of which he seem to have brought from there.
Can you tell me more about aurobindo ashram at pondicherry...how can i stay there for a week on a shoe-string budget?
people like Jaggi ( nice nick name) just pass time...if their I is dissolved what is the need to gather people around...
when the person is genuine, the crowd automatically starts gathering around... and what ever that PERSON does gives out some message depending on how conscious the receiver is... this happens because the PERSON is totally FREE hence always in harmony...
it is a conscious choice of people like Jaggi to carry on which this foolishness...when GYANI's need to remain GYANI is over, he becomes BRAMHAGYANI... he stops reflecting...
so whether JAGGI is a true Guru or not, only he knows and the one who sees path thru him...
and hence Yes...Jaggi and other such individuals become the central force around which people gather to go out to change the world for the better.
hi navin and just be,
thanks !
as for reasonable accomodation in pondi, i think you can try a place called park resort which is located at the fag end of the promenade and has a great sea view. this place is affiliated with the ashram where their timings are coordinated with the ashram ritual timings. if you want a 5 star then the heritage group has a hotel there but this place is more inkeeping with the spirit with which you visit the ashram, auroville, matru mandir etc.
i hope this helps........
yes i guess i know that place at the end. thankx!
one know the real meaning of these days only after the kundalini has arisen.
the arising of kundalini is the begining of the upmove of the energy.
these days are concerened with this upword movement.
on these days the upword move is very intense. it is like the circle is completed.
for example
some days before mahashivratri, you will feel the tension in your inner being building up. than it will go on builiding up till the mahashivratri. in mahashivratri jump happens. and you feel a new level of relaxation. never felt before peace. i think this upword movement of energy is not like a flow of water. it is more like ascending a lader step by step.
these days are specially helpful
Hi Shekar,
I am a seeker but always careful about so called realised souls.An realised master does not need to put on an pseudo american accent like Jaggi does :).
Now read this posting below and next time you meet Jaggi ask him about this. Dont be surprised if you get an abstract answer. The devil is in the details though. PLEASE READ BELOW.
The following is the Indian Express report as appearing on October 12, 1997 about Police registering a case of murder by Jaggi Vasudev:
Coimbatore, Oct, 11: Close on the heels of scandals relating to fake godmen getting exposed, yet another ashram from Coimbatore is in the limelight with Jaggi Vasudev aliash Jagadeesh of Isha Yoga ashram at Poondi near Coimbatore, being charged with the murder of his wife Viji alias Vijayakumari.A team of police personnel recently visited the premises of Isha Ashram at poondi and interrogated the inmates of the ashram. Godman Jaggi is away in the
US.According to police, T. S. Ganganna of
Bangalore (father of Viji) had preferred a complaint with the Bangalore Police suspecting foul play in the death of his daughter Viji. The complaintant had stated that his daughter left him last on June 15, 1996. He reportedly received a message on January 23, 1997, from Jaggi Vasudev, stating that Viji was no more.Ganganna said that Jaggi Vasudev had hurriedly completed the cremation on Jan.24 even before they could rush from
Bangalore, raising suspicion about the nature of death. He suspected death due to poisoning or strangulation.According to him, Jaggi Vasudev could have caused the death of Viji to facilitate his illicit relationship with yet another inmate of the ashram. Based on the complaint of Ganganna to the Bangalore City Police on Aug. 12, a case was registered.The Bangalore City Police transferred it to the Coimbatore Rural Police.The Coimbatore Rural Police have registered a case against Jaggi Vasudev under Section 302 of IPC (murder) and IPC 201 (suppression of evidence).Later. Isa Yoga Foundatrion has denied reports that Jaggi Vasudev had fled to
USA to avoid investigation of ashram. Authorised Signatory of Ashram Kiran stated that Guruji had gone for giving lectures . ENS
The peole who have realized Self will either be alone already (unmarried) or will be left alone by their spouces later because of one reason or the other. It is not necessary that they kill their spouces though it is likely that mostly they will not be on good terms with them.
In realizing the Self the person in question in fact glimpses both aspects of Nature - purusha and parkriti or Shiva and Parvati - in oneself and this fact later just manifests itself in reality in their lives.
Dear Shekar.
I had indeed stayed up that whole night,firstly 'cause my guru( Sadhguru)has told us the importance of this day for spiritual seekers,and secondly to catch as many,however fleeting, glimpses of Sadhguru.
Iwas no spiritual seeker,at least not consciously, until I read an article of His which talked about 'Nothingness'.immediately,i said to myself,'I must meet him'.Little did I know how life impacting this moment would be.Within 2 weeks I was at the ashram. This first time i laid eyes on Him ,I just kept weeping,not knowing why,and feeling embarassed about it. This was about 3 yrs ago. And ,its transformed my life tremendously.
Then there's the Dhanyalinga.You've experienced it yourself.It's amazing ...
Well, the reason am writing to you (in my own capacity) is the ashram needs your help and
expertise. It would be marvellous if you could help put together a short film on the Dhyanalinga for an internatinal & national audience. dhyanalinga as you know is the only one of its kind in the world for spiritual seekers. you could also say it is one place where 'Shiva'actually is present.Of course there's much more. I would be glad to co-ordinate and help in whatever way i can .But olease do help. Shall look forward to your response.
Warm regards
Renuka
Hyderabad
hai shekar,
its a pleasure to write to one of the finest creators of india with international repute.i was also there spending that raptrous night of mahashivarathri with sadhguru, i believe that its a responsibility for a creator like u to take the info of isha and sadhguru that u have experienced, to larger masses thru ur creative capabilities. its just a suggestion from a seeker, good luck.
Hi all,
Its good to see such wise people around who indeed analyse n decide but the incident that is quoted by "Indian Express report as appeared on October 12, 1997" is not true. firstly its not a death please its called as "samadhi" Viji is another realised soul lived with sathguru. she did this in her fullest awareness point. Not all V see or hear is true. friends we all know that even the smallest thing that v communicate doesn't get carried across the same. Same is the case here. Anyways i jus tot of sharing this with you. Kindly note its a "Samadhi" and it was done with her fullest awareness point. She is a realised soul. Its really painful when people talk bad about the truth that you know and witnessed. Hope you all understand.
Shakthi Siva kumar:
Nice comment about Viji being a realized soul who took Samadhi. How come then, that her mortal remains were not interred as is usually done with realized people who attain Samadhi; instead her remains were cremated! Why? Could it be because 1) they did not want her final resting place disturbed by authorities? or 2) They did not want the authorities finding out anything by way of post mortem? Was there a doctor who checked on he to make sure she was not in some kind of deep samadhi from where she would have naturally emerged?
Everything seems perfectly fine when one is in the thrall of intense bhakthi for one's guru. One has to have a healthy dose of skepticism though; especially when there is probable cause. Here, Viji's father himself seems to have raised doubts.
hi shekhar !
that must be such a beautiful experience ! i read jaggi vasudev's philosophy when his articles appear in the papers. he is very simple and clear in his content and you tend to absorb his ideas immedietly. i have found some of osho's articles also have a similar impact...they convey great truths n a very simple manner.
another person i like to listen to is jaya rao. she radiates a good aura and has a ' saatvic ' glow on her face. i have been to the ashram at pondicherry ( shri aurobindo and the mother )....... that is another blessed place. the samadhi of mother......the entire ashram and the matru mandir brings so much peace and contentment of being that you hardly need to talk in those places !
im sure you must be feeling very rejuvenated and wonderful.......im happy for you !
take care and have a nice day !