prophets and messiahs. We have always had men and women claiming to be incarnations of God, or even god Himself in human form. What would be regarded a sheer blasphemy treated with ridicule by Christians or a sentence of death in Islam is acclaimed by Hindus, Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs as an avatar. So we have many Bhagwans (Gods), Swamis (Lords), Rishis (sages), Maharishis (great sages), Acharyas (teachers), Sants (saints) and Gurus with large followings.
Why that is so is explained by Peter Brent in his Godmen of India: “In the West we are free to work for the approval of those we love and respect and whom we would like to love and respect us. Not so the Indians For Indians, particularly those of the middle classes there are only two directions they can go to prove that they can love and be loved. One is towards homosexuality, the other towards the Godmen – the two not being mutually exclusive.” Brent concedes that the Guru-disciple relationship is more than “frustrated sexuality or the psychological wounds inflicted by authoritarian fathers.”
He goes on to explode the assumption that the Guru is the Indian version of a psychoanalyst. The Guru is not a doctor but a teacher, he nurtures spiritual aspersions not psychological problems. If anyone is to be put on a shrink’s couch it is not the godman but his followers who look upon him as God to find out what is missing in their lives which they hope to fulfil by associating with their chosen godman. It is not producing vibhuti (sacred ash), materializing watches and medallions from the air or regurgitating sivalingas – all such tricks can be performed by magicians and cannot stand the test of scientific scrutiny. The devotees’ faith has more solid foundations. They have unquestionable belief that their guru can do no wrong.
Twenty years ago when an American disciple published a book, Lord of the Air, accusing Sai of sexual deviation, the book disappeared from the market in a few days. When I questioned a lady disciple who spent most of the year at the Sai Baba’s ashram at Puttaparthi, she jumped on me like an angry tigress and said, “I have not heard of the book; I don’t want to read such rubbish; I do not wish to discuss it with people like you.” Four years ago when some young men forcibly entered the Sai Baba’s personal quarters, there was a shoot-out and some lives were lost. The matter was hushed up.
I believe Sathya Sai Baba is a very good man with enormous charisma. He has built schools, colleges and hospitals. He is also a patron of music and dance. Many other godmen and women have also built educational institutions and clinics. What is unique about Sai is the calibre of his Indian followers. He had the educationist Dr V.K. Gokak and the scientist Dr Bhagwantham on his board of trustees. Today he has Bhagwati, retired Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, as chairman. Among his disciples are my friend Nani Palkhivala, former President Shankar Dayal Sharma, former Prime Minister Narasimha Rao and dozens of Chief Ministers and Governors, Ministers of the Central Government and other eminent men and women. In no other country will you find so many people with such blind, unquestioning faith in another human being. Why?
20/3/99
Dadaji
I t is not very easy to explain why one is drawn towards people with whom one has nothing in common and repelled by others who share one’s values and interests. Despite my oft-proclaimed allergy to godmen I go out of my way to meet some if they happen to be in the vicinity. In so doing I have got to know some of them well enough to have affection for them, There is very little communication between us but, as they say, the vibes and the chemistry are good. For me no visit to Jaipur is complete without a call at Hathroi Fort to see Shradha Mata. I can’t make anything of her Tantric jargon but love to hear her berate me as a self-opinionated ass. It is the same with Swami Muktanand of Ganeshpuri and Dadaji.
Why that is so is explained by Peter Brent in his Godmen of India: “In the West we are free to work for the approval of those we love and respect and whom we would like to love and respect us. Not so the Indians For Indians, particularly those of the middle classes there are only two directions they can go to prove that they can love and be loved. One is towards homosexuality, the other towards the Godmen – the two not being mutually exclusive.” Brent concedes that the Guru-disciple relationship is more than “frustrated sexuality or the psychological wounds inflicted by authoritarian fathers.”
He goes on to explode the assumption that the Guru is the Indian version of a psychoanalyst. The Guru is not a doctor but a teacher, he nurtures spiritual aspersions not psychological problems. If anyone is to be put on a shrink’s couch it is not the godman but his followers who look upon him as God to find out what is missing in their lives which they hope to fulfil by associating with their chosen godman. It is not producing vibhuti (sacred ash), materializing watches and medallions from the air or regurgitating sivalingas – all such tricks can be performed by magicians and cannot stand the test of scientific scrutiny. The devotees’ faith has more solid foundations. They have unquestionable belief that their guru can do no wrong.
Twenty years ago when an American disciple published a book, Lord of the Air, accusing Sai of sexual deviation, the book disappeared from the market in a few days. When I questioned a lady disciple who spent most of the year at the Sai Baba’s ashram at Puttaparthi, she jumped on me like an angry tigress and said, “I have not heard of the book; I don’t want to read such rubbish; I do not wish to discuss it with people like you.” Four years ago when some young men forcibly entered the Sai Baba’s personal quarters, there was a shoot-out and some lives were lost. The matter was hushed up.
I believe Sathya Sai Baba is a very good man with enormous charisma. He has built schools, colleges and hospitals. He is also a patron of music and dance. Many other godmen and women have also built educational institutions and clinics. What is unique about Sai is the calibre of his Indian followers. He had the educationist Dr V.K. Gokak and the scientist Dr Bhagwantham on his board of trustees. Today he has Bhagwati, retired Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, as chairman. Among his disciples are my friend Nani Palkhivala, former President Shankar Dayal Sharma, former Prime Minister Narasimha Rao and dozens of Chief Ministers and Governors, Ministers of the Central Government and other eminent men and women. In no other country will you find so many people with such blind, unquestioning faith in another human being. Why?
20/3/99
Dadaji
I t is not very easy to explain why one is drawn towards people with whom one has nothing in common and repelled by others who share one’s values and interests. Despite my oft-proclaimed allergy to godmen I go out of my way to meet some if they happen to be in the vicinity. In so doing I have got to know some of them well enough to have affection for them, There is very little communication between us but, as they say, the vibes and the chemistry are good. For me no visit to Jaipur is complete without a call at Hathroi Fort to see Shradha Mata. I can’t make anything of her Tantric jargon but love to hear her berate me as a self-opinionated ass. It is the same with Swami Muktanand of Ganeshpuri and Dadaji.
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