Sanatan Sanstha adds another feather

The drama organised by Sanatan Sanstha gets over very quickly at the police station. The lady sadhak states that she wants to stay at Sanatan Ashram Ponda and not with her parents and follow Dr Jayant Athavale. The parents lose the battle and leave the venue very dejected.

The press conference by Sanatan Sanstha

The next weapon in the arsenal provided by Sanatan Sanstha is very powerful and will be used for maximum benefit. We have video recorded the entire episode and have made several copies of the recordings to be distributed to the media. The venue is Sanatan Ashram Panvel. We have debated several options including having the press conference hosted by a third party and show that Sanatan Ashram is not connected with the episode. I strongly oppose this option as I want to showcase the entire episode to prove that the sanstha stands behind such sadhaks and supports them fully. Dr Jayant Athavale does not leave the sadhaks in the lurch. I convince Sanatan Sanstha after some heated debates to hold the press conference at the ashram premises.

The venue is set and the media is invited immediately to gather at Sanatan Ashram Panvel. We have a well-designed and maintained media centre. It is equipped with the latest technology. However, the media studio at Sanatan Ashram Ponda is better than this. In fact, it surpasses several media centres in Maharashtra and is the highest rated in Goa.

Sanatan Sanstha wins another round

Once all the media persons gather at the venue, Sanatan Sanstha has planned for light snacks in keeping with our public image. We know that these people must be fed well to earn their good will. Dr Jayant Athavale does not miss any tricks.

The lady sadhak joins us and we make her take the central seat. She is flanked on one side by the advocate and on another by me. This is standard practice to ensure that the sadhak does not change her mind. It is a psychological trick.

Anyhow, the press conference starts with a bang and the lady sadhak hits out at her parents, the way she was mistreated since childhood and how she was to be “sold off” to the highest bidder by marrying her. I am stunned by her fiery speech but control my emotions. She is performing so well and it is better than our expectations. The media is eagerly lapping down her words. The print media has sufficient fodder while the television crew are filming the entire press conference.

The battle is won. Sanatan Sanstha will create history again. Dr Jayant Athavale’s name and fame will resound throughout India. People will flock to Sanatan Ashram Ponda.

Little do I realise the impact of my actions. I have left my family; forsaken them for spirituality and not to fill the coffers of Sanatan Sanstha. I should not allow Dr Jayant Athavale to brainwash and use mind control techniques on innocent and pliable people. But, I have failed in my duties and do not realise my mistakes and the criminal activity undertaken by me. Imagine what can happen if thousands do the same thing tomorrow. All in the name of Hindu Dharma and Sanatan Dharma.

Broken Dreams and Broken Lives – a book by Sanatan Sanstha authored by hypnotist Dr Jayant Athavale.

Planning a Jail Break – Sanatan Sanstha and me

The planning for the flight of a woman sadhak to Sanatan Sanstha is going as per plan. She will fly to us in the next three days and we will put her up at Sanatan Ashram Panvel. She will instigate her family – she is unmarried and we assume that they will lash out against the sanstha. We hope to have a good media circus and this will boost our dwindling reputation among the sadhaks. This will also redeem me in the eyes of my guru; Dr Jayant Athavale and hasten my spiritual progress.

My role at Sanatan Ashram Panvel

I play a crucial role defined by Sanatan Sanstha. The outcome of this episode will decide on my future. I reach Sanatan Ashram Panvel three days in advance so that I can coordinate the activities. I am so excited that I hardly sleep. I start with contacting the grass root sadhaks, the followers who are keeping a close watch on the lady and her family. We have gathered all the background information and are satisfied that we have picked a winner this time. As I am acting as a central coordinator, I must pass on all information to the main persons at Sanatan Ashram Ponda. I also learn to hold teleconferences as well as Skype. We prefer Skype as the calls cannot be traced and eavesdropped. They have several suggestions and expect me to follow their instructions but I learn to use my own judgement and tell them on their faces. They don’t like it, I think that I have pushed them to their limits. But, I am playing for broke; this is a do or die situation for me. I will not allow anyone to spoil it with their child-like suggestions.

Media and Sanatan Sanstha

Sanatan Sanstha has built up a formidable reputation with media agencies. We generally treat them like dirt; to be used when required. Otherwise, we do not value them. But, they listen to us; they have to listen to us. We pressurise them by lodging court cases against them on very flimsy grounds and make their editors and publishers a party to the case. This harassment ensures that they do not ignore any request from Sanatan.

We build up a rapport with them, I personally call up the most important ones. The importance is not on their subscriber base; rather it is dependent upon who makes the most noise. We want the episode to create the most noise so that people sit up and take notice. They realise the importance of Sanatan Sanstha. The media persons try to pry the real reason for my call. I have a knack of dealing with such queries, I lead them on in my sweet voice telling them to have patience. They will be amply rewarded for their patience. I talk to almost fifteen to twenty media persons including some well-known names. The print media as well as the television media are covered.

The drama is now set and everybody is waiting for the curtains to rise. I am the director and a producer, the main actors are different. But I play a pivotal role. Sanatan Sanstha will have to take notice, Dr Jayant Athavale will bless me personally when the episode is over.

Sanatan Sanstha uses my inherent talents

The new personality trait discovered by Sanatan Sanstha opens up a different opportunity and this is discussed at several forums inside Sanatan Ashram Ponda. I can handle public affairs very successfully and also divert attention from controversial topics. In short, I am very good at lying. I also handle some critical issues in a very calm and collected manner without getting flustered. This is probed further by sadhaks as they feel I can handle other situations quite efficiently.

Flight preparations at Sanatan Sanstha

Sanatan Sanstha wants to test my commitment to the cause of Dr Jayant Athavale and his vision of Hindu Rashtra. I have demonstrated time and again that I am totally committed, I have moved away from my family and antagonized even my parents in the process. It seems that Sanatan Ashram Ponda wants to test my resolve.

The number of runaways joining Sanatan Sanstha has slowed down to a trickle. Hardly anyone has run away from their homes and joined Sanatan Ashram Ponda. As a result, PR activities have nosedived. There is also a lull in subscriptions; people seem to have lost interest in us. Viewership of Dainik Sanatan Prabhat online has nosedived. Online viewership of Sanatan website is also down. We are desperately searching for an opportunity.

In such gloomy times, we suddenly receive news from one of our kendras that they have readied one girl. She is ready to leave her home. Though the reasons are personal; her family is marrying her off though she wants to continue her studies. A series of meetings are held and I am invited to be part of many such meetings. This gives me an eagle eyes view of the preparations.

One more test by Sanatan Sanstha

This is touted as a defining period in my association with Sanatan Sanstha. I must coordinate the whole episode and ensure that the parents are instigated and lash out publicly at Sanatan. I may even be moved to Sanatan Ashram Panvel for close coordination. A mobile with a different SIM is given to me. The sanstha thinks that my phone may have some eavesdropping software installed by either my husband or parents. I don’t think so but have now learned to keep quiet. I have faced several issues in the past on account of my nature. I don’t want to lose the faith of Dr Jayant Athavale again. I must succeed. It is pointed out that I had failed in my attempts of instigating my husband.

I am determined to succeed this time and showcase Sanatan Sanstha as a showcase of Hinduvta. A place that protects girls and women and saves their souls. This will define me and my role in Sanatan Ashram Ponda and I will not lose this opportunity.

Is this related to spirituality? Are our activities even moral? Do I have the courage to question the tactics? Leave alone questioning the tactics, I am acting as an active agent. I am provoking a woman to break away from her family. I could; Sanatan Sanstha could; talk to both the parties and work out a compromise in which the girl could study. But then this would not benefit Dr Jayant Athavale. Sanatan would not derive any mileage out of this. If we print such news, nobody would read Dainik Sanatan Prabhat.

The story so far at Sanatan Ashram Ponda

I have gone through many ups and downs since the last few months after landing at Sanatan Ashram Ponda. I was expecting to spend the rest of my life in pursuit of spirituality and service to my Guru, Dr Jayant Athavale, but frankly, things have been quite different. I do not realize it at that time; my mind is still controlled by Sanatan Sanstha and I still cannot think rationally.

A typical Hindu Ashram

Positive thoughts about Sanatan Ashram Ponda

If asked about any positive points at Sanatan Ashram Ponda, I can still identify several. 

• There are several sadhaks – followers of Sanatan Sanstha, who are seriously into spirituality. They are committed to this. There is nothing wrong about this. The ashram provides them a perfect place to practice. It provides a place to stay and also provides for some basic necessities of life like food. It is very peaceful.
• Some of the occupants have bitter experiences and have nowhere to go. They had some personal experiences and wanted an escape from their past. Sanatan provides them this without asking any questions. Yes, they have to prove that they are serious in their spiritual efforts, but money can manage many things.
• Sanatan Ashram Ponda is also a good place to learn Sanskrit and study our Vedas and Shastra, provided you draw your own inferences and do not depend on the meaning provided by the sadhaks.

Negativity at Sanatan Sanstha

Apart from the techniques of mind control practiced by followers of Dr Jayant Athavale, there are several negative issues. I may be labeled a shaitan by Sanatan but these issues need to be brought to the notice of normal Hindus. 

• The first and the foremost is the worship of Guru. Hindu Dharma does not allow for Guru worship. Sanatan Sanstha, however, preaches this very actively. Dr Athavale is the center of attraction. Life at Sanatan Ashram Ponda revolves around him. Gurupoornima is the only festival celebrated at the ashram. Most of the satsangs, dharmavargs and religious discourses center around the importance of the Guru. In fact, this dominates all discussions to such an extent that we do not follow any significant religious activities.
• Sanatan Ashram dictates your life; you have to follow their instructions. You have to obey them. People lose their independence. Sanatan controls all aspects of your life. You have to take bath in the manner they specify, you have to eat when and what they say. I am not even allowed outside food; I spend several days without food.  Sleeping patterns are dictated by them.
• Sanatan controls the flow of information. Outside information is filtered. Communication channels with outside world are cut off. You cannot even speak freely with your family. Incidentally, when the family visits you, they forced to sit in a particular corner of the swagat kaksh. This was pointed out by my rakshak once I regained my rationality. We never discovered the reasons behind this.

My doctor has advised me to look at some positive aspects of my stay at Sanatan Ashram Ponda. This will alleviate the sense of guilt to some extent. It is difficult to identify any positive outcome of my association with Sanatan Sanstha – at least as of now.

Life at Sanatan Ashram Ponda

Sanatan Sanstha immediately made it clear that it was displeased with the results of my husband’s visit to Sanatan Ashram Ponda. They had expected me to either make him join or provoke a fight. Neither happened despite the sanstha’s and my best efforts. I pointed this out to the sadhaks, but they were not pleased. They said that this was due to my emotional attachment with my family. I had not yet surrendered myself in spirit, mind and body to my Guru, Dr Jayant Athavale. I had to learn to let go and as part of the process, I was instructed to spend more time to remove personality defects. The personality defect removal process is the cornerstone of spirituality practise at Sanatan Sanstha. As it becomes clear later on, it is also a very powerful psychological tool in the hands of some selected sadhaks.

Sanatan reworks my schedule

The pain at having failed my Sanatan during a critical process weighed heavily on my mind. I also agreed with them that I was at fault, my emotions had got better of my devotion towards my Guru and hence I had failed. I agreed to spend more time to remove the personality defects. This would lead to less time for other activities; sevas as well as less free time.

Sanatan Sanstha also asked me to switch off my mobile for some time and not to meet any visitors. As such I had only one visitor during the previous month, so I agreed with them. Switching off the mobile was a difficult decision as my family was my only contact with the outside world. I had started to miss them so much that I could not sleep without speaking to my husband during the night. But, perhaps they were right. I needed to be emotionally detached from my family so that I could follow my Guru’s, Dr Jayant Athavale’s instructions and embark on the true path and discover the spirituality within me.

Family loses touch

The decision by Sanatan Sanstha to make me switch off the mobile resulted in my family losing touch with me. I now started devoting more time for personality defect removal process. The auto-suggestion sessions now took up most of my time. Though the sanstha recommended only 3-4 sessions per day, I was made to undergo 8-10 sessions for the next 10 days. I lost any interest in food and would only eat very meagre food.

Such intensive sessions and loss of touch with the outer world made for a very heavy cocktail and I fainted during one such session.

Sanatan Sanstha took this as evidence that evil spirits (read my family) was trying to entice me back to the materialistic world and were interfering with my sadhana. I was given any treatment nor shown to any doctor.

My “rakshak” came to the rescue. I was in a catch 22 situation; but she deftly handled the situation for me. She talked to the sadhaks who mattered and asked them to put me under her. She would supervise my activities and my behaviour. They agreed.

The impact of my husband’s visit and inability to provoke him had very negative impact on my life at Sanatan Ashram Ponda. I had to undergo sustained sessions of personality defect removal process and also stop contact with my family. My rakshak came to the rescue once again.

Sanatan Sanstha and Dharma Yudh

Sanatan Sanstha says that it is engaged in Dharma Yudh for the benefit of Hindus. It wants to create a Hindu Rashtra by 2023 (some claim the year to be 2025). The sadhaks are all fed with the vision of a Hindu Rashtra. They are told about the need for this and also how it will benefit them and the rest of the world. But is it a mirage? Has the sanstha created a smokescreen to hide their other nefarious activities?

Dharma Yudh

Dharma Yudh is a fight for Dharma. A war that is to be fought with righteousness. A war that follows certain principles and rules; the main one being that an equal fight with an equal. Sanatan Sanstha has misused this word and uses it to justify the establishment of Hindu Rashtra. The definition of Hindu Rashtra is also very vague; there is no defined path for its establishment. The sanstha changes its terminology to suit its needs.

Sanatan tries to define Hindu Rashtra on one of its pages by saying that it will be guided by principles of Dharma. But these principles are not defined anywhere. It then shifts focus to spirituality and says that Hindu Rashtra will facilitate the propagation of spirituality. Most the population will practise spirituality as per the basic principles.

What are these principles? Who will define these principles? The sanstha is silent on these issues. Such topics are not discussed during any dharma sabhas or satsangs. People are discouraged in discussing them. They are given an impression that Dr Jayant Athavale will take care of everything; in short, he has nominated himself as the ruler of Hindu Rashtra. Dr Athavale also preaches media men to follow the path of Dharma. But he is silent on the definition of Dharma, he is silent on what is Sanatan Dharma, he is silent on what is Hindu Dharma. He preaches spirituality but first needs to understand it himself and practice what he preaches.

Dr Athavale is Dharma Guru

Does Dr Athavale consider himself a Dharma Guru? This impression is given every time in every satsang and every discussion. The images and audio visuals also carry the same message though they are unconscious. Unconscious messages are more powerful. Sanatan Sanstha makes good use of such unconscious messages. The impression is to associate the Guru with seva and to replace God with Guru. A seva to Guru is said to be seva to God, Hindu Dharma and Sanatan Dharma. Thus, Sanatan has managed to subconsciously associate Dr Jayant Athavale as a Dharma Guru.

I have gleaned this from my personal experiences as well as through discussions with many members of Sanatan Sanstha. I am no longer a member of this sanstha. I left it after my consciousness started biting me. Ms. Amruta Acharya has taken a bold step in writing this blog. I had to convience her a lot to share her experiences with Sanatan Sanstha. The aim was to release her pent-up feelings and also if possible to educate others.

This is a guest blog and I, Amruta Acharya have not written it.