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.

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.

The Journey So Far

I encounter Sanatan Sanstha

How did I encounter Sanatan Sanstha? I am a spiritual person and always believed that I had a higher purpose in life. I always felt and still feel that Hindu samaj is under attack and Hindu Dharma or Sanatan Dharma is being targeted by everyone, irrespective of caste, creed, gender or religion. I am brought up in a metro and cosmopolitan city and move to a small town after marriage. Marriage, particularly a Hindu marriage, comes with its set of restrictions.

I think I first encountered Sanatan during one of the religious gatherings. They put up their stalls at such places. I was attracted to it and I must have purchased some of their publications and products. I also must have given my contact details there.

What I remember very distinctly is their first contact. A phone call from a woman invited me to their satsang. I was expecting a hall full of people but was surprised at the very small presence. The topic is not relevant (I don’t remember it…) but I lost interest and wandered off. There was a small exhibition area and I was going through their activities and various publications. A sadhak approached me and offered to explain the mission of Sanatan Sanstha.

The Zeal of Sanatan Sanstha

He was very passionate about the sanstha and its mission and various activities. I interrupted him and commented on the small presence. This was the opening he was searching for. We are taught to take advantage of such issues. We are taught by Dr Jayant Athavale to turn our disadvantages into our advantages.

The sadhak immediately launched into a tirade against all non-believers, he said that Hindus are a divided lot, they are divided by the politicians and the media. They are not allowed to become one; because if we become one we will become the greatest strength on earth and nobody can dominate us, nobody can dictate to us. Everyone is afraid of us and they want to keep us under their feet.

True, but this was about Hindus, what about Sanatan Sanstha?

Another opening and another tirade.

He now equates Sanatan Sanstha with Hindus. Without a single pause, he continues to explain the mission of Dr Jayant Athavale. The mission is the establishment of the Hindu Rashtra by 2023 based on the principles of Sanatan Dharma. He goes on about the atrocities heaped upon Sanatan, shows me various articles in the media and explains that they are targeting Hindu Dharma and Sanatan Sanstha.

I am not very convinced but still he has managed to create a doubt in my mind. A doubt that will be explored in future by the sanstha. An opening has been made and I have been marked by them.

They say that the first impression is the last impression; I beg to differ. Impressions are created over time. Your impressions can be manipulated over time by skilled persons like Dr Jayant Athavale and his band of followers. People who have studied human psychology can manipulate people like me to meet their selfish ends.