Why does Sanatan Sanstha not quote scriptures

Sanatan Sanstha has its own brand of Sanatan Dharma

Sanatan Sanstha says that it is dedicated to spirituality as per Sanatan Dharma. It is engaged in the providing education on Dharma in scientific terminology. In spite of such lofty ideals, it does not quote any religious texts. There is nothing on Bhagwad Geeta, nothing on Ramayana and the website is totally silent on Ramayana, not to mention vedas and puranas. Then, which Sanatan Dharma is being taught, which Dharma is being discussed during satsangs and various dharma sabhas.

Low on content, low on quotes

Sanatan Sanstha does not quote extensively from any holy scriptures. There are hardly any detailed discussions on such scriptures during satsangs and dharma sabhas. An impression is given that these vedas and puranas have been studied extensively, however, no chapter reference is given. We are asked to purchase required holy texts by ourselves; there is no library in the kendra. But, there is a huge stock of Sanatan’s publications. We are told that they will provide us with all the required information. We will get complete education through them as they are based on the holy texts; they are based on the principles of Sanatan Dharma.

The publications (the sanstha claims that there are more than 200 such publications, all written in easy to understand language and with scientific explanations). They say that these publications have been translated into 14 languages and more than 7 lakh copies have been sold. The main page has a link to “Treasure of Holy Texts”, however, it is not operational. Are there really any such discussions on holy texts? Have these been read and understood by any sadhak? Does Sanatan Sanstha provide for a healthy discussion among sadhaks? Are these holy texts explained to sadhaks by the saints?

The answer to all this is a big NO.

The brand Dr Jayant Athavale

Instead of quotations and explanations, the publications are full of quotes by Dr Jayant Athavale. Explanations and references to holy texts are very vague. However, it is always mentioned that Guru has studied these scriptures, understood them and is presenting them in a simplified manner so we can understand them. There were times when I would not agree with the explanation, I needed more information or explanation; my logic of understanding them was different. I was asked to do naamjap and focus on my Guru. This would help me to understand. This was because of my ego; my ego was saying that I knew more about spirituality than my Guru and Sanatan Sanstha.

It is quite obvious that Dr Jayant Athavale is trying to build an empire through a band of loyal followers. The spiritual upliftment and spiritual knowledge feed to us has his stamp on it. He is using psychology to undermine our thinking powers. He is trying to control our minds through actions. This is not hypnotism; it is mind control; pure and simple.

But, now I am far gone to understand these things. I have transformed myself into a zombie under control of Sanatan Sanstha.

Sanatan Sanstha – Propagating Myths

Mythological Santan Sanstha

Sanatan Sanstha has propagated several myths, all aimed at creating a distinct image about it. They use all resources at their hand. They produce newsletters – Sanatan Prabhat, Weeklies, fortnightlies, and monthlies. These are available in different languages – Marathi is the main language, but these are available in Hindi, Gujarati as well as Kannada. They conduct satsangs at all their kendras and upkendras. These are spread across mainly Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and Gujarat. Satsangs are a good medium to propagate myths, Santan Sanstha has a docile and captive audience. They also conduct sabhas, dharmavargs and balsanskar vargs. They have a good presence across social media, they are on FaceBook, they are on Twitter and other social platforms. Their sadhaks – followers, write several blogs, they use their own Facebook and Twitter accounts to promote the sanstha.

Why are myths important to Sanatan Sanstha?

Sanatan Sanstha projects a bigger image than the reality through myths. It has created an Aura around itself; a sort of a halo under which many non-religious activities can flourish. A sanstha can operate only if it gets financial support. Dr. Jayant Athavale knows this, his spiritual aim is to create a name for himself. He wants his name to be written in history books, possible only through financial backing. Possible only if he can build an army of followers.

The second myth is about spirituality. The sanstha wants to show that it is providing spiritual education. It has been established to show the path for spiritual upliftment. Such lofty ideals, such lofty objectives. Their activities; their website, the satsangs, the dharmavargs and the periodicals propagate this myth. This provides them with a steady flow of manpower – in terms of followers, financial backing – donations, advertisements, government aid.

The third myth and equally important is that they are the underdogs. We, Hindus, get united when we see Hindu institutions being attacked. We rally ourselves behind such an organization; that time we do not look at the faces behind the veil. This is important to bind the sadhaks to a common cause and equally important to bind in such a manner that they stick together. Sanatan Sanstha uses the tag of attacks to rally their forces behind them. Do they lead from the front? No, not at all, the guru; Dr. Jayant Athavale remains behind the veil, behind the protective cover. The sadhaks are in the forefront. They carry the baton; the guru wants only the fruits.

The fourth myth is about invincibility. They cannot be touched by anybody. To the followers – sadhaks; they say that the guru is protecting them (Should it not be GOD? For the sanstha, the guru is everything). Any small incident is blown out of proportion. They hold demonstrations in front of police stations and hold dharnas. They give memorandum to the police, the collector and any other politician and publish the photos and articles in media as well as their website.

Sanatan Sanstha creates an impact:

There are several such myths. I have taken only those that were used to influence me and to convince me that Sanatan Sanstha is under attack. Yes, you are right. The focus has now shifted from attacks on Hindu Dharma to attacks on Sanatan Sanstha. This is drilled into my mind, the sanstha is under attack.

Do something to save it. You can do something to save it. You can save Sanatan Sanstha.

Lies lies and more lies

Broken Dreams and Broken Relationships

This is the start of the end. Lies lead to mistrust. Mistrust in the persons who love you the most. People who really care about you. Mistrust leads to broken dreams and broken relationships. This is the beginning of the end. Sanatan Sanstha knows this, understands this, and most of all wants this. There is nothing spiritual about this, nothing religious about this, there is no linkage between Sanatan Dharma or Hindu Dharma. It is all about mind control.

Human beings are social animals, right. They want the company of others, others who are like them, who think like them, who act like them. The social acceptance theory comes into play. I started seeking others like me. More importantly, I left those who were not like me. It started with my friend circle. I saw them as inferior beings, engaged in futile pursuits. I was a superior being. I lost contact with them, I broke contact with them. My closest friends, some of them so close that they knew all about me. I did not keep in touch.

I had a friend, she was facing a crisis in her life, I went to her and told her to embrace Sanatan Sanstha. She was shocked, her husband had just died and she was worried about making ends meet, and I was advising her to leave everything behind. I was so inconsiderate. Today, she is helping me to live again, helping me to come to terms with life and to start a new life. She did, she fought against odds, she took risks. She is my helping hand, my guiding star.

Lying is a sin:

All religions including Sanatan Dharma or Hindu Dharma teaches us that lying is a sin. Yudhishthira, the Dharmaraj, uttered just one lie in his lifetime and still he had to offer penance before he got an entry in the Heaven. He had performed innumerable good deeds and accumulated good karma. Yet Sanatan Sanstha directly or indirectly motivates its sadhaks to tell lies or to speak untruths. Spiritual upliftment should start with honesty and truthfulness, the sanstha on the face of it, shows that it does not support such misdemeanors. Then why does it motivate people to speak lies? It is not only about mind control. They tell people like me that whatever you do in the sanstha, it is acceptable if it is for the good of the sanstha. The guru; HH Dr. Jayant Athavale is there to protect you.

Nobody can share one’s sins. Remember the story about Maharishi Valmiki? Maharishi Valmiki was a notorious bandit, he used to rob innocent people of their wealth. Once a saint asked him the reason for such evil deeds. Valmiki replied that he robbed so that he could feed his family. The saint then asked him whether his sins would also be shared by his family? Valmiki decided to ask them and was very much surprised by the answer. His family out rightly rejected him and told him that they would not share his sins. He realized his mistake and changed his path and took to spiritual pursuits and became the great Maharishi Valmiki.

Lying is a sin, no matter what is the outcome. And yes, nobody can share your sins, you have to carry the burden yourself. Even Sanatan Sanstha cannot change this, this is as per Sanatan Dharma. 

Sanatan Sanstha is not Sanatan Dharma. It can never become one, it can never come close to the Eternal Truth.

Am I alone?

Are there any others like me?

A married woman runs away from home leaving behind a broken home and broken relationships. Did it happen to me only or does it happen to others? Was I deeply brainwashed by Sanatan Sanstha or is it a regular occurrence?

After my return from the clutches of Sanatan Sanstha, I spent a lot of time on this question.

To be truthful, the sadhaks always told me even before I ran away that the ashram had several inmates, mostly women who had run away. Had forsaken their lives and near and dear ones for seeking spiritual upliftment. Many of them were married, but the sanstha preferred that married women to stay behind and take care of household responsibilities. I should look at this as a seva towards Guru and should look at my family as sadhaks. Warning bells still did not go off, after all this is logical.

But their treatment with unmarried young girls is different, very different. They are actively motivated to leave behind their homes and flee to one of the Sanatan Sanstha Ashram. As a senior “sadhak” commented in a very off-hand manner – a married woman with children always has a soft corner towards her children, she will feel the pangs of love; if not for her family, her husband than for her children and will seek to return home. And when that happens, she will leave Sanatan Sanstha. Unmarried young women are a different case; they stay longer, and also manage to rope in their families into the sanstha. Logic, pure simple logic. Or is it a deep understanding of human psychology? Has this strategy been defined as a policy after studying human psychology? After all, Jayant Athavale is a clinical hypnotherapist and has spent most of his life with psychologists.

The real experience:

I experienced this first hand at Sanatan Sanstha Ashram. You can look up all such cases in the newspapers. In fact, four families from my home state, Maharashtra have petitioned the Bombay High Court alleging that young female members have been brainwashed. I was not alone at the ashram, there were scores of females like me, some young and unmarried while others married. Married with children and loving husbands. Broken dreams and broken lives.

Why is the ashram full of women; run away women? Do men not run away? Don’t they leave everything behind to seek Mooksh? The answer is simple; if any men run away from home to join the ashram, they have to manage on their own. Sanatan Sanstha will not provide them the full facilities provided to women. They have to make their own arrangements for lodging and boarding. The unwritten rules can be broken only if he is well connected and has ample funds under his control or is a foreigner. Sanstha knows how to extract maximum mileage. It squeezes out the last drop from men and women, all in the name of spirituality. This is a difference between Sanatan Sanstha and other spiritual and religious organizations.

Think about it, chew it over and draw your own conclusions.

Sanatan Sanstha and the Veil

What is Sanatan Sanstha

Sanatan Sanstha’s website states that it is a charitable trust. They seek to impart spiritual knowledge through personal guidance for spiritual upliftment and, also inculcate religious behavior. This is their stated aims. The sanstha is based at Ramnathi, a small village on the outskirts of Ponda, Goa, India. They have a huge ashram there and it operates as their headquarters. They have another ashram at Devad, Panvel near Mumbai, Maharashtra. Another ashram is said to be at Miraj, Maharashtra.

The sanstha operates through various branches. Sanatan Sanstha does not own any of them, these branches operate from the residences of the sadhaks – their followers. These branches may have several sub-offices under them. A typical hierarchical structure with a minimum cost of operations. There is very little information on the number of followers, the way things are organized and operations. All part of the veil. All information strictly on need to know basis, a secretive society formed with unknown intentions.

Hierarchy and Sanatan Sanstha:

 The hierarchy at the Sanstha is designed so the flow of information is easily controlled. Outsiders cannot get any inkling of the Ashram, why outsiders, even the followers are not aware of its true intent. Sanatan Sanstha wants to control everything and anything. I know because I was part of an inner circle, I was one constituent of a small wheel inside many wheels.

The reporting structure is very devious and is cloaked in spiritual terms. Yes, they use spiritual terminology as a cloak. They hide behind it, they use it to justify themselves and stop all unwanted, unwarranted questions. All followers – sadhaks report to a branch in charge. The branch in charge is decided by the reporting Ashram head. The branch in charge reports to another sevak who is based at one of the ashrams. The ashram has several coordination departments – called समन्वय विभाग. All prim and proper.

Flow of information:

Control, control and control. Three important words at Sanatan Sanstha. Not told to anybody, but practised day in and day out, every hour of the day and every minute of the hour. Need to know and question the need to know. But do not show this face to others. Let them think that we are open, everything is open.

And that also brings us to the title of the blog “sanatanveil”. More on that later…

The flow of information is one-way, from bottom to top. The other way is just instructions, what to do, when to do and how to do. Questions are encouraged if they support the set of instructions, instructions cannot be questioned, they must be followed. Instructions are all verbal, nothing is ever given in writing. Writing commits oneself, yes, we are instructed on this, but again I will come back at a later stage. Sanatan Sanstha is not open, it is very hierarchal society, it is very secretive.

Why should it be like this? Why is there no openness? What prevents them from being open about themselves? Why do they give an impression of being open when they are not open?

Questions, questions and more questions. Sanatan Sanstha does not like questions, it will not answer them, it is not supposed to answer them. You are not supposed to question Sanatan Sanstha Goa. Follow the instructions and you will get Mooksh. Question them and I become an evil spirit, a demon. I cannot be reformed; I should be thrown out.

I did and was thrown out. But I could not stop my conscience from biting me. I will not let my conscience bit me.