Look at the faces behind the veil

Sanatan Sanstha - Controversial at its best.

Sanatan Sanstha seems to revel in controversies. It has been accused of mastering murders of several prominent Hindu personages -Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare, and M. M. Kalburgi are prominent among them. They have been accused of other illegal activities as well, some of their followers - they call themselves sadhaks, have been arrested for planting bombs. A doctor is being investigated for using psychotic drugs, maybe illegally acquiring and prescribing such drugs. These are all in public domain, I will not stress too much on the controversies surrounding Sanatan Sanstha. My focus is on their way of operations, the methods used by them and the logic behind them.

I know, because I have been a part of this sanstha, run by a Dr. Jayant Balaji Athavale, a so called hypnotherapist. 

I spent the best part of my life running after the ever elusive Mooksh, an offering of our "beloved" guru, just like others before me did and others are still doing. The substantial following built up by Sanatan Sanstha is impressive. Their method of communication is mesmerising. They offer the ultimate fruit to true "seekers". And people like us get taken in. We forget everything.

Broken Dreams and Broken Houses:

Yes, we forget everything and run to them, run to Sanatan Sanstha. They appear to be saviours in our troubled times. They offer solace, a calming balm to tide over the difficulties, difficulties that are part and parcel of our daily lives. They show as if they have the answers to all our questions, joining them will relieve us of all our difficulties. And some of us are so taken in that we run, run away and leave everything behind. We break our houses and homes. We break our relationships, drive away our near and dear ones; those who love us. Run away from them and the daily friction of life. Run away to one of the Sanatan Sanstha’s ashrams and join them as full time devotees. We want to immerse ourselves into the service of the sanstha and devote our life – the balance of our life, to do seva. They promise us that they will deliver spiritual upliftment, we will become free of worldly needs and wants and attain Mooksh.

Reality Bites and Bites Deep:

And then after some time, reality sets in, at least for some people who have still retained some part of their rational thinking. Some us start questioning the unquestionable faith that is demanded in Sanatan Sanstha. We are not allowed to do so. We cannot do so. But, everyone at the ashram, Sanatan Sanstha has three ashrams, the main one at Ponda, Goa, the second one at Panvel, near Mumbai and another one at Miraj, Maharashtra, faces this moment of truth. But, some of us have come too far, we have burnt too many bridges, severed too many relationships. We cannot look back; we cannot go back. Dr. Jayant Balaji Athavale has achieved his objective. He has a zombie in his hand, a zombie he can control and make him do what he wants to do, when he wants to do and in the manner, he wants to do…

I came back, came back from the brink of disaster. I am now slowly trying to regain my life. I am trying to rebuild loved relationships, relationships I had broken in the first place. It is a slow and painful process; I know I cannot rebuild my past life ever again. The pain will always remain with me till I am alive. It will remain in the hearts of my loved ones, ones I have hurt too deeply. They will carry it forward, the pain in their hearts, long after I have ceased to be.

That is the gift of Sanatan Sanstha.