Freedom at last

The transit and Sanatan Sanstha

Sanatan Sanstha has identified the route, has made fool proof plans and coordinated my escape. My escape from a stifling environment, from relationships that were binding me down and were not allowing me to fly away, were not allowing me to follow the spiritual path and were stopping me from going on the path of Moksha. I am free, totally free.

Why am I feeling empty inside me? Is it because of the tensions, is it because of the hunger (I have not eaten anything throughout the day) or is it the feeling of Chaitanya? Am I really free?

I reach Sanatan Sanstha ashram Devad. I am not accustomed to traveling alone but the sadhaks have told me that I have to make this journey alone. It is symbolic, very symbolic. I am touched, I have cried throughout the journey and am excited to have at last reached my destination. The Devad ashram is only a transit point, it exists to filter the essentials from the non-essentials.

I catch an auto from the bus-stop and reach the ashram. As per the instructions, I call up my husband and inform him that I am at Panvel and I am safe. Why should I tell him? I am leaving him finally. I don’t question the instructions, but the first doubt comes to my mind.

Why inform my husband?

The Sanatan Sanstha Ashram Devad is a welcome sight. I feel as if I have reached a holy place; I bow down my head and kiss the steps. Some sadhaks are loitering near the entrance. They ask my identity and immediately a couple of them take me to the main room. Others close the main gates arnd arrange themselves around it.

The first question I am asked is; have I informed my husband? Have I told him that I am at Devad ashram? Have I given a written statement at the police station? No questions about my health, if I have eaten anything, nothing? I reply to all their questions and take a look at the main room. There are several other sadhaks and all appear to be waiting for something to happen; they appear to be tense.

I am given something to eat and I retire for the night. I am accompanied by two or three female sadhaks. They too appear nervous but don’t discuss anything. We go to sleep, but I cannot sleep. I lie awake the full night thinking about my Guru, Dr Jayant Athavale and seekings his blessings.

The next morning, I again notice many sadhaks roaming around in the compound. All people appear to be tense. I have not yet switched on my mobile. Now, I am advised to do so and respond to all calls and tell everyone that I am at Sanatan Sanstha Ashram Devad.

This cycle repeats for one complete week. There are no activities throughout the day but only counseling sessions. The police phone me up one day to gather my whereabouts. I am told to expect the call and am also told to contact one person before responding. I reply as per his instructions.

What is Sanatan Sanstha waiting for? Why am I not allowed to proceed towards Goa?

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.