Sanatan Sanstha – All attacking a poor underdog

A so called spiritual organisation; Sanatan Sanstha, appeared to be harmless, everyone was attacking this underdog. In fact, their preaching appealed to my spiritual nature. I was drawn to them, I was attracted to them, I felt that I belonged there. They could do no wrong, they were right. Yet, people were opposing them, day in and day out. Why was this sanstha so hated? Dr. Jayant Athavale only had the good of people on his mind yet people and media were out to malign him. Why do good people have to suffer?

Yes, I am talking about a tactic of Sanatan Sanstha. We all have protective feelings, we like to protect the underdogs, the people who are innocent but are being prosecuted. Have you ever observed a pack of dogs? They all attack the weakest one. This dog is defenceless; it is not even harming anyone. It is sitting silently on one side, minding its own business. Yet, other dogs harass it, attack it and prosecute it. Just for the fun of it, so that they get a few pleasurable moments. This dog is called an underdog. We, human beings, also do the same thing.

Is Sanatan Sanstha really an underdog?

Sanatan Sanstha projects an image of being an underdog. This was drummed into my mind in countless ways, day in and day out. Till any negative reference to Sanatan Sanstha made me think of only the underdog.

It started with very small things. The initial references were attacks on Hindu Dharma and the Hindu way of life. It can be seen everywhere. Hindutva is on the rise and people oppose even small things. Most of such protests are needed, we are being prosecuted. All our festivals are being administered. During Holi, we are told not to burn wood as trees are cut and pollution increases. During Rang Panchami, we are told about the harmful effects of colours and the wastage of water. Even during Diwali, we are advised that bursting of crackers leads to noise and air pollution and lakhs of rupees are spent on a few seconds of enjoyment.

Sanatan Sanstha highlights these issues on a larger platform and then turns our attention towards persecution of the sanstha. Let us look at some of these issues:

1.       Their main ashram is at Ramnathi, Ponda, Goa. The locals; villagers staying there, have been protesting about Sanatan Sanstha for quite some years. The sanstha says that these people hate the sanstha, they should visit the ashram as people from across the world are flocking to the ashram.

2.       There is already a movement to ban Sanatan Sanstha. Several political parties are seeking a ban, Congress and AAP are supporting the ban. The matter has been taken up by the Bombay High Court and they are asking both Central and State governments to place on record the various communications. Sanatan Sanstha says that these are misguided people.

3.       Incidents like incessant honking outside the Ashram premises are made out to as attempt to harass it. Inmates living there are always warned that they may be attacked, though no such incident took place during my stay there.

4.       There are 28 pages of search results on Sanatan Sanstha’s website if we search for “harassment of Sanatan Sanstha”. With 10 articles per search page, there are more than 280 articles on this topic alone.

5.       All their satsangs and dharmavarg sabhas have this common topic and incidents on such issues are highlighted.

The mentality is to project Sanatan Sanstha as an underdog. Why should a spiritual organization be so bothered about this? Are they hiding something; are they afraid of something? Why are they spending more time defending themselves than in the pursuit of spirituality?

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.