SRI COLONEL SK BOSE
(RETIRED)
head of Chaitanya Jyothi Museum
"MADHUSUDAN NAIDU COULD MIMIC SWAMI'S VOICE AND NOW HE IMPROVED UPON THIS TALENT, NARASIMHA MURTHY WAS QUICK TO RECOGNISE THE POTENTIAL OF THIS MAN AND A PARTNERSHIP WAS FORGED TO DUPE PEOPLE ON A LARGE SCALE"
13 May 2015
Read an interesting insight by Sri. Retired Colonel: S.K.Bose, a long time devotee and currently the head of Chaitanya Jyothi Museum:
The sordid happenings at Muddenhalli fill me with contempt and disgust. I am concerned that no one has so far exposed the modus operandi of these tricksters. And even those who acquired these powers by practice have been using them for selfish purposes.
The fact is that Madhusudhan Naidu is a charlatan and is duping gullible devotees by dubious means and creating a large following to garner funds ostensibly to build schools. How much of it is being used for this purpose is a moot point. Sadly Narasimhamurthy has blotted his copybook by joining hands with Madhusudhan Naidu.
It is my aim to highlight the modus operandi of these unscrupulous people. The sad fact is that even long time devotees are not able to tell the difference between real divine powers and siddhi powers obtained for selfish ends. These psychic or occult powers can be attained by practice, but there is nothing divine about them. Swami Vivekanand tells about such powers of the mind. In Volume 2 of his Complete Works (copy of his article “Power of the Mind” is enclosed for ready reference). He once heard of a man who, if any one went to him with questions in his mind, would answer them immediately and that he could foretell events. Swami Vivekananda tested this man’s powers and found them to be true. However, nobody considered this man divine.
As Swami Vivekananda admits, there have been charlatans, there have been cheats and more here than in any other field, because the more profitable the business, the greater the number of charlatans and cheats. Swami Vivekananda had a very powerful mind, but he never displayed any occult or psychic powers. His Guru Swami Ramakrishna Paramahamsa forbade such display of powers as they would pull the aspirant down and away from the spiritual path. One of the commonest tricks is to read a man’s mind and tell him about events, which had taken place many years ago and which no one else knew about. Unfortunately devotees mistake these powers as signs of divinity and are impressed and influenced by them.
Sri Sathya Sai Baba has cautioned people against trying to attain the ashtasiddhis as they will bind the sadhak (aspirant). Thought reading is also fraught with dangers. In his book ‘ Life in Indian Monastries’. Swami Bhaskarananda of the Ramakrishna Order says, “ Some other things also need to be explained here. Contrary to expectations of many, God-realized souls do not try to read others peoples thoughts unless they feel divinely inspired to do so. These great souls have a natural tendency to remain immersed in God. To try to know others people’s thoughts is usually against their nature. Staunchly established as they are in moral and ethical values, entering into other people’s private minds is considered highly unethical by them” [ see page 14].
In his book ‘ Living with Himalayan Masters’, Swami Rama narrates how he once met a Swami who could produce fire from his mouth. The flame would shoot out several feet, so he concluded that this man must definitely be more advanced than his master. He went to his master and told him that he had found someone more advanced than him and had decided to become his disciple. His master just smiled and said that he was delighted and asked to be taken to him. To Swami Rama’s surprise the Swami bowed before his master. It transpired that he was from the same monastery, but had left many years earlier. On questioning further the Swami said that he had practised for twenty years to master this power Swami Rama’s master said to him that a match will produce this fire in a second so to spend twenty years for this was foolishness. Swami Rama realized that mostly such phenomena are tricks and spirituality has nothing to do with such powers. The third chapter of Yoga Sutra explains many methods of attaining siddhis, but these create stumbling blocks in the path of enlightenment, which is entirely different from the intentional cultivation of powers. Misuse of siddhis is the downfall for a sadhak (aspirant) and established Swamijis. Sometimes psychic powers develop; you start telling the fortunes of others and you start knowing things. These are all distractions. Too many people, including Swamijis, have wasted time and energy on such distractions.
Anyone who wants to develop siddhis, can do so and can demonstrate certain supernatural feats, but enlightenment is an entirely different matter.( Pages 102 to 106) of ‘Living With Himalayan Masters”.
Swami Rama narrates another experience of how fake sadhus make their living. On his way to Rishikesh in 1973, Swami Rama met one Dr Rudolph Ballentine in New Delhi. This man was psychiatrist from USA and was going round Connaught place in New Delhi when a stranger called him by name and then abruptly told him the name of his girlfriend in England. The doctor asked him how could he know these things. Instead of answering he continued and told the doctor his date of birth and his grandfather’s name. Then the man told him something very personal, which no one except Dr Ballentine knew (sounds familiar). The doctor was impressed and thought, “ This is the person for whom I have come to India”. The man asked for five dollars and said he would be back soon. Needless to say, he never came back. The following conversation then took place between Dr Ballentine and Swami Rama.
Dr Ballentine : Swamiji, he was a great man
Swami Rama : What did he do?
Dr Ballentine : He told me all those personal things about myself
although I was a complete stranger.
Swami Rama : Didn’t you already know these things
Dr Ballentine : Yes.
Swami Rama : Then what big thing did he do? If somebody knows what you are thinking, then obviously you know it too. This knowledge does not improve you [spiritually] in any way.
This ability may amaze you for some time, but it cannot help anyone in self growth.
Fakes like the one Dr Ballentine encountered are often disguised as sadhus and go about telling someone’s past and predicting the future. Naive people mistake them for great sages. These pretenders give a bad name to spirituality and to real spiritual people. ( ‘Living With Himalayan Masters’ by Swami Rama, pages 355 and 356).
It must be made clear the such people are found not only in New Delhi, but throughout the length and breadth of the country.
The following narration is by Satyajit about an incident, which took place inside the Interview Room in his presence. Swami was seated and there is this gentleman sitting at Swami’s lotus feet. He started talking about a young boy of 14, who lived somewhere in Bangalore and who claimed that Swami spoke through him. This gentleman was conveying to Swami that he had gone to that place and had seen the boy, who was from a very beautiful and simple family and that the boy had a glow on his face and a look of innocence. He asserted that the boy was obviously close to Swami and he was trying to convince Swami that the boy’s claim must be true that Swami went into his body and spoke through him. Swami listened for a while and became visibly furious. He severely reprimanded this gentleman in no uncertain terms. He said, “ You have been close to me for so many years. How could you even bring this up in my presence? Have you taken leave of all common sense that you could even dream of suggesting that I have to enter that dirty body. If I want to talk to somebody I can always find out means of talking to him directly and not do so through someone else”.
Satyajit was taken aback by the vehemence of Swami’s reaction. Somehow these kinds of things appeal to some people and they believe all this rubbish and they think this is an easy way out. Even after this strong rebuke from Swami this gentleman did not learn his lesson and after Swami left for darshan, he went to Satyajit and reiterated the whole thing and tried to convince him saying that he had personally seen the boy. Satyajit was taken aback that even after being castigated by Swami, this gentleman had not understood the basic fact that God does not allow any intermediary between Him and His devotee. It is this direct relationship which confers joy to the devotee; the direct joy of service, the direct joy of Sadhana.
There are no prizes for guessing who the gentleman is in view of his present self- acclaimed high status. To believe in the need for an intermediary is nothing short of blasphemy.
Satyajit narrated this incident during his talk in Los Angeles, California on 22 Feb 2014.( LINK FOR THIS TALK IS HERE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbCTvS89msQ)
Now about the happenings at Muddenhalli. Nobody bothered too much what Narasimhamurthy was saying and doing till Madhusudhan Naidu appeared on the scene. He started off with the commonest trick of reading the past and impressing people, particularly influential ones. His fame spread fast and so did his repertoire of gimmicks and antics. He was a good actor in his student days and also a good mimic. He could mimic Swami’s voice and now he improved upon his talent. Narasimhamurthy was quick to recognize the potential of this man and a partnership was forged to dupe people on a large scale when they found how easy it was to do so.
It is surprising that people swallowed the claim that only Madhusudan could see Swami and none of the thousands of visitors could do so. He thus became an intermediary (communicator is the name they coined) between God and devotee, exactly what Swami had banged Narasimhamurthy for even daring to bring up some years ago. If that were not enough, now they openly began soliciting for funds. This was again something that Swami was vehemently against. It is most disturbing that this duo could continue to flout Swami’s teachings and yet appear to flourish. It is time that visitors to Muddenhalli woke to this dubious trickery and refused to be duped. People who openly flout Swami’s teachings need to be condemned and not supported. A modicum of common sense and discrimination are needed. Ours is a free country and anyone can go wherever he likes, but trickery and gimmickry cannot be tolerated, especially when at stake are Swami’s reputation and the reputation of the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation.
Purity and morality have always been the object of spirituality. A pure, moral man has control of himself and will never stoop to deception and deviousness.
Col. S.K.Bose (Retd)
Chaitanya Jyoti Museum
Prasanthi Nilayam
13 May 2015
Source: https://www.facebook.com/saimemories/photos/a.422242711155641.89985.402496529796926/900735073306400/?type=3
The sordid happenings at Muddenhalli fill me with contempt and disgust. I am concerned that no one has so far exposed the modus operandi of these tricksters. And even those who acquired these powers by practice have been using them for selfish purposes.
The fact is that Madhusudhan Naidu is a charlatan and is duping gullible devotees by dubious means and creating a large following to garner funds ostensibly to build schools. How much of it is being used for this purpose is a moot point. Sadly Narasimhamurthy has blotted his copybook by joining hands with Madhusudhan Naidu.
It is my aim to highlight the modus operandi of these unscrupulous people. The sad fact is that even long time devotees are not able to tell the difference between real divine powers and siddhi powers obtained for selfish ends. These psychic or occult powers can be attained by practice, but there is nothing divine about them. Swami Vivekanand tells about such powers of the mind. In Volume 2 of his Complete Works (copy of his article “Power of the Mind” is enclosed for ready reference). He once heard of a man who, if any one went to him with questions in his mind, would answer them immediately and that he could foretell events. Swami Vivekananda tested this man’s powers and found them to be true. However, nobody considered this man divine.
As Swami Vivekananda admits, there have been charlatans, there have been cheats and more here than in any other field, because the more profitable the business, the greater the number of charlatans and cheats. Swami Vivekananda had a very powerful mind, but he never displayed any occult or psychic powers. His Guru Swami Ramakrishna Paramahamsa forbade such display of powers as they would pull the aspirant down and away from the spiritual path. One of the commonest tricks is to read a man’s mind and tell him about events, which had taken place many years ago and which no one else knew about. Unfortunately devotees mistake these powers as signs of divinity and are impressed and influenced by them.
Sri Sathya Sai Baba has cautioned people against trying to attain the ashtasiddhis as they will bind the sadhak (aspirant). Thought reading is also fraught with dangers. In his book ‘ Life in Indian Monastries’. Swami Bhaskarananda of the Ramakrishna Order says, “ Some other things also need to be explained here. Contrary to expectations of many, God-realized souls do not try to read others peoples thoughts unless they feel divinely inspired to do so. These great souls have a natural tendency to remain immersed in God. To try to know others people’s thoughts is usually against their nature. Staunchly established as they are in moral and ethical values, entering into other people’s private minds is considered highly unethical by them” [ see page 14].
In his book ‘ Living with Himalayan Masters’, Swami Rama narrates how he once met a Swami who could produce fire from his mouth. The flame would shoot out several feet, so he concluded that this man must definitely be more advanced than his master. He went to his master and told him that he had found someone more advanced than him and had decided to become his disciple. His master just smiled and said that he was delighted and asked to be taken to him. To Swami Rama’s surprise the Swami bowed before his master. It transpired that he was from the same monastery, but had left many years earlier. On questioning further the Swami said that he had practised for twenty years to master this power Swami Rama’s master said to him that a match will produce this fire in a second so to spend twenty years for this was foolishness. Swami Rama realized that mostly such phenomena are tricks and spirituality has nothing to do with such powers. The third chapter of Yoga Sutra explains many methods of attaining siddhis, but these create stumbling blocks in the path of enlightenment, which is entirely different from the intentional cultivation of powers. Misuse of siddhis is the downfall for a sadhak (aspirant) and established Swamijis. Sometimes psychic powers develop; you start telling the fortunes of others and you start knowing things. These are all distractions. Too many people, including Swamijis, have wasted time and energy on such distractions.
Anyone who wants to develop siddhis, can do so and can demonstrate certain supernatural feats, but enlightenment is an entirely different matter.( Pages 102 to 106) of ‘Living With Himalayan Masters”.
Swami Rama narrates another experience of how fake sadhus make their living. On his way to Rishikesh in 1973, Swami Rama met one Dr Rudolph Ballentine in New Delhi. This man was psychiatrist from USA and was going round Connaught place in New Delhi when a stranger called him by name and then abruptly told him the name of his girlfriend in England. The doctor asked him how could he know these things. Instead of answering he continued and told the doctor his date of birth and his grandfather’s name. Then the man told him something very personal, which no one except Dr Ballentine knew (sounds familiar). The doctor was impressed and thought, “ This is the person for whom I have come to India”. The man asked for five dollars and said he would be back soon. Needless to say, he never came back. The following conversation then took place between Dr Ballentine and Swami Rama.
Dr Ballentine : Swamiji, he was a great man
Swami Rama : What did he do?
Dr Ballentine : He told me all those personal things about myself
although I was a complete stranger.
Swami Rama : Didn’t you already know these things
Dr Ballentine : Yes.
Swami Rama : Then what big thing did he do? If somebody knows what you are thinking, then obviously you know it too. This knowledge does not improve you [spiritually] in any way.
This ability may amaze you for some time, but it cannot help anyone in self growth.
Fakes like the one Dr Ballentine encountered are often disguised as sadhus and go about telling someone’s past and predicting the future. Naive people mistake them for great sages. These pretenders give a bad name to spirituality and to real spiritual people. ( ‘Living With Himalayan Masters’ by Swami Rama, pages 355 and 356).
It must be made clear the such people are found not only in New Delhi, but throughout the length and breadth of the country.
The following narration is by Satyajit about an incident, which took place inside the Interview Room in his presence. Swami was seated and there is this gentleman sitting at Swami’s lotus feet. He started talking about a young boy of 14, who lived somewhere in Bangalore and who claimed that Swami spoke through him. This gentleman was conveying to Swami that he had gone to that place and had seen the boy, who was from a very beautiful and simple family and that the boy had a glow on his face and a look of innocence. He asserted that the boy was obviously close to Swami and he was trying to convince Swami that the boy’s claim must be true that Swami went into his body and spoke through him. Swami listened for a while and became visibly furious. He severely reprimanded this gentleman in no uncertain terms. He said, “ You have been close to me for so many years. How could you even bring this up in my presence? Have you taken leave of all common sense that you could even dream of suggesting that I have to enter that dirty body. If I want to talk to somebody I can always find out means of talking to him directly and not do so through someone else”.
Satyajit was taken aback by the vehemence of Swami’s reaction. Somehow these kinds of things appeal to some people and they believe all this rubbish and they think this is an easy way out. Even after this strong rebuke from Swami this gentleman did not learn his lesson and after Swami left for darshan, he went to Satyajit and reiterated the whole thing and tried to convince him saying that he had personally seen the boy. Satyajit was taken aback that even after being castigated by Swami, this gentleman had not understood the basic fact that God does not allow any intermediary between Him and His devotee. It is this direct relationship which confers joy to the devotee; the direct joy of service, the direct joy of Sadhana.
There are no prizes for guessing who the gentleman is in view of his present self- acclaimed high status. To believe in the need for an intermediary is nothing short of blasphemy.
Satyajit narrated this incident during his talk in Los Angeles, California on 22 Feb 2014.( LINK FOR THIS TALK IS HERE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbCTvS89msQ)
Now about the happenings at Muddenhalli. Nobody bothered too much what Narasimhamurthy was saying and doing till Madhusudhan Naidu appeared on the scene. He started off with the commonest trick of reading the past and impressing people, particularly influential ones. His fame spread fast and so did his repertoire of gimmicks and antics. He was a good actor in his student days and also a good mimic. He could mimic Swami’s voice and now he improved upon his talent. Narasimhamurthy was quick to recognize the potential of this man and a partnership was forged to dupe people on a large scale when they found how easy it was to do so.
It is surprising that people swallowed the claim that only Madhusudan could see Swami and none of the thousands of visitors could do so. He thus became an intermediary (communicator is the name they coined) between God and devotee, exactly what Swami had banged Narasimhamurthy for even daring to bring up some years ago. If that were not enough, now they openly began soliciting for funds. This was again something that Swami was vehemently against. It is most disturbing that this duo could continue to flout Swami’s teachings and yet appear to flourish. It is time that visitors to Muddenhalli woke to this dubious trickery and refused to be duped. People who openly flout Swami’s teachings need to be condemned and not supported. A modicum of common sense and discrimination are needed. Ours is a free country and anyone can go wherever he likes, but trickery and gimmickry cannot be tolerated, especially when at stake are Swami’s reputation and the reputation of the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation.
Purity and morality have always been the object of spirituality. A pure, moral man has control of himself and will never stoop to deception and deviousness.
Col. S.K.Bose (Retd)
Chaitanya Jyoti Museum
Prasanthi Nilayam
13 May 2015
Source: https://www.facebook.com/saimemories/photos/a.422242711155641.89985.402496529796926/900735073306400/?type=3
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