Contents

Chapter 1 : Childhood lived in opulence Chapter 2 : Brief exposure to Gandhi Chapter 3 : A rebellious school goer Chapter 4 : The Master s call Chapter ! : Master and "isciple Chapter # : $ith %a&neesh in Mu'bai Chapter ( : %a&neesh Ashra' in )une Chapter * : Gates of paradise Chapter + : ,light to the $est

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A CHILDHOOD LIVED IN OPULENCE "You cannot be adventurous when you are unhappy. Adventure needs a subtle happiness in you. Then you can leave the known...only with a dancing heart...happy, blissful, positivecan take you into the uncharted." Osho: The Book Of Se !ets III" 1#$% An En&'(sh )e*(sh +(,*(fe ,e'(-e!e, . /!ett0 1.10 &(!' .t ho+e .t 2332 h!s on 4e1!5.!0 12 1#33 (n Bo+1.0 6In,(.7 no* kno*n .s 85+1.(9 The ne*1o!n *.s .,+(n(ste!e, . ,!o/ of 1!.n,0 +(xe, *(th hone0 10 the +(,*(fe9 S/(!(t5.' en'(&htene, +.ste!s h.-e s.(, t(+e .n, o-e! .&.(n th.t the s/(!(t (s ete!n.' .n, ont(n5es to ex(st9 It ne-e! e.ses to ex(st9 Th(s s/(!(t *.s no* &(fte, . ne* /h0s( .' 1o,09 Th(s 1e.5t(f5' ne* 1o,0 .+e to 1e kno*n .s L.x+(9 L.x+( *.s 1o!n (n h.ste n.!!.tes 8.t.:(" he! +othe! S!(+.t( ;5!5*. 9 So +5 h so 8.t.:( ,(, not h.-e eno5&h not( e to !e. h he! 1e,!oo+9 8.t.:( *.s fo! e, to ,e'(-e! the 1.10 st.n,(n&9 L.x+( *.s on 1o!n on .!/ete, f'oo!9 T!.,(t(on.' +(,*(-es onf(!+ th.t +othe!s to 1e *ho .!e !e'.xe, ,e'(-e! (n e.se .n, /.(n'ess'0" e-en *h('e st.n,(n&9 4o'k'o!e onf(!+s B5,,h.<s +othe! ,e'(-e!e, h(+ (nto th(s *o!', st.n,(n&9 Afte! ,e'(-e!0 8.t.:( '.0 on the f'oo!9 =ene!.''0 (n In,(. (++e,(.te'0 /ost 1(!th he.te, sto-es .!e '(t 1e'o* the 1e, of the +othe!9 Ho*e-e! 8.t.:( .5&ht . h(''" .s (t (s o-e! h.'f ho5! '.te! th.t she !e. he, he! 1e,9 The!e *.s no t(+e to '(&ht .n0 sto-e .n, /!o-(,e the +5 h>,es(!e, *.!+th to the 1o,09 Th(s 'e, to . se-e!e /.(n (n he! 'e&9 Often .t n(&ht she *o5', &!o.n .n, s !e.+ (n /.(n" *h('e ne(&h1o!s *on,e!e, (f the0 sho5', !e/o!t .1o5t *(fe 1e.t(n& to the 'o .' /o'( e9 See(n& he! (n . 5te /.(n L.x+(<s f.the! .''e, . ,o to!9 He !e o++en,e, th.t the 'e& 1e .+/5t.te, .s n(' (! 5'.t(on of 1'oo, .5se, 5n1e.!.1'e /.(n9 O! e'se she *o5', ,(e9 Th(s sho ke, the f.+('09 The f.+('0 -.(," .05!-e, .n, n.t5!.' ,o to! 5+ he.'e! *.s s5++one,9 T!e.t+ent ens5e,9 8.t.:( *.s .,-(se, to st.0 off foo, fo! n(ne ,.0s9 She 'e.!e, he! 1o*e's on the n(nth ,.0" fo''o*(n& *h( h she *.s se!-e, one>fo5!th 5/ of

so5/ ooke, (n *.te!" .!,.+o+ .n, s5&.!9 Th(s '(?5(, ,(et ont(n5e, fo! se-en ,.0s9 Then . fe* +oon&" *ho'e &!een 1e.ns *e!e .,,e, to the so5/9 A fe* ,.0s '.te! she 1e&.n !e&5'.! +e.'s *(th the f.+('09 The -.(, 5!e, he! 'e&9 A+/5t.t(on *.s not !e?5(!e,9 Do to!s *ho /!. t( e, +o,e!n +e,( (ne *e!e s5!/!(se, th.t 8.t.:(<s 'e& *.s 5!e," (n '5,(n& the one *ho !e o++en,e, .+/5t.t(on9 An .n (ent .n, t!.,(t(on.' kno*'e,&e .05!-e, +e,( (ne *.s /.sse, on to the fo''o*(n& &ene!.t(on o!.''09 The!e *.s -(!t5.''0 no ,o 5+ent.t(on of the !es5'ts of +e,( (nes .,+(n(ste!e, to /.t(ents o! of kno*'e,&e9 4o! '. k of ,o 5+ente, !es5'ts" the!efo!e +o,e!n +e,( (ne ,oes not !e o&n(@e (t .s . s (ent(f( s hoo' of +e,( (ne9 4o! .&es" /eo/'e (n In,(. h.-e !e'(e, on .05!-e, 1e .5se +o,e!n +e,( (ne ,(, not ex(st9 The0 t!5ste, the .05!-e, s0ste+9 L(ke (n +o,e!n +e,( (ne" (n .05!-e, too" ,os.&e .n, st!en&th of +e,( (ne ,e/en,s on s0+/to+s of . ,(se.se, /.t(ent9 8.n0 . -.(," (n In,(. he.' /eo/'e *(th the(! +.&( /ot(ons9 These .!e ,e!(-e, f!o+ +e,( (n.' /'.nts .n, he!1s9 So+e of these .!e ,!(e," 1o('e, o! ooke, fo! ,.0s9 The ext!. t of the 1o('e, s0!5/ (s then on-e!te, (nto o(' '(ke s51st.n e9 Th(s one /.!t( 5'.!'0 5se, -eno+ of sn.kes fo! t!e.t+ent9 Un'(ke +o,e!n /!. t(t(one!s the0 ,o not nee, .n0 ex.+(n.t(on .n, s .nn(n& of the 1o,09 These /!. t(t(one!s t!5st the(! sense of !e.,(n& /.t(ent<s /5'se9 8.n0 0e.!s 1efo!e L.x+( *.s 1o!n" the f.+('0 *.s (nt!o,5 e, to th(s -.(,9 He 5!e, L.x+(<s 5n 'e *ho s5ffe!e, f!o+ . f.t.' .//en,( (t(s9 A ,o to! .''e, es/e (.''0 f'o*n (n f!o+ =e!+.n0 s.(," The .//en,(x (s !e.,0 to 15!st .n, (s f.t.' *(th o! *(tho5t s5!&e!09 The /.t(ent *('' not '(-e (n e(the! .se9 On the ont!.!0 the -.(, .ske, fo! . nee,'e" .n e+/t0 1ott'e .n, . 1ott'e of hone09 He .,+(n(ste!e, hone0 *(th the nee,'e !e/e.te,'0 fo! th!ee ,.0s to the /.t(ent .n, 5!e, 5n 'e9 Th(s s5 essf5' .n, !eno*ne, -.(, h., 5!e, +.n0 /.t(ents" .n, . -.st +e,( .' ex/e!(en e9 He h., one son *ho *.s to (nhe!(t 5n1o5n,e, kno*'e,&e9 A st5,ent 5n,e! h(s t5te'.&e the son on e fe'' s( k *(th t0/ho(, .n, *.s &(-en . s/e (.' !e+e,09 The -.(, 'eft ho+e 1e .5se of . +e,( .' e+e!&en 0 (n h(s *(fe<s .!e9 Ho*e-e! he *.!ne, h(s *(fe not to fee, h(+9 In .se the(! son *.s -e!0 th(!st0 he o5', on'0 1e &(-en *.te! th.t *.s t!e.te, *(th &o',9 The s( k 1o0 1e&.n *.('(n& on e h(s f.the! *ent o5t of the ho5se9 He /'e.,e, fo! foo,9 Unfo!t5n.te'0 the +othe! &.-e (n to the 1o0<s +o5!nf5' !e?5ests fo! :5st . h.n,f5' of /5ffe, !( e9 )5st .s he .te the /5ffe, !( e he *.s -e!0 s( k9

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The vaid returned home to see that his son was very sick. He checked his sons pulse. Immediately he knew that he had had eaten in his absence. He asked his wife why she fed the child when he had instructed her not to feed him at all except with water. The vaid said his son would not live as intake of puffed rice contradicted the remedy. Althou h his wife re retted and was remorse the boy never recovered. He died. The vaid did not teach his randson ayurved. The le acy would terminate with him. He stated that his sons death was a messa e of nature that knowled e must not be passed on to next eneration. However he prepared eneral medicines for his randson so that he could make a livin by merchandisin . Althou h durin his practice he compiled information in !anskrit but could not publish it. Thus all his knowled e and experience faded away after his demise. Hindus worldwide worship "oddess #axmi$ "oddess of wealth. "oddess #axmi is the wife of #ord %ishnu. &or #axmis father$ the day of her birth was extraordinary as he earned a lot of money on that day' therefore he christened the new born #axmi. #axmi had six cousins$ three brothers and three sisters elder to her. (rior to #axmis birth both her father and uncle )her fathers brother* had lost three wives each. These children were born of the fourth wedlock. #axmis father and her uncle were over thirty years old and mature when they became fathers. At thirty plus$ parentin was a new experience for #axmis father and uncle. +ata,i and aunt )uncles wife* were sisters. -ich and in an expandin business the families lived a life of opulence. In a lar e house in a posh area in +umbai$ the families lived alto ether as a ,oint family. .hile father and +ata,i shared a room so did uncle and aunt. The children too had a playroom. They worshipped #ord +ahavir the /ain Tirthankara. However #axmis father said that his reat randfather also worshipped the Hindu #ord 0rishna. There were pictures of both 0rishna and +ahavir at home. Therefore as for reli ion$ the family was flexible and non ritualistic. !urrounded by opis$ milkmaids the ima es of #ord 0rishna evoked excitement$ ,oy and playfulness in #axmi. As a child #axmi was fascinated with 0rishna and loved to read his stories. #axmi would often spend hours a1in at 0rishnas portraits and statues. #axmi was not so fascinated by +ahavir as he lacks color.

#axmis parents were both ood lookin $ were loved and respected in the community. #axmis father was an active social worker and involved in several welfare pro,ects. As a trustee of a rich /ain temple$ he also or ani1ed to build a lar e housin complex for lower income roup. A sporty person especially fond of playin cricket many came to him for advice. After work each day at home with a pint of alcohol$ he would play with all the children. +ata,i looked after the home and children. The family celebrated !hivratri$ a festival dedicated to Hindu od #ord !hiva. 2n this day Hindus consume bhan $ derived from poppy seeds. A stron homemade drink it makes people hi h. 3lended with cardamom$ pistachio$ saffron$ nutme and dry rose flower petals it is added to milk. 3haiya i$ a tribesman from north India made this drink each year in the 0uruwa household. 3ut #axmi did not et a kick. #axmi told bhaiya i that his drink was not a success. Acceptin the challen e and determined to knock #axmi out totally$ he struck a copper coin several times on stone and added it to the drink. #east expectin that the recipe had had a rustic and ori inal touch this time' #axmi ulped a lassful as usual. This time it clicked. #axmi was on an instant hi h. #axmi lau hed for sometime$ followed by intense cryin . This entertained the children in the family and they teased her. They chased her. !oon #axmi rushed out of her room and chased them all over the house. (ut to bed perforce by +ata,i #axmi recovered from the influence of bhan after three days. #axmi had a beautiful and playful childhood. The family was up at seven in the mornin and was served tea. 3y ei ht the children were out on bullock carts and horses in the a riculture fields. This was followed by a swim in the family pool$ which all of them loved. +eanwhile by two in the afternoon lunch was carted from home throu h the fields on bullock carts. #unch was served on poolside. The children were nau hty and did not step out of the pool easily. They would overstay in water and playfully ask that food be served to them in the pool. As there were no as stoves near the pool$ food was heated on kerosene stoves near poolside. This would mean reheatin food repeatedly as the children were reluctant to step out of the pool.

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5ncle inculcated book readin habit in the children. 6ncoura ed to read the children would o with uncle to bookshops. They selected books both in 6n lish and re ional Indian lan ua e$ "u,arati. #axmi particularly liked to read adventure and mythical stories. #axmi feels livin in a way a ,oint family is a pressure$ but on the whole it is the best type of family life. It has its ,oys and pains. #axmi felt that it was like a bi encounter roup. &amily members constantly encountered each other. 7ay in and day relatin with the family worked like a therapy. There were always children$ children$ children and an e8ual number of adults at home. To each child there was one adult as a caretaker. However the adult was not as a watcher but more like a friend. He or she would sit nearby and occasionally came over to check if the child needed any assistance. It was not an imposition therefore beautiful. #axmi had a few cousins$ and brothers and sisters until her early childhood' the youn er cousins were born later. "rowin up in the midst of these children was like bein mirrors to each other. The maximum a e difference between any two children was two years$ thus #axmi was never lonely. The family house was well built and well maintained. !pecial care was taken to provide a

hy ienic environment for the children. The kitchen was particularly clean and away from the livin room. The childrens room was away too$ so that uests were not disturbed with their daylon mischief. 6ach ni ht cotton mattresses were rolled out for the children at home on first floor as beds. +ade of fine 8uality cotton bed linen was always clean. To comfort the children perfume was sprayed in this room at bedtime. #ater the windows would be opened for fresh fra rance emitted by champa and rat ki rani creepers. This fra rance wafted throu h out the ni ht from these creepers to fill the bedrooms and the home with natural fra rance and freshness. The children rew up very fond of each other and a sense of belon in . They wore lose fittin ni htclothes made of very fine cotton at ni ht. It felt entle and li ht like silk. 7urin the day they played with best and latest toys. A pet do would play with the children. All the children were fond of him. 2ne day while repair and construction was oin on at home a wooden slab fell and he died instantly under it. The children missed him and did not et any sleep durin the ni ht. They missed the do for several days. #axmi was fond of eatin imported 0it 0at. 0it 0at is a sweet$ the wrapper of which carried a photo of #axmis favorite Hollywood actress !hirley Temple. #axmis older brother tricked her out of a lot of her pocket money. 6ach time he borrowed money he assured her that he would return the money. He never did. However he bou ht her 0it 0at because he knew of her weakness for the picture of !hirley. .ell trained the cooks at home made delicious food$ includin a sweet dish called salampak made of pearl powder and nuts. 6ach mornin in the winters the family ate a small cube of it with saffron base milk$ especially the children. They were not allowed to step out of the house to play if they did not eat the re ular dose. -e ular supplies of luscious rich man oes$ sweet papayas$ ripe bananas$ ,amun$ a typical purple colored Indian fruit of the monsoons$ and coconut came in from the orchard in the suburbs owned by the family. 7airy products came in from a dairy owned by the family. Two Indian workers tended to the cows and buffalos in the dairy farm. 9lose knit the family ate dinner at the dinnin table. 2ften they would share a dish. 7urin these meals the family sat alto ether and shared the day with each other$ many a difference were sorted out. .ith meanin ful and communication full of compassion the family huddled and loved each other. This on oin communication resulted in everyone speakin his or her mind. (roblems were resolved nearly the same day as a result the past was never overbearin . This understandin further united the family. &olk sin ers often came to stay at the family farmhouse in 0utch$ "u,arat in western India. The family farmhouse was always char ed with music. These sin ers san ballads and stories of kin s and 8ueens$ of enli htened masters 3uddha$ +ahavir and 0rishna. They san ra as$ composition of notes of Indian classical music. !ome of the ra as are a

thousand years old. A ra a is marked for sin in at specific hours durin day and ni ht. A few ra as are sun only durin special events in a lifetime. -a a +alhar is said to have invoked rain od Indra to shower rain. -a a 3hupali is sun early mornin $ while -a a +alkaush is sun at ni ht. #axmi or ani1ed her day meticulously. A ood time mana er and well:trained cook$ she could et a meal ready for unexpected uests too$ in minimum time. Also while cleanin too #axmi kept track of time. At school #axmi learnt to play harmonium$ an Indian piano$ which was later used for kirtan. 3efore 2sho ave a discourse kirtan and bha,ans$ Indian devotional music$ was sun . +any years later the harmonium was lost durin discourse from the sta e. .ith that ended the relationship with that harmonium.


/0)123%/ T1 GA4"5672 ,%//"1M 2T%3GG8/ <=ou have experienced somethin of "od "od

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li htenin $ but you could not catch hold of his face$ you could not fi ure it out$ how he looks$ and he was one. It was so fast and sudden< 2sho> .alk .ithout &eet$ &ly .ithout .in s and Think .ithout +ind$ 1?@? #axmi rew up to amidst the freedom stru le in India. "andhi emancipated women. !everal chan es were introduced for women. +odern and pro ressive in his outlook "andhi said men and women are e8ual. He encoura ed literacy for women. At home #axmis 5ncle held orthodox views on women. He planned to send the boys to school while the irls would be tutored at home. !even years old #axmi was hurt that she would not attend school like her brothers. #axmi told her uncle that she wanted to o to school with her brothers. He replied sternly$ =ou will be tutored at home and will learn what your brothers learn at school$ but you cannot o to school. It is out of 8uestion. "irls have to be trained to take care of the house and family and children. The boys are special because they have to o out into the world and earn money. &or this reason education at school is necessary for the boys. I do not want any ar ument. This is how it is$ so o away and dont waste my time . #axmi was an ry. Is "od partial to boysA asked #axmi before leavin Turnin was the room.

away #axmi told her uncle that she would not eat and talk to anyone until she permitted to o to school with the boys.

This was #axmis first ma,or confrontation with uncle. #axmi went to her room and locked the door behind her. This was #axmis first rebellion. #axmi had learnt to fast in protest and fearlessly ask for her ri hts from the peer +ahatma "andhi$ the &ather of the nation. #axmis father respected his elder brother and mana ed the business without any interference at home and with the upbrin in of the children. 5ncle had an additional char e of home affairs and upbrin in of the children. He was also in char e of the schoolin of all boys. However #axmis father told uncle to review his decision re ardin #axmi attendin schoolor else to leave her alone. 5ncle was bitter about this as this was the first instance his youn er brother overruled his decision. +eanwhile #axmi did not relent and in an er was unaware of the pan s of hun er and thirst. Thou h later when #axmi felt the pan s of hun er and thirst she determined not to unlock the door. .aitin for someone to appear at the door fati ued #axmi fell asleep. Aunty was very lovin $ soft spoken and she knocked at #axmis door at ten in the ni ht.

Touched with tears in her eyes$ #axmi said she would open the door provided uncle permitted her to attend school. /ust then uncle was ascendin the staircase and he overheard the conversation. He asked #axmi to see him in his room. 3oth #axmi and her aunt went to his room. !till livid he surrendered the responsibility of #axmis upbrin in to her father. He added #axmis father wished to send her to school he would not interfere. However he burst out and told #axmi that she was stubborn and she must never see him a ain for anythin . This shocked the family. Bevertheless #axmi ,oined school. The first instance of #axmis father exercisin his independent mind$ this took the two brothers apart. 3arely a ten minutes walk from home #axmi attended a public 6n lish medium school alon with her brothers and male cousins. The staff of this school was trained at -abindra Bath Ta ores !hantiniketan !chool. Ta ore$ the acclaimed poet and Bobel (ri1e winner loved music. In his vision a childs interest was prime and he believed a child must not be forced to perform. The staff coached the students on the uidelines of Ta ore and imparted his teachin s re ularly to the students. The male teachers wore kurtas$ a lon shirt and pa,amas. 2nce in a while the principal wore salvar$ a north Indian style pant also worn by Behru. Inspired by Ta ore the male teachers donned beard and lon tresses of hair like him. Himself a seeker the principal would say ame which means we. If at all he did say I he would immediately correct himself and say ame.

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#axmi has a distinct memory of her first day at school. Her stomach churned because she had made it to school in spite of uncles ire. 9onfident$ #axmi received a ood welcome to the class. There were over seven hundred children attendin school. !ome were playin while the others were ,umpin . A feverish excitement prevailed. After school hours 5ncle came to pick up the children. 6n route home he asked all the boys as to how their day had been. However he did not in8uire of #axmi. 6xuberant$ excited #axmi bubblin with ,oy narrated her stories even thou h no one asked her. 5ncle merely smiled. He had stopped relatin with her and did not hold any conversation with her. The ice did not break till he died. If there was any communication at all it was always initiated by #axmi. He did not make any effort either. !chool was like second home as children had the freedom and spent several hours at school. 6ach day school be an with a prayer. The students sat on floor laden with mats in the assembly hall and were trained not to step on these mats with their shoes on. This was a test of their awareness. In the middle of the day the school bell would chime musically. This was an invitation for all present to observe silence and pray for two minutes each day in the assembly hall. 2nce #axmi inadvertently stepped on the mat in the assembly hall with her shoes on. (romptly the principal asked her to sit on the mat and clean it. #axmi obeyed$ cleaned and later sat on the mat. A few days later the principal stepped on the mat. #axmi went up to him re8uestin him to sit down on the mat. At first he i nored #axmi. However on #axmis insistence he sat on the mat. +any were ama1ed with #axmis boldness. !ince that day both students and staff were cautious not to step on mats. 6ach one tried to remain aware. A ood eater #axmi put on wei ht until once a schoolmate called her fat and

overwei ht. To this #axmi reacted sharply and told her to shut up$ yet she felt the bul in belly. !oon #axmi reali1ed that she needed to eat with more awareness and less reed. #axmi followed her awareness and shaped up her body. #ater in her life #axmi heard 2sho say that body has its own clock and if one attuned oneself to it$ the body is in harmony. Ta ore breathed his last when #axmi was rather youn . 7eeply influenced at school$ she imbibed many values$ includin those of responsibility and truth. #axmi was rateful to her teacher$ principal and above all Ta ore. !ecular in school there were no dictates on how and who to worship. The students came from all reli ious and political back rounds. #axmi credits this openness to Ta ore althou h #axmi learnt of the si nificance of these values after her meetin with 2sho. The students were roomed with humility and kindness. They were coached to reet people as per the Indian tradition with both palms folded to ether like in prayer. This is called namaskar and in India it denotes :I honor the li ht in you. The students recited a prayer from the holy Hindu book the 5panishad read #ord$ lead us to Truth from untruth . +oreover the motto at school was !atya mev /ayate which means truth always wins. +any a renowned musician$ dancer$ writer and poets were invited to reinforce the idea of truth in children. Also they performed in school. Amon st the many habits #axmi noticed that she would rationali1e many a time when thin s did not work out her way. The effort was to blame the other and or circumstances for any and every issue and never take the responsibility. In this context #axmi was reminded of a story especially liked a story 2sho narrated more than once in discourses. The story is about the fox and rapes suspended from a creeper. Havin failed to reach the bunch of rapes in spite of ,umpin several times$ the fox turned away to leave in disappointment. /ust then a rabbit that watched the fox walk away called out to the fox. .hat happened cant you reach the rapes A They are sour$ replied the fox and walked away. 3old #axmi made an impression on her teaches too. A sporty child #axmi was introduced to swimmin alon with the other students. The instructor asked students to ,ump into the pool. "ripped with fear none did. &eelin the water with her hands #axmi ,umped and swam spontaneously and fearlessly. #axmis favorite ame was hootutu also known as kabadi. A simple team ame it needs no expensive ad ets and can be played in an open field. Two teams of twenty players each assemble on either side of the field to play the ame. The centerline divides the field into two e8ual areas$ one for each of the teams. 6ach player must approach the center repeatin hoottututtutuu .in a sin le breath. Inhalin is not permitted .The mantra should be audible while the player approaches the center continuously chantin hooottuttututu. If cau ht near the centerline in this process by a rival player heCshe must free himselfC herself$ continuously chantin

hoottututtuuuttu even if it means breathlessness. 5ntouched the player must return to his Cher side of the field. 2r else the player is declared out. All the players et a chance to play. The team with fewer players declared out wins at the end.

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As a player #axmi recalls doin physical exercises that helped deep breathin . +any years later #axmi reali1ed why as a child she was fond of the ame hootutu. #axmi reali1ed the si nificance of deep breathin after meetin 2sho. Hoo is vital as it hits the navel center each time we chant it. Hootutu has the potential to lead one to meditation because of the importance laid on deep breathin . #axmi loved to experiment in the laboratory cleanin salt$ su ar and workin with mercury and aluminum foil. A repair mechanic su ested that #axmi et learnin sets and learn how to repair radios at home. !oon #axmi repaired iron$ clock and typewriters nearly mechanical household oods. #axmi had had an unusual experience in a ferry wheel cradle once in her childhood. #axmi saw the cradle o round and round. It was an adventure. 2n the face of it was ,ust a merry o round that turned round and round at the navel center. However deep inside all seemed to come to have come to stand still. The thou ht process had suddenly stopped. #axmi felt she had entered into a timeless 1one. .ith an intense vibration at the navel center #axmi was very fearful. =ears later #axmi had a similar experience while meditatin at Bar ol$ "u,arat. However the experience this time at Bar ol was one of ecstasy. 3ack at home #axmis father was influenced by the freedom fi hters$ in particular with ideals of +ahatma "andhi. +ore so with "andhis charisma. #axmis father met leadin leaders$ includin "andhi$ !ri %alllabhai (atel$ !ri +orar,i bhai$ Acharya 0riplani whenever re8uired. !tatin that he had a family to rear #axmis father he offered to help the freedom stru le with funds. 7urin his stay at the 0urwa family house in 0utch$ "u,arat$ "andhi ained nearly three pound wei ht and stated in his diary that he would like to revisit it. 3ut a fanatic Hindu assassinated him in the followin year. #axmi shared a beautiful relationship with her father. 6namored she embraced his values and practices. Bone else in the family cared about these details. #axmis father offered prayers to the picture of +ahatma "andhi each mornin . #axmi imitated him and durin these moments of silence. #axmi had yet another limpse of timelessness$ of a brief look into eternity. This silence refreshed her. #axmi shared this ,oy with +ata,i confirmed a prayer from the heart ets an ear from the ods. +any years later 2sho said to be present in a moment transports one into a timeless 1one. #ike a brief look into eternity and then one returns. He said this brief experience refreshes one. In accordance with the +ahatmas endeavor to provide employment and means to make a livin to millions of ,obless Indians$ #axmis father always wore white hand spun khadi topi$ cotton cap and clothes. 0hadi was a symbol of nationalists durin the freedom

stru le led by +ahatma "andhi. =et he adorned it on his head only in the presence of "andhi$ and en route office. He would take it off ,ust as he reached the office. In lea ue with her father #axmi from late childhood always wore white except to school and for a celebration of her brothers weddin . This was until she met 2sho. +any years later when #axmi met 2sho she reali1ed 2sho differed from "andhi in many ways. Also 2sho drew #axmis attention to this issue. He told #axmi as a youn man$ like millions of others$ he was fascinated with India seekin freedom from the 3ritish. This was because Indians wanted to be free in their own country. However "andhi was for the freedom of the mind$ while 2sho was for inner freedom. He focused on freedom of self$ from the dictates and clutches of mind ames and conditionin of the mind. 2sho talked about the intrinsic real freedom. There was a sharp contrast between #axmis father and his brother. .hile uncle lived an aristocratic life father lived a plain life. #axmis father fasted once or twice in a month and lived fru ally. He was lovin $ soft:spoken$ social$ moderate$ pro ressive modern in his outlook and more involved in the business. #axmi was influenced by the tenets of Hinduism at a tender a e. !he had read Hindus in India attribute spiritual reasons to coverin of the head. It is a way of protectin sahastrhar$ seventh chakra )psychic center*. #ocated at the top center of the head it is referred to as the lotus with thousand petals in body sciences of yo a. &or centuries 3rahmins wear chotis$ a tuft of hair in the center of the back of the head. !ikhs too tuck their hair under a turban. &or the same reason$ #axmi wore a scarf on her head for several years$ until her arrival in 5!A. Isabel$ #axmis assistant in (une$ once told 2sho that #axmi looked beautiful even without the scarf and re8uested him to ask #axmi to drop the scarf. 2sho asked her to stop wearin the scarf. #axmi complied. 7urin her childhood #axmi alon with the children in the family ot small pox. Hit by a severe bout #axmi was very sad as at the end she lost her lon and beautiful hair. In addition #axmis skin lost its luster and was densely spotted with chick: pea marks. 2nly ten years old$ #axmi was sensitive about her physical appearance. Her friends and staff at school did not accept this chan e in her physical appearance. #axmis friends and teachers$ because of the chan ed appearance$ re,ected #axmi. I nored and ne lected$ #axmi felt she was no lon er beautiful. #onely #axmi was uncomfortable at school and felt like an outsider. +uch to her relief durin vacations the family vaid treated her. .ith re ular application of chickpea powder$ milk and almond drops followed by a shower and two hours of swimmin #axmis face recovered its luster. The cascadin hair and spotless skin were restored. !chool reopened. The love and affection of her teachers and friends was restored. #axmi could not understand this. 9onfused$ #axmi felt except for the intelli ent people most were overned by the physical appearance of a person.

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3arely ten$ #axmi first learnt of the death of her three: year old cousin owin to pneumonia. #axmi did not understand death and saw her in her dreams. !ad$ she felt a vacuum. &urther #axmi was shocked that her body was buried. Anxious what would happen to her cousin if it rained and ants would bite her in the rave$ she persistently asked 8uestions of her parents for a lon time. "radually the family explained to her that when a body died and was cremated as per the Hindu rites$ it turned into dust. Therefore it did not matter if ants attacked the body or it rained because once dead a body was bereft of any feelin s. All said and done death remained a mystery for #axmi. 9oupled$ these two incidents of superficial friendships$ physical appearance and death

shattered #axmi. In moments of pain #axmi was influenced by the story of 3uddha who left comforts of palace in search of truth. #axmi wanted to emulate "autama the 3uddha. #axmi planned to leave home and family in search of truth. #axmi wrote to her cousin that she would leave home at midni ht forbiddin her to inform her family. However she slept throu h the ni ht. In her dream #axmi saw #ord 0rishna lau h. 0rishna told her that the inner search knows no physical boundaries. It happens in all circumstances and everywhere. There was no need to run away from physical or mental spaces. +oreover 3uddha did return home after twelve years. The next mornin #axmi was worried that her cousin would inform her father. A week later #axmis father asked when she would leave home in search of truth. #axmi had tears in her eyes. Hu in father #axmi said she would never leave him and o away. #axmi narrated how in her dream #ord 0rishna told her to be content with life. #axmis father lau hed. 9onfident$ #axmi was not a coward he advised her that truth led to ease where as lies caused misery in life. .ith this episode the desire to renounce and be a sadhvi$ feminine hermit dropped from #axmis plans and itinerary in life. Ironically years later #axmi rolled into 2shos neo sannyas and was amon the first few sannyasins. As a child #axmi did not pursue reli ion with rituals. %isits to the temple with the family were an appreciation of architecture$ cool feel of marble$ exotic statues draped in colorful satin and brocade$ prasad$ sweets offered to the ods$ and fra rance of incense.

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<All cultures$ particularly India in the old days$ have completely destroyed the phenomenon of love. They had arran ed marria es for their children so that there would be no possibility in love$ because love leads to misery... 3ut love never creates misery> It is you who poison it. #ove is the deepest ecstasy that nature allows you. 3ut you destroy it.In India the possibility of love was completely closed. Then only a mediocre life will be there. Bo misery$ no happiness> ,ust a pullin on somehow. And this is what marria e has been in the past< 2sho> The Alpha And The 2me a %olume I$ 1?@D "andhi laid down his life for the freedom in early 1?EE. #axmis father respected "andhi for his pursuit of truth and coura e. He was a ma,or influence on #axmi. Baturally #axmi imbibed values "andhi pursued. #axmis father loved her for this. #axmi accompanied her father to a meetin at 3ombay rounds to pass a resolution of the Fuit India +ovement. #eaders of the freedom movement$ includin "andhi sat at the dais. Thou h well or ani1ed people pushed to et a limpse of the national leaders. #axmi held on to her fathers hand throu h out the meetin . +eanwhile "andhi made an appeal for fund collection and be an ivin out auto raphs for five rupees each. All of a sudden the 3ritish had arrived on the scene in an attempt to disperse the meetin . "unshots filled the air. (olice on horseback shot into the air. /ust then #axmi tore lose from her fathers rip and ran toward "andhi who was si nin to collect maximum funds for the freedom stru le. In the midst of chaos$ surprisin ly #axmi mana ed to reach "andhi and ave him a five rupee note she had had held on her body throu h the meetin . 6xcited to see "andhi she thanked him for a pat on the head. The crowd whisked #axmi away. However #axmis father mana ed to escort her back home. 6xcited with the fervor of this evenin #axmi also wanted to ,oin the freedom fi hters. 3arely seven years old #axmi was enamored with "andhi and be an to wear khadi. And only white. To school she had to wear a red or a khaki belt. Throu h out the country there was a feverish pitch to fi ht for independence. In Au ust 1?;@ the 3ritish were compelled to rant independence to India. The people of ,ust independent India celebrated. 3uildin s were lit for three days. (eople on streets distributed sweets$ hu ed each other$ shared their ,oy and con ratulated each other. The people were all united and belon ed to an independent nation.

#axmi rew up inCwith innocence. As sex was a taboo at home therefore not discussed #axmi rew up i norant until she was fourteen. #axmi had no clue about puberty and the chan es that emer e in the body with it. 2ne day at school #axmi informed her brother that she bled in her knickers even thou h she had not hurt herself. !hocked with her innocence he informed +ata,i who had failed to educated her on the sub,ect. #axmi was sent back home from school. However later in the evenin #axmis father comforted her. He said that this was a monthly feature and su ested she accept it and relaxes. However #axmi was repulsed with the menstrual cycle month after month as it restricted playin and ,umpin . #axmis cousin was married when she was barely fourteen. 5nlike uncle #axmis father did not force her into a marria e soon after puberty even thou h matrimonial offers be an pourin in for #axmi from the wealthiest families of the community. 6ducation not a must amon irls there were hardly any educated irls in the community. #axmi has this advanta e. 6ven thou h #axmis elder sister was prettier than #axmi however she did not et as much attention from prospective alliances. In this respect uncle was deli hted that #axmi received cream matrimonial offers rare amon irls and su ested that the offers be explored. However #axmi was upset and asked her father why she had to leave the family who she loved so much. If she were forced into it #axmi would conclude that her father did not love her and therefore could think of sendin her away. This softened father and he a reed that he would pursue her if and when she was keen on it. He said$ &or now we drop the matter. I will inform the families that #axmi is interested to pursue further education. !hould they like to wait they could . This surprised #axmis family and the families who proposed a liaison$ however father was determined to pursue "andhis ideals to educate women and to not hurt #axmi.

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#axmi finished school and studied liberal arts in colle e. However prior to examination #axmis aunt died of tuberculosis. Her youn est child was only two years old. The responsibility of the children was now +ata,is. !oon +ata,i contracted tuberculosis and was operated upon. #axmi perforce be an to share housekeepin with +ata,i missed classes in colle e several times. 6ducation took a backseat. Inade8uate attendance at colle e forced #axmi to withdraw from examination. !oon #axmi was fully involved with the family and housekeepin and rendered these responsibilities well. This pleased uncle as #axmi was finally shapin up as irl as he desired. #axmi was at home throu h out the day. In her pursuit of new hori1ons #axmi ,oined a womens or ani1ation$ 3ha ini !ama,. This or ani1ation served the poor and deprived women. This phase was e o fulfillin for #axmi as several people observed that even thou h #axmi belon ed to a rich family she was unpretentious and served the needy and poor. 3adminton$ swimmin and dress desi nin classes filled the rest of the days time for #axmi. 7urin rocery shoppin for the family in the ba1aar once #axmi spotted a portrait of 0rishna. A pri1ed collection #axmi framed it in lass and hun it at home. However an uncanny feelin constantly na ed #axmi that if dama ed it would brin ill luck to the family. Indeed a few weeks later youn cousin broke the lass frame. #axmi was anxious with what would follow. A few days later #axmis father fell sick. +edical reports confirmed he had had throat cancer. #axmi felt it was owin to the broken lass frame. In order to look after him day and ni ht #axmi discontinued social work. +eanwhile #axmis father was positive throu h out the terminal illness. He asked #axmi to consider marria e$ as he was sure that after his death she would find it difficult to pull alon his brother as the head of the family. To comfort him #axmi a reed to meet a youn bachelor who had returned to India after completion of education overseas. The suitor sat silent throu h out the meetin a1in at the floor. At the end of it #axmi lau hed and re,ected the proposal. A week later father passed away.

However a few years later 2sho shattered many a myths for #axmi. He cleared several fo y perceptions includin a broken lass brin s ill luck and servin the needy was holy. #axmi learnt form 2sho that while the former was sheer ne ative state of mind. The latter only boosted the e o of the person who indul ed in it. #axmi missed her father for a lon time$ as he was her friend and uide. &or several days #axmi stayed alone in his room. #axmi cried$ talked to him at ni ht as thou h he were livin . #axmi cleaned the room$ arran ed beds$ ironed his clothes in attempt to relate with him and feel his presence. &or several days +ata,i felt that #axmi was in an unconscious state of mind. As customary in India all the relatives sat in lar e circle and +ata,i a red sari with a black border and lass ban les and a tika$ a red dot on her forehead. The ban les were crushed$ tika erased and chan ed into a white sari. All this denoted that she was to lead a colorless life devoid of interest. Hindus believe the etheric body of the dead person lives for twelve days post death. -elatives meet a ain after twelve days when they believe the etheric body fades away. A month later the astral body departs and the family dines alto ether. A sweet dish is included in the menu and widow served foremost. 7urin these atherin s people share their rief. This is repeated six months hence and a ain after a year.

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#ife had to o on despite #axmis loss. A few years later there were weddin s in the family. 7urin one weddin uncle tried to arran e a meetin with a handsome youn suitor. 7urin the meetin #axmi asked him to define the 8ualities of a ood life partner. 6ducated$ ood lookin $ healthy and wealthy woman $ promptly came the reply. .hat if the lady is disfi ured owin to a severe bout of small pox and loses health $ asked #axmi. &or a moment he was an ry. If a mere possibility of bad looks makes you an ry$ it means there is no love in this relationship$ advised #axmi to the suitor. &eelin insulted he left abruptly.

However this did not deter uncle. He threatened #axmi with suicide with a revolver if #axmi did not concede. !hocked at first #axmi re ained balance in a few seconds. 9ertain that he would not kill himself #axmi asserted$ "o ahead. !hoot your self. If you are destined to o like this how can you escape from it . Infuriated uncle put the revolver away and asked #axmi to leave the room.

There was relief for a few months until #axmis cousin invited her over one day. !he announced that a party was hosted in #axmis honor at the club. !he re8uested #axmi to dress in a sari. !urprised #axmi said that a western dress would be easy for dance. 2ut came the secret from the ba . A youn bachelor was in the invitee list. 2utra ed at uncle s and the cousins scheme #axmi voiced her dislike to such schemes. An apolo y was rendered to and #axmi was re8uested to be spirited durin the party. At dinner and dance #axmi crossed her eyes each time she spoke or had contact with the youn man. +oreover #axmi confirmed to him that she was bein treated for bad eyes. Bext day the proposal was called off by the youn man and #axmi was free. 5ncle departed. Hence +ata,i assumed the role of the key fi ure of the family. Hence +ata,i assumed the role of the key fi ure of the family. #axmi was still nave about sex and reproduction and believed stories about arrival of a new baby as a ift of od. 7urin an emer ency at home #axmi had had to assist in a delivery at home. !hocked to witness a birth #axmi thanked od that she was not into it. An irony while there was an addition to the family there was a deduction too. #axmi learnt how to hold sessions with spirits on a planchette. #axmi was overwhelmed with the findin s$ includin that of "andhis assassination and her cousins death. 7urin a session a spirit warned that if ne lected the cousin would be dead. An imbalanced

youn man and a father of a two children he was not constant with work. He would enter the house climbin a drainpipe' turn violent with the family and domestic help. (ut on sedatives many a time he was sub,ected to insulin shocks and hospitali1ed under constant medical care. In a moment when he was alone he dropped the mattress throu h the balcony and ,umped to land on it in order to escape. He landed on the round instead. A few days later he was dead. .ith this$ #axmi re ularly held sessions$ often alone and undisturbed in the bathroom. 5ntil one day durin a session #axmis body dropped close to the bathtub and was hit on the forehead. #axmi passed out for sometime. This fri htened and hence #axmi stayed clear of the psychic realms of the spirits. .ith this ended a ,ourney into the psychic world.

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<.hen you are able to surrender$ the teacher will come =ou become vacant$ you become empty. Then the spiritual force rushes toward you and fills you becomes responsible for you. This is what is meant by initiation...<

2sho> I Am The "ate$ 1?@4 <In your late twenties$ you will meet someone who will usher li ht in your life. =our chances of a marria e are bleak$ said #axmis cousin$ a professional astrolo er to her durin her mid twenties. A few years passed by. Twenty ei ht: years old$ #axmi was involved with the upbrin in and development of the nine youn children in the family. These were her brothers children. #axmi looked after their schoolin and recreation at home. The children went to a school run by an accomplished 6n lish lady. #axmi was in touch with her many years later and ifted 2shos books to the school. !he recommended these books to the senior students as she appreciated the books. In addition #axmi was !ecretary of the All India .omens 9on ress +ahilla %ibhai$ 3ombay and a /ain women welfare or ani1ation. !everal members of these roups included wives of members of the Indian parliament and socially pro ressive and literate women. +any a time di nitaries were uests of these roups. #oved by most co:workers #axmi was bein roomed for a political career. !ocial work had become the focus of her life. #axmi worked with a roup of distressed women who prepared food items to make an income. .ith #axmis contribution the or ani1ation made profits and the income increased multifold. .a es were doubled in a month. 6nthused the workers continued the effort and within twelve months the workshop was renovated. -efri erators$ ovens were added and air conditioners were installed in the workshop. This was a ood experience for #axmi as she reali1ed that currency in circulation further enerated income. (roduction increased and round the clock supervision was needed. 2win to commitments to the family$ #axmi decided to hand over char e to new appointee and render a resi nation. (opular for usherin in multifold rowth$ #axmis resi nation was opposed by the workers. They wanted her to stay and threatened to o on strike if #axmi resi ned. However #axmi convinced them that she had to honor her commitment to the family and handed over char e. +eanwhile #axmis brother dated a youn (arse lady and desired to marry her. The family opposed it$ as (arses are a different reli ious roup. The Hindus consider (arse a sub culture roup as they had ori ins in Iran. #axmi was proud and cherished the social status of the family and was opposed to the wedlock and the impendin insult. #ookin back$ #axmi for ot her own rebelliousness and ensuin resentment towards the elders who opposed her dreams in her life till so far. This led to a controversy of the out of caste marria e. However a reat chan e was in the offin for #axmi. A clarion call$ loud and clear was round the corner. #axmis life was never oin to the same. The 9on ress +ahila %ibhai invited Acharya -a,neesh as a uest and lead speaker on the silver ,ubilee meetin . #axmi

envisioned a bare feet$ customarily attired /ain monk with a be in bowl$ with a mask on the mouth covered in order to not suck in any tiny livin bein s$ and a broom to clean the place before sittin down. +uch to her surprise Achayra -a,neesh wore a white khadi lun i )an ankle len th cloth tied below torso* and a silk chaddar$ shawl around his shoulders. He was unlike a /ain monk. He walked in racefully castin a spell. 2n his way to the dais he passed by #axmi. &ro1en and in deep silence$ #axmi for ot to welcome the uest. In complete awe #axmi couldnt take her eyes off him. An extraordinary experience #axmi sat still listenin intently. 7eep down there was a stran e reco nition as thou h she had known him earlier. There was a familiarity #axmi could not explain. An inner voice seemed to acknowled e that #axmi had known him forever. 6ach cell and pore of the body ran out in a reement with this feelin . He was no stran er. However #axmi was short of words to express the experience.

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As he be an to speak #axmi sensed a deep throbbin at her navel center and was carried away into another realm. His command over Hindi and lucidity was enthrallin Cenchantin like a son from the spheres was flowin . 6yes closed #axmi melted with the melody of this divine music. Immobili1ed with awe$ she did not et up to thank him at the end of his speech. #axmi was mesmeri1ed. The (resident who noticed this ot up and ave the vote of thanks. .hen the (resident sharp vote of thanks fell on #axmis ears$ her eyes

opened. #ater the (resident expressed disbelief of #axmis unusual inertia. #axmi said$ #ove has happened for the first time. It is sprin time. Theres is music all around. It is difficult to explain the feelin . 9onfused she asked$ #ove for the sadhuA #axmi acknowled ed love for him and said$ =es. It is love for him$ his eyes$ and his purity. 2h "od$ Acharya -a,neesh$ where can one meet himA .hackin her on the cheek she said$ =ou are hypnoti1ed$ he is certainly not a person to be in love with . A person. There is no person. It is the sound$ the music$ and the ma ic of the human bein who was here. He is the man of the earth$ #axmis replied. !hocked with #axmis overwhelmin response the president was worried. !he decided to escort #axmi home. At home she narrated the evenin s events to +ata,i. Assured that he was an unbelievable /ain monk$ a ood orator and no ordinary man$ +ata,i heard #axmis ecstatic experience. The (resident did not yield the contact address of 2sho to #axmi. All she said was that he lived in /abalpur$ +adhya (radesh in central India. #axmi did not know how to reach Acharya -a,neesh. 2sho noticed that #axmi wore khadi$ hand woven cotton. He asked her why she wore khadi. #axmi replied proudly. #axmi said that "andhi$ &ather of the nation was loved and respected by the family. "andhi tau ht the Indians to weave cloth$ and as a "andhian one should devote one self to the nation. That is why she wore khadi. 2sho su ested that they discuss "andhi and the issue of khadi durin another visit. He then turned to talk to other uests in the room. #axmi continued to feel 2shos touch for lon . The fra rance of his presence lin ered on for days after 2sho departed from +umbai. It seemed fresh. To #axmi it seemed her cousins forecast was true. The li ht finally shone in her life. Two months later it so happened +ata,i went to visit a relative. #ater in the day she accompanied the relative to hear a /ain monk speak on reli ion. The monk turned out to be Acharya -a,neesh in later years known as 2sho. +ata,i was overwhelmed by his presence$ sound and expression. =ou have a discernin eye. He is indeed a remarkable and pure man. His lecture reaches the heart immediately$ she said to #axmi foremost on returnin home. 6xcited #axmi re8uested her to find out the contact address of 2sho. 9ontact was made. However 2sho had departed by train to /abalpur in the afternoon. 7isappointed she could not meet 2sho$ #axmi was lad that she could now share 2sho with +ata,i. &or several days 2sho was the sub,ect of conversation between the two. There were a series of surprises for #axmi. 2ne after the other the 0uruwa family ot to meet 2sho. Bext it was #axmis maternal uncles turn to hear 2sho. 5ncle was a re ular and compulsive ambler. 2nce his friend su ested that he accompany him to a discourse by an unconventional and revolutionary /ain sadhu. These discourses would appeal to him

as the sadhu did not condemn any habits includin amblin $ drinkin li8uor and visitin brothels. 5ncle brushed aside this in disbelief. 0nowin his weakness for amblin the friend seduced 5ncle into accompanyin him to the lecture of Acharya -a,neesh despite the initial doubt. 5ncle was trapped. He fell for the bait. He was promised ten thousand rupees provided he sat throu h the entire discourse. If he failed he need only pay one rupee to his friend. 2n that day 2sho in his lecture spoke on the issue of amblin and the problems related with it. To 5ncle it seemed as thou h 2sho was addressin his problem issues. This co: incidence surprised him. At the end he was refreshed and transformed. 5ncle thanked his friend and offered twenty thousand rupees as a ift. 5ncle convinced #axmis older brother to o for 2shos next talk. 2n return #axmis brother said$ #axmi$ this is the man for you and us. 6cstatic he wanted to meet him in person. A few days later uncle brou ht home a proposal to host 2shos visit to +atheran$ +aharashtra at the 0uruwa home. He informed the family that the trustees of /eevan /a ruti 0endra )9entre of #ife Awakenin * were in search of a ood accommodation for 2sho at +atheran. !oon the family house was offered to put up 2sho durin his visits to +atheran. !pecial arran ements were made for 2shos stay at the house. The cook was iven special instructions for 2shos meals which comprised of fruits$ cracked wheat$ lentils$ dal$ a bean or bean soup dish$ boiled ve etables$ salad without chilly and spices. !even members of the family left for +atheran for the meditation camp. They met 2sho at Beral$ a train station two hours away from +atheran. Accompanied by 2sho they proceeded to +atheran for the meditation camp. 7urin the meditation camp the meditators attended discourses in the mornin and sat in silence durin evenin for five days in 2shos presence. In the afternoon the meditators sat in silence with their eyes closed around 2sho. 7urin this hour they were encoura ed to express their feelin s. .hile some cried$ the others lau hed. After this hour was over they sat closer around while 2sho touched the third eye center on the forehead of the meditators in turn. 6ach would then move to accommodate the other. At the end of the camp 2sho told +ata,i that he had had ood food and a comfortable stay. He added that this was indeed the first time that everythin was taken care of so well. "rateful$ +ata,i invited 2sho to stay with the family durin his visit to +umbai. +ata,i knew 2sho was fond of open spaces therefore she added that there were no fields in +umbai. 2sho confirmed that he would visit the family en route the station in the evenin . He added he would stay with them on his next visit. #axmi did not fever. o to +atheran and stayed in +umbai as caretaker of a child who had hi h

.ithin a week all the children had recovered and were fine. #axmi was excited to learn 2sho was to be their uest in the evenin and would stay for dinner. It was a beautiful day. #axmi was full of lau hter and ,oy. !he spent the day preparin for his arrival. !he cooked for him as the cook was still in +atheran. 2sho arrived with the trustees of /eevan /a ruti 0endra. #axmi brou ht a lass of fresh ,uice for 2sho and was introduced to him by +ata,i. 2sho asked her to sit besides him. He held her hand as he drank the ,uice. #axmi took the lass from 2sho when he had finished the ,uice. !eated next to 2sho #axmis body vibrated as if hit by an electric current. #axmi sat still. +eanwhile someone took the lass away from #axmi. 2sho thanked her for the ,uice. It was sweet and iven with a lot of love$ he said. 3lessin her head he added$ I shall stay here when I am in +umbai$ and you should take care of me.

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<#ife is ,ust an overflowin ener y without any purpose$ and to me !annyas is to lead life purposelessly. #ive life as a play and not as a workIf you can take this whole life ,ust as a dream$ a dream act$ then you are a sannyasin-enunciation is not leavin the world$ but chan in the attitude The moment you are a sannyasin or a sannyasin you a totally at freedom<.

2sho> I Am The "ate$ 1?@4 The same evenin 2sho left for /abalpur$ +adhya (radesh$ 9entral India also his home state$ by train. #axmi continued to feel his presence and fra rance in his absence. #axmi s family teased her for days on end. They ,oked that she had had re,ected so many youn suitors and finally fallen in love with a 3awa,i$ a ed hermit. In India$ bawa,i or sadhus are associated with an orthodox view: point$ lon $ unclean and ruffled beard and hair' faded robes and a be in bowl. 2sho was different. He was an untraditional sadhu. In fact people were surprised when they first saw him. Those who had heard about him were in disbelief. He was neat$ clean$ immaculate$ able bodied and had a uni8ue charm. 6ven thou h with his appearance #axmis family revised their ima e of a sadhu$ the ,oke about her love for 2sho continued till much later. +eanwhile the All India .omens 9on ress$ +umbai was to hold an annual atherin . #axmi re8uested the 9on ress that 2sho be invited to speak. They happily a reed. #axmi took on the role of the chief or ani1er and took +ata,is help. A lar e public hall was arran ed. 2sho arrived and women from different walks of life includin the members of the All India .omens 9on ress attended the talk. 2sho spoke on the three dimensions of love. He said the physical$ the first wrun is demandin and full of expectations and lust$ is known to avera e people. The second is sharin . The third manifests as prayer$ is bare of demands$ and enhances spontaneity and sharin ones possessions. 6ven thou h +eera was born nearly five thousand years after the likely life span of 0rishna$ her love for him is an example of prayerful love. A 8ueen of a small state in the present day of -a,asthan$ west India$ so intense was her devotion for 0rishna that she faced familys wrath with a smile and ratitude. It is said she finally disappeared into mother earth as a reali1ed bein .

#axmi heard 2sho with an intensity. However seekin reco nition for success of the event soon after the talk was over #axmi ot up and thanked 2sho on behalf of the 9on ress. !he thanked the audience. #ater #axmi drove 2sho to her home. They covered the distance in silence. At home in the uest room 2sho removed his chaddar$ and took a shower. Takin a lass of ,uice from #axmi he asked what she thou ht of the lecture. #axmi said her perception of love was transformed and she now saw its different dimensions. After this brief conversation 2sho went to meet visitors who awaited him in the livin room. This new perspective of love was an eye opener for #axmi. Around the same time #axmis youn er brother informed the family that he was in love with a (arsi irl. He wished to marry her. This was the familys first exposure to matrimony outside the "u,arati community therefore there was an initial resistance. In India till late$ marria es were planned and coordinated by the family. It also involved matchin horoscopes of the partners. The maxim is that two people make an ideal couple if maximum number of 8ualities matched. In total there are thirty:six 8ualities. However in this case no one cared to match horoscopes as the entire 0uruwa family opposed the marria e. They viewed it as a risk to their status in their community. They feared that they would become a ,oke and be isolated by the community leaders. The family did not know how to resolve the issue and decided to seek 2shos uidance in this matter. .ith re ard to this issue 2sho said that astrolo y is a science$ however it works enerally for people because of their faith in it. 2sho helped the family drop the ri id stand to the marria e. He explained that it was because of their pride and fear of losin an ima inary social status. The family saw reason and reconciled. At a simple weddin in a court the couple were declared man and wife. A few trustees of /eevan /a ruti 0endra attended a party thrown after the weddin . #axmi recalls how an astrolo er once looked at 2shos palm. He faced a challen e. He offered to read 2shos palm for a thousand rupees. 2sho said he would consider the fees provided he was correct. As the astrolo er saw many well to do people present$ he assumed 2sho was a wealthy man. He said many pleasantries. !oon he asked for payment$ 2sho smiled and said$ =ou do not know that I am a poor man with no income. How can I pay your feesA +oreover how can I trust predictions made by youA Ashamed and in an er he left without fee.

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!ix weeks later 2sho returned to +umbai for three days. 2ver,oyed #axmi ran around offerin tea and snacks to visitors. 7urin this period 2sho spoke extempore. His discourses were fired with radicalism$ combat and powerful. His oration was lucid$ full of poetry and spontaneous and the command on Hindi lan ua e unparallel and remarkable. He spoke on love$ sex to super consciousness$ education$ woman the social structure of the society. 2ne ni ht #axmis brother asked 2sho$ .hat do you en,oy most in lifeA 2sho replied$ 6verythin that is beautiful. 2shos responses to abstract 8uestions were brief$ simple and enrichin . The next mornin at seven when #axmi served milk and biscuits to 2sho be an conversation on "andhis idealism. He asked$ Is weavin ones own cloth a ood ideaA #axmi replied in affirmation. .hat is the avera e life span of IndiansA $ asked 2sho. #axmi replied$ Thirty years. .hat is avera e number of hours one spends on mundane affairs in routineA How many hours is one left with for other mattersA !hould one spend time in weavin for oneselfA Instead should one ensure employment to millions who work in mills manufacturin clothA If middle class people do not buy cloth then hundreds of workers will be laid off in mills. And their families would starve . He added that "andhis idealism would lead to poverty. 0hadi is ood and cool to wear but there is no need for all of us to weave it. #et the poor et employment in mills and industries. This would enerate more money. .eavin khadi is ood

work in villa es that do not have electricity as it provides work to people. 3ut in cities industry should be allowed to flourish. &urther he added$ I am not tryin to convert you. If this appeals to you only then you may stop weavin . In the time saved you work on your rowth. 3e more aware and meditative. !it in silence$ watchin sunrise$ listen to the birds twitterin $ and en,oy the fra rance of flowers. These will enrich you and you will feel more ener etic. In the moment of death social work$ family$ friends will not be of any help. 2nly your awareness and meditation will be your li ht. In no time weavin khadi appeared foolish to #axmi. #axmi reali1ed that her friends boosted her e o and praised her for her simplicity. They said even thou h #axmi belon ed to a rich family she led a simple life. This was the reason why she clun to her ima e. In reality she wore khadi to sustain that ima e. +oreover #axmi felt "andhi recommended weavin to encoura e Indian industry as people bou ht cloth from 3ritain. Bow India had several cloth mills and weavin in cities was therefore redundant. #axmi ordered new dresses in white and in color of mill made fabric. "radually #axmi renounced "andhis idealism from her daily life. Bext evenin 2sho noticed the chan e of fabric from khadi to terrycloth. He smiled. #axmi asked if he would like new clothes$ as cotton appeared wrinkled durin travel. He a reed. !oon 2sho had new chaddars and lun is. #axmi recalls 2shos sensitivity. He always carried two pillows$ linen and a blanket durin ,ourneys. 2sho used oil in his hair and it rubbed on the linen$ especially pillow covers were oily. However as cotton wool is recycled$ #axmi decided to redo 2shos pillows. The used cotton wool in the pillows was indeed soft it had absorbed oil. However #axmi decided to retain old cotton. !ix new pillows stuffed with new cotton wool were ordered. That ni ht 2shos bed had new pillows. Bext mornin 2sho told her that the pillows were ood$ however the cotton was fresh and the old cotton pillows may be disposed off. This sensitivity ama1ed #axmi. 2shos pull to #axmi was ma net like and irresistible. As days passed by the pull seemed to stren then and #axmi be an to accompany 2sho for the lecture tours outside +umbai. In the early days accommodation provided for 2sho by durin tours was inade8uate. The rich were miserly. +ost accommodations were not up to the mark. +any a time$ #axmi would uide people. Initially the or ani1ers were unaware of 2shos delicate and sensitive body. +ore so as 2sho suffered from diabetes and ettin the ri ht diet durin tours was a problem. In India a uest is e8uated to od and it is a custom to offer sweets to a uest. +any a times he ate sweets as a mark of respect to the host. +oreover visitors wanted to see him at odd hours. 2r a host would insist to share the room with him.

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Harassed by these incessant problems #axmi asked 2sho how he felt about these issues. He smiled and said$ #axmi be aware to not be too sharp while dealin with people . Thus it was natural that someone had had to take on the role of puttin an end to poor facilities and re ulate standards. #axmi took it upon herself. #axmi recalls re ardless of prior confirmations by or ani1ers 2sho had to put up with inade8uate facilities. However over a period of time people became sensitive to re8uirements of 2shos personal care. At the same time #axmi was buffer with the well:intentioned public. 2n one occasion #axmi had re8uested for an air:conditioned room for 2sho in 3aroda prior to the visit. The hosts confirmed it. 2n arrival #axmi learnt the room had a water cooler and no air:conditioner. Humidity of the cooler had adverse effects on 2shos body. It escalated asthma. #axmi re8uested a chan e to an air:conditioned room. The hosts failed to appreciate this statin air:conditioned rooms were costly. #axmi advised the host to honor their word. This made no impact on the hosts therefore #axmi paid the difference amount. 2sho was moved to a more comfortable room. Amon st the many incidents of ne li ence of people to the sensitivity of 2sho #axmi recalls in the year 1?D@ 2sho was travelin on train when a lady known to #axmis family was also on board. !he asked 2sho how to awaken the kundalini. 2sho su ested that she attend meditation camps. Bot satisfied$ she ur ed to him to teach her a techni8ue. 2n her persistence he repeated that she attend a camp. !he did not relent and pushed 2sho to demonstrate reali1ation throu h 0undalini. He told her that she would have to undress so that he could see her spinal cord. This shocked the lady and on return to +umbai she complained to #axmis father. Thinkin this to be ross behavior the family was shocked. 9onsiderin this risk to the virtue$ the family decided not to put up 2sho as a uest at home in +umbai. This was conveyed to the trustees.

#axmi was away to 0utch and learnt of this on arrival in +umbai. 7isappointed #axmi was determined to continue with personal care of 2sho. The family opposed this. #axmi talked to 2sho. He su ested she should continue work and serve him outside the limits of home and not worry about what had happened. A fortni ht lon meditation camp was on the anvil in 0ashmir. #axmi coaxed her maternal uncle to accompany her. !ixty people attended the camp. Here 2sho spoke on +ahavir. 3oth #axmi and uncle were overwhelmed with the perspective 2sho provided on +ahavir. It was a fresh ,ourney with +ahavir. It was a new experience with +ahavir. 5ncle was transformed. He apolo i1ed to 2sho and #axmi for the misunderstandin . #axmi was deli hted. 2n his return to +umbai uncle explained the issue to the family and re retted for the uncalled for short:term decision to not host 2sho at home in +umbai. In the ensuin months three camps were scheduled at Bar ol$ +aharashtra. A beautiful place$ Bar ol is a sand beach and trees that are look alike of pines. 2sho su ested all those present be silent for five days. #axmi was in silence for three days. However in a moment of unawareness after three days she broke her silence. Bo sooner did #axmi speak she was silent. Instantly there was a limpse of awareness after the intense silence. The experience was overwhelmin . At Bar ol 9amp II 2sho introduced 7ynamic +editation to the meditators$ a techni8ue developed by him. He introduced several other meditation techni8ues too. #ater he be an to speak. He 8uestioned as to why all of us were there. (rovidin a clue he said$ 2ne could be in by askin oneself> .ho am IA The ur e to search overpowered #axmi. 6ach time she 8uestioned herself somethin seemed to hit her at the navel center.

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The first experiment with 7ynamic was in a school compound$ located near a beach some time a o. It comprised of four sta es. &or the first sta e 2sho asked meditators to sit down. However later at Bar ol$ 2sho su ested meditators stand durin the first three sta es of the meditation. 2sho explained that in the standin posture it was easy to breathe vi orously and one would not be hurt if one dropped down on sand. In order to keep the mind from flutterin it was essential to keep the eyes closed. Also he stated that ener y is released when the eyes are open. This leads to loss of ener y when the eyes remain open aimlessly. If one applies the techni8ue of dynamic meditation in totality one would certainly an upsur e of tremendous ener y. This accordin to 2sho should be channeled to meditate. 7ynamic meditation was revised many times. Initially 2sho led this meditation however later 2sho stopped leadin . -ecorded music was played and a fifth sta e added. The first sta e is deep$ vi orous breathin for fifteen minutes. In the second one has to cooperate with the body by expressin the repressed feelin s in open into the sky. 3e it cryin $ shoutin $ hittin or ,umpin it should be allowed free expression. 2r else one should consciously start the process of de conditionin . In the third one should repeatedly ask oneself$ .ho am IA 2ver a period of time 2sho chan ed this 8uery to the sound hoon. This is accompanied with constant ,umpin . #ater hoon became hoo. The navel center and sex center are very close to each other. Therefore 2sho said the sound should be so vi orous that it hammers the navel center. As a result ener y in the sex center is also affected. 2sho explained that the sex center is the seat of the kundalini force. 7urin this sta e ener y that usually flows toward sex center is directed upwards to the third eye center. In addition human mind overns the sex center and inner centers do not function totally. 9onstant hammerin of hoo in this meditation activates dormant centers and releases trapped ener y. This ener y too travels upwards to third eye center. In the fourth sta e one sits or stands still in silence to pray. It is easier to pray as the body and mind are exhausted. However the body should be relaxed to pray. A discomforted body retreats attention from awarenessC consciousness to mind which in turn becomes conscious of the body. In this process one tends to drift away from awarenessC consciousness. =et another chan e was made to this techni8ue. A fifth sta e was added durin which one celebrated. Therefore each sta e lasted twelve minutes instead of fifteen. .hile earlier 2sho led this mediation with instructions as and when needed$ later people meditated with recorded music. At Bar ol$ one ni ht in bed #axmi constantly asked herself$ .ho am IA . #axmi let o her body as she breathed vi orously. Hyper:ventilatin as if she were a pump she breathed vi orously but effortlessly. This was followed by intense and non:stop loud belly lau hter. This

woke up #axmis maternal uncle. Anxious$ he be an to cry. 2sho who was asleep in a room nearby woke up. He came to #axmi$ placed his beautiful hand on her forehead and softly echoed in her ear$ 9ome back #axmi. &eelin his touch and hearin the melodious sound #axmi returned. "radually #axmi opened her eyes to see 2sho smile at her. In a few minutes$ 2sho reassured uncle that #axmi was fine and asked him to retire to bed. The next mornin #axmi was up at six as usual. After a shower #axmi prepared for 2shos bath. #axmi then ave tea to 2sho who said$ All of us are mad$ the difference is only of de rees of insanity. #axmi experienced an awakenin of the inner meditative ener y last ni ht and we must cooperate with the reactions durin the camp as these are part of meditation . 2nce a ain at ni ht #axmi experienced vi orous breathin and intense lau hter. 2sho said that it would have been a ood idea to record this meditative process on video. The next mornin #axmi woke up ,oyous and felt the body was li ht. #axmi was acutely aware of each movement of her body. Her feet felt li ht as thou h floatin . It was a mystery. The ni ht silk dress felt heavy. 3urdened with its wei ht #axmi did not want to wear it any more. .ishin to wear li ht clothes #axmi explained to uncle that the experience was beyond words and body was li htwei ht. Informin him that no innerwear was re8uired durin meditation$ #axmi re8uested uncle to spare a dhoti. This upset him. He asked her to pack up as they were oin home because he could not understand why she wanted to undress and couldnt wear her dress any lon er. .hat are you oin to do with my dhotiA 7o you wish to drop clothes and be naked durin the campA he roared. #axmi persisted. If you do not ive the dhoti you would be the first to see the naked body. #axmi is dead and this is the be innin of a new life. #axmi is rateful to parents and uncle$ however there was no attachment. #ife is like a lotus flower$ rooted in mud$ yet far above it . 5ncle looked into #axmis eyes and out of sheer helplessness a reed to loan #axmi a dhoti. After a shower$ wrapped in a dhoti$ #axmi offered tea to 2sho. He smiled. #ater 2sho asked uncle to et lun i and kurta for #axmi from the ba1aar. #axmi felt yet another chan e. #ess thirsty and hun ry$ work was a ,oy for #axmi. It was a ,oy to meditate and especially serve 2sho. #axmi did not eat for three days and yet she worked ,oyously. A camper informed 2sho that #axmi was not eatin in the past three days. At lunch when #axmi served food to 2sho he insisted she too ate. #axmi be an with salad. Boticin that #axmi was keepin away from spicy food 2sho especially called for boiled and non: spicy food for her. 7eeply touched with this esture$ #axmi recalled how two years a o at home in +umbai #axmi had insisted a dish of peas served to 2sho was non spicy. This despite 2sho said thrice that the dish was spicy. Instantly #axmi went to the kitchen$ checked with the cook and found out a small reen chilly had been pounded and added to the dish. #axmi returned and apolo i1ed

to 2sho. He lau hed and said that she could now eat the rest of the dish. However he added$ Bow drop the matter$ and re8uested that meals be cooked without chilly.

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Bow at Bar ol #axmi reali1ed that a true master answers 8ueries implicitly and indirectly. A master helps a disciple to experience and does not encoura e ac8uired knowled e. It ama1ed #axmi how 2sho knew that she did not wish to eat spicy food. !milin he said$ .ho knows$ some day you will be as sensitive . #axmi reali1ed that intense meditation had led to automatic and voluntary renunciation of spices. #axmi now wished to eat mild and fresh food. Tears rollin down her eyes$ #axmi fell at 2shos feet and said$ #et the world say what it will$ you are my sat uru$ my +aster$ my 3ha wan . 2sho asked #axmi to eat a slice of tomato from his meal. /ust as #axmi did she had an

unusual and hei htened experience of awareness of taste. 2sho left for /abalpur via +umbai the same afternoon. #axmi returned home. -elaxed with her eyes closed she voluntarily confined to her room for the next few days. At meal times #axmi would ,oin the family however she would leave the table without eatin $ as the food was spicy. +ata,i noticed this and talked with her. -elatin the incident at Bar ol to +ata,i$ #axmi was assured of non:spicy food at home. 7urin this week #axmi drank tea three times$ a lass of milk and lost twenty pounds. 7urin sleep #axmi was conscious and aware as thou h someone within her awake. As re ards the body #axmi felt fresh$ li ht and stron . Bow #axmi be an to watch her body and mind with intensity. The body seemed to be in constant dance while music ran in her ears. &or three weeks #axmi visuali1ed colors whenever she closed her eyes in meditation. The colors were blue$ yellow$ red$ oran e and black. #axmi desired to wear only the colors she visuali1ed and re8uested +ata,i to provide her with kurta and lun i in thin material. +ata,i mumbled that #axmi was a cra1y child$ however she had new clothes made for #axmi. A few days in this process #axmi informed +ata,i that she would now wear only dark oran e and asked for five pairs of lun i and kutra. #axmi declared that she did not need rest of the clothes so these could be iven away. The switch to oran e was spontaneous althou h #axmi was not aware what the color dark oran e denoted in India until +ata,i warned he. !he said that it demanded a lifelon commitment$ a resolute to non:withdraw and that no exit option was available. This is the color of renunciation and sannyas $ she said. #axmi trusted her inner voice. #au hin aloud she said$ The future is unknown$ however at present it feels ood to wear oran e clothes. "radually #axmi withdrew from all social activities and work. !he remained happily confined to her room. (erhaps a month later$ clad in oran e she went to receive 2sho at +umbai railway station. A lar e crowd had athered to receive him. Boticin #axmi because of the strikin color he called her and en8uired$ .hat does the chan e of color meanA #axmi responded that it happened spontaneously. 2sho said$ 3eautiful. It is very ood. This marks the be innin of the neo sannyas and you are the first sannyasin. Bow I will be in ivin sannyas to people who wish to be initiated. &urther he explained neo sannyas would be life affirmative unlike the life ne ative traditional sannyas. Bow people need not renounce and 8uit family$ home and occupation. Instead people should turn their homes into temples with their love and lau hter. A few ne ative and ,ealous minds did not appreciate #axmis new clothes and felt that this would be a hindrance in 2shos work. However #axmi had 2shos approval.

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It was proposed that 2sho be invited to live in +umbai. 2shos reply was simple. He would be fine in any place$ however people would need to be aware that no one was obli ed to him. He said that the invitation stemmed from peoples love for him$ however he would not accept any interference in his work. He warned that the messa e was to help people to be aware. 2sho 8uoted the example of the lady on a train who wished to learn kundalini$ awakenin techni8ue. &urther he said when a doctor examines a patient do patients do not decline examination. !imilarly as a doctor of the spiritual world he would have to do the needful. As re ards funds 2sho said that it was up to the trustees to take care of the needs of 2shos work. The trust could publish books$ char e entry fee to visitors for lectures$ char e for food and lod in . 2sho was not in need of money for personal expenses. The trustees a reed to these proposals and 2sho accepted their invitation to live in +umbai. .ith this decision #axmi was over,oyed. !he was reminded 2sho often said that a uru comes to be with disciples once they have matured. #axmi saw thin s fallin into place$ as more and more people were ea er to be initiated and wanted to work for 2sho. An apartment was rented out on fourth floor in 99I 3uildin $ +arine drive. +any people came to visit 2sho. Invariably the lift would malfunction owin to overload. In the afternoons 2sho would take a nap while #axmi would return home to eat and shower and returned in the evenin . 2ne afternoon #axmi stood outside 99I 3uildin with a friend$ waitin to be driven home. Two ladies$ who passed by noticed #axmis oran e clothes$ bowed to her and in8uired who she was. (romptly #axmis friend replied$ !he is +a =o a #axmi and has come to see Acharya -a,neesh who lives here. He happened to know them. /ust as he finished makin this statement he retreated and went in to see 2sho a ain. #axmi informed him the driver had arrived. +oreover 2sho would be asleep. However he was persistent. He told 2sho that he was surprised why he had referred to #axmi$ whom he had known for lon as +a =o a #axmi. !ittin up in bed 2sho took a fresh sheet of paper and wrote +a =o a #axmi$ !ecretary to Acharya -a,neesh. Handin the sheet over to #axmi 2sho explained to #axmi that with the death of a person the identity dies too. !imilarly with a new birth a

person ets a new name. #axmi you are reborn. A chan ed name will help you to disconnect with the life you have lived so far and commence a new life .hen I initiate people each male will have a prefix swami and each womans name will have prefix ma to her name. +a means mother. It denotes feminine attributes includin warmth$ love$ soft and care. .hile swami is one who is a master of the self$ one who has con8uered the unconscious . +eanwhile #axmi was keen to wear a mala with 2shos locket in her neck. A few days later someone su ested that a mala with a locket of 2shos picture be introduced. 2sho approved it. This too ama1ed #axmi. !hortly after this 4Dth !eptember 1?@E marked the be innin of a new era. At a meditation camp at +anali$ Himachal (radesh$ 2sho initiated twelve people$ includin #axmi$ a western and a /apanese woman. +anali is a beautiful hill resort enveloped by tall mountains. #axmi liked these lush reen mountains scantily populated with sparse residential houses. Hi h peaks stood firm at a distance. The more distant vir in peaks were clad in snow. There was a feelin of vastness and expanse in these mountains. 7eep or es and canyons seemed to have bottomless depths. Beo sannyasins were advised to wear lose clothes particularly durin meditation. The twelve neo:sannyasins were iven new names written on a letterhead each personally by 2sho. Asked to wear a mala$ with a locket of 2shos picture$ the sannyasins were explained its si nificance. They were told like beads of the mala strun in one thread$ similarly all the paths of spirituality led to one absolute and ultimate truth. Therefore it was meanin less to ar ue with someone on the credibility of any sin le path. 2shos picture in the locket was a constant reminder that he was faceless$ a non:entity$ a commoner$ a nobody. At +anali there were over fifty people and the atherin was intimate. #eadin 7ynamic +editation 2sho said that all must put in their utmost to enable transformation to take place. 6ach sannyasin and friend worked hard and meditation was an intense experience. It was an experience of timelessness. This was followed by discourse in the mornin and evenin . 2sho spoke on #ord 0rishna$ a Hindu od at +anali. After the mornin meditation 2sho would return to his room. "enerally some disciples would sit around 2sho while he talked spontaneously #axmi felt indeed fortunate to be present with the master in the mountains. It was an extraordinary camp. -arely had man been alone with a master$ meditatin and workin on self: transformation in the Himalayas. &or thousands of years man had fou ht wars$ was involved with mundane activities and there was no opportunity for the rowth human consciousness. However there were several such small islands of timelessness amidst mundane human existence in Indian civili1ation. +eanwhile in +umbai several people were bein initiated. Initially there two options available for sannyas. There were sadhus initiated who wore white and continued livin as householders. In some cases people were initiated temporarily for a few months in order to enable them to ad,ust to a new lifestyle. !annyasins were initiated for lon :term. #ater the title sadhu and temporary sannyas were dropped. 2nly sannyas was offered and all became sannyasins.

2sho would leave +umbai limits for outstation mediation camps. +ore and more curious people from all over the world thron ed meditation camps. In +umbai 2shos apartment seemed to swell with people all the time. As a result the residents of the buildin complained of overcrowdin and expenses of elevator shot up because of fre8uent use. In the be innin of 1?@E 2sho moved to a beautiful and spacious three: room apartment in a residential complex known as .oodlands on (eddar -oad$ +umbai. An elite address in +umbai the buildin was twenty: seven storeyed. 2sho lived was on the first floor overlookin a beautiful front arden. %isitors used the staircase and there was no problem of overuse of elevator. 2sho was personally involved in the selection of this flat. He was shown a flat on the twenty: first floor that had a terrace ade8uate to hold two hundred people. However 2sho su ested that meditators must relate with nature and bein above tree level at that hei ht would result in distancin from nature. He added that the effect of livin on hei hts away from nature was unknown. In the be innin the setup was small scale. There was also a car for 2shos comfort. 2ne afternoon a disciple who is now a self acclaimed uru$ re8uested 2sho to accompany her for a picnic about two: hour drive from .oodlands. Interested to start an ashram in +umbai$ she said her husband who was well connected would help in ac8uisition of land. Bot happy with this arran ement$ #axmi re8uested 2sho to take his cousin alon $ as the hostess did not want #axmi to ,oin them. 2sho however said he would be fine and would return in the evenin . In the afternoon she arrived in a +ercedes and 2sho left alon with her. #axmi had an uncanny feelin throu h the afternoon that made her uneasy. A meetin followed by discourse was scheduled as usual for evenin . However as 2sho did not arrive at ei ht the meetin had to be cancelled. .orried #axmi asked the trustees to notify local police to search for the vehicle. After a lon wait for an hour at nine a few trustees volunteered to o on a search. In vain. They had no clue of the vehicle. An hour later 2sho returned to .oodlands. All those present in the apartment ,umped as he arrived. He was his usual calm and smilin . 5nruffled he informed that the car met with an accident and was wrecked. However all the passen ers and the driver were safe. 2sho departed to rest in his room where #axmi checked him for bruises. To #axmis surprise he had not one scratch and was unhurt.

The next mornin #axmi re8uested 2sho to not to travel in others vehicles. #axmi said the trust would soon purchase one more car. A bi white 9hevorlet Impala was bou ht and

painted oran e. 2sho accompanied the trustees for a test ride on the first day. He asked #axmi to drive. !hort in hei ht #axmi sat on cushions at the wheel and looked indeed tiny. 2sho sat in the front seat while four friends sat in the rear. He asked #axmi to speed up and o on the hi hway. !uddenly the car was 1oomin at 14E kilometers per hour speed. At this point 2sho asked #axmi to chan e seats with her. #axmi stopped and sat in the navi ators seat. 2sho drove at 1;E to 1GE kilometers per hour. It was fun until he applied brakes suddenly and friends seated behind were cau ht unawares. 7ue to the abrupt ,erk they hit their heads a ainst the car. At this point #axmi apprised 2sho that the car had power brakes and needed entle application especially when speedin . All the passen ers lau hed and #axmi resumed drivin . #axmis family was fond of cars and had several imported cars at home. 3arely nine years old #axmi first practiced drivin around the ara e owned by her brother. #axmi was fond of cars. Beo !annyas drive took shape rather casually. 6ven thou h the scales around 2sho were small$ basic facilities existed. (ublic lectures were arran ed in open rounds and halls. Thousands of people came to hear 2sho. &or the first two years 2sho lectured in Hindi. After the lecture ended sannyasins would sin and dance in kirtan. 3y this time a few westerners had come to stay with 2sho. +editation camps were a ma,or attraction for overseas visitors. 0eepin this in view 2sho be an conductin a ten day camp once in three months in the mountains. +ost were held in +ount Abu$ -a,asthan. Bot as far away as 0ashmir$ +t Abu despite its not as hi h peaks is ex8uisite and only two:hour drive from base. As more and more overseas visitors and sannyasins came 2sho be an to hold meditation camps in 6n lish. &re8uently he spoke on the 5panishads$ a holy book of the Hindus. !everal people wondered about the need of a disciple for a +aster. 2sho explained that unless a disciple surrenders to the master heCshe finds it difficult to reali1e his or her ener y. !annyasins around 2sho had an advanta e. They lived with +aster and experienced the +aster work to awaken their ener y. Also the master transmitted ener y to them. This transmission process is called shaktipat. 5n communicable in words$ 2sho rarely spoke of it as it is an experience. He ave a taste of oneness to his sannyasins. This came to be known as communin Ccommunion. #axmi stayed back in +umbai when 2sho was out in the mountains conductin camps. !he would paint$ clean and or ani1e his books that were several thousand in number. 2sho read about thirty books in a month as thou h he had a scanner in his eyes and speed:read ability. He often 8uoted from these books. !o much so a sin le readin and 2sho had memori1ed it all. 2n arrival from the hills 2sho would find the apartment clean and with a new look. (eople visited the apartment from early mornin to late in the ni ht. It was now a public place. !ome came to meet him' others came for information$ while some came to buy books. 5ntil now all 6n lish titles were translations of Hindi discourses. A day in the life of 2sho was no different apparently as he valued time and worked as per schedule. However he lived each moment in its totality$ each moment as a new moment$ as a

fresh experience in totality. (eople around him too had to mana e time meticulously. 2sho was up at six thirty each mornin . Invariably there were several people waitin for his darshan and talk. 2ften he would call these people to his room for a spontaneous talk. This deli hted them all. To the new initiates 2sho explained the si nificance of meditation and oran e color. +any a stran e incident happened at .oodlands as traditional and fascists opposed 2shos neo sannyas. 2ne day a youn man char ed into the apartment. He picked up a paperwei ht from #axmis desktop and hurled it at her. +erely escapin #axmis head it hit a lass cabinet. There was a loud explosion as lass crashed with splinters fallin all over the room. In fury ,ust as he char ed towards 2shos room$ #axmi leaped at him. 3y now the cook and attendant workin inside the kitchen came in after hearin the loud explosion. They overpowered the attacker. To cool him$ #axmi offered water to him$ even thou h he continued to ra e in an er. After some time he explained he was upset$ as his wife had been initiated a day before. He feared that she would renounce the family and 8uit home. He dreaded the thou ht of losin her. Althou h his wife tried to explain to him that she would not 8uit$ instead since she had had heard 2sho$ she wanted to try out neo sannyas livin ,oyously with the family at home. However it was in vain. !cared that his wife in the course of time would be in to love 2sho more$ as he believed 2sho hypnoti1ed people and had ruined many homes he therefore wanted to hit 2sho. #istenin to his story #axmi roared into lau hter. 9ontinuin to lau h she explained the concept of neo sannyas statin that 2sho wanted to make temples of homes$ and not ruin them. He was advised to read 2sho and drop misconceptions. -eleased with a warnin to not to repeat violent behavior or else he would be handed over to police. .ith one 8uick lance at the well:built attendant he left immediately.

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=et another mishap occurred when 2sho spoke on "eeta$ a holy book of the Hindus wherein #ord 0rishna speaks to Ar,una on complexities of duality of life. A re ular to discourses he would often shout while 2sho spoke and raised several ob,ections. The police had warned him about his unruly behavior earlier. 2ne day before discourse started he hid behind a pillar as 2sho walked towards the hall to address the atherin . He leaped ,ust as 2sho arrived and could et hold of only 2shos chaddar. 2sho stood chest bare calmly watchin him. 3= now he was noticed by a few people and was cau ht. .ith this the trustees focused on the need of security around 2sho. A body uard was hired who went out with him virtually everywhere. He uarded main ates while 2sho was in the apartment. !everal years passed by with this routine. 6ach day unfurled its ba of surprises. &or #axmi it was sheer ,oy to work for 2sho. #axmi would bet at the front desk by ei ht to or ani1e meetin s for 2sho and seein visitors. The busiest hours were ei ht to eleven in the mornin and three in the afternoon to eleven in the ni ht. In the be innin #axmi was his secretary$ driver$ cleaner$ assistant and certainly a disciple. It was a one:woman show. 2shos cousin sister took personal care of him. In the event 2shos cousin was away to /abalpur$ +adhya (radesh #axmi stayed at .oodlands whenever. 7urin her stay #axmi would serve 2shos meals and sleep in his room. #axmi stayed in .oodlands on one such ni ht. The next mornin #axmi was ,oyous. !he witnessed #axmis activities throu h the day. #axmi ettin up$ eatin $ talkin and so on. This witnessin lasted throu h the day. The identity with I was broken. I did not overtakeCoverpower #axmi. It was indeed fun to see #axmi en rossed in activities in the third person. -ecallin 2sho narrate the story of !wami -amteerth who witnessed a break with identity and referred to himself in third person and never as self$ #axmi lau hed to herself. !ince he was twenty:one years$ women looked after 2shos personal care with feminine entleness. In this re ard 2sho had a story to tell. 3efore he turned twenty:one he would meditate sittin under a tree. 2ne day prior to enli htenment he felt his body fell from a treetop. He wondered how was it that his body had fallen whereas he physically sat atop the tree. He had an out of body experience. +eanwhile two women passin by spotted the body on round. In order to help$ they touched the body on the round. Instantly 2sho says he returned to his body. The feelin of havin fallen on round disappeared. Also the feelin of havin one beyond the body disappeared. He reali1ed that feminine touch is potent to reestablish contact with ones body. !ince this experience he felt different with his body and

had women as his caretakers. He said$ An enli htened bein is aware of the body and is yet disconnected withCfrom the body. Thou h he moves hisCher physical form and uses it. An enli htened bein maintains a delicate balance of bein in the body and yet out of it. However to a not so aware naked eye it appears that the enli htened bein lives in the visible physical body like the others. At the physical level by and by a number of sannyasins became involved with 2shos work. At five thirty in the mornin 7ynamic +editation was led by a sannyain at a friends house in +umbai. #ater$ meditators athered on 9howpatty 3each in the open. 2sho stopped public speakin and ave discourses only for his disciples and devotees in the livin room at .oodlands. 2n the avera e there were close to a hundred people always comfortably seated. The settin s were intimate and relaxed. As time passed by sannyasins became involved with an experiment on a farm owned by an Indian woman. !he offered a lar e farm in 3aroda for 2shos work. Althou h it was hot and not conducive for air conditionin $ about sixty overseas sannyasins worked on the farm. They en,oyed this experiment. 2sho narrated in a public lecture that this farm owner revealed she was his mother in a past life. 3y this time thousands were visitin 2sho. Beo sannyas movement now athered momentum and rew rapidly. (ublishin had rown multifold. &or months he spoke re ularly in 6n lish on the hundred and ei ht techni8ues of meditation of #ord !hiva. !hiva is one of the Hindu "ods of Trinity amon st %ishnu and 3rahma. These meditations are known as %i yan 3hairav Tantra. These discourses were published in 6n lish entitled The 3ook 2f !ecrets. In addition other 6n lish discourses were transcribed and published in !annyas a bi monthly ma a1ine$ edited by sannyasins. &acilities for sannyasins improved and were enhanced. However #axmi was perpetually hard pressed for money. !he worked with the same resolute as !t Theresa who started out to build a cathedral$ and succeeded owin to sheer faith. !imilarly 2shos work was carried out on a shoestrin bud et. #axmi believed that with the +asters race and trust of a disciple$ milestones can be achieved.

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<The creative person is one who brin s somethin from "od into the worldwho becomes a hollow bamboo and allows od to flow throu h him . And creativity is from the creator. 9reativity is not of you or from you. =ou disappear$ then the creativity is when the creator takes possession of you <. 2sho> .alk .ithout &eet$ &ly .ithout .in s And Think .ithout +ind$ 1?@? 3y early 1?@; many people from the east and west were comin to 2sho. +ore came from the west. It was apparent that many wanted to dedicate time and services to his work. Thus there was a need for a lar er ashram or commune where many more people could meditate$ work and live. +oreover the climate of +umbai was not as friendly to 2sho and had adverse effect on his body. He would often et asthmatic attacks. 2ne evenin he asked #axmi to look for a lar er place elsewhere. After dinner #axmi ot out of .oodlands and drove to 0handala and #onavala$ about an hour and a half from +umbai$ en route (oona. These places had heavy rainfall in monsoons therefore huntin #axmi drove further to (oona. #axmi checked into a luxury hotel and called a real estate a ent. The next mornin amon st the properties visited and examined$ #axmi visited a mansion called Himalaya$ in 0ore aon (ark. 3uilt on one and a half acres of land the property included a lar e house and vast ardens. It drew #axmis attention but she was informed so far it had not been offered for sale. #axmi returned to the site later and persuaded the watchman to show her the house. He took her around the house in a arden. .hile #axmi was tourin around the house in the arden a fruit dropped from an almond tree at #axmis feet. 9onsiderin this as an omen and a ift of nature$ #axmi re8uested the uard to let her have the fruit. The watchman smiled as #axmi picked up the almond. Touched with the name of the house$ as many a sadhu and hermit worship the ods in the mountains and caves of Himalayas. Takin both these as ominous si nals #axmi returned to +umbai. #axmi narrated her visit to the beautiful mansion Himalaya$ to 2sho and showed him the almond. 2sho approved of be innin ne otiations with the owner of the buildin . The owner was contacted. #axmi found out the owner was a former mahara,a who had attended 2shos meditation camps at +t Abu. !oon a deal was struck with him. It was decided that we would move to Himalaya in (oona on the 41st of +arch after celebratin 2shos 6nli htenment 7ay at .oodlands in +umbai. Hundreds of people came to bid farewell to 2sho and as expected there was not enou h room for all in the apartment. Impossible to accommodate a lar e number of people it was decided that each would et a

brief darshan with 2sho one by one. Bo one was allowed to halt durin darshan. In the afternoon 2sho$ five friends$ #axmi and a hundred people started for (oona. !ome traveled by road in fifteen cars in a procession while others came by train. A lar e number of friends stayed back in +umbai. Three hours later the party reached (oona. (eople were taken around the beautiful house. There were five lar e and five small rooms$ a dinin $ a livin room$ a pantry and kitchen. There were rooms for the servants also. The bedrooms on the first floor had lar e balconies. 2sho chose a lar e room on the round floor as his bedroom.

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2sho appeared in darshan for all the visitors. 9elebrations went on up to midni ht. #axmi went for a shower after all the visitors left. As yet she had not chosen a room for herself. In fact it did not even strike her until after the shower. All the rooms were full of unpacked lu a e except 2shos bedroom. &eelin the best place was a lar e open balcony of the livin room #axmi spread a blanket on the floor and lay down. #axmi a1ed in to the vast stretch of arden and at the ni ht sky. It was dark$ silent and peaceful. !pottin the almond tree #axmi had a desire to o to it. #axmi ot up$ walked to it and sat under it. !oon #axmi was transported to a timeless 1one. There was no almond tree. 2nly silence prevailed. #axmi does not remember how lon she sat there. 2n rediscoverin herself #axmis body was refreshed$ wei htless and li ht as thou h floatin in air. /oyous she went up to the balcony and relaxed on her blanket. In no time she was asleep. In the mornin #axmi ot up fresh with the experience. "rateful to 2sho for the experience of

timelessness$ #axmi was in a no thou ht$ a no mind state. #axmi recalled /esus said> 3e like a child. &eel a tremendous ener y$ a tremendous ,oy a tremendous re,oicin . .ith more of these limpses$ these experiences #axmi felt centered and trust in 2sho consolidated. At this time #axmi had completed forty:one years and felt that she was due to start a new seven: year cycle. Bow she was livin even closer to 2sho. 7ay in and day out$ in the same house$ unlike in +umbai where returned home daily. #axmi witnessed these miracles happen one after the other. 2sho renamed the house #ao Tsu House. !everal chan es were made to the layout. The dinnin hall and pantry were covered and converted to bedrooms to accommodate resident sannyasins. A small patio was extended with additional pillars and a roof was erected over it. This became 9huan Tsu Auditorium. In the early days in (une 2sho ave discourses in this auditorium and sannyasins sat cross:le ed on the floor. 2sho was very fond of trees :especially bi trees. He preferred natural rowth of trees and shrubs. He liked them to row tall without prunin . A female sannyasin was made in char e of ardenin . !oon the arden blossomed into an ex8uisite mini forest with 2shos uidelines and her care. 3ack in +umbai the trustees who supported 2shos livin expenses earlier in .oodlands were distanced from 2sho now. It was difficult for people in business to drive to (oona often. They did not like this. Therefore they withdrew support and asked #axmi to take care of all the activities from (oona and seek financial support from elsewhere. However later they reconciled and continued support. Always hard pressed for money to maintain the ashram$ #axmi borrowed seven thousand Indian rupees from a bookseller$ in (oona who was known to her family. The trust was renamed -a,neesh &oundation and the trustees of /eevan /a ruti 0endra were dropped. Bew trustees were elected and #axmi was appointed +ana in Trustee of -a,neesh &oundation. The trustees decided all activities would be executed at (une$ includin book sales. The first floor apartment in .oodlands was sold and an ad,oinin house in (oona purchased. This house was called 0rishna House. All the money raised from sale of real estate went into the purchase of real estate. 2nce a ain there was no money to support the ashram. &or lon term support to the ashram it was decided to raise funds by publishin 2shos lectures in 6n lish entitled %i yan 3hairav Tantra$ The 3ook 2f !ecrets %ol I. As time passed 6n lish lan ua e publications of 2sho proved a oldmine for the ashram. .ith this be an an earnest search for a ood printer who would be compatible with the terms and conditions. #axmi was on a hunt for a printer and spotted !an am (ress in the =ellow (a es. !an am in Hindi means meetin Cmer in . #axmi called the mana er over for a meetin to the ashram. #axmi discussed the pro,ect with the printer in detail. !he apprised him of the terms. He would invest in the pro,ect in order to earn profits in a few months. Bo advance$ and payment would be made after three months$ alon with interest. A sharp youn man he had heard 2shos discourses and was aware of the potential of publishin 2shos maiden book in 6n lish$ both inland and overseas. 3ased on his acumen he a reed to commence work on the manuscript of %i yan 3hairav Tantra. 9ertain he would make profits and not only recover his investment he rabbed the pro,ect.

7urin this meetin #axmis shortcomin s and inexperience in offset printin and publishin surfaced. (rior to this all the books in the ashram were hand set and printed on small machines. !eein it as a handicap #axmi ,umped into it in totality. Bot only had #axmi overlooked the needs of printin she was totally unaware of the need of paper. However not exhibitin her inexperience #axmi re8uested the printer to proceed with composition of manuscript and informed him the re8uired paper would reach the printin press on schedule. As soon as the mana er left the office #axmi picked up the =ellow (a es and hunted for a paper merchant. !he invited -am 3hai (atel and 9ompany for a meetin to the ashram. -am is a sacred name in India and the prota onist of the holy book -amayana. A shrewd businessman -am turned out to be a "u,arati. #axmi and he hit off well in the first meetin . #axmi offered the pro,ect on same terms. He too a reed to provide paper without any advances. This was #axmis first exposure to details of paper and printin . In the due course of time she athered re8uisite information. Thus started the era of publishin in 6n lish lan ua e at the ashram.

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.ithin two months the first book in 6n lish entitled %i yan 3hairav Tantra$ The 3ook of !ecrets was published. In six weeks there were substantial sales in India and abroad. A 8uick recovery #axmi invited the printer and paper merchant to her office and paid their dues earlier than scheduled. They were deli hted. #axmi struck a second deal to print two more books with them$ on her terms. The terms were credit for six months$ and no interest. They a reed and work on the manuscripts commenced. +eanwhile more and more people came from all over the world. To cater to international

needs 6n lish discourses became a re ular feature. 2sho delivered discourses in Hindi and 6n lish every alternate month. Audio recordin e8uipment in the ashram was up raded. Bew e8uipment was brou ht as ifts to the trust by fellow sannyasins. !ales of books and audios increased in the overseas market. .ith more and more sales overseas more people came in from the different parts of the world$ includin "ermany$ Italy$ 6n land$ Holland$ 5!A$ Africa and /apan. This further led to increased sales. To meet the needs of rowin number of visitors per day two ad,oinin properties to Himalaya were purchased. And by and by this six: acre land became a reat international ma netic center of meditation. The media focused on this hub. It seemed 2sho constantly out rew his space and there was need to constantly expand. A ma,or chan e occurred with this expansion. .hile #axmi would see 2sho all throu h the day in +umbai$ however in (oona she could see him as schedule permitted. 6ach mornin #axmi briefed 2sho on the visitors list for the day and sou ht uidance to run the ashram. Thou h #axmi could meet him if re8uired durin the day however she had to find a slot. It had to be re ulated. #ater when overloaded with work #axmi saw him for an hour each in the mornin and at ni ht after darshan. &or #axmi these were precious hours and it was a ,oy to be in his presence. #axmi spent the day in the office with people who loved 2sho$ administrators and visitors. .hen in station in (oona she would certainly o for 2sho darshan in the evenin . #ater for work #axmi stayed out of (une for lon spells of time and there were lon periods of absence away from 2sho. However this did not affect #axmi. In fact #axmi understood that 2sho did not want to make any individuals dependent on him. He was persona of freedom and selfCindividual rowth. He represented freedom. He su ested non:clin in to any kind of crutches$ includin a uru. This independence promotes a seekers rowth and helps a seeker to et rooted and become more centered. #axmi felt his presence even in 2shos absence. Away from him she felt a formless presence of 2sho. An ener y phenomenon #axmi felt this happens$ as his vision is clear while ours is misty. As a master 2sho would su est solutions to people who came with 8ueries on varied sub,ects$ and the onus to pursue was always on the person. This curtailed dependence. It was a ,oy to be in 2shos presence as one evolved re ularly. In the be innin about thirty people attended 2shos discourses in (une. 2ne day 2sho said to #axmi$ +ore and more people will be comin and you have to arran e to accommodate them. #axmi su ested the patio be expanded. It is a ood idea to expand the patio$ provided it be expanded$ said 2sho. However I would like an open hall$ preferably from where the tress and sky could be seen. I do not want it closed. .hen the roup of five sannyasins$ 2sho and #axmi moved in #ao Tsu House first there were ,ust a few trees. These were low in hei ht and appeared more like bushes. 2sho instructed that the trust plant as many trees as possible especially the fast rowin ones. He said he wanted the trees to dance with the winds and touch #ao Tsu House.

.ithin a few months they were healthy$ tall$ dense and blossomin . 2ver a period of time the trees around #ao Tsu House rew like a forest and one could only catch limpses of the sky while sittin in the auditorium. !urrounded by nature$ meditators sat in silence listenin to 2sho while the sound of birds chirpin $ cuckoo callin and flyin from one branch to another filled the air. +any a butterfly and other insects visited these ardens enhancin the experience of meditators. Anxious with this sudden proliferation #axmi once asked 2sho that roots of certain trees were known to weaken and dama e the foundations of the buildin . 2shos responded$ It would take years before roots can harm the foundations. .ho knows after fifty years what will happen and who will be here. His dictum was> ,ust plant trees.

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The construction of 9huan Tsu Auditorium was a miracle. 9onstruction was on. 2ne afternoon a lar e cement slab of roof collapsed. Incredible. Bo one was hurt althou h there were several Indian workers workin to construct the auditorium. +oreover many small children played around this site as their mothers toiled to complete the auditorium. 3y the race of existence ,ust before it ave way$ an Indian worker sensed a rumblin vibration. Alert to sounds he shouted out to others to rush out. &amiliar with such wrecka es the Indian construction workers ran to safety immediately. The slab collapsed within seconds. The roof was rebuilt 8uickly and the auditorium was ready for use within three months. #ao Tsu House looked more and more beautiful in a few months. The dense ardens added to the beauty of the ashram. !imilarly many other chan es were executed to enhance the beauty of the place both inside and outside the house. In addition practical aspects were not overlooked. To enlar e a bedroom on the round floor a balcony was covered. There was a

lar e open area in the rear of 0rishna House known as -adha Hall that faced #ao Tsu House. 6ven thou h 0rishna House had been added to meet the rowin needs of the ashram there was a re ular paucity of space. 2ne day #axmi addressed the issue of boomin number of visitors to 2sho. #axmi said$ Bow more people are comin . They want to live and work in the ashram so we should extend the second house and make rooms to accommodate more people . 2sho said$ 3uild more rooms and also build another meditation hall . 9huan Tsu auditorium was reserved exclusively for 2shos discourses. However durin festivals 2sho ave darshan to his lovers in the 9huan Tsu Auditorium. All meditations includin kirtan were conducted in -adha Hall. 0nown for constant rowth and evolution 2sho always liked to see the ashram blossomin and expandin . In no time both 9huan Tsu auditorium and -adha Hall proved small to accommodate the overflowin turnover of visitors to the ashram$ especially durin the period 2sho delivered discourses in 6n lish. 6ventually a lar e hall was built to hold a minimum of seven thousand people. It was called 3uddha Hall. =et more properties were taken over and altered to meet the ashrams needs. These properties were all renamed associated with a mystic. &rom #ao Tsu$ 0rishna$ -adha$ 3uddha and so on. 2ne was called /esus House to accommodate new arrivals and new volunteers. A lar e dinnin hall could accommodate hundreds of people. The ex owners of these properties marveled to see the properties transformed. Indian architects and labor worked under the supervision of sannyasins from all over the world. These sannyasins had the expertise to desi n$ construct buildin s and decorate interiors with a wide:ran in and ama1in material. They executed their creativity alon with hard work put in by Indian architects and Indian labor. 7esi n and 8uality were unmatchable. !everal beautiful wooden structures came up as alternates to permanent structures as per Indian by: laws. !annyasins created several temporary structures to house a university and meditation workshops. !everal hydroponics ardens came up with small ponds. !oon fish filled the ponds. 2r anic farmin started to suffice the needs of the kitchen. A beautiful Hen path that wound its way around the ardens was constructed. +any wooden and stone paths$ small brid es came up in the ardens. In one corner of /esus house$ ashes of a sannyasin that 2sho said was enli htened prior to death were immersed in a container lod ed in a marble rave. In #ao Tsu House a beautiful fountain added bonan1a to the arden outside 2shos room. .ith a mere press of a button the fountain would sprin into several colors. 0eepin in view the constraints of technolo y in India this was a ma,or achievement$ no short of a miracle in such a short span of time.

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The front ates to the ashram$ known as the ateless ate opened into 0rishna House$ were spectacular. 2sho personally uided an Indian architect to desi n these. He loved 2sho. His trust in 2sho was immense as he said$ This is 2shos work and we must put our total ener y into it and it will sure happen. -eady in a phenomenal period of ,ust two months the ates were made of 3urma teak an inexpensive wood. &ifteen feet in hei ht$ the ates were inlaid with marble$ ranite$ bron1e and brass. These matched in 8uality and desi n with the handiwork as ood as what was made centuries a o by mahara,as. Two nearly circular cabins were built inside of the ate$ one on each side. These had lass doors and windows and marble empanelled the walls and floor. +ost people liked the ates$ however a few disapproved of such an expensive structure. 2sho personally desi ned an emblem and su ested it be set in marble. It consisted of a dot in a trian le in a nine:sided shape set in a circle. The circle held it all to ether. The dot symboli1ed oneness. The trian le symboli1ed satyam shivam sundaram or 3rahma$ %ishnu$ +ahesh that is the creator$ the preserver and the destroyer respectively$ accordin to Hindu mytholo y. The nine:sided shape was symbolic of nine planets. This lo o also symboli1ed the inner ,ourney. This symbol decorated the top center of the ate. Thus emer ed a symbol for the ashram that was later adapted to all stationery and ift items.

"enerally work commenced even before a plan was completed on paper. 2n the same note everyone involved trusted funds would be arran ed prior to even allocation of funds. +ore often funds were committed or arran ed after pro,ects were underway. 3y and lar e pro,ects were iven shape and turned into reality on sheer element of trust. There was no uncertainty and the time ap between each pro,ect conceived and executed was minimal. &or instance #axmi ave her vision of the ate to the architect who appeared with sketches a few days later. 9ontent with the sketches and that he was in tune with her concept$ #axmi asked him to commence work. #axmi said$ 7o the measurements later. &or now let the di in start. Bevertheless there was no compromise on desi n and 8uality with respect to work. In the process of expansion several properties near the ashram were rented. There were office areas for accounts$ meetin s$ video and audio departments$ press and publication departments$ libraries etc on premises. A medical center met the needs of sannyasins on premises. +odern I:ray machines and e8uipment constituted the center run by an international fraternity of 8ualified medical practitioners. There was sauna too. Hy iene was a top priority. %rindavan$ a restaurant on premises at first fed five hundred people$ later the capacity was enhanced to feed people a hundred times over. %e etarian and e less it served nutritious and sumptuous food in different cuisines. The bakery turned out sumptuous breads$ croissants$ cakes and cheese that drew many Indian families from distances to buy from here. Butrition was an important consideration. +any sannyasins contributed by introducin varied cuisines. The kitchen was truly international and catered to every ones tastes. &or the children of sannyasin couples there was a school known as no school. It was run as per 2shos uidelines. 2lder children had the option to work in the ashram. They learnt skills in carpentry$ pottery and weavin . In addition they were trained in performin arts includin music dance and theatre. 5nder the ae is of a 5niversity a variety of meditative pro rams and therapies were desi ned to educate and train therapists. The focus was to incorporate meditation to therapy and applied modern psycholo y. 2sho devised several roup therapies as many psychotherapists from the west came to live in the ashram. !oon there were over ei hty different roup mediations and therapies to choose from. These were very popular with overseas visitors. Improvisation was a re ular feature to accommodate new activities. A mala shop came up in the ara e and 2shos car was moved to the patio. +alas in rosewood were made on a lathe machine in the ashram workshop in order to sustain 8uality. A picture of 2sho was sandwiched in between two pieces of wood to make a locket. These were made in the ashram. This led to woodwork. 6le ant ebony and rosewood cabinets were made for 2shos room. !oon office furniture followed and no ood workshop in India could match the desi n and 8uality.

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As more and more people came in several creative activities flourished in the ashram. +ost departments were independent and complete in themselves. !annyasins conceived$ desi ned and executed ,obs independently. (hoto raphy was completely in house. The studio had a darkroom for processin and developin . #ater a rich photo library evolved. 3ooks$ ma a1ines$ publications and stationary were desi ned in house. A silk: screen print unit churned out a lot of commendable 8uality work. !everal national awards were coveted as more and more books were published. !trin and wind instruments like mandolin$ uitars and flutes were made in house. As 2sho was aller ic to perfumes scent free cosmetics were made. There were pottery$ ceramic$ weavin $ ,ewelry$ small rosewood inlay$ hand woven shawls$ ba s and capes etc$ candle:makin studios that turned out readily salable oods. A bouti8ue on premises sold all the articles made here. There were close to two hundred fifty resident sannyasins livin in the ashram. !annyasins who started to live in the ashram earlier occupied spacious rooms and were privile ed to have other facilities vis a vis the later residents. As time passed by the rooms had to be subdivided into two to accommodate more residents. As both earlier and later sannyasins wanted to live in close 8uarters withCto their uru the earlier residents did not ob,ect movin into half si1ed rooms. +any of them continue to be residents even today. There was complete harmony in the international atherin $ even thou h most people did not speak a common lan ua e. 2ne day a few sannyasins came to #axmis office and related their experience of a ni ht

before. They had playfully acted out !hakespearean plays particularly A +idsummer Bi hts 7ream and had had reat fun. A selected audience paid for the unscheduled performance and appreciated the amateur attempt to sta e !hakespeares play. #axmi inspired them to start a theatre roup and share it with public. =ou will en,oy this creativity tremendously if you put in your total ener y. The roup liked the idea. It matured into a well:knit theatre roup. In a months time a team of director$ producer$ actors and actresses$ choreo raphers$ costume desi ners$ make up artists and a sta e mana er put up a show in a +umbai theatre. -ave reviews ensued. The roup also performed at Ta, Hotel$ a deluxe hotel of the leadin Ta, "roup in 7elhi. The children theatre roup was international and ,ust as charmin as the adults. They sta ed a play (eter (an in +umbai and were cheered throu h the entire performance by the audience. : These shows were accompanied with exhibitions that were put up in the halls of the theatres. !even vans hauled all the oods to +umbai and then further to 7elhi. -esident sannyasins those visitin (une from all over the world worked throu h the ni ht to put up the exhibition. The next day they exhibited their skills$ demonstrated and expressed their creativity and ratitude for their +aster. .eavers weaved$ cobblers worked with leather$ desi ners desi nin ,ewelry' batik and fashion' potters makin pottery$ ventrilo8uist acted etc. Their success and ,oy was a flowerin of their meditation. &unds were not a consideration. The entoura e was mana ed successfully owin to their trust and surrender to their uru$ their +aster. The ashram received re8uests to extend dates of the ma nificent exhibition$ however that was not possible.

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In the winters leadin roup of hotels$ the Ta, invited this team a ain to put up Imas shows in +umbai and 7elhi. "iven first class hospitality in these hotels sannyasins put up a fashion exhibition. They played live music durin these shows. This was a window of the talent of sannyasins on display beyond the frontiers of the ashram. As re ards festivals within the ashram three celebrations were held each year in the ashram. Thousands of people came to celebrate and et 2shos blessin s. The three days that were celebrated marked> 2shos birthday on 11th 7ecember$ 2shos enli htenment 7ay on 41st +arch and +ahaparinirvana 7ay on Jth !eptember$ the day 2shos father 7adda ,i became enli htened and departed from this world A day at the ashram in (oona proceeded like this> 7ynamic +editation be an at six in the mornin . A live mornin discourse by 2sho from ei ht to ten was the hi hli ht of the day. 5sually after this visitors would o to %rindaban restaurant for breakfast while resident sannyasins be an work. After a ap of an hour each throu h the day there were meditations in the 3uddha Hall. These were re ular$ round the year and free of char e$ +editation roups were held as per schedule. !annyasins usually re8uired advance re istrations and paid for them. These roup workshops were intense. Amon st the meditations !ufi 7ancin was very popular. 7urin this hour meditators danced to live music. It offered a ood opportunity to people to meet new arrivals as people danced in a circle$ and at times with a partner. This hour provided people to reali1e the areas they needed to work on and their ener y. Amon st roup meditations primal scream$ encounter and rebirthin were popular. 3esides Tai 9hi$ Hen$ =o a$ %ipassana and martial arts were offered too. %isitors streamed into the office throu h the day to half past five in the evenin . They came to see the ashram or spend a dayCs at the ashram. !annyasins stayed for evenin darshan with 2sho. A few people ot appointments to be in the front rows durin this hour. 2sho answered any 8ueries of around ten sannyasins durin this meetin . The other sannyasins sat in silence in communion with the +aster. #ater the number increased to hundred and people were si ned up only for silent darshan. Bow 2sho stopped answerin personal 8uestions durin this hour. !annyasins ,ust sat near him at his feet drinkin the divine nectar. #ater darshan was redesi ned and live music was played durin the hour. It was renamed ener y darshan. 7urin this hour 2sho transmitted ener y as a master to his disciples. 0nown as !haktipath$ it is an old tradition in the east. #ike love that is an experience$ and beauty that is felt$ yet inexplicable in words$ so also was the experience of ener y darshan for #axmi. &or #axmi these hours of darshan were hours of bliss as she experienced an ener y sittin still at

his feet in silence. A feelin of bliss persisted and there was no fati ue in the body. It was a blissful experience of sharin ener y each evenin . &or sannyasins it was a rare and an intense experience of very deep silence. It seemed 2sho desi ned darshan so that sannyasins could experience the deep inner silence.

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In human terms 2sho is like a normal human bein . His need for food$ sleep$ bathin $ exercise and talkin are like ours. However as an enli htened 3uddha he lives in the present moment$ en,oys every moment undeterred by monotony of a routine$ fresh like mornin dew and non:fati ued. 9alm$ silent and a soothin ener y he is remarkably consistent. 9omposed and unwaverin #axmi saw he was consistently calm$ never excited. If at all he used an er as a tool with awareness$ a witness to life. A day in 2shos life was like this> In a few minutes after risin from bed at six thirty in the mornin he had tea. He took the same kind of tea$ always in the same cup$ provided the cup was intact and not broken or chan ed. At seven he would o into the bath for exactly thirty minutes. At seven thirty he had yet another cup of tea with an apple. At dot ei ht am he would be in 3uddha Hall. He spoke for nearly ninety minutes and concluded the discourse on

the dot. He was back in his room by ten. &or a few years$ as lon as the body permitted he had plain soda and a mouth freshener at ten in the mornin . #unch was served at half past eleven. It comprised a ve etable$ a lentil dal$ reen salad$ rice and roti. He ate peas$ tomatoes$ potatoes$ cabba e$ onion and a few varieties of dals$ includin toor dal. He ate dals re ularly. It is possible the cooks were bored of cookin limited ve etables and dals$ however 2sho never tired of it. He ate with complete awareness and once he had eaten$ no tastes lin ered. As lon as he was eatin he relished it$ once eaten he had moved ahead. 6ach time he ate the same dish it was relished afresh. There was no past involved. It was a new dish and a new taste each time. He lived in the present moment$ from moment to moment. He fact he used mind only when re8uired. &or the rest of the time meditatin . +any a times when #axmi visited him he would be eyes closed. /ust relaxin . This was deeply nourishin for him. was the master of his mind. In he was in no:mind state$ sittin in his chair$ with his He said$ &or me to talk is

arduous. The sooner it happens that many of you are able to understand me in my silence$ the better it would be. In the be innin in (une 2sho would o to the arden in #ao Tsu House$ to relax or for a photo session. This had to be stopped owin to aller y to dust or pollen' 2sho was confined to an air:conditioned room. He rarely went out in to the arden. Hence photo sessions were held in the room. Therefore he saw only his personal assistant and personal secretary in (une. The others would meet him durin discourse hours$ darshan and photo sessions. &or the rest of the day he sat in his room alone. 2n the contrary in +umbai he stepped out of his room more often> for discourses$ or to occasionally visit a bookshop. In addition 2sho went out to conduct meditation and roup mediations in the hills once in three months for ten days. He exercised with a bull worker and had sauna bath. Also in +umbai 2sho read a lot$ nearly thirty books each month. As a result he had an incredible library that everyone marveled. In (une he stopped readin and instead would listen to audiotapes of classical$ instrumental or bha,ans$ devotional music. 2sho had had a lar e family> five brothers and five sisters. He initiated his parents$ a few members of his family and their children. His parents and youn est brother lived in a small house in the ashram. +ost of the other family members came for extended visits to the ashram each year. 2shos father popularly known as 7adda ,i in the ashram had an rene in one le and was unable to walk with ease. He be an to keep poor health since 1?@?.

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To make movement easy for 7adda ,i it was decided to purchase a car for him. #axmi woke up on 1;th !eptember 1?@? in the mornin all eared up to travel to +umbai in order to purchase a car. It was a pleasant day however she felt different. Bot knowin what was in store she shelved the thou ht. Alon with a few sannyasins #axmi departed for +umbai. 7urin the ,ourney an uncanny feelin persisted. However #axmi said to the others that it was a beautiful day. 5naware of the unease in #axmi they lau hed it out statin that each day was beautiful. In +umbai they hunted for a spacious car owin to 7adda ,is bad le . He needed more le space. Baturally a forei n car was the answer. 5nable to find one the team started the ,ourney back to (une. 6n route #axmi recalled that a family friend dealt in second hand imported cars and stopped by to check on him. #uckily he had a bi forei n car for sale. #axmi had a test ride in a 9heverlot$ 1?JD model. #axmi liked the car and paid a bookin amount. It was confirmed the dealer would dispatch the 9heverlot post re istration to the ashram in a couple of days. #axmi and fellow sannyasins started their ,ourney back to (une. 2n arrival in 0ore aon (ark$ (une they saw several sannyasins sin in and dancin on the roads. 5naware of what happened$ as there had been no communication$ durin the day with the ashram #axmi stopped the car. !annyasins apprised #axmi and co:travelers that 7adda ,i had departed. 2sho said 7adda ,i had attained 3uddha:hood and sannyasins should celebrate his death. 7adda ,is body was brou ht from the hospital to the ashram and laid in 3uddha Hall where sannyasins athered to pay respect. His body appeared very beautiful and his death affected everyone. 2sho came to 3uddha Hall and ently touched 7adda ,is forehead. #ater the body decked up in flowers was carried in a procession by sannyasins to the funeral round ceremoniously. Initial sadness ave way to the ,oy of 7adda ,is attainment to 3uddha hood. !annyasins san bha,ans and danced all their way. The body was cremated. The celebrations

were serene and touched all the sannyasins. !ilence pervaded the ashram. 3ack in the ashram after the cremation #axmi showered immediately and went to see 2sho in his room even thou h it was late. !he felt emptiness in the room. It was not tra ic nevertheless she felt a vacuum. 2sho opened his eyes and said$ #axmi 7adda ,i left the body as a 3uddha. That was beautiful. Bow he will never be born a ain. His death was a very beautiful experience. (eople become 3uddhas ,ust before leavin their body$ when are you oin to have livin 3uddhasA #axmi asked 2sho. 2sho was silent almost as if was not present. A part of him was away. #axmi left 2shos room in silence. 5nable to comprehend how 2sho felt about this$ #axmi could not resist sharin the issue with 2sho. Bext mornin once a ain #axmi asked 2sho the same 8uestion. He nodded and said$ =es$ if you are vulnerable and open you can feel when a 3uddha has happened. 6verythin around the person chan es and becomes very beautiful . 2sho pierced %ictorian attitude of Indians and ot a lot of flak in return. He did not compromise with truth to nurture peoples illusions. He spoke on sub,ects like sex$ relationship$ reed etc closeted and barred by traditional urus. #ocal Indians resisted this and enerated dislike for 2sho. -eli ious fundamentalists too hated 2sho. 2n the other hand people from all over the world who had either read or heard him loved him. !o much so that many overseas and inland visitors who came to meet him stayed on in India dedicated to him and his work.

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There were many a miracles constantly happenin within the ashram. A celebration was planned to inau urate a new fountain in 0rishna House "ardens. !annyasins who build it were apprehensive of its operation as there had been no time to test run. 5nsure if water would flow$ they wanted to be saved of embarrassment. However #axmi su ested all should trust the +aster trust the +aster and celebrate the inau ural of the fountain. An announcement of its openin was made' the fountain was started amidst several hundred people includin sannyasins. .ater sprouted out nearly forty feet hi h and all those present cheered. /ust then water suddenly stopped flowin . Bevertheless it exhibited #axmis trust in the +aster and existence and it was a beautiful experience for all members of the team. It further stren thened the teams trust. The fountain was fixed later. In yet another miracle #axmi had a near death experience. #ate one evenin in1?@D$ #axmi drove back alone to (oona from +umbai in a +ercedes that replaced the 9heverlot Impala. #axmi drove since the year 1?G3 and had had no tickets issued for traffic rule violations. #axmi traveled many a time between +umbai and (une alone in two hours and thirty minutes. 6n route #axmi would put on 2shos audio discourse. This time #axmi was only half: hour drive away from (une when the car suddenly skid. A loud noise followed. A car from behind whi11ed off with its occupants lau hin like maniacs. !oon #axmi was oin downhill in the +ercedes. This happened so fast that there was no time to think. #axmi switched off the en ine and the audio player. -estin her head with her arms on the steerin wheel #axmi shut her eyes as the car rolled down. The body became relaxed and calm. !oon the car stopped movin and was still. There was silence all around. #axmi opened her eyes to see that the car was a wreck except for her seat and the door on her side. The windshield lass on her side was intact. #iftin her head #axmi took out a tin of biscuits and opened the door. !ittin on a rock close to the car #axmi thanked the sturdy body of +ercedes that had indeed saved her. #axmi was reminded of a story 2sho once narrated of +arpa$ a Tibetain 3uddhist uru. +arpa exhibited rare trust in his uru. He would obey all orders with ,oy. To test the unflinchin faith in his uru directed him to ,ump off a cliff. +arpa ,umped. His co:disciples rushed to the bottom expectin to find him dead. To their shock +arpa sat there lau hin . +arpa thanked his uru and expressed his ratitude for considerin him worthy of a test of trust. .hile rollin down in the +ercedes$ #axmi too trusted the +aster would take care of her. .ith a suitcase in her hand$ #axmi started her way uphill. 2nce atop the hill #axmi looked down at the wrecked car. !he had a vision. The wrecked car disappeared. Instead there were elephants$ horses$ chariots and soldiers in ancient battle costumes. A kin who wore a crown

watched the battlin soldiers. Arrows and spears were strewn around. !hields and swords clattered. 0rishna$ the blue Hindu "od and Ar,una$ the (andava who fou ht his cousins 0auravas for his le itimate ri ht of kin dom appeared on scene. This was +ahabharat$ the reat Indian epic war. #axmi was not there. It was pure witnessin . /ust then a car passed by. A little ahead it stopped and reversed. !omeone came out and asked$ +a #axmi$ what are you doin hereA .ith this sound #axmi returned to the scene of the car accident. The vision was no more. (ointin to the wrecked car #axmi asked this friend if he saw anythin . !eein the wrecka e$ he asked #axmi if she was fine. He offered to drive her to the nearest police station to lod e a report. Takin #axmis ba $ he led her to his vehicle and they drove off. A report of deliberate hit and run was lod ed. #axmi later called the ashram from the police post and sannyasins came to pick her up.

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At the ashram she narrated the accident and vision of +ahabharata as she looked down into the valley to 2sho. He said that if the head is hit in a certain way the person sees limpses of the previous lives and she may have traveled into her past. He added$ #ife is a mystery. .hile creativity was the bu11word at the ashram and a lot was happenin $ at the same time there were traces of human ne ativity as well. At eleven each ni ht after #axmi finished readin letters to 2sho she went to her office. A few sannyasins met here and were dele ated assi nments for the next day. 2ne ni ht in 1?@G there was a total breakdown of local electricity services. There were a few moments of complete darkness while #axmi walked to the office at eleven. In darkness someone pushed #axmi into the bushes and tried to stran le her. This happened like a flash. #axmi kept her cool and watched the neck bein stran led. !he had an out of body experience. A feelin that if indeed this was the way her body had to o then it rather o. .itnessin an increasin pressure on her neck but no pain. !uddenly the attacker released her neck and bit her nose. /ust as he released pressure on the neck #axmi let out a scream. 2sho$ 2sho. A sannyasin passin by flashed a li ht and saw a stran er bitin #axmi. The stran er was rabbed. #axmi was back in the body soon after this incident. The nose bled and was swollen but #axmi was not a itated or hurt. 5ndisturbed and silent she re8uested the rescuer not to hit the attacker$ because he had provided an out of body experience to her. #axmi said$ .hat happened within is far more beautiful than what happened to #axmis body outside . A doctor attended on #axmi. 2sho was informed. He said he wanted to see #axmi. However as #axmi was not in distress a messa e was sent to 2sho that he rests. !annyasins explained later why the assaulter was an ry. He visited the ashram earlier and disa reed with 2shos views. His re8uest to meet 2sho earlier was not ranted by #axmi as she sensed his an er. Instead #axmi had advised him to meditate. In his second attempt to meet 2sho too he failed. He be an to feel that #axmi blocked a meetin with 2sho. Hurt he decided to harm #axmi. Therefore he attacked her. (erhaps he had planned to hurt 2sho too. However durin the assault he reali1ed that #axmi would become famous if he stran ulated her to death$ and people would worship her. Therefore in order to disfi ure her he bit her nose. -etired to her room #axmi witnessed 2shos race and thanked him. Her trust was awarded and she was blessed within a few hours. At two in the mornin $ a collea ue who worked in the accounts department came to #axmis room. He complained he could not sleep due to anxiety. He wanted to remind #axmi that a moneylender was due to visit. He would come to collect money the next day. #axmi had no plans to be in office the next mornin with a banda ed nose but noticin the anxiety of the sannyasin #axmi told him to retire to bed. #axmi assured him she would be in office the next mornin . This was yet another trial 2sho put her throu h. .ithin two hours at four am #axmi heard the phone rin in sleep. It was a friend. He said that he had a dream that #axmi needed funds. As he had spare funds for the next three months he would loan it interest free. #axmi admitted that funds were needed' yet it was up to him to spare the same. He a reed to send the packet

before eleven the next mornin . 2sho wound up the discourse at ten the next mornin . A packet was delivered to #axmis collea ue and he was unaware it contained money. +eanwhile the moneylender arrived and was seated in the office. Bervous$ the collea ue came to #axmi and informed the moneylender had arrived. #axmi had not been unable to share news of interest free loan with her collea ue. !ensin his exasperation #axmi said she would see the moneylender immediately. .hile rushin out he handed over the packet to #axmi. As #axmi did not wish to keep the moneylender waitin she su ested he open it while she saw the moneylender. To his disbelief he counted the currency. It was exact amount due to the moneylender. The collea ues face lit up. He lau hed. +a ic$ he exclaimed. #axmi said$ !ee his race. That is all there is. 7urin the month 2sho ave discourses in 6n lish each mornin on the avera e there were three thousand people present in the 3uddha Hall. A few hundred resided in the ashram while the rest found accommodation near the ashram. Thousands loved him. At the same time many hated him. =et he was never i nored. 7urin the course of a mornin discourse a Hindu Indian threw a da er at 2sho. It whi11ed overhead and landed on the round a few feet away from 2sho. Bo one was hurt. .omen sannyasins were heard sobbin . The assaulter was cau ht and handed over to the local police authorities. He was tried by the local ,udiciary and ac8uitted. The ,ud ment was biased. The ar ument was that if the weapon was thrown how was it possible that 2sho continued with the discourse. How was that there was no shoutin $ screamin and no one ot up to hit the man. The ,ud e could not fathom how a three thousand stron atherin was unaffected by an attack on 2sho. He did not understand 2sho silenced the little noise that was a result of the assault$ and continued with the discourse. There were audio recordin s of the assault on 2sho. 2sho was interrupted durin the discourse and re8uested his sannyasins and devotees to stay calm and to keep sittin . He then re continued the discourse. However the ,ud e did not accept that as evidence. He could not believe that all those present sat unstirred in mediation with their master. It is stran e that as an Indian he failed to appreciate the beauty and race of all the meditators present because of his bias towards 2shos views on spirituality. It is stran e that the land that was the birthplace of so many mystics of eastern spirituality had no impression on the ,ud e. The police had been tipped of the likelihood of an assault on 2sho. They arrived on scene ,ust as discourse be an. However as the discourse had be un$ #axmi could not be informed of the potential threat. It may have been averted provided the police arrived prior to the be innin of the discourse. Therefore as police was present on the site of crime it was a state case vs the assaulter. 2win to this the trust could not hire a lawyer of choice for defense. An irony. The state lost even thou h custodians of law and order were present at the time of assault. The ,ud ment was an outcome of reli ious pre,udice and a blow to the caretakers of law and order. Hence strict security was enforced in the ashram. A metal detector was installed and people were frisked daily. 2sho now had a body uard all the time and was accompanied round the clock$ except when he was in his room.

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+eanwhile overseas sannyasins particularly western were repeatedly fallin sick with amoebic dysentery$ hepatitis$ ,aundice and problems as a conse8uence of poor hy iene in India. 2sho did not keep well either. He had a severe back problem. It was felt it was time for the ashram be moved to a healthier climate in India. A hunt for land$ more acceptable to 2shos body be an. #axmi traveled to and forth (une$ +umbai$ "u,arat and Bew 7elhi. There were a few properties in the Himalayas and "u,arat that were ade8uate. However the Indian overnment did not approve of an ashram close to sensitive and hi h security risk areas. As there were many overseas sannyasins$ proximity of the Himalayas to 9hina and "u,arat borderin on (akistani territories respectively$ the Indian overnment did not rant permit for an ashram in these states. However the Indian overnment did not spell this in so many words but dilly: dallied the issue for a lon period. 5naware of this dilly:dally #axmi stayed out of ashram for lon spells in +umbai$ "u,arat and in 7elhi for four months at a stretch in 1?J1$ awaitin a decision. +eanwhile back in (une$ owin to ill health 2sho stopped discourses for the first time. He even stopped initiatin neo sannyasins. In the sprin of 1?J1$ he announced that the last phase of his work had be un and it would be intense$ concentrated and full of silence.

In search of a place for 2sho Ashram$ #axmi first went to 0utch$ "u,arat as she was familiar with the area. &or #axmi it was interestin to return to "u,arat as her childhood memories were refreshed. !he had spent a beautiful childhood here. Accompanied by two or at least one sannyasin$ #axmi would drive by road each day. If there were two sannyasins each one would drive for five hours at a stretch to be relieved by the other in turn. They would set out full of ener y for the day at four each mornin . #axmi particularly liked .akaner (alace$ a place in +orbi and -a,pipla near 0utch. A farm on about 4E$EEE acres with several lakes on the property and trees over 1EE years old the palace was on sale. Be otiations commenced. It involved the owner$ local community and state overnment. The consent of the local community was inte ral. 5nlike in the west$ bureaucracy in India worked at snail pace. Bothin seemed to move ahead. #axmi learnt much later since it was too close to the western border the overnment disapproved of the ashram in the vicinity. The overnment was concerned forei n a ents would ain entry into the country in the uise of sannyasins easily. 3ein an international or ani1ation it was difficult to warrant this. +oreover the trust had no choice but to respect overnment policies. #ater #axmi learnt there was a possibility of nuclear testin in the 1one. "lad as the pro,ect would have bombed$ #axmi went upcountry. A frantic search be an in the north$ particularly near the Himalayas. 2sho had had said many a time that he loved to be in the Himalayas because of their spectacular beauty. #axmi came across several palaces. As the Indian mahara,as were no lon er rich palaces could not be maintained owin to exorbitant costs. Be lected for want of money they were in ruins now. However as soon as the owners learnt that -a,neesh &oundation was keen on their property prices shot up. There was a misnomer that the &oundation has loads and loads of wealth. This was not true. In fact 2sho said currency must move re ularly and not sta nate. Althou h there was a perpetual fund crunch the trust did not stop work at any sta e. 6ven on this basis the ashram derived ,oy from work round the year. 3arely was money received the trust disposed it off in minutes to meet expenses. 9urrency was always mobile. +oolah was barely seen and seemed to vanish in no time$ but it enerated a lot of creativity of sannyasins and non:sannyasin workers. Bevertheless the misnomer that the &oundation was fabulously rich persisted.

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#axmi saw several properties in 7ehradun on the foothills in 5ttar (radesh$ +ussorie about @EEE feet above sea level also in 5ttar (radesh$ and !himla the 3ritish colonial summer capital in Himachal (radesh. A property that #axmi particularly liked was 9hail (alace near !himla. A holiday resort of the ex +ahara,a of (atiala$ (un,ab in yesteryears$ it was now a state hotel. It had a capacity of accommodation for a thousand persons. The palace had an interestin story interwoven. The randfather or the reat randfather of the +ahara,a fell in love with the dau hter of a 3ritish %iceroy. !he too loved him. 3oth came to !himla to be to ether. The viceroy ot to know of it. He picked up his dau hter immediately and sent her away to 6urope. In the memory of his lost love the +ahara,a built 9hail (alace to et on overview of his ladyloves former residence in !himla. 7urin the search #axmi learnt a lot about weather$ local culture$ food$ common diseases$ water conditions of local areas in India. Also #axmi met several sannyasins and sadhus and people from various spiritual roups. They wore oran e lun is around the torso and tied their hair in a bun atop the head. +ost were either middle a ed or and a ed sadhus. Hindus accordin to 3rahminical way of life believe sannyas is the last phase of life known as van prasthya$ )retire to ,un les* durin which one renounces family and lives in isolation in forests. As per this school of thou ht the first three phases of life are 3al avasthya$ yauvan and rih asthya$ childhood$ youth and family respectively. It is believed one raduates from the first to the last phase. 2sho talked about this ideal structure of Hindu life. He said several thousand years a o an avera e life span was a hundred years therefore Hindus divided it into four phases$ each comprisin twenty:five years. However life span has reduced. He does not divide life into structures$ instead 2sho emphasi1es on livin and experiencin life with awareness in the world without renouncin family$ physical and material life. #axmi especially recalls meetin a roup of nearly thirty people takin a holy dip in a natural sulphur rich water sprin near 7ehradun. These traditional sannyasins were life ne ative people who failed to appreciate the life affirmative spiritual path of 2sho. These people believed moksha$ nirvana is attained by chantin mantras and renunciation of physical and material life. As soon as they learnt that #axmi and her friends were disciples of 2sho communication was deliberately terminated. #axmi tried to talk to them but in vain. Travelin throu h north India$ #axmi and her friends passed throu h ,un les and forests. They saw many animals$ includin wild pi s$ elephants and alli ators in rivers$ and trained elephants carry lo s of wood. #axmi revisited +anali$ Himachal (radesh where 2sho first initiated sannyasins. To her shock #axmi saw that the vir in hills were had less reen cover

and was con ested with concrete and tourists especially from the west. This search lasted for a year and a half interspersed with lon absences from (une from the latter half of 1?@? to early 1?JE. It was primarily denial by overnment for reasons of security that #axmi did not succeed. The overnment of Himachal (radesh was keen to allot land to the trust for an ashram as it would be a ma,or forei n exchan e earner for the state. A lobby comprisin of senior bureaucrats and politicians evinced special interest in the pro,ect. 7urin this period 2shos health was downslide. It was decided that if the state overnment did not meet a certain deadline 2sho would leave for the 5!A. The state overnment skipped the deadline and it was certain by early1?J1 that a commune in the Himalayas was not possible. It was arran ed that 2sho leave India for America. In +ay 1?J1 2sho was in America. #axmi arrived in America and reali1ed overseas sannyasins forfeited comfort to stay in India to be with their spiritual +aster$ 2sho. .hile the east had had its chance to taste 2sho$ now it was a chance for the west to taste buddhahood.

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In 1?J; she received an intimation by mail re8uestin she attend a meetin for proper identification with the Immi ration 2ffice of Bew =ork 9ity at 1E.3E am on &riday$ +arch 3E$1?J;. #axmi arrived at the Immi ration and Baturali1ation !ervice office with a friend on time. At 1E.;E am$ a man called the name 0uruwa authoritatively. #axmi ot up and he si naled that he be followed. #axmis friend waited in the office for her to finish with the appointment.

#axmi was led into a cubicle and asked to sit down rather in a harsh tone. #axmi sat on a chair facin a desk on which the man sat down. =our visa has been denied and you have to leave the country or you will be deported $ he said handin #axmi the denial papers in an er. #axmi explained that she had received the letter for the on oin meetin only two days earlier in the afternoon on 4Jth +arch and therefore could not arran e for her lawyer to be present. 6ven before #axmi had finished speakin he shouted that #axmi had to leave the country. Takin the papers in her hand$ #axmi ot up to leave. !it down$ he shouted. #axmi sat down a ain while he fumbled with papers atop the desk without lookin up. He shouted$ "et up and follow me. Bo sooner had he finished speakin he was out. =et another man appeared and followed #axmi to a cubicle occupied by a middle:a ed man. The mid a ed man did not reet #axmi. In a rather stern tone he asked #axmi to sit down. =our visa has been denied$ but if you cooperate the status of the visa could be chan e . Thrilled #axmi shoved the papers on his table sayin $ (lease chan e it. He did not touch the papers and told #axmi that Immi ration !ervice wanted to know more about -a,neeshpuram. He added$ !oon a few people in the top ranks of -a,neeshpuram would be arrested. Althou h 2sho would not be implicated however later he too could be arrested . #axmi told him that she did not understand what he said. The informer looked at #axmi and in a clear authoritative voice repeated his stand. 2nce a ain he looked at #axmi. After a pause #axmi replied$ .e crucified /esus$ and a ain a person like /esus$ a beautiful flower has bloomed$ and is bloomin $ may be crushed. History repeats itself and if nature wants it$ then who are we to o a ainst it. In an attempt to lure #axmi with power he offered to hand over authority to #axmi and the others after key people in power in -a,neeshpuram$ includin !heela$ Arup$ %idya and others were arrested. It is not for power and politics we are with 2sho. .e are here for our +aster$ who has shown us a realm of life beyond mind. Bow please allow #axmi to call the lawyer $ said #axmi. In an er he said$ I am /ohn &eher and have especially flown in from (ortland$ 2re on. It seems that to you nothin matters . #axmi asked him for a contact number. Handin over a telephone number GE3 441 41JD he offered she could make a collect call in case of a chan e of mind. 2nce a ain #axmi re8uested him to let her call her lawyer. There was a silence as #axmi

looked strai ht into his eyes constantly. He could no lon er look into her eyes. After a while #axmi asked$ .hat is thisA =ou do not allow #axmi to call the lawyer$ nor do you make a clear statementA Are you expectin somebodyA "a1in he nodded. In silence a ain he fumbled with the papers for some time. #axmi closed her eyes and could hear his fin ers thumpin the table. "et up. .alk$ ordered a voice. #axmi opened her eyes and saw the man who had spoken with her in the other room stood behind her. +r &eher led #axmi while the other man chased #axmi. Takin the rear exit to the elevator they brushed aside #axmis re8uest to inform the friend$ who waited for her outside. 7enied of her le itimate ri ht they shouted at her to follow their instructions. #axmi stood still in protest and said Bo. .hile one of these men pushed her into the elevator the other pressed her wrist hard enou h to cause a shootin pain in her back. There were a few other people in the elevator who were witness to all this. =ou have no ri ht to handle #axmi physically. #axmi has no weapon$ nor any intention to fi ht. =ou have denied #axmi the ri ht to call her lawyer and to inform a friend who waits outside. This is ille al$ said #axmi. A rude reply followed$ Bothin is ille al. (ressure on #axmi wrist was increased resultin in acute pain. (robably #axmi was taken to the twelfth floor and made to walk from one end of the floor into a lar e room. A chair was kicked and #axmi asked to sit down facin an un:occupied desk and wall. #axmi sat down. The men walked into a cubicle in the room while a few typewriters clicked in the rear end of the room. #axmi sat down with her eyes closed$ feelin 2shos locket in the mala. In an attempt to make a communion with her +aster$ #axmi held the locket close to her ear for a messa e and presses it on the forehead. (eople who watched this lau hed and made fun of her. It was now half past twelve and #axmi overheard conversation about a bail amount from the cubicle. .hile one voice said five thousand another repeated three and a half thousand dollars. This alerted #axmi. !ince it was a &riday banks would close at four in the afternoon to reopen on +onday. &ailure to pay for bail in a few hours would mean arrest and imprisonment until +onday.

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#axmi opened her eyes and ot up and walked to the cubicle. A very mechanical and authoritative voice called out$ #axmi. #ookin around for who had called out aloud$ #axmi spotted no one as the clatter of typewriters continued. In a loud$ clear and confident voice with #axmi asked$ .ho will attend to #axmiA How lon does #axmi have to be here as there is an appointment to keep with a doctor at two thirty and later with friendsA +r &eher appeared immediately from the cubicle and told #axmi that she would not be able to keep any appointments. He added she would be at the Immi ration !ervice no matter what time it was. #axmi replied$ #ook one is not childish$ maybe childlike' but you are deliberately delayin and passin time. 3ut remember time is passin us all. 2ne is aware that bein a &riday$ if money is not arran ed in time$ you may put #axmi in ,ail for the weekend. That is the reason why you are denyin #axmi the ri ht to call a lawyer and or inform the friend who waits outside. I norin #axmis reply he shouted that she must wait$ as she would soon be sent to 3rooklyn. And he left. !oon another person paced up and down room pretendin to be workin . #axmi said she needed to use the ladies room. 2h$ really$ someone said in sarcasm. The others rinned with him. #axmi sat in silence for a few minutes. 2nce a ain #axmi informed the people present of her need. A typist replied that it was bein arran ed. A few minutes later someone walked to where #axmi was seated and said rudely$ .alk. #ed down the staircase into a cell$ the man locked the door behind her #axmi. A few minutes passed by after #axmi had used the washroom before he opened the door and asked her to follow. #ed into an office he si naled #axmi to be seated$ kickin a chair in her direction.

It was perhaps close to one in the afternoon. #axmi walked across the room to where typists clicked on typewriters and asked if she could call her lawyer. He si naled her to come and sit where he sat. He asked$ .hat is your nameA #axmi asked if she could call her lawyer. Are you IndianA asked he. #axmi repeated her re8uest. The investi ator informed #axmi that she had been arrested and could not leave. #axmi persisted. !he asked$ How about informin the friend outsideA How about clothes and ,acket for 3rooklyn (risonA All has been arran ed. .hat is your friends name A asked he. Badamo$ please arran e to et ,acket as #axmi is cold$ re8uested #axmi. Bo. 2n second thou hts he said$ 0eep your wallet here on the desk and it may be possible$ he replied. #axmi opened the wallet$ examined it and tucked in +r &ehers slip deeper in a pocket. The investi ator lanced at the wallet and cheekily asked$ 2h you have credit cards tooA #axmi took out a credit card for a free battery and displayed it for him. It is half past one and you have not allowed one to call the lawyer. This is not ri ht $ said #axmi. Is it soA A tou h one$ remarked he to the other investi ator. #axmi insisted she be allowed to call a lawyer. At forty past one he pulled a telephone over$ pushed it towards #axmi rudely and said$ "o ahead. #axmi asked to be allowed to meet Badamo to et the lawyers phone number. Bo$ he shouted. After much ar ument #axmi called telephone in8uiry service for the number. At fifteen to two #axmi mana ed to call a lawyer. !he spoke Hindi and re8uested him to call a Bew =ork lawyer and her friends for money. The lawyer ave #axmi a number of a Bew =ork lawyer and assured her he would call him immediately. He then asked to speak with the investi ator. #axmi tailed the conversation. !he knew from the other end the Indian lawyer was verifyin the status and amount of the bail bond. The investi ator said it was undecided. However relentin he said it was approximately three and a half thousand dollars.

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#axmi was allowed to see Badamo briefly$ but was forced to leave the wallet at the desk. Badamo accompanied #axmi back to the office and was allowed in. Takin the ,acket from him$ #axmi briefed him and asked to arran e for a bond. The officer asked #axmi to follow him and led her into a cell with a dirty toilet and a row of chairs. It may have been half past two' sittin in the cell #axmi be an to lau h. !omeone lanced throu h the crossbar lass window in the steel door of a locked cell. Half an hour later the investi ator or prosecutor came$ unlocked the door and asked #axmi to follow him. #axmi was led into another room which had a camera installed in the center. Handin #axmi a piece of plastic that had a few numbers on it$ he asked she hold it under the chin. To #axmi s surprise there was no film. He searched in vain. =et another miracle. Bext he ave #axmi instructions to si n a sheet. It stated that she had been allowed to call her lawyer. #axmi refused to si n the statement sayin that she had not been allowed to call her lawyer until several hours lapsed since her arrival. Irritated he rabbed the form and an rily scribbled$ refused to si n on the form. #axmi ar ued it was not true. In a ra e he led #axmi out to yet another room for fin erprints. #axmi had a delicate skin and re8uested for a solution to clean her hands. There was none in the room. He ave her a used and wet 0leenex tissue to wipe her hands from her desk. He then led #axmi back into the cell. It was well past half past three and he asked if she wanted lunch. #axmi asked for tea.

Informin her no special re8uests were permitted #axmi took only apple ,uice as e s$ cheese and spicy food was out of #axmis meal list. !everal people smoked and #axmi was nauseated. At four he came$ unlocked the cell and asked #axmi to follow him. Havin entered a room he nastily asked her to sit down. In a few minutes a Bew =ork lawyer arrived. He informed #axmi that the bail amount was paid and she would soon be free. The lawyer discussed the bail with the investi ator. #axmi was led to an upper floor where friends were waitin with money. The investi ator was not as discourteous now as he had been all throu h the day. After a brief meetin #axmi was locked up in the cell a ain. At half past four the cell door was finally unlocked and #axmi was free. Investi ators are surprised money for the bail bond was arran ed. In spite of resistance to permit use of washroom$ to make phone calls to the lawyer and meet Badamo to et phone numbers of friends$ nevertheless with the masters race #axmi is free #axmi said thankfully. 2pecial 4ote : 1sho as:ed Ma 8ax'i to discontinue ;riting her autobiograph< and it could never be co'pleted= 5o;ever> ;e are ;or:ing on a second part of this boo: that ;ill include intervie;s and tal:s ;ith other 1sho 2ann<asins ;ho have experiences to share ;ith us about Ma ?oga 8ax'i= ,riends ;ho ;ould li:e to contribute to the second part of this boo: b< sharing such experiences ;ith us are 'ost ;elco'e= $rite to us at editor@osho;orld=co'