Nityananda’s sex scandal real or conspired

By Pradip Sinh Sisodia

(March 13, New Delhi, Sri Lanka Guardian) Nityananda’s sex scandal real or conspired, is a terrible slur on India’s distinguished institution of enlightened Hindu Gurus such as Vyasa, Bhardwaj, Vashisth, Nanak, Ramdas and Gargi to name a few. These Gurus did not go around with begging bowls to collect money for building ashrams, schools, orphanages, temples or hospitals. The Guru and his wife (Gurupatni) often ran “Gurukulams” – residential schools where children from the royal families as well as children of paupers came to get free education.

What we are witnessing now is a 21st century trend of globetrotting, jet set Gurus. This is a new phenomena and it is entirely out of line with traditional Hindu practices. In fact there is nothing Hindu about these fake Gurus except the saffron clothes they wear to fool the gullible.

These Gurus have managed to create millions of followers. And a good number of them including Swami Nityananda have become millionaires, which contradicts their image as people who are supposed to avoid the material world. The main message these Gurus give to their followers is to shun the material world while the private lives of the Gurus themselves are anything but non-materialistic! In fact, a great many of them lead lives of unimaginable luxury and material comforts.

Their “ashrams” are ostentatious examples of extravagant comforts of the Gurus and at times their immediate family members which according to tradition they are supposed to give up when they assume sanyaas (renunciation). And since none of these Gurus earn a single penny through gainful employment, their luxurious lifestyle is sustained through donations made by their followers. Many of them travel only first class or business class! All this paid for with money collected in the names of cows, orphans and widows!

What is even more mind boggling is that once these Gurus take the money, there is hardly any accounting or feedback given to the donors about where and how the money is spent. There are no progress report, no accountability and no transparency. In fact, it may prove to be dangerous to ask for accounting as was demonstrated by the Swadhaya case where a devotee started to ask uncomfortable questions regarding where the funds were being spent. The poor fellow paid with his life! How the tax authorities both in India and abroad allow such blatant abuses is beyond comprehension.

Swami Nityanand’s sex scandal may be only be the tip of the iceberg. Countless abuses probably continue to go on in other ashrams and the blame for letting these abuses continue rests squarely on the shoulders of the donors who give blindly.

Please Hindus, Wake up. Open your eyes. Educate yourselves about Hindu scriptures and learn about the virtues of a true Guru. Don’t be fooled by charlatans and the fraudsters who use religion to milk the gullible of their hard earned money.