Vinod Khanna: don’t miss existence’s gift of Guruji.
Follow @ambazaarmag
By Vinod Khanna
When the newspapers reported a public satsang held by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar — Guruji — in Mumbai in 1999, attended by about a hundred thousand people, I said to my wife, Kavita, that she must not miss the Guru this time. I had been a spiritual seeker from the time I read Autobiography of a Yogi when I was about eighteen years old. I also did Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s Transcendental Meditation. But my spiritual journey started in earnest with my first Guru, when I received sanyas from Bhagwan, (as we then addressed Osho), in 1975. I had such deep and mind-blowing experiences in the meditations that Bhagwan asked me to do, that there was a profound shift in my life and priorities. At the zenith of my film career, I retired to meditate at the feet of my Master, and lived with Bhagwan in his Ashrams in Pune and at the commune in Oregon. Kavita, too, became a disciple of Osho’s in 1993, after he had left his body, and she longed for a Guru who was in the body. Though I had never met Guruji, when I read about him in 1999, I knew he was the Guru my wife was yearning for.
Divine providence, and the call of our Master, brought Kavita and me to Guruji a few months later, early in 2000. As soon as I was in his company, I had that indescribable experience of being in the presence of an enlightened Master. We travelled to Rishikesh with Guruji in 2001, where I learned the Sudarshan Kriya and yoga. A few months later we were back with Guruji in Rishikesh, to play Holi with him, and we brought in the New Year with him at the German Art of Living Ashram in Bad Antogast.
Our family has since, on countless occasions, had the joy and privilege of spending time with Guruji. I love seeing the respect, recognition and love Gurus, Siddhas, Sadhus and leaders of all religions shower on Guruji. I am overjoyed to see so many young people flocking around Guruji, meditating, inspired by him to serve. And I am delighted when I see my wife meditate. I remember how she could not even sit still and silent for five minutes, but now spends hours meditating.
The celebration, activity, meditation and energy circles I see around Guruji remind me of my time with Osho. I once again see seekers who travel thousands of miles, from every corner of the world, to be with the Guru, because such a phenomenon — a satguru — is so rare.
Many people ask me whether I am still with Osho. When your Guru accepts you as a disciple, that relationship does not change. At a satsang I attended at our Bangalore Ashram, someone in the audience asked Guruji whether it was OK for him to be there as he already had a Guru. And Guruji replied that he was where he was meant to be, and that you could only continue your spiritual journey with another Guru with the blessings of your first Guru. And so it is with me.
I remember discussing with Guruji whether a seeker’s journey could be complete. He said that when existence is infinite, until one is enlightened, there is always more to know and learn. I feel I am blessed to have Guruji’s support and guidance. I have no words to express how fortunate I consider myself that he has welcomed me into his fold with love and respect. I am in wonder at all that he does — tangible and intangible. I am amazed at how Guruji works tirelessly and continuously to put a smile on each face, so solve each person’s inner conflicts, to solve regional and religious conflicts. I admire his attention to national and international affairs in almost every country of the world and his remarkable achievements as an ambassador of peace. I admire his work to save and rejuvenate the environment, to channelize the energy of the youth. I love all that Guruji has done and does to celebrate diverse cultures and traditions all over the world, and the way in which he inspires the incredible. The several world records that have been set by Art of Living, whether the 444 musicians who played the Kombu horn in Kerala, or the 333 Bulgarian bagpipers in Sofia, are all mind boggling. What is magnificent is how he does all this with infinite lightness, love and compassion and always a smile.
At a satsang at a friend’s home, I was requested to ask Guruji a question. As the mike was brought to me, Guruji said, “Vinod has no questions, but let him anyway ask for the others.” At this stage of my journey, that Guruji has come into my life, and I share a connection with him that is beyond the physicality of words and actions, and beyond the chatter of the mind. I am so very grateful to existence that it has given another Guru like Osho to me and to the present generation. Osho’s methods were totally different from Guruji’s. But then, those who came to Osho in the ’70’s were of a different mindset. They were restless, discontented with the material world and willing to sacrifice anything — to give it all up — to be at peace with themselves.
Today the material and spiritual have come together, and both are necessary. Today is the age of Zorba the Buddha. You do not have to give up the world. You can do both together — you can be a meditator in the marketplace, provided you get proper guidance. Without the guidance of your Guru there is no way you can progress in meditation or evolve spiritually. As Kabir said, “Guru Bin Gyaan Na Upaje, Guru Bin Mile Na Moksha, Guru Bin Lakhe Na Satya Ko, Guru Bin Mite Na Dosh”. For those who are on a spiritual quest, I would say what I said to my wife Kavita — don’t miss existence’s gift of Guruji.
Happy Guru Purnima to all!
Join Sri Sri on Guru Purnima this July 31st through live webcast at http://webcast.artofliving.org
(The writer, an actor and producer, is a Member of Parliament.)
8 Comments
Very beutifully expressed on our Gurudev!Being connected to him is a Celebration each day and his meditations r totalbliss!!!
but Sri Sri has airbrushed his own Guru out of existence, he never met Brahmananda Saraswati, does not really follow his teachings about things like not giving OM instruction to women and householders. If he doesn’t really honour his own Guru (Maharishi Mahesh Yogi) what kind Guru is that?
It’s… complicated. Since Maharishi Mahesh Yogi never allowed himself to be called “guru,” the only “guru” left to honor is Swami Brahmananda Saraswati.
But Sri Sri left the TM organization, which was explicitly set up by Maharishi to honor Swami Brahmananda Saraswati. with the approval of many of SBS’s most prominent disciples (such as the 2 successor Shankaracharyas, Swami Śāntānanda Sarasvatī and Swami Viṣṇudevānanda Sarasvatī). By leaving the TM organization, Sri Sri created a faux guru-disciple relationship out of thin air and has somehow convinced people that it is appropriate for him to do so.
Well said. Guru meri pooja Guru Govind, Guru mera parbharama Guru bhagvant……..
The knowledge has become very vast and categorized in different fields for the ease of learning.No one can depend on a single source or a single guru. This is an age of multiple gurus.The dividing line between material and spiritual knowledge is very thin and often diffused.
The useful form of knowledge is called wisdom which one has to discern oneself through meditation.The meditation helps churning the knowledge into wisdom.
WISH EVERYONE A VERY HAPPY AND FRUITFUL GURUPOORNIMA !
What a awesome nuggets by Vinodkhanna.I met Osho at the age 15.still i remembered his glorius eyes.& also I did sudarashan kriya.I am totally agree with Vinodji.you have to learnt from live jivant Guru.Thanksri.Sri.Ravi Shanker has change so many people’s life,& he is englitntment no sought about it.Thanks.Sanjay.
It’s remarkable that the same people who remember Osho fondly found their way to Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
It’s some kind of strangeness to admit you used to follow the guy whose foremost and closest disciples, *while they were living with him*, orchestrated the first, and to-date, still the largest, bio-terrorism attack in the USA.
Nice