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Prabir Ghosh face to face with Swami Ramdev |
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The program Muqabla on NDTV on January 7, 2006, from 10p.m. to 11.30p.m. showed Prabir Ghosh face to face with Swami Ramdev, the latest Guru of India. The guru, a self proclaimed healer of all diseases could not answer some point blank questions by Prabir. This very popular program was conducted by Mr.Debang ended with a challenge thrown by Prabir on behalf of the Science & Rationalists’ Association of India – a patient supplied by Prabir has to be cured and a bald-headed man selected from Delhi will have to be cured of his baldness by growing hair on his scalp; both by using Ramdev’s Yogic therapy and not by using any modern medicine or skin-grafting. No. Ramdev-ji did not take the challenge. “Swami Ramdev: An ascetic, a mahayogi, a mendicant--healer of all diseases!
Who is the biggest of all Yogis? Simple answer is—one who has the biggest publicity. Large-scale advertisement brings about large-scale popularity to any commodity. If Cadbury’s, Samsung or Maruti depended only on the quality of their product, and did away with all advertisements for promoting them, we can imagine what would have happened to them in this era of competition. It is a pity that Yogis too, need promotion! [These are lines from a book by Prabir Ghosh , on ‘Yoga, Control of the mind & Meditation’ in Bengali published in January 2006. It goes like this:-- ] “The ascetic, yogi Ramdev understands the power of advertisements quite well. One, who is a sanyasi and has renounced all worldly matters, is also a man of clever business acumen. In a few years, the Divya Yog Mandir Trust has become one of the richest of its kind in India. Nowadays even astrologers have started forming trusts! If the ownership of the trusts are kept among own family-members, all profits would be within control; and, of course, there would be no question of Income Tax. This vegetarian ascetic, who lives only on fruits, has probably overcome the possibility of death. That is what is clearly written down in our ancient books of wisdom. A person, who has mastered the Khechari Mudra, can defy death. (A mudra, according to our ancient texts, is a specific, peculiar sign made by the fingers, or any parts of the body, as in dance, to bring about specific results). So, if Ramdev finally dies, it will prove the fallibility of is yogic mudra. Another question also crops up—why does the baba need fruits and water as food? A person with knowledge of the same Khechari Mudra supposedly, does not need food or even water, and overcomes the sense of hunger or thirst. Then what is the truth? Either he does not know the Mudra, or the concept of yogic Mudra itself is bogus. Sanyasi Ramdev is also an arduous practitioner of Hatha Yoga; an accomplished saint who is learned in this particular stream of yoga which teaches a man to fly! Yes, hatha Yoga is the art of flying like a bird, of remaining young in mind and body, and of course, living forever. Can our revered swami Ramdev please demonstrate this feat of flying? Or is it just another example of preaching things that the preacher himself cannot perform. [To know more about Hatha-Yoga, the reader may go through ‘Hathayoga-Pradipika’, Sreemat Swatmaramyogindra; Basumati Saitya Mandir, 166 Bipin Bihari Ganguly Street, Kolkata- 12] What is the definition of YOGA according to Ramdev? Ramdev says, the chief adviser of the yogic philosophy, maha-rishi Patanjali has said, yoga is the control of the faculties,(one can also mean the senses or instincts that we are born with). But here Ramdev has created some confusion by saying that there are five faculties or instincts—evidence, (or proof) disaster, doubt, sleep and memory. After arduous ascetic practices, when all these senses disappear from the mind, one attains the heights of yogic wisdom. Therefore as per Ramdev’s dictum, yoga is all about suppressing the natural instincts. But according to psychiatry, the reason for mental illnesses is more often than not, suppression of man’s normal inborn instincts. It is for this reason, psycho-somatic diseases occur. For example, attraction towards the opposite sexes is a common human instinct. Those who cannot control their sexual excitement through the normal moral and civilised codes set down by society, are sex-maniacs. But if one advocates total abstinence from sexual behaviour, he is committing a social crime. Swami Ramdev has quoted Maha-Rishi Vyas as saying that yoga is a condition of Samadhi or self-absorbed spiritual meditation. At this stage, after total abstinence, the soul (atma) merges with the paramatma or the soul of the Almighty in an extremely pleasurable experience. So, we see, the concept of yoga depends on the existence of God. If there is no God, yoga as a stream of knowledge or power loses its existence. It would be very enlightening if Ramdev could meet at a press conference and demonstrate his divine power, which would prove the existence of God. Swami Ramdev in his book on Yogic Sadhana has quoted the Geeta , where Lord Shree Krishna says that when one transcends the normal feelings of success-defeat, happiness-sorrow etc and remains unperturbed under all circumstances, it is called the ultimate attainment of Yoga. So we get three definitions of Yoga from Ramdev. 1) As defined by Patanjali—to conquer the senses or inborn instincts. 2) To connect the soul with that of the Almighty God, as described by Maha-rishi Vyas. 3) As said by Shree Krishna, to remain undisturbed in pain or pleasure, sorrow or happiness. Which one of these is correct? Ramdev has no answer. Various types of Yoga Swami Ramdev ji has confused us again, when in his books he has written about three classifications of Yoga. 1) According to Yograj Upanishad, there are three types of yoga. Mantrayog, Layayog, Hathayog and Rajyog. 2) Geeta has extensive discourses on three more kinds—Dhyan-yoga, Sankhya-yoga and Karmayoga. In the fifth chapter of Geeta we find another type—Sanyas-yoga. 3) Patanjali, the father of yoga has discussed about ashtanga-yoga or eight types of yogic practices-namely, -yama, niyam, asana, pranayama, pratyahar, dharana, dhyan and samadhi. Which of the above are the best or the most effective, and why? No, Ramdev has no answer. He has only quoted generously from all. There is no analysis, no rejection, no judgement. The effects of yoga on our body and some tips on lifestyle I quote below a few gems from Ramdev’s ‘Yog-sadhana o Chikitsa rahasya’ (Yogic practices and treatment) # As per the theory of Jainism, Yoga is the emancipation of the soul. At the same time, mind, speech and all the physical faculties are also known as Karmayoga. (Page 1) # The ideal time for taking the morning food or breakfast is between 8 and 9 in the morning. It is better to take fruits and light drink. (Page 5) # People above the age of 50 years should not eat anything in the morning. # The ideal time for taking the morning meal or lunch, is between 11am and 12 noon. One can extend the time up to 1pm. but beyond that is a strict NO. # Again the best time for dinner is 7pm to 8pm.or at the most to 9pm. No food is recommended after that. (Till the middle of the last century, the average life-span of an Indian was approximately 50. Today it is 70. Medical science has progressed tremendously and so has our lifestyle. Our concept of healthcare has undergone a drastic change too. Nowadays we find a number of politicians and intellectuals, who have crossed 80 and are still active and efficient. They take well-balanced breakfast and go about their daily chores. Their active presence in society proves the theory of ‘no breakfast’ wrong. The timings fixed for food-intake and physical health may have no connection at all. In ancient times, when people used oil-lamps or no lights at all, it was customary to finish off day’s work including dinner as early as possible. Now in this jet-age, with electrical and electronic wonders to help us in every sphere of life, days and nights have lost their earlier differences. Eating and sleeping habits have changed too. Look at the Bollywood heroes. Night after night of continuous shooting, sleeping till late, then going to the gym, eating balanced food, and wow! Their fitness and health are envied by all. In the western countries, people believe in heavy breakfast before going out for work and a very light lunch. Still they are healthier than an average Indian. After this, should we still stick to the age-old yogic prescription?) # While eating, one should maintain silence and keep praying to God while chewing the food carefully.(Page 22) (Our political leaders and industrialists call for important meetings where they discuss serious issues over lunch or dinner. It is a custom to call for eminent guests for luncheon where discussions get priority over the exercise of eating. Let us hope the followers of gurus like Ramdev do not stop interacting with each other over the dinner table. ) # Before you start eating, pronounce ‘OM’ or utter the Gayatri Mantra and wash your hands three times. Why? How it affects the mind or body? No answer is given by Ramdev. (The great good Lord has given us food and sustenance, and therefore, before you start eating, thank him once—this is the noble thought behind the advices of such Gurus. According to them, God arranges for everything we have in this world, so one need not think that our efforts have any effect whatsoever. Everything is pre-arranged and provided for. We need to remember that the Yogis who promote such ideas themselves leave no stone unturned to propagate their philosophies.) # Non-vegetarian food destroys our subtle and soft feelings—like love, kindness etc.( Page- 5) (Just recall the Gujarat riots. Thousands of members of a certain vegetarian community turned into beasts overnight. They killed, looted and raped. They burnt live thousands of their own countrymen with senseless and irrational cruelty. Ramdeb-ji has no idea that this kind of mass frenzy has nothing to do with food. It is lack of healthy cultural environment, lack of proper knowledge, absence of a rational system of education and socio-economic background.)” * * * * * Swami Ramdev has offered many such directives in his books which according to him are worth following in order to have a healthy mind and body. For example—one should always bathe in cold water, it is better to use rough, handmade cotton towels after bath etc. In the name of Yoga – # Through the yogic path, you can find god. #You cannot be a yogi without practicing celibacy.( total abstinence from sexual acts) # You should not eat, hear or see things that arouse sexual desires. # Eight things one should desist from, in order to become a Brahmachari (ascetic saint):-- sports, eating alone, talking about worldly gains, giving public speeches, looking with amorous desire, touching and sexual intercourse. # Lust and anger are two things that take away our physical strength and beauty in a very short while. # The main aim of our life is to worship god. # One should know when to tell a lie—e.g. to save a cow or to save a Brahmin. In an ashram, a temple, a musjid, a gurdwara or in a church, one should tell the truth only. In the court or law or in connection with business ventures, untruth may be allowed. # To purify your mind , soul and intellect, only way is to follow the path shown by the saints. # God gives us beauty, youth, riches and affluence in abundance, much more than we ever need. (Let us not forget that 70% of the population of India is poor by any standard. 30% are below the poverty line, who do not get shelter, food, drinking water, health-care or education. To say that god has given them more than they require, is a crime.) * * * * Swami Ramdeb has similar instructions on Tapasya , Pranayama,-- how to practice meditation and various breathing exercises, and Mudras,--various hand movements (as in dance), which can cure all diseases including asthma and cancer. For example—Vayu Mudra can cure arthritis, spondilytis and even stroke. Shunya Mudra cures or eases thyroid and heart problems. Surya Mudra relieves tension, improves digestion. There are about a dozen such remedies and cures with the help of moving the five fingers of our hands.( of which there are illustrations in his book). Curing diseases by pressing one’s palm or feet It may sound curious, but Guruji has written in the book published by him about a novel method of treating ailments. Totally nonsensical anatomical pictures are given of the human palm, where various parts symbolise parts of the body, for example—the base of the forefinger and middle finger denotes the eye. The middle of the sole of the feet symbolises the heart and the kidney, etc. Pressing these parts for 30 seconds to 2 minutes can cure the diseases as told by Ramdev. There is also prescription for growing hair on bald heads by rubbing the nails of two hands against each other, and many such ludicrous theories. These gurujis first gain popularity by lecturing and demonstrating on T.V. channels, then start publishing glossy books and pamphlets and finally go on to establish Ashrams on acres of land. A glimpse of the subscription rate at Swami Ramdev’s Ashram
Be a member at your own risk! ! ! |
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