Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Ashutosh Maharaj--the mystery of his samadhi
Ashutosh Maharaj, founder of Divya Jyoti Jagriti Sansthan, at Nurmahal, a small town near Jalandhar, was declared clinically dead on the night of 28-29 January 2014.
However his followers claimed he was only in samadhi, and would soon revive. The latest news [4 February] is that his body is actually being preserved in a freezer, but his death is yet to be announced, with followers still expecting him to awaken from samadhi.
According to some sources, declaration of his death was being delayed because of a succession dispute.
Ashutosh Maharaj founded the Sansthan, known in English as the Divine Light Awakening Mission, in 1991. It has branches all over India and across the world. Its aim is to bring world peace and unite everyone in a ‘Global family’. He claimed to provide a knowledge of ‘Brahm Gyan’ and to awaken the divine light within, and preached from the scriptures of various religions.
Was he a genuine guru? The main criticisms of him on the internet are from orthodox Sikh groups, as he attempted to go into Sikhism’s basic tenets, and remove all external symbols, such as wearing the hair long, etc.
Another comment is from a former devotee who describes his initiation process and complains that he never saw any inner light, and nor did anyone else.
However, Ashutosh's message seems worthwhile, though even his disciples are not united in ‘one family’.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
In a fresh twist to the controversy over the health of Ashutosh Maharaj, his "former driver" today moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court alleging the spiritual leader was being detained illegally as five of his followers had "turned greedy".
ReplyDeleteIn his petition, Puran Singh has sought the release of "Mahesh Kumar Jha alias Ashutosh Ji Maharaj" from "illegal, unlawful and forcible detention."
He has also sought directions for the appointment of a warrant officer to raid the dera or any other place where the detainee was kept and produce him before the high court.
Justice MMS Bedi issued notice to the Punjab Advocate-General for February 5 "regarding status pertaining to Mahesh Kumar Jha alias Ashutosh Ji Maharaj".
Justice Bedi also issued notice to the sect's five followers for February 11.
The status report by the Punjab government is likely to clear the air over the spiritual head's health following reports that doctors have declared the godman "clinically dead". The sect management insists that the dera head had gone into 'samadhi'.
The petitioner described himself as the godman's former driver and a well wisher. Puran Singh has said the detainee has to his credit about Rs 100 crore in cash and property worth Rs 1,000 crore. "The respondents, living in the dera along with the detainee, have turned greedy and have illegally confined the detainee in a room with a view to usurp the dera property".
He said the dera head was kept in seclusion and was prevented from talking to the media. No one was allowed to enter the room, he said. {from the Chandigarh Tribune, 3 Feb]