Guruji - Teenagers (part 2)

Jasmina: When and how did philosophy enter your life and influence you? 

Guruji: Gradually and chiefly with the suffering I underwent. As I taught yoga to scores of invalids, I realized that yoga could be a boon to suffering humanity. I was at the same time compassionate merciless to all who came to me. I did feel for the sufferer and so in order to relieve him quickly from his pains, I had to be merciless when dealing with him. If a person can improve in 2-3 days, why should it take him 2-3 months to come back to normal? That was my line of thinking. I used to be attached and detached at the same time. Compassion led me to be attached to a person for his improvement, and detachment led to mercilessness so as not to spare any effort in the healing process.

Bavnesh: Can you share your spiritual experience with us? 

Guruji: Can spiritual experience be explained? How can you precisely demarcate a human being on a physical, intellectual or spiritual level? Can we express compassion or friendliness though we experience it? 

Bavnesh: Well not really. 

Guruji: Spiritual life exists when there is no difference between the thoughts and the path one follows: If there exists a difference between the two, I am playing with the intelligence or exhibiting an image that is not actually what I am. It is far more important to live it rather than express it. 

Kirti: Have you experienced what we have read about? 

Guruji: By The Grace of God, yes. I can see that your inner being is not different from mine. It is the age and intelligence which makes the difference and forms your attitudes and way of thinking. But I have to show the difference outwardly to enable me to impart the knowledge I have. 

If asked to give a demonstration in front of thousands of people, the element of egotism is bound to be present. I can practice with humility because no one is watching. If one can prevent the inevitable egotism from becoming a part and parcel of one's life, it means he is a spiritual man. 

Ashok: What are your records of Sirsasana and the Viparita Chakrasana? 

Guruji: My friend, I have done Sirsasana for 1 1/2 hours to observe it's ill effects. The brain becomes like a log of wood and you feel as if you haven't sleplt for months, and the possibility of dehydration also exists. I have practiced in such a manner that I have experienced the good and bad effects of asana. Over the years, I have observed that God used to punish and injure me first in order to teach people. Viparita Chakrasana record is 218 times. 

Ashok: At what age? 

Guruji: I was young then. I used to finish Urdhva Dhanurasana 200 to 250 times in five minutes. I used to do Viparita Chakrasana 108 times in 4 1/2 minutes. Today I do the same in 20 minutes (at the age of 70).

Sandhya: Can you narrate your experiences relating to Pranayama? 

Guruji: I was not taught Pranayama. I would do it for 2-3 minutes and start gasping. I also realized the utility of Bbackbends and forward bends in Pranayama. Being a T.B./ Typhoid, and Malaria patient, I had a difficult time with my weak lungs. I used to feel that I was too young to do Pranayama. I began it as late as 1944 -1945. I would wake up around 4 in the morning, when my wife would prepared coffee for us. After I would go right back to sleep, but I somehow persevered with whatever will power ahead. And I kept building up from there. 

Urmila: Did you not ask your Guru for guidance? 

Guruji: He told me categorically that I was unfit for doing Pranayama. In the olden days and even today, scholarly people have generally been reluctant to impart the knowledge they have. They are quite abrupt in their manner, and do not consider people deserving enough. It would be difficult indeed to have a free, frank discussion we are just having. Raman Maharshi did not know a word of Sanskrit, but one of his dearest disciples was a Sanskrit scholar who presented him to the world. 

Roshan: Can you tell us something about your first trip abroad?

Guruji: I went abroad for the first time in 1954. I underwent mixed reactions. The culture was totally different. Being invited by a celebrity also made me learn how to deal with famous people. I have found that they have their own selfish interest and can exploit you to their own ends. I was a total stranger without friends but with a determination to succeed. I had decided not to mix with women. My aim was to establish yoga throughout the world. Being a vegetarian and from an orthodox family did make me uneasy at late night parties thrown by celebrities, which included drinks. I used to live on boiled potatoes, fried peas, and carrots. I did lose weight but I had to control the fried food to protect my liver. I would consume a lot of fruits, though they taste much better in India. Formally, eating at the same table where westerners had fish and meat was unbearable. I would concentrate only on my place not daring to look at beyond it. There is a dramatic transformation when I go there today. No one smokes or drinks in my presence. They even serve vegetarian food at parties I am invited to. This about turn is without me uttering a single word. 

Priti: Who was the first celebrity you met?

Guruji: A famous Western classical violinist - Yehudi Menuhin. He came to India in 1952. At that time he was suffering from a nervous breakdown and couldn't even hold a violin. Many concert artists need to take tranquillizers. It takes them days to relax and to return to normal. When he came to India he wanted to meet yoga practitioners as he had heard of the effeciency of Yoga. At the recommendation of Rajendra Prasad and Nehru, he met several Gurus in Delhi, Calcutta and Madras. In Bombay, a prominent cardiologist, Dr. Vakil, and his wife, who were my students, recommended me to him. I got a telephone message saying that Menuhin would see me for five minutes on a certain day. I refused as the distance and expense of the journey was too much for a five minute meeting. Eventually they agreed to pay for the expenses and I took my wife and children to Bombay for the first time to show them the sights. I arrived on time at Raj Bhavan where Menuhin was an honoured guest. He entered late saying that he was exhausted every morning to pressures of work and social occasions every night. I said that I would relax him before we spoke. I made him relax with the Shanmukhi Mudra and he fell asleep within 1 1/2 minutes. Several people including Homi Baba, the famous atomic physicist, interrupted and wished to make Menuhin resume his busy schedule. I prevented them and after 50 minutes, released my fingers from Menuhin's head. He woke refreshed, and told his hosts to cancel all his appointments for that day, as he wished to spend his time learning Yoga. He then asked me to show him what I could do, so I demonstrated from start to finish for 1 1/2 hours. He was awestruck and wished that his wife, a ballet dancer, had seen the demonstration, as he felt that I was like a ballet dancer to. We met again the next day and that was the beginning of a long-standing relationship. Whenever I used to touch him while he performed asana, he felt an exhilaration in his system. 

Kirti: How did you incalcule values among the young then? 

Guruji: I have always stressed that the youngsters should always be guided by the conscience. While teaching in schools and colleges, I was asked not to teach religion or use Hindu terminology. So I had to devise roundabout ways of building the youth without philosophising, and I did manage to bring them to higher levels. Formally Yoga was associated only with older people. Gita and Prashant are fortunate that they have a lot of youngsters coming to learn. I was tired of teaching old people. 

Bavnesh: How did you feel about your teaching vis-a-vis that of your Guruji. 

Guruji: My teaching has undergoing a tremendous transformation. By keen observation of my own poses, as well as the performances of my students, I have built up a comprehensive style of teaching over the years. For the last 30 years, I am constantly changing my techniques as I absorb more and more. My performance tomorrow may be different from that of today as I am building up from the feedback though the foundation does not change. You may find my performance of asanas an improvement over my Gurus as performed, in his book published in 1933, in Karnataka, because I have not stagnated at all. 

Sharmila: Did you develop any asanas on your own? 

Guruji: I have developed most of them through Innovations. The use of ropes, boxes, and other props have been entirely devised by me. I used my memory, attention, and observation to build from previous knowledge. 

Sandhya: What about disappointments in life? Can you identify a turning point? 

Guruji: Disappointment was the key to raise me up. There was no specific turning point, as disappointment continued. I did not have much choice – I had to sink or swim. Even though failures continued in different forms, I did not fail in Yoga. With constant practice and perseverance I would go on. Condemnation by society was more painful than personal disappointments. Many people took advantage of me in the early days in Pune. Wealthy industrialists would neglect paying my fees often. Sometimes the imprint of those difficult times comes up and I tend to get wild especially when attacked.

Sanjay: How did you get over them? 

Guruji: The Bombay people were broad-minded. The Bombay press knew about me much before the Pune reporters. I did not settle there as the weather is not congenial to me. 

Kirti: What advice would you give us, the youth of today? 

Guruji: Once you have decided on a course of action that is good for you, you should not oscillate. A strong determination and discipline is necessary to succeed. If you waver, you will lose the track and disappointments are bound to arise. The onset of temptations is very powerful when one is young. It must be watchful and not surrendered to the lower pulls. In friendship, do not heed what your friends say right away. Measure them, find out the motive behind their statements. You should be careful so as not to be misguided by your so-called friends and well wishes. 

Parth: We have heard that the practice of Iyengar Yoga is a problem killer? 

Guruji: Yes, the impossible becomes possible. A girl with an ear trouble was referred to me. Her doctors advised an operation, but agreed to let her do yoga for two months before that. In that period, her ear problem had gone. A boy who couldn't stand came to me. By the third lesson he could stand on his own. 

Aboli: What inspires you to make the impossible possible? 

Guruji: It is experience along with intuition. The flowing of water from the source to meet the sea. Experience/knowledge is something that ought to keep flowing 

Namrata: Can you narrate your best experiences? 

Guruji: I have risen from a subhuman to a human level; that is enough for me. I was a nobody, shunned and condemned by society, demanded at every step. Today I am full of joy and happiness, with all my pupils eager to do my bidding lovingly. Is it not my best experience? 

Shamila: Your message?

Guruji: I have always been and shall remain an ethical man. Spiritual life is the grace of God, but to stick to ethics is our duty. We are all children of God, but when we follow certain principles and life, He does look after us at times, making the path much smoother. 

Jasmina: We had an immensely enjoyable session, and if we could draw some inspiration from you it would make our lives worthwhile. 

Guruji: Thank you, God bless you! 

Epilogue 

As we prepare to leave, we discovered that morning had waned into afternoon without us being aware of it. 

The hours had flown by us as we travelled down Guruji's memory lane. 

Most of us were silent and thoughtful. The inspirations and blessings we received in abundance did make us greatful. Would we have the courage, perseverance and faith to pursue this noble art and way of living that had been revealed directly to us by the Master of Yoga?