He was caught with his robes up, but can Swami Nithyananda be sentenced?As in sensitive corporate assignments, this young godman made his devotees sign a contract. These are supposedly educated people, mostly women, many NRIs. He used that old bait – ancient tantric secrets.
I am surprised that despite the clarity of the contractual obligations there were signatories. Here are some details:
“Volunteer understands that the programme may involve the learning and practice of ancient tantric secrets associated with male and female ecstasy, including the use of sexual energy for increased intimacy/spiritual connection, pleasure, harmony and freedom. Volunteer understands that these activities could be physically and mentally challenging, and may involve nudity, access to visual images, graphic visual depictions, and descriptions of nudity and sexual activity, close physical proximity and intimacy, verbal and written descriptions and audio sounds of a sexually oriented, and erotic nature, etc.
“By reading and signing this addendum, a volunteer irrevocably acknowledges that he/she is voluntarily giving his/her unconditional acceptance of such activities, and discharges the leader and the foundation, and anyone else not specifically mentioned here, but directly or indirectly involved in the organisation, from any liability, direct or indirect, arising from such activities.’’
Wow. Therefore, on what grounds have some of the followers been pleading innocence? Is it because they are not supposed to disclose details? Was there any provision of a possible civil or criminal case? Had they been informed about such a possibility? Obviously not.
Since the swami made his intentions clear, he was not using those people; they agreed to become a party to this learning. It really amounts to raiding a whore house and arresting the clients who are aware of what they are going for.
Aside from this, questions can be asked as to how this was kept hush-hush for so long. We have had a few celebrities saying how they attended his lectures and do not know anything beyond this. If the clause is so exhaustive, then it is unlikely they were ignorant.
The crucial point is: were any of the devotees used inappropriately? Were they conscious that they were being taped? Was this part of the learning process? If not, then did the swami arrange for it so that he could later blackmail them? That being the case, there is a strong argument to be made against him for misleading and cheating and wrongly binding them with this document. He could be tried for virtually making them into slaves. Will this qualify as bonded labour?
But, if they had an idea of what was going on, if they had watched the tapes together during the ‘cooling down’ sessions, then they are equally culpable.
Did the cops not get a whiff of this before? Did some disgruntled devotee squeal? Are such institutes permitted to be registered as ashrams and are their activities monitored? Has the money been accounted for? If it operates along the lines of NGOs, are the devotees exempt from tax if they made donations?
I have this deadpan tone as I type, but I find it both amusing and extremely fascinating that something like this could take place with this level of professionalism. I think we need people like this in our government organisation. With it will come whistle-blowers. All transparent.
I usually ridicule gurus but don't know y I was alone and bored on one weekend and went to this guys seminar here in San Diego. paid 100 bucks for it, he was not there but I objected to so much guru worshipping at a yoga seminar. now to think what my 100 were getting used for..
ReplyDeleteirony of it makes u religious even if u r not so inclined..
Hope this scoundrel gets his just desserts. I cannot believe that educated people sign the dotted line agreeing to that text in the post. unbelievable!
ReplyDeleteLol. If you've never quite understood what is meant by the expression "an ear-to-ear grin," the Swami certainly comes close to providing an example of it. Perhaps those devotees successfully completing his tantric regimen are also sporting similar smiles? :)
ReplyDeleteI'm not familiar with whatever legal suit which may be pending, but perhaps we will be able to distinguish plaintiff from defendant by their frowns . . . ?
Kidding aside, I found the above excerpt and your treatment of it, Farzana, apt with respect an earlier post where, in "A little birdie told me," AI offered that Strutchly's The Bird Detective appeared "to reinforce" Dawkins' take on something called "The Selfish Gene, and its purported "key function . . . to encode memory that ensures perpetuation of the individual animal/bird/human." My sense was that AI was not offering an opinion up or down on Dawkin's work, but was just pointing out a potential connection between his and Strutchley's theories.
Personally, I think tantric disciplines (however "secret" and however they may apply toward "controlling" the sex drive) puts paid to any suggestion of a "Selfish Gene" -- at least in terms of its supposed "key" role in assuring the perpetuation of species. How? Erogenous zones themselves (whatever their genetic provenance) seem to manage quite well in providing the necessary impetus toward procreation. And, while certainly both the setting for the act and the post-coital environment for mother and child are important considerations, the evidence suggests, by and large, they are not especially overruling considerations -- either for him or for her.
Hence we have socially enforced conventions for segregating gender, for courtship and for marriage . . .
With respect to gender segregation (at puberty, generally; whether literal purdah or some Western variations on chaperoning), I think the acknowledgement in such conventions is that libidinal sort of stirrings (as distinct from any procreative yearnings) is distraction enough for responsible adults. How much more so, then, for comparatively irresponsible youth (irresponsible in the sense of their being "kept" and not yet answerable for impulsive choices that may profoundly impact their lives and, in certain instances, the lives of others)?
Which brings us to your crucial (albeit deadpan) point:
>>. . . were any of the devotees used inappropriately? Were they conscious that they were being taped? Was this part of the learning process? If not, then did the swami arrange for it so that he could later blackmail them? That being the case, there is a strong argument to be made against him for misleading and cheating and wrongly binding them with this document. He could be tried for virtually making them into slaves. Will this qualify as bonded labour?<<
Certainly blackmail, breach-of-contract and certain coercive acts involving violence or the threat of violence might be pursued in court depending on jurisdiction; however, if the sort of enslavement being argued in this suit is the sort one might anticipate arising from enjoining in the practice of certain tantric disciplines, I'm not sure these devotees will get much satisfaction from the law . . . either. :)
(After reading the contract you quoted)
ReplyDeleteThis swami is my hero.
Hitesh:
ReplyDeleteWell, your 100 bucks just went down the drain…
Al:
He has been getting his desserts all along; time for some bitter medicine.
SM:
I wonder what sort of statue can be erected…
Mstaab:
ReplyDeleteMark, the politics of body language/facial expression is an interesting phenomenon.
Personally, I think tantric disciplines (however "secret" and however they may apply toward "controlling" the sex drive) puts paid to any suggestion of a "Selfish Gene" -- at least in terms of its supposed "key" role in assuring the perpetuation of species. How? Erogenous zones themselves (whatever their genetic provenance) seem to manage quite well in providing the necessary impetus toward procreation. And, while certainly both the setting for the act and the post-coital environment for mother and child are important considerations, the evidence suggests, by and large, they are not especially overruling considerations -- either for him or for her.
Such erogenous zones that might be discovered, would suggest evolution before procreation! The Selfish Gene theory may make an appearance when he power apparatus of the guru is used to fertilise the devotee, given either her supposed barrenness or her partner’s supposed impotence. He becomes father rather than consort.
Your point about gender segregation finds resonance in how such places of religion help them find release without guilt – at least for a while.
The legal options won’t give the devotees any satisfaction, as you say. I do wonder, though, whether they might indeed like punishment and absolve themselves of their part in the exercises. Given the moral nature of our mores, what they got into was with an eye for sublimation…they will now look for release.
Thank you for noting my deadpan tone!
>>Such erogenous zones that might be discovered, would suggest evolution before procreation! The Selfish Gene theory may make an appearance when he power apparatus of the guru is used to fertilise the devotee, given either her supposed barrenness or her partner’s supposed impotence. He becomes father rather than consort.<<
ReplyDeleteNice. I hadn't quite though about it that way. Certainly scripture offers, "In the beginning . . . God divided."
Thank you, Farzana.