________________
Chancellor of Delhi University, who caused a sacrilege of sorts by describing Paramahamsa Satyananda, who is now engrossed in meditation at Deoghar (Bihar), as a friend and repeatedly referring to him as 'Satyam', his nickname. After all, most of the intellectuals, scholars, professionals and spiritual leaders there had known Swamiji intimately but still spoke of him with reverence.
General B.C. Joshi, the chief of the army staff, came all the way to Munger to offer floral tributes to the spiritual leader. But Prof. Baxi was obstinately defiant. "I am a friend of Satyam, not a disciple. I wrote to him telling that if you are not coming to the convention, then I won't go to see you at Deoghar." Many delegates felt that such an expression of familiarity detracted from the sanctity of such occasions.
7.11.93
The Sunday Times of India
'I ADORE THIS PLACE'
In the concluding session of its spiritual foundation in India. the four-day World Yoga Con- He used to tell me that if I ever vention, Paramahamsa Niranjan
wanted spiritual bliss, then I ananda bestowed the title of
must go to India. But I was very 'Acharya' on Swami Gyanprakash
young then, I didn't understand Saraswati, describing her as an
much of what he was saying. My outstanding organizer and a
father died when I was barely 10 devoted sannyasin. Swami
years old. With the passage of Gyanprakash, 30. who originally time, I began to realize a spiritual belonged to Medellin city in mission for myself. The meeting Colombia, South America is now with Swamiji, once and for all, an Indian citizen. She joined the solved the puzzle as to where I Bihar School of Yoga in 1978 and belonged, though it took me since then; she has never moved three years before I could sumout of Munger.
mon the courage to take sanThough usually reluctant to
nyasa." speak to the press, she agreed to
How does she feel after being speak to the Times of India News
christened as 'acharya' and being
told that she would share the Service. According to her, she
responsibility with Paramahamsa met Swami Satyananda Saras
Niranjanananda in looking after wati in Colombia in 1975 and
the Bihar School of Yoga? She was instantly drawn towards the
dismisses the query as of no spiritual message propagated by relevance. “It is all a question of him. "My father belonged to the performing duty. The titles don't Theosophical Society which had matter to us. We are all here to
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