SPIRITUAL SEEKERS OR ARE THEY SOMETHING MORE?
In its February 29, 2008 edition, the Sanatan Prabhat asked followers to train themselves to protect Hindu leaders like Sambhajrao Bhide. It asked them not to damage buses, private vehicles, instead act against arrogant police, like the Maoists do. A mobile number was given as a contact point to organise training On March 7, 2008, the newspaper carried an appeal from the Sanstha chief Dr Jayant Athavale. It said Hindu outfits were running signature campaigns and staging protests, but objectionable plays and the sale of naked pictures of Hindu deities continued. Workers from Hindu outfits were even beaten by the police, it said, while asking Hindu workers to emulate Maoists and terrorists sooner or later. A similar appeal was published in 2005, during Dussehra “You feel so victorious after killing a mosquito, imagine how you would feel after killing an evil person?” — Sanatan Prabhat carried this quote, attributed to Athavale, on July 27, 2007 In its September 20, 2004 issue, it published an article slamming Narendra Dabholkar and his followers and warning they would be punished for anti-Hindu activities. The article was written by one Malgonda Patil, later an accused in the 2009 Goa blast case
CHALLENGE TO ‘MIRACLES’ SURROUNDING SANSTHA FOUNDER
The Andhashradha Nirmulan Samiti (ANS) founded by Dr Dabholkar has challenged the Sanstha’s claims of miracles surrounding its founder Athavale The Sanstha website claims sadhaks or seekers experience miracles, such as a fragrance from Athavale’s body and the word ‘Om’ seen on tiles in the ashram, among others. It claims sprinkling cow’s urine is the cure for several ailments. The ANS’ Sangli unit has challenged Athavale to perform these miracles in front of their representatives. “They should prove these claims or it could be a fit case for prosecution under the state’s anti-superstition law,” said Dr Pradip Patil of the ANS
SANATAN’S CLAIMS ABOUT ITSELF
The Sanatan Sanstha says it is an organisation devoted to spreading spirituality and spiritual progress. It advises doing everyday activity with a spiritual outlook The focal point of its mission, it says, is to help seekers from various paths of spiritual practice such as Bhaktiyoga (path of devotion), Dnyanayoga (path of knowledge), Nyanayoga (path of meditation) for individual spiritual evolution. Spreading the science of spirituality, as advised by the Hindu Dharma in scientific terminology is the motive behind establishing the Sanstha The Sanstha also tries to bring together like-minded Hindu organisations, as a step towards India being declared a ‘Hindu Nation’ constitutionally
NUMBER OF MEMBERS, STRUCTURE?
There is no membership system, registration or subscription. Weekly satsangs, discourses and seminars are organised, open to all The Sanstha is a registered as a charitable trust. It says seekers render seva or service to the nation and to religion. There is no formal organisational structure.