‘Many lives, one master’
She is an award-winning author of a thriller, and her own lives have been nothing less than thrilling. Yes, she has had two lives. One, in which she was known as Ismita Tandon, and the second, her present, where she is Sadhvi Vrinda Om. Her might have changed, so have her lifestyle outlook and the colour of her clothes, but what has remained constant is her love for words. The author of Jacob Hills and Love On The Rocks has edited an anthology of 12 stories, The Book of Faith. “It is a collection of real stories or incidents about my guru Om Swami,” she says.
Om Swami is a mystic and best-selling author of several books, including
If Truth be Told. He renounced the world at 30, giving up his multi-million business as well. He has gone on to heal many lives. “Most people know him from the time he became a monk. But he’s been helping people since childhood. These stories are from people who knew him even before renunciation,” says Vrinda, with her contagious cheerfulness, adding these “stories are nothing but unalloyed truth”.
One story highlights how just 10, he mastered astrology so well that he was called ‘panditji’ by neighbours as well as his own family, including his parents and two siblings. Through these stories, one gets “a glimpse into his previous life (before renunciation)”. To the reader he comes across as a healer, telepath and kind soul. His neighbour talks about her grave psychological affliction which was cured for good after one meeting with him. Some stories might to be too miraculous to believe. A doctor writes how once when a stillborn baby was delivered by her, she took his name and the baby started breathing. The doctor writes some might find this to be a coincidence, but she believes it was ‘his grace’.
“Some stories might appear too far-fetched by those who don’t know Swamiji,” accepts Vrinda, adding, “However, these are all true.”
“The purpose is to tell people
The purpose is to tell people there is hope. They shouldn’t give up! He is here to help anyone and everyone. I was a broken person when I first got to know him. I was suicidal. And look at me today, I am a different person. SADHVI VRINDA OM
there is hope. They shouldn’t give up! He is here to help anyone and everyone. I was a broken person when I first got to know him. I was suicidal. And look at me today, I am a different person,” says Vrinda.
“He is the master of many lives. I wrote a book earlier, Om Swami: As We Know Him, which was about my observations when I started to know him. I’m going to write another one about him, this book is sort of to prepare the world for that (laughs),” she says.