The bright-flashing light of the news room — which would illuminate even the nights like a day— was spread all around. And in the last stroke of the night, there were, tapping sounds of the keyboards. Occupied with preparation of news stories, were the people who appeared to have conquered sleep. Sitting in that oval-area of the news room while thinking about the Rundown (the arrangement for ordering the news bulletin) of the morning bulletin, many thoughts were crossing my mind. Although night-shift was never my choice, I chose it this time, as night-shift would be peaceful and less noisy for a Rundown producer. Even before one realize, peaceful moments engross you in deep thoughts. It was becoming really hard for me to let go of the thought which was hinting towards a new life. As if I was being told— look you will complete your job and leave for your home, then you would sleep and wake up to watch some news bulletin, then again you will rush back to the office; this was routine. The media job was indeed interesting but life seemed unexciting. The news industry had everything, but something was missing, as if life wasn’t blooming to its fullest. I have always been with the flow, never really planned. That day, I followed my instinct; I had decided to bid adieus to the News industry
I kept moving forward with persistence
I didn’t think of journalism before my under-graduation. But after looking at an advertisement of the prestigious Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Delhi, in the newspaper, I sat for the written exam. This was followed by group discussion and interview, and then I was selected as one of the 25 students from all over India. In my four years of working experience with the national channels, I witnessed the launch of two channels. As time passed, I had joined a yoga studio. I joined a beginner’s level course which was for three days per week, but again, in my free time I would feel that my soul is longing for something more. This longing brought me to the scripture— Yoga Vashistha . When I started reading it, I realized that there is so much more to life and all this time I was lost somewhere else. Sadhana (yoga practice) and study of Vashistha Yoga became an everyday routine for me. It seemed like Guru Vashistha was himself was guiding me and revealing the divine knowledge to me. I was absorbing everything, while remaining in a state of bliss. On the one hand, I was developing such a deep understanding of this divine Sanatana knowledge, on the other hand, I was becoming aware about the junk that was being marketed into the society by yoga studios and yoga abbots. Yoga, a science that can touch the deepest aspects of a human mechanism and bring complete resolution, had come a long way. But unfortunately, like the river Ganaga (Ganges) that originates in it’s pure from at Gangorti but accumulates lot of filth in its way, yoga has also accumulated lot of falsehood and junk in its journey. In the name of yoga, false promises and claims are made to establish a market around it. I was fearful that yoga might end up with a fate similar to Tantra. Tantra, a profound technique of awakening and liberation fell into the hands of some low-minded people, lost its authenticity and got maligned to the extent that now the very name of Tantra invites funny or scary reactions from people. Similarly, would yoga also lose itself in this veil of false promises? These were the questions that were haunting my mind again and again. One day, I got the answer. Every night, before going to bed, I used to read five shlokas/verse of Bhagwad Gita. That day it felt like Shree Krishna Himself was answering my queries, when I read the following verse of Bhagwad Gita (BG):
एवं परम्पराप्राप्तमिमं राजर्षयो विदुः
स कालेनेह महता योगो नष्टः परन्तप – गीता 4.2
BG 4.2: O subduer of enemies, the saintly kings thus received this science of Yoga in a continuous tradition. But with the long passage of time, it was lost to the world.
स एवायं मया तेऽद्य योगः प्रोक्तः पुरातनः
भक्तोऽसि मे सखा चेति रहस्यं ह्येतदुत्तमम् – गीता 4.3
BG 4.3: The same ancient knowledge of Yoga, which is the supreme secret, I am today revealing unto you, because you are my friend as well as my devotee, who can understand this transcendental wisdom
The message was clear; this ancient Sanatana Yoga had been there since a long time, though it is losing its authenticity gradually; and I felt, as if my fate was calling me to reveal it again. I realized that this knowledge should not be limited to my own self. This knowledge cannot be a means, merely, for my own transformation. In these indications of the Divine and Yoga Rishis (Sage-Vashistha), I was being ordered; and my fate was ready to push me forward. Submitting myself to Guru Vashistha, new thoughts to establish Vashistha Yoga were sprouting in my mind. On 4th July, 2011 Vashistha Yoga Ashram was formally established as a charitable trust. By renouncing everything in the name of Guru, Vashistha Yoga established for celebration and transformation of life while restoring sanatan-ancient yoga.
Ahmedabad : the Center of Yoga revolution
Vashistha Yoga Charitable Trust was established in Bihar. Bihar, where Gautama Buddha renewed Sadhana, the place from where Mahavir’s “Kavailya Wisdom” reached every corner of the world and the land where Guru Gobind Singh was born, in the same land the divine goal for yoga was being founded. During this time I had started living in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Ahmedabad was again written in destiny, not planned. My life was moving ahead and I was witnessing the journey of my destiny; to which I consented though not out of compulsion to follow my own decision. I had never been to Gujarat before but one day I felt a very strong desire to visit Dwarka and Somnath. When I reached Ahmedabad from Delhi I felt a unique sense of calmness. After witnessing the busy-chaotic Delhi, Ahmedabad appeared very peaceful and serene. In a whim, I decided to put in Ahmedabad. Many doubts again engulfed my mind — how Delhi is better suited, I know people and reporters in Delhi, I don’t even know Gujarati. Like always, I didn’t let my doubts deter me; the destiny was saying me, ‘make Ahmedabad your Center, everyone is yours, you are for everyone’. And, I settled in Ahmedabad. It was not at all easy but I kept hustling. With many workshops, events, programs, camps and therapy sessions, the work of yoga went on for many years. Then once again destiny knocked on my door.
Ashram Construction and Nation-wide movement
Till now, most of the programs have been Ahmedabad Centric. People working for the organisation in Bihar were also doing some work. In the beginning, the message of the Vashistha Yoga was also propagated through an English YouTube channel, but I soon realized that there was a lot of misinformation on YouTube. In the name of yoga, people are competing while making false claims. The naïve people of our country are being sold lies like curing slipped discs by some ‘pillow treatment’ or curing 99 percent of diseases through a single practice, like “Kapalabhati.” At times, I wonder, why can’t people think, if ‘Kapalbhati’ is cure for 99% of disease they why were the rest of yogic techniques developed!? And if the short-cuts were the fix for everything, how did the business of millions of Rupees spread in the name of yoga? This concern led me to start a nation-wide yoga awakening movement. The idea to build an Ashram in Ahmedabad sprouted, and national level programme began with yoga teacher training programmes, national yoga programmes, yoga camps, yoga teaching website, Yoga Guru Dheeraj channel etc. were established. Now, this new movement of #YogaBali, with the aim to spread ancient and Sanatan Yogic culture in every nook and corner (#GharGharGaliGali), has begun (join us here—). The trumpet of this mission for yoga has been blown and from 4th of July, 2020, for fulfillment of goals for humanity, Vashistha Yoga has is coming forth with more enthusiasm than ever. The teachings of Guru Vashistha are flowing in the veins. The message is clear that one day everything that we create will be lost; then why to waste energy for these things, it is better to lit the divine light of yoga which we illuminate the souls for generations to come. This is the inspiration for living the journey of yogic life.