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Tidbits about Swami Vishwananda

I came across a blog recently that provided some interesting tidbits about the "young yogi" Swami Vishwananda. While there is some brief discussion about Sathya Sai Baba and the dangers of false gurus, the poster - Sheen - quickly moves to allegations of Vishwananda's former affinity to Sathya Sai Baba.

After all, you don't have to have been living on Pluto for the last year or so to tell that Vishwananda is blatantly copying Sai Baba as far his miracles and dress sense is concerned. Among other things, Sheen discusses how Vishwananda (aka 'Visham') had been to Sai Baba's Puttaparthi ashram several times. A short marriage to a European woman and allegations of begging for money fit in nicely with reports of his sexually harassing young women as well.

Then there are the young upcoming gurus who again seem to find their niche in the West, especially with the increasing number of younger people interested in exploring the spiritual world who remain the obvious targets. See the growing appeal of the so-called young yogi from Mauritius - Swami Vishwananda (also known as Visham). The free flowing praise of him from his followers overshadows those who knew him growing up in Mauritius as someone who had an affinity with Sathya Sai Baba as well, having gone frequently to his ashram. Mauritian sources make mention that he was married to someone in Europe a number of years ago and would also request money from individuals in his home area to visit Sai Baba's ashram periodically in his more youthful days (bearing in mind he is still in his twenties).

Yet in recent years there appears to be a detachment from Sathya Sai Baba, with Vishwananda branching off on his own, aligning himself elsewhere and consolidating his own organisation. He has claimed to be the reincarnation of Yogananda, of 'autobiography of a yogi' fame. Whether this is true or not, it is worth remembering that rumours have surrounded Yogananda himself as being something of the ladies man (and perhaps also fathering a child). So the jury's out on this one!

As for Vishwananda, the irony is that many of his initial supporters have been followers of Sathya Sai Baba as well and his disconnection gives rise to obvious talk among circles. Vishwananda has become more well known among devotees of Sai Baba, especially in the UK and recent responses refer to younger, more vulnerable women being the target of malpractice (even at a sexual level) after going to see Vishwananda. Apparently a group (predominently from Germany) went to Sai Baba's ashram last year to receive healing after having very challenging experiences with Vishwananda. A few were reported to have received the necessary help. Others perhaps have not been fortunate enough as yet.

One of the difficult things to make sense of is that whatever your impressions of Sathya Sai Baba, he remains an elderly figure with an immense and established following reputed to be engaged in humanitarian activities around the world - this is not a celebration of the organisation which has consolidated around him but an acceptance of the kind of work that has been done as directed over the years. Hence regardless of Vishwananda's abilities or powers, he is still a young man in his late twenties or so who cannot be compared to someone of the kind of stature of Sai Baba. It is bizarre then that he would aim to connect to followers of this elderly guru (or god-man if you believe this) and at the same time dis-associate from him as an avatar whom he once followed as well - unless, of course, it has become a mere case of competition. One wonders whether Sai Baba may have something in store for those who are riding the gravy train, so to speak.