SWAMI OM PRAKASH SARASWATI
The Epitome of a Disciple 

Osho, the enlightened master of the modern times, gave many discourses on the oneness of the guru and the disciple. The relationship between a master and a disciple is one of the greatest mysteries of existence. The master is a universal consciousness who functions beyond time and space and the disciple is the vehicle of the master. The disciple becomes one with the Master, attuned, in a deep accord. His heart beats in the same rhythm, he breathes in the same rhythm. The oneness becomes so absolute, that despite physical separation there is no separation. 
Osho says-
“The master/disciple relationship is a love affair, 
the greatest love affair possible. 
The disciple surrenders his ego to the master.
He bows down. He says BUDDHAM SHARANAM GACHCHHAMI
—I bow down to the Buddha, I surrender to the Buddha, I take shelter at your feet. The moment he drops his ego he becomes part of the being of the master. 
And the master is no more there as a person, he is only a presence. 
And when two presences meet, the greatest orgasmic experience happens, 
the greatest ecstasy. 
That ecstasy is the goal of the master and disciple relationship. 
That ecstasy has been happening for centuries in a very mysterious way: the master says nothing about it,
the disciple hears nothing about it, but sitting by the side of the master, 
silently waiting, patiently, prayerfully, one day the synchronicity… one day suddenly, the disciple starts breathing with the master. 
His heartbeat is no longer separate from the master’s heartbeat. 
They disappear as two and become one. 
That experience of oneness with the master is the opening of the door of the temple of God.

Such a personification of total, absolute and unconditional surrender to the guru was Swami Om Prakash Saraswati lovingly known as Swamiji. With absolute commitment, great trust, intimate love and reverence for his guru, Swamiji carried out what Osho had entrusted upon him. Swamji’s life is an exemplification of a destiny that was connected and linked to his master.

Born on December 31, 1918, in Faridnagar, near Meerut, in Uttar Pradesh, Swami Om Prakash Saraswati completed his primary schooling from Faridnagar, higher schooling and graduation from Meerut and Post Graduation from Delhi. Swamiji joined the Postal Department in Delhi for a few months before moving ahead to join a reputed company of that time, Delhi Cloth Mills (DCM). Swamiji moved to Kota in Rajasthan to join the finance department of Shriram Rayons, a unit of DCM. 

In the sixties, inspired by a series of articles on Acharya Rajneesh published in different magazines like Dharmyug and Navneet, Swamiji got initiated into sannyas in 1971 after meeting Acharya Rajneesh in a meditation camp at Mt. Abu. Thereafter, meditation became an integral part of Swamiji. As a family man Swamiji continued to take care of his family responsibilities and work in the material world. Whatever he did or wherever he went, Swamiji’s dedication to daily meditation remained unhindered. He took pre mature retirement to totally devote himself to the work of Osho. Swamiji then moved to the Pune Ashram to live with his guru. 

In 1978, Swamiji was sent to Delhi to start a meditation center by his guru and thus the foundation of Osho work in Delhi was laid. Swamiji as a true disciple, with love, devotion and dedication became the vehicle of his beloved master in spreading His vision. The Rajyoga Meditation Center served as a meditation point, and he conducted meditation camps all over north India. Hundreds of people from all over north India got connected with Osho and meditation through the center. The center also started distributing Osho discourses in the form of cassettes, and books for northern part of India. In 1981, when Osho went to the United States, the center began publishing a newsletter by the name of “Rajneesh Buddhafield” to connect people with Osho and to inform the latest developments in Rajneeshpuram. The center continued to be a distributor for Osho discourses, books and cassettes. Rajyoga Meditation Center also started to publish books including several titles in Punjabi. One of the bestsellers being Osho discourses on Nanak “Ek Omkar Satnam” published in 1987, which has had over 10 editions till date. Sharing His insight on meditation, enlightenment and the master-disciple relationship, Osho says- 
“Meditation makes you whole, makes you holy, and makes you an inexhaustible source for all those who are hungry, thirsty, seeking, searching, groping in the dark. 
You become a light, and many can share your light. 
And you can see it: one candle which is lighted can help many candles to be lighted. That does not diminish its own light. 
One enlightened being can share his enlightenment and many can become lighted. 
But his enlightenment is not diminished; on the contrary it increases. 
The more he gives, the more he is. A moment comes when he gives himself totally. 
And that is the moment when he becomes a master. 
Then those who are ready to take, who are open, available, can take as much as they want.
The master is only a light. 
He is not a teacher, but something transpires between him and the disciple. 
And the moment the disciple also becomes lighted, there is no difference between the master and the disciple. 
And that is the greatest joy for the master—when all his disciples are also masters.”

Swami Om Prakash Saraswati epitomized this very vision of Osho. Swamiji’s life lived in compassion, meditation and work symbolized the very epitome of a true disciple. While he continued to work and promote the vision of Osho, he went deeper into his spiritual journey. While Swamiji blossomed in meditation, his inner growth manifested in his work. 

With love and dedication Swamiji carried out the multifarious activities related to the world of Osho. When Osho sent a message to Rajyoga to start a meditation campus near Delhi, Swamiji put all his efforts in this direction to take the vision of Osho to the people to develop a holistic growth path for the evolution of a multidimensional human being. Under the love and tender care of Swamiji, Osho Dham was created in the outskirts of Delhi to provide clean, green and aesthetically pleasing and peaceful environment for those getting into the inner journey. In tune with nature, a beautiful space has been created for group and individual meditations both indoors and outdoors. The cherubic sound of effervescent water bodies and fountains along with the chirping of birds help the meditators to go deep on the path of awareness through meditation. Today, meditators from all over India and abroad converge here to meditate and celebrate. 

Swamiji’s inspiration and love has helped realize the vision of Osho to bring meditation to the market place. Osho World Galleria was opened in Ansal Plaza located in South Delhi, making Osho’s presence felt in the capital and in India with news events. A lifestyle of meditation and creativity, the galleria offers complete works of Osho consisting over 9,000 discourses, 650 books and lifestyle products created by meditative energy. Apart from daily evening meditations, a week every month is dedicated to an enlightened mystic, during which discourses of Osho on the teachings of the mystic are highlighted.

Swami Om Prakash Saraswati, was the inspiration behind the launch of the website “oshoworld.com”, to make available the vision of his beloved master Osho to the people across the globe. The website hosts apart from information and news from the world of Osho, free downloadable audio discourses and online e-books. This site also makes available different meditation techniques, information about forth coming meditation camps and news from the Osho world of arts, a photo gallery, latest news, events and happenings.

Swamiji’s dedication and love for his master and his teachings was the motivational force behind the publishing of the Osho World Patrika. A monthly magazine in Hindi, Osho World Patrika contains select discourses of Osho, information about forthcoming meditation camps and news and events from the world of Osho and Sannyas. The magazine has a circulation of 30,000 throughout the Hindi speaking belt of the country.

During his travels abroad, Swami Om Prakash Saraswati visited Osho centers in Europe and America. Bridging the distance, Swamiji made an eternal connection with the centers and sannyasins, spreading the vision of Osho. Ever since there has been a flow of seekers from round the globe to the Rajyoga center in Delhi to meditate and celebrate. 

Swami Om Prakash Saraswati remained an inspiration to young disciples on the journey of meditation. His life lived in meditation and work is a verification of the teachings of Osho. Swamiji, the embodiment of a true disciple with dedication and love nurtured the vision of his master. 

Osho’s vision was realized when Swamiji got enlightened on May 21, 2001 at the age of 82 years. Swamiji often used to quote Osho words that the desire for enlightenment is the greatest barrier in attaining it. 
Osho says -
“In your enlightenment, the master has again become enlightened. 
As each disciple becomes enlightened, 
the master becomes again and again enlightened; 
and with the sheer joy of a gardener when each of his plants start blossoming.
Just watch his eyes—all those colors, all those flowers dancing in the wind,
in the rain, in the sun- - and how long he has been waiting!
You are my garden. 
I will wait until you gather courage, 
and this courage means disappearing into the soil, losing yourself in complete let-go.
Enlightenment is not somewhere else. 
It is hiding behind your seed, inside you. 
You just have to trust. If you trust in yourself, the master is not needed. 
But because the society has created you in such a way that you cannot trust yourself, you are always divided- - to do it not to do it,
to be or not to be- - your mind is continuously wavering. 
You need someone unwavering.
It is almost like surgery; you cannot do surgery on yourself,
it will be very difficult, almost impossible.
You will need someone else and you will have to trust because he is opening your heart or opening your brain and who knows what kind of man he is. 
But ordinarily you do trust a surgeon even though you do not know him. 
The function of the master is far more deep.
It needs a very conscious love and trust on the disciple’s side 
because the master is going to tear down all your personality and 
shatter all your mind habits to bring out the hidden flame with all its splendor. 
You don’t have to love it. 
You will rejoice, you will dance, you will sing, you will share, 
you will now love all that surrounds you.”

After enlightenment, Swamiji became overflowing with love, joy and compassion. He simply became the very source of love, life and compassion, showering his love on whosoever came in contact with him. It was the arrival of the master through the disciple. 

Swamiji became the vehicle through which the light of the master flowed. Swamiji shared his enlightenment, his blissfulness, his peace and silence with all around him. 

Swamiji remained in constant work and gave vision for the future work to meditate and spread the message of his beloved master till he attained his Mahaparinirvana on March 27, 2003. Like a drop that dissolves into the Ocean, Swamiji merged with the vast ocean of Osho.

Swamiji’s presence and the vibration of his energy is felt as much as before in the Rajyoga Meditation Center. For those in Rajyoga, it was a collective upliftment into a new dimension never known before. Swamiji’s life lived in awareness and totality, will always remain a source of love, joy and inspiration for generations to come.