:: INTERVIEW ::

Swami Om Prakash Saraswati was the epitome of a disciple. Lovingly known as Swamiji, his commitment and surrender to his master, Osho, was total and absolute. Sent by his master to start a meditation center in Delhi, Swamiji as a true disciple, with love, devotion and dedication became the vehicle of his beloved master in spreading His vision. 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. This section is dedicated to experiences of sannyasins who have come in direct contact with Swamiji at some point of time and have been inspired by his compassion, dedication and commitment.
(Click here to know more about Swami Om Prakash Saraswati)

Q- Your legal Name
A- Amit Vora

Q- Sannyas Name
A- Swami Anand Amit

Q- In Which Year You took Sannyas?
A- I took sannyas from Ma DharmJyoti on 7th April, 1996 in Oshodham.

Q- What is your educational background?
A- I have done my electrical engineering from IIT, Delhi

Q- What is your profession?
A- For the last five years I have been working as a software engineer initially in India and later in America

Q- For how long You stayed in America?
A- I stayed in America for around two and half years.

Q- What kind of a company you were working for?
A- I worked in the same company throughout my stay in America and it was conductor company and my work experience had been good.

Q- Why did you return to India?
A- Firstly, I went to America for a short period and not with the intention to settle there. Secondly, Everybody with whom I was attached were here. I had stayed with Swamiji and others in center before leaving for America. So that was the only reason of my returning.

Q- How did you get connected to Osho?
A- I was studying in IIT but I was not able to concentrate on my studies. There was a Doctor Aunty living in the same apartment, so I used to visit her and ask her whats wrong with me? Why cannot I concentrate on my studies. So she introduced me to Osho through his tapes and books..

Q- Were you very good in studies before?
A – Till 12th Standard, I was studying well but as soon as I was in college, Studies became a burden for me. Without any interest, I studied under the compulsion that I have to, since I have landed in the engineering college. I was not at all happy and felt like leaving my engineering course. But on the other side, it was a question of my future, so I had to continue my studies. I used to go to Dr. Aunty to ask why I am not being able to concentrate on my studies. Why so many queries keep spinning in my mind. I used to sit in the class but my mind used to be elsewhere, thinking something. I had never faced such a tough competition. In school I was number one but in the college everyone was number one, so that feeling of inferiority complex or being lagged behind was obstructing me in my studies. So I used to go to her with all these questions of which I was aware of but without a solution. She used to tell me to become a witness and live consciously. I could not understand what she meant at that point of time. Then she gave me some Osho discourses to listen to. I used to listen as if I was listening to a lecture in a class. I used to make notes and take them to her and ask her to explain what I couldnot understand. She then told me to go to Rajyoga center to meditate. Then I came here and Swamiji told me to come on Sundays to do dynamic meditation. We were having our summer vacation at that time and once I came to learn dynamic meditation. I used to live far away from center and due to that reason I did not come to center or to meet Swamiji for next one and a half years. I continued to read and listen to Osho discourses at home and started meditating at home on my own way which was not right. And because of this, my studies got more hampered and I lagged behind. And also there was lots of conflict at home. My parents felt that neither I was interested in my studies nor I was good at anything else. I could not take interest in anything. 

Q- You used to listen to discourses and meditate. What was not right.
A- I used to meditate but without any guidance. If I used to experience something during meditation I used to interpret it in my own way and used to remain lost in imagination.I did not even realize that. I realized it after many years what I used to imagine and in the process what I have lost in those years. When in March 1995, my admission in IIT was about to be cancelled, I somehow managed to join again and then I came to Swamiji.

Q- Why cancellation?
A-I had taken withdrawal of a semester because I could not concentrate in my studies and I was lagging behind in many subjects. I flunked in three-four subjects. So I used to feel that I cannot do it. I was going through a phase of disturbance mentally. Then I came to Swamiji. I remember that it was my first meeting with Swamiji. I told Swamiji whatsoever was happening with me and that I cannt live without meditating but then I was also not benefited by it. There was a burden on my head if I do not meditate. But I was not able to do anything else too. Neither I was in a position to study nor could behave properly with my family members or socially alive. Swamiji straight away told me to stop meditating and only concentrate on my studies. And also told me to come only after completing my engineering. I had not developed much trust at that time. I had come to meet swamiji after two years and I was very formal with him. I told Swamiji that I cannot stop meditation and that I will come here to meditate as I was not sure what else I could do. I also told Swamiji that I do not have that confidence to study. Swamiji told me that if I can come everyday to meditate then only I should come otherwise there is no need to come. I was accepting everything at that time because I was very unsure of what to do. Then my college holidays of three months had begun. At that time, under the guidance of Swamiji I did dynamic meditation. During those days Swamiji used to come to the hall himself to facilitate meditations and he used to observe each one of the meditators and gave his guidance on meditation only. But that was not the case with me. Swamiji used to ask me about my studies and my family. Swamji guided me in everything. With whatever problem I seeked his advise, he showed me a way.

Q- Did Swamiji ever scolded you?
A- Many a times. In the beginning, once I had come out when Osho’s audio discourse was playing. Then for the first time I faced Swamiji’s scolding. Sakshi was also there. He told me that Swamiji scolds too. That was when I experienced it. That was my first time and I was shocked though Swamiji did not scold me but told me that it is wrong to leave in between a discourse and that is a wrong way of listening to a discourse. After few more experiences I became aware of what scolding is. And many a times it happened. But it was only because of our mistakes for which we were scolded. 

Q- How did you feel after getting a scolding? You used to get angry or accept it?
A- I never felt anger towards Swamiji but more I felt angry with myself and also felt that it was not a big issue so what went wrong.

Q- It was no big issue to come out when a discourse was playing. So what was the issue?
A- Issues were not big but the scolding was such that it left an impact. Everything in the mind used to go blank. It used to feel like that this moment and this space should be preserved and the feeling of such immense acceptance should not be lost. Then everything used to sink in and felt that the feeling of acceptance should always be there.

Q- So you never felt that you should go away and never visit here again after getting a scolding.
A- I never felt like that. I also never felt that I should stop coming here because I knew that the scolding was not without my mistake. I always used to look within myself and find the faults with in me, whether it is a big one or a small one.

Q- Which different meditations did you do under the guidance of Swamiji?
A- I regularly did dynamic meditation in center. For almost two years, we did weekend camps with Swamiji in Oshodham. There we used to do kundilini meditation, Natraj meditation, Kirtan Dhyan and white robe and also listened to Osho discourses.

Q- For how many years you did this?
A- Almost two or two and a half years.

Q- Any special experience or special incident that you remember when you were in Oshodham. Anything about Swamiji, why you got so much connected with him and shared so much of love. What was the reason behind it?
A- I could never say no to Swamiji, I wanted to go there and I used to go there. I got so much connected with Swamiji that there was no question of why?

Q- What was the reason behind your closeness with Swamiji? How you came to close? You used to come for dynamic meditation in the morning and then leave. How come this closeness?
A- Every Sunday after dynamic meditation, Kirtan and discourse, for almost an hour, we used to sit with Swamiji for one to one sharing. Swamiji used to invite us for lunch with him in center before leaving. We used to have our lunch together and some of our friends used to go out for tea and sometimes we had a chance to have dinner with Swamiji. I will not say that I got attracted with all these. But slowly- slowly I got connected with him and then onwards I thought that I will never go back to my old world again.

Q- When you were living in America, you used to call Swamiji every Saturday. Did you often miss your connection back here. Working in America, why did you call him regularly?
A- I missed everyone. Swamiji also remembered me often. As far as I now, he loved me a lot and remembered me a lot.

Q- What was Swamiji’s connection with Osho?
A- We never personally saw Osho and Swamiji together but the way Swamiji conducted meditations in center and Oshodham and the way he shared his experience it was very clear that Swamiji’s life wasfully devoted to Osho and to spread his master’s vision .

Q- Did you sit in Swamiji’s room on 27th night after he left his body?
A- That experience will be with me throughout my life.

Q- Can you tell us about your feeling or experience at that moment?
A- It cannot be described.

Q- Now Swamiji is no longer in his body, and he cannot speak to you nor you can call him every week or come and sit with him. What will you do now?
A- Whatever I learned from Swamiji in his presence we are still learning in his bodiless presence. We can still come and sit with him.

Q- For how many years you have been with Swamiji?
A- From 1995 to 2003. Its eight years.

Q- What transformation do you feel within you after meditating for so many years? When you started meditating, you improved in your studies and passed with good marks but these are all external things. How have you been transformed? What impact it had on you?
A- I feel good while meditating and that feeling of everness always stays. We feel more connected with Swamiji than ever. We go more deep in kirtan. When we shout Osho, it feels so silent afterwards.

Q- Any other transformation like doing things differently in comparision to how you did it in the past. You used to have headache before.
A- All I can say is I have become aware and conscious than I was before. I cannot say anything more now. Earlier I did not realize this.

Q- What is your plan for your future? Swamiji is no more in body and near you?
A- I never planned to go to America nor to come back from there. I want to live without planning so I do not know what will happen to me in the future.

Q- In June 2000, Swamiji disclosed that he has attained enlightenment. What difference did you see in him before and after his enlightenment.
A- I physically got separated from Swamiji in June 2000. We had left for America. So after that I was not in touch with Swamiji as other people in the center were. But I knew this much that Swamiji had become very soft. Why did he become soft, what was the reason behind it, I don’t know. For me he was always enlightened. 

Q- When Swamiji was not well, you used to come and sit in his room for hours and before that when he was in good health and he used to speak to you. Did you see any difference in the quality.
A- I did not feel any difference.

Q- Any special incident that you remember.
A- There are many……..