Swami Rama
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H. H. Sri Swami Rama | |
|---|---|
| File:SwamiRama.jpg | |
| Personal | |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Senior posting | |
| Guru | Bengali Baba |
| Honors | Shankaracharya of Karvirpitham |
Swami Rama (1925 – 1996) was born Brij Kishore Dhasmana, to a Northern Indian Brahmin family in a small village called Toli in the Garhwal Himalayas. He became the lineage holder of the Sankya Yoga tradition of the Himalayan Masters. From an early age he was raised in the Himalayas by his master Madhavanada Saraswati, and, under the guidance of his Master, traveled from monastery to monastery and studied with a variety of Himalayan saints and sages, including his grandmaster who was living in a remote region of Tibet. From 1949 to 1952 held the prestigious position of Shankaracharya of Karvirpitham in South India. After returning to his master in 1952 and many years of further practice in the Himalayan caves, Swami Rama was encouraged by his teacher to go to the West where he spent a considerable portion of his life teaching, specifically in the United States and Europe.[1]
He is especially notable as one of the first yogis to allow himself to be studied by Western scientists. In the 1960s he allowed himself to be examined by scientists at the Menninger Clinic who studied his ability to voluntary control bodily processes (such as heartbeat, blood pressure, body temperature, etc.) that are normally considered to be non-voluntary (autonomic).
His Organization and Achievements
He was the founder of the Himalayan Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy which has its headquarters in Honesdale, PA and branches in the USA, Europe and India. Swami Rama also founded other teaching and service organizations, some of which are linked below. One of his significant achievements is the establishment of a large medical facility in the north-eastern part of India (Dehradun) to serve millions of poor people in the nearby mountains. Until about 15 years ago the rural poor in this region did not have access to health, water, sanitation and education. Dedicated disciples of Swami Rama have contributed to make his dream of a region free of poverty come true. Stories of his leadership style and the way he got these goals achieved are documented in several books about Swami Rama. He demonstrated development impact that attracted attention from all over the world [2].
Swami Rama concept of 'wellness' and not 'medical repair' of the human being is gaining ground in many countries in USA and Europe.[citation needed] He demonstrated the impact of holistic health aprpoaches on the Dehradun campus. On the campus in Dehradun, Swami Rama also established a Medical University with his most senior disciple Swami Veda Bharati (holding a PhD from The Netherlands)[3] being the Chancellor, Vijay Dhasmana as the Vice-Chancellor, and one of his most development orientated disciples - Ms. B. Maithili (Director of the Rural Development Institute) - as the Registrar.
Swami Rama authored several books during his life, in which he describes the path he took toward becoming a yogi and lays out the philosophy and benefits behind practises such as meditation. One of the common themes expressed in such books as Enlightenment Without God and Living with the Himalayan Masters is the ability of any person to achieve peace without the need for a structured religion. He was critical of the tendency for a yogi to use supernatural feats to demonstrate their enlightenment, arguing that these only demonstrated the ability to perform a feat.
Swami Rama as a Father
Swami Rama is reportedly survived by a daughter, Devyani Mungali, and a son, Mohit Dhasmana. [citation needed] Various lawsuits engaged since 1996 are an effort by Dhasmana to protect his alleged father's legacy from self declared spiritual heirs who have, in his opinion, tarnished Swami Rama's name and work. [citation needed]
Robert Walter, an American securities broker-dealer, also claims to be the son of Swami Rama, and is planning to publish his recounting of Swami Rama's life in a book. According to Walter, this memoir depicts his version of relationships Swami Rama had with members of his family and his disciples, as well as various spiritual organizations. He also claims that claim that his mother was the primary architect of the Himalayan Institute in the US. [4] The the Himalayan Insitute has disavowed this claim. [citation needed].
However, there has been no quantifiable evidence that Walter is a biological progeny of Swami Rama, nor is there any demonstrable connection between this individual and Swami Rama's spiritual legacy. [citation needed]
Sexual Misconduct Controversy
Swami Rama has been the object of a controversy concerning cases of sexual misconduct [5], and was convicted after his death:
On September 4, 1997 in the United District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania a jury returned an award against the defendant Himalayan International Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy of the U.S.A. (“Himalayan Institute”) in the amount of $275,000 in compensatory damages and $1.6 million in punitive damages for the sexual misconduct of the Himalayan Institute's former “spiritual leader,” Brijkishor Kumar, popularly known as the “Swami Rama.” Answering special verdict questions, the jury found that Swami Rama (a) had engaged in sexual relations with the plaintiff who was 19 years old at the time of the sexual abuse; (b) had abused his position as the plaintiff's guru to secure her consent to the sexual relations; ( c) had breached the standard of care and fiduciary duties inherent in the relationship between him and the plaintiff; (d) had intentionally inflicted emotional distress on the plaintiff; (e) had acted maliciously and with conscious disregard for the welfare of the plaintiff; (f) and was acting within the scope of his agency relationship with the Himalayan Institute when engaging in sexual relations with Patel. In addition to holding the Himalayan Institute liable for compensatory and punitive damages on a respondent superior theory, the jury also imposed direct liability on the Institute, finding that (a) it had been negligent in allowing Swami Rama to be a sexual predator for a number of years; (b) the actions and inactions of Himalayan Institute constituted the intentional infliction of emotional distress; and (c) the Himalayan Institute had acted maliciously and with conscious disregard for the welfare of the plaintiff.[6][7]
Swami Rama, in relation to accusations made against him while alive, said "Do not defend me" as part of the discipline of Asian monks to live up to the ideal of non-violence.
Selected bibliography
Books by Swami Rama
- Enlightenment Without God (Mandukya Upanishad) (ISBN 0893890847)
- Living with the Himalayan Masters (ISBN 0893891568)
- The Science of Breath: A Practical Guide (ISBN 089389057X)
- Meditation and its Practice (ISBN 0893891533)
- Freedom from the Bondage of Karma (ISBN 0893890316)
- Living with the Himalayan Masters (ISBN 0893891568)
- Spiritual Journey (ISBN)
Biography
- At the Eleventh Hour: The biography of Swami Rama, by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait (ISBN 0893892122)
Other Works
- Science Year: The World Book Science Annual - 1974": describing scientific research done on Swami Rama
- Nature Science Annual, pages 103-110, Article of Gerald Jones describing scientific research done on Swami Rama
References
- ^ Tigunait, Rajmani (2004). At the Eleventh Hour: The biography of Swami Rama. Himalayan Institute Press; Honesdale PA.
- ^ www.hihtindia.org
- ^ www.bindu.org and www.swamiveda.org
- ^ www.sonofaswami.com
- ^ The Case against Swami Rama of the Himalayas
- ^ Woman wins $1.8M for lecherous swami
- ^ United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania Jasmine Patel v Himalayan International (see http://www.pamd.uscourts.gov/opinions/vanaskie/94v1118.pdf)