Friday, April 23, 2010

Did Nityananda use sexual energy to arouse spirituality?

23/04/2010

Bangalore: Was Swamy Nithyananda’s Dhyanapeetam at Bidadi near Bangalore a `sex ashram’ where disciples learnt spiritual ecstasy and bliss through methods depicted in Kama Sutra? New information emerging from the ashram, following the arrest of Nityananda, shows ample evidence that the godman had used sex, sexual energy and tantra to send disciples into a spiritual spin and trance.

In fact, it may be recalled that when the tapes showing Nityananda in bed with an actress was aired, the godman had put out a feeble defence saying that he was in a `spiritual trance' at that time and was going through a subconscious mental tornado.
The new evidence on sex, spirituality and tantra has come to the fore with the investigating team laying their hands on a controversial non-disclosure agreement that volunteers had to sign while undergoing a course ironically called 'Learning with the Master.'

The controversial agreement has graphic details of some 'tantric secrets' that a volunteer could learn from the Master (Nithyananda). And sex formed the core and integral part of the tantric secrets.
The agreement, now reportedly with the Karnataka CID, states: "...the master programme may involve the learning and practice of ancient tantric secrets associated with male and female ecstasy, including the use of sexual energy for increased intimacy/spiritual connection, pleasure, harmony and freedom".
The agreement also has a warning - that the course may be "mentally and physically challenging" and goes on to state that "... these activities may involve nudity, access to visual images, graphic visual depictions, and descriptions of nudity and sexual activity, close physical proximity and intimacy, verbal and written descriptions and audio sounds of sexually oriented and erotic nature, etc.''

The police are now trying to find out if the agreement was used by Nithyananda to "cheat female devotees".
The police claim that they have received a few emails from female inmates of the ashram who claimed that they were sexually exploited by the godman. But these email could not be independently verified as the police claimed that they were private in nature.
According to the investigating team, most volunteers were women a substantial number were from Tamil Nadu, the home state of Nityananda.
But what has added a new spin to the whole episode is that many VIPs used to visit the ashram. The question now being asked (and probably probed) is did these VIPs too `learn from the Master' the intricacies of kickstarting spirituality through sexual energy.
The agreement, which could be legally binding, absolves the Dhyanpeetam of all liabilities. It says, "The volunteer clearly understands and accepts full responsibility for all his/her actions... Volunteer also waives any and all rights that he/she may have to bring any law suit or claims against the leader or foundation and anyone else not specifically mentioned here but directly or indirectly involved in the organization, management or conduct of any such programs from any liability, direct or indirect, arising from such activities."
The "non-disclosure agreements" were part of the documents seized by CID during raids on the Dhyanapeetam at Bidadi. Several computer hard disks, laptops and mobiles.

Meanwhile, Nityananda was produced before a judicial magistrate here who remanded him police custody for four days. A large number of people had crowded the Bangalore International Airport at Devanhalli to catch a glimpse of the godman. However, he was whisked away by the police. He was taken to Ramanagara on the outskirts of Bangalore where people shouted slogans against him.
Nityananda, who hails from Tamil Nadu, shot to dubious limelight when he was caught having sex with women in his ashram. The tapes were first aired by a Tamil Nadu-based TV channel.
It was Lenin Karuppan, alias Nithya Dharmananda, who had claimed to have secretly filmed Nithyananda in the company of some Tamil actresses at the godman's Kallugopahalli ashram.
Nityananda immediately fled from Bangalore and was seen at the Kumbh in Allaahabad. But with the heat of the sex scandal chasing him, he fled from there too.

After dilly-dallying, the Karnataka government gave a nod to the state police to file criminal cases against him.
Following government orders, the Ramanagara police immediately slapped five criminal cases against the godman and the activities in his ashram came to a standstill. Subsequently, Nityananda gave up his spiritual seat and his ashram in the US too was closed down.
The cases filed against him at the Bidadi police station include hurting the religious sentiments of the people, rape, performing unnatural sex, cheating and criminal intimidation. Some of the cases are non-bailable.
Source: India Syndicate
K.Venugopal
Friday, 23 April 2010 10:48:26
Tantra as practiced by the Shakti tradition is an age old spiritual system where a denomination called the Vama Marga uses sex prominently for spiritual attainments. If Swami Nithyananda was practicing and introducing his disciples to this science, he is well within his rights to do so as have been done so by the gurus of the tantra school since time immemorial. However, this tradition must not be misused as cover for sexual rackets. The courts have to draw the fine line between legitimate scientific spiritual tradition and exploitation. If they do so, then it is likely that Swami Nithyanand would come out unscathed from charges of sexual exploitation against him. The 'non-disclosure agreement' is very significant. Meanwhile, charges of invading the privacy of Swami Nithyananda should be brought against Lenin Karuppan and others who videographed the Swamiji.

http://news.in.msn.com/national/article.aspx?page=4&ucpg=3&cp-documentid=3849712#uc2Lst

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