Several men from Odisha, India, are considered Satyachetana Life Members. They came to founder, Swami Sri Atmananda, as young men, recognized something different in and through him, and helped build the movement in Odisha and elsewhere from the ground up. They remained with the movement and endured many trials through decades. Three are fully dependent on the mission and receive an official monthly stipend from the Life Member Pension Fund, which Satyachetana International helps fund through donations it receives.
These three who receive pensions are interviewed here by Vishnupriya, one of the SCI Directors. (Answers edited slightly for clarity.)
- When did that feeling come to you?
In my childhood, around age 12, I pray to God, “Oh God give me your work, [so that] every time I will feel your presence.”
When Gurudev came from Maharishi, he built a Maharishi Ideal School in Bhubaneswar, and in 1992 I joined as a typist in the Bhubaneswar school administration office. He built three Maharishi Ideal Schools in Odisha, with the other two in Berhampur and Rourkela.
- What was it that made you want to stay for life and give your life to Divine work?
In 1997, I knew. It was Gurudev’s love and seriousness and punctuality. And the work process and training process that he showed us in the school — it is a process that leads to transformation.
- What is your work as a Life Member?
At first, from 1997, I was moving in Odisha to spread the aim and objectives of Satyachetana, with the Odia-language booklet “Satyachetana, What and Why”. We founded Satyachetana Ashram Gadamanitir in 2000. Then I helped from the start of the Satyachetana Odia Journal in 2002, and that work continues. We also built the two schools in 2005 (at Gadamanitir and Balanga). The Satyachetana Trust (of Odisha) was registered in 2003 and I became a Trustee. Whatever is needed, whenever needed, in Odisha or anywhere Gurudev sends me, I do that work.
- What is the most important principle or concept for a Life Member to always keep in mind?
Every time be aware to work for Satyachetana Movement. And work with Truth consciousness.
- Were you ever worried about money for your family as a Life Member?
No [laughing]. In our family life in India, if one person is working, that is enough. After few years of marriage, my wife got a government job. And anything more needed, God is providing. Automatically it is coming.
- When did this feeling come to you?
In 1999 I stayed in main ashram (Tiruvannamalai) for three months. In those three months I decided I would live life for Gurudev, who is moving over the world spreading Bhagavad Gita. I cannot do that work myself, but I can serve him and get that joy.
- How did you meet Gurudev?
One book was made by Pradeep Mishra, printed in 1997, and Surendra [my older cousin brother] got this book and shared it with me. It was called Eka Satabani, or 100 quotations by Swami Sri Atmananda. I threw all other books and kept this book in my pocket. Here, lastly it is written, “I am always alone. With me nobody is there. That loneliness made me Him.” This question was coming to me: a man is saying that he has been made like Him, like God. I want to see that man.
Before this, the spiritual life started in me when I was 21, and I realized that this is all maya and Lord is Truth. So I thought, I need to go to an ashram, become a sannyasi, and then I can do Lord’s work and I will be doing the best work a human can do in this life. I went to stay in an ashram and after one night, Surendra brought me from there. He told me to wait, that he will take me to one good person. After I got this book in 1997, I waited to meet the person who said this quotation printed in that book.
I waited two years to see him. Then he came to Odisha in 1999 for one public meeting. After listening to everything, one chant, “Hari Bol,” was rising within me, and in the middle of the meeting I requested Gurudev to allow me to chant this. He allowed me. From that moment I knew that the voice speaking from inside me for the past few years—he is that voice.
After that, I told to Gurudev that I will go with you to [main] ashram. Surendra also asked him to take me to main ashram, otherwise I would run to some other ashram.
After three months in ashram, Gurudev told me that I can go back to Odisha. I gave him one letter that said, “Who you are, I know. Who am I, I know. What is my future work, I know.” After that he allowed me to stay in ashram and also to clean his room. Before that he was not allowing anyone to clean his room, except one other person.
At that time two things were in my mind—that I promised my parents I would return after six months and also I got the idea to go and help spread Gurudev’s mission in Odisha. I told Gurudev that I would gather my friends and help spread the message. He gave me 90 days, and he told me, wherever in Odisha we are making 500 Satyachetana mission members, there I will go to make a Satyachetana ashram. In 90 days, my friends and I made 300 members and I returned to ashram. After one month, my friends completed another 200 members and came to the ashram to present it to Gurudev. In 2001, a Satyachetana Ashram was founded in our village at Gadamantir.
- What is your work as Life Member?
From 1999 to 2009, mostly I was working in [main] ashram, serving ashram meditation hall, kitchen and farming. Around 2002, I returned to Odisha to do some personal work, and also helped some with the Odia Satyachetana Journal. But after 18 months, I felt I should go back to main ashram, so I returned in 2003. Then in 2009, I came back to Odisha again, to marry, and then I joined full time with the Journal work in Odisha. Gurudev said to me, “If you want to serve Gurudev, you can serve in the Journal work in Odisha. If you want to live or study or join in any company, you can do that. It is up to you.” I told him, “No, I will be with this mission, I will not do any other work.” Then he gave the work for collecting memberships for Journal. Now that work is continuing, and I am also doing outreach work in Odisha and working in any project starting in Odisha.
- What is the guiding principle for you as a Life Member?
Always think one thing, that is: my Guru. The thought comes to me, “You have a Guru, be careful, be on the track. You have a mission.”
- Were you ever worried about money for your family as a Life Member?
As a family person, money is always needed. When I am getting worried, I am praying to Lord, and automatically somehow that worry is going, because somehow there is an adjustment somewhere else in my life and that [monetary] problem is getting solved. The worry may be coming, but not taking me fully out of my track. Because I know, I was born for this work and there is no other work for my life. This I am convinced. I will be with my mission and guru. When worry comes, I remember this.
- When did that feeling come to you?
When I saw Gurudev, Bhagavan, Swamiji, as we call him, in my village (Gadamanitir) in March of 2000, I thought, this is the right person to guide us, command us, advise, and make me…take me to a different place.
Before meeting Bhagavan, I was with many other organizations, like social organizations, writer organizations. So many persons I had met before, like “babas” or spiritual persons, and intellectuals, politicians, writers.
Four months after meeting Bhagavan, he called some young men to come to main ashram to take the classes of Gita. (The group of school friends that Ashok gathered from his village.) I came on 4th July 2000. Bhagavan started these classes from Gita Dhyanam. That fourth mantra of Gita Dhyanam, he explained about samsara and life. That mantra, knowing that meaning, changed my consciousness from village Ajaya to Ajaya of Satyachetana mission.
I first stayed three months in ashram, and my consciousness continued to change. I thought, at least two years I should attach myself to this mission. I thought people should get this knowledge, and if possible to use me as a channel [for that], or [spread the knowledge] through me.
After two years, my life changed. I thought, two years is not enough. I became attached with everyone—disciples, Bhagavan, everyone. And from that day, when I realized that, I could not look back. In any way through me, through seva, or any other way, because my mind was not so much expanded in business, I felt I should be attached to Gurudev and this mission. That time, individual Ajaya became Life Member Ajaya.
- What is Satyachetana mission, for you?
Simply we know that Satyachetana means the path of Truth. Always we try to work with Truth. Telling the truth is first. Not telling lies… Work and live with Truth. Try to manifest truthfulness. Whole mind, body and consciousness are attached first to truth and responsibility for oneself.
- What is your work as a Life Member?
From the day I came to ashram, I opened myself to learn from everyone. The work could be anything—but in one word, “seva”. Cleaning campus and garden, helping in kitchen, cooking, cleaning rooms, bathrooms, water tanks, purchasing vegetables. I am willing to do anything. Bhagavan gives so much opportunity to do work with him, and with all devotees also.
Many years I remained in Odisha. With Surendra and Ashok, I helped found Satyachetana Trust, and Satyachetana Ashram in our village, Gadamanitir; and Satyachetana Odia Journal, to spread Bhagavan’s message, this true knowledge and wisdom, through every corner of Odisha.
In 2018, I moved permanently to Tiruvannamalai. Bhagavan first gave me the ghee project, to make the pure ghee for yajnas, and also through that to help me with my family life and give me financial support. That project ended after some time. Next, he put me in construction, to oversee all the expansion work. Then also Bhagavan created Aditi 4S Kitchen, a café (named after Ajaya’s daughter), for sustaining my family. With the blessings of Bhagavan, I am continuing that. And all activities, projects, functions, everything, I am ready to do that work, and I am doing that work.
- What is the most important principle or concept for a Life Member to always keep in mind?
Always keep positive thinking.
- Were you ever worried about money for your family as a Life Member?
Money is needed for sustaining in material life, but always clinging to money—I am not into that. Sometimes I am remembering that verse of Bhagavad Gita, on yogakshema (Verse 360). Those who are working for Me, I will take the burden of his or her material life and spiritual life. Bhagavad Gita is our mission’s most important shastra. Sometimes I’m remembering, if I am doing Bhagavan’s work—Bhagavan here means universal God—He will take care. Do Divine work, Divine will take care.
I saw in Bhagavan, he is the Divine. He is for me guide, guru, father, mother, everything. Whatever in my life is coming, 98 to 99 percent is solved by Bhagavan. When I reach that full state myself, then 100 percent will be solved. Due to my own fault, I am at 99 percent. Bhagavan is giving 100 percent blessings, but my body, my mind, is not ready to receive 100 percent. Due to that, one, two percent is still pending. [Laughing.]
Whatever finance comes to us, we should accept it very positively and with the thinking that we can manage with that. If we are thinking of more and more, then tension will come. My wife is working in the mission, I am earning from the restaurant, and some support comes from the mission. With that, we manage financially.
- Do you feel some transformation has come to you, inside you? What has changed in you in 24 years?
Yes, so much transformation has come to me. To understand and listen to others, to behave with others. Twenty-five years before, I had less understanding of things going on around me, less patience and tolerance. Also I had a different aim. Before I had ambition [to] earn more money, get a good job. Now I feel more calm inside. I feel fully satisfied with this work. Full satisfaction comes, then we feel calm and peaceful.
