Life and Times of Osho

Osho was born on 11th December 1931 in the small village of Kuchwada situated in the state of Madhya Pradesh. From the very childhood He was a highly talented and a revolutionary child. His talents reflected in varied forms in all his activities. He was never ready to believe or accept anything without knowing them. He did not follow any belief system or a tradition. He was always on a search for his own self. He had a scientific approach towards everything in life. There was a major revolution in his life at the age of seven. Osho loved His maternal grandfather -Nanaji immensely,who died when Osho was just seven years old. Till the age of seven, Osho did not stayed with his parents but with his maternal grandparents.

Osho had a big setback by this incident in His life and at that time He felt that this life is not worth living anymore. At that night He thought that I must also die today, and with this feeling he slept: "When Nanaji whom I loved so much is no more, then what the use of my living life is; I should also not live in this world. There is no more interest of mine in living; the one whom I loved so much is gone so I should also go." With this feeling in His mind, He went to sleep. It was as if he was inviting the death. For Him death did not come at that time, but something unique happened. He realized himself different from the body. He had his first conscious acquaintance with his formless being. It was merely a glimpse, but the next morning He got up and said to everyone - "Do not cry. Nanaji is not dead, because in reality nobody dies. Last night when my body was lying almost like a dead body; I was actually witnessing all this from within. I have also known that I am different from the body. Also, each of us is not the body but the soul that's lying within." This was the experience of just a seven-year old child

He got enlightened at the age of twenty-one. Osho's flower bloomed on 21st March, 1953 at midnight 2 O'clock sitting under a "Maulshree" tree in the garden of "Bhanwar Taal" situated in the city of Jabalpur. At that time, he unified with the Existence. The experience of oneness with the Existence is the experience of Enlightenment. Thus, 21st March is celebrated as Enlightenment day of Osho. After this, He completed his student life by completing his post graduation in Arts. After completion of His studies, He did a job of being a professor in University for 8 years. He taught the subject of Philosophy. Along with this, He used to give discourses by going to different corners of the country. And His discourses proved to be a challenge to the then contemporary traditional ideologies.

After 1970's He started a new movement of Neo-Sannyas and created several meditation techniques. The Neo-Sannyas movement started spreading like a wildfire and a huge number of people were initiated into it and this started giving rise to a new stream. You may call Osho as the first "Tirthankar" or incarnation of Divine for this new stream. His teachings were not

In 1974, Shree Rajneesh Ashram was established in Pune. This led to spreading of Osho's work to the masses on a large scale. Numerous people from all over the world from different countries started coming to Ashram. The associated with any old traditional ideology or any belief system or any rituals, but were containing the true essence of life and were revolutionary. He used to accept life in all its shades; His religion was not of escapism but of acceptance. He accepted Life totally and taught to enrich each aspect in a positive manner to make it more beautiful. His Sannyas did not mean escaping or runAshram took a big shape. It became the biggest center for human growth and enrichment. Around 5000 people used to be there always, in morning as well as evening.

Osho used to give discourses to the seekers. He ning away to jungles or Himalayan caves, or leaving your home and children; neither denying one's own responsibilities and duties. On the contrary, it had emphasis on living in one's own home-life with the family and practicing Meditation and Samadhi and knowing the Divine self. This changed the meaning of Sannyas in the world and brought a new meaning to it.

showed his insight on the teachings of almost all the saints. The dirt and dust that was accumulated on the old religions was cleaned and renewed. The jewel within it was re-discovered, polished and He added His experience to it.He spoke on Buddha, Mahavir, Patanjali, Nanak, Krishna, Ram, Gorakhnath, Kabir, Paltu, various Sufi saints, Fakirs, Taoists, various saints of the west and gave His invaluable insight on them, thus, giving a new dimension to religion.

In 1981, He left for U.S.A where a city named Rajneeshpuram was formed which was three times bigger than the city of New York. Seeing the rising sun of Osho there, the traditional Christians and U.S government became suspicious and tried to put obstacles in further growth. They made a plan to destroy this commune of Osho. Thus, in 1985, Osho returned back to India and again left for a world tour. He traveled around 21 countries having democratic government and proved it to all that in reality there was no democracy to speak anywhere. He was sent back from 21countries. We are just free in the sense of words only but we are not open enough to listen to the thoughts of an unarmed person.

Oshodhara - The living stream of Osho was born around 10 years ago in 1997. 5th March is celebrated as "Oshodhara Day." Osho's disciple and Sannyasin Swami Anand Siddhartha now known as Osho Siddhartha was blessed with enlightenment on 5th March 1997. In Osho's life, every 7th year had a vital importance. As Osho was never forcing anyone to listen, nor was He trapping people to listen to Him. He was just speaking in midst of His disciples. What harm was He posing to all by this? It was a sheer surprise that those so-called democratic Governments were shaken to their roots by the talks of Osho; this was the magic of his speech.

More than 5000 audio and video discourses of Osho are available. His talks are brought together in almost 650 books. His teachings are translated in more than 50 languages. After refusal from 21 countries, Osho returned back to Mumbai. For around 6 months, He stayed in the "Sumilam" bunglow of Swami Suraj Prakash. After that He went back to Pune. In this span of time, He had an emphasis on the various meditation techniques devised by many saints. On 19th Jan. 90 Osho left His body. Even after His leaving the body, Osho's work is continuously progressing.

said earlier, at the age of seven, Osho's Nanaji left his body, at the age of fourteen Osho had a friend named as Shashi who passed away and again after the circle of next seven year at the age of 21 Osho became enlightened. Osho has mentioned it that in every seven years something of significance used to take place in Hislife. Similarly, exactly after the gap of 7 years of Osho's leaving His body, Swami Anand Siddhartha was enlightened. This again brought a new ray of light as in the gap of those 7 years after Osho had left His body was a sheer darkness. And with the ray of Osho Siddhartha ji again the illumination started spreading and led to emergence of Oshodhara.

There is a story about River Neel. It is said that river Neel flows for miles on Earth and then flowing it goes underground for several kilometers and suddenly it rises again on the surface of Earth. Exactly like this happened with Osho's live stream. Till the time when Osho was in his body the river flowed, but after that from 1990 to 1997 it had gone underground. It continued to flow underneath. Preparations were taking place for it to arise again. Like we sow the seeds and after some days a sapling or a plant comes into existence. In the meanwhile, the seed remains in complete darkness waiting for maturity. Then gradually it grows and after years it becomes a big tree providing shade and fruit. Similarly, again in 1997 this live stream of Osho came to the surface with the Enlightenment of Osho Siddhartha ji on 5th March 1997. Hence, we celebrate 5th March as Oshodhara Day. After this day, many secrets of Samadhi are explored in a scientific way. Many experiments have been carried out. Around 10,000 people have taken part in Samadhi programs. Knowing Samadhi and Knowing the Divine self is in short the introduction of Osho and Oshodhara.

I have heard a prank about Mulla Nassirudin that he went to police station. He told the police station in charge to note down the complaint. Since last year his warrior, tough and muscular wife is missing. It seems someone has taken her away. She is missing. The police station in charge said “It’s out of limit; you are coming for the complaint after one year, why didn’t you come earlier”. Nassirudin said that I could not trust my fate that my warrior; tough and muscular wife can be missing. It took me one year to believe it. Similarly when the crowd of thoughts, noise of emotions, desires, anger, greed, possessiveness these all disappear from disciple’s within, it takes time to trust that I am that lucky. I am the blessed. One can’t believe that the sound of one hand clapping is resonating within me. The hypothetical trust towards the master develops into the real trust. The master tells you that the knack or the key to Samadhi is this divine sound. It helps you to drown within.

Eighth: In harmony with OM
The eighth point is affection towards God. To hear the sound within, to hear the Omkar, this alone will not work. The rise of love, affection, fondness towards the Omkar, we call that affection as bhakti- devotion. The affection towards God is devotion, is ultimate devotion. So knowing Omkarand hearing it alone will not be sufficient. Till you immerse in its love, till you immerse in its devotion, nothing will happen.

Ninth: Oneness with the Ultimate
The ninth point is the experience of Adwait - non duality. One day you will know that the Omkar form of God in which you are immersing and you are one. We are not two, we are one. There will be the declaration of Aham Brahamasmi - I am the Divine. Enlightenment will take place. The ultimate knowledge will be attained.

You have asked that in my life what happened on 5th January, 2001 .This incident took place in my life. There was feeling of non duality, that I and this whole existence are not apart. We are one.

Tenth: Compassion
The tenth point is fabrication of compassion. The person who knows himself one with God, incredible love rises within him. That love is such that some other name will have to be given. The word love runs short, that’s why we called it as compassion. A great compassion arises. Because he notices that the way in which I suffered sorrows, similarly all the people in this world are suffering. Lot of compassion arises, and then he becomes Acharya. He becomes teacher. He becomes a guide. Then he starts sharing what he has known. He starts telling others.

These are the ten points. Nandkumar Ghanshani, who has asked this question, is my friend; he knows me for last 30 years. I would like to tell him one more thing that in my life as I was Osho’s younger brother, second, third and fourth step took place by itself. I began directly from the fifth step. Therefore my journey was very simple.

The vision of Master Osho has evolved my heart and beautified my life. It brought joy and bliss to my life. The fiction of the self has broken like a dream. The dust on the mirror of consciousness has been cleaned by His cooling breeze.

My dark life has been illuminated by light. A fire of life has ignited a candle in the temple of my heart. Just leaving the rope of my Life in His hands, I didn’t swim nor ran in the river of the world but with His grace the boat of my life reached the other shore.