Vande Vandana

Vande Vandana

Vandana Khaitan, a young woman transformed by the grace of her guru, shares with  Navni Chawla her dream of taking her Master’s legacy forward 

Born into a typical Marwari business  family, Vandana was different  from the rest. While everyone in  her circle of friends and family sought  and pursued worldly pleasures, she had a different longing: she wanted to  explore her inner world. Propelled by her  suffering, she undertook a mighty self transformation journey with the grace of  her guru, Yogi Protoplasm (Swami Prajna  Aranyaji).  

Vandana Khaitan is the daughter of aprominent businessman. She invited me  to her home for this interview. As I sat  in her beautiful house and began talking  with her, I was intrigued by her journey.  

On the next page are the highlights of the conversation. 

Can you briefly tell us about yourself and your  journey? 

There was a big tragedy in my life, but if suffering  takes one closer to God and intensifies one’s  vairagya [detachment] and bhakti [devotion], it  is a blessing in disguise. 

When I was 17, a 65-year-old doctor, who was  a family friend, messed up my life. Maybe it  was some past-life karma. He tried to molest  me, and when I was rude to him I got framed  by him. He told my parents that I suffered  from manic depression and that I should be  taken to a psychiatrist. My 12th board exam  results were poor, because of which I was a  little depressed, but I certainly did not suffer  from manic depression. I had been a topper in  school and wanted to go to the USA to study,  but my dad refused to send me and was keen  on getting me married after school. I rebelled  and secretly applied to American Ivy League  colleges. However, I did not get admission.  

My poor parents fell into the doctor’s trap and  rushed me to a psychiatrist who put me on  strong antidepressants. Only after many years  did my parents find out that the doctor was a  crook and had cheated them of crores of rupees  in a charity hospital project and that there were  cases in court against him for molesting nurses. 

When I discontinued the medicines abruptly,  in anger at what the doctor had done to me,  the reaction was so bad that everyone thought I  had some illness [antidepressants are psychotic  drugs and must never be discontinued abruptly].  For 15 long years, these doctors messed up my  life. 

But I believe that I also have some good karma  and through Krishna’s kripa [grace], at the  age of 32, I met my guruji, Yogi Protoplasm, in  Rishikesh, who healed my life and got me out  of the mess. 

When I started narrating my problems to him,  he told me to keep quiet and said the root cause  of any problem is attachment to the perishable  body. He made me realise that I was not this  perishable body but a divine eternal soul. He  said, “Stop talking about your problems and  sit and chant ‘Om’ with me. Mantras [sounds  with mystical powers] will help you break your  attachment to your body and connect you to  your soul bliss.” 

Chanting Om for hours in his presence for a  few days healed my disturbed mind, which  became peaceful. Under his guidance, I left  the antidepressants slowly. So I owe my life to  Guruji. Now I am 54, and it has been 22 years  since I left the medicines. Om is not only a  moksha [liberation] mantra, but it also has great  healing powers. I call my journey thokar se  thakur tak [from misery to the master]. 

What is the vision and mission of your  foundation, Vande Krsna? 

Vande Krsna was founded by me primarily to  promote science and spirituality, and especially  my guru Yogi Protoplasm’s teachings on  Vedanta (the body of knowledge found at the  end of the Vedas) and science globally. 

Gurudev was a disciple of Ramana Maharshi  and Yogi Rama. As a former biology professor,  he was famous for explaining deep Vedantic  truths through science in a simple manner and  for his intensive meditation retreats. He was a  tapasvi mahatma [master of penance] who lived  only on milk for 35 years. 

Though I am only a struggling seeker still  trying to overcome many weaknesses, I dream  of turning my guru’s camps into a global  movement like Vipassana. I want to work  especially with the rich who are poor in values,  for I feel if the one per cent who has the power  

The media is very powerful, and if we can  make masala-cum-message movies which  not only entertain but also enlighten, they  

could help awaken the millions of spiritually  starving people on the planet

and money could be taught to live like raj-rishis  [king-sages], ninety per cent of the poverty and  corruption problems on the planet could be  resolved. 

I also dream of setting up: 

•  Scientific spiritual spas [SSS] which will  heal the body, mind, and soul. 

•  Kirtan [spiritual songs] bars where the DJ  only plays rock kirtan and where only juice  is served so that we can attract the youth  who are mostly going astray through drugs,  alcohol, etc. 

•  Womb-to-tomb centres [WTTC] which  comprise garbh sanskar schools attached to  old age homes and a sarva dharma temple  where the values of all religions are taught  right from the womb stage. Kids must be  taught that values are more valuable than  valuables. 

•  Make ‘masala’ message movies which not  only entertain but also enlighten. 

•  As Kalamji [Dr APJ Abdul Kalam] said,  “Dare to dream!” 

Where does spirituality meet science? In Guruji’s camps, he would show us pictures of  skeletons, telling us to ask ourselves the eternal  question, Who am I? Am I these perishable  body which will certainly decay with disease  and die, or am I a divine eternal soul full of  bliss, peace, and cosmic love? 

Come to think of it, what do most of us do  most of our lives? We indulge in fancy stuff— clothes, jewellery, bags, cars—and, finally,  fancy diseases, fancy hospitals, and, then, fancy  funerals. Mrityuloka [abode of death; Earth] is only a fool’s paradise. Guruji would show  us pictures of the circulatory system and the  pumping heart to teach us how to erase the ego.  He would say, “Suppose your next meeting is  with the prime minister and he is going to give  you a big cheque for your project. You are very  excited to meet him, but your heart suddenly  fails. Can you meet him? So there is a higher  power running this cosmic show. Surrender  and become egoless. ERASE EGO. This was my  guru’s mantra. 

Mahatma Gandhi shook the entire British  Empire, but he never said that he did it. He  always said it was the Lord’s will done through  him. Greatness lies in being humble, simple,  and selfless. 

When people ask my guru why he calls himself  Yogi Protoplasm, he would show them cells  under a microscope. What is each cell made  of? Protoplasm. So, whether you are rich or  poor, black or white, male or female, Hindu or  Muslim, we are all made up of protoplasm. The  Upanishads also say that the soul is one in all  and thus we must practise cosmic living, but  alas, most people are only living in a spirit of  cut-throat competition. Human love is mostly  selfish and conditional. Look at the high  rate of divorces, female foeticide, rape, and  murder in our society. Only saints can practise  unconditional cosmic love. 

If you want to know more about science and  spirituality please read Yogiji’s book Who am  I?: Scientific spiritual search. It is available on  Amazon and other sites. You could also watch  the film based on the book on the Vande Krsna  channel on YouTube. 

What inspires you to make movies? The media is very powerful, and if we can make  masala-cum-message movies which not only  entertain but also enlighten, they could help  awaken the millions of spiritually starving  people on the planet. I have made four films so  far on Vedanta and science, inspired by Guruji: 

•  Who am I?: Scientific Spiritual Search. It is  based on Yogiji’s book of the same name.  With the help of skeletons, circulatory  systems, galaxies, and protoplasm, Yogiji  takes the seeker on an exciting scientific  voyage of Self-discovery. Self-discovery is  Self-recovery. 

•  Mum: Meditation ultimate medication,  which talks about the healing powers  of the mantra Om, Garbhsanskar, past  

life regression therapy, how to heal  relationships, and so on.  

Yogi vs Bhogi 

•  Search of a Spiritual Scientist is a docudrama  on Yogi Protoplasm and his great gurus— Ramana Maharshi and Yogi Rama. The  film explores how a biology professor from  Nellore became a great yogi [one who  practises yoga] and a spiritual scientist. 

•  Yogi vs Bhogi (a person who indulges in  sensual pleasures). In the bhogi’s life, we  have shown corruption, female foeticide,  etc. The yogi tries to awaken the bhogi  through Soul Shakti. Art of Living singer  Siddharth Mohan plays the role of the yogi  and sings in the film, and Kiran Bedi makes  a guest appearance too. 

So, yogi bano ya bhogi ya fir rogi (become a yogi  or a bhogi or a diseased person)—the choice is  yours! 

I dream of remaking Yogi vs Bhogi for the big  screen. 

I am grateful to my dad who helped me produce  these movies. Special thanks to Sucheta and  Harsh Anand who directed the films as a guru  seva (service to the guru) project. 

Movie-cum-meditation workshops are done  through me. Level 1 is for two hours, and Level  2, for two days. We teach an ancient meditation  technique called Pranava Nada Anusandhan, or  six stages of chanting Om. 

In the past, we have done workshops for the  Bhilwara group, Manya group, PHD Chamber  of Commerce, and others.  

What, according to you, needs to change in  the world we live in? 

I feel there are many problems on the planet, but  the root cause is a lack of spiritual awakening.  

Why is man so greedy and selfish? Why are most  people religious and practising commercial  devotion, but only a few are spiritual, leading  simple selfless lives? Why is there corruption  and politics even in the ashrams (monasteries)? 

I feel that a ‘values vaccine’ is the urgent need  of the hour and that instilling values must  start right from the womb stage. Garbhadhan and Garbhsanskar must be promoted. Children  must be taught the knowledge of the soul: At  the soul level we are all one and if we have to  earn our promotion from Mrityuloka (which is  temporary and full of suffering) to Brahmaloka  ( where there is no disease and death) we have  to live pure lives of simplicity and selflessness.  Alas, due to ignorance, most of us are running  after paisa [money], power, and party—not  Purity. 

Kids must also be taught about the Law of Karma  and the principles of reincarnation. If all these  spiritual truths are drilled into children right from  the womb stage, we could fight all the problems on  the planet with Soul Shakti.  

Kids must also be taught about the Law of  Karma and the principles of reincarnation. If all  these spiritual truths are drilled into children  right from the womb stage, we could fight all  the problems on the planet with Soul Shakti.  Pseudo-secularism destroyed our heritage.  Secularism means values from all religions  must be taught, and kids must learn to respect  their differences. The goal of human birth is  not just money and marriage, but moksha. 

I have written a booklet called MAD—Make a  Difference—which explores spiritual solutions  to problems on the planet, such as corruption,  female foeticide, and drugs. This book is  available on Amazon.  

How do you relate to Krishna Consciousness? I am a Krishna bhakta [devotee] and I practise  both Saguna and Nirguna Upasana. I dance  to Krishna Kirtan every day for around one  hour in the morning and evening. It keeps me  charged and blissful, and connected to the Lord  of the Universe. 

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Kirtan is the easiest form of sadhana in Kaliyuga.  It is nice to do kirtan in the morning and  evening, but we must also try to see Krishna or  our Ishta Devata in everyone we meet, whether  rich or poor, friend or foe, male or female,  healthy or sick. Only when we can radiate and  practise unconditional cosmic love, we get  eligible for liberation from this painful cycle of  repeated birth, old age, disease, and death. 

What is love according to you? 

Human love is mostly selfish and conditional.  Look at the high rate of divorce, female  foeticide, and rape in our society. Divine love  is selfless and unconditional, as in the case of  Mother Teresa picking up abandoned people on  the streets and taking care of them or that of  Jas Kalra, who is only 22 and heads the Earth  Saviours Foundation. His NGO also picks up  and takes care of homeless people. We must, as  human beings, aspire to move from our human  love into cosmic love. Only then will God, or  Divine Dad, free us from the repeated cycle of  birth, old age, diseases, and death.  

This body, which we keep decking up, will be burnt  to ashes one day. Mantras, especially the Om mantra,  have the power to break the attachment to the  perishable body and connect us to our divine soul. 

Most people are religious and practise commercial  devotion to get this or that from God, but only a  few are spiritual and lead simple selfless lives. I  find those who attain cosmic love very blessed. 

Visualise one person who has hurt you and send  that person vibrations of forgiveness and say, “Oh  God, You Yourself have come in this form to help  me work out my past life karma and to test me.  Please help me to have compassion for this person  and not hatred.” I have used this visualisation to  heal many of my relationships and forgive people  who hurt me in my troubled times. 

How does one access creativity and intuition  easily? 

One can access the reservoir of creativity,  inspiration, and intuition through chanting,  meditation, and selfless work as they help to  purify our mind. As our soul awareness increases,  our intuitive powers also increase proportionally.  

As the mind becomes purer and subtler through  sadhana [spiritual practice] and seva, creativity  also shoots up.  

So, a pure mind is your passport to becoming  a Bliss Billionaire. But, unfortunately, most  people are chasing pati [husband], putra [son],  paisa[money], party, property, and power, but only  a few are chasing Purity. Maya Magic [illusion] is  very powerful in Mrityuloka that allures everyone  and keeps them away from realising their highest  Self. 

What is the antidote to suffering according to  you? 

A Self-realised master knows that they are not  this perishable body but a divine, eternal soul  and radiates unconditional cosmic love. They can  watch the ups and downs of life like a drama and  be mentally unaffected. Ramana Maharshi had  cancer, but was immersed in the bliss of Samadhi [  abidance in the Self] and was not affected mentally  by his body pain. In the last stages of his life, he  was operated on without anaesthesia. Of course, it  is very rare to find a yogi like Ramana Maharshi  

in today’s times, but if we are regular with our  prayers, chanting, meditation, and selfless work,  we can also access our divine soul’s blissful nature. Whether one is playing the role of a beggar or a  millionaire, this body will certainly disease, decay,  and die. The Upanishads and the Geeta repeatedly  tell us we are not these perishable bodies but  divine eternal souls full of bliss, peace, and cosmic  love. Because of ignorance, our attachment to  the perishable body is strong, and that’s why we  suffer. We say “my body, my money, my family”  but, in reality, nothing is ours. This body, which  we keep decking up, will be burnt to ashes one  day. Mantras, especially the Om mantra, have the  power to break the attachment to the perishable  body and connect us to our divine soul. 

So, we must make a routine of prayers, chanting,  and meditation, and try to see and serve God in  everyone, whether rich or poor, black or white,  

Hindu or Muslim, friend or foe. 

The Geeta says your last thought determines  your next birth. So, if your last thought is pure or  divine, you will certainly get out of this cycle of  birth, old age, disease, and death. 

The most beautiful thing about Vandana is that  regardless of whatever she went through in life,  she used all the good, bad, and ugly experiences  to become a better human being and help other  people transform their lives. Her resilience, will,  and love for her guru not only helped her come out  of hell but also turned her mind and heart into a  living paradise where bhakti, bhajans [devotional  songs], and pure love for God reside. Today,  she dreams of transforming other people and  contributing towards making this world a better  place to live in. 

•  One can marvel at Vandana’s work by visiting her website: www.Vandekrsnafoundation.com. •  All her workshop enquiries can be emailed at vandekrsna@gmail.com 

•  One can watch her films, talks, bhajans, and guided meditations on her YouTube channel called  Vandekrsna. 

•  To order Yogiji book: buy online at Amazon.in, Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazonkindle,  notionpress store, google play, Flipkart.com