biography of sadhguru in english

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Sadhguru – Biography | Teachings | Quotes

Jaggi Vasudev known as Sadhguru is an Indian yogi who teaches yoga, meditation and frequently answers questions related to spirituality. He is known for his keen wit, humour and ability to combine ancient Indian yoga with modern life. He founded the Isha Yoga Centre and has promoted several environmental issues. He has travelled around the world, speaking at venues from Davos to the United Nations. He promotes a spirituality which emphasises personal transformation, clean living and social awareness. He has been associated with aspects of Hindu nationalism

Jaggi Vasudeva was born 3 September 1957 in Mysore, India to relatively affluent parents. His father was a doctor who travelled around the country. As a child, Jaggi was high spirited with a streak of rebelliousness. He was easily bored with school and would frequently play truant and appear fearless in the face of authority. Rather than spend time in school, he would often wander off on his own to the countryside and become absorbed in nature. He owned a bicycle and would frequently cycle on long tours. He loved sports and outdoor pursuits and was interested in maintaining the best physical health. From the age of 13, he took up hatha yoga after meeting a 70-year-old yogi who displayed great physical dexterity.

His fearlessness and physical strength led to a lucrative job as a snake catcher. He would not use a stick but just catch snakes with his bare hands. He has had a lifelong closeness to snakes and the snake world. For a while, as a teenager, he threw himself into revolutionary politics as he became concerned with social justice but after a few years, he became disenchanted with the levels of hatred and hypocrisy within the political movements.

After school, he enrolled in a self-study course of English Literature at Mysore University, and despite his usual erratic attendance, managed to graduate, finishing second in English Literature. After graduating, rather pursuing more studies, to the dissappointment of his family, he set up his own poultry farm. Starting from scratch, he worked all day to create a financially successful business. With money from his poultry farm, he also set up an even more successful construction company. When not working on his farm, he would spontaneously tour the country on his motorbike, – often at furious speed and taking extreme risk. He was never keen on planning but would travel at the drop of the hat. A popular destination for Jaggi was Chamundi Hill. In these days, he spent time with a group of friends who were attracted to a more alternative lifestyle – for a time, they considered forming an idealistic commune, but it never materialised.

Self-realisation

Chamundi Hill CC 2.0

Aged 25, Jaggi had a successful, if unconventional worldly life, but all this was set to change. On 23 September 1982, Jaggi made a typical journey on his motorbike to Chamundi Hill – he had no particular reason for going – he just often felt drawn to this mountain. Whilst sitting on a rock, without any particular effort, he began to enter a meditative state. In his own words he writes:

“Suddenly, I did not know which was me and which was not me. The air that I was breathing, the rock on which I was sitting, the atmosphere around me, everything had become me… And here I’m sitting tears are flowing to the point where my shirt is wet, and I’m ecstatically crazy! But, here I am, drenched with a completely new kind of blissfulness.” ( More than a life – Sadhguru )

Sadhguru later said, it is hard to describe the experience of enlightenment, but it felt not so much like an achievement but as a homecoming – a remembrance of what we always had – the awareness of the infinite energy and delight that makes up the universe. When he came back to his normal consciousness, it was evening and several hours had passed. It was an experience that changed completely the direction of his life. He said he went up the mountain as a happy go lucky motorcyclist and came back a mystic.

“Enlightenment never happens. It is there; it is always there. The sadhana that you do is just to see it is there. You are not doing sadhana to construct divinity within you. All you will construct is only ego.” The Times of India, March 28, 2005 [1]

Photo Regstuff, CC BY-SA 3.0

Shortly after he retired from his construction business, and for a year mostly sat absorbed in meditation and experiencing the bliss of his new inner experiences. People began interacting differently with him – seeing in him some inner vision. People spontaneously asked him for advice or to divinise the future. Even his physical appearance changed, with his voice becoming deeper and his eyes wider and brighter. After a year, he decided to teach yoga and from small beginnings more were drawn to his yoga practises and this began the formation of his yoga organisation.

In 1984, he met Vijji, at a yoga programme. They both felt a deep kinship and despite objections from parents about caste suitability, they decided to marry. Jaggi felt that Vijji had been his sister in a previous lifetime, when he was a yogi with little contact with his family. They had a daughter Radhe, who now works as a trained yoga instructor.

In 1987, he toyed with the idea of developing his farm and making it a model co-operative farm, but just before the harvest, it burned down. He accepted this setback with typical detachment and took it as a sign to begin a new life path, without any business entanglements and devote himself to travelling and teaching yoga.

As more people became attracted to his path of yoga, a further change came over Jaggi, rather than just a happy go lucky friend, he evolved into a role as a spiritual guru. To his disciples who were committed to the spiritual life, he could be strict in directing their spiritual growth and encouraging them to discipline their lives.

“Do not aspire to meet a wonderful person. Aspire to become the wonderful person that you expect others to be.” – Sadhguru

Sadhguru at World Economic Forum CC-BY-SA-2.0

In 1992, he formally established the Isha Foundation in the Velliangiri Mountains in the state of Tamil Nadu, South India. Through his Isha Foundation, he teaches yoga – or the “inner engineering”. This program teaches an integral approach to life, combining hatha yoga, meditation, selfless service and community-minded living. As his spiritual following increased, Jaggi continued to evolve – from a rebellious agnostic spirit, he increasingly took on the role of spiritual Guru and those who knew him well observed a shift as he became less familiar but more the role of a spiritual guide. It was at this stage that he began to be known as Sadhguru. Although he had often been sceptical of organised religion and spirituality, his own ashram began to develop a sense of order and rules, similar to many other ashrams. He started to initiate people into the path of Brahmacharya. (celibacy) To Sadhguru Brahmacharya is not about what we give up, but the opportunity to taste the real freedom of Brahmin by going far beyond limited human pleasure.

“My whole work is to enhance people’s perception. I have no teaching. I have no philosophy. I have no religion. I have no belief system. All I have is methods to enhance people’s perception, because only what you perceive, you know.” More than a life – Sadhguru

“People ask me, “Sadhguru what is the significance of your work?” I said “Tears.” Every day millions of people across the world shed tears of love and ecstasy on a daily basis. This is my significance. I bring tears to people.” ( Paper Mag )

The Dhyanalinga was finally consecrated on 23 June 1999. Sadhguru explains that those who meditate and pray near the consecrated ground will be able to get in touch with a deeper spiritual reality and make faster progress. No particular belief system is needed, just an openness of heart.

In recent years, Sadhguru has travelled around the world. He is a frequent guest on tv shows, forums and student bodies around the world. These sessions frequently involve inviting questions from the audience. Sadhguru has spoken around the world from the Oxford Union to Davos and Ted Talks.

Adiyogi by Prabhuthiru57 CC BY-SA 4.0

Sadhguru designed a large state of Adiyogi (Shiva as the world’s first guru) In Feb 2017, Sadhguru it was inaugurated by India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The aim of the statue is to inspired people towards inner well-being through yoga.

This face is not a deity or temple, this is an iconic inspiration. In pursuit of the divine, you don’t have to look up because it is not somewhere else.

“The spiritual process is just to create the right kind of chemistry, where you are naturally peaceful, naturally joyous.” Encounter the Enlightened (2001)

A key part of Sadhguru’s teachings is the belief that individuals have the capacity to shape their thoughts, emotions and actions through conscious awareness. He advocates healthy living, hatha yoga, meditation and the cultivation of spiritual devotion. Sadhguru has said:

“Devotees often look like a bunch of idiots to the rest of the world, but the wisest ones are always devotees. This is a different kind of wisdom which logical minds can never understand.” ( More than a life – Sadhguru ) p .177

Sadhguru has also been keen to promote a spirituality that is embracing of life – and not the asceticism of past Indian practises. When talking and answering questions, he often makes use of humour to puncture someone’s pride and show that the spiritual life is not all about seriousness.

“Spirituality does not mean going away from life. Spirituality means becoming alive in the fullest possible way so you are not just alive on the surface, you are alive to the core.” The Times of India, 10 June 2009

In his book Inner Engineering, he argues we all have the capacity to throw off depression and cultivate inner happiness through spiritual practises, such as avoiding negativity and seeking to cultivate inner joy and happiness. He maintains his teachings is not a belief system or ideology, but like technology.

“So inner engineering is a fundamental technology. I’m insisting it’s a technology because it’s not a philosophy. It’s not a belief system. It’s not an ideology. It’s not even a teaching” ( Paper Mag )

Sadhguru’s personality and method of interaction

Sadhguru’s personality is multifarious. At times, he can be childlike – joking and teasing those close to him. At other times, he assumes his role as Guru, and can become a hard taskmaster – to some of his disciples, he may say nothing outwardly, seeking to draw them closer inwardly. At other times, in question and answers sessions, he appears as a rational, charming speaker with always a ready answer to any question. Outside a hectic travel schedule, he enjoys playing golf and driving very fast. He advocates a vegetarian diet and moderation in consumption. He has warned about the health and spiritual drawbacks of consuming alcohol, meat, tobacco and drugs. Although he read widely, he sees his answers as coming from his own inner wisdom and very rarely uses any kind of scripture to illustrate his answer. Rather than scripture, he likes to use anecdote, parable or story from India’s spiritual past. He loves trekking in the Himalayas and sometimes leads trekking parties. He has also been involved in offering programmes for long-term prisoners in Tamil Nadu prisons.

Past incarnations

Sadhguru has revealed that since enlightenment he remembers previous incarnations that have had an influence on this life and his role. In one incarnation, over 365 years ago he was born in an orthodox Hindu family, who were ardent Shiva devotees and practised the art of being snake-charmers. However, he fell in love with a Muslim girl, which caused great consternation with his family. After refusing to give up his love, he was sentenced to death by being poisoned by snakes. This life-experience had a profound impact on his love and kinships with snakes. Sadhguru states snakes are quite evolved beings and should always be treated with respect. It also reveals itself in his distaste for any caste or religious distinction. Another incarnation he talks about was a Sadhguru called Sri Brahma, a yogi and sadhu with a strong temper. This yogi had experienced self-realisation but was unable to share his spiritual wealth because of the hostility of society and his lack of social skills for dealing with a sceptical public. This incarnation is an opportunity to complete the failed attempts in this last incarnation. In another incarnation, he spoke of gaining enlightenment with the help of his guru Palani Swami. His Guru had helped him attain enlightenment but also in return imposed a mission to build a Dhyanalinga – a source of spiritual energy which would help other seekers.

Humanitarian projects

Sadhguru has been involved in several environmental initiatives, such as the mass planting of trees – along India’s depleted rivers and also agricultural areas on Kaveri in Tamil Nadu.

“Trees and humans are in an intimate relationship. What they exhale, we inhale, what we exhale they inhale. This is a constant relationship that nobody can afford to break or live without.” – Sadhguru (on Project GreenHands mass tree planting initiative) Isha Insights Magazine, Spring Edition 2009

Sadhguru has expressed political opinions more than is usual for a yogi, and is recognised as one of India’s most influential and powerful people. He says he is not affiliated with any political movement and the most important thing is to bring spirituality into political life. However, his views often align with the Hindu nationalist party the BJP. He has argued for a tough line on militants in Kashmir.

Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan . “Biography of Sadhguru”, Oxford, UK – www.biographyonline.net . Published 1 April 2020.

More than a life – Sadhguru

More than a life – Sadhguru – by Arundhathi Subramaniam

Inner Engineering: A Yogi’s Guide to Joy – by Arundhathi Subramaniam

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Photo top left: Photo Aveda Corp. CC BY 2.0

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Sadhguru Biography: Journey Of Jagdish Vasudev Becoming Yoga Mystic Sadhguru Of Isha Foundation

Sadhguru Biography: Millions of people around the world admire Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, one of the most well-known contemporary spiritual gurus. As an Indian yogi and spiritual leader, his voice has wide appeal to both Western and Eastern audiences. Check out his journey of becoming the yoga mystic in this article.

• By Kashish Rai
• Published: Sat, 21 Oct 2023 02:10 PM (IST)
• Source: JND
• Google News

Sadhguru Biography: Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, one of the most well-known contemporary spiritual leaders is adored by millions of people all over the world. His voice has a broad appeal to both Western and Eastern audiences as a yogi and spiritual leader from India. Sadhguru, who is well-liked for his humorous but astute insight, has delivered speeches at numerous international forums, including the United Nations, the World Economic Forum, TED events, and a variety of business and leadership expos. Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev is regarded as a prototypical modern yogi and is present on the international stage in two ways - First as a humanitarian, through his advocacy and criticism of social and economic issues. Second, as a mystic who used old yogic sciences for the spiritual advancement of humanity. In addition, he established the Isha Foundation, a global non-profit devoted to "elevating human consciousness." Let us have a look at the journey of Jaggi Vasudev becoming the Yoga Mystic. 

Sadhguru Biography: Life Journey Of Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev 

1. Early Life, Education And Business - Sadhguru was born in 1957 in Mysore, Karnataka, India and was given the name Jagdish aka Jaggi Vasudev. He loved the outdoors and enjoyed spending time in the lovely Indian forests close to his home. He was the youngest of five siblings. He first encountered Malladihalli Sri Raghavendra Swamiji when he was twelve years old when he also discovered yoga. He became proficient in asanas, but he never really displayed much interest in spiritual matters at this point in his life. Sadhguru completed his official education while studying English Literature at Mysore, Karnataka. He tried several occupations, including poultry farming and construction, after completing his academic education. He became a prosperous businessman and was making a good livelihood by the middle of his twenties. 

Millions of people all around the world admire Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, one of the most well-known spiritual gurus. (Image Source: Isha Foundation)

2. Spiritual Awakening And Travels - When Sadhguru was sitting in meditation on a rock at Chamundi Hill on September 23, 1982, he had a spiritual awakening that forever altered the course of his life. He set off on a year-long journey to various locations, getting more deeply into a meditative state, in an effort to learn the mysteries of this spiritual meeting. After this transcendental experience, he started teaching yoga, mainly in southern India and rented out his poultry farm to a friend. His very first yoga session was held in Mysore in 1983, which served as the beginning of a journey that would see him teach yoga and convey a spiritual message throughout Karnataka and Hyderabad. Sadhguru’s classes gained enormous popularity over time. He made the choice to teach his yoga courses for free in order to support himself while travelling by motorbike and living off the rent from his rented poultry farm. He would gather donations from his students at the end of each class and give them to nearby charitable organisations.

3. Sadhguru’s Wife Vijji And Daughter Radhe - In Mysore, India, Sadhguru first met Vijji, who later became her wife. They wrote each other sweet love notes before getting married in 1984. In 1990, they had a daughter named Radhe, who grew up to become a Bharatanatyam dancer professionally. According to reports, in addition to working at a financial institution, Sadhguru's wife also volunteered and taught yoga.

Also Read: 5 Life-Changing Tips By Sri Sri Ravi Shankar To Reduce Stress At Work And Boost Productivity

4. Foundation Of The Isha Yoga Center - The Isha Foundation, which offers a range of yoga and meditation activities, was established by Sadhguru in 1992. Additionally, the ashram and yoga centre organises secular and spiritual education, as well as extensive local and international philanthropic outreach. He constructed the yogic temple of meditation known as "Dhyanalinga" inside the Isha Yoga Centre in 1999. According to Sadhguru, establishing this important location was the "mission of three lifetimes".

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Jaggi Vasudev Biography

Birthday: September 3 , 1957 ( Virgo )

Born In: Mysore, Karnataka, India

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Also Known As: Sadhguru

Age: 67 Years , 67 Year Old Males

Spouse/Ex-: Vijyakumari (m. 1984–1996)

father: Dr. B.V. Vasudev

mother: Susheela Vasudev

children: Radhe Jaggi

Born Country: India

Philanthropists Spiritual & Religious Leaders

City: Mysore, India

Founder/Co-Founder: Isha Foundation

education: University of Mysore

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Where is jaggi vasudev from, what is the main philosophy of jaggi vasudev, what are some popular books authored by jaggi vasudev, what is isha foundation, founded by jaggi vasudev, known for, how does jaggi vasudev promote mindfulness and meditation.

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An In-Depth Look at Sadhguru’s Teachings and Philosophy

Sadhguru, a highly respected spiritual leader, has been shaping minds and transforming lives with his profound wisdom and teachings. This article explores the teachings of Sadhguru and delves into his philosophy that has inspired millions around the globe.

Introduction

“The only thing that stands between you and your wellbeing is a simple fact: you have allowed your thoughts and emotions to take instruction from the outside rather than the inside.” – Sadhguru

Sadhguru, a thought leader and mystic, has captivated audiences worldwide with his wisdom, wit, and piercing logic. His teachings, centered around self-realization and inner peace, have made profound impacts on countless lives.

Life and Background

Born in Mysore, India, in 1957, Sadhguru’s spiritual quest started at an early age. His journey is a fascinating tale of self-discovery and enlightenment.

Sadhguru’s spiritual inclination was apparent from his childhood. His curiosity led him to explore nature, and he spent considerable time meditating, which later shaped his spiritual teachings.

Spiritual Awakening

The pivotal moment in Sadhguru’s life was his spiritual awakening at the age of 25. This transformative experience led him to the path of self-realization and enlightenment.

Sadhguru’s teachings are diverse and cover a range of topics, from spirituality to science, health to humanity, cosmos to culture.

Inner Engineering

One of Sadhguru’s key teachings is ‘Inner Engineering’, a technology for wellbeing derived from the ancient science of Yoga.

Sadhguru emphasizes the importance of meditation in achieving inner peace and wellbeing. He has introduced several meditation practices that are easy to incorporate into daily life.

Sadhguru’s philosophy is a blend of ancient wisdom and modern insight. He believes in the power of the individual to create their own destiny.

Self-Realization

Sadhguru’s philosophy is centered around self-realization. He believes that true freedom comes from understanding the self.

Wellbeing, according to Sadhguru, is a state achieved through inner peace and self-awareness.

Impact and Influence

Sadhguru’s influence extends beyond his teachings. His initiatives in education, environment, and rural upliftment have made significant impacts.

Isha Foundation

Sadhguru established the Isha Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to human wellbeing and the upliftment of society.

Environmental Initiatives

Sadhguru has launched several environmental initiatives, emphasizing the importance of conserving nature for future generations.

The teachings and philosophy of Sadhguru continue to inspire millions worldwide, guiding them towards a path of self-realization, inner peace, and wellbeing.

Written by F.s

"Life is a dream for the wise, a game for the fool, a comedy for the rich, a tragedy for the poor."

Text to speech

Who Is Sadhguru? Learn All You Need to Know about the Yogi

Who is sadhguru – an introduction to the renowned yogi.

Jagadish Vasudev (Jaggi), or Sadhguru, is a renowned yoga guru from the south of India, known worldwide for his spiritual messages, meditation, philanthropy, wisdom, and insightful books. He has been teaching people how to overcome the challenging task of establishing harmony between spirit, body, and mind.

He began teaching yoga in 1982 and quickly rose to fame for his influential teaching style and for bringing a positive change in the lives of others.

In 1992, Sadhguru started the Isha Foundation, which is now world-famous as a center for yoga and spiritual knowledge. It also operates as an ashram where people can live for a few days to disconnect from the physical world and learn about themselves from a more enlightening perspective through meditation.

Sadhguru is a simple man with a simple goal. He works for the poor and the needy and has vowed to establish better healthcare centers in 54000 villages of Tamil Nadu for the rural poor. Aside from that, Sadhguru has also been working on a plan to plant 114 million trees all over Tamil Nadu to increase the forest density and greenery in the region.

Sadhguru Meditation

According to Sadguru, his name is not a title but a mere description of himself to the world. Sadhguru translates into the “Uneducated Guru,” as he shuns away any attributions of high holiness to himself and presents himself as a simple man.

What Is Sadhguru Meditation?

Sadhguru explains that to be in a state of meditation means to have a quality that can foster a harmonious balance of our emotions, mind, body, and a certain level of prepared energy. Furthermore, he explains how just like the onset of a spring, we can brace our body and mind for the world in the same way.  

What Is the Purpose of Sadhguru Meditation?

All in all, the real purpose of meditation in today’s busy world is self-preservation. Sadhguru believes that meditation is a kind of inner technology that allows people to engineer their inner being or system.

All of this neglect and carelessness against our bodies has resulted in hundreds of diseases worldwide that humans themselves have created. Sadhguru believes that since we have the capability to create problems, we also have the talents and power to overcome them. One of the ways one can care for their body and stop fighting against it is through mediation.

Sadhguru Books

Both books have been a part of The New York Times Best Seller list owing to their guiding knowledge and fantastic writing style. Sadhguru has also written Death: An Inside Story  and Mystic’s Musings . Most of his works focus on spirituality and how to attain inner peace and mindfulness. From eating a healthier diet to improving one’s perspective to learning about death, Sadhguru books cover everything.  

Inner Engineering: A Yogi’s Guide to Joy

In one of the most popular Sadhguru books, Inner Engineering: A Yogi’s Guide to Joy , Sadhguru shows readers the way of attaining ultimate personal well-being through classical yoga.

He related the exact moment he discovered enlightenment as an experience when time stood still, and he resurfaced as a new man. The book offers a guiding path to unique individuals interested in finding the deeper side of themselves and learning profound wisdom from Sadhguru. Many people believe that Inner Engineering  presents an innovative way of thinking about the world and the chance to attain a life of fulfillment and joy.

Mystic’s Musings

This is one of the most interesting Sadhguru books as it is an intriguing collection of wisdom from Sadhguru’s talks and discourses. Mystic’s Musings  is a book that compels the readers to look into the authenticity and the truth of things around them.

From discussing the core of the existence of human beings to discussing ways one can go beyond their fears, this book is for people who are strong-headed and enjoy an exciting conversation about reality, existence, life, hopes, struggles, and other abstract topics.

Sadhguru Videos

Aside from his literary works, Sadhguru has also made videos that share his message of spirituality and peace among the masses. Most of his videos feature sermons and talks related to mysticism and worldly and other-worldly topics that enlighten people new to Sadhguru’s philosophies.

People who seek answers to specific spiritual questions can often be seen in Sadhguru videos. He goes into a deep discourse with them and presents solutions and answers with his illuminating wisdom regarding fate, the compulsions of life, human misery, pain, and the contradictions in our lives.

Do You Know Who You Really Are? | Sadhguru Answers

Sadhguru answers a seeker’s questions on the purpose of life and explains what it takes to know the nature of one’s existence.

Sadhguru – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Who is sadhguru, how old is sadhguru, where is sadhguru now.

Sadhguru often travels worldwide on tours and gives sermons and talks regarding his philosophies on life, death, mindfulness, and more. He has visited North America and has even finished a 10,000-mile journey through the continent on his motorcycle.

Where is Sadhguru from?

Related articles.

41 Inspirational Sadhguru Quotes for Meditation

Image Credit – President’s Secretariat (GODL-India) ,  GODL-India , via Wikimedia Commons

Image Credit – “ An Insight, An Idea with Sadhguru ” by  World Economic Forum  is marked with  CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 .

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Jaggi Vasudev (Sadhguru) Age, Wife, Children, Family, Biography & More

Some Lesser Known Facts About Jaggi Vasudev (Sadhguru)

• He is the founder of the Isha Foundation that offers Yoga programmes all over the world.
• He has been actively involved in social outreach, environmental initiatives, and educational programmes.
• For his contribution towards spirituality, the Indian Government conferred him the Padma Vibhushan award on 13 April 2017.

• He liked to travel alone on his motorcycle at different places of India.

• He claims to have had a spiritual experience on 23 September 1982,  while sitting on a rock at Chamundi Hill.
• In order to discover more about his mystical experience, he travelled various places, and after deep meditation of a year, he decided to share this inner experience with others.
• He conducted his first Yoga class in Mysore in 1983 and then he continued it across Karnataka and Hyderabad. Gradually, his Yoga classes became so popular that over 15,000 participants began to attend them.
• He decided not to accept anything for his Yoga classes and depended fully on the produce of his poultry farm for survival.

• His yoga programme is named as ‘Inner Engineering’ that instructs people meditation, Isha Kriya, Chit Shakti, Shambhavi Mahamudra, and Pranayam.
• Besides conducting regular yoga classes at the Isha Yoga Center, he also started a course for the Indian Hockey team in 1996.
• In 1997, he started conducting Yoga classes in the United States, and after one year, he decided to conduct them for prisoners in Tamil Nadu.
• On 23 June 1999, he built a yogic temple ”The Dhyanalinga,” a place for meditation, 30 km from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.    
• He attended the World Economic Forum in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, and also addressed the United Nations Millennium World Peace Summit in 2000.
• In order to improve the health and quality of life of poor people in backward areas, he started ”Action for Rural Rejuvenation” (ARR) programme in 2003 that has benefitted over 7 million people of 4,200 villages till now.
• In 2005, he constructed the Isha Institute of Inner-sciences at McMinnville, Tennessee, USA. The same year, he also founded a residential school named ”Isha Home School” at the Isha Yoga Center near Coimbatore.
• In 2006, Isha Vidhya Foundation planted 8,052,587 plants in 6,284 locations across Tamil Nadu in a single day and registered its name in the Guinness Book of World Records.

• In Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, he conducts Mahasathsangs in which he talks about environment, spirituality, and meditation.

• He consecrated the Linga Bhairavi (the feminine aspect of God) at the Isha Yoga Center on 30 January 2010.
• In the alignment of Dhyanalinga and Linga Bhairavi, he constructed a Spanda Hall (means primal or primordial) for conducting programmes like Bhava Spandana (meditation) and other celebrations.
• In June 2010, his Project GreenHands (PGH) was awarded the Indira Gandhi Paryavaran Puraskar, by the Government of India. As an ecological initiative, PGH planted over 27 million trees by over 2 million volunteers in Tamil Nadu.
• In order to improve literacy in rural areas of India, he started Isha Vidhya Foundation with the aim of adopting more than 3,000 schools, it has now adopted over 512 government schools to help financially weak students in backward areas.
• In 2012, he also started the Isha Insight program to uplift the small and medium scaled businesses.

• Sadhguru also participated in a famous documentary – ONE: The Movie directed by Scott Carter, Ward M. Powers, and Diane Powers.
• He sometimes likes to drive a four-wheeler and flies a helicopter too.  In April 2017, he was seen getting instructions from Christian Rado a professional racing driver and drove a Toyota Scion (1000 hp, 340 kmph), around a racetrack. In order to get the experience of flying a helicopter, Sadhguru took off the helicopter three-four times and landed it twice.

• He revealed the facts of his personality elaborately in the interviews with Bollywood film star Anupam Kher and Famous Hindi Film Director Karan Johar .

References/Sources: [ + ]

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Sadhguru, the spiritual leader with ties to Will Smith and Modi, explained

The West’s obsession with gurus has made him a regular on podcasts and panels. Some say he’s “a neoliberal guru for neoliberal times.”

by Sonia Paul

In October 2020, the Indian spiritual leader who calls himself Sadhguru posted a video to his Instagram account that seemed to cement his celebrity status in the West.

In it, Will Smith reveals that he’s been following Sadhguru for a while and praises his New York Times bestselling self-help book, Inner Engineering . The actor is now welcoming one of India’s most powerful gurus into his home so that his family can also be inspired by his spirituality. The video then turns to Sadhguru, who has pulled up on the driveway on a motorcycle. He’s dressed in a long tan-colored kurta, black salwar trousers, and white high-top shoes, his white beard fluffed out like Santa Claus. Like other celebrity gurus before him, he seems both foreign and familiar as he translates what often sounds like timeless teachings for our modern era. As Jagadish “Jaggi” Vasudev — the man popularly known as Sadhguru — asserts that the most successful people are the most miserable people and that we perpetuate our own suffering, Smith and his daughter, Willow, hang on his every word. “You’re a bad director of your own drama!” Sadhguru jokes with Smith over the dinner table discussion.

So it was no wonder that when Smith was spotted in Mumbai in late April, in his first public outing since he slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars, rumor had it that he intended to meet with Sadhguru. That was not true, however, because Vasudev has been preoccupied with his own affairs.

The self-proclaimed mystic is the founder of the Isha Foundation, a nonprofit spiritual center that houses a yoga center and claims over 300 offshoots around the world. He also has a radio show and a popular YouTube channel , and, earlier this year, stopped by Trevor Noah’s show and Joe Rogan’s podcast to discuss his latest environmental crusade, “Save Soil.” On June 21, he finished a 100-day motorcycle journey intended to continue to rally support for his environmental cause, which took him across Europe, Central Asia, and the Middle East.

He has now recently arrived in the United States, according to an Isha volunteer who offered answers to questions for this story over email, where he is continuing to promote his “Save Soil” movement and conduct yoga-related programs throughout the month of July. The volunteer, who did not give a name and simply signed the email with “Isha Volunteer,” added they were coordinating more events in the US and Latin America.

In addition to his volunteers and celebrities like Matthew McConaughey and Andrea Bocelli , Vasudev has found a receptive audience among world leaders. At home, he’s welcomed accolades from India’s right-wing Hindu nationalist prime minister, Narendra Modi, and just this month he tweeted a photo with former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg. He has also spoken at Google , Microsoft India , the World Bank , World Economic Forum , and in May addressed the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.

When he’s not appealing to the world’s most powerful, he’s among the biggest influencers of internet culture: Vasudev sat down with YouTuber Logan Paul and a group of Paul’s friends to discuss relationship problems and life’s meaning, wearing overalls, sunglasses, and a cowboy hat. Paul introduced Sadhguru as “one of the most prominent, most-viewed spiritual gurus in the world,” and left Vasudev chuckling when he insisted this means Sadhguru has the answers to everything. Even as his professed expertise spans from yoga to the climate crisis, Vasudev maintains that he knows nothing. He acknowledges he has never consulted any ancient scriptures. He says his name, Sadhguru, is a description of an “ uneducated guru ” — although those who know Sanskrit might gather that Sadhguru, as his name’s meaning suggests, is the “true guru.”

With this persona, Vasudev has attracted 8.3 million Instagram followers and 3.9 million Twitter followers , making him more popular on these platforms than motivational coach Tony Robbins or self-help writer and former presidential candidate Marianne Williamson. His TikTok account , obviously intended for his fans outside of India, where the platform is banned, showcases how he transitions between different identities: preaching sage wisdom while wearing robes and a turban; strolling through farmers markets in cargo pants and sunglasses; riding his motorcycle through a sandstorm, beard flapping in the wind.

It seems only fitting, in an era of creator culture, distrust of authority, climate anxiety, and a highly individualized approach to spirituality, that an articulate leader who acts like a rebel among gurus would attract a global following. Still, spiritual gurus have always attracted suspicion, and Vasudev is no exception . His critics argue that Vasudev is merely pulling publicity stunts for his own self-promotion, and, as an ally of Modi, who has endorsed highly controversial policies against Muslims, peddling Hindu nationalism under the guise of a Western Orientalist fantasy .

Looking at Vasudev from a historical context, though, it’s clear that he has brought guruship into the 21st century, says Tulasi Srinivas, a professor of anthropology, religion, and transnational studies at Emerson College and the author of Winged Faith , a book on how gurus go global. Whereas previous celebrity gurus often struggled between professing asceticism yet embracing materialism, Vasudev’s spiritual philosophy evades this classical problem by pivoting away from it. “You can be surrounded by everything, and you can be a real spiritual seeker,” is his mode of thinking, says Srinivas. “He’s a neoliberal guru for neoliberal times.”

Born in 1957 to an affluent Telugu-speaking family in the South Indian city of Mysore, Vasudev follows a line of famous gurus who entered the global scene in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They emerged from a South Asian context, and often a Hindu cultural context, but that didn’t necessarily mean their theologies were Hindu, says Amanda Lucia, a professor at UC Riverside who studies gurus. “Oftentimes, they have created their own theologies that are unique and personalized, sometimes established in opposition to brahminical Hinduism,” she says. “It was a job opportunity that arose through empire in the West.”

Two of the most well-known gurus of that era were Swami Vivekananda and Paramhansa Yogananda, both of whom were reformers responding to Christian and colonial pejorative understandings of Hinduism as “heathenism.” Both subsequently developed followings and centers in the US. But other gurus , especially during the period between World War I and World War II, were also capitalizing on the curiosity, naivete, and sometimes Orientalist thirst in the West for the spiritual teachings of India.

They operated on a spectrum, says Philip Deslippe, a PhD candidate in religious studies at UC Santa Barbara. Some had sincere backgrounds and came to spread their faith while others boasted fake credentials and exploited the power they had over their believers to earn a white-collar salary. “The gurus from 100 years ago, the ones that became most popular, they had an infrastructure,” Deslippe says. “Yogananda had a tour manager. Yogi Hari Rama , who was a really popular one in the late ’20s, had an agent.”

Vasudev is no different: During his nearly three-hour interview with Rogan in March, he said his Isha Foundation is run entirely by 5,600 full-time volunteers and over 16 million part-time volunteers. They also operate its various social media accounts and are behind his appearances around the world; as Rogan noted, Vasudev’s team reached out to his podcast.

Like his predecessors, Vasudev supplies answers to seekers while actively cultivating followers. In the 1960s and ’70s, as interest in Eastern spirituality became enmeshed in the American counterculture movement and Westerners flocked to India to figure out the meaning of life, gurus who had significant followings within India jumped to become global gurus, says Srinivas. After US immigration policy opened in 1965, they traveled to the US, matching their ideas and philosophies to the mood of the moment.

Among them were men like Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who developed Transcendental Meditation and famously attracted the following of the Beatles; Prabhupada, who founded what is commonly known as the Hare Krishna movement; Muktananda, who established Siddha Yoga ashram and meditation centers; Amrit Desai, who founded the Kripalu Yoga and I AM yoga brands; and Rajneesh, whose notorious commune in Oregon became the source for the Netflix series Wild Wild Country .

A string of scandals involving sexual abuse , financial impropriety , murder , and even bioterrorism followed them. Critics became disillusioned by the nefariousness and allegations associated with gurus as others argued such criticisms perpetuated stereotypes about the “oversexed Oriental man.” These views continue to haunt the figure of the guru.

In India, gurus have amassed devotees for centuries, if not millennia. Not all are celebrity gurus, not all are charlatans, and not all are men. But murkiness around sexual power dynamics and money often surrounds them, as well as the belief that modernity has corrupted the traditional guru-disciple model and replaced it with business and politics. To this day, gurus and politicians typically have a symbiotic relationship — gurus for the access and benefits they might obtain from politicians, and politicians for the influence gurus can exert over potential voters, according to Srinivas. “Most of them were self-professed gurus, but they had some demonstrable power by which audiences were converted to devotion,” she says. In modern times, some of them have even proclaimed themselves to be actual gods on earth.

It’s from this context that Vasudev emerged to become Sadhguru — and every guru has their origin story and particularities. According to the book Sadhguru, More Than a Life — which is not a biography but “a subjective account of one man’s life journey,” its author Arundhathi Subramaniam warns — Vasudev was hardly spiritual or religious growing up. He avoided going to temples and instead consumed National Geographic magazines and English-language films.

He started practicing yoga when he was 13, after he says he saw an old man leap into a well over 150 feet deep and scramble out faster than any child could, thanks to yoga. Yoga for Vasudev remained a physical practice. As he grew older, his physical instincts extended to motorcycling, and he passed his time running around with fellow motorcycle fanatics. After he earned a degree in English literature from Mysore University, he worked on a poultry farm. It was around this time, according to Vasudev, that he started meditating.

A turning point in his life occurred when he was 25, he has said. He rode his motorcycle up a hill in Mysore and was resting when something came over him: “ Suddenly, I did not know what was me and what was not me. I was spread all over the place. Every cell in my body was bursting with a new, indescribable level of ecstasy,” he wrote. “ I thought this madness lasted for five to 10 minutes but when I came back to my normal way of being, four and a half hours had passed.” Never much of a crier, he started weeping. It was, Vasudev now asserts, his enlightenment.

Over the next six weeks, the same thing happened again and again, he claims, even lasting as long as 13 days . He then withdrew for a year. Afterward, he has said, he began teaching yoga to share what was transpiring within him. He started garnering a following, and a decade after his declared awakening, in 1992, he established the Isha Yoga Foundation.

As Sadhguru, Vasudev espouses a New Age kind of philosophy that reads as wisdom for surviving on the terms of a neoliberal, capitalist world. Its emphasis on individual responsibility without much regard for the systems one is a part of isn’t uncommon; self-help is often perceived as the polar opposite of social change. In focusing on how to actualize your life and potential, his teachings also resonate with manifesting culture . “Destiny is what you create for yourself. Fate is when you fail to create your own destiny,” Vasudev says .

Urban and English-speaking Indians who might consider themselves secular are among his core audience. And in targeting today’s global seekers, he speaks frequently about ego and incorporates the language of Silicon Valley and technology. He says karma is just an “unconscious software” we’ve written ourselves, for example. “Inner Engineering” is not only the name of one of his books but also the moniker of his foundation’s flagship yoga program.

Vasudev’s embrace of the media helped launch his popularity, according to reporting in the Indian watchdog news outlet Newslaundry; he quickly went from penning a spiritual column in a Tamil weekly to launching his own magazine to hosting a half-hour talk show with celebrities in his ashram’s headquarters. The show evolved into an in-house production for the Isha Foundation, whose famed guests further surged Vasudev’s notoriety; journalist Barkha Dutt and filmmaker Shekhar Kapur were among them.

At the same time, his appearances abroad — including speaking at a United Nations convention of religious and spiritual leaders in 2000 and giving interviews on the links between spirituality and economics at Davos in 2006 — helped grow his reputation outside of India. By 2006, the Isha Foundation had established a North American branch based in Tennessee . A dozen years later, Loyola Marymount University even bestowed upon Vasudev an award for being a “bridge-builder” between cultures.

Fans were intrigued by this suave, striking, English-speaking and motorcycle-riding guru whose rhetoric seemed to capture the cultural zeitgeist. Controversies and conspiracy theories have surrounded Vasudev, too. The Isha volunteer who responded to Vox’s questions on specific allegations denied or disputed them all.

Among them are accusations that his style of yoga was “taken” from his own guru, Rishi Prabhakar, and that the 1997 death of his wife, Vijji, was suspicious. (Her father even filed a police complaint questioning whether she was poisoned; the complaint indicates that a doctor certified that Vijji died of a heart attack. Vasudev maintains that Vijji died of “mahasamadhi,” a yoga state wherein a person chooses to consciously leave their body).

Critics also accuse Vasudev of misogyny for his commentary on gender roles , such as saying that women are “unfortunately” trying to be like men in the name of feminism, and for promoting pseudoscience and superstitions . His proclamation that a Hindu festival was not religious but coincided with the “astronomical phase of the planet,” for example, attracted the ire of the Astronomical Society of India, which said such a thing didn’t even exist and warned its followers on Twitter not to believe Vasudev’s pseudoscience. Similar to other new religious movements, including gurus, some parents also allege their children have been “brainwashed” and “held captive” by the Isha Foundation. The Isha Foundation has denied these accusations.

The foundation’s 150-acre campus, which includes dozens of structures and an artificial lake in the foothills of Tamil Nadu’s Velliangiri Hills, has also attracted suspicion. Vasudev’s mission is largely about the preservation of soil and the environment, but a 2021 investigation in Newslaundry alleges he built his foundation in an ecologically protected forest, where it’s said the crush of devotees has forced native elephants to reroute their migration paths.

Despite legal scrutiny and court battles activists and environmentalists have levied against Isha, in 2017, Indian Prime Minister Modi inaugurated a 112-foot statue of Lord Shiva at the Isha Foundation. By 2020, records indicate forest authorities who had previously acknowledged man-animal conflict due to the illegal construction suddenly changed their description of the area so that it was no longer designated protected land — thereby making what was once illegal legal for Vasudev.

In India, where such corruption is common, the situation seemed “neither normal nor abnormal,” says Prateek Goyal, who reported the Newslaundry investigation. What’s more damning is that the popular foundation’s finances are mostly a mystery. According to a recent article in Vice , however, Indian records indicate that from 2015 to 2018, “Isha Education” received $1.74 million from Tamil Nadu’s education department, and that from 2014 to 2017 “Isha outreach” received over $38,000 from Tamil Nadu’s department of agriculture. Between 2016 to 2018 , Isha outreach also received over $16,000 from UNICEF. The Isha volunteer who responded to Vox’s questions says “small donations from a large number of individuals who have benefited from the programs” account for much of its revenue. But some people who have purchased spiritual retreats and yoga packages allege Isha tries to write off receipts as “donations” to evade taxes, based on their own experience of receiving such receipts. The Isha Foundation has denied this as well as other allegations it says are slanderous and due to “fake news, paid media and social media.”

In the US, Isha Foundation Inc. is a registered nonprofit whose total revenues were $25.4 million in 2019. There are no publicly available tax records for 2020 and 2021. In response to questions about the missing tax records and Isha’s financial structure and revenues in the US, the Isha volunteer wrote: “I don’t have that information since is handled by another team within the organization, but I can certainly share that during the pandemic the US Center (Isha Institute of Inner-Sciences) was closed due to Health and Safety measurements taken by the foundation.”

Vasudev’s environmental initiatives, including his current movement to draw attention to soil degradation with “Save Soil,” are another source of contention. He previously ran a campaign to save the 500-mile endangered Kaveri (also sometimes spelled Cauvery) river between the southern Indian states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, which is a frequent source of water disputes. Scientists and environmental groups in India criticized the campaign as vague and overly simplistic for its focus on tree planting and failure to address the root causes of river degradation. Some scientists also argued tree planting would worsen the situation since certain trees soak up massive amounts of water. At one point, Leonardo DiCaprio endorsed the campaign; over 90 environmental and rights groups subsequently wrote him an open letter warning him his support was ill-advised.

A similar criticism hovers over Vasudev’s soil movement. Prakash Kashwan, an associate professor of political science at the University of Connecticut who focuses on politics and the environment, says it amounts to a celebrity photo opportunity disjointed from the reality of implementing policy on the ground. “You sort of take eyes off of what is needed to do environmental regulations under the present circumstances, especially in large and complex societies such as India and many other Global South countries,” he says. “A lot of people don’t get this because the underlying assumption is that the environment is being destroyed because of ignorance. But ignorance is not the problem.”

Perhaps most vexing about Vasudev to his critics, though, is his politics. Some people in India charge he’s the face of “soft Hindutva,” the ideology underpinning Hindu nationalism , and is the “spiritual henchman” of India’s ruling Hindu nationalist party, the BJP. The Isha Foundation regularly releases content that addresses these concerns, including videos like “Does Sadhguru support BJP?” and “I am more leftist than you think.”

While Vasudev insists he’s not a fan of any leader or political party, he has praised Modi’s work ethic and says he supports India’s ruling party insofar as it’s the government in power. He has endorsed a number of BJP initiatives, including Modi’s 2019 stripping of Kashmir’s autonomy (in fact, he insisted Modi do so months before it happened), and the citizenship amendment act that excluded Muslim refugees in India from a fast-track path toward citizenship (when hundreds of thousands of Indians were protesting it, Modi tweeted Sadhguru’s support , which Sadhguru admitted he gave without even reading the act). From wishing each other happy birthday on Twitter to appearing in photo opportunities and lauding each other’s work, they exemplify the strategic alliance between gurus and politicians. Vasudev has also welcomed support from hardline Hindu nationalist leader Yogi Adityanath, who has praised his soil movement.

Following in the rhetoric of nationalists, Vasudev similarly rejects the concept of “Hinduism” and uses the words Hindutva and Hinduism interchangeably . His incitement of nationalism at times nudges at Hindu insecurity. When asked his opinion about a conference last fall on dismantling global Hindutva that aroused the fury of the Hindu right, for example, Sadhguru laughed at why people were so concerned about what professors at American universities were thinking and argued they should be paying more attention to how “dismantling Hindutva” is happening in their own towns and villages in India. If Hindus worked on eliminating discrimination based on caste and creed, Sadhguru continued, then more people would be attracted to the Hindu framework, and it would never be dismantled .

Yet compared to other modern-day figures who have posed as spiritual leaders — including those who have been convicted of rape and murder ; were found upon their death to have hoarded stashes of gold, silver, and cash; and whose spiritual and retail capital seem even more inextricable from Hindu nationalism — Vasudev may seem relatively less corrupt. As a global guru whose Hollywood followers turn their eyes away from such controversies and politics, Vasudev benefits from the way they prop him up in their quest for a spiritual home. The fact that he is a persona that has appeared in the US time and again makes him familiar enough to be acceptable, yet different enough to be alluring. However, that he can create and put on various identities — including ones where he is arguably self-Orientalizing — perhaps says more about the way Westerners seem to want to continue to grasp spirituality.

“In my mind, it is remarkable that the same kind of persona continues to work for an American audience the way that it does for well over 100 years,” says Deslippe. “Indian man with a head covering and flowing robes is the vessel for timeless wisdom. And it still works. It’s kind of astonishing.”

Even if Vasudev is operating within the well-worn grooves of guru engagement, we would all be wiser to investigate the lines between the man and the myth instead of welcoming Sadhguru, or any guru, with blind faith, says Pranay Somayajula, a spokesperson for the progressive Hindu organization Hindus for Human Rights. “We don’t have control over the fact that the West loves to have a sort of Orientalist romanticized image of Indian spirituality, whatever that means. But what we can control is which sort of voices and narratives we’re uplifting when the media is catering to that.”

Vasudev, it seems, plans to stay in the public eye. As the volunteer put it, “Sadhguru never stops, he truly just keeps going in the most graceful way.” And so we’ll likely see more and more of him — promoting questionable environmental actions on podcasts and TV shows, talking about self-reliance at conferences and summits and fashion weeks, popping up on panels and red carpets — as powerful global circles welcome and accept him as a guru.

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• Jaggi Vasudev, commonly called Sadhguru, is an Indian yogi and author of over 50 books in English, Tamil, Hindi, Kannada, and Telugu. Born Jagadish Vasudev in 1957 in Karnataka, India to a Kannada family, he began yogic practices at age 13. After a deep spiritual experience at age 25, he renounced all material prosperity and established the the Isha Foundation, with centers in India, the United States, the United Kingdom, Lebanon, Singapore, Canada, Malaysia, Uganda, China, Nepal, and Australia. - IMDb Mini Biography By: [email protected]
• Sadhguru says, "The word "Sadhguru" is not a title. It is a description. Sadhguru means "uneducated Guru.".

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Volunteering .css-s1dbpa{font-size:24px;line-height:1.7;color:#ffd182;}@media screen and (min-width: 768px){.css-s1dbpa{font-size:20px;}}@media screen and (min-width: 960px){.css-s1dbpa{font-size:24px;}} is a way of giving back

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Inspiring Biography of Sadhguru

Published by naveen reddy on february 11, 2021 february 11, 2021.

Sadhguru is an Indian mystic, yogi, philanthropist and author.

Introduction –

Jaggi Vasudev (Sadhguru) was born on 3 September 1957 in Mysore, Karnataka, India.

Until the age of 19 years, Sadhguru did not speak much and was very silent.

Sadhguru did not speak much because he realised that he didn’t know about anything.

He realised this when he was 4 years old.

The complete attention-

Sadhguru spent most part of his childhood paying attention to whatever he encountered.

If he saw a glass of water, he used to stare at it for hours and during night he used to gaze at the darkness for the whole night.

And when Sadhguru opened a book to read, he would immerse himself in focussing on a small tiny dot on a page for several hours and he would fail to read even a single word.

But Sadhguru wouldn’t lift his head from the book instead he used to focus on the dot intensely.

Encountering yoga-

When Sadhguru was a child, he accidentally encountered yoga.

During the summer vacations Sadhguru and his cousins, brothers and sisters used to assemble in their ancestral home, located in their village.

The boys of the family used to play in the well, located in the backyard of the home.

They used to jump in the well which was around 8 feet in diameter and 50 feet in depth and eventually they used to climb to the surface, just by holding the rocks in the well because there were no ladders or steps in the well.

This particular sport was tough but because the children were young and very energetic, they did not have any issue in playing this sport.

The old teacher-

Once, Sadhguru saw a 70 years old man near the well, he was silently watching Sadhguru playing in the well.

After sometime, this old man jumped into the well.

Almost everyone thought that he committed suicide by jumping into the well.

But to everyone’s surprise, the old man climbed to the surface at a lightning speed, faster than the young boys.

Sadhguru was stunned with the swiftness of the old man and so out of curiosity he enquired the reason for his endurance, to which the old man took Sadhguru along with him and taught him yoga.

When Sadhguru was 12 years old, he met Malladihalli Raghavendra, the founder of Anatha Sevashrama Trust and he taught Sadhguru some simple yoga asanas.

Then, he started to practice yoga continuously from then on.

This act of practicing yoga led him to explore another dimension of life.

As his father was a physician (ophthalmologist in Indian Railways), his family decided to make him a physician too.

Most people think either to become a doctor or an engineer.

But when Sadhguru turned 16, he decided to discontinue his further education after his high school; instead he thought to educate himself.

This decision was not welcomed by his family because in India it is rare to discontinue studying.

But due to family pressure, Sadhguru was admitted to Mysore University.

Befriending books-

In the university, Sadhguru used to spend most of his time reading books at the library.

He used to read books on almost all topics like philosophy, mechanics, poetry, history, geography, etc.

This reading was important to engage him because during those times Sadhguru was physically active and very energetic and thus he drove that energy to gain knowledge by reading books.

Sadhguru used his entire day starting from 8:30 in the morning till 8 in the evening in the library accumulating knowledge on various topics.

Taking a different route-

Sadhguru did not attend regular classes because he realised that the teachers at his university were just dictating the notes all the time and the students were just jotting down the notes which were dictated.

He found this practice unnecessary and instead of writing notes he decided to photocopy the notes.

So, Sadhguru made a deal with all his teachers to not attend the classes and he collected the notes by photocopying.

Another reason for him to not attend the regular classes was that he had millions of questions regarding everything in the world, which the classes failed to answer.

Instead of providing answers, the classes only had ready-made notes about subjects.

Becoming an advisor-

In addition to spending his time in the library, Sadhguru also used to sit in the garden of his university.

Here, many students used to approach him and tell him about their problems relating to studies, families, relationships, etc. and request Sadhguru for advice.

After listening to thousands of students for three years, he realised that most of the human beings are riddled with problems but he was the only one who had no problems.

So, at times Sadhguru used to give those students his own solutions, most of his solutions were silly.

And he realised that human beings encounter problems in all situations.

Sadhguru says that now-a-days, the attitude of complaining has become rampant.

He graduated from the University of Mysore with a bachelor’s degree in English literature.

During his college days, Sadhguru developed a passion for travelling and riding motorcycles.

The great realisation-

After completing his graduation, he opened a dozen businesses like a construction business, poultry farm, brickworks, etc. and was able to run all his business very successfully.

He became very successful in his business within a very short duration. Nobody around him expected him to become that successful.

Because Sadhguru was into many businesses, he was running a very hectic schedule from morning 5:30 AM to 11 PM in the night.

The young Sadhguru was insensitive and failed to notice many small things in his life.

The life changing event on the Chamundi Hills–

On one afternoon at around 3 PM, Sadhguru got a break between two business meetings.

So, he went on to the Chamundi Hills.

Sadhguru regularly used to visit that hill for riding bikes, meditating, meeting people, etc.

During that day, he sat on a rock in the Chamundi Hills and suddenly he experienced an intense feeling, by which he felt connected with nature.

He himself felt as an integral part of nature and was feeling that his distinct personal identity was getting replaced with a whole identity of nature and he felt himself as a part of nature.

His eyes were wide open and he was fully conscious when this realisation happened.

Sadhguru found himself in the air he inhaled, the rock on which he sat and in his surrounding atmosphere.

He thought that this lasted for around 5 to 10 minutes but when he regained his senses, he was surprised to notice that he spent almost four and half hours in that state.

By that time, it became dark.

And for the first time in his adult life, Sadhguru found his shirt wet with tears of ecstasy, which resulted because of realising something invaluable.

Breaking his own promise-

When Sadhguru was around 8 years old, something happened at the school by which he cried.

At that moment, he determined that never again in his life a tear drop will come from his eyes.

But this determination gave away on that day in the Chamundi Hills.

This spiritual thing was completely unexpected, as Sadhguru did not grow up in a spiritual setting, he never heard of such things and also he was not exposed to any spiritual things.

But despite all these, he was subjected to extraordinary spiritual feelings.

Sadhguru had his first spiritual experience in life at the age of 25 on the Chamundi Hills.

Two weeks as half-an-hour-

For the second time, Sadhguru again came to the Chamundi Hills to experience the spiritual feelings.

But during the second time, the time passed very quickly.

This time his eyes were wide open and he was fully conscious but he had no record of time.

Sadhguru thought that he sat for around half-an-hour and was surprised to see a big crowd before him.

He saw himself garlanded by those people and the people started to request solutions for their problems.

Sadhguru was surprised by their reaction and enquired why they are asking all these questions, to which some people in the crowd replied that he had been sitting here for thirteen long days.

Sadhguru then tried to open his legs but was unable to do so because his knee joints got struck from sitting in the same position for so many days.

This made him realise that he had spent many days sitting there, he did not know the passage of time but his body recorded the time.

So, the people around him massaged his knees with hot water and after massaging for one and half hour, Sadhguru was able to open his knees.

After which, he quickly left the place to avoid the tension and attention of the people.

The spiritual change begins-

Within a period of six weeks, he noticed numerous changes occurring in his body, like changes in his way of walking and the tone of his voice.

The people around him also noticed that something fundamental in Sadhguru was changing.

Sadhguru said that the lifetimes of memory have descended on him which was the reason for the changes in him.

And after this incident, he travelled for a year and half to ascertain if this was true.

To his surprise, Sadhguru found that whatever came to his memory was absolutely true.

Teaching yoga to the masses-

In 1983, Sadhguru conducted his first yoga class with seven participants in Mysore.

And eventually, he started to conduct yoga classes to even more people; he used to travel from one class to another class on his motorcycle.

Sadhguru has also authored many books like-

• Inner Engineering: A Yogi’s Guide to Joy.
• Adiyogi: The Source of Yoga.
• Mystic’s Musings.
• Encounter the Enlightened.
• Life and Death in One Breath.
• Mind is your Business.
• Flowers on the Path.
• Of Mystics & Mistakes.

His contributions-

He founded a non-profit, spiritual organization in 1992, by name, Isha Foundation, which offers yoga programs all over the world.

Additionally, Sadhguru also found Project Green Hands, an ecological environmental initiative in India.

In 2012, Sadhguru was voted among the hundred most powerful Indians for his contributions in the field of environmental protection.

And in the same year, he initiated the Isha INSIGHT: The DNA of Success program. This program helps in the scaling up of small businesses.

Sadhguru also gets involved in one-to-one interaction as a part of the In Conversation with the Mystic program, where he interacts with the celebrities.

He was awarded Padma Vibhushan in 2017.

Inspiring Biography of Gaur Gopal Das

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Why is sadhguru famous.

Sadhguru is a very famous yogi and the reasons for his popularity are as follows- • Sadhguru is famous for his speeches and talks. He gave speeches at the United Nations Millennium World Peace Summit, the British parliament’s House of Lords, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, World Economic Forum, etc. Also his talks on YouTube are viewed by millions of people. • He is famous for his Isha Foundation. This foundation is famous for its yoga programs, meditation and contributing to the society by planting trees, participating in rural upliftment, etc. • Sadhguru is a famous author. He wrote many books like Sadhguru – More than a life, Encounter the Enlightened, Inner Engineering: A Yogi’s Guide to Joy, etc. His Inner Engineering book is a New York Times Best Seller. • He is also famous for campaigns and projects like Rally for Rivers, Cauvery Calling, etc.

How did Sadhguru get enlightened?

Sadhguru got enlightened by sitting on a rock on Chamundi Hill, Mysore. For the first time, he spent four-and-a-half hours in this enlightened state.

How Sadhguru became famous?

Sadhguru became famous by conducting yoga programmes. In 1983, he taught yoga to seven participants in Mysore and eventually, he started teaching yoga to masses all over the country and abroad.

How Sadhguru raised his daughter?

Sadhguru raised his daughter, Radhe Jaggi in a very caring way. When she was a child, he used to take her in his car to travel all over the country. Even when Sadhguru joined her hostel, he used to regularly stay in touch with her by speaking on the phone. He is very bonded to Radhe Jaggi.

How many hours does Sadhguru sleep?

Sadhguru sleeps not more than three to four hours every night. He says that one must engineer himself, that is work upon his body and become more productive by reducing the number of hours of sleep.

Can Sadhguru speak Telugu?

Yes, Sadhguru can speak Telugu. The main reason for this is that he hailed from a Telugu-speaking family and as a child, Sadhguru also watched Telugu movies. Later, he conducted yoga classes in Hyderabad, a Telugu speaking city.

Can Sadhguru speak Kannada?

Yes, Sadhguru can speak fluent Kannada. The main reason for this is he was born in Mysore, Karnataka and was raised there.

Can Sadhguru speak Hindi?

Yes, Sadhguru can speak Hindi but not fluently.

How Sadhguru learnt English?

Sadhguru knows English very well and he learnt it by the following ways- • As a child he used to read English novels by Thomas Hardy, Alistair MacLean, Frederick Forsyth, etc. • In his childhood, Sadhguru also watched many English movies like Ben-Hur, Mackenna’s Gold, etc. • Sadhguru also loved English Literature and chose to study it at Mysore University. Later, he came second in English Literature there.

Featured image credit- Isha Foundation/Wikimedia Commons

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