What do Periyar and Osho have in common? While the former was a rationalist who worked among people to convince them to reject every religion, the latter, a godman preached freedom from every man-made shackle including religion.
Ask actor Satyaraj and he will tell you that ‘both were revolutionaries in their own way’. We know the actor in Satyaraj. But he now sounded philosophical. Satyaraj, with apparent rationalist leanings argues that the two ‘wanted to break the ‘chains’ in the mind which links their thought process’.
This was the view of Socrates, Buddha , Jesus and Krishna too, he asserts. The actor, who is known for his on-screen and off-screen wit, seems to be an avid reader of Osho. On his introduction to Osho’s teachings, the actor said he had become ‘hooked’ to his teaching ever since he chanced upon a translated version of a book of the ‘free-thinking’ philosopher in Tamil sent to him by ‘someone’.
‘I am a BSc graduate. But when it comes to reading English, I struggle. The Tamil translation came as a blessing’, he admitted.
‘I started to read Osho about seven years back only because I wanted to do something wrong. I was curious to know what the godman had said as Osho’s reputation as a sex godman intrigued me’, the actor admitted candidly amidst laughter at a book release function at Landmark yesterday.
The event was held to launch the Tamil translation of Osho’s ‘Autobiography of a Spiritually Incorrect Mystic’ called ‘Buddarin Vaira Suthiram’.
Setting the mood jovial, Satyaraj went on to say: ‘Well I was reading and reading every page with the intent of reaching ‘those’ pages but was still not at it thus frustrating me. After going through about 50 pages I actually forgot about sex and became interested in the book’.
The rounds of humour were laced with traces of seriousness. ‘We need constant awareness about unawareness.’ said the actor who did not miss the occasion to take a dig at societal admiration for actors in Tamilnadu and their belief about self.
According to the actor, Osho has written about ‘the character of god’ rather than giving a shape and appearance to God. ‘I believe there is a character of God, unlike what is projected in every religion’.
‘God is man made’, he argues and hence ‘should not be taken seriously’, he adds claiming that Osho was a much misunderstood man.
The Tamil translation was published by Kannadhasan Pathippagam which along with Osho Premveena Meditation Centre, Coimbatore, organised the programme.
