Test

A page for testing.

see also

• Letter written on 10 Nov 1971 - A letter from Osho to Vivek

• In the Eye of the Hurricane - A book by Sw Devakant, contains 3 chapters about the author's intimate relationship with her – an incredibly touching story of love and spiritual growth.

• Osho’s Companion – footnote in History

• Original Osho Will claimed to have been destroyed by Vivek - a report of 2017-09-30 about the a petition in a court-case filed by Osho disciple Yogesh Thakkar, complaining about lack of police action on his allegation that much money were being siphoned off by the current Osho Foundation, on the basis of a forged will.
  

Mukesh Sarda, one of the accused, booked by Koregaon Park police on the basis of Thakkar’s complaint, has filed an affidavit claiming Alisha Alexander, who was also known as ‘Ma Nirvano’, actually destroyed Osho’s last will.

• Ma Anand Sheela, Osho's secretary who oversaw the rise and fall of the Ranch, writes in Don't Kill Him! extensively about difficulties between Osho and Vivek, painting a picture of her as a possessive and hysterical wife.

Generally, the truthfulness of her statements can not be determined by this Wiki, because Sheela has been caught lying on numerous occasions, and she has been convicted of very serious crimes, including attempted murder, and --additionally-- as relieable sources have told of her poisoning and murder attempts at Nirvano (then Vivek).

Still, we want to give one quote, because that has been re-quoted elsewhere as the truth. But it paints a completely inaccurate picture of Vivek.

Sheela writes (p.251 -- 252):

One day, back in 1978, when we were still in Poona, she wanted to teach Him a lesson because for a long time He had not shown any interest in her. She had sex with Him without using contraceptives and became pregnant. This was a very scandalous situation in India, especially for a holy man like Bhagwan. His followers had often claimed that He was a celibate. That is expected of saints, particularly in India.

Fortunately, one of His dedicated Sannyasins was aprominent gynaecologist in Poona. He also owned a private clinic for women. With his help, Vivek’s pregnancy problem was solved quickly. She had an abortion, and then sterilization.This was no big deal. This doctor regularly performed abortions for Sannyasins and the women of Poona. Birth control was promoted and abortions were legal under the government of Indira Gandhi to address the problem of overpopulation.

Laxmi very quickly organized an abortion and sterilization date for Vivek. I was in her room when she called the doctor. The event was being completely hushed up. Only Bhagwan, Dr Saraswati (the gynaecologist), Laxmi, and I knew what wasreally going on. Everyone in the Lao-Tsu House was walking as on egg shells. They had just been told that Vivek was not well. Laxmi asked me to look serious when visiting Vivek in her room. Laxmi was quite worried because of this matter and felt it could be risky to trust just anyone. But she trusted me in such situations.

Editor's comments :

1. "She wanted to teach him a lesson" :
   There is no way that Sheela could make such an assessment. She and Vivek did not speak about intimate matters. Sheela was not trusted by Vivek (and by many other people in Osho's household) even then (1978).
2. "She had sex with Him ..." :
   Vivek was in a long term settled relationship with someone else at the time, making such a claim doubtful.
3. "... without using contraceptives" :
   There is no way Sheela could know this. What is known is that 'the pill' was not yet available in India, and other methods of contraception were outdated and unreliable. Quite a lot of sannyasins had unwanted pregnancies during the seventies, and these were often solved with an abortion, via the clinic that Sheela describes. We know this from several independent correspondents.
4. "The event was being completely hushed up. Only Bhagwan, Dr Saraswati, Laxmi, and I knew (...) Everyone in the Lao-Tsu House was walking as on egg shells. They had just been told that Vivek was not well. Laxmi asked me to look serious when visiting Vivek in her room. Laxmi was quite worried because of this matter and felt it could be risky to trust just anyone. But she trusted me in such situations." :
   One of our correspondents, who lived and worked in Lao Tzu at the time, gives this comment: "Everyone in LaoTzu house knew about this event because we all took on extra work to help, while Nirvano recovered. But we didn’t talk about her personal life to all and sundry of course." So that completely invalidates Sheela's version, including the eggshells in Laoy Tzu and her own special trustworthiness.

• The Fate of the Charismatic Leader’s Consort - Ma Yoga Vivek, the Intimate Companion of Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh/Osho : a monograph in Nova Religio (2021) 24 (4): 58–83 by Susan J. Palmer. The author's web-page also has a link to a Powerpoint presentation on the subject.

(editor: Althoug a lengthy, 26 page monograph specifically about Nirvano, we have abstained from quoting from this work. It has flagrant errors. And although it is written in a religious journal it lacks any of the religiousness that is, for many sannyasins, at the core of the relation between Nirvano and Osho.

Here is a taste of the text:

Vivek was an elite member of Rajneesh’s inner circle and an intimate companion to the guru. By studying her life, we might gain insights into what Max Weber calls the “charismatic aristocracy” and how significant members of this elite group function as “central causal agents in the etiology of charisma.” 3 Vivek’s life offers an interesting example of what sociologist Paul Joosse calls “disciple charisma,” a state which requires a delicate balance of obsequiousness and “personal charismatic qualification.” 4 By examining her role in Rajneesh’s daily discourses and darshans, we begin to understand the “dramaturgical” element in the social construction of the guru’s charismatic persona. 5 Finally, Vivek’s story raises the issue of propinquity to the source of charisma. Since Vivek’s precarious spiritual status appeared to wax and wane in response to her level of physical proximity to her guru, I will analyze her charismatic career within the framework of two relevant studies: religious studies scholar Amanda Lucia’s exploration of “haptic logics” (the phenomena of sacred touch) and historian of religions Manon Hedenborg White’s study of “proximal authority.” 6)

• Vivek’s death at 40, and how was it untimely? in sannyasnews.org. (editor: Nothing new here, just loose thoughts. This link only mentioned it because it is often quoted.)

• Thus Spake Mulla Nasrudin - A joke book dedicated to her, hand written by Osho and published as facsimile.