Icon Show: Interviews

Akilesh Photo by Gisele

Biography Akilesh is one of Swami Shyam's five offspring. Akilesh has two sisters and one brother that are older, and one sister, Alka who is younger. In 1989, Akilesh was among many who accompanied Swamiji on his last trip to Canada and the United States. Akilesh enjoyed the people he met and was surprised that so many were able to relate to Swamiji's knowledge, and message of Oneness. Like his father and mentor, Akilesh is also a very inspiring speaker, and a wonderful and delightful soul. Written by Gisele Beaupre

Interview

Gisele: What is it like to be the son of Swami Shyam?

Akilesh: Oh great! Well, it was a matter of great privilege. Every person should have a dad like Swamiji.

Gisele: You were very smart to get born into this family!

Akilesh: I was lucky, very lucky. Swamiji believes that a child should be given full support, so they can bloom into joy and happiness, and it works! So what happens when you have everything? Swamiji says after you have attained everything, and you have evolved your mind, body, and intellect, then comes the knowledge of the source, if you don't have that, sooner or later, incarnation after incarnation, you've got to do it. He is a master, and a great being, a perfect ideal.

Gisele: So what was he like as a dad?

Akilesh: Well, we didn't go on holidays and play golf, and go to movies as such, he had no time for that, and I also, so the entire dedication is on a much greater level than a common parent in the world. He has given me total freedom to observe and watch and examine, not only the people outside but my own mind; where does it fail and where does it succeed. In fact, on the level of the mind, it will never succeed. On the level of the consciousness, which you are, that is where success is. The mind field is quite fleeting as it vascilates from one to the other, good and bad, all the pairs of opposites. His entire emphasis is on something that is stable. We have come from the knower, which exists in that one field of consciousness. Swamiji uses the material field to acknowledge the pure consciousness.

Gisele: So did Swamiji start teaching after the ashram was built?

Akilesh: No, as far as I remember, he always had students. He was a great teacher. Swamiji has done everything, from lighting the candles to spreading the carpets, everything from the bottom up. He'll do anything to support the consciousness. That isn't his weakness, that is his greatness. He told me when I was 7, that this is the highest work and you will be doing it when you grow up. I was a little surprised but I already knew that Swamiji was a very special being, and was able to expose the truth of life to a 7 year old child, or anybody. He knows the need of the soul of the human being, that is where he is a great master. He sees you as a human being who will bloom into the divine being and he is bold enough to let you know who you are!

Transcribed by Gisele Beaupre

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