Sadhu Om: The Silent Guardian of Bhagavan’s Path

Sadhu Om

Vira Chandra: In the vast and often distorted landscape of modern Advaita, one name stands out as a beacon of clarity—Sadhu Om. Unlike those who diluted or misrepresented Bhagavan’s teachings, Sadhu Om did not attempt to modify or simplify the truth to make it more palatable. Instead, he devoted his life to the sacred task of preserving the precise method of self-inquiry as Bhagavan intended it to be practiced. If Bhagavan was the sun, shining in silent majesty, Sadhu Om was the moon, reflecting that light in a form that seekers could carefully study and apply with precision.

His greatest contribution was not in adding anything new, but in making sure nothing was lost. The words of Bhagavan are luminous, filled with a power that cuts through illusion instantly. Yet, in their simplicity, many seekers misunderstood the depth of self-inquiry, treating it as mere intellectual questioning or turning it into a passive expectation of realization. Sadhu Om stepped forward—not to interfere, but to shield Bhagavan’s teachings from corruption and to ensure that sincere seekers would not be misled.

One of the most common misunderstandings about self-inquiry is the idea that it is a form of mental questioning—an endless repetition of “Who am I?” in the mind. Many have taken Bhagavan’s words and reduced them to a mechanical practice, as if realization could be attained by mere repetition. Sadhu Om tirelessly clarified that self-inquiry is not about thinking or verbal repetition but about turning the mind inward to its source, to the pure awareness from which the "I"-thought arises. He emphasized that if the question “Who am I?” is asked as an intellectual exercise, it only leads to more thoughts. But if it is asked with the intention of tracing the "I"-sense to its origin, it dissolves the illusion of individuality and reveals the ever-present Self.

He also dismantled the misconception that self-inquiry is about suppressing thoughts. Many seekers, frustrated by the persistence of mental activity, believe that they must forcibly quiet the mind before realization can occur. But Sadhu Om, with unwavering patience, explained that Bhagavan never advocated a battle against thoughts. Instead, he taught that thoughts should be ignored, not fought. The moment one turns attention inward, the mind naturally loses its grip, like a fire that dies out when it is no longer fed. It is not suppression but a silent and effortless withdrawal of interest in thought, allowing the "I" to sink into its source.

Perhaps one of the most subtle yet profound insights he offered was his clarification that self-inquiry is not a search for an object called the Self. Many seekers, conditioned by their habits of external seeking, unknowingly apply the same attitude inward, expecting to “find” the Self as though it were an experience or an event that would occur at some future moment. Sadhu Om’s words cut through this illusion with the sharpness of truth—there is no Self to find because it has never been lost. The only thing that needs to happen is the dissolution of the false ego, which gives the illusion of separation. The Self is not a thing to be attained; it is that which remains when the seeker itself disappears.

One of the most misunderstood aspects of Bhagavan’s teachings is the idea of "effort versus effortlessness." Many have misrepresented Bhagavan as teaching a path of complete passivity, encouraging seekers to do nothing and simply “be.” This misunderstanding has given rise to the modern distortion of Advaita, where people are told that no effort is needed, that realization will happen automatically, that practice is unnecessary. Sadhu Om worked tirelessly to correct this falsehood. While it is true that the Self is always present and requires no effort to exist, the ego does not die easily. The habit of identification is so strong that without vigilant self-attention, the mind will continue to rise again and again. Sadhu Om reminded seekers that persistent inquiry is required until the ego is fully annihilated. The ultimate state is effortless, but reaching it requires absolute dedication.

Another invaluable insight Sadhu Om offered was his explanation that self-inquiry is not merely a temporary practice done in meditation but must become a continuous, natural state of self-attention. Many seekers practice inquiry for a set period each day but then allow the mind to wander freely the rest of the time. Sadhu Om explained that true inquiry is not just something one does during meditation—it is a constant undercurrent of self-attention in all activities. The dissolution of the ego does not happen in a single moment of deep absorption; it happens when self-attention becomes as natural as breathing, when the "I"-sense never strays from its source.

For all his precision and depth, Sadhu Om was not a man of rigid dogma. His entire life was an act of devotion to Bhagavan, not only in intellect but in spirit. He lived what he taught, and his words carry the weight of that direct experience. His explanations might feel methodical, almost like a scholar refining a great truth, but at their heart, they are filled with the fire of sincerity. They are not dry intellectual exercises; they are the last barrier between Bhagavan’s pure path and the distortions that would render it unrecognizable.

It is because of Sadhu Om that Bhagavan’s teaching has been preserved with such clarity. Without his careful explanations, many sincere seekers might have fallen into the same traps that have led others into misunderstanding—mistaking self-inquiry for mental questioning, confusing realization with intellectual conclusions, or believing that no effort is needed at all. His work ensures that Bhagavan’s path remains uncorrupted, untouched by the modern tendency to dilute deep truths into something comfortable and easy.

For that, every true seeker owes him a debt of gratitude. His words may not have the poetic beauty of Bhagavan’s silence, but they serve an equally vital function—they protect the purity of the path, keeping the door open for those who are truly ready to walk it.