Bangalore: Disciple decides to stay with Nithyananda

Bangalore: The Karnataka High Court was witness to a heart-tugging petition, with a devotee of disgraced godman Nithyananda, who had joined his ashram after leaving behind a lucrative profession and his parents, refusing to go back to them. A Division Bench headed by Justice Dilip B Bhosale questioned the devotee Santosh during hearing of a habeas corpus petition filed by his parents Munnur Krishnamurthy and Jayanthi, “Who gave you the right to hurt your parents?” the Bench asked.

Santhosh rejected outrightly returning to his parents, while adding that he was a hotel management graduate in-charge of a food committee in Nithyananda Ashram in Bidadi, which serves 150 devotees. To this, the Bench observed: “Your parents had given birth and proper education to you; it is your duty to be with them and take care of them. Serving one’s parents is superior to serving others.”

The Bench was irked by Santosh’s statement that he wanted to serve society like Swami Vivekananda. “Don’t even try to compare yourself with Vivekananda; how many books of his have you read? How much do you know about him? The path which Vivekananda showed to society will last a thousand years; you will not be able to achieve even a fraction of it.”

The devotee of the disgraced godman joined his ashram, leaving behind a lucrative career and even his parents.

The Bench dismissed the petition as despite repeated orders, Santhosh refused to return to his parents. His tearful parents trudged out of the court hall.

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