Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya on Peter Heehs

Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya: I don’t trust this Peter you know, if he goes out of the archives, then I will be happy. Then I know all our boys will do good work.

He did not give much importance to Sri Aurobindo [in his history of the Freedom Movement in India]. Only twice or thrice he mentioned his name, and the way he is changing the writings of Sri Aurobindo, even the line that could not be read, he has put. I saw afterwards, the line that was not possible to read in Sri Aurobindo’s handwriting, he put his own line. Have you seen that? noticed? It is there that I protested and I don’t trust this man. You have asked a question as to whether I have antipathy towards the foreigners. It is not so. I have many foreign friends. But I want to meet them on the same footing. I don’t want to show my superiority nor would I allow them to show their superiority. If they are arrogant and if they want to show their superiority, I will act. That’s what I have done.

Interviewer(s): Regarding Peter you have said often that you know for certain that he is an agent...

Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya: He must have come to do some work either personal or some other work, but it doesn’t seem he has come to do yoga here. That is my feeling. He was sent to me by Madhav Pandit in the beginning. He looked like, you know, almost half imbecile and half drugged. He came and sat here and I showed him some exercise. He was sent by Madhav to me in the beginning. And now suddenly... one cannot be a good runner or a good swimmer unless one has practised or done them before coming here. Suddenly he has become a great runner and swimmer and at that age!

Interviewer(s): Do you think that foreigners are unfit for yoga?

Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya:  No. That also Mother has explained in her book Words of the Mother. Not unfit, but they have some difficulty in adapting themselves. Even Pavitra (such a great soul), he had difficulty, but he went through, he passed well, very well. Even when he knew he had prostate cancer, he said, “I depend on the Divine, I won’t go for any treatment” and he stuck to that and suffered. Not all are like that... And we Indians, we may have bhakti or we may do lots of pranams, but behind that we have some demand – either to keep my health all right or my family in good condition, or my children must pass the examination or I must get a good job and all such motives behind. How many are true seekers? Even among the Indians, there is always some motivation, some give and take and exchange.