Ma Guru Priya

Ma Gurupriya or Ma, as she is fondly called at the ashram is a mother figure for all residents of the ashram. She holds a doctoral degree in physics and was a lecturer at Vivekananda College, Calcutta. She joined Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha's ashram called Narayanashrama Tapovanam in 1987. Five years later, during the 1992 Gurupoorima she underwent the sannysa-deekshaa ceremony to take up sannysa life.

Question: Coming from such a scientific orientation and background, do you feel the present pursuit of Brahma Vidya to be less matching? Is your spiritual quest and fondness just an additional trend of your mind, or does it come in tune with the scientific orientation?

Ma: My mind was always given to knowledge. In spiritual pursuit also, it is knowledge that is constantly focussed. What are the factors making our mind behave in a particular manner? What causes the constrictions, the unjust prejudices that hinder expansion and sublimation so covetable and enriching? How can the personality overcome the negative traits? Are not all these also research and scientific treasure?

- September Vicharasethu 1992