Remembering Swami Jayesh

by Ageh Bharti

The folded shawl

From January 1993 to June 1994 I was an ashramite in the Osho Commune in Pune. I don’t remember the date, but one day I received a call from a Ma who was secretary to Jayesh. She asked me when I could find half an hour’s time, because Jayesh wanted to meet me. I told her that I could come any time. She asked if it would suit me to see him at 11 am that day. I said, “Yes,” and she replied with an “OK.”

I presented myself to the secretary at 10:59. She was sitting on a chair outside Jayesh’s office. I sat down next to her. All the office walls were made of glass. Jayesh saw me, came out, very lovingly caught one of my hands, and led me into the office.

He asked me to take a seat next to him. He then unfolded a shawl, wrapped it around my shoulders, and asked me to avoid touching the chair with my hands, otherwise I would feel how cold it was. He added that, because he had grown up in Canada, his body kept fit best at that temperature. I okayed smilingly…

I can’t remember at all what we chatted about that day, except that he told me that he had wanted to meet me for a long time, but was unable to earlier due to his busy engagements. I then told him a story about Osho from the early days. He enjoyed listening to it and, in turn, told me about an event with Osho he had witnessed, that was very similar.

After half an hour, when I got up to leave, and was just about to fold the shawl, he caught it quickly and didn’t let me fold it. He held onto the shawl and came out to see me off. He told me that he wanted to meet me sometime again (though this did not happen).

His gestures

Another memory comes to mind: Jayesh was walking slowly along the side of Krishna House with two or three VIP-type people. Opposite Krishna House there was a marbled bench-like area for people to sit, and I was there. When he saw me, he smiled through his eyes and I too responded in the same manner. I was just going to stand up, but he hinted with a descreet movement of his hand that I should not get up.

And once I had come to Pune for only three days. I thought that perhaps I would not see Jayesh this time. But the very first evening, while I was entering the auditorium for Evening Satsang, and was taking off my shoes to put them on the wooden rack on the wall, I saw Jayesh put his shoes on the rack on the left-hand side. He was about three feet ahead of me. Had I been ahead, I would have waited for him to let him go in first. But he went ahead and kept the door open for me. I greeted him with my eyes and a slight smile and he too acknowledged me in the same manner – and we entered the Auditorium.

Except for Osho, I don’t know of anybody else who speaks through gestures like Jayesh does.

How embarrassing!

A friend, Swami Dhyan Bharti, once shared with me a beautiful experience he had had with Jayesh. A room was getting refurbished for Jayesh under the supervision of Swami Siddhena, a Western sannyasin; but all the carpenters’ work was being supervised by Swami Dhyan Bharti. The room was almost ready.

One evening, at about 5:30 pm, the carpenters gone, Dhyan Bharti lay down on Jayesh’s bed to take a little rest before going to get ready for Evening Satsang. Unexpectedly, Jayesh entered his room to have a look around. Bharti Swami jumped up from the bed. But Jayesh just said, “Such nice wood-work is done under your supervision!” Swami Bharti calmed down and stopped feeling embarrassed.

First and last email

I wrote Jayesh an email, for the very first time. I sent it to Amrit Sadhana as I didn’t have his email address. To my great surprise, he replied immediately and in no less than four or five pages – and so lovingly.

The date on the email was 29th September 2023.

Who knew that he would be with us for only a few more days?

What is there with me for him but these loving tears?