SENIO R T E AC H E R S R E ME MB E R Photo: Andy Richter 2013
SATTVA, SHABDA, PRAJNA
his energy was down, and though his cough was better, he was
by Lois Steinberg
not feeling better, in fact, less so. He said, “I can guarantee 95, but not 96.”
In the early 2000s, I cut back my annual extended time in Pune to two months. But after Guruji’s 90th birthday in 2008, in
His comments made me want to return to Pune in June of 2013,
addition to my two months in winter, I visited Pune in June a
but I could not do it for a month. Then I had the outrageous
few times, always eager to learn more. I shared with Patricia
idea that I would go for a week. As this was forming in my mind
Walden that the month of June was an excellent time to study
over the next few months, I also knew I wanted to ask him an
at RIMYI, and she too decided to go. I skipped my June visit in
important question: What are we, his students, going to do
2012, thinking I would go with Patricia in 2013. But then the
when he dies? This is not an easy question to ask. It is quite a
next year, 2013, I was not so sure I could spend the entire extra
self-centered one. Yet, I had to ask it in some way.
month in June again. I was torn because Guruji’s advancing age was telling on him. Many thought he was near death because of
Meanwhile, I heard from sources in Pune that the hot season,
a persistent, nasty cough that developed during his 80th
as usual, was hard on Guruji. He became very ill, and they
birthday celebrations. The blanket dust (thousands of new
thought he was near death. He lost a lot of weight and was not
blankets had not been washed) was thick in the air and over
in the practice hall.
800 international students arrived during an outbreak of influenza. It created a terrible mix, resulting in many of us
I talked to Patricia about my plans, and she wanted to join me.
getting extremely sick. The outbreak was so severe that a
We worked out together the week we could go. I would arrive a
medical tent had to be set up on the grounds. I caught atypical
day earlier than she could, and she planned to leave Pune a day
pneumonia. Karin O’Bannon went home early because of ill
later than me on Sunday. I said, “Why leave on Sunday? After
health. Patricia was also very ill. Worst of all, Guruji never
Saturday morning class, there would be nothing more.” She
recovered from the nasty cough he developed at that time. Over
suggested that we could possibly get a private audience with
the years, it became so bad he could not control it. However, he
Guruji on Sunday. Great plan.
continued his teaching even during the worst moments. In January 2013, he told me that the cough continued until
In June 2013, I arrived in Pune on Monday at 4:30 a.m., after a
November 2012 and then it settled down. Despite this, he felt
36-hour trip. I stayed awake so I would not get jet lag. Then, I
Fall 2014/Winter 2015 Yoga Samachar
11
