Pythagoras (known in India as Pitar Guru ? father and teacher) was an Ionian philosopher. He set up a school of four hundred persons, and developed it into a spiritual community of simple living and high thinking, somewhat akin to an ashram of ancient India.

During his stay in India before he set up his spiritual community, he interacted with many sages, including Vedic Seers, who had great respect for this evolved soul. He came humbly with an attitude of a student, but the Seers honoured him as an equal. The ethical discipline, simple diet, selfless work, breathing practices, meditation, Samkhya metaphysics and so forth became a part of his teaching in his spiritual community.

Five years of preparation were needed for a student to enter his commnity, rules were stringent. An ethical life, study of sciences, maths, geometry were also taught at his community school. Guided by the Samkhya metaphysics Pythagoras invented words like åcosmoså which has become an important part of our lexicon. Various layers of this ordered and organized cosmos were studied. For him the universe was a ³cosmos² and not a chaos. He tried to fathom the mysteries of the universe through meditative contemplation. In his åGolden Versesåone can read about the myseries of the Cosmos.

For him self respect meant self examination . This spiritual exercise would help a student to introspect and lead him towards deeper stages of contemplation and meditation.

He was called a trainer of souls. Questions such as ³who am², änd ³where have I come from² were part of this introsective reflection. Psychological disiplines were also elaborated to gain indepth knowledge of one´s personality.

Before initiation the students were led to a lonely spot, were given a little bread and water and asked to contemplate the whole night on a geometric symbol, until their powers of visualization became powerful.

He was interested in a holistic education ? body, energy, mind, intelligence and soul convergence were considered crucial.

His school thrived but rivals finally destroyed it.

H. Sequeira