‘It’s God’s path I walk on’

From spiritual classes to relief work, sadhana keeps actor Suresh Oberoi busy

I come from a very spiritually inclined family. Our parents instilled a deep sense of right and wrong in us. My dad followed the Arya Samaj while my mother was a big follower of Guru Nanak’s teachings. She was my first ever spiritual guru. My mother was the one who taught me to look at my faith deeply without getting stuck with the superficial aspects that become an essential part of, and often obscure, the true essence of our religion.

We never had any booze parties at home when I was growing up and today my children neither smoke nor drink though I have lived it up in my younger days. At that time I was taken in by the glamour of my profession. I was living solely on the material plane and believed that life was just one big party.

My life took a turn when I lost my elder brother. He died in my arms in a road accident and for years I could not deal with the pain and guilt.

My wife Yashodhara stood by me in that difficult period. I turned to religion and self-help books for solace. My quest for peace took me to a spiritual guru who made me realise that pain comes when there is conflict between what you desire and what you have. I slowly learnt to control my wants and ambitions which in turn erased the ache in my life.

Along the way I have learnt to accept both pain and joy with equal ease. I have managed to rid myself of anger, grudges and grief. The ups and downs in my life have taught me that God resides in us and it is very important to share Him with others through good deeds.

My family and I are trying to enrich our lives by bringing smiles on the faces of the sick and the downtrodden. I have also written a book—Pilgrim of Life— to guide others on how to live a happy and blissful life despite the constraints and ambitions of the modern lives we live. I consider myself a student learning how to live life. I have not planned anything so far—it is God’s path I  walk on.