Indian is a land of spiritual leaders. One of them is Swami Chidanand Saraswati. He heads the ashram Parmarth Niketan, located in Rishikesh, the land of yoga in the foothills of the Himalayas. The ashram welcomes everyone from across religions, caste and creed with the aim of service of all. Our India correspondent Shweta Bajaj spoke to the popular guru.

SHWETA BAJAJ RISHIKESH, INDIA "Swamiji, Parmarth Niketan is more than 50 years old now if I am not wrong?"

SWAMI CHIDANAND SARASWATI SPIRITUAL HEAD, PARMARTH NIKETAN "It was built in 1942 so yes."

SHWETA BAJAJ RISHIKESH, INDIA "And you left for the forest at the age of 8 Swami Chidanand Saraswati. And from them till now have you achieved what you set out to achieve?"

SWAMI CHIDANAND SARASWATI SPIRITUAL HEAD, PARMARTH NIKETAN "First thing is I feel super and why less? That is what I have seen in the jungle. The saints, the sages living in the forest. Living with less. No means of transportation, communication. But whomever you ask, how are you? Super! That is what is needed today in 21st century. How you can stay super and why less."

SHWETA BAJAJ RISHIKESH, INDIA "When you started Parmarth Niketan what was in your mind?"

SWAMI CHIDANAND SARASWATI SPIRITUAL HEAD, PARMARTH NIKETAN "My spiritual master when he founded, only one thing in his mind – Sarva bhuta hita ratah. The mantra is taken from Bhagwat Gita and means – for the welfare for all. Beyond any borders and boundaries, caste, creed and religion. One is living a selfish life, other is living a selfless life. And when you live for all your life becomes peace. Spirituality means pertaining to the spirit and of the spirit. The moment you create the space between them and you, the moment you create separation between them and you, problems start. The moment you become one, there is no challenge, then you are serving your own."

SHWETA BAJAJ RISHIKESH, INDIA "In a world that is fighting in the name of religion, how do you distinct yourself from religion and amalgamate yourself to spirituality?"

SWAMI CHIDANAND SARASWATI SPIRITUAL HEAD, PARMARTH NIKETAN "Firstly, you have to understand if religion is a dogma you will be boxed, you will be stuck. Religion is a DHARMA according to Hinduism. When duty is there, divinity is there, harmony is there, righteousness is there and morality in life they have, honesty in life they have and last is after having all these values then comes amity with all. No fight will stand before you. Because you are one with all."

SHWETA BAJAJ RISHIKESH, INDIA "How does one achieve being true to your passion in a world which is governed by capitalism and success is known by the attainment of objects?"

SWAMI CHIDANAND SARASWATI SPIRITUAL HEAD, PARMARTH NIKETAN "Purpose of life is not to only become CEO or the president of a company. The purpose of life is to know yourself and experience yourself. With money, you can fill the shelves of your almirah but shelves are full but self is empty. If self is empty, all is empty. You have to bring a balance between the shelf and the self. When I came to this path and I have seen in the jungles, those were the people living with less and they were set, they were happy. They learnt how to live with nature. What we are doing here is we are destroying our nature and the outcome of that is destruction. Our air is polluted, our water is polluted and our soil is polluted and what has happened to our health? Whether it is outer health or inner health."

SWAMI CHIDANAND SARASWATI SPIRITUAL HEAD, PARMARTH NIKETAN "Nature is being harmed, more and more is being produced, to eat more, to satisfy our greed more but where are we going at the end of the day? Look at the climate change. It's not the climate change, we have to change ourselves. The moment we change ourselves, climate will be taken care of and everything else will be taken care of."

SWAMI CHIDANAND SARASWATI SPIRITUAL HEAD, PARMARTH NIKETAN "Yoga is not what you do my dear, yoga what you are. Yoga is union. That union is not nose to the knees, from finger to the toes, yoga is connecting to yourself. When you connect to yourself, you connect to all. That connectivity is lost today. Yoga brings that union."

SHWETA BAJAJ RISHIKESH, INDIA "If there was advice you were to give advice to a young world that has a lot of dichotomy in their minds and it's not easy to live an idealistic life, what would you tell them?"

SWAMI CHIDANAND SARASWATI SPIRITUAL HEAD, PARMARTH NIKETAN "I will tell them, number one – believe in yourself. God has given you the potential and you are the key for everything."