Sadhguru inspired Rajesh Kumar to take up farming. (Photo: Rajesh Kumar/Instagram)In 2017, actor Rajesh Kumar quit acting and got involved with farming in his hometown, Gaya, Bihar. While the decision came as a shock to many, for Rajesh, it was the result of several interactions with spiritual leader Sadhguru. Over the next five years, Rajesh incurred a massive debt of Rs 2 crore with no steady source of income. At one point, he sold vegetables outside his son’s school. Yet, he says he never felt depressed or angry about his circumstances, and won’t term these as “failure.”Recalling his journey and the decision to leave acting, Rajesh said he wasn’t always a believer in Sadhguru’s teachings but eventually became a follower. As a follower, he also hosted multiple events for Isha Foundation. Sadhguru’s words deeply resonated with the actor, eventually inspiring him to leave everything behind and take up horticulture. In a conversation with The Mystic World, Rajesh recalled participating in Sadhguru’s Rally for Rivers campaign, where he was involved in hosting events. He said one message from Sadhguru stayed with him.Sadhguru inspired Rajesh Kumar“There was one thing which Sadhguru was constantly saying during the rally, ‘Give me 100 youth from your state and I will change the face of agriculture. But for three years, do not ask me, what about me?’ So when I reached my village, I suddenly happened to complete that line for myself, that the day you stop thinking about yourself, is the day you start thinking about others and the day you start thinking about others, others start thinking about you.”He added that his understanding of agriculture and the challenges faced by farmers eventually pushed him to become one himself.“With all the information and the kind of education we are part of, I realised that it is better that instead of being on this side and asking the farmers to not put pesticides, I will have to jump on the other side and understand where the problem is. So I went on the other side and became a farmer myself. I tried horticulture and failed badly. But after being under Sadhguru’s grace, I won’t call it failure. Now it doesn’t bother me that because I do not want to label it under success or failure. There was so much learning that happened, which otherwise, I couldn’t have learnt.”ALSO READ | Yash’s Toxic off to a flying start, clocks Rs 19.66 crore in Day 1 advance bookingsFlood in Rajesh’s farmRajesh said it took him nearly five years to understand farming, farmland and soil. However, his journey was marked by one setback after another. “It happened in such a way that I started, I did plantation, the flood happened in that area after 35 years, everything got washed away.” Rajesh did not give up. He planted another 15,000 trees, only for the COVID-19 pandemic to disrupt his efforts. He then planted trees again, but faced another major setback when the water table disappeared.Story continues below this ad“The last effort… And the money I had, I could only get drilled 500 feet for borewell, and there was not even a drop of water. All these things were happening simultaneously.”Despite losing money and facing repeated failures, Rajesh said spirituality helped him remain calm throughout the difficult period. When asked whether the hardships ever broke him, he said: “Due to spirituality, I never went into any of anxiety, depression, frustration, anger, nothing bothered me. Nothing was happening and I was seeing it not happening. But my effort and process didn’t stop. That is what spirituality is.”Rajesh Kumar’s Rs 2 cr debtIn an earlier chat with Meri Saheli, Rajesh had said that he was in a debt of Rs 2 crore after he started his farming business. “There was no incoming, and I had exhausted all my reserves because of the outgoing. I went under debt of Rs 2 crore. (Bankruptcy) is a big word, but definitely, I had that feeling with me for a long time. I was not able to generate money for survival also. This was definitely a phase,” he said.In another chat in April, Rajesh had said that the debt was now down to Rs 20 lakh. “I’m out of that financial cycle now. Only about 10–15% of the debt remains,” he told Bollywood Bubble.Story continues below this adAbout Rajesh KumarRajesh Kumar is knwon for playing Rosesh in the 2000s show Sarabhai vs Sarabhai. In the recent past, he was seen in Saiyaara, Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai, Ohh My Dog, Nishaanchi, among others.DISCLAIMER: This article shares a personal narrative on financial hardship and agriculture, and is intended for informational and reflective purposes only. It does not constitute professional financial, investment, or agricultural advice. Readers facing emotional distress due to life or financial challenges are encouraged to seek professional support.