DEVOTEE:
Dear viewers, on this beautiful evening of Shravan, I start today’s episode by offering my respects to Mother Bama at Shanti Kunj. I welcome those who are new to the Guptasadhak Shyamakhepa YouTube channel and express my gratitude to our old friends for staying with us. My respects to you, Gurudev.
GURU SHYAMA KHYAPA:
Blessings, my brother. Blessings.
DEVOTEE:
Gurudev, today is our 75th Independence Day. On this occasion, I would like to hear a few words from you.
GURU SHYAMA KHYAPA:
I have also completed 75 years of age. I was born right when independence was achieved. I was born in independent India on August 16th, a Thursday, at 6:30 AM. It’s written in my father’s handwriting—back then there were no hospitals; births happened at home. So yes, it’s been 75 years.
GURU SHYAMA KHYAPA:
Out of these 75 years, for the first 8 or 10 years, I didn’t know much. I was just a child. Later, we came to know what independence is, why it was sought, and who had occupied India. We learned these things gradually. As I grew older, I understood it better. As the saying goes, "Who would want to live without freedom?" Without independence, a person can never progress; they cannot do any good work.
GURU SHYAMA KHYAPA:
I am speaking about Mother India. She was shackled and imprisoned. To free Mother India, one after another—Kanailal, Prafulla Chaki, Bhagat Singh, Khudiram, Binoy, Badal, Dinesh—they all gave their lives. They sacrificed themselves to free Mother India from her chains.
GURU SHYAMA KHYAPA:
This movement started long before independence was even a certainty. So many people like Khudiram, Kanailal, Prafulla Chaki, Binoy, Badal, and Dinesh suffered so much. But they spontaneously gave their lives to free Mother India from her shackles. They didn't do it for one person; they did it for everyone. How many names can I even mention?
GURU SHYAMA KHYAPA:
Finally, I’ll mention Nathuram Godse, who assassinated Gandhi. This history is vast, and as I’ve said before, this history is quite terrifying. In reality, no one [in power] truly wanted India to be independent. They were happy just "licking the lollipop" of the British.
DEVOTEE:
But Gurudev, you say no one wanted it? Then why were there so many sacrifices? Why did so many people die?
GURU SHYAMA KHYAPA:
They [the martyrs] were the real human beings. Are these people humans? The martyrs wanted it. But these current ones? They never wanted India to be independent. They have lived by "licking the feet" of others. They have been sycophants forever.
GURU SHYAMA KHYAPA:
I am talking about the Nehru family. They were all foot-lickers. And they suffered the consequences. Gandhi also suffered the consequences. These people were sycophants. Later, when we think about or learn about the freedom fighters—think about the condition they were in. People like Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, such great men who sacrificed their lives. Lakshmi Sahgal... they dedicated their lives to free Mother India.
GURU SHYAMA KHYAPA:
Mother India was eventually freed, but it happened under pressure. The British were forced by circumstances to grant independence. And how was that independence given? At midnight on August 15th, 1947.
GURU SHYAMA KHYAPA:
Do you understand? When everyone was asleep. No one knew that independence would happen that night. When independence was declared, everyone was unconscious in sleep. They woke up in the morning to hear that India was free. What was the need for this "theft" [at night]? India could have been made free in the morning. Many had warned against declaring independence at night, but they didn't listen to anyone. At the dead of night, at 12:00 AM, they declared India independent.
GURU SHYAMA KHYAPA:
To say that we are "free" even now—I won't say that. I will never say India is truly independent. We are still in that same state of subjection. We are not free yet.
DEVOTEE:
Gurudev, if I may follow up on what you are saying... you say India is not yet free. Can I say that the kind of independence the martyrs died for—the vision they had for a free India—that hasn't been realized? Is that what you mean?
GURU SHYAMA KHYAPA:
It is a matter of shame for them! It’s a disgrace to those who gave their lives. No one wanted this kind of independence. Only a few "foot-licking" individuals wanted it this way—through sycophancy. Not with heroism.
GURU SHYAMA KHYAPA:
People like Khudiram, Kanailal, Prafulla Chaki, Binoy, Badal, Dinesh, and our greatest hero, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose—they wanted India to be independent with heroism. Like heroes! They wanted us to achieve it as warriors, not by licking boots. These others have been foot-lickers their whole lives. And not only that, even after independence, they continued to lick the feet of the British. They imitated everything of the British. Our Constitution today—everything is from the British era. There has been no real change.
GURU SHYAMA KHYAPA:
So, we have anger; we have resentment. We have intense resentment and anger. Why were these people even born? Why didn't they die at birth? Mother India would have been freed anyway because of the way the heroes were striking one after another. The British would have been forced to leave. They would have had to flee.
DEVOTEE:
Gurudev, I see you are quite agitated. I feel that you are so upset because the common people didn't get what they deserved after independence.
GURU SHYAMA KHYAPA:
What independence? This independence has no value. I don't recognize the independence achieved by those who licked feet. If Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose had come and led it, we would have accepted that as true independence. These... what can I even say?
DEVOTEE:
We have never seen you this agitated during an episode. Why is there so much resentment in your heart regarding this?
GURU SHYAMA KHYAPA:
It’s been there for a long time. I don't even want to discuss this topic. It’s just... they are like the "children of the elite." They are "Barhanandans" (spoiled children of the wealthy).
DEVOTEE:
But they ran the country for so many years.
GURU SHYAMA KHYAPA:
What did they "run"? What progress has India made? Can you tell me?
DEVOTEE:
Gurudev, it's not that there’s been no progress. There has been quite a bit. India stands today as one of the major powers.
GURU SHYAMA KHYAPA:
You might be enjoying it, but I am not. No one even mentions the name of Shyama Prasad Mukherjee anymore. Now they are thinking about removing Gandhi’s picture and putting Shyama Prasad Mukherjee’s picture on the currency notes. It will happen; it will happen one day.
GURU SHYAMA KHYAPA:
I don't belong to any party. I don't want to get involved in parties. I don't like "partying." Yet, sometimes I get very angry.
DEVOTEE:
You are not with any party, but you are speaking the truth.
GURU SHYAMA KHYAPA:
Why should I support anyone? I saw the Congress period, I saw the CPM period, and now I see the TMC period. I’ve seen it all. What did we see? What did we get? Tell me, what have we received from these leaders? All these leaders... everyone is calling them "thieves."
DEVOTEE:
Gurudev, we don't want to go there. We want to talk about independence. We have received the freedom we were entitled to. Let’s just talk about independence. We won't go into the current political situation.
GURU SHYAMA KHYAPA:
When you talk about independence, these things naturally come up. When I talk about the past, I have to talk about the present too. How can I not? What did we learn? What did we get from India? Being born in this country, all we got was a "kick."
DEVOTEE:
That is a very true thing you’ve said.
GURU SHYAMA KHYAPA:
Do you know who said that? What was the name of Buddhadeb Bhattacharya’s nephew?
DEVOTEE:
Sukanta Bhattacharya.
GURU SHYAMA KHYAPA:
Yes. He said, "Being born in this country, we only received kicks." We got beaten; we got nothing else. They are such people... what can I say? It makes me angry. I don't want to speak because it makes my head hot. It really agitates me.
DEVOTEE:
You speak about independence every year, but we have never seen you this upset. Gurudev, we won't stretch this further today. My respects to you.
GURU SHYAMA KHYAPA:
Blessings.