Announcer:
Namo Sri Sri Guptasadhak Shayamkhapay Namo. Greetings. We begin today's program from Shantikunj by offering our respects to Gurudev Guptasadhak Sri Sri Shayamkhapa. Let us all listen to the invaluable words of Gurudev.
Interviewer:
Pranam, Gurudev.
Gurudev:
Pranam, Baba, pranam.
Interviewer:
Gurudev, today we would like to learn from you about the "Adorini Tantra" and how this tantric practice is performed.
Gurudev:
This is a formidable tantric practice. As I have mentioned before, it was pioneered by a famous individual named Abhijit Ghosh. He was born in May 1948 into the Ghosh family of Kolkata. Later, amidst various hardships, although he was born into wealth, he joined the Naxalite movement in 1968. He served as an editor for a Naxalite magazine for some time. He engaged in many tasks, big and small, but at that time, he hadn't thought about tantric rituals.
Gurudev:
Since he was an editor for the Naxalite party, Abhijit Ghosh eventually moved to Shantiniketan. It was there that he began his spiritual austerities (tapasya). He became world-renowned for the tantric practice he performed—yes, world-renowned is not an overstatement. I discovered him much later. Though I have practiced many forms of Tantra, when I heard that there was a place in Shantiniketan where a specific tantra was being practiced, I was intrigued. That practice is known as "Adorini Tantra."
Gurudev:
Generally, we know that the union of Shiva and Durga is the core field of this practice. It is a field related to the Yajurveda. This is where Tantra flourishes best. As poets have written: "Coming into the lap of Mahakal, Gauri became Mahakali." Adorini Tantra is nothing but a special ritual involving Shiva and Durga. It demonstrates a unique interaction between them.
Gurudev:
The term "Adorini" was also used by Ramprasad: "Keep the beloved (Adorini) Shyama Mother with care; let you and I see her, let no one else behold her." This kind of tantric practice is usually never made public; it is a matter between the deity and the practitioner. No second person can witness it. He spent a long time in seclusion performing these austerities.
Gurudev:
In this practice, Shiva lies in a state beyond attributes (Nirguna), like a corpse. Upon him sits Mother Durga—or Kali—in a form with attributes (Saguna). I say Kali, not Durga, because the Puranas mention that Shiva is a Kriya-Yogi, always immersed in meditation. But within Mahakal, there is another Mahadev. "Satyam Shivam Sundaram"—Shiva is indeed beautiful, but within him lies another Shiva known as Mahakal. Through Kriya-Yoga, Shiva manifests this Mahakal. All destructive acts are performed through him. He is called the destroyer. This is not the same Shiva you usually think of; it is another aspect within him. Just as there is another "you" within yourself, which must be brought out through spiritual practice. While that aspect works, you remain still.
Gurudev:
Once, Shiva wished to perform a ritual. He asked Gauri, "O Gauri, I wish to engage in a ritual with you." Gauri initially refused, saying, "No, I cannot engage in such a ritual. The world is sustained by my name." Her name signifies the movement of the worldly ocean. She argued that if she were to become "naked"—as this ritual requires—it wouldn't be appropriate. Shiva became very agitated. Seeing this, Mother Durga agreed but said she would change her form. From her golden complexion, she turned black and took the form of Kali, telling Shiva he could proceed with the ritual.
Gurudev:
If you observe the form of Kali, women often bite their tongues when they hear something shocking or feel ashamed. Kali, too, is depicted biting her tongue because she witnessed something that made her feel ashamed—shame leads to biting the tongue. She engaged in the ritual with Shiva. That is why it's said, "Coming into the lap of Mahakal, Gauri became Mahakali." This might sound like a song, but it is the original truth.
Gurudev:
This Mahakal is the "wheel of time" (Kaler Chaka). He is the one grinding everything. Mahadev sits there beautiful and pure, but the Mahakal within him is subtle, not gross.
Gurudev:
This Tantra is highly effective, and you won't find it mentioned anywhere else. Fortunately, I came across the book documenting his practice. Abhijit Ghosh performed this Sadhana. The imagery of Adorini Tantra is formidable. While it looks like Durga in Shiva's lap, the actual imagery is much more intense.
Gurudev:
Ramprasad sang: "Think, O mind, no one belongs to anyone; vainly you wander this world. The one you die for, will they go with you? They will cast you aside as inauspicious." Everyone thinks they are the master of this world for a few days, but when the Master of Time (Kal-akal) arrives, they are cast away. Kali sits in the womb of Time.
Interviewer:
Gurudev, what is required to perform this Adorini Tantra practice?
Gurudev:
One must practice it the way other seekers (Sadhaks) do.
Interviewer:
Are there any special ingredients needed?
Gurudev:
Extreme purity and devotion (Sattvikata) are required. This man, Mr. Ghosh, was a Naxalite editor with no prior idea about these things. But by God's play, he saw something that led him to pursue this Sadhana. He earned great respect and praise from across India and the world.
Gurudev:
There is a story in the book Tantra Abhilashi Sadhu Sanga about a seeker going to Kamakhya. On his way, he entered a dense forest and lost his path. As evening approached, he feared wild animals. He found a small hut made of leaves. He called out, and a man came out, visibly annoyed, asking why he was there. The seeker explained he was lost. The man told him to leave, but his wife came out and scolded the husband for being rude to someone who was lost. She invited the seeker to stay the night. The husband left in anger.
Gurudev:
The woman treated the seeker like her own son and told him she would show him the way in the morning. He stayed on the porch, but he couldn't sleep well. Around midnight, a terrifying sound from the forest frightened him. He rushed inside the hut, but there was no one there—not the woman, nor the husband. He began chanting God's name in fear. In the morning, the couple reappeared. He told them how much he had called for them. The woman replied, "Son, we were in the 'Womb of Time' (Kaler Garbho) last night."
Gurudev:
This "Womb of Time" refers to a state of Kriya-Yoga. Mahadev lies there as a corpse, and the Mother sits upon him. This state is like a "Black Hole." Seekers experience this, but second persons cannot see it. When seekers enter the Womb of Time, they cannot be found, no matter how hard one looks. Once the ritual ends, they reappear.
Gurudev:
This Adorini Tantra is not something most people have heard of. People have told me they searched Google and found nothing. It's too vast and high-level for common access.
Interviewer:
There are many stages in Sadhana, like achieving Siddhi (perfection). At what stage is this achieved?
Gurudev:
When you achieve Siddhi or the opening of the "Third Eye," you don't necessarily "know" it's happening. When the Kundalini awakens, or the various chakras like Swadhisthana or Manipura open, God will let you know. If you try to consciously "know" it, it can cause harm. We say: "Whatever has happened, don't seek to know it." You must climb step by step. Forget the desire to know which stage you are at. Just remain a seeker of the Mother. These things will open automatically by the Mother's grace or through a Guru.
Gurudev:
When your "navel ripens" and the Kundalini awakens, you might even feel like you're going crazy. Just as a deer, when its navel matures with musk, runs around frantically searching for the source of the scent, not realizing it's within itself. Seekers shouldn't worry about which chakra has opened. It will happen automatically. If you become too conscious of it, your progress stops. Trust in God.
Gurudev:
The Gita says: "Focus on your work (Karma), not on the fruits." Whether you achieve Siddhi or not doesn't matter. God will do what He intends through you. Many seekers have even died during such intense rituals. This is a formidable practice involving the Womb of Time. It is the "Black Hole" of the spiritual world. Seekers experience pain and sensation, but being wise, they don't show emotional outbursts—whether in joy, sorrow, or death.
Gurudev:
Why is that? Because if you hold onto these worldly sensations, you cannot stay with God. This must be practiced in solitude. It's not for show. It's between you and God. Adorini Tantra is a name given to it, but it's essentially about the Womb of Time. It shouldn't be witnessed by others.
Gurudev:
I've shared some surface-level information about this unknown Tantra.
Interviewer:
Friends, we heard in detail about the formidable Adorini Tantra from Gurudev. Please subscribe to the Guptasadhak Shayamkhapa YouTube channel, like the video, and leave a comment. Pranam, Gurudev.
Gurudev:
Pranam, Baba, pranam.
Announcer:
You were listening to Guptasadhak Sri Sri Shayamkhapa. Let us know how you liked it. To regularly hear Gurudev's invaluable words, subscribe to the Shayamkhapa channel. To contact Gurudev, please WhatsApp your name, location, and phone number to 8080539595 between 10 AM and 6 PM. Gurudev will call you back as soon as possible. We conclude today's program by offering our respects to Gurudev and wishing you all well. Stay healthy. Greetings.