Disciple:
Pranam (Salutations), Gurudev.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Pranam, my son, Pranam.
Disciple:
We see a picture of Mother beside you. A short while ago, two gentlemen brought this here. It is over 102 years old.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Yes. An old house was being demolished to be rebuilt. This was found beneath the foundation of the house. This image was discovered there. It is clearly an image of Shmashan Kali (Kali of the cremation grounds). She is the Mother of the cremation grounds. Her power is immense. We have performed her puja (ritual worship) at Tarapith and have witnessed her great power. We used to perform the puja at night, sitting directly before her.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Now, she has been found. Those men contacted me and asked what should be done with the image. I told them to bring it here. They brought Mother on a rickshaw. Seeing her form fills me with such joy. Although she is Shmashan Kali, her image appears to be hand-painted—the style of long ago. It is definitely over a hundred years old. This was something I was meant to receive for a long time. Now, the debt is settled; Mother has come and seated herself here. Now, her worship will begin.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Actually, there is a Shmashan Kali temple just ahead of us. A gentleman used to perform the rituals there, but he passed away. Since then, the worship has been inconsistent. Now, Mother has arrived here on her own. Her form is beyond imagination. One cannot stop looking at her eyes and her face. Perhaps it is because it is so old that it carries such a presence. Look at Mahakal (Shiva) beneath her feet—he is equally mysterious. I am speechless.
Disciple:
I understand, Gurudev. You are overwhelmed because Mother has come to you after all these years. You are mesmerized by her beauty.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Her beauty is truly something... I've just been sitting here with her since she arrived. We will worship her as best we can. But there is one thing—she requires fish and rice. Shmashan Kali must be offered fish, rice, and meat. That is her food. We have to arrange that. This is a place of the Param Vaishnavas (strict vegetarians); we haven't used any non-vegetarian items here for ages—not even onions or garlic. We don't even use red lentils (musur dal). But now she has arrived—what is the indication?
Disciple:
Only you can tell us that, Gurudev. You were mentioning this just a few days ago.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Yes, just a few days ago I said that Mother wants fish! She wants Sol fish—that is her favorite. Now we have to make arrangements. She just arrived, so we will establish her presence, perform the rituals, and then offer her food and water. We didn't go to get her; she walked in here herself. My heart is full. Her beauty is truly captivating.
Disciple:
Nothing more needs to be said. We will keep this brief. Gurudev is very emotional because Mother has come to him after so many years.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
As I said, they were breaking down an old house and found it under the earth. They were a bit unsettled by it, but one of them suggested bringing it to the Shmashan (cremation ground) to Gurudev. I am still reflecting on what Mother is trying to show me. Her beauty is simply impossible to describe.
Disciple:
"Shyama has awakened in the cremation grounds..."
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Yes, that is a song by Kazi Nazrul Islam. He was inspired by Boroda Prasad. Boroda Prasad was the one who influenced Nazrul's devotion to Kali, which led him to write so many songs. Netaji (Subhas Chandra Bose) once said to Boroda Prasad, "Can I not stay anywhere in India? I am always being followed." Boroda Prasad replied, "Don't worry about them, come with me. I will see who follows you." He took Netaji in. Boroda Prasad was a great Tantric. He first encountered Mother in Kanyakumari.
Disciple:
We won't take the conversation further away from the subject. Mother has arrived, and that is everything. Pranam, Gurudev. We will end the episode here.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Pranam. Her beauty is truly beyond words. Such a form...
Spiritual Insight
The spontaneous arrival of this 102-year-old Shmashan Kali image is a profound spiritual event—the Divine Mother choosing where She wishes to be worshipped. Buried beneath a house foundation for over a century, she emerges at this critical time to reestablish her presence at the cremation ground. Gurudev's overwhelming emotional response reveals the deep connection between the true devotee and the Divine. The mention of Boroda Prasad, the great Tantric who inspired Kazi Nazrul Islam's Kali devotion and sheltered Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, connects this event to a living lineage of spiritual power. When the Divine chooses to arrive, She makes Her own way—on a simple rickshaw, yet carrying the infinite power of the cremation grounds.