Devotee:
Gurudev, my salutations to you.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Salutations, my son. Tell me.
Devotee:
Your guru, Bamdeb Baba, used to say something quite often: "Never trust a tusker elephant and a drunkard. They change their forms every moment." If you could discuss this topic a little, it would be wonderful.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Yes, Bamdeb Baba was farsighted. He understood these things deeply. He left behind many teachings, and this one is particularly famous: "Never trust a tusker or a drunkard." You should never rely on them because they change their nature from one moment to the next. One moment they seem fine, and the next, they turn bad.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
He also once said, "Wait 100 years, and you won't be able to tell the difference between a girl and a boy." When someone asked him why he said that, he replied, "Yes, girls will cut their hair short, indulge in addictions, drink alcohol, and smoke cigarettes. They will wear pants and shirts on the streets. This will happen." He said that after 100 years, the distinction between genders would blur.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
And truly, one should never trust a tusker elephant. If a tusker comes out of the forest or stands on the road, you should never go near it. Either run away or find a place to hide. A tusker will not let you go. Just a few days ago, I saw—and many others saw as well—how an elephant crushed a young boy under its feet. That is why Baba said never to trust a tusker.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
As for drunkards, I haven't faced a tusker much, but I have encountered many drunkards. There are so many of them here. Sometimes they come to me in the morning, bow down, ask how I am, and speak very respectfully. But by the afternoon, after they've had a drink, they come back to the same spot and start abusing me. "You're a fraud, doing this and that..." they scream and shout. This is why Baba warned us never to trust them.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
The habit of drinking has increased excessively nowadays. In this cremation ground, we don't allow drinking behind us because the "nabhi" (remains/ashes) is buried there. We consider that area sacred. If we see anyone drinking, we forbid them, and usually, they listen and leave. But some argue, saying, "We've come to cremate a body, won't we drink? Where else should we go?" I tell them there is plenty of space outside, but as long as I am here, I won't allow it in this spot.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Seeing these drunkards makes me realize what a high-level saint Baba was to have predicted this. Nowadays, alcohol and weed have become common household things. Beyond that, I see people using things like dendrite, cough syrup, and even heroin. I see it with my own eyes.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
I've even seen something more shocking. When someone is buried, specifically when the "nabhi" is buried and not burnt, a group of people digs it up immediately. Apparently, they grind it into dust to create some kind of drug. I was stunned to hear this—that even carbon remains are being used for addiction. People take it away as soon as the family leaves.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Look, you didn't come into this world to be a drunkard. You grew up and chose this path. I've seen many people who have suffered great trauma in life, and they turn to alcohol, saying, "I just want to live like this now; I can't quit." They've been hit hard by life. But then there are others who drink for no reason. I tell them, "You have a family, a wife, and children. Why should they have to hear people say their father is a drunkard?"
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
There is no addiction that isn't present here. I try to explain this to many people. Some have quit, while others haven't. Some even touch my feet and promise they will never drink again.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
A home is a place of Lakshmi (prosperity). If you drink and bring that atmosphere into the house, Lakshmi slowly leaves, and Alakshmi (misfortune) takes up residence. Later, when they've lost everything, they come to Tantriks like us. But they lost it all because of their own actions.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Drinking used to be different. In my childhood, people mostly drank palm sap. It was mainly truck and bus drivers. We used to stay away from them because they talked incessantly. Back then, it was only a handful of people. Now, even many of my friends are addicted to alcohol, and their domestic lives are ruined. I've seen wives leave their husbands because they can't stand the smell or the behavior.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
I always say: drink alcohol if you must, but don't let the alcohol "drink" you. Drinking at home leads to unrest. Just yesterday, a gentleman came from Howrah whose family has completely broken apart because of this. He admitted it was all his fault, but habits are like a dog's tail—even if you try to straighten it, it curls back as soon as you let go. The moment they see a bottle, they want a drink.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
I once knew a very prominent person who had quit drinking. However, his doctor told him he needed to have at least a little for his health. He told me, "Gurudev has forbidden it, I can't drink." I told him that if a doctor prescribes it as medicine, then it is medicine. Even hand washes and many medicines contain alcohol.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Since drinking is a Western influence, it has now gone "viral" in every home. Now, you can't have a funeral, a wedding, or any ceremony without alcohol. I see homes being destroyed—domestic violence, breaking things, hitting children. People come to me for help because of this.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
If you lose your sense of respect for mothers and sisters after drinking, why do it? Bamdeb Baba was right about the tusker and the drunkard. I've reached this age and I've seen it all. This place used to be a den for alcohol and weed. When I took over this area by talking to the municipality, I told them I would perform yajnas and establish a temple here. Since then, those bad activities have stopped here. The police and the local station know that as long as I am here, no one can drink in this spot.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
If people try, they can resist these social evils. But the government gets a lot of tax from alcohol, and they use that money for expenses, so there is a conflict of interest there. In places like Bihar, Odisha, and even Bangladesh, I've seen alcohol being banned or heavily restricted. Our government should also realize how much harm it is doing—both physically and to the fabric of our families.
Devotee:
Gurudev, what would you like to say to today's youth who are so addicted to drugs?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
What can I say? We place so much hope in the youth; they are the leaders of our country's future. But now they are the ones most addicted. I once asked about a boy I thought was well-behaved, only to find out he was a heavy drinker. It's in every home now. You see empty bottles everywhere. Children see their fathers doing it and they get addicted too.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
It makes me very sad. The state of our country—economically, socially, and educationally—is declining. The things people used to live for—education, sports, culture—are disappearing. Now it's just motorbikes, mobile phones, and speeding on the roads without any sense of traffic rules.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
I worry about the society that is coming next. Will it get even worse? Is there no remedy? I've spoken about this many times on social media. The government could check this if they wanted to, but they don't. Society is rotting. Music, sports, and arts are being pushed aside.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
People have become so distant from one another. They see another person and move away. They don't want people visiting their homes. There is a "COVID effect," yes, but even before that, I noticed people becoming irritated by guests. No one has time to sit and talk anymore.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
I hope the next generation doesn't fall into this trap. As they say, an idle brain is the devil's workshop. There are no playgrounds left for kids to play. Teachers are also upset. In the past, if a student did something wrong, a teacher could discipline them. Now, teachers are afraid to say anything.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Only the highly educated can tell where this will end. We may not be "educated" in that sense, but we can see the situation.
Devotee:
Does anyone think about changing society?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
No one really cares about changing society. Maybe something happens and people go on TV with makeup and powder to have a "heated discussion," but nothing actually changes. It's just noise. People stay where they are, and the situation remains as it was.
Devotee:
Gurudev, I have listened to your discussion. I bow to you.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Salutations, my son.