Narrator:
The accomplished saint Bhava is crazy || What did Gurudev say? YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoRK2PLw60s
Narrator:
Here is the well-formatted transcript of the audio in English:
Devotee:
Dear viewers, on this late afternoon, I welcome you from Shantikunj. Although Guru Dev is irregular at our temple now due to his illness, we catch him whenever he is here and ask him to share some words. Today, he is going to speak to us.
Devotee:
Many virtuous people, spiritual masters, and realized souls (Siddha Sadhaks) have been born in Bengal. Today, we will hear from Guru Dev about one such realized soul who became a devotee and a master specifically through song composition, melody, and singing. Guru Dev, please tell us about him.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Yes, that is right. His name is Bhoba Pagla, or Bhabendra Mohan Saha. He is widely known as Bhoba Pagla. His birth name was Bhabendra Mohan Saha. He was born on October 17, 1900, on the day of Kojagari Lakshmi Puja. His birth was very special, occurring on such an auspicious day.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
His birthplace was Amta village, under Dhamrai police station in Dhaka. His father was Gajendra Mohan Raichoudhury, and his mother was Gaya Sundari Devi. There is a bit of confusion regarding his surname "Saha" since his father's name was Raichoudhury.
Devotee:
Raichoudhury usually indicates a zamindar (landowner) family.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Yes, so why he took the surname Saha is unclear to me. It remains a point of confusion for us as well.
Devotee:
Guru Dev, I feel that since his father was a Raichoudhury, he was likely a zamindar, and perhaps he chose the name Saha as a devotee of the Mother. I recall his original surname might have been Saha.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
I am not sure; there is a mystery there. He had three brothers and one sister. He was a twin-Girindra, Devendra, and Bhabendra. Devendra and Bhabendra were twins. His sister was named Sati Agamoni, named after the arrival of Goddess Durga at her father's home. Bhoba was a bit of a wanderer; he didn't want to live a conventional family life. However, by the Mother's play, he married at the age of 30. He married a 10-year-old girl named Shaibalini, and they had two sons and a daughter: Sanat Kumar, Pratima, and Sankalpa.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Bhoba Pagla lived a very simple life. I saw him myself at Sealdah station long before 1985. He used to sing under a canopy. He was a handsome man with long hair and a striking mustache, much like the old-fashioned bandits. He always wore red and blue clothes. He would sleep on the bare floor with a brass or bell-metal plate under his head as a pillow.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
His spiritual inclination began early. At age seven, he started composing songs for the Mother. He was also a skilled violin player. As he grew, people began to gather around him, and he formed a musical group. He composed beautiful, life-giving songs that can truly inspire people.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Despite being such a great practitioner, he never had a formal guru. He believed one could worship the Mother directly without a middleman. He didn't even take disciples. He worshipped a Kali figure made of touchstone (Kasthi-pathar) that he had acquired.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
After the partition in 1947, he eventually moved to India in 1950, thinking it was no longer safe to stay in Bangladesh. He brought his touchstone Kali and came to Sovabazar with his family and musical companions. One of his devoted followers, B.B. Ray Choudhury, helped him settle. He bought a plot of land for Bhoba in Kalna and helped establish a temple there. Bhoba went on to establish around 10 to 15 temples in both Bangladesh and India.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
He never sought fame or claimed to have many followers. He attained his spiritual realization through his songs. His firm belief was that siddhi (realization) doesn't require a formal guru. He often said, "Bhajo kintu bhojio na" (Worship, but do not be misled by gurus). He attained his state independently.
Devotee:
Guru Dev, I have another question. How did such a musician become a devotee and get the title "Pagla" (the mad one)?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
People gave him that title because of his lifestyle-the way he ate, moved, and lived was unconventional, like a "madman." Just as I called my disciple "Pagla Baba" when I first saw him. Bhoba was similar; he didn't care for complex tantric rituals; it was just him and the Mother.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
I don't know everything, but I know he didn't have a formal guru. He used to say that one should worship by themselves. He performed his own rituals for the touchstone Kali in Kalna.
Devotee:
Did anyone give him his siddhi, or did he become realized on his own?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Siddhi must be attained; nobody gives it to you. You take it yourself through a sacrificial ritual (Yajna) when you feel your practice is "cooked" or ready, much like checking if rice is boiled. You don't need a guru's permission for that. I took my siddhi on a deerskin, after 20 years of practice. Sri Ramakrishna also attained siddhi at the Panchavati. People saw him attaining it; it is a rare and fortunate sight.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Bhoba Pagla wasn't truly mad; his appearance and behavior just suggested it to common people. He had many followers and composed many important songs, like "Amar ei manob jibon ar hobe na" (This human life will not come again). He taught people that cunningness hinders spiritual progress and emphasized giving up violence.
Devotee:
He also carried a staff covered in gold leaf. What was its significance?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
It had its own purpose in his spiritual practice, something he used for his own spiritual work. Many saints carried similar items, like Kenaram Babu who had a staff.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Bhoba Pagla left his body on February 26, 1985, in Kalna. Many people still visit his temple there. He contributed so much to people's well-being through his music and spiritual presence. He showed that one could attain siddhi through direct devotion.
Devotee:
Thank you, Guru Dev. We hope such great souls continue to appear to help humanity. Blessings to our viewers.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Yes, blessings to all. Pronam.