Host:
Greetings, friends. I welcome you to this Shanti Kunj, which is currently in a broken and dilapidated state. For the last six months, our temple has been in this condition. The administration has shown a very indifferent attitude toward us, which feels very disheartening—it feels disrespectful to Gurudev as well. We hope that by the Mother's grace, this period of ruin will soon pass.
Host:
Pranam, Gurudev.
Gurudev:
Pranam.
Host:
To those who are new to the Gupta Sadhak Shyamakhyapa YouTube channel, I welcome you, and to our old friends, I thank you for staying with us. Gurudev, today I want to discuss a very important topic with you—something we don't fully understand and which causes many people a lot of distress. That topic is "Chaitanya" (Consciousness/Awareness). We want to learn about Consciousness from you today.
Gurudev:
There is a saying—Ramakrishna Paramahansa used to say, "May you attain Consciousness" (Tora Chaitanya Hok). He would say this often, but common people didn't understand what it really meant. This is the root, the very foundation.
Gurudev:
Our mind and our body have no real connection to Consciousness. Consciousness has no death, no birth, and no old age. It is beyond infirmity and the cycle of mortality. The body suffers from disease and death, the mind experiences highs and lows, but Consciousness is eternal. This is why Ramakrishna emphasized it so much.
Gurudev:
Consciousness is the primary state. Most of us are living in a state of inertia. We are preoccupied with so many things that we are essentially "stiff" or stagnant. Even when we are awake, it is like being in a dreamless sleep because we aren't truly aware. If someone asks, "Are you awake?" you might say "Yes," but in reality, your mind is clouded.
Gurudev:
If a person attains Consciousness, they will reach their ultimate goal. Many people come to me and say, "Gurudev, my mind is restless. I can't focus during meditation. So many thoughts crowd my head." I tell them, "Yes, that happens because you lack the core Consciousness."
Gurudev:
Consciousness is not affected by disease, death, honor, or dishonor. It acts only when you reach the core essence with total focus. In the language of the Gita, we call this "Kutastha" (the immutable or centered state). Once you are established in Consciousness, nothing can shake you.
Host:
So, you are saying this applies to every field of life?
Gurudev:
Every field. Whether it is spirituality, education, business, sports, or literature—if you have that singular focus and Consciousness, you can hit any target.
Host:
But Gurudev, how do we attain this? Our minds are filled with so much clutter. When we sit down to pray or meditate, how does Consciousness arrive? You have practiced so much; please tell us how a common person can achieve this.
Gurudev:
You must send your five senses and the "Six Vices" (Shada-ripu) into retirement.
Host:
Lust, anger, greed—all of them?
Gurudev:
Everything. You must transcend the "Five Elements" (Pancha-bhuta) and the senses. These are the "waste products" of your spiritual body. When we sit for worship, we perform a ritual to discard the "Pap-purush" (the personification of our sins/ego).
Gurudev:
Think about when Muslims go for Hajj. They throw stones at a pillar to symbolize stoning the "sinful man" or Satan. You must cast that sinful nature out of your body. Without doing that, Consciousness will never manifest.
Host:
So, I have to do this myself?
Gurudev:
Yes, completely by yourself. Consciousness is within you; it doesn't come from outside. You are Consciousness. As I said, the "Five Elements"—Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Ether—along with the six vices, are eating up your spiritual progress. Ramprasad (the saint) once said that the "Five Elements" are devouring everything we earn spiritually.
Gurudev:
You must reject these vices and elements to become a "Chaitanya-Swarup" (an embodiment of Consciousness). Only such a person can reach God—or any goal they set, whether in sports, poetry, or anything else.
Gurudev:
But it is difficult. It requires long and steady practice (Abhyasa). You must be so focused that if you are playing football, you see nothing but the ball and the field. If you let lust, anger, or greed enter that space, you will fail. These vices are the root of all trouble.
Gurudev:
In our tradition, we cast out the "Pap-purush" through mantras and rituals. Other religions have their own ways, like the stoning during Hajj, but the goal is the same: to discard the internal waste so that Consciousness can shine.
Host:
I didn't know this, Gurudev. Today we heard from your own lips how Consciousness is attained and the method behind it. By removing the six vices and the senses from our lives, we can reach our goals. It was wonderful to hear this, and I'm sure our viewers feel the same.
Host:
Pranam, Gurudev.
Gurudev:
Pranam.