Devotee:
Gurudev, pranam (greetings).
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Pranam, pranam.
Devotee:
Today, we would like to hear from you about a ritual in our Hindu scriptures known as "Chandrayan." If you could tell us something about it, we would be very grateful.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Look, there are two main celestial bodies in the sky—the Sun and the Moon. The Sun gives us life and longevity, while the Moon brings us death. It's like a mother and a father. We Hindus base our work on the Sun; all our activities are governed by it. On the other hand, Muslims work based on the Moon. Without the Moon, they cannot celebrate Eid or perform many of their other rituals. So, while they focus on the Moon, we focus on the Sun because it provides us with life and the resources we need to survive.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Now, regarding the Moon—if you look at astrology or our Hindu scriptures, it is said that the Moon orbits your body once every two and a half days, and once a month, a "ghat-chandra" (lunar strike) occurs. A person cannot die without the influence of the Moon. One must summon the Moon to allow someone to pass away.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Chandrayan is a ritual performed for this purpose. It is especially considered for those who are completely bedridden, unable to move, or performing their daily functions in bed, often causing distress to their children. Sometimes people come to me and say, "Gurudev, I want to perform Chandrayan for my mother" or "for my father."
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
I always tell them one thing: when you were a child and made a mess in your mother's lap, did she think of performing Chandrayan for you? So why are you thinking about it for her now? They argue that she can't eat or has to be fed, but I remind them of when they were sick as children—how their parents stayed up all night fanning them, praying to God, and making vows for their recovery.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
There is a saying that if a mother is buried in the soil, the soil itself asks, "Where is my child?" The word for mother (Ma) is just one syllable, whereas other relations like Baba (father), Dada (brother), or Kaka (uncle) are two. A mother is unique and can never be destroyed.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
The traditional ritual for Chandrayan involves shaving the person's head, dressing them in white cloth, and then performing a "Shraddha" (last rites) while they are still alive. After this, some people actually recover and get better, while others pass away. When people come to me, I often tell them not to go through all that. I provide some holy water and tell them to sprinkle it, and the person will pass away peacefully. This has worked in 99% of cases I have handled.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
However, it is generally better not to perform Chandrayan for your parents. The Moon is considered the messenger of death. According to the scriptures, when someone dies, they first go to the Moon. Funeral rituals are performed in accordance with the Moon. There, a person's deeds from their life are judged, and based on those deeds, they are sent to their next birth.
Devotee:
I would like to ask you about another related topic. Nowadays, it seems that many children are going down the wrong path. When their parents get old, they think about sending them to old age homes. What is your opinion on this?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
It's not just old age homes; some are even abandoning them on the streets. You see this in the newspapers every day. It would be better if such people were never born. Their presence causes harm to the world because they don't realize that getting rid of their parents won't bring them peace. Karma is real; what they do to their parents today, their children will do to them in the future. Disrespecting a mother makes God angry. Your truest friends are your parents—not even a spouse can compare.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
I always tell young people to talk to their mothers every day and tell them everything. If there is something wrong, a mother's blessing can fix it. Think about the care she gave you when you were sick, the milk and the very blood she gave to sustain you. Those who abandon their parents are a blight on this Earth. What is the value of your money if your parents are suffering on the streets?
Devotee:
Today, we see people living in large, beautiful flats, yet they feel their elderly parents don't fit into that environment. They abandon them just to maintain their lifestyle.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Not long ago, a doctor from America came to see me after watching my videos on YouTube. He told me they had formed an organization to help elderly parents whose children work abroad and cannot be there to care for them. They provide medical treatment and care right in the parents' homes, turning the home into a sort of hospital. While this is a good service for those who truly cannot be there, the emotional abandonment is still a tragedy.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Look at what happened during COVID. Parents died, and their children weren't allowed to touch them or even give them a last sip of water. That is a deep psychological trauma that will stay with them forever.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
A mother always wishes for her son's success and happiness; she never imagines that he might one day throw her out. People who do this are polluting the world. A spouse might use you, but a mother never will. Sometimes people come to me asking for rituals to make their mother die sooner because she is a burden. I feel like slapping them.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
I sit here at the cremation ground and witness many strange and heartbreaking things. It seems people have lost their humanity and their conscience. If you mistreat your parents, God will eventually settle the score, and it will be severe. My only wish is that those who disrespect their parents should realize the gravity of their actions.
Devotee:
Thank you, Gurudev. Pranam to you. If we follow your words about the importance of parents, there would be much less suffering in the world.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Yes, mistreating a mother is a great sin. Such people are better off not existing. Pranam.