Moderator:
Pronam, Gurudev.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Pronam, my son. Pronam, pronam.
Moderator:
Gurudev, today a devotee of yours from Baruipur has come here to Shantikunj. She has many questions for you.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
I won't be able to answer too many, but I'll answer a few. That's no problem. Go ahead.
Moderator:
Please state your name and the questions you have brought for Gurudev.
Sanchari Sengupta:
Pronam, Gurudev. Namaskar. My name is Sanchari Sengupta, and I've come from Baruipur. I've been watching Gurudev's YouTube channel and his videos for a long time; I am a sincere devotee. I've come today with several questions because watching your videos makes many questions arise naturally. I thought I'd gather the courage to come and ask Gurudev a few things. For example, Gurudev, nowadays, the current generation or the youth are getting various spiritual or god-related tattoos on different parts of their bodies. Some get a Trishul (trident); like I have a musical symbol here, I've seen many people get Lord Shiva's Trishul, Mother Shivani, Lord Ganesh, or 'Om' tattooed in various places. To what extent is this auspicious or inauspicious, logical, or beneficial?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Tell me, where did this tattoo trend come from? From which country? Answer that first. It came from Africa. This is African. You'll see that Africans have many drawings on their bodies. From there, it gradually reached here. It was almost non-existent among us before. However, I've seen some of my disciples who come with tattoos all over their bodies. Some have a Trishul on their hand; some have 'Om Namah Shivaya' on their back, and so on. These are just emotions, I can say. This is not possible for a person with a healthy mind. A person with a healthy mind doesn't do these things. And the percentage is highest among idle boys who roam around, almost like rogues. I can say this: it's most prevalent among them. They think they're doing something significant, but in reality, they are ruining themselves and influencing five others to do the same. Can one truly call out to God with a picture of Shiva on their hand, neck, or chest? No. But they show off how much of a devotee they are. A Shiva devotee or this devotee, yet they don't even say namaskar or visit a prayer room once a day. This is the trend of the current era. I've seen it among both educated and uneducated boys. Many boys come to me, and I scold them. What is the need for all this? Keep God within your body; the body itself is God. What is the benefit of placing another God on it? I forbid it and scold them, but the point is, there are some idle boys who don't work, live off their fathers, and roam around—I've seen this addiction most in them.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
I've seen a couple of my disciples who have tattoos. This is not our heritage; it has come from abroad. It's increasing, not decreasing. Some people are making money from it, which is fine, but the body turns into something grotesque. Now, one can't even tell them; they'll get offended if spoken to. Let God be in His place; what is the point of bringing Him onto your body? The result is not good because your body goes to all sorts of places, good and bad. You use foul language, say many bad things, and get into fights. It's better not to have pictures of deities on your body then. This is my personal opinion. It has become a trend now. People do it because others are doing it; it's like something contagious. It's not a very good thing. I don't like it at all. The body is so pure, and then they make it look grotesque with black ink. I see girls doing it too, many Bengalis, and non-Bengalis as well.
Sanchari Sengupta:
My second question. People usually say that bad predictions or negative omens come true very quickly, but good predictions take a long time to manifest. Why is that?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Good things don't just happen; they can't be made to happen. Good things don't occur easily. Only those who follow the path of truth, meditate regularly, and have a connection with God can make somewhat accurate predictions. Making predictions is a difficult task because I made several predictions for 2020 and 2021, and many people were dissatisfied. They thought, "Does he know everything now? Can he see distant things?" There's a lot of confusion regarding this. So, those who are on the path of truth, stay close to God, and practice regularly can say something that might come true. But bad things happen first; good things don't. Bad happens first, then good. Good doesn't want to happen easily. Bad happens more often, which is why you'll see bad things coming true very quickly. For good things to manifest, it takes a lot of time. Just like truth and untruth. Untruth works very quickly, but truth takes a long time. This is a significant matter.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
That's why I say, make predictions with knowledge. The predictions I have made are based on science. None of them are beyond science, and we broadcast what is the absolute truth. It's not always good to do so because people get scared. People often get scared and say, "You are scaring us," and so on. But it is true. I have no objection to predicting what will happen, and that is what I do. I make predictions based on science, their opinions, reading journals, and adding my own perspective.
Sanchari Sengupta:
One group gets prepared after hearing it, and another group gets nervous.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
That's natural. If I say something bad, people will naturally get scared. Why? Because people won't be scared if an ordinary person says it. Since I am in a certain position, close to God, everyone thinks, "He said it, so it must come true." 90% of people say this. 10% of people say it won't come true. But ultimately, all the predictions I've made have come true. Not a single one was wrong. When I predicted that Kedarnath would be destroyed, many people abused me. They said, "How can Kedarnath be destroyed?" But it happened. Then I predicted the fire at Jagannath Temple, and it happened. I also made a prediction about COVID and various others, trying not to scare people. But if people know the truth, they can at least be cautious. That's it.
Sanchari Sengupta:
Another question I've been thinking about for a long time. We ordinary people, men and women, worship in our own way; some call upon Mahadev, some upon Mother Tara. What about the Hijra (transgender) community or the Brihannala community? If they wish to worship, they too have a desire and their own God.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
You can come with me to their dwellings and see how great devotees of God they are. Our knowledge about them comes from the Mahabharata. You must have heard of Shikhandi. Who surrendered his weapons? Bhishma. He surrendered his weapons to Shikhandi. Many Shikhandis come to me. If you come and sit with me, you'll see them. Once, I was sitting at the cremation ground in the morning, around 10 AM on a Sunday. There weren't many people. Suddenly, a Brihannala came and asked for some water. I gave it. Then they asked for tea. I gave them tea with sweets. Then they asked for my blessings, saying they wish never to be born like this again. I said, this is God's will; it's not up to you or me. They insisted, "Please bless me so that I am never born like this again." This is a true incident. I blessed them in front of the Goddess. They were very satisfied. Then they asked for a Gita to read. I gave them one. They were so happy. They said, "Just tell God that I shouldn't have another life like this." I've interacted with many of them at their homes, and they are devotees of God. They too want to worship like you. But the only difficulty is their livelihood. You understand, the struggle for food is real. It's not that they don't want to live a normal life, but their circumstances are different.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Now, many ordinary people are marrying Brihannalas; we've seen this. It's happening a lot now. A Brihannala is neither male nor female. Some people think they have special powers and giving them things is good. It's considered auspicious. And I'm telling you, they perform worship and rituals just like you. Their only lament is that they shouldn't be born like this again. They've told me this repeatedly, and it makes me feel sad. Some of them are educated. Now, since they don't get jobs, they've taken to the streets. Earlier, they used to visit houses when a baby was born and get some money. Now, that's almost gone. How else will they survive? They don't have families, but they have their own community where they find some joy. Many people are marrying them now. It's not a bad thing; it's similar to same-sex relationships. But that's not our topic. They also worship, study, and read the Gita.
Sanchari Sengupta:
Gurudev, many of us here like to listen to 'Sunday Suspense' on YouTube. There, the character Taranath Tantrik often mentions 'Chandra Darshan' (viewing the moon).
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Chandra Darshan is something else. Sages can view the moon even on a new moon day if they wish. They can create a full moon on a new moon day. This is their own power. If you go to Gyanganj, you can see the moon every night. Even on a new moon day. This is true. Great sages there control the moon and the sun. Earlier, there was Naimisharanya, where many sages used to perform rituals. Now, only Gyanganj remains, where sages as old as 1,500 to 5,000 years are meditating. I know a lady, a Kali devotee, who is 1,500 years old. She can tell everything. Her mind is still sharp. There's also Babaji Maharaj and other great sages who protect Gyanganj. Some have even taken Samadhi, while others don't eat and live on air, traveling in their subtle bodies. They control Chandra Darshan. Any high-level seeker does it automatically.
Sanchari Sengupta:
One last question for today. Suppose someone is called to be a 'Shashan Bondhu' (cremation ground companion). But it's their birthday. Is it okay to enter the cremation ground on one's birthday?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Yes, it can be done anytime. What does 'Shashan' mean? It comes from 'Sun-San' (deserted). A place where people don't live. Here, we see many people living around the cremation ground. But in the past, it was deserted. 30-40 years ago, people were afraid to take this road after sunset. We've seen it. We used to return from the market by 4 PM out of fear. There was nothing but wilderness. Shashan means deserted. The body is merging with the five elements: earth, water, fire, air, and space. You are born with these elements. Earth, water, fire, air, and space. Earth means land. 'Ap' means water. 'Tej' means energy or heat. 'Marut' means air, and 'Bom' means gas. Your body is made of these five. Life comes from elsewhere. No one can create life. Shashan is where the body merges with the five elements and the six enemies (vices) are destroyed. One can even make their body a Shashan. Just like Chandra Darshan, high-level seekers do it every day. We too can make our bodies a Shashan. These five elements made your body, and they will eventually consume it. One day, it will merge back. That's why Ramprasad said, "No resources, Mother, whatever I bring is consumed by the five elements." These five elements work within you as long as you are alive, and they consume you from within. Ramprasad's realization was that the five elements are eating within the stomach. Shashan is where the body merges with the five elements and the six enemies are destroyed.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
A person, no matter how great, turns into 1.5 kg of ash. I've lived in the cremation ground for many years. People talk about ghosts, but there are no ghosts or spirits. Some un-liberated souls, like those who committed suicide, might be found seeking liberation. I've had a couple of such cases where they asked for liberation, and I gave it to them. A boy who died in an accident came to me for liberation. Some souls come and weep for liberation. These are things you don't know. People only know Shashan as a place where bodies are burnt. But when you can make your body a Shashan, destroying the six enemies, that's true Shashan. But they don't die easily. Ramprasad said, "Mother, how can I manage the six enemies? I feel like killing them all with poison." But if you kill them, you die. The five elements will remain and consume you. We say, he merged with the five elements. These are the six enemies: lust, anger, greed, attachment, pride, and envy. They cause people to do various things, good and bad. They need to be controlled. Like electricity, it's 33,000 volts at the source, but we use 220 volts at home. We use a transformer to control it. If it increases, our appliances will burn out. Control is key. If one can control these six enemies and live with truth, they can see everything. One should never cheat, harm, or lie. If someone living with truth says something, it comes true. They can bless anyone. They don't need a specific day like Monday or Wednesday. We can do it anytime. When people come from far like Delhi or Mumbai, we do it for them because we live with truth and have tried to conquer the six enemies.
Sanchari Sengupta:
So friends, this is our Gurudev. I don't know if I'll get such an interview again. You can search for the answers Gurudev gave on Google, but you won't find them. Like entering a cremation ground on one's birthday.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Why not? A birthday is for celebration, but entering a cremation ground is about being a 'Bondhu' (friend). A true friend comes until the cremation ground. Nowadays, people just stand and leave once the body is taken in. But they unknowingly harm the household. The rule is to stay, give water to the remains, and only then leave. There are many such things. One should bathe before returning home. Entering the cremation ground is being a friend to everything. One who can come until the cremation ground is the original friend. Birthday doesn't matter. It's a holy place. These are just superstitions. Science doesn't believe in this. Recently, some people were arguing because some didn't want to bathe after touching the body. I told them, "You've bathed in the name of God; what more is needed?" They were satisfied.
Moderator:
Friends, you heard Gurudev answering some important questions. If you have any questions, post them in the comments. We'll come back to them another day. Pronam, Gurudev.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Pronam, my son. Pronam, pronam, pronam.
Devotee:
Gurudev, many youths today get tattoos of Lord Shiva’s Trishul, 'Om', or other deities. To what extent is this auspicious or logical?
Guru:
This tattoo trend is not our heritage; it has come from abroad. To me, it is a sign of an idle mind. Can one truly call out to God simply by placing a picture of Shiva on their skin? No. Often, those who show off these tattoos don't even visit a prayer room once a day.
The body itself is God; it is pure. What is the benefit of placing another image of God onto it? Your body goes to all sorts of places, you might use foul language or get into fights—it is better not to have a deity's image on your body then. It makes the body look grotesque with black ink. Keep God in His place, which is within you, not on your skin.
The Science of Predictions
Devotee:
Why do negative omens seem to come true so quickly, while good predictions take a long time?
Guru:
Untruth works quickly, but Truth takes time. Only those who follow the path of truth and have a genuine connection with the Divine can make accurate predictions. When I predicted the destruction at Kedarnath or the fire at Jagannath Temple, people were upset, but these were based on science and observation.
I don't predict to scare people. If you know the truth, you can at least be cautious. Those stay close to God and conquer their internal 'six enemies' (lust, anger, greed, attachment, pride, and envy) gain the clarity to see what is coming.
Devotion in the Transgender Community
Devotee:
What about the Hijra (transgender) community? Do they also have a desire for worship and their own God?
Guru:
You should see how great their devotion is! Many 'Shikhandis' come to me. I once met a Brihannala at the cremation ground who asked for my blessing to never be born in that form again. It made me very sad. They read the Gita and perform rituals just like anyone else.
Their only struggle is their livelihood and the lack of social acceptance. They are neither male nor female, but they are human and they are devotees. God's will is mysterious, and they seek liberation from their circumstances just as anyone else seeks liberation from their karma.
Entering the Shmashan (Cremation Ground)
Devotee:
Is it okay to enter a cremation ground as a Shashan Bondhu (companion) on one's birthday?
Guru:
A birthday is a celebration of life, but entering the Shmashan is about being a 'friend' to the transition of death. It is a holy place where the body merges back into the five elements—earth, water, fire, air, and space.
True spiritual seekers make their own bodies a Shmashan by destroying the six enemies within. Superstitions about specific days don't matter. If you are there as a friend to help a soul transition, it is a virtuous act. Science and truth don't support these fears; only a controlled mind can see the holiness in every place.
Devotee:
Gurudev, your answers are unique and profound. Pranam.
Guru:
Pranam. Blessings to you all.