Disciple:
Pronam (salutations), Gurudev.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Pronam.
Disciple:
Gurudev, does even the Creator of this world make mistakes? As an example, people say gold has no scent, and the sandalwood tree—despite being so fragrant—has no flowers. Does the Creator make mistakes like these?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Yes, he does. The Creator definitely makes mistakes. In fact, our creators are full of mistakes. That is why there is so much criticism regarding our Hindu scriptures today. When you talk about Hindu scriptures, people immediately point out, "Oh, Brahma did this," or "Narayana did that."
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
While we give prominence to Narayana and Brahma—Brahma as the creator and Narayana as the sustainer—we often don't bring Shiva into those same debates. Do you know why? Because of Satyam Shivam Sundaram (Truth, Auspiciousness, and Beauty). Shiva has no blemish; he never did anything wrong. This is why we hold Shiva in such high devotion and love. Even across the world, there is a fascination with Shiva. Even among Muslims, you will see a respect for Shiva. They may keep it hidden or not openly admit to what they do, but there is an agitation and a deep interest regarding Shiva. In both Hindu and Muslim contexts, there is a connection to Shiva.
Disciple:
It's like Shiva has a different kind of aura.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Exactly, because Shiva has no "stains" or blemishes. Narayana has blemishes. Brahma has blemishes. For example, look at Brahma. On his left is Savitri and on his right is Saraswati. Brahma... how do I put this? He committed an act against his own daughter. Look at how grave a mistake that was.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
We see this happening today—fathers misbehaving with daughters—but it happened back then too, by him. Because of that, he became "untouchable" in a sense. His worship happens in open fields or outskirts; Brahma is almost never established or worshipped inside a home. He is worshipped in fields because of that curse. He committed a disgraceful act against his own daughter.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Then look at Narayana. Narayana also committed a wrong against Tulsi. There is a blemish on his reputation as well. We know these things, yet despite knowing how "low" certain parts of the scriptures might seem, we don't speak out. We don't criticize the Hindu scriptures because people don't want to accept it.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
This religion is called Sanatan Dharma. People just repeat the name, saying it is eternal and no one can truly understand or define it. But is that really true? We call ourselves Hindus, but what sign do we carry in our bodies to prove we are Hindus? This is something to think about. Muslims have specific signs by which they can say, "I am a Muslim." Hindus don't have that. There is a big difference.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
However, Nostradamus mentioned something in his prophecies. It is emerging that a leader will rise from the Hindu religion who will rule and influence all of Asia. All Asian countries will bow to him, and Sanatan Dharma will make a comeback. He predicted this regarding the future of Hinduism.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Right now, the religion has degraded significantly. There is almost nothing left of the true Hindu spirit. Personally, I see it as a state where we can't even proudly claim to be Hindus. But when I think of Nostradamus' words—that when the religion reaches its absolute lowest point, a leader will emerge from the Hindus whom all of Asia will support—it gives me hope. I am optimistic that sooner or later, Hinduism will return to its rightful place.
Disciple:
But Gurudev, Hindu Dharma is based on the ideals of these gods and goddesses. We worship them and follow what they did. If they carried these "blemishes," can the religion still reach that supreme position you mentioned?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Look, Swami Vivekananda once said that you can prove you are a Hindu through your worship and your actions. When he was asked what Hindus have, he told the monks: "Show through your work that you are not like other races." Hindus generally don't want to convert to other religions, and they usually don't.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
However, nowadays we see conversions happening through greed or financial lure. Missionaries and others are targeting areas where people are poor or the social system is weak, spending lots of money to convert them. But this won't last. We have seen conversions happen before, only for people to return to their roots.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Hinduism exists, it will exist, and it always was. There's no point in over-analyzing that. But someone will rise from among us—as Nostradamus said—who will lead.
Disciple:
Gurudev, regarding those "disgraceful" acts you mentioned... even in our modern legal system, there are so many loopholes, yet the punishment for such crimes is severe.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Yes, but even the gods did these things. They provided the examples. They did many wrong things; there is no denying that. We learned from them, in a way. But because they are gods, we believe in them and love them. If we criticize them, people will get angry. But the fault lies at the root.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
I say again: we love Shiva because he is the only one without blemish. He didn't kill anyone without reason. He only punished those who were relentless. This is why Shiva is universal.
Disciple:
So, our discussion today is about the fact that even the Creator makes mistakes?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Absolutely. Even our Constitution was written by B.R. Ambedkar, and it has many mistakes. Now, we find it necessary to amend the Constitution. At that time, he wrote it under different circumstances. There weren't as many people, and there wasn't as much pressure. He couldn't have imagined a population of 150 crore people. So, we are paying for those mistakes now. If one person makes a mistake, others have to pay the price.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
In spirituality, it was the same. A god would give someone a boon, and then someone else would have to be created to kill the person who received the boon! This happened so many times. If you look at the history of the gods, you'll see many such instances.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
We talk about the Vedas, but the Vedas are complex. The social system of the Vedic times was different, and some of it was quite harsh. That is why the Vedas eventually moved to the background, and the Bhagavad Gita took center stage because the Gita is "pure" and without those complications.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
The Vedas (Rig, Sama, Yajur) eventually started disappearing from daily practice in India. People stopped reading them. However, there are certain Vedic chants (Riks) that are life-giving. They can heal people and cure major illnesses. There are chants for doing good or even for when someone is unable to eat.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
But people have stopped studying these things. We tried to start Vedic discussions, but no one supported it. It's sad—we are finishing with it here, while people in the West are just starting. In places like Oxford, Hinduism and the Vedas are now major subjects of study and debate.
Disciple:
Yes, Gurudev, many people now go to Oxford to give lectures on Hindu scriptures. It has become a massive subject of interest there.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
It's happening all over the world. There is a lot of research and criticism. There is something deep within it; it's not just nothing. Those who can extract the truth will succeed. There is great "nectar" hidden in the Rig, Sama, Yajur, and Atharva Vedas. If you can take it, it is for your benefit.
Disciple:
We will end our discussion here for today. Pronam, Gurudev.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Pronam.