Interviewer:
Gurudev, let's go. Today, I have a request on behalf of everyone, a question that stems from how people perceive you. Many people come to you; some call you "Baba," some "Dadu," and some "Gurudev." They say they have seen you in their dreams, that you visited their homes. They worship you like a god, or equivalent to God. I've seen people from Siliguri and other places who treat you as a deity. What do you have to say about this?
Gurudev:
Look, such things should not be done while a person is alive. It is not good for the person involved. It causes a spiritual decline in the soul of the one being worshipped. When a person is alive and they see and hear these things, it is not beneficial for them; it harms the soul. Books are being published, and soon a movie might come out. This is not appropriate for a seeker (Sadhaka). A Sadhaka's true form emerges after death. After a Sadhaka passes away, their name spreads, and many things happen.
Gurudev:
But now, I have to hear this repeatedly. Whoever comes says, "You are God. Just say 'yes' once, and I will leave. I won't leave until you say yes." I tell them, "Look, previously I might have said, 'Go, I will look after you.' But now I cannot say that." I have reached a certain spiritual stage where I shouldn't say such things. I used to say those things in an unconscious state during my earlier practice period. Now that period is over. People say these things, but it is harmful to my soul.
Gurudev:
People worship me as God, and while I am alive, this is not right. Yet, people still do it. They take my photos home, keep them, and worship them as they would a deity. Hearing this is harmful because it can lead to a sense of pride, and that is when a seeker's downfall begins.
Gurudev:
Regarding people touching my feet—I have allowed it. Everyone comes and bows at my feet. I allow it because the "Eight Siddhis" (supernatural powers) reside in the feet. When they touch my feet, they receive some benefit. Many gurus don't let people touch their feet, but my view is different. I believe my body was created by God for the people. My feet are for the people. So why should I hide them or prevent people from touching them?
Gurudev:
I often wonder what all these people see in me. In my own consciousness, I don't know. I am telling you this in front of "Ma" (the Divine Mother). I don't know what they have found that brings so many people to bow before me. It makes me think when I am alone. These things can be harmful to the soul because the soul needs to ascend through further stages. I have surpassed certain stages, but I still feel like I am wandering empty-handed. Ma hasn't given me anything yet that I can use to truly help people. I don't know what is happening behind the scenes, but people think I am God.
Interviewer:
Gurudev, there is a saying that one's parents are the greatest, and above them is the Guru. When we leave the house, we take our parents' blessings. To us, you are greater than our parents. If you are greater than them, then how can we think of you as anything less than God?
Gurudev:
No, God is something different. God has four hands, three eyes, and immense power. I am not that. I don't have three eyes or four hands. I cannot accept that. I want to prove repeatedly that I am just an ordinary man. I am empty-handed. I am constantly trying to hold Ma's feet, but she hasn't given me anything yet to give to others. People think I am God, and I want them to understand that I am not. God is above me. The one standing there is my God. Just as I am God to you, he is God to me. And he hasn't given me anything. I even argue with Ma, asking her to give me some mantra or power so I can help the people who come to me.
Interviewer:
Regarding what you said, consider this: when we use a mobile phone to call someone, the signal first goes to a tower, then to a sub-station, and then to the receiver. Similarly, God may not come down directly, so He sends people like you to reach us.
Gurudev:
You could say that. I agree that God doesn't descend directly. He places someone there to help people with their sorrows and troubles. Everyone calls out to God, but God might not come personally. Instead, they come to me. They say Ma appeared in their dreams and told them to come to me. People come from Gujarat, Mumbai, Delhi—they call and they visit.
Gurudev:
So, I agree with your "tower" and "sub-station" analogy. Sometimes it's overwhelming. Every morning, I see a hundred people crying. I tell Ma, if she is really there, she should give me some power. I am 76 years old, and my only regret is that Ma hasn't given me anything tangible. Perhaps she has given it "behind the scenes," but I don't feel I've received it.
Interviewer:
Gurudev, people even take your footprints or your shoes. Those who go abroad or move away take your shoes with them.
Gurudev:
Yes, many pairs of my shoes have been taken. I'll be sitting there, and someone will bring a new pair of shoes, put them there, and take mine. When I ask why, they say they want to worship them. I've lost about 50 pairs of slippers this way. But they always leave a new pair behind, so I don't have to go barefoot!
Interviewer:
Gurudev, you mentioned earlier that as a seeker gets older, they tend to talk less and eventually become silent (Mauna), like Trailanga Swami did. Will that happen to you?
Gurudev:
It will happen eventually. But right now, people are suffering. They are in distress—physically, financially, and mentally. As a human and as someone who has practiced Tantra, I feel I should stand by them. I should help them in any way they need. Whether it's the result of my practice or Ma's hidden work, I don't know. It feels supernatural to me.
Interviewer:
Even though people come here crying, they don't leave crying. They leave with a smile and something in their hearts.
Gurudev:
Yes, a lady came from Siliguri. She was crying, and I told her, "Don't leave while crying. Stay today, but when you leave, leave with a smile." She understood and stopped crying. People from all over come and cry, and I sometimes scold them for it. Why cry? It's all about emotion.
Interviewer:
I have seen people asking you to scold them or even kick them, saying it would be a blessing. This is similar to the stories of Bamdev, who once kicked a person, and it cured them.
Gurudev:
That is because of the power in the feet. The "Siddhai" is in the feet. That's why I let people bow to my feet—it's for them. My body is for Ma, but my feet are for the people. At 76, my only regret is that Ma hasn't given me anything directly. But perhaps everything is happening invisibly.
Interviewer:
Finally, Gurudev, what is immortality?
Gurudev:
Immortality is the work you leave behind. I see people offering me food, flowers, and incense. This is a form of immortality. God grants this. Even after a person dies, their name remains. My name will probably stay for a long time as a seeker. Nearly 15 million people have seen me now. That is immortality.
Gurudev:
As Bhabapagla said, "Man becomes God, man becomes an Avatar." It is people who make someone a deity or an Avatar. God doesn't come down to do it; people do. Humans are Narayana (God). They are the ones who elevate me and establish me. That is immortality.
Interviewer:
Today's discussion was profound. Just as a child cries loudly at birth but grows quieter as they gain knowledge and wisdom, eventually becoming silent, Gurudev spoke about his journey. You, the viewers, the disciples, and those who will be initiated in the future, will understand this. Gurudev says he knows nothing, but if we tried to measure his knowledge, our lives would end before we could. When someone's wisdom reaches its peak, they no longer feel the need to speak and they become silent.
Gurudev:
Everyone becomes silent in the end. I am still speaking because so many people say that hearing my voice makes them feel better. They ask me to just pick up the phone so they can hear my voice. Because of these requests, I cannot be silent yet. Being silent would be better for my health, as talking to a hundred people a day is exhausting and causes breathlessness. The phone starts ringing at 8:00 AM and goes on until 11:00 PM. They don't even give me a second's break.
Interviewer:
That concludes our explanation for those who call Gurudev "God." Please share your comments below. We learn a lot from them. Thank you. Pronam, Gurudev.
Gurudev:
Pronam. Pronam, Baba.
Spiritual Insight
This profound conversation reveals the paradox of the Guru-disciple relationship. Gurudev repeatedly denies being God, emphasizing his own spiritual emptiness and the dangers of pride that come from being worshipped while alive. Yet he accepts the "tower and sub-station" analogy—that God doesn't come directly to devotees, but works through intermediaries like him. His humility is striking: at 76, he says his only regret is that "Ma hasn't given me anything." Yet millions are transformed by his presence. This reveals a profound truth about immortality: it is not physical deathlessness, but the lasting impact one leaves on others. As he quotes Bhabapagla: "Man becomes God, man becomes an Avatar. It is people who make someone a deity... That is immortality."