Narrator:
Salutations to Sri Sri Gupta Sadhok Shyama Khapa. Greetings! Paying my respects to Gurudeb Gupta Sadhok Sri Sri Shyama Khapa, we are beginning our program from Shantipunjo. Let us all listen to the invaluable words of Gurudeb.
Devotee:
Pranam, Gurudeb.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Pranam, baba. Speak.
Devotee:
Today, we would like to hear something from you about Swami Pranavananda Ji.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Ah, the name of Swami Pranavananda Maharaj. What can I say? He was an incarnation of Shiva. He was born by the grace of Shiva. He was born in 1896 on the day of Maghi Purnima at the time of Godhuli (twilight). His father was Vishnu Charan Bhuiyan, and his mother was Sharada Devi. His birthplace was in Bajitpur village in the Faridpur district of East Bengal. He lived for exactly 45 years.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
His father, Vishnu Charan Bhuiyan, was a great devotee of Shiva. He wasn't exactly a government employee; he worked in the administrative office (Seresta) under the zamindars of those days. He was very devoted to God and was deeply moved by the suffering of people. Whenever he saw someone in distress, he would become very anxious and try his best to find ways to make them happy.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
He always sought refuge in Lord Shiva. He would pray to Mahadev in his heart but never showed it outwardly. Even his wife didn't know that he was a supreme devotee of Mahadev and Goddess Durga. One day, his wife had a dream that Shiva was lying in her lap. He caressed her, embraced her, and kissed her. It was Lord Shiva Himself. Shortly after this divine dream, Swami Pranavananda was born. It was a divine instruction, and he was indeed an incarnation of Mahadev; there is no doubt about it.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
From a very young age, he remained in a meditative state. He had no attachment to worldly things—wealth, property, or anything of that sort never interested him. Even as a child, he was always absorbed in meditation. He was enrolled in school, and the headmaster received reports that while the boy came to school, he didn't study much but was an intense devotee of God.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
The headmaster once called him and found something within him that left the teacher deeply moved. Once, during a night-long prayer session held in four parts, the headmaster called him. He saw the boy sitting in deep meditation beside the idol of Mahadev, and such a divine light (Jyoti) was radiating from him that the headmaster himself witnessed it and was overwhelmed with joy. After that, the headmaster never scolded him again.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
As he grew up, he developed a very strong and sturdy physique. He practiced exercise and various forms of physical training. He used to tell his friends, "You must also exercise. Without a strong body, nothing can be achieved." He had a vision from the beginning to form an organization—an organization that would jump into action during famines, floods, or any such calamities. He gradually started preparing his friends. Initially, he didn't have many followers, but slowly people began to join him.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Since he had no money, he thought of ways to gather funds. He went out on the streets with his followers to beg for alms. Whatever they collected was deposited in a bank. He told them, "Look, we have no money. But if a famine or flood occurs, you must jump in to help people, whether you have food to eat or not." Following his lead, his friends and followers began to prepare themselves under his guidance. By 1919, when a severe famine struck Bangladesh—specifically in Faridpur—his heart was deeply troubled. He prayed to God, Mahadev, and Durga. He was a fierce devotee, though no one else knew the depth of his devotion. He carried a Trishul (trident) as his symbol.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
In later years, he didn't care for fancy clothes or appearances. He was very simple. When he spoke to people, he spoke very simply so everyone could understand and feel drawn to him. Consequently, many donations began to flow in. During that terrible famine around 1919-1920 in Faridpur, he became very restless. He jumped into the relief work with all his followers and resources. He called upon God every moment. As I said, he was an incarnation of Shiva.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
When his mother later told his father about her dream of holding Mahadev in her arms, his father realized that this child was no ordinary soul. Even his teachers witnessed his divinity. There is a significant incident: once, when he was brought home for a special prayer session, he performed the rituals, and in the early morning, he spat near a Tulsi plant and immediately became unconscious. He felt as if a deity had entered his body. He asked for forgiveness repeatedly. After that, that Tulsi plant was cared for with great devotion and grew very large.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
He used to say one thing: "The more Hindus unite, the more strength Muslims or Christians will gain. But there is no unity among Hindus. As a result, other powers have established their dominance." He was a firm believer in the Hindu religion and urged people to follow it and stay united. "Fight with unity," he would say, "and other powers will be defeated." However, his dream wasn't fully realized in his lifetime. He passed away at the age of 45.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
But what he left behind is an invaluable treasure—a powerful organization known today as the Bharat Sevashram Sangha. He wanted to build such an ashram, and though he had no money, he saw begging as the only way. He told his followers, "If you don't get food, eat a bowl of boiled lentils (Musur Dal). You may not always get a full meal, but you must serve." He lived a life of strict celibacy (Brahmacharya). He never ate fish or meat. Being an incarnation of Mahadev, he lived a pure life. He was born on a Wednesday (Budhbar), so he was nicknamed "Budho." Later, during his naming ceremony, he was named Binod.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
After he founded the organization, the Bharat Sevashram Sangha spread across India and even the world. I have visited many of their ashrams—in Haridwar, Tarapith, and even along the Narmada river. I stayed with them and shared meals. I observed that if people donate and buy things for them, they eat well; otherwise, they survive on simple boiled rice and lentils. That is their staple. I stayed with the monks for about a month or two. I loved their routine, especially waking up at 4:00 AM for the Aarati (prayer). They insisted I wake up early because "Baba’s Aarati" was about to begin. They have his photos everywhere.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
The monks told me with some sadness that they often lack resources. Only when people from Kolkata or distant places come and provide supplies do they get to eat well. Otherwise, they follow the Guru’s instruction: "Eat boiled rice and a bowl of lentils." This gives them the strength to maintain their celibacy and serve. There are many large organizations in the world, but the Bharat Sevashram Sangha is one you can truly rely on. Whether in Gaya or elsewhere, they do great work with very little money. In the past, they didn't charge much, but nowadays, they have to take some fees for room rent to maintain the vast properties and resources.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
If Swami Pranavananda Ji were alive today, he would have been very happy to see the organization's growth. He left his physical body in 1941 at the age of 45. Great souls like him don't stay for long. But in that short time, he did so much for India. He always emphasized, "Serving humanity is serving Shiva. Serving women is serving Durga." This was his message to his followers. Today, it is a massive organization. My hundred-fold salutations to such a man, who was Shiva Himself.
Devotee:
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Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Pranam, pranam.
Narrator:
You were listening to the words of Gurudeb Gupta Sadhok Sri Sri Shyama Khapa. Let us know how you liked it. To listen to Gurudeb’s invaluable words regularly, please subscribe, like, share, and comment on the Shyama Khapa channel. To contact Gurudeb, please send a WhatsApp message between 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM with your name, location, and phone number. Gurudeb will call you back as soon as possible. With salutations to Gurudeb and wishing you all his blessings and well-being, we conclude today’s program. Stay well, everyone. Namaskar.