Narrator:
[The audio begins with the sounds of a traditional Hindu temple ceremony. There is rhythmic bell ringing and the chanting of Sanskrit mantras by several priests. Devotees are heard talking in the background about ritual items like sandalwood. A devotional hymn is sung, focusing on the immortality of the soul and the search for the supreme being.]
Host:
I couldn't help but recite that verse from the Rigveda. As you can see, Gurudev is here. He is quite ill, yet he has come out because he knows how anxious all of you were for his Darshan (blessing/vision) on this auspicious day of Guru Purnima. Even though we requested people in a previous video not to crowd due to his health, Gurudev never turns anyone away. He has given his blessings to everyone who came. Before we speak further, I would like to ask Gurudev to say a few words on this Guru Purnima. We are celebrating it very simply in the temple today, but the real grandeur is at the site where Guru Ma's idol is being consecrated.
Gurudev:
Yes, the verse you recited is very significant. In the Rigveda, it is said that as long as you have not truly known Him (the Divine), you must continue to remember Him.
Gurudev:
"Tameba viditwa-atimrityumeti, nanyah pantha vidyate-ayanaya."
Gurudev:
This means that until you realize the Truth, you must keep seeking, keep remembering, and keep meditating. You must strive to know the Creator of this universe. This search should last until your final breath. As long as you haven't found that realization, it is better not to face death.
Host:
Today is Guru Purnima. Many disciples and devotees have arrived despite our health warnings.
Gurudev:
There is no other way. On Guru Purnima, they will naturally come to see their Guru. If a Guru pushes them away, it isn't right. Let everyone come, let them be seen, and let them be blessed. I haven't asked for elaborate rituals with flowers and water since the doctors forbade it, but I have ensured they can at least receive a blessing.
Host:
The celebrations in the temple are very simple this year, as you know.
Gurudev:
Simple? To me, Puja is Puja. I don't believe in grand marquees and showy arrangements. I have always been against that kind of ostentation, and I remain so today.
Gurudev:
Yes. When she passed away, it was the day of Shukla Ekadashi—specifically Moksha Ekadashi. It is believed that if someone passes away on Moksha Ekadashi, they are liberated from the cycle of birth and rebirth. They don't have to return to this world again.
Gurudev:
That is why we thought we might not "find" her again in a human form. However, I felt that I should see her one more time in this lifetime. She is still young in her spiritual journey—it's only been seven or eight months. Perhaps when more time passes, she might appear. But even if she doesn't, I have no regrets. She has passed on.
Gurudev:
I even went to a spiritual place called Gyan Ganj to ask about this—to see if it was true. After much calculation, they told me, "We cannot find her." I asked if that meant she had truly escaped the cycle of birth and death. They gave me a mantra and said, "With this, you will be able to see her wherever she is reborn." But then I thought, it is better to worship her as a Devi (Goddess). Since she has transcended the cycle, there is no chance of her returning. So, I decided to create an image of her and have it consecrated so people can offer their respects. I did what I felt was my duty.
Host:
And today, the Prana Pratishtha (consecration of the soul) of her idol is taking place.
Gurudev:
Yes, the twenty-four Tattvas (elements of existence) are being offered to her—the senses, the mind, the intellect, and the ego. Everything is being dedicated. She will reside there now.
Host:
I won't make you speak much longer since you are on oxygen support. Do you have a message for your disciples today?
Gurudev:
My only wish for my disciples and devotees is that they remain well. Let them stay happy, let them work hard, and let them live well. I pray to God that they face no hardships in this life. May they be eternally happy. My wife has been consecrated today, and the worship of Maa Tara is also ongoing with great rituals and fire sacrifices (Homa). You say it's a small affair, but I say it is a very grand spiritual event.
Host:
You heard Gurudev's message. I won't trouble him further as he needs rest. On this Guru Purnima, let us all remember our Guru.
Gurudev:
This is a day specifically dedicated to the Guru. Those who have taken initiation (Diksha) should refrain from eating rice today. They should consume simple, dry foods as a mark of respect for the day.
Host:
Let everyone stay healthy and well. We conclude with the sacred chant:
Host:
(Chanting begins) "Guru Brahma, Guru Vishnu, Guru Devo Maheshwara, Guru Sakshat Param Brahma, Tasmai Shri Gurave Namah."
Host:
(Translation: The Guru is Brahma, the Guru is Vishnu, the Guru is Lord Maheshwara. The Guru is truly the Supreme Brahman. Salutations to that Guru.)
Gurudev:
Remember the Guru every morning and evening. That is all I ask. Keep the Guru in your heart. Stay well, everyone.
Host:
Stay well, everyone.
Spiritual Insight
On Guru Purnima, despite being ill and on oxygen support, Guru Shyama Khyapa emerges to bless the devotees who came seeking his Darshan. He shares a profound verse from the Rigveda: "Until you realize the Truth, you must keep seeking, keep remembering, and keep meditating. As long as you haven't found that realization, it is better not to face death." This encapsulates the spiritual seeker's duty—to strive for divine realization until the final breath.
The Guru reveals a deeply personal revelation: his wife passed away on Moksha Ekadashi, a highly auspicious day when liberation from the cycle of birth and death is granted. When he visited Gyan Ganj (a renowned spiritual center for astrological calculations), the scholars confirmed they "could not find her"—meaning she had attained moksha (liberation) and would not be reborn. Rather than trying to locate her soul, Guru Baba chose to worship her as a Devi (Goddess). On this Guru Purnima, the Prana Pratishtha (consecration) of her idol is performed, with the twenty-four Tattvas (elements of existence—senses, mind, intellect, and ego) being offered to her. The Guru emphasizes simplicity in worship, rejecting ostentatious arrangements. His message to disciples is simple: remain well, stay happy, work hard, and live well. He instructs initiated disciples to refrain from rice on Guru Purnima, consuming simple, dry foods instead. The conversation concludes with the sacred Guru Mantra: "Guru Brahma, Guru Vishnu, Guru Devo Maheshwara, Guru Sakshat Param Brahma, Tasmai Shri Gurave Namah"—reminding us that the Guru is the Supreme Brahman Himself, worthy of our highest reverence.