Host:
Pranam, Gurudev.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Pranam, my son. Pranam.
Host:
At your ashram here in Rajpur Mahashashan, devotees come from all across India and even from abroad to meet you and seek the Darshan of the Mother. Today, we have someone here who has come all the way from Vrindavan. With your permission, I would like to ask him a few questions.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Yes, certainly. Please do.
Host:
Could you tell us your name and how you came to be here?
Bikram:
My name is Bikram Roy. For a long time, I lived in Vrindavan where I was a teacher. Before that, I worked for a multinational company in Bombay. I always had a deep desire to engage in spiritual practice (bhajan-sadhan). Since I found an opportunity to teach in Vrindavan, I moved there to pursue my spiritual path.
Bikram:
Over time, through meetings with various saints, I realized I needed to delve deeper into spiritual matters. I traveled and met many people in my search. By the grace of the Lord and Shri Radharani, I had the Darshan of a great soul, much like Mahavatar Baba, who appears occasionally. Later, another Mahatma, Samanath Maharaj, blessed me. He told me that while my current path was good, to achieve the ultimate goal (Siddhi) I was seeking, I would need to go deeper and change my approach. He emphasized that without 'Shakti Aradhana' (worship of the Divine Mother/Power), one cannot attain success in any spiritual path.
Host:
That is true. It is often said that many who practice Shaiva Sadhana eventually turn to Matri Sadhana (Mother worship). I recently heard of a similar instance where a Shaivite practitioner was directed to a Mother worshiper at a cremation ground in West Bengal to take initiation. You are absolutely right.
Bikram:
Yes, and there are historical examples as well. Sadhak Kamlakanta was initially initiated into the Vaishnava mantra by Chandrashekhar Goswami. Ramprasad Sen was also initially a Vaishnava before being initiated by Paramacharya Shrimat Krishnananda Agambagish. So, the specific path is less important than the destination and the method that leads there.
Bikram:
Eventually, by the grace of that Mahatma, I received certain mantras and began my practice. I was told to worship Ma Tara. During that short period of practice, I had profound experiences that left me startled. Upon completing a phase of my Sadhana, by the Mother's will, she communicated with me during a vision. She spoke of her "elder son." At first, I thought she meant Bamakhyapa. When I asked her, she said, "No, there is someone else; you will find out soon."
Bikram:
Shortly after, my cousin showed me a video on YouTube of a saint named 'Shama Khyapa.' When I heard the name, I remembered the Mother's words. My Guru Maharaj also confirmed that this was the person the Mother wanted me to meet. He told me I must seek guidance from him regarding my Sadhana, as it would be for my benefit and would please the Mother. Following that command, I tried to find his contact information, which took some time. Finally, I received the call again: "You were told to go; why haven't you gone yet?" Without further delay, I took a taxi from my home in Jadavpur and came here today.
Bikram:
When I arrived and saw Baba (the Guru) sitting here, I felt as if the Mother herself was standing behind him. I was nervous because I don't know much about this specific path and I feared he might be angry with my audacity. But Baba was incredibly compassionate. He showed me fatherly affection, blessed me, and asked me to sit near the Mother. Sitting there, I had such a beautiful experience that I cannot put it into words. My only prayer to Baba is that he continues to bless me so that the Mother remains merciful toward me.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
It will happen. It will surely happen. The Mother will be merciful.
Host:
Gurudev, I have a question. In our Hindu scriptures, it is said that everything is predestined. How do you view his sudden arrival here today?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
This has happened many times before. People come from distant places, even from outside India—Canada and other countries—claiming they came on the Mother's instructions. He, too, has come by her command. She told him, "Go to the cremation ground, my elder son is there." He initially mistook it for Bamakhyapa, but the Mother was referring to me.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Even though many call me 'Tara's Son,' I am a man of short temper. However, I wasn't angry with him. I told him to sit in the Mother's chamber, look at her, and have some 'Bhog Prasad.' I told him to come back in a day or two, and I will give him the mantras and teachings he seeks. I need to consult the Mother first; she might ask why I gave it to him so quickly! But he is right—the Mother sent him. He is a sincere seeker of Tantra Sadhana. I observed his mannerisms and heard him speak; I liked him very much. He wants to see the Mother, but the truth is, the Mother has already given him Darshan by directing him here.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
I might be a bit of a "Khyapa" (crazy/eccentric) type and get angry easily, but you don't need to worry about that. You are a son of the Mother, and she will help you in every way.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
He asked me about Krishna and Radhika. I told him that Ram and Rahim are the same. Radhika is the 'Hladini Shakti' (the power of bliss). Without that power, where would Krishna get his strength? The Mother is everywhere—she is Durga, Kali, Tara, and the Dashamahavidya. Her power is immense, and even Krishna realized this and remained connected to that 'Hladini Shakti.'
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
In some scientific models or ancient descriptions of the universe, among the fourteen realms like Jana, Tapa, and Mahar, the highest is the realm of Radha-Krishna—the realm of Love, which Chaitanya Mahaprabhu distributed. There is no difference, my son; it is only a difference in our minds. Because our minds are restless, we wonder about Krishna vs. Radhika. She is the source of power; her face is reflected everywhere in the world. Today, when you sat before the Mother, you saw that same essence. It is by her grace you are here to fulfill your goal. You have nothing to worry about.
Host:
So, Bikram, you are on a mission. You came here following the Mother's command, and despite your initial fears, you found the answers you were looking for. You now know that you will receive what you seek after Gurudev consults with the Mother. How do you feel now?
Bikram:
I am very happy. Just seeing Baba gave me the confidence I needed. When he told me to sit with the Mother, I spontaneously began my chanting (Japa). I lost track of time; he had said to sit for five minutes, but I think I stayed much longer.
Host:
We know. Gurudev asked about you once while you were inside, but when he realized you were meditating, he said not to disturb you.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Yes, one should not interrupt someone during Japa; it can be harmful. I saw him chanting and let him continue as long as he could. Your Guru sent you to the right place. Don't worry about my temperament. You are the Mother's son, and she will always assist you.
Host:
Thank you, Bikram. We all pray that your spiritual journey is successful under Gurudev's blessings and the Mother's grace.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
It will be. It certainly will be.
Host:
Pranam, Gurudev.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Pranam, my son. Blessings to you.
Spiritual Insight
Bikram's journey from multinational corporate life in Bombay to the cremation grounds of Rajpur Mahashashan illustrates the mysterious ways in which the Divine Mother calls her children home. The appearance of Mahavatar Baba, the guidance of Samanath Maharaj, the vision of Ma Tara speaking of her "elder son"—all these form the luminous thread that pulled a sincere seeker across the threshold of transformation. Guru Shyama Khyapa's revelation that Radhika is the Hladini Shakti (bliss-giving power) without which even Krishna would be powerless, demonstrates the fundamental unity underlying apparent path-differences. When the Guru tells Bikram that Ram and Rahim are the same, he speaks from direct realization of that non-dual truth where Vaishnava and Shakta, Krishna and Kali, dissolve into the one ocean of divine consciousness. The Guru's acknowledgment that he is called "Tara's Son" while simultaneously being known for his short temper reveals the paradox of the tantric path—fierce compassion that burns away illusion while protecting the tender seed of devotion.