Announcer:
Salutations to Shri Shri Gupta Sadhak Syama Khapa. Greetings. We begin today's program from Santikunj by paying our respects to Gurudev Gupta Sadhak Shri Shri Syama Khapa. Let us all listen to the invaluable words of Gurudev.
Disciple:
Pranam (Salutations), Gurudev.
Gurudev:
Pranam.
Disciple:
I would like to know something from you regarding Lord Shiva, the Lord of Kailash.
Gurudev:
Ah, you are asking about Shiva, the Lord of Kailash. Yes. Both Mother Durga and Lord Shiva reside in Kailash. Mother Durga often faces many hardships managing the household. She has a husband like Shiva, you see. Sometimes there is unrest and quarrels in their home. From morning until evening, there is no telling where Shiva might be. Some days he comes home to eat, and some days he doesn't. Mother Durga often feels very distressed.
Gurudev:
We often refer to this Shiva as Kirat-Kirati—a woodsman or hunter. If you look at the Shiva of Kailash, you will see a bangle on his feet. He stays with Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kartikeya, and Ganesha. Legend says he has no children of his own; he did not create them. Brahma is the creator. Anyway, I will come to that later.
Gurudev:
One morning, Shiva suddenly appeared before Mother Durga (Parvati). Parvati was surprised. Why had he come so early? Usually, he arrives around 4:00 or 5:00 PM to eat, and sometimes he doesn't come at all. When asked, he simply says, "I have work to do; you won't understand."
Gurudev:
That morning, he said, "Parvati, I feel like eating some hot rice today." Parvati replied, "Indeed, because you are used to eating cold leftovers. I will cook hot rice for you. But first, go and take a bath. I am starting the cooking."
Gurudev:
Shiva went to take his bath. It takes time to travel from Kailash to Manasarovar. They travel through the sky, so it's not a problem for them. Mother Durga started cooking. She was happy because Shiva usually begs for food every day, but today he asked for a fresh meal.
Gurudev:
This is a humorous story, though some might not like its tone. Mother said, "Go bathe, I'll have the rice ready. Come back and eat while it's hot. Don't let it get cold. And don't get distracted and sit down somewhere! You always say you have so much work." Shiva replied, "No, no, you cook; I am coming."
Gurudev:
He went to Manasarovar, bathed, and then sat down. Mother Durga waited and waited, but he didn't return. She grew very annoyed. She thought, "Let me go and see what 'work' he is doing." After all, the whole world is under his control.
Gurudev:
Mother Durga set out, leaving the rice covered. Looking down from the sky, she saw a man sitting by the water. She realized it was Mahadev. She approached him quietly. She didn't want to shout because he has quite a temper.
Gurudev:
She saw a pile of pebbles in front of him. He was picking up a pebble, reciting a mantra, and throwing it into the water, saying, "Be a doctor." He was creating things. Then he picked up another and said, "Be a barrister." Then another, "Be a lawyer." He was busy creating professionals.
Gurudev:
Mother Durga couldn't wait any longer. She touched his shoulder and said, "Hey! Your rice is getting cold!"
Gurudev:
Shiva was startled. "Wait, wait! You spoiled my creation!" He looked at the remaining pile of pebbles. In his frustration, he gathered them all at once, threw them into the water, and said, "All of you, become scammers/scoundrels (Dhemna)!"
Gurudev:
This is a humorous story about Shiva and Durga, but it has a deeper meaning. The "Adi Shiva" (the Primal Shiva) resides in the sky. He is called Hiranyagarbha—the golden womb from which creation and destruction emerge.
Gurudev:
In the Trimurti, the departments are divided: Brahma creates, Vishnu preserves, and Shiva destroys. However, Brahma and Vishnu deeply respect Shiva and leave much to him. Interestingly, Shiva hasn't killed many demons personally, though he did incinerate Kamadeva (the God of Love) when he tried to break his meditation.
Gurudev:
The Shiva we see in Kailash and the one in the sky are quite different. We worship Shiva through folk traditions and rituals. We see the Shiva Lingam on a Gauri-patta (the base), representing Ardhanarishvara—the union of Shiva and Durga. They are inseparable, just as Narayana and Lakshmi, or Brahma and Saraswati.
Gurudev:
Every god has their legends and "blemishes." Brahma was cursed by Savitri. Narayana was cursed by Tulsi. Tulsi loved Narayana deeply, and Narayana knew this. One day, he went to Tulsi's house disguised as her husband while her real husband was away bathing. He deceived her.
Gurudev:
When the real husband returned, Tulsi realized the deception. She immediately cursed Narayana, saying, "You shall remain buried under the earth as a Shaligram stone for 14 years." This is why we have the Shaligram stone today.
Gurudev:
Because of this history, Tulsi is placed on Narayana's head or chest during worship, but never at his feet. At night, the Tulsi leaf must be removed from the deity, because Tulsi and Lakshmi cannot coexist in that way during his rest.
Disciple:
Gurudev, you mentioned the Shiva in the sky is called Hiranyagarbha. What does that word mean?
Gurudev:
It is the place from which creation and destruction originate. There is a chapter in the Vedas about this. It describes the source to which we offer oblations during the Maha Mrityunjaya homam (fire ritual).
Gurudev:
The Vedic scriptures describe him with ten heads and twenty arms. He also has snakes and a trident, and he sits upon Nandi. While the popular image is a creative visualization, the concept of Hiranyagarbha is deeply rooted in the Vedas.
Gurudev:
In South India, this is highly respected. In many South Indian temples, you will find the Hiranyagarbha represented as a golden egg shape. In our region, people aren't as familiar with it because Vedic studies have declined.
Gurudev:
The common worship here is of Ardhanarishvara and the Lingam, which represents Kaam (desire). Desire is essential; the world runs on desire. But the Shiva I focus on is Hiranyagarbha—the powerful, eternal, and nectar-like Being in the sky. I have dedicated my soul to Him. Until one understands Him, one must keep seeking. The stories of Kailash and Durga are Puranic legends, and while they have their place, the Vedic truth of Hiranyagarbha is profound.
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Disciple:
Pranam, Gurudev.
Gurudev:
Pranam.
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Announcer:
Sending pranam to Gurudev and wishing everyone his blessings and well-being. We conclude today's program here. Stay well. Namaskar.
Spiritual Insight
Guru Shyama Khyapa distinguishes between the Puranic stories of Shiva as the Lord of Kailash and the deeper Vedic understanding of Shiva as Hiranyagarbha—the golden womb, the primal source from which all creation and destruction emerge. While the humorous stories of Shiva and Parvati have their place in folk tradition, the true spiritual seeker is directed toward the Hiranyagarbha: the eternal, powerful Being in the sky to whom oblations are offered in the Maha Mrityunjaya homam. This Vedic truth, still preserved in South Indian temples as the golden egg, represents the profound essence of Shiva beyond popular mythology.