Interviewer:
Greetings, Gurudev.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Greetings, my son.
Interviewer:
I've noticed many pictures of various gods and goddesses in your temple. However, there is one particular picture that you never allow anyone to touch, and you don't even let people see it. If you could tell us about it—who is the person in that photo and what is your relationship with him? I would really like to know.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Well, my father passed away when I was only fourteen years old. He used to work at a bank, but it closed down. It was a private bank, and after it shut its doors, we went through a period of extreme hardship. After my father's death, we lived in absolute poverty. My mother used to work at other people's houses. She would bring back the starch water from cooked rice, and that's what we grew up on. She used to tell people, "Don't throw away the starch; my sons will eat it."
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Many years passed like this. I was always searching for someone who could be like a father figure to me. My father was a very pious man, a great devotee of Lord Krishna. I searched for a long time. Then, one day, a gentleman sent for me. I went to see him, and he welcomed me with immense affection. He gave me plenty of food and two flower garlands. He told me, "See that image of Bharat Mata (Mother India)? Put one garland around her neck." And the other garland, he put around my neck himself. He gave me the love of a father.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
He is none other than this person in the picture. Some of you might recognize him; many may not. He is a Marathi gentleman. From what I've heard from him, when he was about 13 or 14 years old, his house was set on fire. He fled from his home and joined the Sangh family. For the last 80 years of his life, he has dedicated himself to the Sangh. He currently resides at Keshav Bhavan or Kalyan Bhavan on Beadon Street.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
I often visit him because of the deep bond I feel. I am not involved in any political party, nor do I have any interest in politics; I simply go there because of my attraction to him. Even at his advanced age, he has visited this temple four or five times. His only request to me is, "Son, can you give me some hot rice?" He actually calls me "father." I tell him, "Yes, of course, please come, and I will feed you."
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Whenever he visits, large crowds gather because word spreads quickly, and people come from far and wide to pay their respects. But he has placed me on the pedestal of a son, and in him, I have found a true father who looks after me. He checks in on me every single week. One of my disciples, who took initiation from me, goes to see him regularly and gives me weekly updates on how he is doing. He is now 96 years old. He can no longer walk properly. A few times, I tried to massage his feet, but he got very angry with me. He said, "Son, don't do this. Instead, just send me to Nimtala Ghat (the cremation ground)." I jokingly replied that it would cost two lakh rupees to send him there!
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
He has visited this cremation ground where my temple is located many times, but he says it's a bit too far for him now and prefers Nimtala Ghat. He loves me dearly. Whenever I visit him, he brings two garlands—one for me and one for Mother India. He is a strict vegetarian. Every time he has eaten here, he has done so with great satisfaction. I cook whatever he likes. He once told me that he has traveled all over India for his organizational work, but he has never experienced such hospitality anywhere else.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
During the COVID-19 pandemic, he told me not to visit because of all the rules and restrictions. He can't hear very well now. There is a man named Priyoda who stays by his side constantly; he answers the phone and passes it to Maharaj. He can't hear half of what I say, but I can hear him clearly. Priyoda conveys my messages to him. He calls me "God" repeatedly, which makes me feel very awkward. But the fatherly affection I receive from him is something I cherish deeply.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Even at 96, he still wakes up at 4:00 AM, takes a bath, and reads the Gita. I once gifted him a Gita, and he was so happy. He said, "Give it to me! I read the Gita every day at 4:00 AM." I told him, "Then you must read the one I gave you." He promised he would. Whenever I leave his place, even with his difficulty walking, he insists on coming down to the car with me. He uses a cane and has someone assisting him, but he personally opens the car door for me. Only after I am seated does he bow to me and head back upstairs.
Interviewer:
Gurudev, I have a question regarding that. You said he loves you with a fatherly affection, yet he bows to you and opens your car door. Why is that?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
I can't really explain it. He just calls me "father" and does these things. A son wouldn't usually do that for a father, but he does. I once insisted on taking a photo of him, even though he usually doesn't allow it. That is the photo you see here, which I keep carefully under the feet of the Mother Goddess. He is a noble son of Mother India who has spent 80 years of his life in service to the country. Not many people know about him, but his name is associated with Keshav Bhavan and Kalyan Bhavan. One phone call from him is enough to move the authorities in Delhi; I have seen proof of his influence. I have never asked him for any favors, but the spiritual bond we share is incredible.
Interviewer:
You call him "Maharaj." Is there a spiritual connection between you?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Absolutely. He is a highly spiritual person. We have practiced our spiritual disciplines and faced struggles, but what he has endured is on another level. The way they traveled across the country, often on an empty stomach, to protect the nation and its culture is something I haven't had to face. I have a recording of a nine-minute speech he gave here on Hindutva. I keep it for myself and don't show it to others. He often says, "Son, I'll come to you." He treats everyone with respect and knows everyone by name. He was recently hospitalized twice, but he's back now. I just hope he reaches at least a hundred years of age.
Interviewer:
How did your relationship with Keshavji begin?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
It was an act of God. One day, my name came up in a conversation, and he immediately said, "Bring him to me; I need to meet him." Someone informed me that Keshavji was calling for me. It was a long journey, so I arranged for a car and went to see him. The joy he showed when we met was overwhelming. Since then, I have given him the place of my father in my heart. He found me, and since then, we've shared this father-son bond. He keeps track of me constantly. I pray for his health and keep his photo at the Mother's feet.
Interviewer:
It is wonderful to hear about the beautiful father-son relationship you share with such a noble person who sought you out himself. Thank you, Gurudev.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Blessings to you, my son.