Disciple:
Namaskar, Gurudev.
Gurudev:
Namaskar. Go ahead.
Disciple:
First, I would like to greet all our friends and thank them for subscribing to our channel, guptasadhak-shyamakhyapa.com. The more you subscribe, the more valuable videos we will be able to bring to you. Gurudev, I read the phrase "Kuhok-Moh" (Illusion and Infatuation) somewhere. Could you please shed some light on the meaning of "Kuhok"?
Gurudev:
You've read a very good thing and asked a great question. Do you know what the word "Kuhok" means? It refers to something that can only be seen but never touched. You could call it an "Aleya" (a ghost light or will-o'-the-wisp).
Gurudev:
Now, how does this "Aleya" work? Imagine a fire burning; the more you try to reach it, the further away it moves. Falling into this "Moh" (infatuation/delusion), you chase the fire to catch it. In the pursuit of this "Kuhok-Moh," people can even lose their lives.
Disciple:
Yes, while trying to catch the fire, it keeps moving away...
Gurudev:
Exactly. You can see it, but you can't catch it. The more you move forward, the more it recedes. Caught in that delusion, you might end up in a place from which there is no escape. This is "Kuhok-Moh."
Gurudev:
Our great poet-saint Ramprasad went through very difficult times. He grew up at his maternal uncle's house and was born in Garalgacha. I have visited his house and seen the "Panchamundi" (five-skull) seat he used for his spiritual practice.
Gurudev:
When his situation was dire, he used to consult many people, showing them his palm. Different people told him different things. Someone said, "Chant Durga's name, and your sorrows will vanish." So, he began chanting her name. But when he saw that even after chanting, nothing changed—that was "Kuhok." Through his songs, he wrote: "I chant the name of Durga day and night, yet my heap of sorrows remains. If I die, Oh Beautiful One, no one will ever take the name of Durga again."
Gurudev:
This was "Kuhok" to him. Then someone else told him, "When you bathe, draw a line on the water and drink that water; you will never lack wealth or property." This was another "Kuhok." Ramprasad followed this too. After finishing his bath, he would draw a line on the water and drink it three times. He did this for a long time, but nothing improved.
Gurudev:
Then he wrote: "In the delusion of 'Kuhok,' I have drawn lines on the water and drunk the nectar of worldly attachments, hoping for peace." Someone had promised him peace and prosperity if he did this, and he chased that illusion for a long time.
Gurudev:
You may have seen "Kuhok" in marshy lands or near water bodies. It appears as a sudden fire—it's actually a gas that burns—but we call it "Kuhok" or a mirage.
Gurudev:
It is an infatuation of the five senses. When this sense is active, we chase after illusions without considering that it could lead to our ruin. Many people have destroyed their lives caught in this "Kuhok." People come to me in the same way, hoping that by visiting a Guru, everything will suddenly be fine. This is that same "Kuhok" or "Kuholi" (mist/illusion). People run toward it like moths to a flame. They don't see if things are actually improving; they just stay under the spell.
Disciple:
When and how does one fall into this?
Gurudev:
It happens when a person loses their way and is desperate. They hear something and run toward it, thinking, "Maybe this will make me better." This is what people don't understand—they chase the "Kuhok" until they are exhausted or broken.
Gurudev:
As I mentioned about Ramprasad, he did many things out of this delusion, but none of them worked. Yet, he felt he had to do them. When people are in danger, they grasp at anything, like a drowning man clutching at a straw.
Gurudev:
That is why I tell people: when you face bad times, don't go to anyone to have your palm read or look for quick solutions. No one has the power to change your fate. Even in Ramprasad's case, those "remedies" didn't work.
Gurudev:
My advice to everyone is: when trouble strikes, sit at home and pray to God. If He wishes to save you, He will. But do not fall for "Kuhok-Moh." You will lose your peace, your money, and your stability. Remember, "Kuhok" is something you can never catch; the closer you get, the further it recedes. You might wander through jungles of confusion and lose yourself. My goal is to ensure people aren't misled.
Gurudev:
Every morning, 200 to 300 people come here. You see them and you manage the crowd. Why do they come? They've seen me on YouTube and they come with the "Kuhok" that everything will be fixed just by meeting me. Some get better, some don't. But the cycle continues. This is one of the delusions of the senses.
Disciple:
Thank you, Gurudev. We will continue this discussion later.
Gurudev:
Yes, if you have more questions, let me know.