Interviewer:
I hope everyone is doing well. You have seen many episodes of Gurudev so far. Today's episode is a bit different. By different, I mean Gurudev has given many informative episodes of that kind. Today, I want to learn a bit about Gurudev himself, and you will gradually get to know that too. Gurudev actually grew up in a family centered around deities and worship. From what I've heard from Gurudev, he involved himself in religious worship from a very young age—around 10 or 11. Now, after roughly 35 years of spiritual practice, sadhana, he is here before me—your Gurudev. Gurudev, my salutations to you.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Yes, blessings, son. Tell me.
Interviewer:
First, I would like to know about your life before you began this path of sadhana. If you could tell us a little bit about that time...
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
There isn't much to say. The history is vast. I've written it all intact in the book I published, but I'll tell you anyway. According to the rules of those days, I had my sacred thread ceremony, paita, at the age of nine or ten. From then on, I became a priest, Dodi Bamun, and calls for worship rituals started coming in. Most importantly, my family's financial situation was so bad that we could only eat if I performed a ritual. That was our condition. My three brothers and I would perform rituals to somehow manage the household. We stayed together and ate together. I performed rituals, and my brothers did too. Whatever happened, happened. Some days there was food; some days there wasn't. Nevertheless, we were happy. As long as my mother was alive, there was no trouble. After she passed away, I took up Tantra Sadhana, and all my obstacles disappeared. While my mother was alive, I couldn't do it. She didn't allow me to enter this line. She knew, but she didn't let me. After she died, I became free of all bonds and entered this path. Before that, I did some business—a large export business—and other businesses as well. Specifically, I had a reputation in the legal profession. In those days, I had a great name in law. There was no bigger lawyer than me in this area. Anyway, that happened, and I also did exports. About 50 to 60 boys worked for me, so providing for their food was a massive struggle for me. I thought if I could export, I'd get more money and those boys would be raised well. Raising 50-60 boys is no small feat. I did it. I couldn't bring home much money, but I fed them, and that gave me great joy. They grew up well—all of them. That was my joy, nothing else. Then, I don't know what happened in the wheel of time. God gave me a dream: Leave all this. Your job is to establish and worship me, Mother Kali. That was the start. I gave up everything on that command—cars, property, everything. I destroyed it all and started worshipping the Mother; I started Kali Puja. That was the origin. I was around 45 years old when I established the Mother and started worshipping her. The dream had happened before. Before that, I visited places like Pashupatinath and Tarapith. Visiting those places gave me a certain attraction toward the Divine. At Tarapith, that attraction grew even more. Then I plunged into intense sadhana. I don't think anyone has done such intense sadhana in modern times. The result is that today the whole world respects me. People from all over the world respect me. This is my great reward. I haven't seen God directly, but I've practiced for 35 years, and you can say this is the result.
Interviewer:
Gurudev, I've heard you say that a man becomes an incarnation, an avatar, or becomes God...
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
No, a man is a Yug Avatar, an Incarnation of the Age. Ramakrishna is called a Yug Avatar, as is Bamdev. They aren't just called Avatar—it's Yugavatar. An incarnation for the age. Not just Avatar.
Interviewer:
I wanted to ask this: you struggled so much, leaving your family and practicing in cremation grounds, shmashan. Now, when you sit here at the temple and thousands of devotees and disciples come and hold your feet, saying, Father, please do this for me, or God, you are our God, save us—how do you feel about this plea from everyone? Some call you father, some call you God, some call you Gurudev. How does it feel after all that hard-earned sadhana?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
There is no feeling as such. People come, and I look into it. I don't have that ego that I am someone important. I never nurture that. I don't keep these feelings in mind. Someone came, and I helped them. No one is someone important to me, and as for whatever power I have, I still haven't flaunted it. I can't even fathom that I have power.
Interviewer:
But people all say...
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
People say it, and I listen. People truly say, Father, just say yes, and it will happen, or Father, do this or that for me; if you do it, it will be done, or Mother talks to you, she doesn't talk to me, and so on. I hear many stories. I smile inwardly. Anyway, brother...
Interviewer:
Does it evoke any feeling?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
No, no, it's not about feelings. Only one thing I feel is for the people—mostly poor people come. I cannot bear their suffering. They are in great distress, son. I don't take money for only one reason: seeing their pain. You see it; you control the crowds. Don't you see the condition of the 100-150 people who come? Most are poor; they have no money at all. If I ask, they might give 100 or 200 rupees, but they would have to borrow it or get it by some dishonest means. That's why I don't want it. And even if someone says they can't come because they have no money...
Interviewer:
I've seen that myself—you have bought them medicine or given them money. I've seen it with my own eyes.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
I tell them, Go borrow it, I'll give the money, and you can pay it back. There have been many such instances because this is a very sentimental place for me. So many people come, and they believe. The biggest thing is their belief that You can do it; everything is possible through you. I don't want to break that belief. Let that belief remain.
Interviewer:
In your many years of sadhana, tell us about an experience that caused you great pain or sorrow.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Because I lived in cremation grounds, none of my relatives liked me. I didn't go to anyone's house; I even felt uncomfortable in my own home. Everyone except my wife looked at me with disdain. They thought because I lived in the shmashan, I was doing bad things, drinking, smoking pot, etc. This was a great sorrow for me, and after that, I stopped going to my relatives' houses. Even for funeral rites, shraddha, I don't go. There's a lot of sadness because they suspect that if I go to their house, I might do something. That's why I don't go anywhere—not even to my own sisters' houses. I prefer the cremation ground; I stay there. How much time do I spend at home anyway?
Interviewer:
You spent a long time in various cremation grounds. Back then, you didn't recognize family or home. Now, due to physical illness, you have to spend more time at home rather than at the shmashan. How does it feel to transition?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Look, we read that one who sees the cremation ground and the home as equal is a true sadhu. I read this in Tantra Sadhana: a person who finds the same joy in the shmashan as in the home—meaning both are equal to him. To him, home doesn't feel like home; it feels like the shmashan, and the shmashan is what it is. So, I have no ego. I think that whatever I am here, I am the same at home. I read this in a great place; a great sage wrote that he who goes home from the cremation ground and sees the home as the cremation ground is a true sadhu. I've heard and read this.
Interviewer:
We heard about your sorrowful moments. Is there any joyful moment or a best moment?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
There is only one joy: I have never received so much love in my life. I don't know if anyone else has received so much. Love from all over the world. It is said that when a flower blooms, bees come buzzing. That's what happened in my case—the flower bloomed, and the bees came. So, there's no headache about it. People come; I don't call anyone. There's no need to call; I don't do business with God. I understand one thing: they needed me, so they came. I will do as much as I can. I don't even know what power I have. But people say I have a lot of power—that I can turn the world upside down. People say it; I don't. I don't even understand that I have power. I've never misused it, and I have no pride in it. Pride in power is a bad thing. God doesn't show mercy to that.
Interviewer:
A few days ago, in the episode called Shmashan Bandhu, we saw your friend mention, and you confirmed, that you saved a dead child...
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
That happened. Not just once, many times.
Interviewer:
That's what I wanted to know. Are there other supernatural events?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Many. How many can I tell? People have seen many supernatural things from me, but I don't want to disclose them. Disclosing them is bad. But I can mention one or two. Just yesterday or the day before, a boy called crying. His wife was admitted; she had a tumor in her abdomen and was also pregnant. He told me the situation was very bad, and the doctor said the tumor needed an operation. He requested me: If the baby is born normally, my wife will be saved, and I will find peace. And it happened. At 5 PM, he called me and said, It was a normal delivery, and it's a girl. I said, That's very good. Thank you for calling. There have been millions of such cases.
Interviewer:
We've seen during Guru Purnima and other times, people wash your feet and take that water in bottles or drink it. You repeatedly told them, Don't do unscientific things; there's no logic or reason to this. My question is, how do you see Science and Tantra? Are they related?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Science is far below; Tantra is far above. We cannot deny science because it shows everything before our eyes. Science shows you things by pointing them out, which Tantra cannot. But if you want to see something supernatural, Tantra shows what science cannot.
Interviewer:
Yes, you provide a scientific basis and speak with logic.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Otherwise, how would it work? Can people survive without science? People are alive because science exists.
Interviewer:
Gurudev, in your life of sadhana, like the song says: If Jagai and Madhai weren't there, would people recognize Nimai? Is there any Jagai-Madhai in your case?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Yes, they are right here. Those who were once my enemies and spoke ill of me are now my greatest devotees. They used to go around defaming me. Even now, some praise me only because of circumstances. If someone says something against me, my people immediately counter them. These Jagai-Madhai types are there; they were always there.
Interviewer:
Gurudev, you have so many disciples and devotees spread all over the country and abroad. Today, we are going through very bad times, as you mentioned in previous videos quoting the Bhavishya Malika. What message would you give to all your disciples worldwide at this moment?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
I have given the message. Look, I cannot go against what the Bhavishya Malika says. It was written by five sages, and what they wrote is coming true. There is no exception. The Bhavishya Malika book is being published in Bengali and will reach me very soon. They told me to give my address. It is being translated from Odia to Bengali. Some parts have already been sent to me on WhatsApp. I was reading it today. Many say the Kali Yuga lasts 432,000 years, so how is it ending after only 5,000 years? I saw one thing: what the Bhavishya Malika says is that human sins are reducing the duration—one sin reduces it by 100,000 years, another by 50,000. It has been reduced down to 5,000 years, and this is the end. Kali will depart in 31. In 32, a new Satya Yuga will arrive. At that time, the total population of India will be 330 million, 33 Crore. Just like it was before. From 8 billion, the global population will dwindle to about 640-650 million. The rest will go. There might only be four or five people in each ward. So many houses will be empty. The Bhavishya Malika repeatedly says: Don't drink alcohol, don't eat fish, meat, or eggs. These are the food of ghosts. Don't eat them. Become a vegetarian; eat plants. And worship God. This is what is being said repeatedly. That's why I'm telling everyone: there's no time left. Madhav, the lotus-eyed one, Narayan himself, has already been born. He is young now, but he has been born. He will bring the destruction. And with him, the 64 Yoginis and 8 Matrikas have also awakened. They will be the ones to destroy people. In 26 or 27, a time will come when the earth will be in darkness for seven days. Seven days without light. The wailing and screaming of the 64 Yoginis and 8 Matrikas will be so intense that many people will suffer heart failure. This will happen in that moment of darkness. It won't be day; it will be night for seven days. This has been said. It will happen during the time of war. Around the years 26 or 27. One cannot give an accurate time, but it seems it will be around then.
Interviewer:
Dear viewers, you heard a small part of Gurudev's long life of sadhana. I couldn't make it any longer in one go. I'll end with words from the Rig Veda, which Indira Devi Choudhurani edited in Bengali. I mentioned a line the other day: The effulgent Being, the immortal, all-knowing Great One, who exists equally in the sky and in the soul. Gurudev knows the Sanskrit verse...
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Yashchayamasmin aakashe tejomayo amritamayah purushah sarvanubhuh... That is, He is in the sky, that Lord of the Universe, the Auspicious One. My soul is always devoted to Him. I am constantly practicing Him, until death. Until I die, I will remember Him and know Him. Until I can truly know Him, I will continue to remember Him.
Interviewer:
He who exists equally in the sky and the soul, knowing Him, the soul escapes death; there is no other way to salvation. This is the core message.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
That is indeed 100% true.
Interviewer:
I have presented a small part of Gurudev's vast life before you. May you all stay well and healthy. Gurudev, my salutations.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Blessings, son. Blessings.