Disciple:
Salutations, Gurudev.
Gurudev:
Salutations, son. Tell me.
Disciple:
We are currently in the Shardiya festival season. We have spent this Shardiya amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Deepavali is approaching. On behalf of all your devotees and everyone at Shantikunj, we offer our respect, salutations, and greetings to you. We wish for your long, healthy, and disease-free life.
Gurudev:
All right.
Disciple:
One thing Gurudev, this Rajpur Mahashashan (cremation ground) where Shantikunj, your temple and place of meditation, is locatedâyou have been meditating here for a very long time. You have been a witness to the Rajpur cremation ground since its early days. You have mentioned it in various episodes, but the viewers of our YouTube channel, "Gupta Sadhak Shyama Khyapa," are very curious to know what this Rajpur Mahashashan was like back then, its current state, and the supernatural events you have witnessed during your meditation.
Gurudev:
You know, back then, I was working in an office. I would hand over my responsibilities in the afternoon and come to the cremation ground. When I first came to the cremation ground, I was wearing trousers and a shirt because I was coming straight from the office. I had my prayer beads in my pocket. As I was entering the cremation ground, Gopal Biswas, who was the caretaker here, rushed towards me shouting, "What do you want here? Why are you entering? People like you do bad things here; good things are done elsewhere," and so on. He asked many questions and said a lot. I told him, "I am a local boy, the son of Harinam. I just want to chant here for a while and then leave." He insisted that it wasn't allowed and told me not to come. I replied, "I am a local boy; why shouldn't I come? What are you saying? I am here to pray, not for anything else." He didn't say anything further after that. I went inside and started my prayers as usual. So, I faced resistance initially. Then gradually, my practice continued, and I eventually left my office job completely. I became dependent on the cremation ground. I stayed there all the time. After finishing my office work, I would spend my time at the cremation ground. Gradually, Gopal-da accepted me, thinking, "Okay, the boy will do no harm; I am here anyway."
Gurudev:
At night, I used to sit in the cremation ground and pray all night long. Gradually, he gave up the room where he used to write death certificates and left it for me.
Disciple:
Was it a wood-fired furnace back then?
Gurudev:
Yes, a wood-fired furnace. The cremation ground was terrifying back thenâpitch dark. Only a dim 10 or 15-watt bulb was burning; you couldn't see anything in the darkness. I spent many nights inside the cremation ground in that darkness. Truly, it was very scary back then. I felt scared many times; I even ran away from the cremation ground. I would run straight back home to Harinam. I felt that scared. I didn't see anything specific, but I felt very afraid, especially on new moon nights.
Gurudev:
Anyway, that happened. Chanting continued day and night. Gradually, some people joined meâyou could call them devotees. We used to have discussions. Eventually, they started playing cards and chess. They played day and night. I knew how to play cards, games like 29 and bridge. I gradually got involved with them. From 2 PM in the afternoon until 8 PM at night, they would play chess and cards. Many people used to come to play. Then I realized, "Cards are a disaster, and chess is also a disaster." So, I gradually distanced myself from them and went back to my meditation. This continued for many days.
Gurudev:
One day, Gopal-da's brother came to me and said, "My son is getting married. It would be great if you could come to our house and bless them." He knew I didn't eat outside. I agreed to go. When I went there, they asked me to look at the new bride's palm. I had to do it because it was Gopal-da's family. After looking at her hand, I said just one thing before leaving: "At the time of childbirth, decide who should surviveâthe tree or the fruit? Childbirth will be very difficult, and it's doubtful if the child will survive." I said this and left.
Gurudev:
Many years passed. It was time for the child to be born. I knew the birth was near. The child was born, but it immediately developed jaundice. Initially, a bottle of blood had to be given.
Disciple:
At that time, such things were very dangerous.
Gurudev:
Very dangerous. They came to me. I said, "Anyway, there will be some struggle, but the boy will survive. I am telling you, your son will survive." One day, while I was having a meal, I suddenly received a call that the child had died and the police had arrived at their house. I told Gopal-da's brother, "Wait, I am coming right now." I didn't even finish my meal. He came with a taxi. The police were at their house with news of the child's death. I told him to wait. I collected some herbal roots and told him, "Do one thing, brother. Give some money to the nurses and place this root on the child's head. He will survive. I know the Mother has ordered that he will not die."
Gurudev:
He rushed off in the car. Gopal-da was sitting there and said, "Why do you do such things? He won't survive, and you'll get a bad name," and so on. He said a few things like that. I got very angry. I said, "You son of a... either you stay at the cremation ground today or I stay!" I actually said that. I lunged at him with a stick. He knew me well, and he left the cremation ground out of fear.
Gurudev:
Anyway, after placing the rootâthis is a true storyâthe child was kept in a glass box. He started moving. His mother started shouting, "My son is alive, my son is alive!" The doctors came rushing. After checking, they said another bottle of blood was needed. Then they called me, and I said, "Yes, the blood-sucking bat has arrived; won't it drink blood? Give him another bottle of blood and see what happens." Believe me, the boy survived. Today he is 18 or 19 years old. You would recognize him; he's a young man now. I saw him being born. This was a significant event.
Disciple:
This is completely supernatural.
Gurudev:
Completely supernatural. After that, Gopal-da bowed his head and couldn't raise it again.
Disciple:
He is indebted to you forever.
Gurudev:
Exactly. Then I held his hand and said, "Don't mind. Why did you say that? I work for the Mother, and the Mother's indication was that he would survive. Why did you say that?" Later, I apologized to Gopal-da. Truth be told, Gopal-da was a very good man. Eventually, we became very close. Gopal-da wouldn't have tea without me, and I wouldn't have tea without him. That's how it became. And when I used to sit at the cremation ground, Gopal-da would handle the visitors. "Who wants what? Whom do they want? Khyapa-baba is chanting now, come later," and so on. He used to say many things. This was a supernatural thing that happened in his life; he saw it with his own eyes. The boy is still alive, 18 or 19 years old. Anyway, this was one supernatural event I witnessed.
Gurudev:
Another time I was sitting there, a lady came looking for me. Gopal-da said, "He is chanting; please sit outside for a while." He brought out a chair for her, and she sat in the caretaker's room. After finishing my prayers, I called her. I asked, "What do you want?" She said, "My father wants to see you." I asked, "Who is your father?" She replied, "My father is Annadashankar Ray."
Disciple:
Famous...
Gurudev:
Yes, the author of the famous poem "Teler Sishi Bhangle Pore" (If the oil bottle breaks, you get angry with the child; you old fools are dividing India). She said her father wanted to see me. Back then, there was no YouTube or any such complications. I asked how I would get there. Their house was in Ballygunge Park. She came again and took me there. He was a fair, tall man. When I arrived, he was writing at his table. I saluted him, but he didn't pay much attention. I saluted again, still no reaction. Then I sat and had tea. His daughter's name is Tripti Ray. And his son-in-law's name is Phataraâthat's what we call him. Both are very good people. Then, when he came to the dining table, we started talking. While eating, we shared stories. After eating, he went back to his writing. So, I met him, we exchanged salutations, and we spoke a bit. That was it.
Gurudev:
Later, he had a house in Puri. Whenever I went to Puri, I stayed at his house. Meals, stay... everything was like a feast. I would spend time at the temple and return to his house at night when the temple closed. I once took a few disciples with me, and they also had a great time. Unfortunately, his son died in an accident in Goa. His daughter is in America. I knew her from there too. The daughter in America was facing some trouble, so he came to see me. He asked for help, and I said I would perform some rituals at the Puri cremation ground for her. I asked, "Are you ready?" He said yes. I stayed at his house, performed the rituals at the Puri cremation ground, and the problem was resolved. It turned out well. He used to visit often. Eventually, his son died last year in a motorcycle accident in Goa. His daughter is still in America; she comes to see me sometimes. And when I go to Puri, I stay at their house. This was another supernatural experience.
Gurudev:
Another time I was sitting there, a boy named Gablu came. He said, "Pishi (aunt) has called you." I asked who his aunt was. He said, "Nabaneeta Dev Sen. She wants to meet you. She can't come here." I said, "Of course, how could she come here? Take me to her; I will meet her." He brought a car from Nabaneeta-di's house. I went there, and she showed me her horoscope. She said she had a "death yoga" at the age of 65. The horoscope confirmed it. I said, "Mother, don't worry about these things. Just keep writing. Your writing is much needed. People like you are needed." She was Amartya Sen's wife. I told her, "Your writing is needed. But on one conditionâdon't ask me to increase my own life span." She told me just that one thing. Then she took me into her room, and I saw she does a lot of chanting; she has prayer beads. She said, "I have one request. Whatever happened, happened. I wanted to see you, and it's my good fortune." Her house was right opposite to where Jyoti-babu (Jyoti Basu) used to stay in Hindustan Park. I worked there for 15 years. There was a company right next to her house. Nilu-da had a sweet shop called "Hindustan Sweets." Jyoti Basu's son, Chandan Basu, used to live there. Chandan Basu had a factory called "Teleprinter." He was setting it up. Through that, I got in touch with him, and he gave me the responsibility of looking after the Excise DepartmentâCentral Excise. I agreed to look after it, no problem. I did. Later, for some reason, the company closed, and my job ended. I worked there for at least 15 years. Being right next to his house, I used to see him every day at lunch. At 12 or 1 PM, he would arrive for lunch with a whistle blowing. We used to see him. And when he was in his lungi, sitting on the veranda, we saw him too. I saw him offering "anjali" (prayers) during pujaâoffering "anjali" to Mother Durga. His veranda was right in front of the pandal for the famous Hindustan Park Puja. It happened right in front of his house, on the road. This was also a significant experience for me, my good fortune.
Disciple:
You met many famous and learned people.
Gurudev:
I have met many. I don't remember all of them, just a few.
Disciple:
Actually, your life of meditation hasn't been short; you've practiced for a long time. Naturally, many peopleânot just from West Bengal or India, but from various corners of the world...
Gurudev:
Yes. And recently you saw the RSS chief of the Eastern Zone, Keshavji Maharaj. He also comes to me. He calls me "Baba" and loves me.
Disciple:
Gurudev, we have seen that. We've seen how much he respects you time and again. He is always eager to come to you and share a simple meal with you.
Gurudev:
And he says, "Baba, let me cross over at Nimtala. Leave me at Nimtala." I jokingly say, "Baba, it will cost 5,000 rupees to go to Nimtala. Give me 5,000 rupees, and I'll send you to Nimtala tomorrow morning." We joke like that. He is a gem; where will you find someone like him? He's quite old now and can't hear well. I feel bad for him. I visit him sometimes, and he also comes by car. I also go to him.
Gurudev:
So, I've met many prominent people, famous people from Delhi. Recently, someone came to me; I didn't know him. Suddenly, he called and asked if I would give him initiation (diksha). His name is Parth Bhatti. I said, "Yes, I will give diksha. How much money do you take?" Then I said, "I'll throw you out! I don't know who you are. You're talking about moneyâI'll throw you out! I won't give you initiation." He said, "No, no, that's not it. Usually, some 'dakshina' (offering) is required." I told him, "Don't come again; I won't give you initiation." Later, he came back and asked for initiation. He is none other than a top official in the Home Department, the IB (Intelligence Bureau) Department. After giving him initiation, I jokingly said, "You won't take me to jail, will you?" He replied, "I let you go because you said so. If it were anyone else, I would have done what was necessary." Then, one day, he introduced me to Doval Saheb over the phone. I felt very good. High-profile people. It's my good fortune to have met and spoken with them.
Disciple:
Friends, you heard today from Gurudev. In this episode, Gurudev spoke about his life of meditation and the many people he has encountered.
Gurudev:
Not just that. When I went to Annadashankar Ray's house, I felt very small. How could I go to such a prominent person's house? Such a great man. He sent for meâhow could I go? I went with a lot of fear. Later, I realized he was like a god. A god. I was also very scared when I went to Nabaneeta Dev Sen's. I wasn't that mature then; I was reaching the peak of my meditation. I went with fear, but I saw they are all very humble people. Very humble. In my life, Keshavji, or Parth Bhatti of the IB Department... I saw they are very humble people. It's truly my good fortune to have known them.
Disciple:
Imagine the state of Rajpur cremation ground back then. It wasn't like it is today. Pyres were burning all around. It was pitch dark. In that darkness, this man has been praying with a focused mind for world peace and human welfare.
Gurudev:
That was my prayer. And the most important thing, you know, when I used to sit for meditation at the cremation ground, maybe four or five bodies were burning. I had to maintain some distance. Why? Because when the fire is lit, blisters form on the human bodyâlarge blistersâand they burst. That fluid is very harmful; if it touches your skin, it can cause sores that don't heal. So, I had to manage that as well. And I can name a few people who meditated here. I heard that Tarakhepa, a disciple of Bamakhepa who lived in North 24 Parganas, also meditated here. So, you can call this a holy landâa great cremation ground. I heard about him as well.
Disciple:
One more thing, Gurudev: the fame Rajpur Mahashashan has achieved today is largely due to the extensive meditation of Gupta Sadhak Shyama Khyapa.
Gurudev:
You could say that; I won't deny it. My only aim was for people all over the world to know about this cremation ground in this remote village. The Mother has made this happen. It was a heartfelt prayer of mine to the Mother.
Disciple:
This 1,000-day "Mahamrityunjay Yagya" (ritual) of yours is also an example, along with the resolve with which you performed itâthe resolve for world peace and human welfare. It's truly noteworthy.
Gurudev:
How successful it has been, only time will tell. People will tell.
Disciple:
But you have made that request to the Mother, and you did it with that purpose.
Gurudev:
I did itâI did it a lot.
Disciple:
Friends, even today, as we go through the COVID-19 pandemic, prayers are organized every day at Shantikunj with the same purpose: so that the people of the world remain well. People are going through this crisis, and they should be freed from it. Gurudev constantly makes this prayer to the Mother.
Gurudev:
Not just me. Those who are here with me, practicing meditation... their primary mantra, the one I've instilled in them, is world peace and human welfare. I've told them: if you do anything, sit before the Mother and pray for world peace and human welfare. Those in training here have all been given this one main mantra: if you do anything, do it for world peace and human welfare. Otherwise, you should leave.
Disciple:
So, this same mantra is being chanted in unison before the Mother, for world peace and human welfare.
Gurudev:
One hundred percent.
Disciple:
Gurudev, we conclude our discussion for today. Salutations.
Gurudev:
Salutations, son. Salutations.