Seeker:
Pro-pranam, Gurudev.
Gurudev:
Pranam, my son.
Seeker:
To the viewers on YouTube, we send our heartfelt greetings and love from Santikunj Rajpur Mahashashan (the great cremation ground). Gurudev, pranam.
Gurudev:
Pranam, son.
Seeker:
Previously, you did two episodes—one featuring Goddess Durga and another with Goddess Kali. Today, you are sitting with Goddess Tara. If you could tell us something about Mother Tara…
Gurudev:
What is there to say about her? She is the root of everything. My life's journey has been defined by her. My time at Tara Peeth shaped me.
Gurudev:
Regarding Tara, there are actually eight forms of Tara (Ashta-Tara). The one you see in households is "Ugra Tara." She is essentially Goddess Durga herself. If you go to the temple at Tara Peeth, you will see an image of Durga slaying the demon Mahishasura above the main entrance. The deity inside the temple is Mother Durga herself in that form.
Gurudev:
Then there is "Ekjata Tara," who resides at the cremation ground. She stays right by the main pyre. There is also "Nil Saraswati," who stayed near the Shimal tree where Bama Khepa (a famous saint) used to reside. There are many others, like Nitya and Bhairavi. In total, there are eight Taras within the temple complex and the cremation grounds.
Gurudev:
Mother Tara is said to have a slight squint in her eye, similar to Lakshmi. This is why she is called "Tara." There is a mantra that mentions this: "Taradebam Mantang Tarakhha Tarini Para." You can find this written above the images at the Rampurhat station as well.
Gurudev:
There are many legends about her. The core story is that Sage Vashistha established the deity. He brought her from Kamakhya and established her here. After his passing, it is believed he was reborn as Bamdev (Bama Khepa). When Bamdev would chant mantras, he would invoke the name of Vashistha.
Gurudev:
Bamdev loved Mother Tara deeply and would even speak with her. It is said he even drank milk from the Goddess's breast. When he was hungry, he would demand milk from her, and she would oblige. This is a known history among the devotees.
Seeker:
Gurudev, why is Mother Tara's face red?
Gurudev:
It's symbolic of blood. Not all forms of Tara have a red face, but red signifies her love for sacrifice. She is "Balipriya" (fond of sacrifice). Her fierce (Ugra) nature is represented by that color. She is a goddess of immediate results; one doesn't have to wait for her grace.
Gurudev:
As the poet Ramprasad said, people of all faiths call upon her. The Mags (Arakanese) call her Bhora Tara, the Europeans call her God, and the Mughals and Pathans call her Khoda. People call her by whatever name they prefer.
Gurudev:
Even Muslims have deep respect for her. There is a famous Mazar (shrine) about a kilometer away from the temple. Bamdev used to go there, and great saints from that shrine would come to visit Bamdev.
Gurudev:
If you go to the Tara Peeth cremation ground, you might suddenly encounter a Muslim man who will accurately tell you your entire life history. You'll be amazed. They might ask for a small amount of money or give you an amulet. They are experts in "Kaka-Charit" (the art of bird omens/divination) and can predict your past, present, and future.
Gurudev:
Then there is Munnumari Tala, where Mother goes to bathe at 4:00 AM. I have witnessed signs of this. Once, I was performing a ritual there all night. A local gentleman warned me not to go near the river (Dwaraka) ghat after 3:00 AM.
Gurudev:
I told everyone to stay back, but I heard the sound of someone bathing. Suddenly, the water levels rose out of nowhere. Once the bathing was done, the water receded and the ghat became dry again. This happened even when the river Dwaraka was mostly dry during the winter.
Gurudev:
There is a secret path she takes back to the temple. She loves the riverbanks. Those who live in Tara Peeth know this path and avoid it between 3:00 AM and 4:00 AM out of respect and fear. Some say she bathes in the Jivatkund, but in reality, she bathes in the Dwaraka river. Mother Tara is a goddess of mystery and miracles.
Seeker:
Gurudev, today there is a very uncomfortable atmosphere across the world. Recently, there was an attempt on Alexander Dugin's life, and his daughter (Daria Dugina) was killed in a car blast. There are wars, floods, and heavy rains everywhere.
Gurudev:
Yes, it is a time of great turmoil.
Seeker:
Just a day or two ago, there was an earthquake in Badrinath. Large cracks, some two to three inches wide, have appeared in various places. What do you say about this?
Gurudev:
I have said before that Badrinath will not remain. It is related to the fate of the Jagannath temple.
Gurudev:
In the "Jagannath Bhagavat" and the "Bhavishya Malika" (The Oracle of the Future), everything that is happening was written down word for word. The Jagannath temple is slowly beginning to face its end.
Seeker:
This was written by Swami Achyutananda Das over 500 years ago.
Gurudev:
Not just Badrinath, but all the major seats of Narayana—including Tirupati Balaji—will face decline. The Protector (Narayana) is slowly withdrawing from the world. When the Protector leaves, the Great Destruction (Pralaya) begins.
Gurudev:
Ominous signs are appearing. Vultures and eagles have been seen sitting on the holy flag (Dhvaja) of the temple. These are meat-eating birds, and their presence on the sacred spire is a sign of impending doom. The flag has been damaged multiple times recently.
Gurudev:
I have said this clearly: wait and see. The time has arrived. It's very near. Let's see what happens next.
Seeker:
Gurudev, we learned many hidden truths today. We conclude this episode here. Pranam.
Gurudev:
Namaskar.