Host:
My salutations, Gurudev.
Gurudev:
Yes, salutations, brother.
Host:
Salutations to our viewers. We are starting a new episode today. This episode is a bit differentâyou will learn a lot of information. Sitting right next to Gurudev is his disciple, Chandan Adhikari. He has recently returned from performing the Narmada Parikrama (circumambulation of the Narmada River). It's not for me to tell the rest; hear it from him and Gurudev.
Gurudev:
Yes, as you know, a boy from our Shantikunj, known as "Pagla Baba," had walked to Kamakhya on foot. Everyone knows that. After that, Chandan Adhikari went for the Narmada Parikrama on behalf of our Shantikunj. Before leaving, he came to me and said, "Gurudev, I am going to have a darshan (holy sight) of Mother Narmada." I said, "Fine, go ahead." I explained some rules and regulations that we used to follow a long time ago. He measured his steps accordingly... though things have changed a lot now. Anyway, he suddenly had a change of heart and decided to do the full Parikrama. Now, the Parikrama is no small feat; it traditionally takes three years, three months, and thirteen days. According to that calculation, it includes three Chaturmas (a four-month holy period during the monsoon). Right now, the Chaturmas is ongoing, so everything is closed. It will reopen after Kali Puja. It stays closed for four months every year. That is how the Parikrama is done. Now, there are two ways: one is by road, using vehicles.
Chandan:
Many people are going by road now. It's faster. But there is another wayâon foot.
Gurudev:
On foot, you must walk along the banks of the Mother. Walking along the banks is the true Parikrama. It's just you and the Mother; you walk together along the side, chanting her name or your Guru-mantra. Even in this "Ghor Kali Yuga" (the peak of the dark age), you can feel that the Mother resides there. You won't realize it otherwise. She is always present. Whatever you resolve in your mindâwhatever your desire isâafter walking just two kilometers, that very thing is provided to you. It's a strange and wondrous place. The fact that the Mother still resides here in Kali Yuga can only be understood by going there. I haven't seen it anywhere else. Most importantly, many great sages live along the banks of the Narmada. There are ashrams and dwellings where they stay, performing their spiritual practices. And the most significant thing there is Sewa (service). We talk about religion, but religion isn't just about visiting a temple. We believe in service. There is nothing greater than serving others.
Chandan:
The service there is extraordinary. You won't see anything like it elsewhere. They take care of everything for you. Whether you want tea, snacks, or breakfast... even though you've walked and arrived tired, they treat you as their own. You can't even "bring back" any merit (punya) because they make you give it all back through their hospitality. There is no discrimination between the rich and the poor; everyone is treated the same. And the most amazing thing is honesty. If you leave something behind, no one will touch it. If you leave your clothes at the ghat (riverbank) and walk a kilometer away, your belongings will remain exactly where you left them. No one even looks at what is there.
Host:
Very trustworthy.
Chandan:
Completely trustworthy. The tribal people there are poor, but their hearts are full of devotion. They say, "Devotion is God." They truly have that devotion. And Mother has truly provided for them. They lack nothing; they have no greed for money. They are satisfied with whatever little they earn. Sometimes you have to walk through jungles. Another miracle is that the wild animals in the forest won't even glance at you. There are fierce animalsâtigers, leopardsâbut in the history of the Parikrama, there is no record of anyone being harmed. Whether it's a monk or a householder, the Mother protects them. It's her blessing, a boon from Lord Shiva. Even if a tiger comes in front of you, it just turns away. All you have to do is say "Har Har Narmade." We encountered many venomous snakes. We would stop, and the monks behind us would ask, "Did you say 'Narmade Har'?" I'd say, "No." They'd say, "That's what you must say." As soon as I said "Narmade Har," the snake would simply lower its head and move away. No disturbance. There are monkeys and other wild animals, but no one bothers you. You might feel scared at first, but after walking ten kilometers, the fear vanishes. That place is the meditation site for 8.4 million (Churaushi Lakh) sages. Today, when we give our lineage (gotra) during a puja, we are naming those very sages, but many don't know where those sages are. This is a secret place; many don't know Mother Narmada's true depth. Even people from Bengal used to go there once, but now they don't go as much due to different misconceptions. Currently, many people from Maharashtra perform the Parikrama. Thirty-three crore (330 million) deities have meditated there. Every ghat has a name and a significance. You will find the meditation spots of our ancestors and sages. It is a beautiful place inside the forest. The deeper you go into the jungle, the more sages you encounter. They usually stay hidden, meditating for years. If you are lucky, you might see one, or they might call you for Sewa. Their only work is service. They have everything in their dhuni (sacred fire)âwhere the tea comes from, no one knows. They don't say, and you can't ask. They will simply offer you whatever they have. If they have tea, they'll offer it. They make bread out of barley, millet, or corn and serve it to you.
Chandan:
Their main motto is "Sach Bolo" (Speak the Truth). Just tell the truth. The Narmada is a long path, about 2,400 kilometers...
Gurudev:
No, it's 3,320 kilometers.
Chandan:
Yes, 3,320 km. Now it has increased because of the dams, like the Sardar Sarovar Dam. There is a story about Bhima from the Mahabharata. He had proposed marriage to the Mother, but she refused. Bhima tried to block her path, but he couldn't. He then cursed her, saying, "I couldn't stop you in this age, but in Kali Yuga, you will be stopped at every step, and your water will be distributed to every village." That is why Mother Narmada's water is now reaching every village through dams. There is also a prophecyâGurudev might know, I heard it thereâthat a time will come when all the rivers in India will dry up, and only Mother Narmada's water will keep humanity alive. She is immortal and eternal.
Chandan:
The sages there are not afraid. They live in a very decent environment because they serve others and do not lie or cheat. That is their achievement, and that is why they are fearless. They believe that since they live truthfully, nothing can harm them. And the monks are very solitary. They don't make many prophecies.
Host:
Yes, they have their own spiritual practice.
Chandan:
Everyone has their own path. You do your work, they do theirs. No one disturbs anyone. If you make a mistake, they might guide you, but otherwise, you are free to worship your own deity. The main thing is to perform worship. In Hinduism, that is the most important thing.
Host:
Did you walk all day and stay somewhere at night?
Chandan:
We used to walk 10â15 kilometers. We'd start at 4 AM and walk until 10 AM because the sun gets very strong after that. But since we walked along the riverbank, we didn't feel the heat as much. The water is miraculous. In winter, when it's cold in the evening, the water is warm. In the peak of summer, the water is ice-cold. It is perfectly fit for drinking. All of Madhya Pradesh (MP) depends on this water. The natural beauty is so stunning it's hard to describe. I've heard that the Ganges meets Narmada once a year during Dashahara. There are 900 rivers that join the Narmada. Along with the 8.4 million sages and 330 million deities, these rivers also meet her. You just have to tell Mother once, "Mother, I am going on Parikrama, you are my responsibility." She will take care of everything. Whenever you are in trouble, she will appear. Your wishes will be fulfilled in such a way that you might eventually get scared to ask for more. This is a reality even today. If anyone doesn't believe it, I would suggest they perform the Parikrama with a clean heart. Those who have done it know, but they often don't want to speak about it because people might call them crazy. But the one who experiences it understands. There are monks from the Ramakrishna Mission, Bharat Sevashram Sangha, and other big monasteries meditating there. Millions of people pass by; some monks speak, some remain silent (Mauna). Some don't eat all day, just water and tea. But during festivals like Ram Navami, massive feasts (Bhandara) appear out of nowhere. Villages are 15â20 kilometers away, yet people arrive with tractors full of food. It's like the ancient Vedic civilization of India. Even if you get sick, the government now provides vehicles to take you to the hospital. Earlier it wasn't there, but now the government helps because the number of pilgrims is increasing. It's not just men anymore; women and retired couples are also doing the Parikrama. There is no difficulty; you just chant her name and walk. Mother is also known as "Reba" because she was born from Shiva on a Sunday. She is the same Mother as Radha or Sita, just in different forms. We are lucky that someone from our Shantikunj...
Chandan:
Gurudev, it would be wrong to say it's just my luckâit's because of your grace and your command. Otherwise, I would have never known about this. I had never even heard Mother Narmada's name before coming to you.
Gurudev:
No, it is your good fortune. One boy went to Kamakhya, and another is doing the Narmada Parikrama. We have only read about these things in books; we haven't gone ourselves. A hundred years ago, the environment was differentâit was a deep, dense jungle. There weren't many ashrams. Tribal groups like the Kols, Bhils, and Mundas used to serve the pilgrims. There are many stories in books about sages clapping their hands and a girl appearing to serve food when they were hungry.
Chandan:
Those things still happen, Gurudev. They really do. It happened to a boy with us from Ayodhya. He got lost in the jungle. We were waiting for him. Nowadays we have phones, though the signal is poor. He called and said, "I don't know where I am, and it's evening. I'll have to stay in the jungle tonight." I asked him the next day if he was scared. He said, "No, I lit a fire and stayed near the Mother." He said he wasn't hungry at all, drank the river water, and slept soundly. He saw a gentleman bathing at the ghat the next morning who told him, "You stayed in a sacred place; the Mother protected you." There is nothing to fear if you surrender yourself to her.
Gurudev:
If you surrender this body to her, there is no fear. But if there is even a drop of doubt, then you're in trouble. You cannot have doubt. And in the history of that place, there are no accidental deaths. The water is pure, and she keeps everyone pure.
Host:
Rightly said. Well, viewers, the more you hear, the more you want to listen, but we must stop here as the video is getting long. Chandan is a local boy from our neighborhood who visits Shantikunj regularly. I don't know what got into himâhe left his job and went to Narmada.
Host:
I suppose that's what happens when the Mother calls.
Gurudev:
I was surprised. He had a job and he left it. I asked him, "Why did you leave your job in this market?" He said, "I'm going to Narmada." He came to me for advice and blessings the day before he left. It feels good to hear these things from a disciple's mouth.
Chandan:
I have one request: when you go there, do not make the place dirty. If you don't stay clean, the Mother will drive you away. Just surrender to her. If you have devotion, she will surely call you. I met a German lady there who has been doing "Go-Sewa" (serving cows) for 20â25 years. She speaks better Hindi than we do.
Host:
Alright viewers, we will end here today. Stay healthy, stay well. Salutations, Gurudev.
Gurudev:
Salutations, my son.