Devotee:
Pranam, Gurudev.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Pranam, Baba. Pranam.
Devotee:
Friends, today the subject we want to learn from Gurudev is an extremely important aspect of Tantra Sadhana. Although Gurudev has spoken about this before, many viewers of our "Gupta Sadhak Shyama Khyapa" YouTube channel who leave comments are eager to know more about Tantra Sadhana and the Panchamundi Asana (The Five-Skull Seat). So today, we will ask Gurudev about this Panchamundi Asana.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
See, we primarily perform Tantra Sadhana based on Kamakhya. The Mother herself resides upon five skulls. That is why it is said: "Bandhuka-kusuma-bhasam pancha-mundadhi-vasinim." The Mother presides over five skulls. This Panchamundi Asana is extremely powerful—especially for a practitioner. If one can perform Japa and meditation on this seat and remember the Mother, the results are far greater.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
However, there is also danger. Great danger. It is not right for everyone to sit on a Panchamundi Asana. One should not sit on it without the Mother's grace. Generally, this seat is made of five skulls.
Devotee:
Gurudev, is there any specific preparation required for this?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Definitely. You cannot just decide today and sit on a Panchamundi Asana without doing anything. Actually, after a certain period of practice, instructions come. Only then does a practitioner establish a Panchamundi Asana. But if such a seat is established, there can be significant damage to the surrounding area. If cows or goats accidentally wander onto the spot where it is established, their death is certain—provided the seat is kept "awakened."
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
If you establish it and then go to sleep, it also "sleeps." There is a process to keep it awakened. It is best if it can be kept awakened daily by infusing it with life force (Pran). In that state, its reaction is formidable. This is why it cannot be done in residential neighborhoods. It must be done in a forest or a place where people do not go.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
In the past, there were many such places, but now those places are gone. Therefore, the practice of Panchamundi Asana is gradually decreasing. Whatever exists now is mostly "dead." People establish the seat and keep it under lock and key; no one sits on it or awakens it, so it has effectively died. It has become more of a business to claim they have one.
Devotee:
You mentioned that there are specific places like cremation grounds or underground chambers where this can be established.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Yes, there are specific places where it can be done. But under no circumstances should it be done in a locality. It must be away from the public eye. Otherwise, the possibility of danger is absolute. It is not just a seat; if kept awakened daily, the consequences are serious.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Now, we need to collect five specific heads (skulls). A Hanuman (monkey) head is very good. You know Hanuman—he is a Brahma-gyani (possessor of divine knowledge). Because of that knowledge, his head is very necessary. Then, a Chandala head (from someone who cremates bodies). Their heads are very good. That makes two.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
The third is a jackal's head. It is very useful because a jackal is extremely cunning; that cunning nature is very helpful to us. Fourth is a snake's head. A snake is extremely cruel; it strikes even at a shadow. Specifically, a cobra or a monocled cobra—they strike at shadows. They are intensely cruel, so this head is very useful.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
So, we have the Hanuman head, the Chandala head, the jackal head, and the snake head. One more head is needed. It could be an owl's head. An owl's head is very effective because they are extremely swift and fierce.
Devotee:
Can a deer or a mongoose head be used?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
A mongoose head can definitely work. But the problem now is that if you try to establish a Panchamundi Asana, the police will come and arrest you. I tried this in Varanasi once. I knew that 30 years ago, skulls and materials for Panchamundi were sold there. But when I went back to try and establish it, I heard everything had been shut down. The government banned it.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Finding these heads is a near-impossible task. You might find a jackal head or try to find a Hanuman head or a Chandala head, but the police are so alert that if they find out, they will arrest you. In Tarapith, there is someone named Bapi Maharaj who has it. He has all five types of heads. I saw them; he performs rituals and worship there. It is located at the Mundamalitola Cremation Ground.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
These things aren't available in the market. Recently, a man was arrested for washing a human skull in a pond. This happened near Sonarpur. So, there is a lot of fear. But if one collects the skulls, then on a New Moon night (Amavasya) after midnight, they must first be purified.
Devotee:
Is there a specific method for purification?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Yes, there is. You cannot use Ganges water or Tulsi leaves on these. These are Uchchhishta (impure/leftover) matters; they require Madyapana (alcohol) or other such substances. After purification, a pit must be dug, and the heads must be placed correctly. There are specific directions for which head faces where. After placing them according to the directions, they are sealed in.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
After that, if one performs daily Japa and meditation sitting there, it stays awakened. Otherwise, it falls asleep. It's like a Rudraksha—if you perform Japa with it or wear it regularly, the Rudraksha stays "alive." If you just leave it aside, it "dies" and loses its effectiveness. We test this by putting them in water to see which is alive and which is dead. A dead Rudraksha is of no use.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Similarly, these heads must be awakened. There are specific methods that only a practitioner (Sadhak) or a great Tantric knows. A true Sadhak usually doesn't care for these things; they don't need them. However, it is a practice for Tantrics. In the past, Tantrics used to do this. We have done it when needed for a day or two, but generally, Sadhaks don't need it. Tantrics need it to gather power. Immense power can be obtained from this. Our natural power is limited, so these powers are gathered from such sources.
Devotee:
Gurudev, you mentioned the five heads and their characteristics—like Hanuman being a Brahma-gyani and the snake being cruel. After performing Tantra Sadhana through these, does the practitioner acquire these traits?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Absolutely. All of those traits manifest within the practitioner. That is why people are afraid of Tantrics. We are Sadhaks; we perform spiritual practice. But we are also somewhat afraid of Tantrics. If I see someone in red robes, I tend to avoid them or stay inside. I don't meet them out of fear. Because they possess all these traits.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
You might speak to a Tantric, and if you make an inappropriate comment, they might say, "I'll deal with you, I'll kill you, I'll do this or that." We hear this often. Many people come to me saying, "A Tantric told me they would kill me; please protect me." I see this with my own eyes. So, while Sadhaks don't need this, it is very necessary for those practicing Tantra.
Devotee:
One more thing—you said that if a Tantric becomes angry, they can cause harm. If they misuse their power, can that power be lost?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Look, I'll tell you one thing. Where there is power, there is no consciousness (Chaitanya). Where there is power, there is no consciousness. Power does not care for anyone. Fire does not care if it's a child; it just burns. Water sweeps everything away; it doesn't care for children. There is no consciousness in fire.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
So, if there is no consciousness, it will do as it pleases. But where there is consciousness, there is knowledge. A wise person will not think like that. They will sit on the Panchamundi Asana and perform Sadhana, but they understand that misuse is not right. It is not appropriate.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
This is the relationship between power and consciousness. Where there is consciousness, power (in its raw, blind form) does not act. And where power acts blindly, consciousness is absent. For example, if 50 people gather, their collective power increases, and they might start destroying things—even their own property. But where there is consciousness, such things do not happen.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Is that clear?
Devotee:
We conclude our discussion today with this extraordinary comment from Gurudev: where there is power, consciousness does not act, and where there is consciousness, raw power does not act. Friends, keep watching the "Gupta Sadhak Shyama Khyapa" YouTube channel for more important insights from Gurudev. Pranam, Gurudev.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Pranam.