Interviewer:
Gurudev, my respects to you. Sujit Babu, my respects to you too. Today, Gurudev has come after a long time. You also brought him here to the temple, to Santikunj. You performed a Homa (sacrificial fire ritual) today—if you could tell us a little bit about that, it would be great.
Sujit Babu:
Actually, you see, Gurudev had been unwell for a long time. He was suffering for quite a while, and it was a source of great mental distress for him that he couldn't come to the temple. His disciples might have met him at his house, but today, after all this time, Gurudev has finally returned to his own place. And since his return, we can see that he looks much better here than he did at home; he looks much fresher.
Sujit Babu:
Anyway, today's date and tithi (lunar day) are truly wonderful. It is Shukla Chaturdashi (the 14th lunar day of the waxing moon), and along with that, it is Pushya Nakshatra. Firstly, Shukla Chaturdashi is ideal for any kind of worship of the Mother Goddess, and it is also ideal for the worship of Lord Shiva. Additionally, Pushya Nakshatra is the Mother's own star. So, it occurred at a very unique juncture.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Not only that, it is mentioned in the Vedas regarding Pushya Nakshatra that any auspicious work can be performed during this time. There are three such Nakshatras (lunar mansions) we consider: Rohini, Pushya, and Revati. If we get any of these three, we can perform many tasks. Among them, Pushya is the best. You can do any benevolent work, and it will be successful.
Sujit Babu:
And on top of that, today is Tuesday.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Yes, Tuesday. Anyway, everything has aligned perfectly.
Sujit Babu:
And our Homa is performed for world peace. Naturally, we didn't want to miss such a juncture. That is why we brought Gurudev here to perform the ritual.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
And how long does the Pushya Nakshatra last today?
Sujit Babu:
Until 1:32 PM.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
We finished the Homa before 1:32 PM. That is a very good sign—that you completed the ritual before then. Also, tomorrow is our most important day, Maghi Purnima (the full moon day of the month of Magh).
Sujit Babu:
Naturally, we will try to perform a Homa tomorrow as well.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
He says he will come and perform a Homa tomorrow afternoon as well. I don't know if it will be possible for me to come then because of the cold in the evening; they won't let me leave the house. They are very strict at home. I was able to come today because it was morning. I will try to come every day for 10, 15, or 30 minutes to get back into the habit. I'm trying to reclaim the habit I used to have.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Today, Sujit asked, "Gurudev, will you come?" I said, "Yes, I will definitely go." Homa is something I love dearly. It makes me feel very good. Regarding tomorrow afternoon... tomorrow is indeed Purnima (full moon), and Maghi Purnima is a very, very auspicious day. But unfortunately, I might not be able to make it. You all should go ahead and perform the ritual; there's no problem. Everything is ready; just finish it.
Interviewer:
Gurudev, we've learned a lot about the Homa. It is a matter of great joy for us that you will be coming to the temple from tomorrow.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
I won't be coming for any specific "work" or task. I will come for myself, and then I'll leave. I won't be entertaining anyone at this stage. Whatever I do, I will do after the month of Chaitra (the last month of the Bengali calendar). Let me recover first, and then I will start working in Baishakh (the first month). Until then, even if people come, I won't be taking on work. There's no question of it. Arkho and a few others were saying, "Gurudev, please come for at least half an hour every day." A vehicle—an auto or a toto—will be arranged. It will bring me at 10:00 AM, and I will leave by 11:00 AM. I can do that; that won't be a problem for me.
Sujit Babu:
Mother is the medicine for all your ailments. You will ultimately get better just by coming to her.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
That is true, but they don't want to listen at home! I would be much, much healthier if I stayed here. But they don't understand that. They worry, "What if you fall ill, what if this happens or that happens?" They have many questions I can't always answer.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Anyway, it's fine. From tomorrow, I'll come for 10 or 15 minutes. They might not let me come tomorrow evening, but the morning is possible. As I said, tomorrow is Maghi Purnima, an extremely auspicious day. We perform our rituals based on specific tithis and nakshatras that most people aren't even aware of.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
It is said: "Simha-rasau gate chandre, karkatastha divakare / Meena-rashi gurau yaati, vrishchikascha sanaishchare." (Referring to specific planetary positions in Leo, Cancer, Pisces, and Scorpio). During these four specific times, we can achieve a lot. When Jupiter enters Pisces, when the Sun enters Cancer, and when Saturn enters Scorpio—these times are very favorable for us. We generally perform tasks like making Tabeez (amulets) or Kavach during these times. We don't touch those things otherwise.
Interviewer:
Gurudev, my respects to you. Sir, my respects to you as well.