Interviewer:
Pranam, Gurudev.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Pranam, my son. Speak.
Interviewer:
Gurudev, today we want to learn about something very valuable from you. We want to know about Sadhaks (spiritual practitioners). Why do they eat so little? Why is their clothing so minimal? How is their lifestyle? I would like to know about this in detail.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
You see, there is a vast difference between a Sadhu and a Sadhak. A Sadhak is born perhaps once in ten or twenty million. But Sadhus can be found in every other home.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
The word Sadhu comes from the word "Saadh" (desire or wish). It means, "I have a desire to be a Sadhu." You put on certain clothes, do certain things, and you become a Sadhu. You start visiting different temples. But such a person often has nothing deep within; they move from temple to temple in the hope of gaining something. There is no difference between a Sadhu and a snake. Just as a snake doesn't stay in one place, a Sadhu doesn't stay in one place either. We often compare the two. We even say, "Sadhu, beware, the devil is behind you!"
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
But a Sadhak is different. Their thought process is entirely different. They follow their own internal path, not anyone else's. Some Sadhaks leave home at a very young age and, through the grace of their Guru, attain a high spiritual state. Some also lose their way, which is a significant risk for Sadhaks. Whatever a Sadhak desires, Mother (the Divine) grants it. When they attain a bit of spiritual power from their Guru, they might get restless and wonder how to use it. This often leads to their downfall. As the poet Ramprasad said, "To some, Mother gives the state of Brahma; others, She leads toward a downfall."
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
A true Sadhak is steady and indifferent. An ordinary person cannot easily understand a high-level Sadhak. If they haven't reached that high level, they might stay away from crowds. Their attire is very simple. The yellow or red robes and the rudraksha beads you see are not necessarily the marks of a Sadhak. Those are more for Sadhus.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
A Sadhak is still and unchanging. As they progress through different stages—and you don't become a high-level Sadhak in a day—they must have a very strong Guru and follow every footstep of that Guru. For instance, when we took initiation from Bamadev Baba, we became residents of the cremation ground (Samsan-basi). People say I have powers, or that I am this or that, but to become a Sadhak, one has to endure a lot of pain. One has to spend nights crying for the Divine Mother until the tears run dry. It takes a lot of sacrifice to create a Sadhak. They become indifferent to the world. Even if they have a family or children, they eventually become a Brahmachari (celibate) and never look back. Looking back is the path to ruin.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
When a Sadhak is being "made," a ritual called Viraja Hom is performed. If you go to the Ramakrishna Mission or Belur Math, you will see monks being initiated. They shave their heads, and in the presence of their Guru and a sacred fire, they perform Viraja Hom. We believe the Viraja River is in the heavens; it is the river one crosses to attain Moksha (liberation). All souls must cross it. It is like a wave—you move forward, then a wave pushes you back, then you move again. This river isn't on Earth, though some say it's in Odisha. Once you perform this ritual and become a monk, you can never go back to your home. Your only task then is Japa (meditation).
Interviewer:
Gurudev, one question. You mentioned the difference between a Sadhu and a Sadhak. For those becoming Sadhaks, do they also have to perform Viraja Hom?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Yes, to become a monk (Sannyasi), you must perform Viraja Hom. A Sadhak starts as a monk. You also need your parents' permission to become a monk. Then the Guru performs the ritual and initiates them. Some Sadhus even perform their own funeral rites while alive. They eat the Pinda (offering for the dead) themselves. This is a very deep practice that ordinary people don't know about.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
If a Guru isn't right, or if there is a mistake in the rituals, the practitioner suffers. You can shave your head and wear saffron clothes, and the world will call you a Sadhu, but your real power must be built through years—12, 15, 20 years—of intense meditation and discipline.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Now, why do they eat so little? It's because eating increases "Medh" (body fat). Fat is an obstacle. A Sadhak's body should ideally weigh between 33 and 35 kilograms. They need to travel to different places through their Sukshma Deha (subtle body). To do this, the body must be extremely light. If you eat too much, the body becomes heavy, you feel sleepy, and fat increases. Sadhaks avoid this.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
You might ask, "How do they survive?" Think of a snake. In winter, it stays in a hole for six months. What does it eat? It survives on its own body fat. It doesn't hunt; it just sleeps. Similarly, through intense worship and meditation, a secretion occurs from the brain. Its caloric value is about 5,000 calories. That secretion travels from the head to the throat and into the stomach. When that happens, the Sadhak no longer feels hunger, thirst, or sleep. They are like the snake in that regard.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
We have food inside our bodies; we don't need to find it outside. We consume about 1,700 to 2,000 calories usually, but that internal secretion provides 5,000 calories. It is very powerful. When it reaches the liver, the Sadhak's strength increases fourfold. They might not eat for 10 or 15 days, yet they remain incredibly strong.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
An example is Thakur Omkarnath. He lived like this. In his later years, he didn't eat. He would just sit in his chair. Yet, he was so strong that if he gave you a small push, you would fall over.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
There is a beautiful story about this. In Mathura, they make many dairy products. People from Mathura would travel to Delhi to sell these goods, crossing the Yamuna River. One day, after finishing their business, they found the Yamuna in full flood, roaring loudly. There were no boats. They were worried about how to get home. They saw a Sadhu sitting in a corner, watching them and smiling.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
One of them asked, "Baba, will the water level go down?" The Sadhu said, "I haven't eaten since morning. If you give me some food, I will make the water go down." They gave him all the unsold dairy products—sweets, curd, etc. The Sadhu ate everything until he was full.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Then they asked, "Baba, you ate everything. Now please make the water go down." The Sadhu said, "Oh, I forgot!" He went to the riverbank, touched the water, and said, "Mother Yamuna, if I have eaten nothing today, then please subside so these people can cross."
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
One person in the group heard this and was shocked. The water level immediately dropped to knee-height. Everyone rushed across. But that one man stayed behind. The Sadhu said, "Why are you still here? Go, or the water will rise again." The man said, "I want an answer. We saw you eat all that food with our own eyes. Then you told the river, 'If I have eaten nothing...' How is that possible?"
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
The Sadhu laughed and said, "The body eats; the soul (Atma) never eats. The soul has no hunger. The soul is always moving, but it doesn't consume. So, I told the truth."
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Sadhaks reach these stages through various spiritual practices. People can sense their power just by looking at them. Their aura is changed by the Divine. I have been practicing for 35 years and still haven't reached full perfection. The ultimate goal is the vision of God. Some Sadhaks leave this life without that vision, knowing they need one or two more births. Others attain it. Once you have that vision, you don't return to this world.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
There is a place near North Kashi or Kailash—I can't remember the exact name—where if you perform funeral rites, you are never reborn. Some high-level Sadhaks perform these rites for themselves to ensure they don't have to return to Earth.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Sadhaks live in their own bliss. They are truthful and filled with divine energy. They don't worry about what is happening in the world or who is suffering.
Interviewer:
Does that mean they don't work for the welfare of humanity?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Welfare is possible only through Divine command. Some meditate in the Himalayas; some do it at home. It depends on the command of the Mother. If She says, "Go work for humanity," they must go. Many great souls have "died" but have actually taken birth in a subtle form to work for the world. Their physical body might be in one place, but they are working elsewhere. Some return, some don't. You might see a Sadhak who looks like they have passed away, but they have actually taken birth elsewhere to serve humanity.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
As it is said, "I return to where I came from." When the river Bhagirathi was asked where she comes from and where she goes, she said, "I return to my source." Our task is to return to where we came from. There are 14 realms (Bhuvanas) where Sadhaks go. Sometimes, by God's command, they descend back to Earth for human welfare. God doesn't do it directly; He has designated people to do that work.
Interviewer:
Gurudev, today we learned so much from you about the difference between a Sadhu and a Sadhak. I'm sure our audience will appreciate this. We offer our respects to you this evening. Pranam.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Pranam, my son. Pranam.