NARRATOR:
[Sound of a conch shell being blown]
GURUDEV:
A young man told me that he found a Saligram stone in a crematorium and brought it home to worship. That is very good. He belongs to the Sarvananda lineage. It is said that they do not get initiated. Well, if they are not initiated yet, that is fine. Reading books and performing Narayana Seva is very good.
GURUDEV:
The strength of Brahmins is the Vedas, as is Narayana. Ganesha and Saraswati collaborated to compose the Vedas—Ganesha wrote them while Saraswati provided the inspiration. This is the essence of the Vedas. We are the inheritors of the Vedas.
GURUDEV:
The most important thing to understand is that Narayana manifests in many forms. One must choose Narayana with careful thought. There is Janardana, Girigovardhana, and Rajrajeshwar, among many other forms of stones that are difficult to identify.
GURUDEV:
Narayana can be satisfied with very little, much like Lord Shiva. He is very pleased with Tulsi leaves, Ganges water, sandalwood, and black sesame seeds. You will often see 108 or 1008 Tulsi leaves being offered to Narayana. This is usually done when someone is ill or when a task is not succeeding. We suggest offering Tulsi to Narayana for peace in the home. Narayana is highly satisfied when offered white sandalwood, Tulsi, and black sesame seeds. One can maintain the Saligram stone according to their devotion.
GURUDEV:
The Saligram stone remains still; it does neither good nor evil, but it maintains stability. Serving Narayana is the same as serving Krishna, for Krishna is Narayana himself. One who serves Narayana should consider themselves a servant of Krishna.
GURUDEV:
The Saligram stone should be protected with this mindset. According to our scriptures and the Bhagavata, Brahmins have protected the Saligram stone for ages. However, with the onset of the Sarvanir era, Shudras will now protect the Saligram stone. Among the ten avatars of Narayana, Brahmins were once at the head. Now, the Brahmin will descend from that position and move toward the lotus feet of Narayana. That space will be occupied by those from the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
GURUDEV:
This is what has been prophesied: that the Scheduled Castes and Tribes will protect the Saligram stone and God Himself. It is stated in the Bhagavata. The responsibility of protection has now fallen upon them. Brahmins will gradually lose their rights.
GURUDEV:
The Gyan Ved says, "Brahmin, stay awake! You have not been given the right to sleep. If you stay awake, the society stays awake. If you stay awake, God stays awake, and the world stays awake. You do not have the right to sleep."
GURUDEV:
However, due to their own actions and karma, Brahmins have become significantly degraded. Now, we see Shudras taking up the protection of the Saligram stone. Brahmins are moving away from it, just as they moved away from the Vedas and Vedantas. Shudras are gradually taking over this space. They will now reside at the head of Narayana, protecting the stone and the Lord.
GURUDEV:
As time passes, the number of Brahmins is decreasing. If you look closely, many who currently practice as priests are not actually Brahmins, yet they perform the duties. This is because the number of traditional Brahmins is dwindling. The children of Brahmin households no longer wish to maintain their Brahminhood, let alone worship the Saligram stone.
GURUDEV:
On the other hand, I observe that Shudras are much more active. They are eager to serve God; they only need to be asked. In our tradition of Tantra Sadhana, we do not observe caste. We allow anyone to perform worship if they are initiated by us. If they are initiated into our lineage, we tell them they can serve the Mother and offer food. But they must be initiated. Since we practice Tantra, anyone—Brahmin or non-Brahmin—can perform these duties after initiation. This was seen in the case of Ramakrishna and others who practiced Tantra; not everyone they initiated was a Brahmin, yet they gained the right to worship.
GURUDEV:
As Brahmins decline, the world edges closer to ruin. This is the result of their own karma. Brahma created the Brahmins as a race, which we later find in the Gita: "Chatur-varnyaṃ mayā sṛṣṭaṃ" (The four-fold order was created by Me)—Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Shudra.
GURUDEV:
Now, Brahmins have lost their Brahminhood. They no longer recite the Gayatri Mantra upon waking. I see Brahmin youths running after daily-wage labor. They no longer care for worship or the Gayatri Mantra. Just as the Vedas have faded, worship will also fade from Brahmin households.
GURUDEV:
Brahmins will stop performing puja. We already see non-Brahmins and women being trained to perform rituals like Durga Puja and Kali Puja, and they are even receiving certificates for it.
GURUDEV:
My point is that Brahmins will no longer be able to stay awake or serve God. They are losing that right. This is part of God’s creation in this current cycle. We are currently in the ninth cycle (Kalpa), with five more to go in Brahma’s plan.
GURUDEV:
Regarding the Saligram stone, everyone is now capable of worshiping it, and they are doing so. I have seen women worshiping the Saligram stone in many homes. They tell me, "We don't have a Brahmin, so we worship the Saligram stone ourselves." I tell them it is good; God has given everyone the right to worship.
GURUDEV:
However, this decline has harmed society in many ways. The barbarity we see today is largely due to the failure of Brahmins. They could not maintain their position or their spiritual essence. Consequently, they are having to let go. Now, others will protect the Lord.
GURUDEV:
The boy who sent me the photo of the Saligram stone—it looked good. Continue your worship. This is the rule of the current era. Nothing happens outside of the system.
GURUDEV:
What else can I say? Namaskar.