Narrator:
Rajpur Mahashasan is the meditation site of the spiritual practitioner, Shri Shyama Khepa. Shantikunja is his ashram. Every year, on the auspicious occasion of Mahalaya, an annual festival is held at Shantikunja. Along with prayers, worship, and fire rituals (Homa-Yajna), there is a gathering of guests and devotees. On the night of Mahalaya, a special ritual is performed at the funeral pyre in the cremation ground.
Narrator:
Come, friends, let us explore various parts of Rajpur Mahashasan. You are looking at the funeral pyres of Rajpur Mahashasan where bodies are cremated. A corpse is currently placed there, and the cremation process is underway.
Narrator:
Now, we have arrived at the Nabhikunda. After the cremation ritual, the remains are placed here, and further post-cremation rites are performed. We are now slowly entering Shantikunja, the meditation center of the practitioner, Shyama Khepa.
Narrator:
Here is Shantikunja, one of the main attractions of Rajpur Mahashasan, where he has dedicated himself to spiritual practice. A thousand-day Mahamritunjaya Yajna was performed here, as was the Nikumbhila Yajna. We are now approaching Shyama Khepa. In this segment, we will see Shri Shyama Khepa during the ritual and ask him about the purpose of this ceremony.
Interviewer:
Guru, we observed a very special ritual performed today at the pyre in Rajpur Mahashasan. You performed a puja near a corpse. This is not something we usually see. Could you please tell us about the specific purpose of this ritual?
Shyama Khepa:
You see, Goddess Kali is intimately connected with the corpse. We follow the Avadhuta tradition. There are certain things we follow in this path. Today, you are seeing this and taking photos, but usually, we would never allow this. There is a reason for that—it is meant to be a secret. Some people have even asked me why I am showing this now. Well, nowadays everything has become open.
Shyama Khepa:
Before we sit for the Kali Puja, we must perform a ritual for the corpse. The pyre must be worshipped, the guardians of the cremation ground must be worshipped, and the various spirits—Bhuta, Preta, Daitya, Dana, Betal, Pishach, Rakshash—all of them must be worshipped. Every entity must be honored. If I sit for the main puja without honoring them, there will be obstacles. For example, the lamp might go out, or some intoxicated person or an animal might wander in and disrupt everything. To prevent such disturbances, one cannot call upon the Mother without first satisfying them.
Shyama Khepa:
To call upon the Mother, you must perform a ritual for the corpse, a ritual for the pyre, and honor the spirits. One must offer food (Anna) to the mouth of the deceased. Only after that can our main puja begin. We have to wait until a body arrives. By the grace of Goddess Kali, a body always arrives in time for the puja.
Shyama Khepa:
When we perform this, the family members of the deceased often say, "You may perform your puja as long as you wish. We have no objection. If the deceased receives water from your hands, they will be liberated." Even the staff at the cremation ground accept and respect this ritual.
Shyama Khepa:
In the Tantric scriptures, specifically in the hymns to the Mother, it is said: "Shava-mamsa-krita-grasham..." It describes the Mother with a terrifying laugh, consuming the flesh of the corpse. This is mentioned in the scriptures.
Shyama Khepa:
Whether it is Kali or Tara, they are essentially the same. This ritual is centered around the form of Tara. There is no higher knowledge than that of Kali. Keeping this knowledge in front of us, we perform the rituals for Tara.
Shyama Khepa:
It is also said that even the five-faced Lord Shiva (Panchamukha) cannot fully describe the virtues of the Mother. If we try to explain her virtues, it would be an act of audacity. We simply follow what is written in the hymns.
Shyama Khepa:
This is a very specific and intense ritual. We must worship the corpse, offer it food, and only then place it on the pyre. To an outsider, this looks very terrifying. In the past, people wouldn't even come near, but now crowds gather from all over. I have been performing this ritual for 40 years. Often, I even sit directly on the funeral pyre during the meditation.
Shyama Khepa:
The Mother resides in the cremation ground. Lord Shiva also resides here. There is a famous song that says: "To hold her children in her lap, the Mother left Kailash to reside in the cremation ground." This is why we have chosen the cremation ground. I have a firm belief that the Mother is present in this ground. That is why this special puja must be done. Without performing the ritual for the corpse, we do not sit for the Kali Puja, as the practice would not reach its completion. As long as I am here, I will continue this. After me, if someone else comes, they may continue it.
Interviewer:
Thank you, Guru. Friends, you heard the Guru explain in detail why this special ritual is performed. We request you to visit our YouTube channel, GuptaSadhakShyamaKhepa.com. Please watch and subscribe to the channel. The more you subscribe, the more we can bring you these profound insights from the Guru.