Devotee:
Greetings, Gurudev. In today's discussion, we want to learn from you about a great spiritual seeker who was simultaneously a Tantrik, a Mahatantrik, a Mahayogi, and what one might call a "Mahakaibalya Nath." Please tell us about this great soul.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
He is Ram Thakur—the highly venerable Ram Thakur. We are immensely proud that such a great saint was born in India. He was a man completely devoid of ego. He lived very simply. He usually wore just a single piece of cloth. Whether it was winter, summer, or monsoon, you would see him with just a white cloth wrapped around him. He was always engaged in "Kriya" (spiritual practice). Even while sitting, he was constantly performing his spiritual work.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
I will tell you a bit about his life history. His real name was Ramchandra Chakravarty. His father was Sri Radha Madhav Chakravarty, who was himself a famous Tantrik. His mother was Srimati Kamala Devi. He was born in Faridpur, Bangladesh, in the year 1860 and passed away on May 1, 1949. He lived for 89 years.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
He was a great devotee of Krishna and a powerful practitioner of Tantra. If you ever visit his ashram, "Kaibalya Dham," in Bangladesh, it is a magnificent sight. When he first established it, it was small, but now it is beautiful. There is a banyan tree and a pond; if you sit under that tree after a bath, you feel a wonderful sense of peace. The name "Hare Krishna" is inscribed all over the temple. It is a very famous place in Bangladesh.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
His father's guru was Mrityunjoy Nyaypanchanan, a great Tantrik. Ram Thakur had a twin brother named Lakshman, though not much is known about him. His father's guru loved Ram dearly because he saw spiritual signs in him from childhood. Ram learned Tantra from him.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Unfortunately, his father passed away, and within a year, the guru also passed away. This left him in a state of deep despair. During this time, his guru appeared to him in a vision and told him not to worry, but to go to the Kamakhya Hills. Following his guru's instructions, he traveled to Kamakhya on foot. His guru continued to guide him through dreams and initiated him into sacred mantras.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
He traveled extensively through the Himalayas, Garhwal, and stayed at the Vasistha and Koushiki Ashrams. He completed his spiritual practices there. Later, his guru appeared to him again—a tall, radiant, and magnificent figure—and told him, "Ram, go back home and serve your mother."
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
He returned to Bangladesh, but he had nothing—no money or possessions. To support himself and his mother, he took a job as a cook in an engineer's house. He would feed everyone in the house and then sustain himself only on a little milk or fruit. After observing his strange and saintly behavior for some time, the engineer realized that Ram was no ordinary man. He apologized and told him he should not be working as a cook.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Later, he even held a government service job. During the British era, he worked for a contractor on bridge construction. He loved to cook for the workers—both men and women—and would serve them with great care, regardless of caste or gender. He treated women with the respect one gives to a mother.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
After his mother passed away, he became restless. With the help of a gentleman who donated land, he established "Kaibalya Dham" in Chittagong, Bangladesh. Today, it is a massive institution. There is also a branch in Kolkata, but the atmosphere of the original one in Bangladesh is incomparable; it feels like heaven. Personally, I don't care for the Kolkata ashram as much because they perform funeral rites and other rituals there that seem more focused on money, whereas Ram Thakur was the embodiment of simplicity.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
He had attained "Ashta Siddhi" (the eight spiritual perfections). He was born a "Siddha" (perfected soul). He balanced the path of Krishna devotion and Tantra perfectly. His life was dedicated to serving humanity.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
He practiced something called "Kaibalya Sadhana," which is unique. It doesn't require money, just a small space to sit. In this practice, he would tell the Divine Mother, "Mother, I offer this body as 'Naibedya' (a sacred offering) for your enjoyment. This body is transient; take it as an offering."
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Then he would visualize lighting a lamp within his soul to dispel all darkness. He offered his restless mind as "Dhup" (incense) to the Mother. He described intelligence as the flower offered in worship. In spiritual terms, there are three things: Mind, Intelligence, and Ego. He offered his mind as incense, his intelligence as the flower, and his ego as the flower garland. This is the essence of "Kaibalya Sadhana."
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
As I mentioned, he was a man of extraordinary simplicity, always wrapped in a single cloth. Rabindranath Tagore once remarked to one of Ram Thakur's disciples, "The ocean has a shore (kul), but your Gurudev is shoreless (akul)." He meant that his spiritual depth was boundless.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
His core message to everyone was simple: "Keep your mind calm, and you will find peace." Whenever someone went to him complaining of restlessness or trouble, he would say, "You don't need to do anything else; just calm your mind, and all your troubles will vanish." This was his greatest teaching.
Devotee:
Thank you, Gurudev, for telling us about Sri Ram Thakur. My respects to you.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Blessings to you.