Interviewer: Gurudev, pranam.
Guru Shyama Khyapa: Pranam, baba, pranam.
Interviewer: I see many people who have no shortage of wealth. They are full of prosperity. But in their minds, a lot of jealousy works. They boast, "I've donated this much here, given this much to build this temple, given money for this food offering..." these are signs of pride. I see a special saying of yours in this temple of yours, where you've written: "Mother Annada, she provides food. Do not display your prosperity to her." Mother Annada provides food, but it is better for people like us not to display our prosperity. Could you please explain more about that?
Guru Shyama Khyapa: Yes, you can call it human ignorance, foolishness, or a lack of knowledge. The thing is, God's temple is a holy place. Now, if money is poured into this temple, the temple becomes polluted. I have seen it in all the temples I've visited. Even when I used to practice law, I had to handle accounts for many temples. But I couldn't complete them because trouble started from various sides. It's loose cash, so there's no proper record for it. Someone might have given 500, but they write 100 and pocket the other 400. I've seen a lot of this; there's no end to it.
Guru Shyama Khyapa: That's why I say one thing: do not pollute this holy place of Mother with wealth. The temple is God's place. Now, if money is put in this temple... well, many people ask me, "How does your temple run?" To be honest, not much money is needed for a temple to run. If the temple is open, someone or other always comes. Many people come, and they bring everything for Mother. Someone brings a garland, someone brings sweets, someone might bring oil for Mother's lamp. I'm telling you what I've seen. So you don't need to buy anything. You don't need to buy anything at all. Maybe a few pennies are needed here and there. For our daily food offering for Mother here, even for that, I've seen we don't need to buy anything. Someone or other comes and leaves groceries. And those who sit in the market selling goods might give everything and say, "Give this to Gurudev for Mother's food offering." So, nothing is ever stuck. That is one aspect.
Guru Shyama Khyapa: And if I now use marble, if I do this or that, then money is needed. Mother doesn't really want to stay in a gorgeous temple. Because there's a fake feeling there. People think, "I saw it, I did this, gave some puja to Mother, put money in the donation box," etc. Actually, there's no life there. There's no life in that place. That's why Mother's temple is very holy. Putting money in this holy temple is like putting rubbish.
Guru Shyama Khyapa: Look at this temple; the government has given some money, and I've spent some money. However I've spent it, not much money was needed for this temple today. But the temple is done. Next to it, a room is also doneācall it Mother's kitchen or where I sit. For this, I didn't need any money. Honestly, don't mind, but money is not a very big deal to God. As many people come to meābefore, 100 people used to comeāso many sweets used to be offered. I would give them away, people would eat, and sometimes sweets even had to be thrown away. So there was no shortage. Money is not everything. Big temples need some money because they have certain... requirements, they have to give something to Mother. Still, devotees are giving everything. Yes.
Interviewer: We have also seen that many devotees donate to the temple, donate a lot of money and then take pride in it, saying, "I have given this much money." This is pride, a terrible pride. So is it right to do this? This pride of donating so much to Mother, donating so much for the templeāis it right?
Guru Shyama Khyapa: Now you will see a big temple has been built, but Mother is not there. Because the main thingāMother's life forceāis not there. Look, to keep Mother bound, a sadhak (spiritual practitioner) is needed, a good sadhak. Without a sadhak, Mother doesn't stay. One thing I've noticed is everything becomes a fake matter. Mother is there, sitting, people are giving puja, and since it's a big temple, maybe Mother's relics are there. If you go to Kalighat or Tarapith or Kamakhya, you will understand what kind of filth goes on there. The filth is actually people. And this money is the root of all that filth. For this money, maybe the priests are coming, sitting with Mother, and begging for money.
Guru Shyama Khyapa: Now one group will give, and another will take. One group goes to give, another goes to take. Those who want to give might want to give some money to Mother's temple, but maybe they give it to the priest. The priest might not even deposit the money. Then there's a lot of trouble. That's why we say one thing: go straight to the office, give the money, and get a receipt from Mother's office. We say this because if you give it to some panda (priest) or anyone else, that money doesn't go to Mother's room, it doesn't go to Mother. If you absolutely want to give to Mother in any temple, then go to the office, give money there, and take a receipt. That money will be used for Mother's expenses. They have many expenses for which it's needed.
Guru Shyama Khyapa: And look, Mother is Annada; she is the one providing food. Then what can I feed her? This is a loss of human intelligence, you can say. A loss of intelligence because Mother is feeding you; what will you feed Mother? Mother is feeding you. That's why Ramprasad (the famous poet-singer) said after realizing a lot: "The Mother who is feeding the world with various delicious foods, with what shame do you want to feed her atap rice (sun-dried rice) and mung beans (lentils)? Your mind's delusion hasn't gone yet." He realized this very well. He realized another thing: "The Mother who is decorating the world with so many gems and gold, with what shame do you want to decorate her with conch-shell bangles and clay ornaments? Your mind's delusion hasn't gone yet."
Guru Shyama Khyapa: Our delusion hasn't gone even today. Now a temple is built, a committee is formed, many big people go there, money is coming, there is a grand atmosphere... "I am the secretary of the temple committee, I am the president," etc. Actually, Mother is the president and Mother is the secretary. But we say officials are needed to run Mother's temple, people are needed. Honestly, to run Mother's temple, in many temples, people eat food offerings every day, 100-200 people eat, and they eat with money. I've seen it in many temples; we've eaten with money. That's fine, it felt good, not bad. We ate Mother's food offering.
Guru Shyama Khyapa: But Mother herself is providing food. So trying to feed her is futile. I say this: trying to feed her is futile because she is feeding you. That's why we say repeatedly: don't give money in the temple. First, go to the temple and sit quietly near Mother. Sit in a place where Mother's sight can fall on you, in front of Mother. Sit quietly, you don't have to do anything else. And say your heart's words in your mind; there is no need to shout. I hope that will work more than donating millions to Mother.
Guru Shyama Khyapa: Now look, there are two types of money: one is 'pap-er taka' (money from sins) and another is 'bap-er taka' (hard-earned money). How much of your hard-earned money can you give to Mother? If you work for a salary, how much can you give to Mother? And those who are plundering, earning dishonestly, earning by cheating people, or stealing from the government, they might give Mother a golden bangle or a golden crown.
Interviewer: So this that you mentioned, where they'll give Mother a golden crown or golden banglesāis that right?
Guru Shyama Khyapa: Now you are giving, but whether Mother is taking it or not, you don't know. You are just thinking from your own mind that Mother might have taken it. But Mother doesn't take dishonest money. Mother takes honest money. Mother doesn't want to take dishonest money. Even if someone can't give much and just gives a 'batasa' (sugar drop), Mother is very happy with that. If someone who has no money gives Mother two sugar drops, Mother is very happy. And that becomes her food.
Guru Shyama Khyapa: Out of pride, we say we are feeding Mother. But who is feeding whom? This sometimes confuses me. The reason for this is, as I've seen, if Mother doesn't give you food, you won't get food. If Mother doesn't direct it, a leaf on a tree won't move or fall. So the thing is, Mother is feeding you; you can't feed Mother. You have pride, and out of extreme pride, you say to Mother, "I gave 108 garlands, I fed Mother, I gave Mother this and that." You say various things, but everything is hers; you are just giving it back to her. And then you say, "I am giving."
Guru Shyama Khyapa: That's why Ramprasad realized this and composed this song. This is human delusion: "Your mind's delusion hasn't gone yet. You didn't understand how Kali is, your mind's delusion hasn't gone yet." You couldn't understand Kali, you couldn't understand the deity where you went, you couldn't internalize her, couldn't say two words of your heart to her. Because now it's the era of... just having a quick look and leaving. More people are standing behind. There's no time to stand and say something, even if you have an appeal to Mother. There's no time to say that.
Interviewer: For that, both are responsibleāthose who are on the temple committee and the common people who go to visit. Everyone is responsible for this.
Guru Shyama Khyapa: Absolutely, it's created that way. Our arrangement for God has many faults. There are many faults. People don't want to admit those faults. You can say it's by force, like, "Why won't I feed Mother? I'm eating, why won't Mother eat? When I'm eating, why won't Mother eat? I'm giving Mother food." But this Mother is not that motherānot a mother who is made of flesh and blood. You didn't feed your own mother, your mother is begging on the street, and you go to Tarapith and give food offerings to Mother, and your family members, your mother and father, they are wandering on the streets hungry. I have seen this with my own eyesāmother and father wandering on the streets, the son going to Tarapith with a red 'tip' (bindi) on his forehead to worship Mother.
Guru Shyama Khyapa: So these are human delusions, terrible delusions. That's why Ramprasad wrote this with great sorrow: "The Mother who is feeding the world with various delicious foodsāyou are also in the world, Mother is feeding you too, feeding you various delicious foodsāwith what shame do you want to feed her atap rice and mung beans?" That is, the food offering we give with atap rice and mung beans, the offering we give with bananasāit should make a person ashamed. We are eating well, good food. But what we give to Mother is that atap rice and mung beans. This is a big delusion for people. That's why Ramprasad said it so beautifully: "The Mother who is feeding the world with various delicious foods, with what shame do you want to feed her atap rice and mung beans? Your mind's delusion hasn't gone yet. The Mother who is decorating the world with so many gems and gold, with what shame do you want to decorate her with conch-shell bangles and clay ornaments? Your mind's delusion hasn't gone yet."
Guru Shyama Khyapa: This is human delusion. They think Mother is taking it. It's an idol, it can't speak, so it's taking whatever is given. But actually Mother is judging. Whose she will take and whose she won't, Mother is judging that. Understand one thing well: Mother is not hungry at all. It's not like she'll get to eat only if you give food.
Interviewer: Gurudev, I want to ask you one more thing: many of us go to various temples and make vows (manot), like "Mother, if you give me this, I will give you that." Is it right to do that?
Guru Shyama Khyapa: Look, there is a saying: "Manbo thakur debono, amar pit-tes koro na" (I'll make a vow to God but won't fulfill it, don't disgust me). Many people have come to meāsay a son had a very serious illness when he was young and wouldn't have survived, so they vowed a pair of goats to Mother. Later the son grew up, but they still couldn't give the pair of goats to Mother. So they asked me what to do. "Gurudev, Mother appeared in my mother's dream and asked, 'What happened, you vowed but didn't give? Didn't give me the pair of goats?'" Till today they didn't have the means, the mother worked in people's houses, and they had vowed. They still couldn't give. "So what should I do?"
Guru Shyama Khyapa: Then I told him, "Okay, do one thing, baba, nothing else is needed. Go to where sacrifice is done, after taking a bath in the morning, take three bel leaves (wood apple leaves) there. Take out a little blood from your hand on those three bel leaves and give it at the sacrifice spot. Say, 'Mother, I don't have the means, but I gave my blood. You'll take blood, nothing else.'" In this way, we explain it to them. Many regret it, they feel sad.
Guru Shyama Khyapa: Many come and tell me, "Baba, my poite (sacred thread ceremony) wasn't done; my mother and father didn't get my poite done due to lack of money." I tell them to come tomorrow, and I'll get their poite done. Accordingly, I light a fire here and perform the ceremony. There are many such boys who didn't have their poite; I have got it done for them. I stood here and got it done for everyone.
Guru Shyama Khyapa: Now the thing is, everything is fine. But it's a holy place; Mother's temple is a holy place. Now we say, don't throw filth in this holy place. Money is filth. This has been said by everyone from Ramprasad onwards. Everyone has said it. He said, "I would love to stay in a clay house. If you give a grand building, I won't be able to call you 'Mother.'"
Interviewer: Now we see every temple is made into a huge building.
Guru Shyama Khyapa: It's nothing else; there's just a lot of money. It doesn't happen without money. All the small temples that are in the forest are not renovated. Is Mother not being worshipped there? Everything is happening. This is not the issue, but when prosperity comes, then all these troubles start.
Guru Shyama Khyapa: Now Mother doesn't like to stay in immense wealth. Mother sees the rich man just as she sees the poor man. Look at those who are orphans, those who are destitute, those who are old, those who are diseased. Our only prayer to Mother is, "Do something for them, Mother." Who will look after them? They can't provide worship. The person who eats by collecting papers from the street cannot give worship. Is Mother not being kind to him? When the sun rises, does it give different light in different places? When the sun rises in the sky, it is spread equally everywhere. Everyone gets sunlight. No one is left out. Similarly, Mother is also manifest. She is blessing everyoneāboth the one who gives worship and the one who doesn't.
Guru Shyama Khyapa: So regarding this giving of worship, I'm not saying don't go to Mother's temple. Go to Mother's temple, but without thinking of all those things, sit near Mother. Try to sit in front of Mother. If she just glances at you once, that is enough. That is enough. That is enough.
Interviewer: Gurudev, I learned about Mother Annada from you. I understood a lot. Pranam to you, Gurudev.
Guru Shyama Khyapa: Pranam, baba, pranam, pranam.