Disciple:
Pranam, Gurudev.
Guru:
Pranam, pranam.
Disciple:
Gurudev, the upcoming February 5th is Saraswati Puja. Nowadays, this puja means many things to many people. But I have heard from you that besides the way we usually celebrate it, there is another way called the Tantric method. How much of a difference is there between that and the common one?
Guru:
Look, the Saraswati we commonly worship does not have a third eye; she has two eyes. She holds a veena in her hands, and we see a swan sitting beside her. But in the Tantric tradition—the one described in the Chandi—she is formidable. She has eight hands with eight different weapons, wears a garland of skulls, and is draped in a tiger skin. That is a different aspect altogether. That kind of worship is not common around here; it's not practiced everywhere. It is mainly done in Tarapith. Ma Tara is essentially Maha Saraswati herself, and she is worshiped there according to Tantric rituals. There, her character is entirely different. In our homes and neighborhoods, it is very simple: Ma Saraswati with two hands, playing the veena, and no third eye. But Maha Saraswati has three eyes and eight hands holding eight weapons. She wears a tiger skin and a garland of skulls—it is a formidable sight. That is how we perform the puja in the Tantric tradition. It is intense and quite terrifying.
Disciple:
Gurudev, is that Saraswati Puja performed like ours, or are the customs, rituals, and rules completely different?
Guru:
No, no, they are not the same at all. The customs are different; different offerings are required. Those pujas are performed according to Tantric rites. Even the food offerings for the Goddess are completely different; you cannot compare them. While fruits are common everywhere, there are specific foods offered to the Mother in that tradition that do not match our usual offerings at all. There are offerings like alcohol and meat, which have no place in common household pujas. You won't find any similarity.
Disciple:
And Gurudev, it is said that Maha Saraswati is very fierce.
Guru:
Yes, Maha Saraswati, Maha Lakshmi, and Maha Kali—all three are extremely fierce.
Disciple:
I have also heard that if there is even a minor flaw in their rituals, one has to face severe consequences.
Guru:
Yes, that is true. We have always worshiped Maha Saraswati, Maha Lakshmi, and Maha Kali—representing creation, preservation, and destruction. We have always worshiped them that way. There is a significant difference between that and the usual Saraswati Puja.
Disciple:
Could you explain the difference in simple terms? We have seen Kali Puja since childhood, but when we go to the cremation grounds...
Guru:
Even the Kali Puja you see commonly is not always performed the Tantric way; it has become more of a Vaishnav style. It is not Tantric at all. Tantric worship is very intense, with specific sacrifice rituals. The same applies to Maha Lakshmi and Maha Saraswati.
Disciple:
So, sacrifice is required for all three?
Guru:
Yes, sacrifice is essential for Shakti Puja. For Kali, Maha Lakshmi, and Maha Saraswati, sacrifices are necessary. A simple sacrifice like a pumpkin or sugarcane won't do; it has to be an animal sacrifice. Historically, even human sacrifices were performed in certain traditions. That has stopped now, but there was a time when many were performed. Now, it is mostly goats.
Disciple:
Gurudev, as you were saying, Saraswati Puja nowadays... compared to the actual Tantric form, which is so intense. One might not even be allowed to witness it.
Guru:
Yes, it's formidable. You wouldn't even be allowed in just to watch.
Disciple:
From that, our common Saraswati Puja is so different. And you mentioned Kali Puja being done in a Vaishnav style—what does that mean?
Guru:
It means Tantric principles are not followed. It is done with devotion to Vishnu. Sacrifices are often omitted. In most neighborhood Kali Pujas, there is no sacrifice at all, or they just sacrifice a pumpkin or something similar.
Disciple:
You were talking about how pujas are done in neighborhoods...
Guru:
Earlier, every neighborhood or crossroads had a shrine for Rokkhakali. Special pujas were held there at night with only a few people present who would then leave. That was the tradition. Now, there are Kali idols everywhere on the streets. It is causing problems and even accidents for people, but they don't listen. You shouldn't perform Kali Puja just anywhere; there are specific places like temples for it. The way pujas are done now... it's over in an hour or two. The priest comes, rings a bell, and leaves. That's not the right way. If Kali Puja is done properly, there are many rules.
Disciple:
You also used to say that not every place is suitable for every puja.
Guru:
Exactly. Every place has its own significance. You can't perform every puja everywhere. People do it, but it's not right.
Disciple:
Nowadays, Kali Puja is even done in homes, and Saraswati Puja is in almost every home.
Guru:
I have said many times on YouTube that Kali Puja should not be done at home. People criticized me a lot for it, but after seeing the consequences, they realized I was right. There was a lot of trouble before... once thousands of people saw it and spoke against me. But then they understood.
Disciple:
Durga Puja has been done in homes for years...
Guru:
Durga Puja is different; it is traditionally done in certain households. But those who are starting it now might not be prepared, and their homes might not be suitable. The rituals are being distorted over time, and people are suffering because of it. God exists, and neglecting the proper way isn't right. Every puja should be done in its designated place. For Rokkhakali, there are specific shrines at crossroads.
Disciple:
For Rokkhakali, there are certain rules, like performing the immersion the same night.
Guru:
Yes, that is the rule. Perform the puja at night and immerse the idol the same night. Keeping it longer can lead to severe problems. Nowadays, people keep the idol for four or five days, and the results are often bad. We perform Kali Puja at the cremation grounds and immerse the idol by 4 AM, then return home after a bath. That is our rule.
Disciple:
We have seen that a garland of hibiscus buds is placed on the Goddess, and when they bloom, she is immersed.
Guru:
Yes, she looks most beautiful then. We immerse her before sunrise. That is the tradition for Kali Puja.
Disciple:
Nowadays, pujas have become status symbols. People are more interested in the pandals. Saraswati Puja used to be about worshiping the Goddess of Learning, but now it's like a "Love Day" for Bengalis. And then there's the whole "Valentine's Week" thing in February.
Guru:
It's disappointing. Even during the British era, pujas were more disciplined and less rowdy. What is happening now is beyond words. I was in Kolkata recently for a doctor's appointment. I saw a few young men and women on motorbikes. They were dressed up for puja but were smoking one cigarette after another. It was disheartening. I wondered what would happen to them. They perform Saraswati Puja like this? It's shameful. I've never seen anything like it. Discipline is gone. Subhash Chandra Bose once said that the country should be under military rule for ten years to bring back discipline. Everyone has become disrespectful. Parents come to me from morning till evening, complaining about their children. It's exhausting. I feel like it's better to leave this world than to witness all this. It's not good for us.
Disciple:
Pranam, Gurudev.
Guru:
Pranam.