Health, Permission, and the Crematorium Renewal
Follower:
Gurudev, my salutations to you. How is your health now?
Gurudev:
Health is... well, it's going on in its usual way. I don't pay much attention to the body. When it hurts, I just sit or lie down. I don't give the body much importance.
Gurudev:
Despite everything, yesterday I asked the doctor, "Doctor, give me permission so that I can go to the Shashan (crematorium)." After some thought, he said, "Yes, you may go. You can go for an hour in the afternoon, but don't drink too much tea," and so on. I said, "Fine."
Follower:
The municipality is renovating the temple, I see.
Gurudev:
You see, the temple is being renovated. About 80% of the work is complete. I mentioned before that the temple would be renovated, and it has started. After this, the pond will be cleaned, the bushes will be cleared, lights will be installed, and seating areas will be built. It will happen gradually; it won't happen all at once. But the work should be finished in 15 to 20 days. The crematorium is currently closed—it's closed for 15 days.
Follower:
It's completely closed?
Gurudev:
Yes, completely closed. I am "closed" (resting) too.
The Terrifying Call of the Shashan
Follower:
Your health isn't great, yet you've come here by force.
Gurudev:
I've come, what else can I do? I'll just sit here for a while. Anyway, go ahead.
Follower:
Gurudev, there is a proverb that the crematorium "calls out" at night. Who told you that?
Gurudev:
I've heard it.
Follower:
Have you ever received such a call? You have been practicing Sadhana in this crematorium for 42 years. You've been coming here for so long... you must have heard others talk about it.
Gurudev:
I have felt it.
Gurudev:
Brother, I have been in the crematorium for 42 years; I have to feel it. The crematorium calls. It truly calls. There is no doubt about it. It is a terrifying call. You cannot avoid it.
Follower:
If you could explain a bit more?
The Shashan-Bondhu: Friend of the Crematorium
Gurudev:
How does it call? We are always in the crematorium. At night, when it becomes empty, the crematorium stays alone. Then it wants a friend. There is a term, "Shashan-bondhu" (friend of the crematorium). We, the practitioners (Sadhaks), are its friends.
Gurudev:
We keep the crematorium awake. Not only that, but in times of danger—not that the crematorium falls into danger—but we are there for it. At night, the crematorium calls us: "Come, come, come." Now, there are many aspects to this. For example, I might leave the crematorium at 10:00 PM to go home and eat. Upon reaching home, I find nothing has been cooked. So, I turn back.
The Broken Bicycle and the Irresistible Call
Gurudev:
I had a broken bicycle I used for commuting; it's about a kilometer. The crematorium was calling me. My wife asked, "Where are you going so late at night?" I said, "I'm going to the crematorium; it's calling me." She didn't say anything; she never did. I would often return to the crematorium at night when it called. It's a terrifying call, and not everyone can hear it. You need "special ears" to hear that call.
Gurudev:
We come immediately. I used to come on my broken bicycle. I'd stay there all night and return home at 5:00 or 6:00 AM, take a bath, and go to sleep. This went on for a long time.
The Mystery of the Neem Tree
Gurudev:
There are many interesting things about the crematorium. For instance, while keeping it awake, I'd sit under a Neem tree. Every crematorium must have a Neem tree. It's compulsory.
Gurudev:
You'll hear of "Neemtala Shashan" (crematorium under the Neem tree). Sitting under the Neem tree to perform rituals has been around for ages. I've heard Neem is antiseptic.
Follower:
It purifies the air.
Gurudev:
I've heard that too. But whether that's the real reason or if it's because of spirits (Bhoot-Pret), it's hard to say.
Gurudev:
The idol of Lord Jagannath in Puri is made from Neem wood. We find a link there. Every crematorium I have ever visited has a Neem tree. And that Neem tree keeps the crematorium alive. Sometimes, people perform "tests" (rituals) on the tree, and the tree dies. The Neem tree at the entrance of this crematorium has died two or three times because of such acts.
Gurudev:
People practiced on the tree as a rehearsal or a test. It appeared completely dead three times. Then, by performing rituals and offering water under the tree, it became "alive" again. Now it stands strong. This is a specialty of the Neem tree in a crematorium. You might say it's for antiseptic reasons, but there is a deeper, hidden meaning that we still haven't fully grasped.
The Sadhoba and the Child: Transformative Arrivals
Gurudev:
Another thing is when we sit and perform rituals, sometimes the body of a child or a Sadhoba (a married woman who died before her husband) arrives. This is very significant for us. If a woman arrives with her vermilion and bangles intact, the atmosphere of the crematorium changes, regardless of whether it's midnight or 2:00 AM.
Follower:
Even if it's a full moon?
Gurudev:
Full moon or not, the power is immense. The face of the crematorium changes.
Gurudev:
If a child's body arrives, the character of the place changes completely.
Follower:
What is the significance of these two?
Gurudev:
There is significance. We, as Tantriks, look at it differently. We wait for the funeral pyre of a Sadhoba to be lit. Sitting beside that fire, many rituals are performed.
Gurudev:
Children under a certain age are usually buried, not cremated. This still happens at Garia Shashan. We wait for those moments. If we get one, it's a "lucky chance." The crematorium is protected by Shashan Bhairav. There are guards at every gate, though you cannot see them.
The Invisible Guardians: Keepers of the Night
Gurudev:
If you ever come here alone late at night and find yourself stranded, you might be in trouble. Someone will suddenly ask you, "Who are you? Why have you come? Who gave you permission to be here at this hour?" It's not a joke. Some people say, "My Gurudev is here; I've come to see him," and they are let through because we have a great rapport with those guardians.
Follower:
I've heard you say that the guardians of the crematorium used to escort you home at night.
Gurudev:
Yes, that's true. When I would walk home, two guardians would accompany me. They wore loincloths (Malkocha) and carried sticks. It was extraordinary. They would drop me off at my house and then leave. This was a daily occurrence. I've stopped walking now; I use a car. But when I used to walk, I had that guard.
Gurudev:
Two guards with sticks. You can't imagine it. They'd say, "Let's go, brother," drop me off, and return.
Follower:
Can ordinary people see them?
Gurudev:
No, it's beyond their sight.
Follower:
I think one of your brothers saw them once and it caused quite a stir.
Gurudev:
Yes, it caused a lot of trouble. I told everyone, "When I return from the crematorium, don't look at me."
Gurudev:
They won't leave until they've seen me inside. If someone happened to see them, they'd just see a man in a loincloth and think it was a thief. That happened once or twice at home. I told them not to do that again. I return at all hours—1:00 AM, 2:30 AM, 5:00 AM. Until my rituals are done, I stay in the crematorium.
The Sadhak's Duty: Keeping the Mother Awake
Follower:
How did you keep the crematorium awake? Through meditation (Japa)?
Gurudev:
My mere presence keeps it awake. If I am sitting here, the Mother is awake. If the Sadhak (practitioner) falls asleep, the Mother sleeps, and the crematorium sleeps. The Sadhak's duty is to keep it awake.
The Trees of the Crematorium: Neem, Peepal, and Haritaki
Follower:
Gurudev, which tree is best to sit under for Sadhana?
Gurudev:
There are Banyan trees, Peepal trees, and Haritaki trees. Haritaki is very important in the crematorium. I've heard Brahmadaitya (the spirit of a Brahmin) resides there.
Follower:
I heard they live in Bael trees.
Gurudev:
Yes, they reside in Bael trees too, but you won't find a Bael tree in a crematorium.
Gurudev:
You'll find Haritaki. I once sat near one, and I was told not to sit too close because a Brahmadaitya lives there and might get disturbed. They prefer peace and don't like disturbances. They usually don't harm anyone unless they are provoked.
When Krishna Goes to Bathe: The Sound of Holy Footsteps
Gurudev:
Lord Krishna or Narayan also resides in some of these temples. At dawn, they go to bathe. You can hear the sound of their wooden sandals (Kharam)—"khatas khatas." You can't see who it is, but the sound is distinct. We can understand that He has gone for a bath. He has his own special bathing spot. He bathes there at dawn and then leaves. If you sit hidden between 3:30 AM and 4:00 AM, you can hear the sound of the wooden sandals.
The Brahmadaitya: A Favorite of Lord Mahadev
Follower:
Don't these spirits get liberated?
Gurudev:
Why wouldn't they? But God has a need for them too. Everything can be liberated. Especially for Lord Mahadev, the Brahmadaitya is a favorite companion.
Gurudev:
I've heard that a Brahmin becomes a Brahmadaitya if he dies an unnatural death—like an accident or fire. That's what I've heard.
The Miraculous Intervention: Psychic Connection in the Night
Gurudev:
One night, I went home to eat. My wife hadn't cooked because we had no money. I returned to the crematorium. I was feeling very distressed. No money, no food, not even money for a cigarette.
Gurudev:
At night, tea is available until midnight, and then again from 3:00 AM. There is a three-hour gap. I was thinking, "I don't even have a penny. If Prabir was here, I could have asked him for some money."
Gurudev:
I was performing rituals under the Neem tree. Believe me, I'm telling the truth. I was thinking of Prabir. Suddenly, Prabir arrived on his bicycle and stood behind me. I asked, "Prabir?" He said, "You saw me?" I said, "Yes, I did." I told him I had no money for tea or cigarettes. He bought me a pack of cigarettes and gave me 20 rupees.
Gurudev:
Prabir told me he was sleeping deeply when someone nudged him three times and said, "Go to the crematorium!" He didn't want to go at first, but the call was so strong he had to come. I told him I was calling for him in my mind. Similar things happened with Paritosh. He would arrive at night saying I called him. This has happened many times.
The Truth of 42 Years
Follower:
We've heard many supernatural things today.
Gurudev:
This is the reality. The crematorium calls us. No one else knows, but I have to go. Once, I was told a Sadhoba or a child was coming before they even arrived. I have received the call of the crematorium many times at midnight or 12:30 AM. I'd leave home on my cycle and go. I am eternally grateful to the crematorium.
Follower:
We learned many unknown things today.
Gurudev:
Everything I said is the truth. I didn't take shelter in lies.
Follower:
There is no reason for you to lie. Salutations, Gurudev. We will stop here for today.
Spiritual Insight
The crematorium is not merely a place of death but a living entity with consciousness, will, and supernatural guardianship. Through 42 years of unwavering service, Gurudev has witnessed an irresistible call that transcends ordinary sensory perception—a call requiring "special ears" to hear. The Neem tree paradoxically embodies both antiseptic purification and spiritual containment of invisible forces. The appearance of a Sadhoba or child transforms the crematorium's character instantaneously, revealing that death alone does not make a place sacred; rather, it is the specific transition of pure souls that animates supernatural realities. Invisible guardians protected by Shashan Bhairav ensure that only initiated practitioners can safely navigate the nocturnal realms, while the Brahmadaitya—neither liberated nor imprisoned—serves as a companion even to Lord Mahadev, suggesting that God requires certain souls to remain bound to specific purposes. Most profoundly, the psychic connection that drew Prabir across the city on a urgent "nudge" and Paritosh on incomprehensible impulses demonstrates that consciousness transcends physical separation; Gurudev's thought became Prabir's command. After 42 years of this sacred companionship with the Shashan, Gurudev remains eternally grateful, his entire being devoted to keeping Mother awake—understanding that the Sadhak who sleeps causes the Mother to sleep, and the crematorium with her.