Devotee:
Pranam, Gurudev.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Pranam, son. Tell me.
Devotee:
Gurudev, today we want to learn about something very valuable from you. It is about "Sadhaks" (spiritual practitioners). Why do Sadhaks eat so little? Why do they wear so few clothes? How is their lifestyle? I would like to know about this in detail from you.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Look, there is a vast difference between a "Sadhu" and a "Sadhak." A Sadhak is born once in a hundred million. A Sadhu is born in every household. Being a "Sadhu" often just means "I have a desire to be a Sadhu." One wears a certain cloth, does this and that, and becomes a Sadhu. They start frequenting temples. But they have nothing of their own; they wander from temple to temple in the hope of gaining something.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
We compare a Sadhu to a snake. Just as a snake doesn't stay in one place, a Sadhu doesn't stay in one place. We say, "Sadhu beware, the devil is behind you." That is what we say.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
But a Sadhak is born once in 100 or 200 million. Their thought process, everything is different. A Sadhak follows their own path, not anyone else's. Some Sadhaks leave home at a very young age. In the desire for the Mother’s (divine) vision, they find a Guru at a young age and progress. Some even get distracted. Getting distracted is a big deal for Sadhaks. Whatever a Sadhak asks for, the Mother gives. When they progress a bit and receive something from their Guru, they might get restless. They wonder how to spend that power. This often leads to their downfall.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
That is why Ramprasad said, "To some, Mother, you give the status of Brahma; others, you lead to a downfall." This is the point. Some receive the status of Brahma from the Mother, while others fall. Those who fall cannot be called true Sadhaks. A Sadhak is one who is steady and unperturbed. Ordinary people cannot understand them. Those who have reached a high level of "Sadhana" are hard to recognize. They run away from people. Their appearance is very simple.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
You see people wearing saffron or red clothes—these are not necessarily the signs of a Sadhak. Just because someone wears red clothes or Rudraksha beads doesn't make them a Sadhak. That is beyond your realization.
Devotee:
They should be called Sadhus then?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Yes, I am saying that a Sadhak is steady and unperturbed. People will come and go, but as they gradually reach higher levels—and one doesn't become a high-level Sadhak in a day—they must have a very strong Guru. They must follow the Guru’s path every moment. Whatever the Guru has done, they must do. That is the rule.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
When we took initiation from Bamdeb Baba (Bama Khepa), we became dwellers of the cremation ground. Today, many say I have a lot of power, that I am Lord Shiva, and so on. To become a great Sadhak, one has to endure a lot of hardship. One has to spend night after night near the Mother. They have to shed tears. A Sadhak's tears eventually dry up. A lot of "blood" is shed spiritually.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
To become a Sadhak, these things are necessary. They become unperturbed. They no longer look at people. Even if they are married and have children, they become celibate (Brahmachari). They don't look back. Looking back is the most ruinous thing.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
When a Sadhak is formed, a great sacrifice (Homa) takes place. If you go to the Ramakrishna Mission or Belur Math, you will see a monk being initiated almost every day. Their head is shaved, and their Guru sits before them by the fire to perform the "Viraja Homa." There is a belief that there is a "Viraja River" in the sky. People cross this river to attain salvation (Moksha). All souls are crossing this Viraja River. One wave comes and pulls you back; you progress again, and another wave comes. This Viraja River is in the sky, not anywhere on Earth, although I believe there is a place in Odisha called the Viraja River. After this "Viraja Homa," one can take up the path of a Sadhu. Once you become a Sadhu, you can no longer return to your home. Your task then is "Japa" (chanting).
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Not everyone can do it. Many Sadhus fall due to a lack of guidance. But at Belur Math, a new monk is made almost every day. If you notice, the "Viraja Homa" is performed, and then they are given the status of a Sadhu.
Devotee:
Gurudev, I have a question. You mentioned "Sadhu" and "Sadhak." Do those who become "Sadhaks" also have to perform the Viraja Homa?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Yes, to become a Sadhu, one must perform the Viraja Homa. The next step is becoming a Sadhak. They take the vow of Sanyas (renunciation). To take Sanyas, one must perform the Viraja Homa. The rule is that you need permission from your parents. You cannot become a Sadhu without their permission. Then the Guru lights the fire, performs the Homa, and shaves the head. Some even perform their own "Pindo" (last rites). They symbolically "eat" their own funeral cake. Ordinary people don't know these things. There are many rituals for Sadhus that they must perform. If there is any mistake, or if the Guru is not right, they have to suffer.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Just shaving your head and wearing saffron doesn't make you a Sadhak. You might be declared a Sadhu, but the real power must be earned through intense practice—not for one day, but for 12, 15, or 20 years of Japa, Tapa, and meditation. Gradually, the Sadhu progresses. A Sadhak is different; a Sadhu is different. They are not the same.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Sadhus often eat various things. I have seen many Sadhus eating fish and meat. In the Ramakrishna Mission, I have seen them eating fish and meat. I haven't seen it at Belur Math, but those I've met there are allowed to eat two chicken eggs. But they don't eat fish or meat. That is their tradition, and they follow the instructions of Belur Math.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
The first task of a Sadhu is to control the "Six Passions" (Shada-ripu). Among them, food is the main one. Why do Sadhaks and Sadhus eat less? Because eating more increases body fat. Once you have fat, you cannot keep the body light. A Sadhak's body weight should be between 33 to 35 kg. They have to travel to different places and perform spiritual actions.
Devotee:
Gurudev, you say they have to go to different places. How?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
They go in their "Sukshma Deha" (subtle or astral body). That is why the body must be kept light. If you keep eating, the body becomes heavy, you feel sleepy, and fat increases. Sadhaks avoid these things. They don't have a craving for food.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
You might ask, "How do they survive then?" Look at a snake; it stays in its hole for six months during winter. What does it eat then? it consumes its own fat. For six months, it doesn't leave the hole. It doesn't hunt; it just stays there. It survives on its own fat.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Similarly, for Sadhaks, due to intense Japa and worship of God, a "Rasa" (nectar or secretion) comes from the brain. It secretes from the head, down the throat, and into the stomach. Its caloric value is about 5000 calories. Once that nectar reaches the stomach, they no longer feel hunger, thirst, or sleep. They are like snakes. As I said, there is no difference between a Sadhu and a snake. They secrete this nectar from the brain.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
While we have to get food for our bodies from outside, they find it within. "My food is within my body. I will extract it from the body." You might get 1700 or 2000 calories from outside, but they get 5000 calories. It is very potent. When they feel hungry, they secrete this nectar and "eat" it. That is why they have no hunger, thirst, or sleep. When this reaches the stomach, they don't want to eat anything else.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
This is why higher-level Sadhaks eat very little. They might take one fruit a day, crush it, offer some to the Ganges, and eat the rest. That is their food for the whole day. I have seen many such high-level Sadhaks. Someone always leaves a fruit at their door. It’s amazing—someone always leaves it there. They open the door, take the fruit, crush it, offer some to the earth or water, and eat the rest. That is their only meal. Yet they are alive. How?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Because of the five elements (Panchabhuta) within them. These elements sustain them. Ramprasad said, "I have no resources at hand; whatever I earn through hard work, the five elements consume and share." Ramprasad wrote this from his own realization. These five elements are "eating" you. Your body is being consumed, and you don't even know it. One day you will merge back into the five elements. They gave you birth—earth, water, fire, air, and ether. They give you birth and then slowly consume you. One day, we say, the person has merged into the five elements.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Sadhaks try to eat as little as possible and wear as few clothes as possible. They practice "two-and-a-half cubit" Sadhana. This means they stay within a space of two-and-a-half cubits for sitting, sleeping, and eating. It's a very difficult Sadhana. Someone once asked me what it was. It means the Sadhak stays within that tiny space. Sadhaks don't keep many things. They know that other creatures in nature also need to eat. They try to eat as little as possible so they don't take away food from birds, animals, goats, or cows. That is their mindset.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Our Bamdeb Baba didn't wear wooden sandals (Kharam). He said, "A tree's life was taken to make these sandals; I will not wear them." Look at the depth of his thought! When someone brought him sandals, he refused. He preferred to stay barefoot.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
The body eats, but the soul doesn't touch anything. The soul wanders; it is restless, but it has no craving for food. Your tongue is the main thing; it's called "Go." It is what feels hunger. The six passions are what feel hunger. They eat through you. A Sadhak says, "I must eat only enough to keep the body going." Just as an engine needs coal and water to create steam, otherwise the train won't move. Sadhaks say they must eat for that reason.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
But high-level Sadhaks don't need external food because they have their own "source." They have that nectar which provides 5000 calories. Think about that power! It is created in the brain. It is very sweet and blissful. It secretes from the head, goes down the throat, and into the liver. When it reaches the liver, their power increases fourfold. Even if they don't eat for 10 or 15 days, their power remains.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
There is proof of this. Trailanga Swami and Onkarnath Thakur used to live like this. In his later years, Onkarnath Thakur didn't eat anything. He would just sit in a chair. How did he survive? If he gave you one kick, you'd be finished—that was his strength!
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Sadhaks and Sadhus do eat, but there is a beautiful story about this. In Mathura, many dairy products are made. They are brought from Mathura to Delhi to be sold. There is a river in between, the Yamuna. They cross the Yamuna to reach Delhi. One day, some merchants were returning after selling their goods. They saw the Yamuna was roaring and in spate. There were many people, men and women, wondering how to cross. There were no boats, and the river was terrifying. They were worried about how to get home. Usually, the water is only knee-deep, and they cross easily. But that day, the river had risen.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
They stood there, watching. They saw a Sadhu sitting in a corner, laughing to himself. One man went to him and asked, "Baba, won't the water of the Yamuna go down?" The Sadhu said, "Yes, it will. I haven't eaten anything since morning; I am fasting. If you give me some food, I will make the river go down." They asked, "Will it really happen?" He said, "Just watch. Give me food."
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
So everyone gave him some of the sweets and dairy products they hadn't sold. The Sadhu ate his fill. Then someone asked, "Baba, you've eaten now. You said you'd make the river recede." He said, "Oh, I forgot! I ate and forgot. Wait, let me arrange it."
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
He went to the river, touched the water, and said, "Mother Yamuna, if I haven't eaten anything, then recede so these people can cross. Then you can return to your original form." One man heard this and was confused. But slowly, the water receded and became knee-deep. The Sadhu told them to hurry across before the water rose again.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Everyone hurried across, but one man stayed behind. The Sadhu asked, "Why are you still here? Go, or you won't be able to cross later." The man said, "No, Baba, I want an answer to one question." The Sadhu asked, "What is it?" The man said, "You ate your fill in front of us. Then you told the river, 'Mother, if I haven't eaten anything, then recede.' How could you say that?"
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
The Sadhu laughed and said, "Look, the body eats, but the soul doesn't. The soul has no hunger. The soul is restless, but it doesn't eat. The body eats. So, you go now; don't be late." The man was so impressed he said, "Baba, I will take initiation from you tomorrow before I go home."
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
So, that is the story. A Sadhak gradually reaches different levels. It takes time; it doesn't happen in a day. There are many spiritual actions (Kriyas) to perform to reach each stage. Then they become high-level Sadhaks. You don't have to explain it to people; they can see the power and aura. God gives them that aura so they don't have to announce themselves. People just know they are holy.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
I have spent 35 years on this path. I still haven't reached perfection. A Sadhak's goal is the vision of God. Many Sadhaks pass away without that vision, leaving it for the next life. When they realize they need one or two more births to see God, they accept it. But once they have that vision, they don't return to Earth. That is the rule.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
You may have seen at our Shri Guru Ashram, Durga Prasanna Paramahansa Dev. When he went to Uttarkashi—near Mount Kailash—it is said that if you perform "Pindo" (last rites) there, you are never reborn. There is such a place. I believe it is near Mansarovar or Mount Kailash. It's called Uttarkashi. If someone performs the rites there, they don't return. His wife had passed away, his daughter had passed away, and he thought they should not have to return to this world. So he performed the rites for them there. He also performed his own rites so he wouldn't have to return to Earth.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
A Sadhak can sense things. Bamdeb Baba could sense things.
Devotee:
Gurudev, are you talking about the same level of Sadhak as the one at Shri Guru Ashram?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Yes. He had heard that performing rites at that place ensures no rebirth for the wife or daughter. So he did that. There is such a place near Mansarovar or Vaidyanath—I can't recall the exact location, but the name is Uttarkashi. Performing rites there means you don't return to this world.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Sadhaks live in their own joy. They are truthful people, and the divine power is always with them. They are filled with immense bliss. They don't care about what is happening in the world, who is eating or not, or who is suffering.
Devotee:
So, Gurudev, is public welfare not possible through them?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Public welfare is possible; it depends on the divine instruction. Some meditate in the Himalayas, others practice their spiritual path at home. It happens according to the Mother's instruction. If she says, "Go for public welfare," they must go. Those who have reached great heights—most of them have passed away, but they have taken birth in different places in their subtle bodies to work for the world. Their physical body may be gone, but they are still active. Some people see them; others don't. That is their work. You might think someone is dead, but they have taken birth again to serve humanity. Then they must return to their original place.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
There is a saying: "I return to where I came from." When the river Bhagirathi was asked where she came from and where she was going, she said, "I return to where I came from." Our job is also to return to where we came from. Sadhaks have their own place in the 14 worlds. They go there and then, by God's command, they descend to Earth again. It’s not that they leave and never return. They come back for human welfare. God doesn't do it directly; He has designated people to do it. That is the rule for Sadhaks. They may be in different realms—Bhuloka, Dyuloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka, Vishnuloka, or Vaikuntha—but they must descend when commanded, often bringing their companions with them. They don't come alone. They stay in bliss there and then return when needed for the world.
Devotee:
Gurudev, today we learned from you the difference between a Sadhak and a Sadhu. You described it beautifully. Dear viewers, you have also learned about this. I hope you found it helpful. On this beautiful evening, I offer my Pranams to you, Gurudev. We conclude today’s episode. Pranam, Gurudev.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Pranam, son. Pranam.