Interviewer:
Pranam, Gurudev.
Gurudev:
Pranam, my son.
Interviewer:
Gurudev, after many years of waiting, our channelâdespite various questions and obstaclesâhas finally crossed the 100,000-subscriber milestone. How do you feel about this journey from zero to 100,000? How has this countdown felt for you?
Gurudev:
Well, first of all, I want to pay my respects to Sujata Roy and Kalyan Roy from Mumbai. They were the ones who created this YouTube channel for me. When I had a dispute with Joy Chakraborty, they heard about it and traveled all the way from Mumbai. This husband-and-wife duo promised me they would get the channel running within four days. They sat here, set it up, and then returned to Mumbai. I am forever grateful to them; it is because of them that this has been successful. I offer my sincere pranam to Sujata Roy and Kalyan Roy.
Gurudev:
Then we started, and along the way, a man named Pradip Dutta helped me immensely. Kaushik Mondal, who works in a bank now, also extended his hand to help. There are others too, but these two were pivotal. Kalyan Roy gave the administrative control to my grandson. My grandson has been running it quite well; there is no denying that. Whenever there was an issue, he would call Kalyan Roy to learn. Now, he doesn't need to do that anymore.
Gurudev:
Slowly but surely, we crossed the 100,000 mark. Actually, we've surpassed it now. It is a matter of great joy. I especially want to thank those who subscribed. For a while, the growth had stopped, and I requested people many times to help. But once we hit 90,000, it felt like a storm. Subscriptions started coming in like a whirlwind until we reached 100,000.
Interviewer:
Yes, from 90,000 to 100,000, it moved at lightning speed.
Gurudev:
Exactly. I don't know why, but I've heard others say that once you hit 80, 85, or 90k, the momentum takes over. I've given my all to this. I felt a bit of regret because I've posted so many videosâabout 825 or 850 videos. Every day, they get 5,000, 10,000, or even 100,000 to 200,000 views. If every viewer had just pressed the subscribe button, I'd be at 10 million by now! (Laughs)
Gurudev:
But they didn't. Perhaps they just watched for free and moved on. That felt a bit disappointing. Nevertheless, after everything, we reached 100,000. I am indebted to those who helped by subscribing.
Interviewer:
They surely have your blessings. That is their reward for this milestone.
Gurudev:
Yes, they have my blessings. I can't express it enough in words. We have reached this point with everyone's collective help. We have released so many episodes, and they are all God-oriented. I haven't shared anything that wasn't about the Divine. I've shared whatever knowledge I had, and I will continue to share what remains.
Gurudev:
The most amazing thing is that 150 million (15 crore) people have viewed the content. Even if we take half of that, say 70 million, if they had subscribed, imagine where we would be. But there's no use dwelling on that regret. The main thing is that we reached the target. I once said I wouldn't take a single penny from YouTube; I just wanted to spread the word of God. And that has happened to the extent possible. I thank everyone, including YouTube and Google, for their support.
Interviewer:
Gurudev, these 850 videos are remarkable. People watch them not just in India, but across the globe. YouTube has allowed us to cross borders. Many Bengalis living abroad watch you.
Gurudev:
Yes, when the idols of Subhadra, Balaram, and Jagannath arrived, I was performing the puja. I received a message from Australia saying, We see you performing the Jagannath Puja, and it feels wonderful. People from all over the world watch. It feels good.
Interviewer:
You often say that you were once a Gupta Sadhak (a hidden practitioner) from the small village of Rajpur. Only a few people knew you. But because of YouTube, your reach grew from the local area to the district, the state, the country, and now the entire world. You receive calls from every corner of the earth.
Gurudev:
Yes, I get calls from everywhere. Just yesterday, someone called from abroad wanting diksha (spiritual initiation). They asked when they should come because they needed to book flight tickets for themselves and their son. They said they love the episodes. I told them to come, and I would certainly initiate them. They asked what they should bring. I told them to just bring a haritaki (a medicinal nut). They were shocked! They couldn't believe they could receive diksha with just a nut. But I was seriousâjust bring a haritaki, and I will initiate you.
Gurudev:
I get calls from many places asking for initiation. And I am giving it; I am initiating many people.
Interviewer:
I've seen that for the last year or twoâeven before I joinedâyou have a gathering of at least 200 to 250 people every day. They come with various needs. But among them are those who say, I saw you on YouTube and just wanted to see you in person, offer my respects, and leave. How does that feel?
Gurudev:
That is a gift. I have served and worshipped God, and this is the reward God has given me. For instance, some people came from Tarapith recently. They said they came from the heart of Tarapith just to see me. I wondered why they'd bring their wife and children all that way just for me. They said, We've had the desire to see you for a long time. We watch your videos every day, but we wanted to see you in person. It gave them peace.
Interviewer:
Gurudev, today we are talking about the successes, but there were challenges too. From zero to 100,000, you must have faced some negativity.
Gurudev:
Yes, quite a lot. In the beginning, many people mocked me. They said I smoke weed, that I drink, that I don't know anything but storytelling, and that I have no real knowledge. I heard many such things. Many people used to dislike the videos. Now, there isn't a single dislike. People have realized that I am not a fraud or a cheat. The whole world has realized this.
Gurudev:
My only prayer to Mother Tara was: Mother, if I have worshipped you sincerely, if I have practiced my sadhana truly, then grant me one thingâlet the whole world know the history of this unknown village. Let the world know about this cremation ground (shmashan) in this obscure village of Rajpur. I was determined that this unknown village and its practitioner should be recognized. And through YouTube, it spread everywhere like wildfire.
Interviewer:
Now, people from Howrah can put Rajpur Mahashmashan into their GPS and find their way here.
Gurudev:
Exactly. And as I said, people are even flying in from Mumbai, offering flowers at my feet, and flying back the same evening. Others who come from far away have to plan their trips, but they still come. People from Baridih and many other places now know about Rajpur and about me. Mother fulfilled that wish.
Interviewer:
Why is this numberâ100,000âso significant to you?
Gurudev:
Listen, after all the struggles, I had a goal. I once told Joy Chakraborty, I've heard that YouTube pays money. I didn't know much about it, but someone told me. I told Joy, If you can, give me some money from it. There is a great need here at Mother's place. Sometimes there isn't enough to eat. If you can, help out. At that time, he spoke as if he were the owner of the channel.
Gurudev:
The name Hiranyagarbha was also my idea. I took it from the Vedas. People can say what they want, but the truth is I took it from a chapter in the Vedas that I use for homa (fire rituals). Hiranyagarbha Samavartatagre Bhutasya Jatah Patireka Asit... There are nine verses we use for the ritual. Kasmai Devaya Havisha Vidhemaâmeaning, to whom shall we offer this oblation? To that Lord in the sky who has ten heads and twenty hands, and snakes all over his body. I offer the oblation to Him because He will benefit me. It's a significant chapter. I performed that ritual fully. So when Joy asked what name to give the channel, I suggested Hiranyagarbha. He liked it, and it continues to this day. I have no malice or envy regarding that.
Interviewer:
I should mention to the viewers that some might not see the connection with Hiranyagarbha. Newer viewers know you through the Guptasadhak Shyama Khyapa channel and might think your YouTube journey is only two or three years old. But your journey started much earlier. More videos were published on another channel than are on this one. You never asked for anything back from those videos. Despite having 700-800 videos there, and now another 800-odd hereâtotaling nearly 2,000 videos including shortsâit's not a small feat. We aren't just reading the news or making vlogs about travel. It's all spiritual discourse. Finding new things to talk about without repeating yourself is a tough task.
Gurudev:
When I was with Hiranyagarbha, I explained the name. It means Melted Gold. It's like mustard oilâpure melted gold. That is Mahadevâten heads, twenty hands, covered in snakes. Just talking about it fills me with awe. I saw Him when I was practicing austerities in Kashi Vishwanath. Later, Guddu Maharaj, who performs the puja for the Saptarishi Mandalam in Benares, came to me. He said, You are a sage of the Saptarishi Mandalam sitting here quietly, while we perform the daily aarti and puja there. I have come to worship you. He performed an aarti right here in the cremation ground. I don't know where he got his information from. I've heard many such thingsâsome call me Shiva, some call me Neelkanth.
Interviewer:
Thousands of people have seen you, even if they've never visited. We see comments on YouTube all the time from people saying they've seen you.
Gurudev:
Recently, I've been hearing this constantly. People call and say, You came to my house yesterday. You had a meal, you sat with us, you placed your hand on my head and blessed me. I went to get some tea, and when I came back, you were gone. I hear this all the time. It makes me wonderâam I really that person who travels to people's houses at night? It makes me think about Gyan Ganj. Truly, Gyan Ganj is such a sacred place; if I could go there, my life would be fulfilled. I don't know if I can go at this age. But I have a great desire for it.
Interviewer:
You explained the origin of the name Hiranyagarbha. What about the name of this channel, Guptasadhak Shyama Khyapa?
Gurudev:
When I used to sit in my room, whatever I said would come true. I had 16 regular companions. My room was so small you couldn't even enter because of the thick cigarette smoke. 16 people would cram in there, smoking one cigarette after another. There was no shortage; people would bring packs of cigarettes.
Gurudev:
One day, some ladies came and asked for me at the shop. The shopkeeper pointed them to my room. When they looked in, all they saw was a thick cloud of smoke and everyone drinking red tea from glass tumblers. They thought we were all drinking alcohol! They left without saying a word and told others, Where have you sent us? They are all drunks and addicts! Later, they realized their mistake. The shopkeeper told them, No, he is a good man, he doesn't drink. But they saw the red tea in those glasses and the smoke and assumed the worst. I still remember these stories from 40 years ago. So many people have come and gone.
Gurudev:
YouTube has been a double-edged sword. On one hand, people recognize me now. It's Mother's play, not mine. The whole world knows me. Yesterday, I went to have CCTV cameras installed. When they asked for the name of the place, I said Guptasadhak Shyama Khyapa. They were amazed! They said, We'll come tomorrow. And they did, they came to set everything up. Everyone knows me now. Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing, I leave it to Mother.
Interviewer:
In closing, those of us involved in making these videos want to say that while many people have come and gone behind the camera, the central figure is you. You credit everyone for this success, but we have no claim to it. Even at your age and with your health struggles, you continue to make these videos because you say, People want to see me. You read the comments and you care that they want to see you.
Gurudev:
Yes, if I don't post a video for three days, the phones start ringing. People say, We can't see you. Just as you say you watch my videos, I also keep an eye on things. I know many people are far away and can't come here to see me. During Durga Puja, I made sure to tell those who couldn't leave their homes how they could participate. That is my role.
Interviewer:
We hope this YouTube journey continues and that people continue to be enriched by your presence for a long time. Gurudev, any final words for the viewers?
Gurudev:
It's a moment of joy to share that we've reached 100,000. It was an aspiration. When it was at 99,900, I was constantly checking the screen to see how many were left. When I saw it hit 100,000 at night, I felt a deep sense of peace. I kept pressing the button to see it grow by 5 or 10 at a time. It's a kind of enthusiasmâlike a wine that creates a certain intoxication. I want to give an episode every day. I thank the viewers once again for helping us reach 100,000 subscribers. We will end today's video here.
From a Hidden Village to the World
I once prayed to Mother Tara: "Mother, if I have worshipped you sincerely, let the whole world know the history of this unknown village of Rajpur and its cremation ground (shmashan)." Through YouTube, that prayer has been answered. People now use GPS to find their way to this obscure village. I get calls from Australia, America, and all over the world.
Yesterday, someone called from abroad wanting diksha (initiation). They were shocked when I told them to just bring a haritaki (medicinal nut) for the initiation. That is the simplicity of our path.
Overcoming Negativity
The journey was not without challenges. In the beginning, many people mocked me. They said I was just a storyteller or an addict. They didn't see the years of sadhana behind the smoke of my room. People used to 'dislike' the videos, but now that has changed. The world has realized that this is not a fraud or a business. I have never taken a single penny from YouTube; my only goal is to share the Divine message.
The Meaning of Hiranyagarbha
Many know me through the name "Hiranyagarbha." I took that name from the Vedasâit means "Melted Gold," representing Mahadev. I saw Him during my austerities in Kashi Vishwanath. Even recently, a priest from Benares came all the way here to perform aarti for me, recognizing something beyond the physical.
A Global Presence
I hear stories constantly of people seeing me in their homes, blessing them in their dreams or visions. It makes me think of "Gyan Ganj," that sacred place of the immortals. While I am physically here in Rajpur, the spirit of this work reaches everywhere.
If I don't post a video for a few days, people far away feel my absence. I make these videos because people want to see me, and I care for them. reaching 100,000 subscribers is just a milestone in this larger journey of faith.
Gurudev:
I thank the viewers once again for helping us reach this milestone. It creates a certain enthusiasm to share more and more of the Divine truth every day.
Interviewer:
Pranam, Gurudev.