Narrator:
Gurudev answered the questions of the devotees.
Devotee:
Salutations, Gurudev.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Salutations. Please, go ahead.
Devotee:
Many people ask various questions on your YouTube channel, 'Gupto Sadhak Shyama Khapa'. On behalf of your viewers and followers, I'd like to ask one such question. Someone wants to know about the idol on the left side of Mother's temple. Whose idol is it?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Look, I had intended to worship Mother Adya Shakti Mahamaya by the sea. I did that too. I was given a place, but unfortunately, we had to leave that temple, that location. But since I have a connection with Adya, I installed her here. This is Mother Adya Shakti Mahamaya, the primordial power. This is a stone idol. I bought it five years ago and started my spiritual practice with her. This was my last remaining practice. After all the deities, like Durga, Kali, Tara, and the Ten Mahavidyas, one must perform the worship of Mother Adya Shakti Mahamaya. This is the divine word of Lord Mahadev, mentioned in the Mahanirvana Tantra. At this time, one should establish and worship Adya. Following that, I bought this idol from Kolkata and established her here. It’s been about seven years of practice. It's necessary to do this, so I kept her beside Mother and didn't immerse her.
Devotee:
You said you bought it from Kolkata. Where exactly?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
I bought it from Kumartuli in Kolkata. There are many stone idols there. I established and worshipped her for seven years. It’s part of the spiritual journey. That’s why she is called Adya Shakti. It’s even written there, 'Adya Shakti Mahamaya'. After many years of practice, it’s no longer necessary to perform the daily rituals.
Devotee:
I have another question for you. Is there such a thing as reincarnation? And if so, what is the evidence?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Look, no physical evidence can be given, as that would mean denying the Gita. The Gita repeatedly says, 'When were you born? Why do you worry about death? You are neither born nor do you die. You are immortal and eternal.' This refers to the soul, not the body. People often misunderstand this. They think the body changes, but it's only the soul that is immortal. When the body becomes old and weak and can no longer sustain itself, the soul no longer wants to remain in it. It tries to leave. The soul cannot reside in a body afflicted by age and disease. So, in old age, the soul becomes restless to leave. And eventually, it does, which we call death. As long as the soul is present, there is no death. Once it leaves, the person is said to have died. Our bodies are made of five elements: earth, water, fire, air, and space. But the soul doesn't come from these elements. Its origin remains a mystery. In ancient times, great astrologers would say that you came from a certain species, like a lion, a tiger, or a snake. If you look at a horoscope, it's mentioned which 'Yoni' (species) you belonged to in your previous life. It could be a snake, a dog, a lion, or a tiger. It's a cycle. Due to their misdeeds, humans may be born as tigers or lions, and then eventually return to human form.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Some people ask me why the number of souls is increasing. To put it simply, look at how many trees are being cut down. Science acknowledges that trees have life. Then there are so many animals that are dying out. All these souls are entering human form. This is nature’s way of maintaining balance. When there were fewer humans, there were many more trees and animals. As they are being destroyed, their souls are entering human form. According to nature’s laws, these human souls will eventually be replaced by trees and animals again. It’s a cyclical process. Nature maintains its balance this way. Today, the world is teeming with people. A time will come when nature will reduce the human population, and trees and animals will thrive once again. As trees and animals are killed, their souls enter human beings. You might notice that many people today exhibit animalistic behavior—killing, hurting, and being cruel. These aren't human traits. Perhaps they've come from those animal species and still retain those instincts. They act like lions or tigers—ready to kill and consume.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
There's no scientific explanation for this. I’m sharing this based on my experience. Nature always maintains its balance. Now, the human population has increased tremendously. Everywhere you look, there are people. A time will come when nature will strike back. You can see it happening with the emergence of major viruses. People will die, and trees and animals will flourish again. This is how nature maintains its equilibrium. If you read the Kathopanishad, you can gain some knowledge about the soul. The Upanishads have a lot to say about the soul and are based on spiritual science. But people don't read them; they only ask questions. These are deep topics for discussion. It's not something that can be explained in a few sentences. It requires debate and dialogue. But I can tell you that the soul exists, it has its functions, and it transfers from one body to another, experiencing the consequences of its karma.
Devotee:
Is that the evidence of reincarnation?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Yes, that's the evidence. When Bamaebaba was alive, there was a dog named Kalu. If anyone called it Kalu, Bamaebaba would get very angry. He would say, 'He's a human. He was a human in his previous life, but due to his karma, he's now born as a dog. Call him Kalu Babu.' He used to tell people that these animals were once humans. I once asked him why there were so many snakes here. He said they were there because of a mother's curse. They were once humans who were now born as snakes or dogs. So, the soul and its functions exist. The soul is immortal; it has no birth or death. It's difficult to give a scientific explanation. It's a matter of discussion.
Devotee:
Gurudev, another question. You often say that fire shouldn't be lit in a cremation ground (Shmashan). But your temple is located within a Shmashan, and you perform Yajnas (sacrificial fires) and Homas there. Could you explain this?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
You've misunderstood. What I mean is that one shouldn't perform Homas or Yajnas in a Shmashan for individuals by their names. I don't do that here. If someone asks me to perform a ritual for them by name, I get very angry. This is a Shmashan; don't perform such rituals here. We perform rituals for the sake of the divine, not for any individual. It's for world peace and the well-being of humanity. Think about it. We perform Homas for world peace and human welfare, not for any specific person. No one's name is ever used here. All the rituals are dedicated to Lord Mahadev, Mother Kali, Durga, Tara, and the Ten Mahavidyas. We never perform Homas for individuals. This sacrificial pit (Kunda) has never been used for such a purpose. When it's lit, no names are invoked. Never. And if I ever take someone's name, I keep it to myself. Look, someone left this paper with their name and lineage (Gotra). I put it in my pocket; I won't use it here. One shouldn't invoke names in a Shmashan. I've said this repeatedly. And we've moved this ritual space outside the main cremation area. It's not within the Shmashan itself. No Shmashan-related rituals are performed here. I light the fire for world peace and human welfare in an empty space. A Shmashan is an empty place. You'll find nothing but ashes there. In my opinion, performing Homas in such a place yields good results. That's why we do it. But we don't invite people to come and offer ghee or other items. We do it within our own capacity. Sometimes people bring a jar of ghee and ask for it to be offered in their name. I tell them I can't take their name, but I can offer the ghee. That's how it's done. Bringing 50 people and performing Yajnas in their names in a Shmashan is not right. That's what I've been trying to say, but people misunderstand. My temple is near the Shmashan, but it's separate. It was never part of the Shmashan grounds. We're outside the boundaries. But since it's nearby, we call it a Shmashan. When we light the fire, no one is allowed to be present. We don't perform the Yajna for anyone to see. It happens every day. We don't invite anyone. If someone happens to be there, that's different. We don't take any donations or anything else. So, don't misinterpret what I'm saying. In Tarapith, which is a major Shmashan, lighting a fire means lighting a funeral pyre. But some people there perform Homas for individuals. We don't do that. We do it for the divine, to please God. If God is pleased, the world will be at peace. This is an ancient tradition that we follow. It's done in God's name, not in the name of any human.
Devotee:
So, we were mistaken in our understanding.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Yes, you were. What I've seen in Tarapith is people performing Homas and making offerings in the names of individuals. That doesn't happen here. This is only for world peace and human welfare. No names have ever been invoked in this Kunda, which we call the Maha Mrityunjaya Kunda.
Devotee:
In your opinion, those performing Homas in Tarapith using names are doing something wrong?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
I wouldn't say it's wrong, but it's better not to use names in a Shmashan. It's the wise thing to do. When do people usually think of a Shmashan? When someone dies. So, names of the deceased are associated with the Shmashan. It's better not to use the names of the living there. A Shmashan has its own power and energy. By giving your name, you're coming under its influence. You could be called by the Shmashan at any time. That's why I advise against it. It's not good. Yet, it continues to happen.
Devotee:
Perhaps they do it out of ignorance. And some Tantriks might be encouraging them.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Of course. Tantriks tell people, 'Come, let's perform a Homa in the Shmashan.' People often don't understand; they only want what's good for them. When they're told that a Shmashan Homa will benefit them, they believe it. But the problems arise later. I see many people who come to me after such rituals, and they're in a terrible state. I tell them, 'You've already lit the final candle in the Shmashan. Why come to me? Go to Mother Tara and talk to her.' A Shmashan has its power; there are guardians there. I understand this because I've spent many nights in Shmashans and still do. Most people don't have a clear idea about it. That's why they do these things. Once they understand, they'll stop.
Devotee:
This is an important message. Hopefully, people will understand now.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
People are greedy. If someone says, 'This will be good for you,' they'll do it. But I've had to deal with many cases where things went wrong. A few days ago, someone installed an idol of Mother Bagla in their home on someone's advice. And their situation became dire. They came to me with everything—the idol, the ritual items, everything. They were in such a bad state. They asked me, 'What should we do? We were told that installing Bagla would be good for us.' I told them they shouldn't have done it without understanding. They were told it would help with their enemies. But after the rituals, things became worse. Now they've brought everything to me. Once the idol was removed from their house, their troubles began to subside. They don't call me anymore with their problems. There's always a reaction to these things. People don't realize it and the consequences can be severe. Why else would there be so much suffering and disease?
Devotee:
Your point is that whatever people do, they should do it with proper understanding and verification.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Yes, understand what you're doing. Know the place and the rituals. Don't go to a Shmashan without knowing what it's about. I've had to perform many rituals to save people from the consequences of their actions. They do something wrong and then come to me for help. I tell them to go to Tarapith, go to Mother. Why come to me? This is what happens. If someone isn't careful, there's nothing I can do. If someone tells you, 'Come with me, I'll make you a millionaire,' you might be tempted by greed. But instead of becoming rich, you might lose everything, including your family's peace.
Devotee:
Gurudev, I believe the questions I've asked and your answers will be very helpful to your viewers. Salutations, Gurudev.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Salutations.