Host: Gurudeb, salutations to you.
Gurudeb: Salutations, my son.
Host: Today, friends, on our YouTube channel "Gupta Sadhok Shyama Khepa," we want to ask Gurudeb about a completely new subject. It is "Goti" (Recourse/Progress). As you know, the word "Goti" has many meanings. From Gurudeb, we want to understand this in all aspects: the spiritual practice we perform, the "Goti" (consequence) of the sins we commit, the "Goti" (flow) of life, and what it means to lack "Goti." Gurudeb, today please tell us what exactly is meant by "Goti."
Gurudeb: Look, movement is life. Without movement, there is only death. This is stated in the Gita: movement is life, and the absence of movement is death. Now, what is meant by movement? Does it just mean walking? That is not what is meant here. Here, "Goti" means a prayer to God. People pray: "Please be my recourse (Goti)." I may do wrong, I may make mistakes, or I may do right—whatever I do, please be my recourse.
Gurudeb: This sense of "Goti" becomes very useful at the end of a person's life. Isn't that so? We pray to God; we are always praying: "O God, for those who are helpless (Anatha), those who are poor, those who are infirm with age (Jara), and those afflicted with disease (Roga-jukta)... Gatistvam Gatistvam Tvam-Eka Bhavani (You are my only recourse, O Mother Bhavani)."
Gurudeb: This is a profound prayer for them. There is no one else to pray for them. We pray for those who are orphans, whose parents are gone, those who are picked up from the streets, the poor, the infirm, and the diseased. No one is there to help them progress. Only God can provide them a "Goti" (refuge). That is why we say: for the orphan, the poor, the infirm, the diseased, and those who are greatly weakened and lowly, God is the only refuge.
Gurudeb: While practicing, this realization has come to us: this is a major thing. Who will provide them a recourse? They are suffering from a lack of "Goti." They have nothing. No one stands by them. I have seen this in the Upanishads as well. I read it in one place: "For the orphan, the poor, the infirm, the diseased, the weak, and the lowly... You are the only recourse."
Gurudeb: Furthermore, we must always remember: "I am sin, I am the performer of sinful deeds" (Papa-aham, papa-karma-aham). I must reflect on this. Some might say, "How am I a sinner? I don't do anything sinful." But you must always keep in mind that "I am a sinner." When we sit for worship, there is a mantra that says: "I am sin and I always commit sin, but you must take the responsibility for this sin." It is addressed to God. We commit sins both consciously and unconsciously. Whatever sins we commit, please take them all; I will not take responsibility for them.
Gurudeb: Look at what we see with our eyes—often it is "Ku-drishti" (evil or tainted vision). The words we speak are often "Ku-bakyo" (bad or harsh words). Our behavior is often "Ku-achar" (bad conduct). Our friends and associates are often not good either. Yet, we ask God to be our recourse. Without "Goti," there is only death. This "Goti" is of that kind; it's not related to anything else. It is about the "Goti" (state) of a person's character. We are constantly involved in bad vision, bad speech, bad conduct, and bad company. Whatever we are doing is not always right.
Gurudeb: The Upanishads say we should admit this to God: "My vision is tainted, I always speak bad words, I keep bad company, and I am involved in bad conduct. Despite all this, O God, please be my recourse." This is the recourse spoken of at the time of death. People commit sins and suffer the consequences later, but this "Goti" is a significant matter. That is why the Gita says movement is life and its absence is death.
Host: So, Gurudeb, by "Goti" here you mean the ultimate outcome or the reaping of consequences.
Gurudeb: Exactly.
Host: And another thing you mentioned is that there are certain types of people who have no one to look after them. A spiritual practitioner (Sadhak) conveys their plight to the Mother, asking her to be their recourse.
Gurudeb: Certainly. It's not just about being a Sadhak; anyone with a great soul can say this. Such a person doesn't worry about themselves; they worry about the orphans, the poor, the infirm, the weak, and the lowly. Who will help them? If I pray to the Mother, to God, to the Lord of the Universe, asking Him to be their recourse—"You are their only refuge"—it is a great prayer.
Gurudeb: We must reflect: our vision is often not good, our speech is not always beneficial, and our conduct is often flawed. We are immersed in these things, and our associations are also not always pure. What results can we expect from this? That is why when we perform worship, the priests (Purohit) say these things. The word Purohit comes from "Puro" (city or society) and "Hit" (well-being). One who performs the well-being of the society is a Purohit.
Host: That's for a municipality (Pauro-shobha).
Gurudeb: Yes, those living under the municipality. One who looks after their welfare is performing "Paurohitya."
Host: But that's for a municipality; it wouldn't apply to a Panchayat.
Gurudeb: (Laughs) Yes, but the primary meaning is about performing welfare for others. Is this discussion similar to the concept of "Karmavad" (the law of Karma) in Indian spirituality?
Host: Yes, Karmavad is a powerful concept. We have Dharma (duty), Artha (wealth), Kama (desire), and Moksha (liberation). When we pray, we seek these four. When a priest performs a major ritual, they mention these four goals. A priest doesn't do it just for themselves; their job is to wish for the welfare of those around them. It's not just about going to a house, taking fruits and money, and leaving. A priest's duty is to maintain these values and always think of the welfare of others. Now, whether people actually do this today, I can't say. There is so much pressure now; a priest has to perform ten rituals a day, so there's no time for deep thought.
Gurudeb: This existed in the old days, but perhaps not as much now. The Upanishads repeatedly say: "For the helpless, the poor, the infirm, the diseased, the weak, and the lowly... You are the recourse." They also say: "My vision is flawed, I speak harsh words, and my associations are poor. Yet, whatever sins we commit consciously or unconsciously, we pray to the Lord of the Universe that he may be our recourse."
Host: Gurudeb, looking at it from another perspective, it's true that the absence of "Goti" is death. We must always move forward from our present work. This is our "Charaiveti" mantra (Keep moving). If I make a mistake, I should realize it and ensure I don't repeat it. This is a form of "Goti" as well—rectification. Could you explain this concept of "Charaiveti"?
Gurudeb: Look, you go to different places, talk to different people, and do various jobs. This is also movement. Within this, we make many mistakes—mistakes that we commit frequently and which no one taught us to avoid. No one says, "Walk this way, behave this way with people." Instead, what we have now is like the "Tota Kahini" (The Parrot's Tale by Rabindranath Tagore). In that story, a bird is force-fed pages of books until it dies. Our education has become like that. Our conduct, our character—we aren't maintaining them as we should, and the consequences are grave.
Gurudeb: That is why we say people should admit their faults. For example, if someone commits a theft, they are sent to a "Sanshodhan-agar" (Correctional facility). It used to be called a jail, but the name has changed to "Correctional Facility," implying you should be corrected and not repeat the crime upon release. If you don't understand that a certain action is harmful, that's why these facilities exist. If you have good friends who advise you and you listen to them, that is good. If not, there is no other way.
Host: Friends, you heard Gurudeb explain "Goti" from two perspectives. On one hand, he spoke about the final stage of a person's life—the recourse one finds based on the accumulated results of their life's work. On the other hand, he spoke about the Indian mantra "Charaiveti"—the principle of always moving forward. This mantra is the essence of spiritual India. Friends, continue watching our channel "Gupta Sadhok Shyama Khepa," subscribe, and share these videos. Salutations, Gurudeb.
Gurudeb: Salutations, my son.