Haldar Da:
Gurudev, I have a question I've been very curious about. If Brahma is the mastermind behind the creation of this universe and he planned everything, then why were humans created? And are their actions—both good and bad—also controlled by him?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Listen, when our universe was created, many things were brought into existence. Along with them, Lord Brahma created humans. He did this because humans are the only beings capable of perceiving and understanding everything happening in nature. No other creature has that capacity. Along with humans, 84 lakh (8.4 million) species were created. He created humans specifically so that someone could experience the diversity and the "Lila" (divine play) of nature.
Student:
So, we can assume that an intelligent being was necessary?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Absolutely. It was essential.
Student:
And that race of beings, through their intellect and wisdom, could perceive and explain the concept of God or Brahma.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Exactly. That was Brahma's plan. If no one can explain it, then the concept of God or Brahma wouldn't even exist. There would be no one to ask the question. Everything was created according to Brahma's plan, and humans are a part of that creation.
Student:
But Gurudev, if we look at Darwin's theory of evolution, the explanation is different. It doesn't quite align with our scriptures.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Darwin's theory of evolution is cyclic. It suggests a slow, gradual transformation into humans. But according to our Puranas and most religious scriptures of the world, humans arrived as humans. There is no room for evolution there.
Student:
That's where the conflict between modern history and our scriptures lies. History says humans gradually evolved from the prehistoric era, developing their physical form and intelligence over time.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
And with that intelligence, humans began to explain Brahma or God. Other animals—goats, chickens, or birds—cannot do that. That is why humans were part of Brahma's plan.
Haldar Da:
But Gurudev, going back to my earlier point: if everything is his plan, then what is our responsibility? Some people become criminals or villains. Was it Brahma's plan for one person to be a thief and another a dacoit?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
No, it's not like that. It happened over time through the process of living. People chose their own paths and professions. You could say that the intellect and wisdom Brahma gave us is like a "neutral gear." He left it to us. It's been said that Brahma sent everyone with a "packet of knowledge." Some people open that packet, and some don't. If someone uses their knowledge, they won't become a thief or a villain. It is the ignorant who do such things; a truly wise person never strays into that path.
Haldar Da:
Gurudev, I'm also curious about the Brahmins and the four-fold caste system (Chaturvarna). Brahmins are at the top and are initiated through the Vedic Gayatri Mantra. Before Tantra influenced society, when it was purely Vedic, what were the rules for initiation for the general public?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
To understand that, we have to go back very far, to the Indus Valley Civilization. This was before Krishna's time. But Krishna said, "I am the creator of this nature; I made the rules." He told Arjuna, "You do not know how many times I have manifested. The things I am telling you today on the battlefield, I have said many times before." Even then, the Gita existed in some form.
Student:
Regarding what Haldar Da asked about the Chaturvarna and the initiation of Brahmins—it's true that the system was originally based on work. It depended on a person's qualities. Later, it turned into a hereditary system based on birth, and people stopped following the essence of the Gita.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Exactly. A person's role can change. When I am angry or on a battlefield, I am a Kshatriya. When I am studying in a library, I am a Brahmin. When I am doing business in the market, I am a Vaishya. When I am serving others, I am a Shudra. Today, people from all backgrounds are demanding that their intelligence and merit be recognized. Society is moving toward a place where merit is more important than birth.
Student:
We are seeing a decline now. People are moving away from the Vedas and the Gita. Now, it's all about Tantra-Mantra and ritualistic worship like Kali Puja or Durga Puja, driven by personal needs, money, and problems, rather than the search for spiritual truth.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
We have lost the root. We have moved away from the Vedas and the Gita toward Ten Mahavidyas and other rituals. It's like taking a painkiller to hide the pain instead of curing the disease.
Student:
And Sanskrit education is also declining. There used to be so many Tols (traditional schools), but they are closing. The government hasn't paid attention to them either. Sanskrit was part of the school syllabus until 1980; I was in the last batch to take it for the secondary exams.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
We are drifting away from our source into a different current. We have forgotten our original scriptures—the Vedas, Vedanta, Gita, and Upanishads. They have become "irrelevant" to the modern person. But I believe the roots are still there. If you cut a tree, it can grow back from the roots.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
It will. It is the law of time. When "bad intelligence" peaks and finally exhausts itself, "good intelligence" returns. Creation follows destruction. Just like the transition between eras, this decline will eventually lead to a revival. I once heard a spiritual leader at Trimbakeshwar tell a follower that the era doesn't end all at once; it happens gradually. We are in that transition. If society realizes the need for the Gita, the Upanishads, and the Vedas, they will return.
Haldar Da:
Friends, you just heard the discussion between Gurudev and Haldar Da. I hope you found it enlightening. Pranam, Gurudev.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Pranam, my son.