Interviewer:
Pronam (Salutations), Gurudev.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Pronam, my son. Pronam.
Interviewer:
Just like every year, Durga Puja has come to an end. Today is Vijayadashami. On behalf of all your devotees and disciples at Shantipunj, and on behalf of your followers spread across different countries worldwide, I wish you a very happy and auspicious Vijayadashami. I offer my respectful salutations. We pray to the Mother for your good health and a long life. May you continue to dedicate yourself to the service of humanity, just as you always have. On this special day, we would love to hear a few words from you addressed to everyone.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Yes, look... we wait all year long for the Mother to arrive. We count down the days—fifteen days left, ten days left—and we prepare ourselves.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
But this year, that usual joy and excitement aren't quite there because of the COVID-19 pandemic. So many people are still being affected. As you know, the High Court has issued directives to maintain strict safety measures at the pandals. The police are doing a great job enforcing this, and the crowds at the pandals are significantly thinner.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Actually, this is for the best. The less crowding, the better, because this is a highly infectious disease, and it could become a terrifying situation if it spreads further.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
So, the Mother's Puja has concluded. Navami has passed, and today we completed the Homa (fire ritual) and the Dakshina (concluding ritual). With that, the Puja is officially over. From today, the Brahmins and the widows will be able to eat rice again, as the fast is broken.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Tomorrow is Vijayadashami—the day of the immersion (Bisharjan). According to the rituals, once the Sutak (ritual thread) is cut, the household idols are the first to be taken for immersion. It is a tradition that once the thread is cut, the Mother should not be kept at home any longer; she should be taken to the water immediately.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Those who perform Durga Puja at home follow this strictly. Everyone stays ready. As soon as the thread is cut, the women play with vermilion (Sindur Khela), offer it to the Mother, share sweets, and then she is taken toward the Ganges for immersion.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
I have performed the Homa and Yajnya (fire sacrifices) every single day from the first day (Pratipada) until today. These rituals were performed for the welfare of humanity and for world peace. I constantly pray to the Mother, "Ma, let everyone in this world be healthy. Let no one remain ill." I do not want to hear about anyone's suffering, pain, or poverty.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
I pray to the Mother: "Anatha-daridra-jara-roga-yukto, mahaksina-dinah sada-jadyavaktrah. Gatis-tvam gatis-tvam tvameka bhavani."
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
This means I am pleading with the Mother for those who are helpless, poor, elderly, or diseased. I pray that she provides them with a path and refuge. There is no one else to look after them. That is why I say, "Ma, please look after those who are suffering from old age and disease." Every life must eventually face death, but I pray to the Mother to protect them while they are here.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
I also pray for everyone living in every corner of the world—may they stay happy and healthy. I have repeatedly asked the Mother to take away this COVID-19 pandemic. It is her creation, after all. There is no medicine for it in the market yet. It has been nine months, and although we hear news of vaccines every day, nothing is certain yet. People are recovering through basic treatment, and the mortality rate has dropped to about 1%, or even less.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
But my prayer remains the same: May everyone in the world be well. I do not want to witness anyone's tears or suffering while I am alive.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
"Sarve bhavantu sukhinah, sarve santu niramayah. Sarve bhadrani pasyantu, ma kascid duhkha-bhag bhavet."
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
May all be happy. May all be free from illness. May all see what is auspicious. May no one suffer. This is my prayer. I want to see everyone living with dignity. I don't want to hear of any sorrow, poverty, or disease.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
I send my love and the blessings I have received from the Mother to everyone. May everyone stay happy and joyful. This festival is the biggest festival for us. Nowhere else in the world is Puja celebrated on such a scale as it is in India, and especially in West Bengal.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
I repeat my prayer: Ma, look after the helpless, the poor, and the sick. My best wishes for Vijaya to everyone.
Interviewer:
Gurudev, one more thing. This night of Navami is a moment of melancholy, as the Mother leaves her paternal home to return to her husband's. It is a painful time for those of us on Earth. You mentioned that while 2020 has been a difficult year, 2021 might also be challenging. This makes us feel quite anxious. What can we do?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Look, 2020 has been a terrifying year. Its effects will linger. I believe it will take at least the first six months of 2021 for things to truly stabilize.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Regarding COVID, it has become somewhat "common" now, and many are being treated at home. It is mostly the elderly or those with severe complications who are struggling. I pray that everyone can recover at home without having to go to the hospital. A hospital can feel like hell sometimes.
Interviewer:
Friends, you heard Gurudev's message on this final day of the Puja. He has extended his love, blessings, and prayers to all his devotees and followers. He shared what he has asked of the Mother for the sake of all humanity. We pray for Gurudev's health and long life. Just as he dedicates himself to the service of people, we hope he continues to offer our prayers to the Mother. Pronam, Gurudev.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Pronam, my son. Pronam.
Spiritual Insight
On Vijayadashami, as the Divine Mother prepares to return to her celestial abode, Gurudev Shyama Khyapa offers profound prayers for humanity's welfare. His heartfelt invocation—"Sarve bhavantu sukhinah, sarve santu niramayah"—reminds us that true spirituality lies in wishing wellness for all beings. Even amid the challenges of a global pandemic, his unwavering faith in the Mother's protection and his daily fire rituals for world peace stand as a beacon of hope for all.