Why Are Saints Born for a Short Time? by Shyama Khyapa

Gurudev: See Pradip-da, everyone has come here with the merits of their previous births. They keep coming to this world repeatedly with their merits. In this life, for example, take Saint Ram Prasad. He worshiped the Mother, she appeared to him, and then he died within a month. But the Mother is Brahma-mayi (one with Brahma). After having a vision of Brahma, one doesn't live long. This happened in our case, and it also happened in the case of Shankaracharya. It happened with Jagadguru Shankaracharya—one cannot live after having a vision of the Mother. One can't say anything about the Mother; how she looks, what she's like—one cannot say any of this. That's why immediately after having a vision of the Mother... look at our Annada Thakur. He had a vision of the Mother and didn't live for many days. Swami Vivekananda, see, he had a vision of the Mother and didn't live for many days. Everyone has left after having a vision of the Mother. This is the rule. The rule for seekers is to leave after seeing the Mother.

Again, many seekers have different kinds of aspirations and desires. So, they try to stay in this world as long as they don't receive instructions or another person emerges. They stay in this world until someone equal to them... yes, until they find someone who will follow in their footsteps. Such powerful people remain until another powerful person comes. He sees them and then dies.

The same thing happened in the case of Ramakrishna. See, his Guru told Ram Prasad that someone is coming to the banks of the Ganges to practice spiritual discipline; "You keep the path clear for him, Ram Prasad." This was said, and it turned out to be true. So, after having a vision of the Mother, after having a vision of Brahma, no one lives anymore. Examples are our Jagadguru Shankaracharya, Swami Vivekananda, Annada Thakur, and Khanjanmas... there are many more Khanjanmas. None of them could cross the age of 40. Jagadguru Shankaracharya was 29 years old, Annada Thakur was 29 years old, Vivekananda was 39 years old. They are called Khanjanmas (born for a short period) who passed away within these ages.

This means they came according to the merits of their previous births, had a vision of the Mother, and left. Perhaps this life was their last. This life was remaining to see the Mother. This life happened, they saw the Mother, and they left. Right? This is the real thing. You can't understand this.

Interviewer: No Gurudev, we are talking about their death, that they left their bodies. What a game of the Mother! But my question is, they also face many obstacles on their path and suffer a lot in life.

Gurudev: Yes, if you call the Mother, you have to suffer. There's no mistake in this. You have to shed a lot of blood, you have to stay awake for many nights, you have to sit near the Mother a lot. And when you do these things, there's no more awareness of everything else in the world; then everything becomes one with the Mother. Understand clearly. So, most people suffer. Those who have called the Mother have died in sorrow. Starting from our Bamdev Baba to Ramakrishna, there are cries of theirs, severe cries that you won't be able to hear; they're suppressed. You won't be able to hear their cries; they're suppressed.

Interviewer: We sometimes hear from you, "What did I get?"

Gurudev: Of course, what did I get! Of course. People want something. After practicing spiritual discipline for so many years, people want something. This regret, or you can say by mistake or due to regret, maybe I say, "What did I get? I remained in this crematorium; what did I get?" Now, many people say, "What you have received, no one else has received. So what if you're sitting in the crematorium? What you have received, many people haven't received." They give various kinds of consolation, but mine is mine. No one will hear my pain. No one will hear Bamdev Baba's pain. No one will hear Ramakrishna's pain. No one will hear Vivekananda's pain. The way they suffered... I don't want to compare myself with them. I'm not at all used to comparing. Still, I'm saying their lives passed like this, my child. In the midst of that, they used to be in joy and merriment. They are in the state of Sachchidananda (truth-consciousness-bliss). How is it possible? I don't know, but they are always in joy. If you go to them, you'll never see them without joy. It seems like, oh father, he is in great joy.

But something is hidden within this. People say, "What did you get?" And truly, what did I get? But again, people say, "What you have received, the people of the whole world haven't received." Now, which one will you take? People think I have received a lot, and I think, "What did I get?" Although there is cunningness and cleverness in this, a little bit of cleverness is there. It's not that there's no cleverness at all; seekers are a bit clever. In that sense, there is some cunningness. But ultimately, one has to carry that sorrow, my child. One has to carry that sorrow. No one hears the words of the seekers, my child. People read their biographies; they don't read the bad side. Whatever good is there, they read that. And when movies are made, see, they don't show the bad side; they only show the good side. So, it's like this. Yes, tell me.

Interviewer: Gurudev, we had a question which I asked you, why do many perfected seekers leave this world so early?

Gurudev: I told you, it's the merit of previous births. And one birth is needed to find God. One birth is required. They came, had a vision of God, and left. Age is not a factor for them. They left at a very young age. This is a matter of births after births. A vision of God doesn't happen in a single day. It's a matter of many births; then the vision of God happens. Do you understand what I'm saying? Maybe I have one or two more births left to see God face to face. So, I have to experience two births. I have to come again to see that. There's no mistake in this.

Interviewer: You'll come to see what you did on Earth.

Gurudev: No, what I did, you can see that. Everyone can see it. The people of India are seeing it, the people outside are seeing it; everyone is seeing what I did.

Interviewer: No, what happened after that? Suppose, in the absence of a seeker, to see what is happening, is there a rebirth?

Gurudev: Of course, I'll have to come again for what I'm leaving behind. I'll have to come again for that. So, I'll have to come once or twice. Now, whether I'll find the Mother in the next birth is a matter. Whether I'll find her in the birth after that is a matter. So, there's no use thinking about this. They are Khanjanmas. When the vision of the Mother is needed, they take birth, have the vision of the Mother, and leave. They don't live for long; they are called Khanjanmas. Almost everyone I named is a Khanjanma. Ramakrishna didn't live for long. Yes.

Interviewer: Gurudev, I'm moving to another topic. Tomorrow is Snana Yatra. Please enlighten us on that topic.

Gurudev: No, Snana Yatra is the best day. On the day of Snana Yatra, the journey to Amarnath begins. The palanquins are lifted. On this day of Snana Yatra, the palanquins are lifted to Amarnath. Muslims carry the palanquins. And the Jagannath Temple will be closed tomorrow after 1:38 PM. It will remain closed for 18 days. Ambubachi will pass, and even after that, it will be 18 days. From tomorrow, it will remain closed for 18 days. After that, Jagannath can be seen again on the day of Rath Yatra.

I'm saying repeatedly, all the temples that are here... Kalighat. At the Mother's temple in Kalighat, today the Mother is in the "nut-bolt system." Yes, the Mother is in the nut-bolt system. The nut-bolts will be opened, and the stone will be kept in one place. The hands and feet will be kept in one place. And seven Brahmins, with their eyes tied, will lift the part of the Mother that fell there. The Mother's part is lifted, and pots and pots of Ganges water are poured. Worship is performed, she is bathed, and then she is placed back in her position and tightened. No one can see this. No common person can see this. Those who go to see these now are fools.

All the 51 Peethas (sacred sites) have the same system. That is, wherever the Mother's body parts fell, they have become mummies, but they are protected. Whether it's Kamakhya or Tarapith, they are protected in all the places where the Mother's body parts fell. Those are lifted, bathed, and placed back in their positions. This is the ritual.

And see, at this time... it's such a messy affair. Nature is also messy and scattered; similarly, our Snana Yatra falls tomorrow. Ambubachi falls tomorrow. After two days is the full moon. One after another, they're falling, which shouldn't happen. Ambubachi on the day of Snana Yatra is rarely seen. So, in whichever temple you go to, tomorrow it will be open until 1:38 PM, then it will be closed. After that, it's not kept open anymore. No matter how much it's the age of science, the Mother is covered. The Mother is not shown anymore. This is the ritual; our scriptures say this. Now, if someone keeps it open, they will open it at their own risk. But it shouldn't be kept open; the scriptures say that for these few days, one shouldn't see the Mother's face. The Mother also won't show her face to anyone.

Now, many people are saying... there's no shame, hate, or fear, these three. What shame do today's girls have? Looking at their dresses, talking to them, one feels small. Yes, what shame do they have? They come and stand before me and say, "I'm unwell, I can't enter." If you're unwell, then why did you come to the temple? If you are unwell, why come to the temple? Just say that you have periods. Say it clearly. That you're menstruating. Why come to the temple then? Don't you have any common sense that I'll go to the temple in this condition? You'll ask the priest in the temple, "I'm unwell, should I enter or not?" These are the excesses of people.

And for girls, shame has almost disappeared in this regard. In the old days, mothers and sisters used to have this, but did anyone in the house ever know? It was a matter of shame for them. One boy is saying... yes, why not? Now they'll show it openly; whatever days have come, they'll show it openly. What's the problem? There's nothing to be ashamed of. "Shame, hate, and fear, these three stay not." This is what it has become. I'm talking about the state of the current age. It wasn't like this in the previous age. It wasn't like this in our time. Very cautiously...

Interviewer: Gurudev, you said in an episode that when a girl has her first period, then...

Gurudev: A garland is given around Shiva's neck. I've said it according to the scriptures. This is very scriptural. Maybe many people don't know. Perhaps those who have studied the scriptures know. I'm saying after studying the scriptures that if someone picks flowers and weaves a garland with their own hands and puts it on Father (Shiva) at that time, Father becomes very satisfied.

Interviewer: Is that inside the house or in some temple?

Gurudev: No, they'll come to the temple and give it. They'll put the garland around Father's neck.

Interviewer: Then Gurudev, whoever does this work will have to remain quiet. Nothing can be said.

Gurudev: Of course, they'll remain quiet. Nothing can be said. Why should anything be said? Why would you go to say? If someone has their first period, will I go around telling people with a drum that my daughter's period has started? Will anyone say this? It happens secretly. No one even knows; it happens secretly. There's no need to beat a drum for this. Because it's a matter of shame for girls.

Today's boys... they don't understand these things. "What's the big deal? What's there to be ashamed of?" Hey, how old are you? What have you seen? How much have you seen in life? See, listen, understand, read the Puranas, read the things of the past, ask your parents, ask your grandmother; then you'll understand. There's no talk about all these. Just make a comment and it's done. What else can I say about them? They are like weeds in a forest. There's a forest, there are trees, and there are weeds too. What can you say about them, tell me?

Interviewer: The point was not about this, Gurudev.

Gurudev: The girls could have said, "I have this, I have this," by beating a drum. No one says it because it's a matter of shame.

Interviewer: I'm not going into that, Gurudev. We want to know if everyone can chant and meditate during this Ambubachi period.

Gurudev: No, men can chant. Men won't have menstruation. It will be the Mother's. So, the Mother is menstruating; it's better not to disturb her. The Motherhood, those who are of the motherhood, it's better if they don't chant. This is a wise thing to do. You won't give it to Gopal, so what will we do? We have Narayana inside. The Mother is there. We'll move Narayana and Shiva. We'll bring them outside. Worship will be performed here; worship will be performed outside. The Mother's room won't be opened for four days. After giving food and everything else to the Mother, it will be completely closed. For four days, the Mother's face won't be seen and the temple won't be opened either. This has to be strictly maintained. All the temples do it. Not only Kamakhya, starting from Kalighat, wherever Sati's body parts fell, it is followed very strictly. In each of the 51 Peethas, it is followed very strictly. And if any Brahmin does it for money, it's his personal matter. If he shows the Mother, it's a personal matter. The Mother cannot be shown now. The Mother cannot be shown now.

Interviewer: Dear viewers, you heard Gurudev's discussion. Gurudev was a bit excited there. As you know, there's a "Khepa" (meaning mad or enraged) added after Gurudev's name. Since he gets a bit excited, he is a very soft and tender-hearted person. Please don't mind.

Gurudev: No, there's no question of minding. Child, tell the truth. What's the use of denying the truth? The boy who commented, how old is he? What has he seen? Has he talked to his grandfather or grandmother? One should talk a bit about these matters. They are elderly people; they have seen a lot. They will guide. Or suddenly one makes a comment and it's done.

Interviewer: Gurudev, ending today's episode here. Pronam, Gurudev.

Gurudev: Yes.