Student:
Guru, I prostrate before you. Today, we begin this episode by offering our salutations to Mother Bama Tara at Shantikunj and to you.
Guru:
Speak, my child.
Student:
Today, we are very eager to hear from your holy mouth about Sadhaka Ramprasad. We know that throughout his long life of spiritual practice, Sadhaka Ramprasad tried to understand the Mother from various perspectives. However, there remained a regret in his heart that he did not truly "find" the Mother, or something of that nature. From that perspective, he composed many songs. Among those compositionsāor rather, poems that were later transformed into songsāwe wish to hear one from your lips along with its explanation.
Guru:
Well, you all are busy with these matters. For me, life currently feels full of turmoil, noise, and uncertainty. We do not know what tomorrow brings; the future looks quite daunting. We are particularly concerned because the education of young students is being continuously delayed due to COVID-19. Studies have almost come to a standstillāthere are no exams, no assessments. These things worry us deeply.
Guru:
In the midst of all this, we often focus on these problems and forget to look toward God. Sometimes, when the mood strikes, we call upon Him to escape the noise and uncertainty.
Guru:
Regarding Ramprasadāwhether you call her Kali or Taraāhe initially performed Kali Puja at home. His father was a Kabiraj (Ayurvedic physician) and wanted Ramprasad to follow in his footsteps. But Ramprasad didn't care for that; he began his devotion to Kali and would worship her at home whenever he pleased, often talking to the Mother or even "disturbing" her with his constant demands.
Guru:
Ramprasad did not see the Mother as just a lump of clay; he saw the living Mother in everything. As I mentioned in a previous episode, if we can channel the formidable cosmic energy from the heavens into the form of the Motherāas these great saints didāwe see her differently. Ramprasad was a Siddhapurush (spiritually enlightened soul) from birth; otherwise, one cannot call upon the Mother like that.
Guru:
He felt a sense of regret, though. He once told his wife and family, "You are lucky because you have seen her, but I still haven't." While he was expressing this regret, Aju Gossain was present. Aju Gossain was a great scholar of the Vaishnava community. Ramprasad was also a profound scholar; the depth of the songs he composed is beyond the analytical capacity of an ordinary person.
Guru:
There used to be frequent debates between Aju Gossain and Ramprasad. Aju Gossain had his followers, and Ramprasad had his. At one point, when the tension between the Vaishnava and Tantric factions grew, King Krishnachandra was called upon to settle the matter of who was "greater." Aju Gossain was a staunch Vaishnava, while Ramprasad was a dedicated Tantric.
Guru:
Interestingly, Ramprasad was not formally initiated for a long time. Later, Krishnananda Agambagish, the author of Agamtantra and Nigamtantra, became his guide. Agambagish told him, "I will not initiate you as long as your mother is alive." No mother wants her son to become an ascetic or wear saffron robes. So, Agambagish waited. After Ramprasad's mother passed away, Agambagish initiated him into the worship of Mother Tara. He instructed him to perform Tara Sadhana on a Shava (a corpse).
Guru:
Ramprasad was shockedāTara? Even though he had already written many songs about her, such as: "Tara, your name is the essence of this world... My time has passed, but my spiritual practice is incomplete. Prasad says this life has been in vain. Break these worldly bonds, Mother; to whom else can I unburden myself? My world is vast, and there is no end in sight."
Guru:
Agambagish told him he must perform the highest form of Sadhana to truly find the Mother. He gave him the mantra and pointed to the cremation ground near his house. Ramprasad used to spend a lot of time there, mingling with all sorts of people, including those who consumed intoxicants. He even wrote: "I consume so much ash and refuse, yet I have never tasted the nectar of your love. I have sold myself to others, but I haven't sold myself at your feet. I look with my two external eyes, but I haven't opened my third eye of knowledge."
Guru:
He spoke of the "Third Eye" (the eye of wisdom) located between the eyebrows. He admitted that while he saw the external world, he remained blind to the spiritual truth.
Student:
Guru, I request you to analyze one of his songs in detail so we can truly understand it.
Guru:
Before that, let me explain the form of the Mother he worshipped. Look at Mother Bama Tara. She stands upon "Shava-rupa Mahadeva"āLord Shiva in the form of a corpse. This represents the Saguna (manifested) energy standing upon the Nirguna (unmanifested) foundation.
Guru:
On one side, she represents mercy and maternal affection; on the other, she represents sternness. In her left hand, she holds a sword (Kharga), which symbolizes Dharma (righteousness). She holds the severed head of a demon. The message is: "If you commit Adharma (unrighteousness), I will strike you down with my sword and hold your head in my hand."
Guru:
The necklace of heads she wears represents the 51 alphabets of the Sanskrit language. Ramprasad once jokingly asked the Mother: "When the universe didn't even exist, where did you get this necklace of heads?" It is a human conceptualization.
Guru:
She has one hand in the Varada (blessing) mudra, offering mercy and protection, while another hand, the "Dakshinardha Panikam," seems to be asking for something. What does she want? She wants your devotion, your faith, and your humility.
Student:
Guru, in the description of Bama Tara at Shantikunj, you mentioned the sword is in the left hand, but here it's in the right, and the severed head is also in the right. She seems to be asking for something with her left hand.
Guru:
No, you are mistaken. Look at her right side; she is offering blessings and asking for your devotion. She is very gentle there. Now look at her left side; she holds the severed head and the sword. She is saying, "I am the protector of Dharma; if you stray, I will punish you."
Guru:
The name "Bama Tara" or "Bama Kali" comes from the placement of her feet. If her left (Bama) foot is on Shiva's chest and her right foot is on his leg, she is called "Bama." If the right foot is on the chest, she is "Dakshina Kali." The "Bama" forms are considered extremely powerful and formidable. That is why saints like Bama Khepa worshipped Bama Tara. It is a very intense form of worship that few can master.
Guru:
She is also called "Digambari" (clothed by the sky/nude). Ramprasad once wrote: "Mother, please put on some clothes. I am your son; it is not right for you to stand unclothed before me." This is a common question from people abroadāin America or Londonāwho ask why we worship a "naked" goddess. But she is not truly naked. She wears a girdle made of the hands of those who committed Adharma. She has conquered Kama (lust), which is the first of the six enemies of man. To conquer lust, we have a Tantric practice called "Kama-Bashatwa."
Guru:
Mother stands atop Shiva, and her body encompasses everything from the earth to the sky. This "nudity" symbolizes her infinite nature. The girdle of hands is a symbolic "garment" to represent her victory over unrighteousness.
Guru:
These deities should ideally be worshipped in deep forests or cremation grounds where ordinary people do not go. This creates a unique bond between the seeker and the Mother. Bama Khepa lived in the cremation grounds, and it is said he used to talk to the Mother and even feed her.
Guru:
Ramprasad's songs like "Kaal gelo Kali hoilo na sadhon" (Time has passed, but I haven't attained Kali) reflect the struggle of the soul. He writes about the setting sun of his life: "The sun of my life is setting in the west; where are you, O Brahman-pervading Mother? Come running to me."
Guru:
Even at the end of his life, he felt he hadn't seen her. If he had, he wouldn't have written such a poignant plea. These words are so profound that they can make anyone weep. Even Bama Khepa loved listening to Ramprasadi songs.
Student:
Guru, it is impossible to cover such a vast subject in one short episode. We hope to hear more about Ramprasad and his songs in future episodes.
Guru:
I have shared many stories of Ramprasad. He also wrote: "I see the waves of the fathomless water... my body trembles in fear of drowning. Make your feet my boat and ferry me across. Keep this servant at your feet."
Guru:
His transitions from Kali to Tara in his poetry are seamless. He saw them as the same essence. He called Tara the "essence of the universe."
Guru:
"Time passed, Mother Kali, but my practice remained incomplete. Prasad says this life was in vain."
Guru:
These songs are life-giving. Every ordinary person should try to understand what Ramprasad left behind.
Student:
Guru, we will stop here for today. We have gained much knowledge. We prostrate before you.
Guru:
Blessings to you all.