Devotee:
Gurudev, I offer my respects.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Bless you, bless you, son. Go ahead.
Devotee:
Gurudev, today we see a young monk sitting beside you. He has come from Chittagong, Bangladesh. He has watched many of your episodes and heard about you from various people. He expressed a desire to meet you.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
No, no, that's fine. There's no problem.
Devotee:
Dear viewers, the person you see on screen is a young monk and seeker from Chittagong, Shrimad Paritoshonanda Brahmachari ji. Did I get the name right, Brahmachari ji?
Narrator:
Yes, yes.
Devotee:
So, you've come to this temple today, to our Gurudev's temple, to the Mother's temple...
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Call it the Mother's temple. I myself established the Gurudev shrine.
Devotee:
Anyway, having come here and seen a temple like this, my first question to you is: what are your thoughts upon seeing a temple like this, regardless of where you've seen others? How does it feel?
Narrator:
To be honest, I feel the same whether I see a large temple or a small one. Because I must accept the way the Mother wishes to reside. Exactly. My only thought about the Mother was that I would receive the same worship whether I stayed in a small room or a large one. Some people build huge, magnificent temples for me, making them grand but turning them into businesses. Others keep me in a small temple but with great joy. I express my inner desire to reside in whichever way my children wish to keep me. In the words of Thakur Ramakrishna, "Whom you call Brahman, I call Mother." However one wishes to say it, however one wishes to call her, in whatever place and in whatever manner one wishes to keep the Mother. This is my heart's desire, my emotional feeling. Nothing else.
Devotee:
Anyway, Gurudev, this young monk sitting next to you said something. Do you agree with it?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Absolutely agree, absolutely. Look, I don't go to see the temple; I don't see the exterior; I see the Mother. I will see the Mother who is in the temple; I don't need to see what is carved or where it's carved. Is that clear? Otherwise, the mind wanders. For example, suppose you've bought a nice pair of shoes; you go to bow to the Mother, but you're thinking, "Where will the shoes go? The Mother's shoes will be stolen." "Maybe the shoes just got stolen." Yes, you feel like the shoes are being stolen. So, the focus is on the shoes, not on the Mother. I'm constantly conscious that my shoes might be gone, that they just disappeared. So, that's the thing. What we do is go and look at the Mother's temple elsewhere. But the life within—the Mother is the life of the temple. Whatever you say, the Mother is the life in the temple. We don't try to see that life. We wander around temples, big ones. Right? And truthfully, we came, offered a little incense, made a quick bow, and left. But what we should do when coming to God is say just one thing: "God, a beggar has come to your door; give me some alms. God, you are at your door; a beggar has come; give me some alms." We should come to the Mother after renouncing everything. You can't come to the Mother with money in your pocket, a mobile phone, and this and that. Right? To come to the Mother, there is only one thing: "Mother, a beggar has come to your door; give me some alms." Although no one says this—it's not even a question—I am saying it. A person should come and say only one thing to God: "I am a beggar, I have nothing, give me some alms." No one says this; no one feels the need to say it. Because there's a sense of ego. There's an ego working even while looking at God. Like, "I am seeing God, I have given God 108 garlands, I have offered a worship worth 2000 rupees." Right? This ego—everything belongs to the Mother; what can you give her? The Mother feeds you, clothes you; everything you do today is by her grace. But you say, "I am doing it." Right? This thing isn't good; it's not good. They are young monks; they are... whereas we are finished... in the words of Rabindranath, "Yours is the beginning, mine is the end. Yours is the beginning, mine is the end. Between you and me, the current flows thus." One day some will go, and another will be prepared. They will again protect the world, protect God. This is what we... I mean, it's our heart's desire. Whether today or tomorrow, we have to go. Death will surely come to me sooner or later; I've aged. But these young ones are rising; they will keep the Mother awakened; they will keep the world and humanity awakened. This is how the tradition continues. Right? This is the tradition; this is the rule. We don't want to accept it, but it's the rule. Nothing else. Do you understand what I said?
Narrator:
Yes, I understand, Gurudev. I understood everything.
Devotee:
Now, let me turn to the young monk sitting beside you. My question to him is: I've heard that you have your own temple, a temple of the Mother that you've built. Is it completely finished?
Narrator:
Yes, it's still being built.
Devotee:
This might be an unwarranted inquiry, but I'll ask anyway. You've been practicing spiritual discipline. Has the construction of the temple caused any interference in your spiritual practice?
Narrator:
The temple is in its own state, and I am in mine. One thing is, some call it 'plant-based non-vegetarian' and some 'animal-based non-vegetarian.' Both are non-vegetarian. And we say we are eating vegetarian and not non-vegetarian. If a piece of meat is placed beside me, since I've trained my senses away from non-vegetarian food, I won't crave that meat. Similarly, whether it's a temple or anything else, if the Mother's grace is upon me, if my mind is single-mindedly focused on her, then I believe I won't be moved even a bit. I live with this faith. Everything else is the Mother's will. She will do whatever she wants, whenever and however she wants it.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
And truthfully, I'll tell you one thing: very few temples are being built nowadays. Practically none. So, if a temple is built, I'll be happy. How the Mother will reside there is a personal matter. But a temple being built means we are Hindus; we are believers in the Sanatan Dharma. So, we are very happy when a temple is built. Right? This is very happy news for us, you could say. That he is building a temple. Right? I don't need to see how he's doing it; I'm not seeing; I won't go to see. But one thing is, we are people of the Hindu Sanatan Dharma; we hear that he is building a temple. It feels very good to us. Temples aren't being built at all. So, in that sense, if he builds a temple, whether by working hard or asking people or however he does it, then there's no problem. What's the problem?
Devotee:
Brahmachari ji, I apologize because I received the answer from Gurudev himself. I had that question in my mind for a long time: whether building this temple was causing any interference in your spiritual practice. That's why I repeatedly apologize, because Gurudev has corrected my misunderstanding.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
No, no, it's not right. Not right.
Narrator:
And what's happening is our union—in our entire union, in our Jangalkhani Union, in Patiya village of Chittagong, in Jangalkhani village of Patiya municipality. In our whole union combined, we have only one ashram, and that is our Shhmashana Kali Matri-Sheba Ashram. We've seen many places, many unions, with five, six, or four ashrams. But in our area, there was no sense of unity among the Sanatan followers. It's by the Mother's grace, because she wanted it, that she brought everyone together. By uniting, everyone jumped in together to build this temple. That's why I am moving forward slowly. Otherwise, it would never be possible. I am doing it because it was the Mother's will. And I pray to the Mother that she doesn't let me deviate from the path for which I've come. Whatever else happens, whether it becomes a large temple or however much prasad there is, I will remain as I am.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Look, today's East Bengal and West Bengal were once the same. Tell him. Back then, there was no difference. Now it has happened; today there is East Bengal and West Bengal. But all the great thinkers who were born—whom should I name?—all of them are from what is now East Bengal. According to current terms. It wasn't so then. But now it is; I mean, whom will you name? Most of the great thinkers, starting from Bamkhyapa and others, were born in those places. Tell me, whom will you name? Whomever you name, all the great seekers are from what is now East Bengal. There's certainly no mistake in this; there's no point in creating a debate about it. Great, great seekers. Yes, great, great seekers.
Devotee:
I was a bit mistaken; I'm grateful that Gurudev corrected me through this discussion. Friends, I've seen that one should never ask a seeker about money or their previous life before becoming a monk. I made a mistake; Gurudev, I offer my respects, please forgive me.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
That was your mistake. A complete mistake.
Devotee:
Not the words, but during today's discussion, it suddenly came to my mind, so I asked. Anyway, I repeatedly apologize to both of you, as both are high-level individuals.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
There's no use apologizing to me; apologize to him. There's no point in apologizing to me. What will I do? There's nothing to apologize for.
Narrator:
If a question arises, a solution will follow.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Definitely.
Devotee:
No, there's a reason behind my asking this question, Gurudev. The thing is, among those we see as monks nowadays, 70% are not monks but imposters. Fake, they are all fake.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
You're making a mistake here. You're wrong on one point. 'First judge by appearance, then by quality.' First, the appearance—he is wearing the clothes, that's what I see. And if you wear them, people will call you a holy man too. Understand this clearly. So, there's no use for you to look at qualities. The appearance is what matters first. 'First judge by appearance, then by quality.' If I wear these clothes right now, someone will call me a great saint.
Devotee:
But what if I deceive people while wearing those clothes?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Why would you deceive people? Then you wouldn't be a saint.
Devotee:
No, that's what I'm telling you, that in this way many people are not saints...
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Then you wouldn't be a saint. Look, as the saying goes, "I took many garbs, traveled many lands, yet your glory remained untold, O Mother. The mind is wicked despite the dress, hence I fall into delusion, O Mother." These questions, these words, he spoke through this song. So, we are falling into delusion. There's no use blaming them. Delusion can come from anywhere. Overcoming that is what defines a saint. Overcoming that is what defines a saint. If anyone can walk by controlling the six enemies: lust, anger, greed, attachment, pride, and envy, then he will certainly be a saint; there's no mistake in that. Yes, there are some unholy ones, as you can see, but one shouldn't dictate to a saint like this. One shouldn't dictate to a saint in this manner. He has the garb; respect the garb. It might be bad, I'm not saying everyone will be good. Someone might have become a saint just for food; I even say, "Hey, become a saint, you'll get two meals a day." I swear by God, I tell everyone. Those who come to me like, "Father, I can't find food," [I tell them], "Become a saint, you'll get two meals; people will give money because of the saint's garb." The garb of a saint or sage. Right? And our India has been a land of saints and sages since ancient times. Here, one saint dies, and another is born. There is no gap in this. We think in the Hindu Sanatan Dharma—just as I'm coming to an end, I'm at the end, but another is rising. Do you understand what I said?
Narrator:
I understand.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
This will keep going; it will keep going in the Hindu Sanatan Dharma. Saints will die, and saints will be made. Saints will die, and saints will be made. This is the rule. Yes.
Devotee:
So, Brahmachari ji, my last question to you is: did this path in your life start from the beginning? I mean, did you come at a young age, or did such a change happen at a certain age?
Narrator:
I was young, during my school life, when I was in primary school. I was in class four at the beginning. Since then, my interest in the Mother grew gradually. My parents had no such recognition from past lives, nor did I have any; it was my heart's desire...
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
No, it doesn't happen without recognition from a past life. There must be something from a past life; I'm telling you, without some merit from a past life, you cannot come into this line.
Narrator:
I went to my Gurudev then to receive initiation, the soul of Shankar Math and Mission, Swami Jyotishwarananda Giri Maharaj. Right after receiving initiation from him, he told my mother, "Leave him with me." Then my mother brought me, crying, as I was a very young boy, the eldest in the family. Then my Gurudev said, "See if you can keep him for 10-20 years." Exactly when I was in class five, I had my sacred thread ceremony; he gave me the initiation. Then I gradually practiced brahmacharya. Right after that, when I turned 20, I left home entirely and came to this Jangalkhani village. My life is shaped as my Gurudev spoke.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
No, that's fine; it happens this way.
Narrator:
Later, by the Mother's direction, I stayed in an ashram for three years; the Mother directed me to go to this ashram. "Go there and practice meditation and worship; it won't happen at your home."
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
No, it doesn't happen at home.
Narrator:
Then I left home for three years for a certain place. There was a Maharaj there who adored me very much. He helped me a lot with meditation and worship, to say the least. They also have a great contribution behind this.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Certainly. Otherwise, it doesn't happen. One needs someone's oversight.
Narrator:
He helped; my Gurudev's blessing was there. A few days after I took initiation, my Gurudev passed away. His shrine is here in Barasat, at Shankar Math and Mission.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Barasat.
Narrator:
Kajipara. Kajipara. North Barasat, you're right. Thus far I've reached, and the rest the Mother knows, the Gurudev knows, in how many ways...
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
No one can say exactly what will happen next; God will reveal that.
Narrator:
She has brought me this far. Exactly, exactly. The Mother knows the rest. Certainly. I'm moving forward, leaving it to the Mother.
Devotee:
Gurudev, we see at various times since we joined this temple or became your disciples... Go on. We often see many young or elderly monks coming here. Do they? Yes, they do. Why? Surely you must have some power...
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
It's not a matter of power or anything like that; you're mistaken. When they come, we really need the dust of their feet. Whether they are young or old or whatever, you've seen how many people have come, how many saints and sages. So many have come right before your eyes. How many came before that, there's no telling. We want the dust of their feet to fall here. Only then will the temple be purified; only then will the temple gain fame. Otherwise, it won't happen, son. Nothing will happen with the dust of ordinary people's feet. It's necessary that pure people like them leave the dust of their feet here; that is a great asset for us, you could say. And we've received that; you've seen many monks come repeatedly. Many more have come whom you don't know, haven't seen. Many monks have come here, and they've shown me great affection and devotion. So, that's not a thing; perhaps they come because I myself am okay. Perhaps saints and sages come because I am in the right place. They need it, and I need it too. Where there is love, everything will come. Exactly, exactly.
Devotee:
So, friends, in this episode going on today, as you surely know, the person sitting beside Gurudev is a young monk from Chittagong, Bangladesh. Certainly. He is about to establish a temple and is practicing the Mother's spiritual discipline. Many of you might recognize him if you're from Chittagong. I think so because he himself said a while ago that he travels to various places and practices spiritual devotion to the Mother. So, we are blessed that the dust of his feet fell on our Shantakunja today. And Gurudev, I hope that if it's possible, this young monk sitting beside you might need some of your blessings.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
That's fine, but a blessing isn't just about putting a hand on the head. A blessing from the heart is the real blessing. I have already accepted him into my heart; I've accepted him. I've accepted him from my heart; I could have told you, "Go, leave." I've seen many such people—I've seen many great saints and sages [say], "Go, leave now, go." But accepting from the heart and letting someone sit close is the blessing. There's no other blessing like putting a hand on the head; I don't believe in that, son.
Devotee:
So you're saying it's a union of heart with heart. Exactly, exactly. Just one. A saint recognizes a saint. Yes, it doesn't happen like that. Blessings don't happen like that, son.
Devotee:
So Gurudev, I'm ending today's episode. My respects, Gurudev. Blessings, son, blessings. Maharaj-ji, my respects to you for taking the trouble to come here. Please come occasionally; you have an invitation; come now and then to see Gurudev.
Narrator:
I am very happy to have come to this ashram, to the Mother, to this Maharaj. I personally feel so good that it seems it would have been even more joyful if I had come before the evening.
Devotee:
While the talk was going on, there is a congregational chanting [Nam Shonkirtan] here. I don't know how you said you would have been happier coming before evening. But a beautiful congregational chanting happens here.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Every day at evening, there is congregational chanting. Since it's the Mother's temple. You'll feel joy just seeing the evening lamp ceremony [Aroti].
Narrator:
Yes, that's how it is.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
I mean, we are telling you in that sense, there is no grandeur here. I haven't kept any grandeur.
Narrator:
She adorns herself however she wishes.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Worshiping with grandeur creates ego in the mind. We do it in seclusion. Everything happens, starting from the lamp ceremony. Everything happens, but we do it very privately, so that people don't find out. This is our way. To avoid people as much as possible, that's our point. Nothing else.
Devotee:
Friends, I've finished for today. My respects, Gurudev. Blessings, son, blessings, blessings.