In a free-wheeling interview with Rajat Sharma in 'Aap Ki Adalat', Bageshwar Dham chief Pandit Dhirendra Krishna Shastri expressed his desire "to study about ghosts and paranormal activity at Oxford or Cambridge University". In the interview, Bageshwar Baba also revealed how his mother blessed President Droupadi Murmu by putting her hand on her head and saying, "May you achieve higher posts" (Aur oonchey pad par jao).
Pandit Dhirendra Shastri disclosed several hilarious anecdotes about his stay in London, his meeting with the New Zealand Prime Minister and his extended fortune-telling session with the Mauritius President.
On study in Oxford, Cambridge
Asked on which subject he wants to do his PhD study, Dhirendra Shastri said, "My idea is to do some PhD work in either Cambridge or Oxford University on ghosts. I know all of you will laugh. In Oxford, Cambridge and several universities of the US, there are studies going on on paranormal subjects. 'Paranormal' means invisible forces (adrishya shaktiyan). To know about ghosts. My work is to dispel ghosts (bhoot bhagaana). In our country, some members of Andha Shraddha Nirmoolan Samiti of Maharashtra pointed fingers at me, and the same day I made up my mind (to study). I will bring my certificate, and I will work on facts. Till now, whatever I am doing is due to the blessings of my Guru. By linking with science and doing a PhD on paranormal activity, I will dispel negativism among people."
Meeting with President Murmu
Pandit Dhirendra Shastri recalled how he had told his mother not to put her hand on the head of President Droupadi Murmu because she is the Head of State. In February this year, the President had visited Bageshwar Dham to bless the 251 couples whose marriage was arranged by the baba.
Dhirendra Shastri said, "My mother is not literate; she lives in a village. When Rashtrapati Ji visited Bageshwar Dham on February 26 for darshan of Balaji, she attended the 'havan'. She asked, 'Where is your mom?' I replied, 'My mom is in the village, but because of police security protocol, she could not come.' Rashtrapati Ji said, 'Please call her here; I want to meet her.' My mom met Rashtrapati Ji in the green room. I had told my mom in advance not to put her hand on her head, as she usually does. When the two met, Rashtrapati Ji told her, 'You are very fortunate to have such a son, who is helping so many daughters to marry.' The two hugged each other, and suddenly my mom forgot my advice. She put her hand on Rashtrapati Ji's head and said, "Aur oonchey pad par jao." I caught my mom's hand and said, 'She is the First Lady of the nation, and there is no other post above that.' Rashtrapati Ji smiled and said, 'Let her bless.' It was a great moment (abhootpoorva kshan). Rashtrapati Ji was so humble. She did not take it amiss and smiled. She brought a saree for her and said, "Bahut accha hai."
His brush with the New Zealand PM
At his meeting with the New Zealand Prime Minister in June this year, Bageshwar Baba said, "The New Zealand Prime Minister came to meet me. I was tense, and there was pressure on my mind about what to speak. As soon as we met, he said, 'Welcome, welcome, Bageshwar Baba.' I replied, "Thank you, thank you, thank you." What more could I say? I didn't know English. At the end, I said, "Sorry, I cannot speak in English, but I understand."
"I will only give this advice to our people: do not commit the mistake that I did. Let your children study. Whether you give clothes or not to your kids, do give them education. If you give education and good 'sanskar' to your daughters, your work is done. It's not that we can't learn English. We can learn. We have the desire to learn, and at the same time, we should support Hindi and Hindutva."
Fortune-telling session in Mauritius
Asked by Rajat Sharma how he took out the 'parcha' (note) of the Mauritius President when he didn't know English, Pandit Dhirendra Shastri replied, "In Mauritius, I met both the President and Prime Minister. One of my disciples said, 'Guruji, it'd be better if you gave them blessings.' I was in two minds about what to do. I prayed to Hanuman Ji to help me. My Guru Maharaj helped me. Earlier, the time was fixed for 15 minutes, then it stretched to 30 minutes. A translator was there. I was asked whether I had the 'parcha'. I said, 'I will try to understand what is being said for the first 15 minutes.' Then my engine will warm up within an hour. I prayed to Hanumanji, and he kept my 'laaj' (shame). I told the translator, 'Tell him that such and such "lafda" (problem) is there, and there is something which I cannot reveal before others.' He sent away his security personnel and closed the door. He, the translator and I – three of us – sat for one and a half hours. I was served nice tea and water. I chanted Jai Bajrang Bali in my mind. The translator was happy. He later told me, "I never knew hamare sahab ke itna raaz hain (my saheb had so many secrets)."
Anant Ambani's wedding
Asked why the Ambanis sent a special plane to Australia for attending Anant Ambani's wedding reception in July last year, Dhirendra Shastri replied, "I was called there (bulaya gaya). The manner in which they arranged their 'vivah parampara' (wedding tradition) and mangalik karya and made the 'utsav' a 'mahotsav' with Sanatan sanskriti (culture) is amazing. There are many rich (ameer) people in our country, but their ameeri (richness) should be such that you have sadhus, leaders, actors, sants, and mahants all getting due respect and honour. I loved it. When they said, 'You have to come,' and when he (Anant) said, 'I won't become a 'dulha' unless you come...' He calls me Dada... I told him, "I have my 'katha' in Australia; I will lose my dakshina (donations); badi aafat ho jayega." He replied, "Aap tension na lo, aapki katha pe hum plane bhejenge." So they sent this big Cheel-Gaadi (chartered plane). It was nice. Sleeping inside the plane. There was an arrangement to take a bath inside the plane. Gazab ki hawai jahaz thi. Hum toh bhagwan se keh rahe they ki aise har baar bheje jo jo humko bula rahe. (To Rajat Sharma). Ab aapne nahin bheji (to attend Aap Ki Adalat), woh aapki kami hai."
Rajat Sharma: They sent a Rolls-Royce to the airport?
Dhirendra Shastri: The second time when I went to Vantara, there was a small event. Sach batayen jitne bhi hain, apne baap ki kuch bhi nahin. (To tell you the truth, whatever I have got is not my father's.) For me and my life, poori duniya mehmaan hai, aati hai, chali jati hai. I sat in the Rolls-Royce car. Mazaa le liya. Ulta gate khulta hai." (Its door opens from reverse.)
On his lavish lifestyle
When Rajat Sharma showed him pictures of him wearing branded glasses and a jacket, Dhirendra Shastri replied, "No, it was only one. Baaki toh bahut low quality ke 60 rupaye, 20 rupaye wale bhi hain. My disciples give them to me. They love me. They insist, saying, 'Guruji, aap ek baar pehen ke dikha do, hamen khushi hogi.' Hum pehan lete hain. I think, yeh bura nahin hai. I have never taken sanyas, nor am I a sadhu. When I am not a sadhu, there is nothing wrong in wearing them."
Shastri went on: "If rapists in our country can live in bungalows worth crores, if naachne wala can live in bungalows worth billions, then what's wrong if somebody gives a chashma to a sadhu? Woh bhi jee sakta hai, yaar. Yeh koi burai nahin hai. But yes, I do not have aasakti (attachment), nor anasakti (non-attachment); I don't have apeksha (expectation), and mana bhi nahin (there is no prohibition). Forget Rolls-Royce, did anybody show the news about how I travelled in a bullock cart in Maharashtra? Nobody showed that news. There was mud all around. I went in a bullock cart to attend a katha. We have done much good work, but nobody showed that, but everybody discussed my glasses and my jacket."
