I want to make one thing absolutely clear: just because a person is said to have the Goddess enter their body or experience a divine “possession” or “sanchaar,” it is not appropriate to immediately assume that the person is a divine soul, an incarnation of the Goddess, or someone who has received special divine powers. Such an experience may be a spiritual experience, but it certainly does not mean that the person has now acquired the power to solve everyone’s problems, predict other people’s futures, or has automatically earned the right to become a Guru. In my view, an experience of the Goddess may be the beginning of that person’s own spiritual journey. It may be a sign that the Goddess wishes that person to undertake worship and spiritual practice, transform themselves, engage in sadhana, chant the Divine Name, purify and discipline their own life, and move forward on the spiritual path. But unfortunately, these days we often see exactly the opposite happening. A person feels that the Goddess has entered them, and from the very next day they begin holding a “darbar,” or spiritual court. People start coming to them with their problems. Someone is worried about a job, someone about marriage, someone about money, someone about problems at home, and someone about health. Then, taking advantage of people’s faith, fear is created in their minds and money is made out of that fear. I do not consider this spirituality. Frightening people in the name of the Goddess, telling them that they are under some danger, asking them to perform certain rituals, give certain objects, pay a certain amount of money, and then claiming that their problems will disappear is not the path of the Goddess. If you have truly experienced the Goddess, your first question should not be, “How many people can I now bring into my darbar?” or “How many people’s problems can I solve?” Your first question should be, “What does the Goddess want me to do?” What do I need to change within myself? Where is my sadhana? How sincere is my worship? How much ego do I have? How much greed, anger, jealousy, selfishness and attachment exist within me? To what extent have I accepted the principles of the Goddess in my own life? These are the questions one must first ask oneself. Because an experience of the Goddess is not meant to increase a person’s ego; it is meant to reduce it. If one has truly received the grace of the Goddess, humility should appear in one’s behaviour, compassion should arise in the heart, a genuine longing for spiritual practice should develop, and there should be a desire to improve oneself. If simply because the Goddess is believed to enter us, we start predicting other people’s futures, claiming that we can solve everyone’s problems, and begin considering ourselves superior to others, then we have completely misunderstood the experience. I always ask one question: if a person cannot resolve their own problems, cannot control their own mind, cannot honestly examine their own karma, and cannot use spiritual practice to work through their own suffering, then how can that person possibly solve every problem of someone else? If you want to show others the path, you must first walk that path yourself. If you want to teach others sadhana, you must first practise sadhana yourself. If you want to teach others patience, you must first become patient yourself. If you want to tell others to give up their ego, you must first give up your own ego. Spiritual power does not mean exercising authority over other people; it means gaining mastery over your own mind. And this is where I also want to say something important about the Guru and the Guru-Shishya tradition. Simply experiencing a spiritual “sanchaar” does not make someone a Guru. Becoming a Guru is an extremely great spiritual responsibility. A Guru is not merely a person who sits before people, gives them mantras, or listens to their problems. To become a Guru requires years of spiritual practice, worship, knowledge of the scriptures, purity of conduct and thought, service to one’s Guru, discipline, self-control, and proper training within one’s spiritual tradition. In many Guru-Shishya traditions, a disciple is expected to spend a considerable period of time in the presence of the Guru, serving, practising sadhana, performing worship, studying spiritual scriptures, and following strict spiritual discipline. In some traditions, only after years of spiritual practice and after receiving the Guru’s permission is a disciple given the responsibility of guiding others. Therefore, the idea of “I became a disciple today and became a Guru tomorrow” is not the true essence of the Guru-Shishya tradition. Yet today, in some places, we see people accepting someone as their Guru, performing a few rituals for a short period, or experiencing what they believe to be the Goddess entering them, and immediately beginning to make others their disciples. Some even begin presenting themselves as Guruvarya, Sadguru, or as an authority possessing divine powers. I consider this deeply problematic. A person who has not yet truly lived the life of a disciple, whose own years of sadhana are unclear, and who does not properly understand the discipline and tradition of spiritual practice and worship within their sampradaya should think very carefully before taking responsibility for the spiritual lives of others. Therefore, do not blindly follow someone simply because they claim to be a Guru. Look at how many years they have practised sadhana, from whom they received initiation, what spiritual tradition they belong to, how deep their scriptural knowledge is, how they conduct themselves, whether they have their Guru’s permission, and most importantly, whether being in their presence increases not only your faith but also your discrimination, spiritual practice, discipline and inner purification. Merely having an experience of the Goddess entering the body cannot be the criterion for becoming a Guru. Such experiences may have spiritual interpretations, may arise in states of intense emotion or devotion, or may also have psychological or physical explanations. Therefore, such experiences should be approached with faith as well as discernment. If someone repeatedly experiences such states and they become distressing or disruptive to everyday life, there is nothing wrong with seeking appropriate medical or mental-health guidance alongside spiritual guidance. Faith and discernment are not enemies of each other. In fact, true faith gives a person discernment. Therefore, those who experience the Goddess should not immediately consider themselves special; rather, they should consider themselves a medium who has been given an opportunity to undertake the Goddess’s spiritual practice. Sit quietly before the Goddess. Worship Her. Chant Her Name. Look honestly at your own life. Recognize your mistakes and work towards transforming yourself. Experiencing the Goddess does not give you a license to predict other people’s futures, it does not give you the right to take money from people, and it certainly does not make you superior to others. Experiencing the Goddess does not mean that you have been awarded the title of Guru. Becoming a Guru means taking responsibility for people’s faith and spiritual well-being. Before accepting such a responsibility, one must first develop oneself to the level of qualification required for it. In my view, a true seeker spends many years learning, listening, serving, practising sadhana, working on their own weaknesses, and shaping themselves under the guidance of their Guru. Only then, if the responsibility of carrying forward the tradition is entrusted to them, do they accept it with humility. If someone had a spiritual experience yesterday and has already started making disciples today, we must certainly ask that person some questions. How many years have you been practising sadhana? Which tradition does your worship belong to? Who is your Guru? Who gave you permission to undertake Guru-work? How long have you yourself lived as a disciple and practised under your Guru? Asking these questions is not an insult to faith; rather, it is a way of protecting our faith. Therefore, my children, do not immediately accept someone as a Guru simply because you hear that the Goddess enters them, and do not immediately believe every grand claim that someone makes. Look at the person’s sadhana rather than their personality, their conduct rather than their words, their humility rather than their claims, and their ability to bring spiritual transformation rather than their miracles. True spiritual practice does not lead a person towards fame; it takes them inward. True devotion to the Goddess does not teach a person to dominate others; it teaches them to conquer their own mind. True Guru-shakti does not lie in keeping people bound at one’s feet; it lies in helping them recognize the divine strength within themselves. Therefore, experiencing the Goddess entering you is not the end; it may be the beginning of your spiritual journey. It is not a declaration of your greatness; it may be a spiritual responsibility placed upon you. If the Goddess wants you to accomplish something through Her, then first prepare yourself for Her spiritual practice. First become a disciple. First become a seeker. First transform yourself. Only after that should you consider whether you have truly attained the qualification to undertake the work of a Guru. Because a person who is in a hurry to become a Guru may be searching for a position, while a true seeker is searching for the path. And for me, the greatest things in spirituality are not position, fame, a darbar, or money; the greatest things are sadhana, humility, pure conduct, and surrendering one’s ego at the feet of the Goddess. The day a person begins to transform themselves is the day their true spiritual journey begins.