Nature of our Atma
The essence of vṛtti and ātmā is the path to oneness.
A good vṛtti is seen as discipline and humility in one's life, observed by others. Vṛtti manifests in two ways: through external discipline from parents and teachers, and through one's inherent nature. It refers to one's actions and habits, such as seeking food beyond what is provided at home. The story of a man at a dinner, whose poor manners spoiled another's meal, illustrates an unconscious vṛtti. The ultimate aim is chitta vṛtti nirodha, the cessation of mental modifications. We are all one, like individual drops from a vast ocean. This drop, the jīva or soul, when it merges back into the ocean, becomes Shiva, the divine. The divine essence is within everyone, pure and indestructible. It is the ever-awakened truth, unaffected by the body or the elements. This inner ātmā is our true, limitless form. The path is through constant meditation and the soham mantra, realizing "He am I," to achieve this silent oneness.
"Stone by stone. And day by day, I will build it, my temple."
"Where are you searching for me? I am within."
Filming location: Vép, Hungary
Up next
Discover peace and happiness within you
Vishwaguru Maheshwarananda Public Lecture, Kosice, Slovak Republic. Vishwaguruji reveals the secrets of our birth. We come from the beautiful Universe with peace and happiness within. This kind of realization is awakened by practicing meditation.
The attributes of the Guru
The true Guru is the principle of knowledge that dispels ignorance. The name Sanjeevani signifies a prayer for success. We begin by invoking Śrī Gaṇeśa, the remover of obstacles and protector. The Guru is defined by the mantra: Guru is Brahmā the creator, Viṣṇu the protector, and Śiva the liberator. "Gu" means darkness, "ru" means light; the Guru leads from darkness to light. This is not a physical form but the capacity for mastery, like a pilot or surgeon whose knowledge transforms their function. One must pray for the divine to speak through them as an instrument. The Guru creates knowledge within, protects from negativity, and liberates. Follow the Guru's instructions as a student pilot follows a co-pilot. Liberation ends the cycle of birth and death, determined by karma. The soul's destination is shaped by actions. The Guru is the embodiment of knowledge alone, beyond duality, like the sky. All beings seek the same bliss. The true Self within is the Guru; one must awaken to this knowledge.
"Guru Brahma, Guru Viṣṇu, Gurudevo Maheśvara, Guru Sākṣāt Parabrahma, Tasmai Śrī Gurave Namaḥ."
"Brahmānandaṁ parama-sukhadam kevalaṁ jñāna-mūrtim, Dvandvātītaṁ gagana-sadṛśyaṁ tattvamasyādi-lakṣyam."
Filming location: Alexandria, USA
The Law of Karma: Our First Guru
The law of karma is the fundamental principle governing life and our first spiritual teacher.
Karma means action, a universal law of cause and effect like gravity. It operates through body, speech, mind, and wealth or position. Physical acts are obvious, but mental activities and emotions create even stronger karma. Using wealth or authority to instigate action generates multiplied karma for the instigator. This world is Karma Bhūmi, where we experience, create, and purify karma. The law's purpose is pedagogical, teaching through consequences to overcome negative qualities like selfishness and develop positive ones like compassion. It is a slow and often painful teacher, leading one to seek ethical guidelines and ultimately a guru for clearer guidance. Karma is stored as subtle vibrations in the causal body, accompanying the soul and necessitating reincarnation until all karmas are purified.
"Who cannot give life has not the right to take life."
"The law of karma is our first guru."
Filming location: Strilky, Czech Republic
You have to find the way
The inner world of consciousness is a vast, undiscovered forest. Consciousness resides within energy, which dwells in endless space, Ananta. Within consciousness lies our knowledge and intellect. When intellect intervenes, reality often disappears. The Ājñā Chakra is the crossroads where all desires and intellect converge. It is the border between human and divine consciousness, the seat of command and discernment. Intellect merely judges, while Viveka, or common sense, offers true guidance. This chakra presents profound dilemmas requiring decisive wisdom beyond logic.
"Consciousness is within the energy. Energy is within the space, and space is within itself. That’s called Ananta, endless."
"The border between our physical consciousness and higher consciousness: Ājñā Cakra... If we concentrate and create a knowledge or feeling toward the higher, then the Ājñā Chakra will guide us very comfortably."
Filming location: Strilky, Czech Republic
