Prana and Soul
The prāṇa is life, and its management is the art of living. Ten prāṇas function within the body, with Prāṇa and Apāna being most crucial for inhalation and expulsion. Their meeting at the navel can awaken Kuṇḍalinī. Prāṇa is the guard of the soul; if prāṇa is lost but the soul remains, medical science may restore life, but it cannot if the soul departs. Pure prāṇa ensures health, our primary wealth. Health exists across five bodily layers, starting with nourishment from food. Fresh food retains prāṇa; overcooking destroys it. Cook vegetables with spices and water in a covered pot with minimal oil or ghee. Āyurveda favors ghee over oil for internal use. Chemical medicines can save lives but cause side effects, as they are foreign to the body's nature. Our long intestines are designed to process food, but poor diet harms them. Prāṇa leads to higher consciousness. Practice Prāṇāyāma and eat consciously. Avoid junk food, which becomes foul when chewed, and avoid alcohol, a destructive drug despite its medicinal origins. Choose a balanced, yogic life for longevity and happiness.
"Prāṇa is life, and life is prāṇa. We can compare our prāṇa to our soul."
"The first happiness or first wealth is good health."
Filming location: Fiji Islands
Up next
Only God can make You rich
A story illustrates the destructive nature of jealousy. While walking, I thought of you. A master once instructed me to recount a tale from 1966. It concerns a jealous man fixated on his prosperous neighbor. He performed austerities, and a divine voice offered a boon: a magical object granting any wish. However, a condition was attached: whatever he received, his neighbor would receive double. Consumed by envy, the man rejected the object, choosing instead to labor in poverty for fifteen years to avoid benefiting his rival. His desperate family later used the object, receiving food and riches, which the neighbor also received doubled. Upon returning, the man's jealousy erupted. He used the object to curse himself with mutilation, knowing his neighbor would suffer doubly, and finally destroyed the object, becoming a beggar. This shows how jealousy ruins oneself and others. Spiritual practice is meaningless without cultivating goodness, mercy, and kindness.
"God said, 'If you ask this kuṇḍ for one million dollars, he will give you immediately. But at the same time, your neighbor will get two million.'"
"He used the object to curse himself... and finally destroyed the object, becoming a beggar."
Filming location: Vép, Hungary
DVD 251
Shakti is everywhere
The unity of Śiva and Śakti is the non-dual foundation of creation and spiritual practice. The entire world is one family under one divine source. Śiva is Svayaṃbhu, the self-manifested source from the five elements, and the author of yoga. Śakti is the universal power or energy present in all things, not a gender. Every person contains this essence. Two fundamental powers exist from creation: Daivī Śakti, the divine power of protection and love, and Āsurī Śakti, the power of ignorance, hate, and cruelty. Darkness is removed by igniting the inner light of knowledge. All dualities in the body, like the two hemispheres of the brain or the two eyes, reflect this united energy. Through consistent practice and willpower, one cultivates the divine power to heal and achieve enlightenment.
"Śiva is the one who is called Svayaṃbhu. Svayaṃbhū means no one has created him—neither mother nor father."
"Darkness will not go, but we just make a little light within, in no time, darkness is gone."
Filming location: Martin, Slovakia
A Gathering at the Mahāprabhū Dīp Satsaṅg
This ashram is a center for yoga, culture, and harmony. It is maintained by devotees and supports the local village. People visit from across Europe and beyond for its peaceful atmosphere, clean air, and spiritual education. We offer teachings on Sanskrit, Indian scriptures, and European culture, maintaining a balance. The foundation promotes a sattvic lifestyle, including vegetarian and vegan food, emphasizing ahimsa. Veganism is a spiritual step to prevent animal suffering, like not taking milk from calves or honey from bees. Similarly, parents should care for their own children rather than use kindergartens. Preserve your native culture and language even when traveling; do not abandon your roots. Each country has its own beautiful culture. Yoga, especially the Sarvahitāsana practice, is the essential science for health of body, mind, and spirit. Practice daily. Avoid white sugar and junk food. You are welcome to visit this home anytime.
"Vegetarian is like a vegan, but more... very straight and very spiritual."
"Yoga is a science of the body, a science of the mind, a science of spirituality, and a science of the best practices."
Filming location: Strilky, Czech Republic
Questions and answers from Debrecen
A yogic path integrates self-sufficient living with disciplined practice. Begin a farm with both greenhouse and organic garden crops, developing it from a hobby into a community offering yoga retreats. The first spiritual step is dietary control: consume limited, home-prepared meals without sweets or junk food. Fast for four to five hours between meals, consuming only water. This discipline eliminates most bodily difficulties, strengthens immunity, and supports meditation, which requires a mantra. Prāṇāyāma cleanses physical diseases, and satsaṅg with virtuous friends is essential. Avoid all intoxicants, as they embody destructive energies. Prefer local, seasonal, organic produce; soy is nutritious only if organic. Raw milk is healthful, but regulations sometimes adulterate it. True practice requires organizing life around these principles.
"Meditation without a mantra is a body without a soul."
"Prāṇāyāma will tell them, 'Get out of this body! What are you doing here?'"
Filming location: Debrecen, Hungary
