Stories about master and disciple
Sādhanā must be properly practiced as the guru teaches. Disciples sing bhajans daily and inquire to become yogis and understand sādhanā. If sādhanā is not performed properly, life cannot be good. The sādhanā given by Alakhpurījī, Devpurījī, and Mahāprabhujī is known by some. One disciple, Premānand, did difficult sevā, living only for his guru. Gurus, parents, and worldly bonds all present challenges. A student spent time at the ashram school but left to follow his own guru; later he became a brilliant yogi drawing many seekers. Another young speaker explained that buttoning from bottom to top is correct; top-down is wrong. He then asked for a lecture but the teacher wished to hear him instead. A tale tells of a father and son evading a ticket on a train. The son extorted money for treats, threatening to reveal his true age. Finally the father lamented that buying a ticket would have cost far less. Mahāprabhujī once sent a disciple out in blazing heat to beg for food. The disciple was told to bring back whatever was given. When the disciple feared being left, the guru promised to bring him food wherever he was. That is the true bond of guru and disciple. Among countless sādhus, perhaps only one or two are genuine.
"If this is not done properly, then it is not good; your life will not be good."
"Wherever you are, I will bring you food."
Filming location: Jadan, Rajasthan, India
Up next
A Gathering of Hearts
A gathering reflects the unity and discipline of spiritual practice. The seminar was peaceful, with everyone practicing love and devotion. Organizers worked tirelessly to create this opportunity. Participants came from many places, yet nationality was irrelevant. The focus was on shared humanity. Spirituality means purity, kindness, humbleness, non-violence, and respect. It involves prayer and meditation to purify the inner self. All five elements exist within the body. Life is given to live happily and peacefully. Yoga is union and walking one's own path without competition. It is about bringing human to human through kindness and respect. This creates oneness. The expansion of practice is through humility and friendship, not through claiming superiority.
"Spirituality is purity, kindness, humbleness, ahiṃsā, and respect."
"Yoga is union. What is the union? We are oneness."
Filming location: Strilky, Czech Republic
The Grandeur of Bhajans and Divine Remembrance
The grandeur of bhajans and divine remembrance fills the gathering.
The session was intentionally brief, yet it overflowed with spiritual potency. A request was made to Puṣpā, and one bhajan was offered with the possibility of another if it pleased the divine. The sisters sang with exceptional devotion and skill; their voices became vessels for the sacred and their singing pleased greatly. Such bhajans are not ordinary songs; they are pathways to divine remembrance. An introduction to the deeper significance of these bhajans will be given. This teaching will manifest tomorrow or the day after, illuminating the essence of devotional singing for all seekers. Life presents dualities like heat and cold, comfort and discomfort. Both sides of experience are embraced without resistance, and blessings are extended to all with the words ‘all the best’. The bhajans were very nice, and today is alright. The closing chant invoked holy names—Dīp Nārāyaṇa Bhagavān, Devpurījī, Mādhavānandajī—with reverence. Satya Sanātana Dharma was proclaimed as the eternal truth. The core teaching of non-doership arose: Nāhaṃ Kartā, the self is not the doer. Prabhudīp Kartā, Mahāprabhudīp Kartā, the divine alone acts. Only That Kevalam exists. Hari Om. Victory to Viśvarānandajī Gurudeva.
"Today’s session was brief; I did not intend to do only a little, but the magnificent bhajans from our sisters were truly great."
"Hari Om, Dīp Nārāyaṇa Bhagavān, Devpurījī Mahārāja Devakī, Mādhavānandajī Bhagavānakī, Satya Sanātana Dharmakī, Nāhaṃ Kartā Prabhudīp Kartā Mahāprabhudīp Kartā He Kevalam, Hari Om."
Filming location: Jadan, Rajasthan, India
Bhajan singing from Jadan Ashram
The refuge lies at the divine feet. By taking refuge there, one experiences supreme truth and bliss, becoming free from the cycle of birth and death. The mind finds its steady path. The Vedas and Puranas sing of this refuge. True devotion and knowledge lead to liberation. The divine name itself brings supreme happiness. The true Guru is incomparable.
"Charaṇamme Arasattati Ratahe, Vohela Purāṇamme Gāte."
"Mannava Dhire Dhire Chalga, Gaṅgā Charanare Bai."
Filming location: Jadan, Rajasthan, India
Bhajan evening in the Jadan Ashram
The senses are powerful and create the entire world of entanglement. The ten senses within the body are difficult for any yogi to fully master. The world is ensnared by their play, particularly by the lower senses like taste and procreation. All beings, from Brahma to animals, are bound by these senses. Their force is the great delusion that must be conquered.
"The senses are a powerful force of delusion; what has this entangled world become?"
"All beings of the world are under the control of these senses. What has this world become, so entangled?"
Filming location: Jadan, Rajasthan, India
