Bhajan singing from Jadan Ashram
The yogi's sleep is a state of yogic consciousness where wakefulness is known within sleep, and day is known within night. It is a sleep without support, upon a white stone slab. In that sleep, one knows the day within the night. It is a sleep of knowledge, leading to the state of Nirvana. Through this practice, one meets the Supreme Person. The true form is revealed when one meets that Person. The guru's assembly reveals the true knowledge. The body is without a country; the divine person is wondrous. One who worships in this way is absorbed in the guru.
"Us nindrāme jagratā jāne, punirātri me divasu jñānī hai."
"Deha binā deśikānī hai, Deva Puruṣa dabhuta havāliyā."
Filming location: Jadan, Rajasthan, India
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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
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
Heaven and Hell
Time is a human construct, yet it governs all life. Humans count seconds and years, but time does not count for us; it moves in cycles with the sun. No being is immortal, not even deities who have their appointed times in each age. A creator may become an ant, and an ant may become a creator, as time brings all transformations. We grow and we go; this cannot be stopped.
A sage in the mountains received the Vedas and wished to study them for eternity. When death's messenger came for him, the sage repeatedly requested more time to learn. The messenger finally showed him that the knowledge he had acquired was merely a handful of sand compared to the vast mountain of wisdom. The sage then understood and departed willingly.
Our allotted time should be used for spiritual practice and good deeds. Pride and anger destroy spiritual attainment, as shown by a yogi who lost his power through cursing a bird and displaying arrogance to a humble woman. The knowledge and abilities we possess must be utilized, or they are lost. The breath is the rope of life; its length is unknown.
"Ṛṣi, till now, what have you learned? Only that much which is dust in your hands."
"You have yoga. Use it or lose it."
Filming location: Strilky, Czech Republic
How can we go on the path of spirituality?
The essence of human life and the spiritual path is revealed through sacred tradition. Human birth is rare and granted intellect and free will within a limited time. The purpose is to realize the divine Self, the all-pervasive ātmā identical in all beings. This realization ends suffering. The Guru is essential, considered greater than God for the seeker. The path requires balancing worldly duties with spiritual practice. Foundational disciplines like purity in diet and conduct are necessary. The eight limbs of Yoga provide the structure, beginning with ethical restraints and observances, not merely physical postures. True progress involves inward withdrawal, concentration, meditation, and ultimately union. Devotion progresses through stages of listening, remembrance, and surrender. The final knowledge stages involve merging one's consciousness with the Guru's, achieving complete detachment from all worldly objects and identifications. The journey is one road with many names, culminating in liberation.
"If there is someone greater than God, then he is the guru."
"That which liberates you is called vidyā."
Filming location: Jadan, Rajasthan, India
