European
The 2nd Sri Swami Maheshwarananda Festival (1/5)
0:10 - 1:10 (60 min)
Welcome to the 2nd Sri Swami Maheshwarananda Festival of Spiritual Music from YIDL Ashram in Villach, Austria.
The truth is tapas
1:15 - 2:21 (66 min)
The Kumbha pot symbolizes the nectar of immortality, a truth within spiritual practice. During the Kumbh Melā, bathing at the sacred confluence during an auspicious constellation cleanses karma and bestows blessings. I took the ritual bath for all devotees, transferring the merits for their health and realization. The immense gathering generates a collective spiritual energy that awakens inner strength. However, the spiritual path is often obscured by false claims of psychic powers and siddhis. Many pretend to see auras or tell futures, exploiting pure-hearted seekers. Such lies are a great sin and a major obstacle. True spiritual power manifests naturally through presence and goodness, not for show or gain. Do not be deceived by those offering magical solutions or creating fear. Your focus must remain on genuine devotion and practice under a true lineage. Expectations lead to disappointment; be like the steadfast banyan tree, providing shelter without attachment. The ultimate goal is self-realization, ending all suffering.
"Satya barabar tap nahi, jhoot barabar pāp—there is no austerity more than truth, and no greater sin than to lie."
"Be that banyan tree which welcomes everyone, is never overwhelmed, and never sad."
Filming location: Strilky, Czech Republic
DVD 326
Practice makes perfect and healthy
2:25 - 3:27 (62 min)
Evening satsang with Vishwaguruji from Summer Yoga Camp in Vep, Hungary. Practice makes perfect. Yoga means and begins with discipline. There are many people suffering from illnesses. Focusing on the target is the main point in archery. Vishwaguruji explains the strory of the Eklavya and Arjuna to illustrate what it means to practice.
The Nature of Attachment, the Curse of Knowledge, and the Immortal Parrot
3:35 - 4:35 (60 min)
Attachment and the struggle for immortality are central to our existence.
Our actions yield blessings or curses, determined by divine justice. Attachment, or moha, is a powerful force affecting all beings, from deities to humans. It manifests as love for family, possessions, or status, leading to suffering when these are threatened. Even great beings like Śiva experience profound attachment, as seen in his grief over Śakti. Her disobedience and self-immolation caused cosmic disruption, requiring Viṣṇu's intervention to sever his attachment by dividing her body. Nārada's mischief often sows doubt and discord, exploiting this human tendency. The quest for secret knowledge, like immortality, is perilous. Śiva reluctantly agreed to teach Pārvatī, seeking a secluded place. However, her inattention allowed a parrot to overhear the wisdom. This theft forced the parrot into a cycle of rebirth, ultimately becoming the sage Śukadeva, who still had to seek a true guru for final liberation. The story illustrates that attachment leads to repeated birth and death, while true immortality requires unwavering focus and a master's grace.
"Love is the greatest. That love is God, and God is love."
"My dear, this is your skull... As many skulls as there are, that many times you have incarnated and died again."
Filming location: Vienna, Austria
Purify your body from poison
4:40 - 5:54 (74 min)
Our subject is the Kuṇḍalinī, the chakras, and human life. Happiness is within ourselves. Unhappiness comes from outside, from disappointment, but it also resides within. Like a shadow, death walks beside us always. Unspoken grievances become a poison stored in the body, specifically in the Viśuddhi chakra. A couple suffered for fifty years because she never told him she wanted the hard crust of the bread. Swallowing negative words creates this poison, affecting health. The mythological poison from churning the ocean was drunk and held by Śiva in his throat. Similarly, we must purify our inner poison through communication, forgiveness, and practice. Do not blame others. Speak humbly: say you are sorry and ask for forgiveness. Practice prāṇāyāma, like Ujjāyī, to cleanse this energy. What we eat creates impurities; a vegetarian diet is purer. Swallowed negativity can manifest as illness. Purify your consciousness through sādhanā, prayer, and mantra. Release negativity and proceed on a positive path.
"Unhappiness and happiness are within ourselves also. But if we use yoga, then this unhappiness will, all the time, be pushed down."
"Viś means poison. Viśuddhi means purification. How to purify this poison of our negative thinking, negative hearing, that all this is unhappiness and everything is within us."
Filming location: Garrison, NY, USA
Morning Yoga practice, Umag, Croatia (8/9)
6:00 - 6:42 (42 min)
Morning Yoga practice from the international Yoga retreat Umag, Croatia
Diwali Celebration
6:50 - 7:34 (44 min)
Jadan Ashram, District Pali, Rajasthan, India. Lecture by Swami Avatarpuriji. Explanation of the meaning of the world ashram.
Practice and try to purify your karma
7:40 - 8:30 (50 min)
Evening satsang from Strilky Ashram, Czech Republic. There are many beautiful apples, but some of them are rotten because a wasp infected them. When a person is spoiled, the wisdom that he got is lost. In the shelter of Gurudev, if the faith is not strong enough, some problems immediately come. A story about Kabir Das and the butcher. Those who are doing, will get the karma. The story of a man who wants to make problems for someone. Children have truth in their heart. We have to give a good message to the world. The fruit will show the condition of the tree. Karuna from Czech Republic speaks about Yoga in Daily Life helping biathlon athletes.
The Journey of the Soul: From the Ocean to the Drop
8:35 - 9:29 (54 min)
The soul's journey is from separation from the divine source back to union with it. The individual soul, or jīva, originates from the supreme oneness, like a water droplet separating from the ocean through evaporation. This droplet then longs to return. The cycle of the soul mirrors the water cycle: it ascends, travels, and descends back to earth, entering vegetation and bodies. Satsang is the boat to cross the ocean of separation, guided by the Guru or the holy scripture, which embodies the Guru's presence. Constant repetition of the divine name, like "Ram," is a highway to that goal. However, our physical actions create karma. We poison the earth and water with chemicals from soaps, cosmetics, and medicines, which is violence against nature and ourselves. True spirituality requires internal purity and non-violence in all conduct, as everything is counted. Liberation comes from realizing you cannot hide your actions from yourself or the divine.
"From the ocean, the jīva is in the water, the soul is in the water."
"This drop is called Jīva. And when this drop falls into the ocean, the Jīva becomes the Ātmā."
Filming location: London, UK
Active and passive meditation
9:35 - 10:29 (54 min)
Meditation is an ancient practice with two forms: active karma yoga and passive inner absorption. This world is a mortal field of action where all that is born will die and all that is created will be destroyed. It is also a living planet, a home for countless creatures, not just humans. Humanity's error is believing the planet belongs solely to us, using our intellect to govern and destroy it. There are two worlds: the perfect God-made world and the imperfect man-made world, which are now in disharmony due to human selfishness. We have become a destructive force, stealing from and harming nature for our comfort, leading to climate crises as nature's reaction. True success is not personal gain that causes another's loss, but action that considers all beings. Therefore, return to karma yoga—selfless, protective work—as your worship. After such active work, practice passive meditation by withdrawing the senses, surrendering burdens to the divine, and seeking oneness. Meditation requires techniques to concentrate and ultimately merge, allowing you to see the divine beauty in all creation, which physical eyes alone cannot perceive.
"Yogaḥ karmasu kauśalam—through the practice of karma yoga, you will be successful in your yoga practice."
"Mother Nature has enough for everyone’s need, but not for the greed."
Filming location: Strilky, Czech Republic
DVD 524
The aim of human life
10:35 - 11:31 (56 min)
Public lecture with Vishwaguruji from Martin, Slovakia. Yoga means uniting, harmonizing and balancing. Our earth is a living planet, in each and every cell of the body there is an immense amount of energy. The aim of the human life is to achieve liberation. Nourishment, breath, behavior and practicing yoga exercises, are the main points if we would like to be healthy and keep ourselves pure.
Yoga, the inner engineering
11:35 - 12:27 (52 min)
Satsang with Vishwaguruji, summer retreat in Strilky Ashram, Czech Republic. There are different levels of our being such as: Atma, Jivatma, consciousness/awareness, mind, emotion, senses, desires, physical body and energy body. There is an inner balancing mechanism to distribute energy to the whole body. With proper inner engineering we should avoid destroying our system. We need healthy seasonal eating and enhanced practice such as Pranayam.
The Sole Necessity of Guru's Grace
12:35 - 13:22 (47 min)
The sole necessity is the Guru's grace. Without it, nothing is possible. We may think we are okay without this blessing, but that is not true. This grace is the fundamental cause of everything. It brings the disciple peace, harmony, and true blessing. Our parents, who gave us life, embody this principle of blessing. All life in our community, including the animals in the street, are part of our protection and deserve our respect and care. Life is interconnected. In daily struggles, such as the burdens often carried by women in family life, people seek solace in prayer. The Guru's role is to provide peace and assurance during hardship. A story illustrates that ultimate sacrifice for another is rare; true selfless grace comes from the Guru. Therefore, only the Guru's grace grants the disciple true peace.
"Guru kṛpā hi kevalam. When Gurudeva’s blessing is there, then everything is possible."
"In the world, humans are also not like that. That's why there are yogīs and gurus... who sit somewhere... and actually work for others."
Filming location: Strilky, Czech Republic
The Four Aspects of Grace and the Path to Self-Love
13:30 - 14:03 (33 min)
The four aspects of grace culminate in self-love, which is essential for spiritual growth. Grace has four aspects: divine grace for human incarnation, scriptural grace from sacred texts, guru's grace from the teacher, and self-grace, which is giving mercy to oneself. Guru's grace is a response to the disciple's devotion and service. Applying this to oneself means loving yourself and giving that grace to yourself. Self-love is not ego, which takes, but a high vibration that gives. A key teaching is to love others at least as much as you love yourself, yet many struggle with self-love. A practical example is sending loving energy to your own body, which can have healing effects. The path to self-love involves three steps: first, accept yourself as you are. Second, seek to understand how you became who you are through self-inquiry. Third, from understanding comes the desire to give, including forgiving yourself. This process of accept, understand, and give is the essence of the teaching.
"Love each and every living being, if not more, then at least as much as yourself."
"We cannot really love others if we don't love ourselves."
Filming location: Strilky, Czech Republic
Unity, love, forgiveness, and devotion
14:10 - 14:53 (43 min)
Unity is essential, especially in challenging times. When devotees unite in love and joy, every day is a celebration. Humans possess intellect, but often lack awareness, bypassing the processing of information. True awareness must be present in all actions, from eating to meditation. Service and spiritual practice are incomplete without devotion and the right feeling. Do not be trapped in the past or future; be present now. We are united like beads on a thread of devotion. Physical spaces should foster openness, not barriers. Love yourself first to love others. Protect righteousness, and it will protect you. Forgiveness brings inner peace, releasing the grudge that harms only you.
"Whenever Bhaktas come, unite, and sit together, that is Dīvālī, that is Christmas."
"Forgiveness... gives us that sense of peace which we need."
Filming location: Strilky, Czech Republic
The Soul's Journey
15:00 - 15:53 (53 min)
The individual soul journeys through existence, bound by its karma and seeking liberation. The Supreme is primordial sound, Nāda. Our universal essence, Ātmā, is that sound. What we call our individual self is the Jīvātmā, a wave of that resonance. This soul flutters through time and space, experiencing joy and suffering. Upon death, no material thing or relation follows; only our good and bad karma accompanies us, creating destiny. This record is made instantly through our body, mind, words, and wealth. We are judged without mercy by cosmic justice. The human birth is a rare opportunity in this mortal workshop. The soul enters the body through destiny, not parental will. Life in the womb is a confined preparation. Birth is a cry, as we re-enter illusion. The aim is not worldly riches but spiritual awakening to dissolve back into the Supreme. Share wisdom and blessings; be a producer of light, not a consumer.
"Only two will follow us: our good or bad karmas. And that becomes destiny."
"Lucky are they, blessed are those souls that finally, by the mercy of the Supreme, got the human body."
Filming location: Strilky, Czech Republic
Protect the animals
16:00 - 16:31 (31 min)
A prayer for protection and balance in response to suffering.
An earthquake has caused loss and hardship. Prayers and ceremonies have positive effects. We are in Kali Yuga, a distracting age. Shiva will now balance all negatives to bring a better time. Messages suggest more challenges will come. We must act. First, protect all life: in water, on land, and in the air. Do not destroy creatures; love and feed them. From your own food, give a portion to animals. This protection of others is protection for ourselves. Spiritual progress is like drawing water from a deep well; negative actions can break the rope, causing a fall. We should also practice yoga: postures like Sarvahitāsan and prāṇāyāma. These bring health. Breathing is life itself.
"Shiva will balance all. He will bring that kind of energy so that all the negatives or distracting things will slowly, slowly be brought into a good position."
"If we cannot give them something good, then at least we should not destroy them or make problems for them."
Filming location: Strilky, Czech Republic
Be in the Living Presence of Gurudev
16:35 - 16:59 (24 min)
Spiritual progress rests on two pillars: motivation and practice. Motivation comes from teachings, yet clarity often arrives suddenly after long exposure. However, understanding alone is insufficient; you must undertake the practical journey. Practice requires continuity, not sporadic effort. Remote learning provides motivation but lacks the reality of a Master's physical presence, which is essential for receiving certain techniques and individual guidance. Some advanced group practices should only be done collectively under the Master's energy, as solo attempts cause difficulties. Yet, a daily personal meditation is beneficial. True experience differs from recorded representations; being physically present is transformative. Spiritual growth demands surrendering negative qualities like ego and greed. Theoretical knowledge alone is temporary; real growth requires internal change, honest self-acceptance, and the discipline fostered in a live setting.
"Yoga is not for the general. Yoga is individual."
"The seed you put in the ground has to die."
Filming location: Strilky, Czech Republic
DVD 410
Around the world - Pranayama practice from Mexico City
17:00 - 17:31 (31 min)
Pranayama practice.
Master should have equal vision
17:35 - 18:00 (25 min)
A master's teaching adapts to the student's background but arises from a place of non-discrimination. Teaching varies based on a student's inherent culture, like learning to cook at home versus from scratch. Language also shapes the delivery, as perfect translation of meaning is difficult. However, the true master holds no distinction in heart, like a sun shining on all. The story of Eklavya illustrates this: though formally rejected, his devotion to his guru as a statue made him a great archer. The master teaches from within, beyond speech, through divine love. Disciples who perceive favoritism are mistaken. The master knows each student's needs and administers many tests. True service is to see oneself not as a successor, but as eternally serving the guru.
"Love does not require any words. Love does not need any explanation."
"The master is like a sun, and the disciples are like all of us who benefit from the sunlight."
Filming location: Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
The truth is tapas
18:05 - 19:11 (66 min)
The Kumbha pot symbolizes the nectar of immortality, a truth within spiritual practice. During the Kumbh Melā, bathing at the sacred confluence during an auspicious constellation cleanses karma and bestows blessings. I took the ritual bath for all devotees, transferring the merits for their health and realization. The immense gathering generates a collective spiritual energy that awakens inner strength. However, the spiritual path is often obscured by false claims of psychic powers and siddhis. Many pretend to see auras or tell futures, exploiting pure-hearted seekers. Such lies are a great sin and a major obstacle. True spiritual power manifests naturally through presence and goodness, not for show or gain. Do not be deceived by those offering magical solutions or creating fear. Your focus must remain on genuine devotion and practice under a true lineage. Expectations lead to disappointment; be like the steadfast banyan tree, providing shelter without attachment. The ultimate goal is self-realization, ending all suffering.
"Satya barabar tap nahi, jhoot barabar pāp—there is no austerity more than truth, and no greater sin than to lie."
"Be that banyan tree which welcomes everyone, is never overwhelmed, and never sad."
Filming location: Strilky, Czech Republic
DVD 326
The Awakening of Consciousness: Kuṇḍalinī and Cakras
19:15 - 21:09 (114 min)
The science of yoga is the science of body, mind, and consciousness. Yoga is the eternal balancing principle in the universe, not a religion or dogma. The cosmic vibration, declared as OM, exists within and outside us. Human life is a precious chance within the cycle of rebirth. The human intellect can be trained endlessly, and dormant abilities within are connected to the cakras, or energy centers. The subtle body has 72,000 nāḍīs, or channels, for transmitting consciousness and energy. The mind functions between the subconscious and conscious, taking in impressions that become desires. The intellect's duty is to give judgment. We normally experience three levels of consciousness: waking, dream, and deep sleep. Past deeds create our destiny, or prārabdha karma. The Kuṇḍalinī energy and the cakra system are responsible for developing consciousness and freeing it from subconscious fears. The major nāḍīs are Iḍā, Piṅgalā, and Suṣumṇā, balancing emotion and intellect. Haṭha Yoga unites these sympathetic and parasympathetic principles. The awakening of Kuṇḍalinī is a divine process of becoming wise and calm, not a physical sensation. The cakras are located along the spinal column and are psychic energy centers. They are connected to the five elements and influence the body. Mastery leads towards liberation, the union of individual consciousness with cosmic consciousness. This requires lifelong practice and guidance.
"Yoga is not a religion, it is not a philosophy, it is not a dogma, but it is the eternal principle in this universe."
"The awakening of the Kuṇḍalinī is a divine process; you don't feel it as a physical sensation. You feel happy, as if in the lap of the mother."
Filming location: Zagreb, Croatia
DVD 188
Nothing belongs to you
21:10 - 21:28 (18 min)
Nothing belongs to you, and all things are impermanent.
Yoga's first principle is that nothing exists forever and nothing belongs to you. This truth was even accepted by those under a communist system. No wealth, friends, family, or even your own body belongs to you; all are temporary and will be taken. It is ignorance to think otherwise. Therefore, it is foolish to be sad when someone leaves. Only one reality exists—your Self or God—and all else is duality and non-reality. Everyone will disappoint you, but the Lord will not. A story illustrates this: a farmer dreamed a full life with a family, only to wake minutes later to a real family grieving a dead child. He wondered for which loss to cry. This world may be like a dream. Since nothing is permanent, do not ruin your life with sadness for what is gone. Have the memory, but do not be depressed. Be in deep rest.
"Nothing belongs to you. No wealth belongs to you, no friends belong to you, not your parents, nor your brothers and sisters, nor your husband or wife. Even this body does not belong to you."
"What comes, comes; what goes, goes. Therefore, do not be sad and do not be depressed. Be in deep rest, and deep rest is the best."
Filming location: Banska Bystrica, Slovakia
DVD 242
The 2nd Sri Swami Maheshwarananda Festival (2/5)
21:30 - 22:38 (68 min)
The 2nd Sri Swami Maheshwarananda Festival from Villach, Austria.
The 2nd Sri Swami Maheshwarananda Festival(5/5)
22:45 - 23:21 (36 min)
The world is a temporary gathering, a two-day festival of constant change. We observe this flux in nature's cycles, yet resist it within ourselves, seeking permanent safety. This impermanence encompasses everything; nothing in this mortal construction remains. We inherently know of something everlasting within our own Self, yet foolishly search for permanence in external, transient possessions like wealth and home. This outer search is part of the divine play of coming and going. The guidance is to turn inward through meditation and repetition of God's name, for only there lies the unchanging. The Guru is the giver who bestows immortality, his greatness felt through his radiance though he behaves ordinarily. Through the Guru's grace, exemplified by figures like Mahāprabhujī, devotees receive blessings, healing, and ultimate liberation. The saint's divine energy remains accessible, permeating the dense layers of reality, as the universe is consciousness and energy.
"When I meditated on my Satguru, I got mokṣa."
"All who were searching for his shelter, he made into jīvan muktas."
Filming location: Austria
The 2nd Sri Swami Maheshwarananda Festival (3/5)
23:25 - 1:13 (108 min)
The path is inner realization through the guru's grace and dedicated practice. All religions lead to one God. The breath is our primary nourishment. The guru provides the wisdom and practices to realize the Self, burning karma and ignorance. Meeting the guru gives life its true aim, reducing inner fear. Disciples gather in satsaṅg, which transforms consciousness like sandalwood perfumes nearby trees. The guru embodies the highest Self, appearing as a friend while guiding from absolute consciousness. Practice purifies the energy system so consciousness may glimpse reality beyond the mind's coverings. Worldly life is enjoyed but seen as transient from that higher state. Liberation comes by dissolving attachments and ego through mantra and purification, joining a thread of pure awareness.
"My concentration, all my awareness, everything is at the holy feet of my divine master."
"Step into your inner space, because there is the real game, and concentrate your consciousness to your beloved one, to God."
Filming location: Austria
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