Guided Yoga Practice with Āsanas, Prāṇāyāma, and Mantra
The practice integrates āsana, prāṇāyāma, and mantra.
Lie in Ānanda Āsana and relax. Stretch, then cycle legs at your own rhythm. Sense warmth at Maṇipūra Cakra. Sit in Vajrāsana for Mārjārī.
Focus on movement, then on breath. Feel the flexibility of the spine. Sumeru Āsana strengthens arms, back, and shoulders. It refreshes energy. Uttānāsana lowers interlocked hands to pelvis level, then knees. Akhāṛā nā Dhanurāsana forms a bow shape. This pose improves eyesight and concentration. Perform torso torsion, then Dvikonāsana, bending forward with hands clasped behind. Setu Āsana raises the pelvis. It strengthens pelvic and back muscles. Prepare for prāṇāyāma with half butterfly pose, stretching toward the toes. Inhale through left nostril, exhale through right for fifteen cycles. Then reverse: inhale right, exhale left. Conclude by chanting “OM” three times and the Nāhaṁ Kartā Śānti Mantra.
“This exercise is very beneficial for problems related to side muscles and scoliosis, and it deepens the breathing process.”
“This pose is very good for improving eyesight and concentration. It is also beneficial for bronchitis, asthma, and diseases of the respiratory system.”
Filming location: Umag, Croatia
Up next
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
Develop Your mental power
Vajrāsana is a foundational posture with profound effects. It enhances memory, calms the nervous system, and improves concentration. Physically, it relieves stiffness in the neck and back, normalizes digestion, and supports pancreatic and lung function. It aids kidney health and can alleviate hemorrhoids. The posture stretches the lower legs, combating fatigue and aiding athletes in recovery. It harmonizes the heartbeat and awakens the heart center, fostering devotion and clarity, which is why it is often adopted in prayer. It is recommended for five to ten minutes after meals and as a preparation for meditation. However, it is unsuitable for those with ankle, heel, thigh, or hip issues, though props can help. Yoga's benefits are gradual and natural, requiring discipline and consistent practice, not competition. Mastery comes from perfecting one thing, not attempting everything. The postures are part of an ancient heritage, and their systematic application is the teacher's work.
"It removes tiredness and gives you refreshment because the front muscles of your lower legs are stretched."
"If you practice one thing, if you master one thing, you master everything."
Filming location: Vép, Hungary
DVD 266
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
Shiv Mahapuran: Tulsi and Shankachuda
The demon Śaṅkhacūḍa’s invincibility stems from his wife Tulasī’s pativratā dharma. Nārada asks Brahmā why Viṣṇu went to Tulasī’s house, unveiling the origin of Śāligrām and tulasī’s sacredness.
Śaṅkhacūḍa, a Dānava born to Dhūmra through penance, gained Brahmā’s boon of being undefeated by gods. He married Tulasī, a yoginī devoted solely to purity. Their union amplified his power, and he tormented the gods. Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Śiva conferred. Śiva fought Śaṅkhacūḍa for ages but could not defeat him due to two protections: a Kṛṣṇa-given armour and Tulasī’s unbroken marital fidelity. Viṣṇu devised a plan. Disguised as a beggar, he tricked Śaṅkhacūḍa into surrendering the armour. Then, assuming Śaṅkhacūḍa’s form, Viṣṇu deceived Tulasī. Realizing the betrayal, Tulasī cursed Viṣṇu to become stone. Śiva intervened, consoling her that her mind remained pure. She shed her body, becoming the Gaṇḍakī River, while Viṣṇu, by her curse, became Śāligrām stone. Tulasī merged into Vaikuṇṭha and is ever worshipped with Viṣṇu. Śaṅkhacūḍa, weakened, was slain by Śiva’s trident and returned to Kṛṣṇa. The pativratā dharma of a wife grants immense strength; breaching it dismantles that power.
“Viṣṇu Bhagavān Śāligrām Ho Kar Rahe. Isliye Śāligrām Ko Viṣṇu Bhagavān Ke Pratīk Manā Jātā Hai.”
“Śāligrām ke andar me cakra Sudarśana cakra dikhāī detā hai, Viṣṇu kā. Gaṇḍakī me jāke snāna karegā, āśirvād milegā aur sārā pāp chhuṭ jāyegā.”
Filming location: Ujjain, India
