Develop your wisdom, do not steal
In Kali Yuga, imitation and stealing extend beyond money to spiritual works. People misappropriate scriptures, changing names, but holy words cannot be altered. The cow of wisdom is the intellect. Feed it with love and devotion, then the butter of discrimination arises. A man complained that past saints had taken all the butter, leaving only sour yogurt. The guru said: the cow remains; milk it with love and you will have enough butter. Those who merely copy from books are bookworms; they do not produce their own knowledge. True knowledge comes when wisdom seeds are placed in the intellect’s womb, born from knowledge and devotion together. Many become self-made masters, neglecting the guru, and wisdom lies in dust. The mind, once rich, loses everything through bad company. Leaving the shelter of the satguru, meditation and devotion are lost. Good deeds are forgotten, and one walks a wrong path. Patience, dharma, meditation vanish, replaced by tamasic desires. Keeping the eyes constantly at the master’s lotus feet restores all.
“The cow is our buddhi, our intellect. And there, if we use prem—meaning love, meaning bhakti, devotion—then the butter of viveka will come.”
“My concentration, my consciousness, my eyes are all the time in the holy feet of my Gurudeva.”
Filming location: Strilky, Czech Republic
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Nature of our Atma
The essence of vṛtti and ātmā is the path to oneness.
A good vṛtti is seen as discipline and humility in one's life, observed by others. Vṛtti manifests in two ways: through external discipline from parents and teachers, and through one's inherent nature. It refers to one's actions and habits, such as seeking food beyond what is provided at home. The story of a man at a dinner, whose poor manners spoiled another's meal, illustrates an unconscious vṛtti. The ultimate aim is chitta vṛtti nirodha, the cessation of mental modifications. We are all one, like individual drops from a vast ocean. This drop, the jīva or soul, when it merges back into the ocean, becomes Shiva, the divine. The divine essence is within everyone, pure and indestructible. It is the ever-awakened truth, unaffected by the body or the elements. This inner ātmā is our true, limitless form. The path is through constant meditation and the soham mantra, realizing "He am I," to achieve this silent oneness.
"Stone by stone. And day by day, I will build it, my temple."
"Where are you searching for me? I am within."
Filming location: Vép, Hungary
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
The Law of Karma: Our First Guru
The law of karma is the fundamental principle governing life and our first spiritual teacher.
Karma means action, a universal law of cause and effect like gravity. It operates through body, speech, mind, and wealth or position. Physical acts are obvious, but mental activities and emotions create even stronger karma. Using wealth or authority to instigate action generates multiplied karma for the instigator. This world is Karma Bhūmi, where we experience, create, and purify karma. The law's purpose is pedagogical, teaching through consequences to overcome negative qualities like selfishness and develop positive ones like compassion. It is a slow and often painful teacher, leading one to seek ethical guidelines and ultimately a guru for clearer guidance. Karma is stored as subtle vibrations in the causal body, accompanying the soul and necessitating reincarnation until all karmas are purified.
"Who cannot give life has not the right to take life."
"The law of karma is our first guru."
Filming location: Strilky, Czech Republic
Repeat the name of Gurudev
The human birth is a rare and urgent opportunity. The scriptures and all aspects of existence point to a single imperative. The sole necessity is to fix the mind upon the Guru's name. This precious human form is exceedingly difficult to obtain again. One must become truly human in this very moment. By being steadfast in this practice, the vision of the true Self is attained. Do not waste this fleeting chance.
"Oh lamp of qualities, Hari, fix your mind on the Guru’s name. This opportunity will not come again; be human."
"This is the totality of knowledge: to be human."
Filming location: Vienna, Austria
