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
Up next
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
Ashram needs dedication
Seva, or selfless service, is the highest spiritual practice. Karma Yoga, the yoga of action, is the most accessible path. It involves using one's abilities for the benefit of others, leading toward liberation. God incarnates to perform seva, and saints hold a unique power to alter destiny through compassion. True service requires dedication and freedom from jealousy, which harms both the giver and receiver. The foundation of all seva begins with honoring one's parents, the primary pilgrimage. Cultivating pure relationships through selfless action is the essence of yoga in daily life.
"Gurujī used to say that if you put Mokṣa on one side of a scale and Seva on the other, the side of Seva would be heavier."
"Whoever can perform Seva achieves everything."
Filming location: Vienna, Austria
DVD 235
Morning Yoga Practice: Āsanas and Prāṇāyāma
Morning yoga practice integrates āsanas and prāṇāyāma to awaken the body.
Begin with deep inhalation and exhalation, raising the upper body from the floor to stretch the neck and activate abdominal muscles. Shoulder stretches release tension in the shoulder girdle, preparing for later activity. In catuṣ pādāsana, legs stretch while the body warms, using full lung capacity. Kaṭi Cakrāsana follows with wide-legged lateral bending, keeping spine, shoulders, and hands aligned with the breath. Standing relaxation lets circulation flow through legs, arms, and head. Gūṇamānāsana is practiced seated, twisting side to side with both sitting bones grounded. Each twist squeezes the spine, releasing stale blood so fresh blood can enter upon relaxation. Aśvasan Chalana Āsana targets abdominal muscles through controlled leg movements; a lighter variation is for those with menstruation. After lying in Ānandāsana, observe any remaining tension and release it. Breath awareness deepens by following inhalation from navel to throat and exhalation from throat to navel. Leg stretches precede the meditation posture, ensuring comfort with pillows or blankets. Hands rest in chin mudrā, eyes close, and the body becomes still. Three Oms are chanted, directing circulation to the head, then the practice gently concludes.
“So, when we do stretching, it’s like we take a sponge and squeeze it, and all the water comes out. Then, when you relax it, new water can come in.”
“With inhalation, we just follow the flow of our breath from the navel to the throat, and with exhalation, from the throat to the navel.”
Filming location: Umag, Croatia
Being a human
Spiritual discipline guides one from ignorance to enlightenment.
Human life is a rare opportunity among countless life forms. Animals possess innate discipline, but humans are given specific principles—conduct, thought, diet, and recreation—to cultivate goodness and occupy the mind positively. These rules, including fasting and observing holy days, were established by sages to prevent negative actions. Every action creates a corresponding reaction, good or bad. By following these disciplined observances, known as saṃskāras, one progresses spiritually. Without such discipline, one remains bound to the cycle of karma and rebirth. The goal is to become absorbed in the formless, eternal Brahman.
"God knows everything, does He not? God knows what you will say, what you will do."
"Where there is action, there will be reaction. Good action yields good reaction. Bad action yields bad reaction."
Filming location: Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
