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The Path of Kindness and the Flow of Giving

A spiritual discourse and Q&A session on cultivating kindness, understanding karma, and overcoming personal blocks through selfless giving.

"Practice ahiṃsā. See yourself in others. If someone does something bad to you, how will you feel? The same is true if you have negative feelings or thoughts toward others; they will feel it too."

"The best way is to give. Give some seeds to the birds. Give water to the flowers... Give, give, give. Yes, we are coming here for giving."

A Swamiji leads the session, beginning with teachings on kindness and the principle of ahiṃsā, illustrated by the story of the saint Dadhīci Ṛṣi. He then answers questions on the accumulation of karma and how to overcome creative and energetic blocks, emphasizing the transformative power of generosity. He shares the story of Max Muller to illustrate faith and concludes by detailing the many forms of helpful giving that purify karma and open spiritual pathways.

Filming location: Kranj, Slovenia

Softness and kindness in heart and in speech. How does one attain kindness in speech and heart? Practice ahiṃsā. See yourself in others. If someone does something bad to you, how will you feel? The same is true if you have negative feelings or thoughts toward others; they will feel it too. Several thousand years ago, there lived a great saint named Dadhīci Ṛṣi. At that time, there was a demon, a Rākṣasa, whom no one could kill. This Rākṣasa was immortal and was killing all creatures and humans. There was only one instruction from God: if a person donated his bones while still alive—if his bones were taken out to make arrows and bows—and if they shot with these, the demon would die. Otherwise, there was no way to kill him. Now, many of us may donate our organs after death. But who can donate while living? Especially to have one's bones taken out. There was one great ṛṣi, Dadhīci Ṛṣi, and he donated his bones for the well-being of humans and all other creatures. So if there is a donor in the world, it is like Dadhīci Ṛṣi. He said, "Do not do to others what you do not like to be done to you." If someone is cruel or negative toward you or tries to harm you, how would you feel? The same applies if you do it to others; they will feel it too. It is so great that this ṛṣi said, "Do not do to others those things which you do not like done to you." There is a very beautiful Sanskrit mantra śloka for this. The same principle was repeated afterward in the Bible, but it was first said by Dadhīci Ṛṣi. The great saint Tulsīdāsjī said in the Rāmāyaṇa—the Rāmāyaṇa is a holy book for Hindus, the life story of God Rāma—"The roots of dharma, or where dharma stands firm, its foundation, is kindness. And the root or cause of sin is pride and ego." Therefore, Tulsīdāsjī said, "Do not give up dayā, mercy, as long as you have life in your heart." So feel love for all in your heart. Dear Swamiji, does the jīvātmā, when it first gets a human body, have karma and destiny? Or does it start collecting and creating karma with the human body? Yes, the pollution begins as soon as individuality begins to exist in this universe, whether in a human body or another body. "Pollution" here means karma. There are two kinds of pollution: physical pollution and mental pollution. The most dangerous is mental pollution. So, day by day, pollution increases. You clean a table every day, and every day you will see dust on it. Therefore, prayers, mantras, and meditation are for the purification of the antaḥkaraṇa, which means the purification of karmas. If you do not wash yourself for a few days, how do you feel? Similarly, if you do not practice your prayers, mantras, and meditation, how do you feel? Mahatma Gandhījī said, "Physically, I can fast; mentally, I cannot fast." My mental tonic is my prayers, and that is my strength. Therefore, humans should pray and practice mantra every day. One saint said that even animals and birds remember God morning and evening. Dear Swamiji, my creative energy is blocked. I cannot do anything creative. That makes me worried. Please, what technique can help me? Learn to give. When you feel you have some kind of block, physically or psychically, something is wrong. How to open it? The best way is to give. Give some seeds to the birds. Give water to the flowers. Give some flowers to your friends who will not misunderstand. Otherwise, if you come with flowers, he or she might think differently. Do this with the awareness of the days and the call, which I explained yesterday morning and the day before yesterday evening. Days and calls are very important; we should act according to the situation and place. Give a birthday present. Give children something. Give a donation. Give, give, give. Yes, we are coming here for giving. It is a very good question, thank you. Now you have to open your heart. It does not matter if you close your heart, but open your money purse, or just sign a check. This is mostly for all of Ljubljana and the suburbs of Ljubljana. Of course, others are also most welcome. We do not have any discrimination; we do not have differences. A very important point. The question was very good: how to open the blocks? There are different kinds of blocks: karmic blocks, emotional blocks, energy blocks, money blocks, problems. The problems are blocked; they are with you all the time. The constellations, many, many things. So I am telling you very seriously, not as a joke, some Mahātma, a great saint, said, "Water is good when it is flowing. If it remains stuck, it will start to smell." Similarly, Lakṣmī should move. Wealth should move; it should not be stuck. A good businessman makes investments, investing money. One who is not a businessman puts it in the bank, just concentrating on what percentage he will get—that is also an investment. It means the flow. And the sādhu, the saint, should always travel and should not stay in one place. If he stays in one place, then attachment will develop. Therefore, always changing place, one remains pure. And Mahāprabhujī said something opposite, but that is difficult. Mahāprabhujī said, "Water should remain in one place, but it should be very deep water, a lot of water," like an ocean. If the ocean moves, there will be another tsunami disaster. And the sādhu should be in one place, which is good, but only if he is truly spiritual. So giving needs great energy, a big heart. Every creature acts for its family. Every human builds houses for their family, making a nice house and room for children—this for that, this for Anička, this for Naťačka, this for Paťačka, this for Josefka. And when the children are grown, they go away. The whole house is empty, with no one even to look after it or clean it, and very soon the old people will be moved to the old age home. So rare are those who are building and helping for the benefit of all, for spirituality, for the well-being of human society and all creatures—humanitarian, veterinarian, and environmental protection. We are all saving money for our house, for our children, for this and that. And one day we will go away, and everything will remain here. Everything may go into the wrong hands. With this kind of thinking, people built churches, mosques, temples, and Dharamsalas. This is called an inn where people can stay free, similar to something like a youth hostel where it does not cost much—free staying, sleeping. It is also called Annakṣetra, free eating, what you might call the monastery soup. Anyone can go; you will get lunch, something. In India, we have a number of Annakṣetras. These Annakṣetras have been running for thousands of years, and every day thousands upon thousands of people eat there. No one knows from where the money comes, and it never ends. There is one story. In Kansas City in America, there lived a man named Max Muller. He was very ill, and no medicine could help him. Someone told him about a country very far away, India—its spirituality, its yogīs. He and his wife took a steamer (because at that time there were no airplanes), and it took them a long time to come to India. They were searching for some masters. It is also not easy to find the right master. Luckily, they found some very great saints. He taught him meditation, mantra, and prayer. He said the best medicine, the best remedy, is meditation and prayer. You need faith, confidence. And when someone has no help anywhere, no other hope, only this one, then one has real confidence. And he got healthy. So he went back to America and founded a society, and made a meditation prayer hall, a prayer society. There was a hostel. Students used to come there to study spirituality and meditation, and that center was run only through donations. One day, at 11 o'clock, the director of the hostel came to Mr. Max Muller and said, "Sir, we have nothing in the kitchen, and at 12 o'clock it will be lunch time. You know how these students are: they will ring the bell, they will come, but what will we serve them? We have nothing." Max Muller asked why he had not been told yesterday. The director said they thought it would come, it would come, but it did not. So Max Muller said, "Okay, ring the bell at 12 o'clock." But the director said, "But there is nothing." He said, "Go, I told you, and do not disturb me. I am going to my meditation hall." And he went to the meditation hall and was praying. At 11:40 a.m., one man came and wanted to talk to the director. The director met him. That man said the mayor of the town had organized a meeting and lunch for many people. Unfortunately, someone died, and the meeting had to be cancelled. But the catering they ordered was already prepared, and they did not know what to do. So someone advised them to bring it to the meditation center. "Please accept it. Nice, warm, sāttvic, vegetarian food." Meat consumption increased in people's minds after the Second World War and the First World War. Otherwise, people were not eating so much meat every day. Maybe occasionally, those who were not vegetarian. This is a wrong idea in people's minds: high society, high society means alcohol and meat. Alcohol and meat are not high society; it is a lower society. High society is sāttvic—simple living and higher thinking; that is high society. But everyone tries this, and unfortunately, animals are suffering. So, very nice catering; the food was prepared. There were two or three kinds of vegetables, bread, rice, different kinds of rice, cake, salad, and many, many things. The director said, "Okay, welcome." So, ten minutes before twelve, the truck came. From the back side of the kitchens, they opened up and delivered all the food into the kitchen. At twelve, they rang the bell. All the students ran and came with their own pot, plate, and spoon into the dining room. They were surprised, as it was like a feast. "Oh my God, such good eating today." The director went to Max Muller with a nice plate to serve him, and Max Muller smiled. He said, "I am surprised. From where do you have such good food?" And the director told him the story. Max Muller closed his eyes and said, "Thank you, Gurudev." Faith, confidence. Faith can melt rocks. You need faith, no question why, no doubt. Doubt is like a good salad but with some sand inside, or a good cake with some sand inside. So faith can do everything. There are many, many places called Annakṣetra, and one never knows from where and how it comes. One drop fills the pot. If there are a hundred people, everyone has one stick in their hand; it is just a walking stick. But if one person had to carry the hundred sticks, it becomes a heavy weight. So that is how humanitarian work, for the well-being of society, is helped; people are helping. If you give one dollar, God gives you two dollars. If you give five, He will give you ten. God gives us more than what we are giving. And it is said: "Everything is Yours, Lord. You have given to me. Yours, I am offering to You. What do I lose? Nothing." That is called helping. Helping hands have more value than folded hands. Folded hands mean, "Sorry, I cannot help you." So do not say, "Sorry, I cannot help you." You can help. And not only with money; there are many different kinds of help. God has given everyone something which is that person's richness. Intellectual help is also great help. You have a talent for writing something, singing, playing instruments, paintings. If you have physical strength, help others. God gave you strong arms not to box someone, but to help someone. Physical, mental, emotional, material, social, political, religious, spiritual—there are many ways to help. That will let you open all the blocks. The energy will start flowing, and the door will be open for you, all the way to the Brahmaloka. Not the red carpet, but it will be the golden carpet. The red carpet means the blood, the material world. The golden carpet, the white carpet, means the Brahmaloka. All blocks will open in this way.

This text is transcribed and grammar corrected by AI. If in doubt what was actually said in the recording, use the transcript to double click the desired cue. This will position the recording in most cases just before the sentence is uttered.

The text contains hyperlinks in bold to three authoritative books on yoga, written by humans, to clarify the context of the lecture:

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