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Every being, every phenomenon, and every idea inevitably requires its space. This is why we build nests, homes, and our space—and then this space builds us. This is what has brought us here again, to India, to Jadan Ashram. When we truly grow up, an inevitable question rises up within: who am I? In the turbulence of the struggle for one’s daily bread, it is not easy to find the answer. This is why we build an ashram, a space of active retreat, a space of calmness and contemplation. The word āśram means a place where we can do something good for ourselves and for others. Here we can renew and improve our physical health. We can regain our mental peace and social health, and create a balance between the inner and the outer world. Here we plunge into ourselves, into the ocean of the spirit, getting closer to the pearl of self-realization. All this has been made possible by the paramount jewel of earthly wisdom, yoga. Yoga does not require anything apart from what we have always had: our bodies, our breath, consciousness, and soul. Yoga is the science and art of conscious movement. It is the science and art of conscious stillness. It is a method of getting to know oneself and of self-mastery. Finally, yoga is the road of return to the original state of wholeness. That is why this āśram is named Om Viśvadīpa Gurukul. Because Om is eternal, divine wholeness. The human spirit and human hand are building this ashram as a helm to the impassable, a true bridge between the passable and impassable, between God and man, between Om and ourselves as the Guru. A Guru is the blessed soul who has attained a cognition of oneness. Everything that exists is generated from that oneness and eventually returns back to it. This ashram grows from the depths of such a soul, from the depths of Viśvaguru, Paramahaṁsa, Svāmī, Maheśvarānandajī. Such beings do not live for themselves; they live for us, for all of us. And holy saints are vah, sant, sant is those who are the sant, sa ant, who have finished all kinds of desires, all complexes, jealousy, these, that, all. As in any desert, here in this one, in the heart of Rajasthan, the key word is water. Here, the rains only fall during the monsoon, which year after year is becoming weaker and shorter. This is why construction of an artificial lake has begun as a key part of a wider project in harvesting rainwater. This lake will have the capacity to collect 250,000 cubic meters of water. All these dams and canals will direct the monsoon’s heavy rains toward the lake. Very soon, we witnessed the first rains. Water flowed. Life flowed. Here, each drop is a blessing. Each drop is a nectar for people, plants, and animals. For such a blessing, something must be endured. When the clouds dispersed, water covered the thirsty land. This was the first verification of the rain harvesting project. The water flowed straight to the lake. The blood of life has been harvested. This is now a reservoir of life, not only for the ashram, but also for many villages in this thirsty region. Now was the right moment to reforest the hill with soil dug out from the lake. The hill will hold a tree, and the tree will hold the hill. This is the symbiosis of sustainable development. As much as the rain was a blessing for the desert, it was also a symbol of blessing for the thirsty human soul. A blessing from an encounter with the king of spirituality, Holy Gurujī. Śrī Mādhavānanda Jī, Swāmījī’s Guru, is both the rain cloud and the sun, an eternally fresh breeze of saintly presence. He antarkaraṇa śuddh karne ke liye prabhu prārthanā aur prabhu kā smaraṇa, aur gurudev kī kṛpā, last me kā hai guru kṛpā he kevalam. To śiṣye ke param maṅgalam, jiske upar keval gurudev kī kṛpā hotī hai, to śiṣye ke lok par lok me parama ānanda aur maṅgala ho jātā. This is why you should remember the true Gurujī. This is the hymn of the Vedas. This is the hymn of the Vedas in your heart. The words that come out of the mouth of Paramātmā Mahāprabhujī are more than the Vedas. They take over the whole ocean. The following day, there was the festival of the dawn of consciousness, the light of consciousness festival. The day of Guru Pūrṇimā has dawned. Guru Pūrṇimā is the day of Gurudev’s glory and the ancient verses of Guru Gītā that are his hymn. All those who seek knowledge need a teacher, and one who seeks spiritual enlightenment finds a guru, a master, one who knows ātmā and paramātmā, soul and God. India has kept the spiritual knowledge alive and attainable to all through direct interaction between the guru and his disciple. This relationship always assumes the full commitment of the master and the surrender of the disciple. The relationship between guru and disciple is one of the most supreme, most pure, and most meaningful things on this planet. The warmth and love of the relationship between guru and disciple is expressed through guru pūjā, worship of the guru, who is a living revelation of divinity. This worship is the fruit of the cognition of many wise men and saints of India. The essence of a guru is not what he says, not even what he does. The essence of a guru is what he is. His cognition and his abode in the divine embody him as Sat Chit Ānanda, the supreme reality, supreme consciousness, and supreme bliss. Asat Guru is the supreme servant. He serves us with all his being in order to help us cure our most serious disease, the disease of ignorance, ignorance about our own true self. This ignorance has resulted in our divided selves, divided us from others, and divided us from God. An encounter with a guru leads us to oneness. This is why this is a day for hope and joy. The central celebration of Guru Pūrṇimā begins with a dramatization of the great epic, Rāmāyaṇa. The actors are children from the school that is part of the āśram. The guest of honor is the ambassador of the Republic of Croatia. To all of you who are here today, it is a great honor to be here with you. Today is a great day, a day when we should all bow to all the teachers. We should all bow to Gurujī and Swāmījī for all the goodness and kindness for the whole of Christianity. So in our scriptures, in our teachings, in our way of life, there cannot be any other great person than the Guru in the world for the disciple and for all the followers of the yogic way of life. Tamaso mā jyotir gamaya. Lead us from the darkness to the light. The first, very first day, when the first resonance was awoken in the endless universal consciousness, where the consciousness was dormant, the first was that resonance, the sound, that was the Aum. And through that sound, the second element, the second tattva, besides... The ākāśa, the fire element was created. And that first very moment was the beginning of Guru Pūrṇimā. Everybody wants to personally approach Holy Gurujī and Swāmījī, to see him and to be seen, to touch him and to be touched. This is a privilege of a Guru Bhakta. Bhajans, the spiritual songs and odes to Gurus, are sung all night on this night of an unforgettable full moon. In the monsoon, it is a great thrill to climb to the hill and look out at the progress that has been made in the construction of the ashram and the way in which the desert is being dressed up in its new green clothes. Sādhanā is an inseparable part of every day. India is known as a tourist destination, but for us, the true beauty of India lies here, in a place which recalls the presence of the divine soul, Bhagavān Sudīp Nārāyaṇa Mahāprabhujī. This ashram in Barikattu is a true garden of memories of his satsaṅgs. The light of his presence does not only dissolve here, but also in this small ashram outside the village where the perfect yogī spent decades of his long life. This little room testifies to the simplicity of one who was pūrṇa, wholeness itself. Near holy Gurujī, something of his life spent by Mahāprabhujī’s side is passed on to those who know what they really thirst for. And he who seeks shall find. With Gurujī’s blessing, Swāmījī has organized a reforesting of the ashram’s surroundings. On this day, under the slogan "Turn the Desert Green," several thousand trees were planted. It is in Swamījī’s nature to transform both jungles and deserts into gardens. Let life be long for these sprouts of hope. The future of nature is the future of mankind. Yet another visit to a place that was refined by the presence of one great soul. This home in Barikatu was often visited by Śrī Mahāprabhujī’s guru, Paramayogeśvar Śrī Devpurījī. His spirit of Paravairāgī, one who is fully detached and free in the world, the spirit of Śiva, has made this place an eternal magnet for all yogīs and gurubhaktas. Śrī Devpurījī mostly lived here in the Kailāś Āśram. It is best to just close one’s eyes and melt into His unfading presence. Sometimes you stand on a certain spot of the earth, and there is a kind of vibration, and all negative thoughts come. And sometimes you make such an action, and for your whole life you will be sorry for that. So, when you don’t know what to do, step a few steps away, and you will see immediately your mind will change. This is the Mahāsamādhi of Devpurījī’s Samādhi Sthala. His physical embodiment, that part of his mortal being or his body, the Pañca Tattva body, is sitting here. When you touch these stones, you have already touched his body. And the bhakta knows what it means to touch here. Gṛhastha sanyāsī kā koī kāraṇ nahīṁ hai, śād na karegā, amṛta pīyegā, vo amar ho jāyegā. Puṣkā nāma amṛta hai, amar honā hai, sab pāpa se nivṛtta honā hai. Tus mahāpuruṣoṁ kā nāma lai, Gurū Nānaka katā hai, śatguru nāma jahāṁ je caḍhe so. Utre Par, Jo Śraddhā Se Seve, To Guru Par Utar Anhar Śraddhā Karke Gurudev Kī Sevanā Kareṅ To Gurudev Par Uṭāreṅ. The desire to be present at Akumbhā Melā took us on a long trip towards the Indian state of Maharashtra. Every 12 years in the town of Nāsīk, the Kumbha Melā takes place. It is the great spiritual festival of purification and a quest for the nectar of immortality. The 20-hour journey passed in the best of spirits. Immediately on arrival, Swāmījī reminded us of the essence of Kumbha Melā symbolism. So immortality, nectar is that which you can consume. Consume, there’s no end. And because it is a nectar, ambrosia, amṛta, amṛtatva, amṛta, amṛtatva, it leads toward immortality. And that is beyond time and space. Maharashtra is known as the green belt of India. Lord Rāma, the great hero of the ancient epic, the Rāmāyaṇa, spent fourteen years in exile in the forests of this province. Here in Ellora, Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain monasteries in the form of caves are carved into the volcanic rocks, which are considered to be among the most beautiful, not only in India, but in the whole world. 34 caves were carved out between the 5th and 9th centuries AD. These breathtaking caves are real pearls for their exceptional reliefs, sculptures, and architecture. The true marvel at Ellora is this temple named Kailāśa, named after one of the Himalayan peaks considered as Śiva’s retreat. This is probably the largest monolithic structure in the world and is cut out of a single rock. Two million tons of stone were carted away to reveal this massive, freestanding temple with lively depictions of Hindu pantheon gods. Although this temple is of gigantic proportion, it remains one of the masterpieces of ancient times. In this country, wherever Gurudev appears, he is accepted as a source of joy and a source of wisdom. Deep Nārāyaṇa, Dina Brahma Upadeśa, Mādhavānanda Ānandabhaya, Pāyabhārata Deśa. So we all need to help ourselves to protect the country. We need to protect the Sanātana Dharma, and we should and we must protect all religions. No religion should be discriminated against, no culture should be discriminated against. Mahāprabhujī kī karāṇā, Mahāprabhujī kī karāṇā, Mahāprabhujī. Mahāmaṇḍaleśvaras are the pearls of yoga, the spiritual jewels of India. Here, this unique country is again renewing its unity. The center of this unity is the saints, the self-realized souls. Even though it was a cold, rainy, and windy dawn, people were overwhelmed by darśana, their meetings with Swāmījī and other Mahāmaṇḍaleśvaras. Eventually, we reached the bathing shore. Here, the excitement was at its peak. It was not easy to find a way through the excited masses of people. Surrounded by his disciples, Swamījī solemnly took his holy dip. Everyone wanted to be a part of Swamiji’s bath. Everyone wanted to splash him with the water of the holy river. After the bath, a visit to Shiva’s temple was inevitable. Unfortunately, only Hindus were permitted to enter the temple. However, what we saw from the outside was immensely rich in spiritual fervor. Paramārth jin kā dharam hai, śaṅkalp, ādhārum, vināś hai, dharam ke avatār kī, jai jai Maheśvarānand kī. Dharma ke avatāra kī, jaya jaya Maheśvarānanda kī. You can run away from anywhere, from anyone, from anything, but not from yourself. So this time is for you to observe. When you sit in meditation, your cidākāśa is a beautiful cinema hall. So let it play on the screen of your consciousness, the film of your intellect, which is made by your emotional problems. And your karmic, that is your karma. Not all children in India have equal access to education. This is why the International Association Yoga in Daily Life has launched a program to financially support children from poor families. The program is called Gyanputra and involves a large number of schools. The children are provided with the necessary textbooks, equipment, and clothes. The greatest joy for those who give is the joy of those who receive. A year ago, a school was opened in the āśram for 250 pupils. Here, in this oasis of spirit, these children were given a high-quality facility, attention, and an education. They have been offered a future. The Ashram transforms the ideals of mankind into reality. These cows have found their home in this gosālā, an asylum for animals. This retreat is compassion in action. It provides shelter, food, and veterinary care to these noble creatures that were sick and therefore rejected. Here, they were given back their status as holy. The place where Gurudev resides is a magnet for all those who seek, and hence for these exotic sādhus. You can try many things, but unless you have controlled the citta-vṛttis, it will not work. And that can only be through Guru Kṛpā. Guru Kṛpā He Kevalam. Therefore, Gurudeva bina kāraja naishare, without the mercy, the blessing of the Gurudeva, all your efforts will be meaningless. No one can help you. Be sure, no one can help you. Only you can help yourself to purify your mind. Because only two know, God and yourself. For God, it doesn’t matter. Why should he bother? God kega theek hai, bas God said good, I have started this charā charī kā khela. Let them go in and out, in and out, but you know that you are suffering. There is no God in such a way that He will come and say, "My child, come, I will take care of you." Not in that way. Because in the level of God consciousness there is no suffering. The fire truck and volunteer crew is another form of free help provided by the ashram during the summer and harvest time. This crew intervenes up to three times a day. When it is a question of saving lives, property, and harvests, the crew knows not of tiredness, as Swāmījī says, "Helping hands are worth more than hands that pray." When we are doing karma yoga, at that time we shall observe our psychic condition, the psychic state of our being in that situation. Now, what do you think? Karma yoga is such a technique where you can analyze your entire life and future life. The source of strength to help others and ourselves lies in sādhanā, in the practice of yoga. Only one who understands movement can control movement. Every movement is a sort of hunger. We only move when we have desires or fears. Only one who consciously masters the movements of the body, who masters the movements of breathing, who masters the movement of the mind, Purījī, Purījī... Here, every contribution is welcomed. Here, nothing is in vain. The following days took us to Jodhpur, yet another of India’s pearls. Here at the hill, over the city, in the āśram of Ajñīśvarī. Yoga in daily life has made it possible for these people to overcome their weaknesses, their stiffness, and their restlessness. All but beneficial yoga exercises have had an excellent effect. Touched by the strength of yoga, these people could hardly wait for the evening to see and hear Swāmījī. Where is the power to bear the power of titikṣā? You are meditating on your feet, so your feet are in pain. We have to go into that form, we have to travel in the Chidākāśa, we have to travel from the subtle body. Where? In our own Chidākāśa. And how big is our Chidākāśa? Our Chidākāśa is as big, as big as this entire Brahmāṇḍa. The delight of many, Swamījī conducted the morning sādhanā. This morning the subject is meditation. Liberation does not come through some postures of the body. Liberation will come through knowledge and Guru Kṛpā. Every evening, spiritual thirst was quenched by the words of the Guru. A new morning, a new yoga technique. Today, on schedule, it is Trāṭak, an excellent method for improving and balancing our emotional and mental functions. Try to gaze on the flame carefully. Try to become one with the flame. Swamiji has found the time to visit a school for children with hearing and speaking problems, deaf and mute children. The arrival of a yogī always offers something that can help. This is how our days in Jodhpur passed, between sādhanā, humanitarian work, and satsaṅg. Spontaneity is a precious Hindu quality. This poet composed an ode to Swamījī on the spot. At Jadan Ashram, the great day has come. This is the day of Gurujī’s birthday, the day of the embodiment of a gigantic soul who all his life has emanated the beauty of love and unity between man and God. Unfortunately kept in hospital by illness, Gurujī could not be with us. A stream of people flowed towards the āśram in order to participate in this admirable celebration. The guest of honor was the Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Śrī Aśokajī Ghelot. A photobiography of Gurujī’s life was solemnly presented. Mahāprabhujī kī kṛpā. Mahāprabhujī kī kṛpā. With us, a large number of our foreign friends are also here. I would like to acknowledge and welcome you on behalf of all the farmers here. Looking at your devotion, it is really appreciable and amazing. It is beyond our thought and thinking. Karo, jise ki viśva śānti banī rahe, prāṇī mātrā kī rakṣā ho, aur mānav kā bhī kalyāṇ ho. Bol Śrī Dīp Nārāyaṇ Bhagavān Kī, Dharma Samrāṭ, Satguru Svāmī Madhavānandjī Gurudev Kī. Today, our stay in India has come to an end. The heart of India is an ashram. An ashram is the home of the soul and the soul of that home. He is a Guru Dev. His word comes from an eternity and lasts for an eternity. God is endless, and His glory is endless. He is beyond our imagination, beyond the borders, and beyond everything.