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Part 1: The Light of the Divine Within: A Satsaṅg on Mahāprabhujī’s Mahāsamādhi Oṃ Dīpa Choṭī Parabrahma Dīpaṃ Sarve Mohanāhaṃ Dīpaṃ Sarjate Savasādyam Dīpaṃ Sarāv Satyam Oṃ Pūrṇamadaḥ Pūrṇamidaṃ Pūrṇāt Pūrṇamudacyate Pūrṇasya Pūrṇamādāya Pūrṇamevāvaśiṣyate Oṃ Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ Oṃ Dyoḥ Śāntiḥ, Antarikṣaṁ Śāntiḥ, Pṛthivī Śāntiḥ, Āpaḥ Śāntiḥ, Oṣadhayaḥ Śāntiḥ, Vanaspatayaḥ Śāntiḥ, Viśvedevāḥ Śāntiḥ, Brahma Śāntiḥ, Sarvaṃ Śāntiḥ, Śāntireva Śāntiḥ, Samaśāntire Dī Oṃ Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ Oṃ Tryambakaṃ Yajāmahe Sugandhiṃ Puṣṭivardhanam Urvārukamiva Bandhanān Mṛtyormukṣīya Māmṛtāt Oṃ Tryambakaṃ Yajāmahe Sugandhiṃ Puṣṭivardhanam Urvārukamiva Bandhanān Mṛtyormukṣīya Māmṛtāt Nāhaṃ Kartā Prabhuḥ Dīpaḥ Kartā Mahāprabhujī kārata he kevalam. Oṃ Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ Siddhip Nārāyaṇabhagavānak Gītā. Dear friends around the world, I greet you from the Guruji’s āśram in Vienna on the occasion of Mahāprabhujī’s Mahāsamādhi day, which takes place tomorrow. Tomorrow Swāmījī will, for the first time, participate in the webcast from Nepal, and today we have this satsaṅg here in Vienna. What can one say about Mahāprabhujī? I did not know Mahāprabhujī personally, yet Mahāprabhujī is living inside of me and inside all the bhaktas of Swāmījī. I have been with Swāmījī for a long time—35 years—but I was not immediately connected with Mahāprabhujī. Nor was I connected to the knowledge Swāmījī gave. It took me quite a long time to understand what a master truly means, because in our culture we lack this tradition of devotion, this respect; we do not naturally know what a master is. I have had the opportunity to know Holy Gurujī and Swāmījī for a very long time and very closely. Holy Gurujī dedicated his whole life to Mahāprabhujī. Whenever something extraordinary happened—like when he blessed families so they would receive children, or when he prevented accidents from occurring, and one time he even prevented the house I was living in from catching fire—he never took credit upon himself. He always said, “It is only Mahāprabhujī. Mahāprabhujī is doing everything.” Thus Mahāprabhujī is also the Iṣṭa Deva of Swāmījī. As I mentioned, I had no connection at first, partly because our different culture and education kept my heart closed to listening to these words. I remember one time we were at the Śikāṇedā Gāse. You know, Śikāṇedā Gāse is the oldest āśram here in Vienna, the āśram in the center of the city from which Yoga in Daily Life spread to the whole world. It was here that Swāmījī developed the entire system. In the beginning, when we were with him, there were only about 14 to 20 disciples; now we have thousands of disciples around the globe, and it was from this center in Vienna that the message of Mahāprabhujī radiated everywhere. Today we also had the opportunity to step into that divine hall, into that divine temple of the Śikāṇedā Gāse. I can only tell you: whenever you come to Europe, or if you ever come to Austria, make sure, as a disciple of Swāmījī, to visit this āśram. Swāmījī spent so many years here—living there, teaching there—and the radiance and prāṇa are so strong that within two minutes you enter a very deep concentration and truly feel the presence of Mahāprabhujī. I was there today for only about seven or eight minutes. On special days like Guru Pūrṇimā, and also on the Mahāsamādhi days of our masters, the vibration is much stronger than on other days. So on these days it is good to meditate, to go inside, to take the picture of Mahāprabhujī and try to have a conversation with him. Listen to what he wants, to what he tells you. This is a very important thing. We have so many meditation techniques, and one of our most renowned is the Self-Inquiry Meditation of Yoga in Daily Life. Once Swāmījī was asked in a seminar, “Swāmījī, please tell us, what is the best meditation technique?” He gave a wonderful answer. He said, “The easiest way is to go into your heart and simply connect with and feel your personal godhead there.” And Mahāprabhujī is this divinity residing in our heart. If we are able to do this, then the light of wisdom, knowledge, guidance, and protection is with us. We are all under the protection and guidance of Mahāprabhujī. Another time, after a yoga class, Swāmījī said, “All of you are connected with Mahāprabhujī.” It doesn’t matter who is listening or whether you are in the first class of Yoga in Daily Life or you have been with us for many years—you are connected with him, because we are connected with Swāmījī and with Yoga in Daily Life. The chain of knowledge, the chain of wisdom, flows from one master to the next. When Swāmījī said this, I could not really understand, because at that time I had no connection to Mahāprabhujī. As I told you, it took me quite a while. In my early days, I even tried to convince Swāmījī that it was not necessary to have a personal God, that a nirguṇa form—a formless God—was enough, and that to express my bhakti, I needed no form for adoration. Then Swāmījī said, “You are all connected with Mahāprabhujī.” And I thought, “Even if I believe only in the light, the cosmos, the superconscious, I too am connected with Mahāprabhujī?” Swāmījī smiled and said, “Yes, you are also connected.” But after some years, I knew something was missing. I practiced many exercises, levels, āsanas, prāṇāyāma, yet my heart was not open to receive the blessings of the Gurudev. I felt it very strongly—something was missing, and I was not progressing anymore in my sādhanā. I spoke with a very dear friend about this lack, and told her I had no personal God in that way. She said, “You know, I speak with God all the time.” She was a very grounded person, not a dreamer. She said, “When I drive the car, I speak with him; in the morning I speak with him; at lunchtime, all the time I am speaking with him.” I thought, “My goodness.” Her way of speaking with him impressed me deeply. She said, “It’s very simple. You just have to call him.” After I left her, I thought, “I don’t know if I really want to call him. That is very demanding.” It seemed too much to ask. But I had another idea. I said, “Okay, if you exist, Mahāprabhujī, you will show me. In the next week, I request you, give me some signs.” That was it—I thought maybe he would give me some signs. At that time I had a dental clinic, and I was passing through a very difficult period financially. I was at the bank, there was shortage everywhere, and I did not know at all how to pay all the fees. You may know this kind of feeling. My clinic is on the border of Vienna, not in the center where the rich people are, but more in a working-class area. And you know what happened that week? A sheikh from Saudi Arabia came to my clinic. This is a true story. In the 28 years I had that clinic, never before and never afterwards did a sheikh from Saudi Arabia walk in. He was directed to me by someone who knew me. I did extensive work for him—upper and lower part—and I charged Saudi Arabian prices, a little more golden than Viennese prices. And this saved my financial situation. The second thing that happened the same week: I had been applying for a small flat in the same building for about a year, to have a place for meeting people, speaking, relaxing, and so on. I hadn’t received an answer. That week they phoned me and said, “You will get the flat,” and at a very low rate. So I had a room where I could also practice yoga. That was the second thing. These events, in short, convinced me that it is better to have a personal God. He is very concrete, truly taking care of us. What is really important is never to think that he is far away. Always remember that God is in our heart, which means within us, very near. If we do not know this, we cannot enter into dialogue. And he is always waiting for us to have this dialogue. In all holy scriptures, it is described that the Ātmā resides in your heart: in the Bhagavad Gītā, by Śaṅkarācārya, in the Upaniṣads—everywhere. To feel this presence is divine. Mahāprabhujī lived very simply and thought highly. Whenever I go to Kathu in Rajasthan, we are truly blessed to be able to visit his original room where he lived and preached. Whenever you have the occasion, please visit this wonderful place. Swāmījī also built an āśram in the village of Kathu, with very big halls and temples. There Mahāprabhujī gave satsaṅg under the banyan tree. I remember the time when there was nothing in Kathur—no big āśram, just one small house in the middle of the area and a very large banyan tree. Mahāprabhujī gave satsaṅg there to his disciples. We are fortunate to have so many direct messages from Mahāprabhujī through Holy Gurujī, who wrote the Līlā Amṛta, recounting the life and miracles of Mahāprabhujī, and through his bhajans, he speaks to us. In all his bhajans, Mahāprabhujī constantly describes and speaks about satsaṅg, just as Holy Gurujī did and Swāmījī does. He gave many satsaṅgs, and during them he would sing bhajans. So our bhajan book is actually a collection of jewels—it is the direct message of Mahāprabhujī to us. That is why our bhajans are very, very important. In every satsaṅg it is good to read the translations and understand what Mahāprabhujī wants to tell us. I chose a particular bhajan—not a small one, but a significant one—that Swāmījī used to sing and explain very often many years ago. It is a jñāna bhajan, connected with knowledge, as opposed to bhakti bhajans connected with love and devotion. In this bhajan, two parrots are speaking with each other about the meaning of life. Suvā, representing the jīvātmā, speaks to Menā, who represents the mind. Suvā says: “Listen, my dear Menā, you should enjoy the spiritual life most of all, because this is the real aim of life. The whole world is only illusion. You are constantly flying from one branch to another, from one desire to another, eating the poisoned fruits of passion. Those fruits are only a fata morgana—unreal. Your happiness, your experiences, are very short; you cannot hold them, they will not stay with you. Do not be proud of this.” Mahāprabhujī tells us that the sweetness of Māyā is only an illusion. When we leave this park—when we pass away—who knows if we will ever come again? So be aware of how precious this life is, and every moment ask, “What is the aim of our life?” Then Mahāprabhujī gives us the means: to understand that all this is illusion, concentrate on the mantra Soham and set the world aside. As you know, in our Self-Inquiry Meditation, the first and second parts involve breathing with the mantra Soham—“I am That.” This means God is inside of me, and I am a part of God. This mantra leads us to self-realization. By continuously focusing on this mantra, for instance with the breath, repeating it again and again, you can detach from the world. And the tree that yields the true fruits of nectar—everlasting joy—is satsaṅg. Mahāprabhujī says clearly: heaven and hell are both here; it is our choice what we select. Then Menā answers Suvā: “Suno rī Suvā, tum raṭale Soham gā nām. Jīva terī garakī, pyāre lage nahīṁ kachuḍām. Motabīliyā javāsire karasīhīkāṁ tamām…” “Pinjara tore pallakame, mukhame chasu no re suvā, tum raṭale Soham gā nām. Jīva terī garakī, pyāre lage nahīṁ kachuḍām.” “Listen, my dear Suvā, you too should practice the mantra Soham, not only me. Your tongue is your own property; it costs nothing to sing the mantra Soham. One day the cat of death will catch you, and in an instant she will destroy your kefik—your body. Your mind and body will be completely destroyed. The body is a cage, and your Ātmā is Soham. When the Guru’s blessing comes, your mind will find peace. Life is a great opportunity. Every morning and evening, you should meditate,” says Mahāprabhujī. “This worldly garden, one day it will dry out, and everything within it is not the reality. Truly, the best pilgrimage you can make is to go to satsaṅg.” Siddhip Nārāyaṇabhagavānak Gītā Śrī Alakhpurījī, Siddha Pīṭh Paramparā Kī Jai, Śrī Deveśvaramā Deva Kī Jai, Hindu Dharma Samrāṭ, Svādguru Svāmī Madhavānanda Bhagavān Kī Jai, Viśvaguru Mahāmaṇḍaleśvara, Paramahaṁsavāmī Maheśvarānandajī, Guru Deva Kī Jai. Sunnorī Menā Jalāvalut Sar Nijāyī Jagkār Bar Sabjut Sar Nijāyī Jagkār Bar Sabjut Ādar. Fir Batākaṭī Ghāṭ Viṣay Falakāy Dar Pratāra Firāfire Batākaṭī Gaṭṭaviṣaye Fallakāī Are Are Gaṭṭaviṣaye Fallakāī Tumhārī Bajjalā Vālut Sar Nijāyī Jagkār Barsābhajūt Sar Nijāyī Jagkār Barsābhajūt Śubhakā Sunase Lārī Jī, Śubhakā Sunase Lārī Jī. Tumhārī Bajjalā Vālut Sar Nijāyahī Jagkār Bar Sab Jūt Sar Nijāyahī Jagkār Sar Jab Jūt Afir Bichurein Bag Sūt Purī Jī Purī Jī... Sar nijāyahī jagkār bar sabhājūd, sar nijāyahī jagkār bar sabhājūd. Guru caraṇa satsaṅgame jī, amṛta vṛkṣa phala jān, Hare Hare, amṛta vṛkṣa phala jān. Śrī dīpakārī yoho ketā hai jī, prabhudīpa kāya yoho ketā hai jī. Vohī svargabhikuntasunorī menā. Tumhārī Bajjalā Vahalūtasarāṇī Jaiyahī Jagkār Bār Sabvajūt Sār Nijaiyahī Jagkār Bār Sabvajūt Re Suvā Tum Raṭṭam Gā Nām Suno Re Suvā Tum Raṭṭale Soham Gā Nām Jīva Terī Garakī, Jīva Terā Garakī, Pyām Sunnorī Suvām, Tum Raṭṭaleso Hamganām Śivākarakī, Pyāre Lage Nahī Kachūḍām Jīvā terī garakī pyāre lagehī nahīṁ kachūḍāṁ motabīliyā javāsire karasīhīkāṁ tamām... Pinjara tore pallakame, pinjara tore pallakame, mukhame chasunore suva tumratte sohamga nama jiva teri garaki, pyare age karita chudama diva teri garaki piyare lage nahi kachudam. Āre Āre Ātmā Soham Gānam Merakkare Gurudevajīto, Merakkare Gurudevajīto, Jhadapaviśāram Sunnori Suvam Tumratale Soham Gānam Jīva Terīgarakī, Pyārelāge Nāhīkāchūḍam Jīva Terīgarakī Piyāralāge Nahi Kachuḍāmam Aribāchale Avasara Milyare Oontā Subhe Arushyam. Aribāchale Avasara Milyare Oontā Subhe Arushyam. Are Are Oontā Subhe Arushyam. Jagadbha Kī Chāhā Sukha Sire, Jagadbha Kī Chāhā Sukha Sire, Ye Sabhā Jananī Kāma Sunnore. Suva, tum ratale sohaṁ gānām, jīva terī garakī, pyāre lage nahīṁ kachudhām, jīva terī garakī, pyāre lage nahīṁ kachchudam. Śrī dīpaka he sattamānajo śāntaśaraṇa asukkadam. Śrī dīpaka he sattamānajo śāntaśaraṇa asukkadam. Are, are, śāntaśaraṇa asukkadam. Veda Santha Upade Shabbatave, Veda Santha Upade Shabbatave, Bharatna Lakshata Mama Sunnoresuva. Pyare Lage Nahi Kachudama Jīva Terī Garakī Pyāre Lage Nahi Kachudhā. In India, the saints and ṛṣis bring us very high knowledge, very high wisdom. Śaṅkarācārya, in all his scriptures, speaks about the aim of life, about realization. It is wonderful to read this. Also in the Upaniṣads, the nature of the Ātmā is described. In the Bhagavad Gītā, Lord Kṛṣṇa tells us again and again how to practice yoga to reach self-realization. In the 12th chapter—a very practical chapter for all spiritual aspirants—he tells us which qualities we should develop, and he also says that bhakti yoga, the yoga of devotion, is the best; to practice is better than the adoration of a formless God. So we find in all the ancient scriptures so many words of wisdom. That is why it is beautiful to read a little in these books once a day. In the bhajans of Mahāprabhujī and Holy Gurujī, we can find the traces of this ancient wisdom, passed from master to disciple. What is special about our Guru Paramparā is that they are very practical. We are not born in the same age as Śaṅkarācārya, whose philosophy is very high and wonderful. Mahāprabhujī, Holy Gurujī, and Swāmījī—because all three are only one—give us very practical tools. We only need to click on these tools, but clicking is not enough. To read and then strive to realize this is the main thing. Clicking alone is insufficient. Mahāprabhujī, especially through the Golden Teachings, gives us these tools, as does Swāmījī. So it is a very good present, for instance at Christmas, to distribute these Golden Teachings in a small folder and to read them again and again, because they truly embody Yoga in Daily Life. Mahāprabhujī certainly inspired Swāmījī in this; you could say they are the rules of Yoga in Daily Life that we should actually follow. That is why I like the Golden Teachings very much, and I recommend reading them—choose one each day. I took out a few for myself as well, and I am very happy that I could go a little bit into Mahāprabhujī’s wisdom today. For example, quote number 35 says: “Never speak ill of your parents or your master. And also, do not accept malicious talk against them.” This is a very accurate quote. I recommend you read Mahāprabhujī’s teachings, and also do not accept such talk. You know, we have all our masters, whom we can listen to, whom we can hear—the three who are one: Mahāprabhujī, Holy Gurujī, Swāmījī. Again and again they say, “Satsaṅg, satsaṅg, satsaṅg.” All disciples know this from the bhajans, from the lectures. Part 2: The Mirror of the Master: Satsaṅg Reflections on Mahāprabhujī In our daily life, we should constantly be aware: are we, in this very moment, creating kuśaṅg or satsaṅg? In these times especially, it is our right not to accept it when people speak badly about our parents or our masters. We have the right to choose which prāṇa we connect ourselves to. We should strive to elevate ourselves through satsaṅg and not allow ourselves to be thrown down or pulled down. This does not mean we refuse to listen to others, but not in that harmful way. We can always be kind, always be understanding, but we are not forced to listen to harsh or negative words. As Mahāprabhujī’s own words say: only pass on what is important. Hollow talk and gossip is lost time—a point Swāmījī constantly reminds us of. Be careful with your time; do not lose it on things that are not important. Another crucial thing, perhaps especially relevant in our century, is that in the last twenty or thirty years we have grown used to taking, but we are no longer used to giving. This development in society makes us take everything for granted: food, drink, wisdom, whatever we receive from others. We take more and give less. In response to this, Mahāprabhujī’s guidance is clear: “Na’ham Kartā, Prabhudīp Kartā, Mahāprabhudīp Kartā He Kevalam.” Just take, but also learn to give. Constant taking creates a serious burden, which can only be unloaded by the act of giving. He also says: “Treat others as you wish they should treat you.” You will get back everything that you give, as we have just discussed. And this is true. Every one of us who is giving, who is engaged in seva, will receive everything back in one form or another. In the same spirit, I believe it is our dharma—and in line with our masters’ teachings—that we try to establish more ethical values. Mahāprabhujī said in 1937: “Try your best to promote the realization of ethical ideals. This will contribute to more harmony in this world.” A very important message, especially before Christmas. Some things we should be more aware of and reflect upon—things that create harmony between us, within us, and with others. One last teaching that I love so much from Mahāprabhujī is this: it is not through techniques—however complicated—that you can reach God. You can reach Him only if you open your heart to love. The perfect awakening of self-realization takes place through love. And this love does not mean only love for others; first and foremost, it means loving ourself. In another teaching, he says: “Love every living being at least as much as yourself.” Self-love, love for ourselves, is equally important. If we have a pot with no water inside, we cannot give anything. How can you give when you stand before a person and have nothing to offer? So first, your heart—the chakra of your heart—must be full of love. Only then can you give something to others. It is very simple. Therefore, it is very important that we approach ourselves with kindness and goodness and develop love for ourselves too. One final, deeply practical piece of advice from Mahāprabhujī concerns the aim of life. He said that all beings are able to sleep, eat, drink, and reproduce. The difference between people and animals is that the purpose of human birth is aimed at self-knowledge and self-realization. Śrī Dīp Nārāyaṇ Bhagavān, Kī Jai. Radha then came forward and shared her experience: When Satvijantī asked me shortly before the satsaṅg if I would like to say something, my first thought was, “Oh, I don’t know anything. I don’t know what to say.” But then I thought I might share some thoughts that I had when I was a newcomer to yoga and daily life. Coming from the Western, Christian tradition, many newcomers probably have similar questions. When I first saw Mahāprabhujī’s picture, I wondered, “Who is Mahāprabhujī? What is my relation to him? Does he have any relation to me?” I asked myself, who is who, and how can I think about or combine all this? These thoughts stayed with me for some time. Then, while learning yoga and meditation with Swāmījī, one day in meditation I received a real answer, which I would like to share with you—maybe it will please you or help you too. I was passing by a church and entered; it was empty and dark. I sat there relaxing and looking at the altar, and again the question arose: who is Mahāprabhujī? Who is God? How can I realize Him? How can I see Him? It was a kind of meditation or concentration. And suddenly, this altar… I nearly decided to enter a Christian monastery. It was such a strong wish. But then I said, “No, Shanti, that’s not right; you are not a person to sit behind monastery walls. You are a person to communicate.” So I apologized to Jesus and said, “It will be another way, maybe.” Sometime later, Swāmījī came and proposed to me—not the monastery, but this orange dress for yoga and daily life. And especially in that time, I developed a very deep connection with Mahāprabhujī. It is so true that we should always be aware of the light behind the forms. See, for one person it is one window; we have here twelve windows. On one window, maybe, is Jesus, on another is Krishna, then Hanumān, then Devpurījī, then Mahāprabhujī. But actually, the light is always the same. This is a beautiful aspect of Indian culture and religion: they accept whatever idol you adore, because it is the same way and leads you to the light that is behind it all. After Radha, Gaṅgā Purī Jī was invited to speak about a bhajan. He said: Shanti called me this afternoon asking if I would like to speak this evening about a bhajan. I thought about it very briefly and then said yes. I am at almost every satsaṅg, but I like to keep in the background. Old disciples who have been with Swāmījī for many years sit somewhere quietly. So I thought, what could I tell people who have been in Swāmījī’s satsaṅg for decades? Then I decided to share some of my own experiences. And I thought, which bhajan could I present? Then the bhajan “Kibbutz Kezi Di Bata Yalo” came to my mind. This bhajan describes how you can see Mahāprabhujī when you meet him. It asks: How was the merciful Mahāprabhujī? And to tell the truth, the merciful one was like this: How Brahmā was a proclaimer of the Vedas. And how, like Viṣṇu, he was the protector of the world. Like Śiva, he was a great yogī and enlightened avatār, without any attachment to this world. He was the enemy of the Asuras and their negative influence. Like the God Rāma, he was Puruṣottama, the highest Ātmā—the human embodiment of the highest form of God. He was also the embodiment of all virtues and limitless grace. Like Kṛṣṇa, Mahāprabhujī was a master of the arts, and his life was a divine play, a līlā. Like Hariścandra, he was a benefactor; he gave everything. And like the great King Cāṇakya, he was a Śivaṃ Mukta, a liberated incarnation. Like Buddha and Mahāvīr, he was a champion of Ahiṃsā, non-violence, because he saw the true form, the divine Ātmā, in all. Like Śukadeva Muni, he was a brahmacārī, always concentrated on God, the living embodiment of divine wisdom. Like Hanumān, he had great power. Like Gaṇeśa, he was the master of all Ṛddhis and Siddhis. Like Dhruva, his bhakti was unshakable, and his influence was very powerful in all lokas and worlds. We will now sing this bhajan together. The reason I chose it is that, for a bhajan singer, it is always a little easier to sing when one has some personal experiences related to it. This bhajan describes the way in which we can see Gurudev. I often had the opportunity to sit at Swāmījī’s feet in satsaṅg. When people came to him to make praṇām, I had the duty to take care of the prasāda. I was very concentrated on that duty, but I also noticed how people approached Swāmījī. I could never see a special, fixed expression on his face. Swāmījī’s expression and behavior were fully related to the bhakta who came to him. When a Haṭha Yogī came and saw him as a great Haṭha Yoga master, Swāmījī also appeared as a great Haṭha Yogī in his mien and gave him very special Haṭha Yoga tips. If a child of fifteen, who had known him since birth, came and saw in him a father, then Swāmījī was like a father and talked like a father to that child. So, as this bhajan describes, we cannot simply confine the master to a certain facet. A great Indian saint once tried to explain what Gurudev and God are like, and he said, “You cannot describe it with words, but the closest explanation is that Gurudev is like a mirror.” When we come to the master, we see our own qualities in his behavior and expression. This image of the mirror reminded me of a film: in a castle tower, there was a chamber with mirrors, and it was strictly forbidden to enter. But curious disciples wanted to go there. One went and looked into the mirror, and what did he see? His own deepest wishes and his own nature. Therefore, it was said that many looked in that mirror and went crazy because they could not bear the truth. I think you can see the master in the same way. It is always good to go to the master with positive thoughts. About fifteen years ago, I was in a seminar in Strilky. On Sunday, there was a satsaṅg with hundreds of people. Swāmījī held a fantastic satsaṅg, as Śiva himself would do, and everyone’s hair stood on end. Two hours later, I had to drive him to Vienna in his car. We took a break and went to a pizzeria; like normal persons, we ate. He was with eyes, just like a normal human being. So we could see that the master has many faces, and we cannot put him into one box. For many years I was a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa came to me once in meditation. So God comes in the form in which you pray to him. But he does not come only as you would see or adore him, but also according to the place where you are praying. When I meditated in Kailāś Āśram, Śrī Devpurījī came in the form of light into my ājñā cakra. In our Guru Lineage, all is possible. It’s our golden chance. I would like to read a short part of the Līlā Amṛt: “God appears in many forms. Whenever the disciples of Mahāprabhujī came together, we spoke about our good fortune in meeting him in this life and shared the experiences of the grace that he bestowed on each of us in different ways. Mahāprabhujī filled the innermost needs of every devotee through that aspect of God whom they worshipped. Once a follower of Saināth had intended to go and see his master, who was far away. On seeing Mahāprabhujī before him, he recoiled in surprise. ‘Lord, how did you come to Binarajasthan? How is this possible?’ He prostrated himself at the feet of Mahāprabhujī and, on standing up again, recognized his own teacher. ‘I am everywhere,’ Mahāprabhujī said. ‘Wherever you are, I am with you. Saināth, Mahāprabhujī, Rāmakṛṣṇa, all are one. The Ātmā is one and eternal.’ The following event makes this quite clear. During a journey through the district of Mewār, I came to the village of Gaṅgāpur, where a sādhu lived in a small temple near the cemetery. He was a strict ascetic dedicated to Lord Śiva. He never left the temple, ate very little, and repeated his mantra day and night. ‘Despite your efforts, you will not gain anything in this way,’ I said to him, and I recommended the following: ‘Proceed under the protection of a realized master whose self is one with Śiva and follow him. And his teaching, only thus will you reach your aim.’ ‘In Kali Yuga, there are no such gurus,’ the sādhu snapped. ‘Come with me,’ I invited him, ‘and see if my divine master can meet your expectations.’ Together we traveled to Kathu, and when the sadhu saw Mahāprabhujī, he was filled with reverence and joy. ‘Lord Śiva, what a miracle! I was looking for you where I lived, but all the time you were here.’ Mahāprabhujī blessed him: ‘Today your time of asceticism is over. You have reached your goal. From now on, I will always be with you whenever you think of me.’ Śrī Dīp Nārāyaṇa Bhagavān.” Following Gaṅgā Purījī’s beautiful speech, Vijay was requested to share some words. He said: It’s already late, so I won’t take too much of your time. I was informed just before the satsaṅg, and I’d like to tell a story. On January 5th, 1971, I had a remarkable experience. A merchant in precious stones named Seth Narottam Dals Javieri came up to me after satsaṅg, saying that he had a question regarding the samādhi that is reached through yoga. I was surprised, because businessmen are not usually interested in such spiritually demanding goals. I immediately began to explain to him that samādhi was not something to buy or receive as a gift, but rather was achieved by the sacrifice of much time towards practice. “Pardon me, Swamiji,” was his quiet reply. “I have never had a guru, but from my earliest years, I’ve had the inner wish to practice yoga. On my own, I frequently sit and meditate. About three years ago, I had my first brief samādhi experience. All was dark for a few seconds, and then I experienced an intensely bright light that lasted for over an hour. From that day on, I have practiced regularly to increase my ability to stay in that exalted state. Until now, I can remain still for seven hours.” That’s quite a long time. I listened with great interest. He then went on to tell me the most important thing: “Now I would like to explain why I have come to you. In my samādhi, I have repeatedly seen devas, ṛṣis, munis, and holy persons such as Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Śiva, and other divine incarnations. For the last five days now, I have been visited by a saint in a turban. He is enveloped in a radiant light, and many other gods and saints accompany him. He never says anything, but just smiles at me. I am drawn to him like a magnet, but I don’t know who he is. Do you think you could possibly help me?” I felt sure that the turbaned saint described by Narottam Dās Jāvīrī could only be Mahāprabhujī, and I took his picture out of my bag. “Yes, this master appears to me during my meditation,” he exclaimed. “Please be so kind as to tell me where I can find him. Through him, my life will be fulfilled. If you are his disciple, then please accept me as your Guru Pāī, disciple of the same master.” I congratulated Śrī Jāvirī for being blessed with Mahāprabhujī’s darśan, for his appearance during meditation was a sign of a highly advanced stage of spiritual development. Then, to his great sorrow, I told him that Mahāprabhujī’s physical form was no longer on earth. Śrī Javerī asked if he could visit me the next day, and when he came in the afternoon, Holī Gurujī gave him mantra dīkṣā. Three days later, he visited again and told me the following: “Conscientiously, I practiced the mantra you gave me, and after a short time, I could feel a radiant energy surround me, and it seemed as though a dark shadow left my body. I continued repeating my mantra until the shadow completely disappeared. Since then, I have experienced much better health. The lethargy and other physical problems from which I have suffered so long have gone. Between my eyebrows, a light began to shine, and I heard the sound of OṂ. In the ray of light appeared the kind face of Śrī Mahāprabhujī. He was smiling and said, ‘You are mine. I always care for my devotees. Some of them forgot me due to the temptations of Māyā, but I never give up. I watch over them all. Tell Mādhavānanda to give you a copy of my Gītā.’ Mahāprabhujī then vanished. So, please, Swāmījī, I beg you to give me a copy of Śrī Vijñāna Dīpa Gītā. Oṁ Śrī Dīp Nārāyaṇa Bhagavānāṁ Gītā.” This is a very precious story for me, and one of my favorites from the Līlā Amṛt, the biography of the divine incarnation Śrī Mahāprabhujī. It gives me a feeling of safety to be in the shelter of Gurū Dev. After Vijay, the first speaker concluded: Thank you very much, everyone, and thank you to all listeners. We heard so many beautiful things about Mahāprabhū Dīp. May his light be forever and ever in us, and may we be especially aware of his presence, his guidance, and his protection. I wish you a wonderful day, evening, night, and tomorrow. At the same time, Swāmījī will be in the webcast tomorrow morning at 6:15 European time, and other times will be written on www.swamiji.tv. Let us end this satsaṅg with Mahāprabhujī, just as the story ended by chanting “Om” and imagining the light, feeling and seeing Mahāprabhujī. Please close your eyes, and let us chant deeply and long: Na’ham Kartā, Prabhudīp Kartā, Mahāprabhudīp Kartā He Kevalam. Om Śānti, Śānti, Śānti. Śrī Dīp Nārāyaṇ, Bhagavān Akhī Jai, Viśvaguru, Mahāmaṇḍaleśvara, Paramahaṁsa, Maheśvarānandajī, Gurudeva, Kī Jai, Śrī Alakhpurījī, Śrī Dīp Paramparā, Kī Jai, Hari Om.