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Samsāra-sāraṁ-bhujagendra-hāraṁ sādhava-sānte hṛdayāra-vinde bhāvaṁ-bhāvanī-sahitaṁ namāmi bhāvaṁ-bhāvanī-sahitaṁ namāmi. This mantra is known as the Kapūra Āratī, or it is the starting part of the Śrī Pārvatī Stuti. In India, in Hindu temples, this mantra is very often chanted during the initial pūjā, before the āratī itself. Tonight, I would like to speak a little about the chanting of mantras and Sanskrit ślokas. With my reverence to Lord Śiva and our Holy Guru Lineage, I also greet Swāmī Jasrājpurījī, who is not in the ashram. He was kind enough to inform me around twelve o'clock that he would not be here, giving me some time to prepare something. For an average person, it is not an easy task to speak to the public in front of a camera and microphone. One feels more self-confident with time to gather one's thoughts. It is like going for an exam at school; you know what you are going to speak. So, in a way, it is just a lecture. But what Swāmī Jasrājpurījī does in his spiritual talks—for the last three to four weeks since Swāmījī left the ashram—is true satsaṅg. He very rarely comes with a clear vision of what he will speak. He may have an idea, but during the satsaṅg itself, it develops and blossoms out. We witness how divine inspiration comes from the Master through the disciple. Moreover, what he preaches, he lives in his daily life. His regularity in early morning sādhanā is not driven by obligation but by love; it is his passion. Similarly, he spoke a few days ago about steadiness and stillness within daily life. He is busy from early morning until evening, yet always calm and peaceful. Am I right? Am I speaking the truth? Thank you. Everyone agrees. It is a pity you cannot see. Yesterday he mentioned that he got upset, but perhaps inwardly; outwardly he always behaves peacefully. He is always an example of spirituality and a giver. Many times when he meets us during the day, he gives his time to listen to what we want to share, our problems. Not only does he listen, but he also understands and acts accordingly. All these things show the spiritual advancement developed in him and why Swāmījī made him a Mahāmaṇḍaleśvar. We can see why Swāmījī chose him for this role. A Mahāmaṇḍaleśvar is the guardian of the Satsaṅg Dharma, protecting and spreading the teachings of Ādi Guru Śaṅkarācārya. We are all thankful to our Gurudev, to Swāmījī, for giving us such a big brother who guides and inspires us daily. I had to use the opportunity that Jasrāj is not here, as he might have stopped me from speaking such things. Now, coming to today's topic: mantras and Sanskrit ślokas. Mantras originate from the Vedas, from the Sanskrit language. Actually, they do not originate in the Vedas; they are first recorded there. They come from the universe. It was the ṛṣis and munis who gained knowledge of mantras in meditation and wrote them down in the scriptures. There is a special reason they are in Sanskrit: it is the language of the cosmos. As Swāmījī said, Sanskrit is the only language that equally develops the right and left hemispheres of the brain. Wherever we go in the world or in this cosmos, Sanskrit is a valid language. By repeating Sanskrit mantras and ślokas, we can achieve our aim anywhere. If we speak German, life is easier in Germany and Austria, but getting a loaf of bread in Mongolia is troublesome. Mantras can take the form of a single sound or syllables. A syllable combines consonants or vowels, like Oṁ, Raṁ, Vaṁ, Laṁ, and so on. They can be words, such as Śānti, Karuṇā, Hṛdaya, or a group of words like Satyam, Śivam, Sundaram. A functional definition of mantras is that they are powerful vibrations capable of transforming energy. How does this work? The entire physical world we see is nothing but vibrations. When we dismantle physical matter beyond molecules, atoms, electrons, protons, leptons, and quarks—these elementary particles—what remains are properly ordered, organized vibrations. Mantras are also vibrations, so they influence the essence of matter. Many mantras have specific meanings locked in their mantra-śakti. When we chant them, we add the power of sound, the nāda-śakti. There are mantras for curing diseases, attaining health, obtaining property or wealth, removing negative influences, fostering friendship, or removing obstacles. Chanting mantras is becoming increasingly popular worldwide. Since the 1960s and 70s, in the West—Australia, America, France, Germany, Italy—people learn to chant particular mantras for specific purposes. In India, it is part of the general knowledge of the population. Let us consider a practical example. Suppose an engineer from Jaipur is going to Pali for work. He starts in the morning and arrives in Pali after six hours. He spends three to four hours negotiating and purchasing equipment. At 5 o'clock in the afternoon, he starts back to Jaipur, hoping the road will be clear and he will arrive in another six hours. He hopes the railway crossing gates after Pali will be open and that near Biavar there will be no diversion onto a single lane adding ten kilometers. To make his wishes more powerful, he remembers Lord Gaṇeśa, the remover of obstacles. While driving, he chants, "Oṁ Gaṁ Gaṇapataye Namaḥ, Oṁ Gaṁ Gaṇapataye Namaḥ," and so on. He is lucky to arrive in Jaipur at 11 o'clock. But that is not the end of his daily story. The next morning, he must go to his boss and present a project that has been half-ready on his table for three days. He needs to finish it, but it is eleven o'clock and he is very tired. His Icchā Śakti is there—the will to do it—but his Kriyā Śakti and Jñāna Śakti are not available. He seems to have no power to unload the car, carry things into the room, or switch on the computer. Moreover, he has no inspiration on how to continue the project, what to write, or what to give to his boss in the morning. So, before chanting this basic Gaṇeśa mantra for removing external obstacles, he chants the same mantra to collect himself, to harmonize his Icchā Śakti, Jñāna Śakti, and Kriyā Śakti. I would like to request a little support from you so we can make this a common practice. For a moment, let us all become the driver. Suppose we sang the mantra four times earlier as one round. We will now chant five rounds, totaling twenty mantras. Since the auspicious number is 21, we will add one more at the end. Please take a comfortable seat, sitting a little straightened up. Close your eyes and imagine that situation. You need to invoke the special power of Lord Gaṇeśa within yourself. The secret of Gaṇeśa lies in the syllable Gaṁ. Sit peacefully, close your eyes, and relax. Imagine a small statue of Lord Gaṇeśa and place it wherever you see fit, either in the Anāhata or Ājñā Cakra. Keep 10% of your attention on the outside so we all sing together, and turn 90% inside yourself. Feel the divine vibration and the presence of Lord Gaṇeśa. Oṁ Gaṁ Gaṇapataye Namaḥ... Oṁ Gaṁ Gaṇapataye Namaḥ... Oṁ Gaṁ Gaṇapataye Namaḥ... Oṁ Gaṁ Gaṇapataye Namaḥ... Oṁ Śrī Gaṇeśāya Namaḥ. Can you feel it within yourself? Now imagine that as disciples, we do not perform this japa with the Gaṇeśa mantra but with our guru mantra. The best mantras are the adhyātmik mantras, those guiding us toward attaining spiritual consciousness. This is the best remedy if a disciple is in trouble, facing problems in life, feeling desperate, unsure of the next step, caught in a dilemma, or overwhelmed by emotions. The best course is to hide in a quiet place and for five to ten minutes chant your guru mantra in a melody you prefer, or do one full mālā. Through the guru mantra, we strengthen our connection with our Master. The Guru is the source of all knowledge in the universe and the solution to every problem. If we can connect to him, the solution will come through that channel. The next structure of mantras are the ślokas. Ślokas are mantras written in a predetermined rhythm and structure. Usually, there are two verses; each stanza has 16 syllables, so one śloka has 32 syllables. This is the structure of the Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata, and Yogavāsiṣṭha. More or less, all scriptures are in this form. You may know that Swāmījī often wanted us to learn the 12th and 15th chapters of the Bhagavad Gītā by heart. We chant and practice them. Knowing the meaning of the ślokas is important because, through the meaning, the jñāna-śakti is invoked in us, making it an even stronger spiritual technique. Another use of ślokas is in the composition of stotras. Stotras are Sanskrit prayers usually addressed to a particular deity or god, singing about the glory of that Cosmic Tattva. They are very uplifting for the mind. With regular chanting of stotras or ślokas, we gain a spiritual experience that comes not through intellectual understanding but through a transcendental process. Consciousness is lifted up, the mind becomes peaceful, and the intellect becomes sharp. There are not many ways to explain this through intellectual argument, but it works; it is worth trying. I would like to try to sing one Śiva Stotra called Bilva Aṣṭakam. You may know the bilva leaf from the tree of bilva. Swāmījī often tells us, before Mahāśivarātri, the story of the hunter who worshipped the liṅgam in the forest at night. To stay awake, he unconsciously dropped bilva leaves on the liṅgam. Lord Śiva was so pleased with his worship that by morning, He appeared and gave him darśana. Aṣṭakam is a typical form of Sanskrit poetry with eight ślokas. Usually, the ninth śloka is the phalaśruti, explaining the benefits of chanting that śloka. Bilva itself is a very interesting tree. Botanically, it is called Aegle marmelos, native to India and Southeast Asia but planted in many places worldwide, especially near Śiva Mandirs. It is highly valued in Āyurveda for calming Vāta and Kapha and is beneficial for dysentery, diarrhea, diabetes, and many other conditions. Its main benefit is that it is a sacred tree, often described in the Vedas and kept as a symbol of Lord Śiva Himself. In many places, it is worshipped as Lord Śiva. Śiva-pūjāṁ kariṣyāmi eka-belvaṁ Śivarpaṇam. Akhaṇḍa-belva-patreṇa pūjite Nandikeśvare, śudhyanti sarva-pāpebhyo eka-belvaṁ Śivarpaṇam. Śāligrāṁ śilāmekāṁ viprāṇāṁ jāṭucarpaṇāt. Somayājña-mahāpuṇyaṁ eka-belvaṁ Śivarpaṇam. Dantikoṭi-sahasrāṇi, Vājapeya-śatāni ca Koṭi-kanyā-mahādānam, eka-bilvaṁ Śivarpaṇam, Lakṣmīāḥ stanata utpannam, Mahādevasya capriyam, Bilvavṛkṣaṁ prayacchāmi, eka-bilvaṁ Śivarpaṇam, Darśanaṁ bilvavṛkṣasya, sparśanaṁ pāpanāśanam. Aghora-pāpa-saṁhāraṁ eka-belvaṁ śivārpaṇam. Mūlato brahma-rūpāya, madhyato viṣṇu-rūpiṇī, agrataḥ śiva-rūpāya eka-belvaṁ śivārpaṇaṁ. Belvāṣṭakaṁ idaṁ puṇyaṁ yāpate śiva-sānidhau. Sarva-pāpavināra-muktaḥ śivalokaṁ avāpnuyā. This is a beautiful śloka from Ādiguru Śaṅkarācārya. He is a spiritual evergreen. Most Śiva stotras are by Ādiguru Śaṅkarācārya; there are hundreds. Compared to modern pop and rock hits—like those from the Beatles, played for 30 or 40 years—current songs have a shelf life of a few months. But such stotras retain their greatness for centuries. I will briefly go through the meaning. "Trigalam," having three leaves or three branches. "Trigunākaraṁ," that which is behind the three guṇas: rajas, sattva, and tamas. Lord Śiva created the guṇas, so He is behind all māyā śakti and creation. "Three netraṇa," having three eyes: the eyes of Lord Śiva represent the moon, the sun, and the middle eye for Agni, the eye of wisdom. If the Lord opens it, everything negative is burned, destroying sins accumulated over many previous lives. "Eka Bilvam Śivarpaṇam"—I offer one cluster of Bilva leaves to Lord Śiva. "Trishakir Bilvapatrischa"—I give one cluster of three leaves that are unbroken, perfect, tender, and soft. I perform my Śiva pūjā with these leaves. Again, I offer one cluster of three Bilva leaves on the altar of Lord Śiva. "Akhanda Bilva Patrena"—I offer three unbroken leaves. I wondered about the significance of unbroken leaves and found a personal meaning: they symbolize our life in the ashram, with the most important aspects being bhakti, tyāga, and sādhanā. Without bhakti, none of us would stay long; it is the love gluing us to the ashram, the devotion to the Master. In the ashram, we often receive what we do not like and lose what we do like. To overcome this, one needs tyāga. Life in the ashram often has external ups and downs; to balance this, regular sādhanā is needed. This recipe applies to everyone in the world, not just in the ashram. The leaf symbolizes our spiritual life. Through this offering, I purify all my sins through spiritual life. It speaks of "Śāligrām," a special spherical, usually blackish stone, a fossil of an ammonite—a prehistoric mollusk. It is found in particular places in India and is held as a symbol of Lord Viṣṇu. There are strict rules: Śāligrāma Śilā cannot be bought or sold; it can only be inherited or received as a gift. Giving such a stone to a Brāhmaṇa well-versed in scriptures and close to attaining ātmajñāna is considered highly meritorious. "Soma Yagya Mahāpuṇyam"—like performing a Soma Yagya sacrifice—offering one leaf of Bilpatra on the Śiva Liṅgam brings the same great benefit. True humbleness of heart is very important. "Dantikoṭi Sahasrāṇi"—if you give thousands of elephants, perform thousands of Vājapeya sacrifices, or give a thousand unmarried girls for marriage (a tradition from Indian history where a man, after completing Brahmacarya āśrama in a Gurukul, needs a pure woman to marry to enter the householder life and practice his knowledge), all these great acts are equal to following the spiritual way in our life. As Swāmījī often tells us, a gram of practice equals tons of theory. According to mythology, the Bilva tree was born from the right hand of Lakṣmījī. "I offer the whole tree." If the tree symbolizes Lord Śiva, what does it symbolize for us, spiritual disciples? It symbolizes the Master. Therefore, I would translate it as: I offer myself to the Bilva tree, to Lord Śiva, to the Master. This gives meaning to the next śloka: "Darśaṇam Bilvavṛkṣasya"—by the darśan of the Bilva tree, by the darśan of the Gurudeva. "Sparśanaṁ pāpanāsanam"—by touching Him, by coming into contact with Lord Śiva or the Master, sins are purified. "Aghora Pāpa-saṁhāra"—even the most heinous, terrible sins can be purified by sincere spiritual sādhanā. "Mūlato Brahma Rūpāya"—the tree at the bottom is represented by Lord Brahmā. "Madhyato viṣṇu rūpiṇī"—in the middle, it has the form of Lord Viṣṇu. "Agrataḥ śiva rūpāya"—at the top, it is Lord Śiva. This tells us the same as the mantra: Guru Brahmā, Guru Viṣṇu, Guru Devo Maheśvaraḥ. I worship these three, the Gurū Dev. Then comes the Phalaśruti, describing the benefits of chanting this śloka. Whoever sings this stotra near Lord Śiva—in a Śiva Mandir, next to the Śiva Liṅgam, or through Mānasik Pūjā within the heart—becomes freed from all sins (Sarvapāpavinarmukta) and achieves Śiva-loka (Śiva-lokaṁ āpnoti). Lord Śiva is very merciful; He is a destroyer. It is His mercy to destroy everything negative within us and bring us to Śiva-loka. In the first śloka, there is mention of "with three weapons": the triśūla, the bow, and the mace. This is an important aspect of Lord Śiva: He is ready to rescue every devotee who sincerely calls from the heart. The same holds for the Master and disciple. I invite everyone to practice chanting mantras and ślokas, as it is a truly uplifting spiritual practice that works on a special level. Tomorrow, December 5th, according to the Western calendar, we celebrate the Mahāsamādhi day of Śrī Mahāprabhujī. We have the great opportunity to stay the whole day tomorrow, chanting the holy mantra of Mahāprabhujī's name, remembering His līlās, mercy, and blessings. We should chant His divine name. It is very good that when this webcast is repeated on another date, it remains valid for every day. We should celebrate the name of the Master, that holy mantra, not only on Guru Pūrṇimā, His birthday, or His Mahāsamādhi, but every day of our life.