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Sanskrit chants. Sanskrit chants. Viśva Guru Mahāmaṇḍaleśvara Paramahaṁsa Śrī Svāmī Maheśvarānandapurījī Satguru Devā Kī Jaya. Hari Om to everybody around the world from everyone here in Jadan. Today on the webcast, we will do something slightly different. We will try, through photos and description, to take you on a short tour of Jadan Ashram—its various aspects and the many activities that happen here. Then, over the coming weeks, perhaps once per week, we will explore different facets of life in Jadan. Various members of the ashram will speak about specific areas, sharing their experiences, what they have learned from the local people, and the knowledge they have received from Gurujī. We hope this will help people understand the many different aspects and parts of the ashram, the diverse learning opportunities available here, and the numerous ways in which Swāmījī works within the community for the benefit of local society and for everyone's spirituality. Today, we will slowly go through a broad outline of the āśram. As many know, the center point is the Oṃ Āśram, the Oṃ building. This project has been ongoing since the early 1990s. It is Swāmījī's life work—a place where everyone can come to spend time studying and practicing yoga, whether for a short or long duration. They can immerse themselves in spirituality and the atmosphere of the ashram. Within the Oṃ Āśram, there are facilities for study and practice. At its heart is the Samādhi of our Dādā Gurujī, Swāmījī's Gurujī, Svāmī Madhavānandjī Mahārāj. This holy resting place is for darśana, for receiving his blessings and sharing his life and energy. Also in the temple complex will be a temple to Śiva, Mahādevjī. As Svāmī Yogeś Purujī will later explain when he talks about the Oṃ Āśram, it is a huge temple made only of stone—a beautiful place for worship and visitation that also helps preserve traditions, ancient handicrafts, and the way of carving. Here in the East, in India, that tradition is still very much alive. The beauty and skill of the craftsmanship can be seen within the Oṃ Āśram and the temple as it is slowly built. You can see the shape of Oṃ in the building, as shown in the slides. It is our hope and Swāmījī's vision that it will be ready within two or three years. This year, people were already staying in parts of the Oṃ Āśram and appreciating the peace and energy inside, experiencing what a wonderful place it is to stay. One of the most important aspects of the ashram is education. People come from throughout the world and India to practice yoga, receive instruction and guidance from Swāmījī, and implement the yoga system into daily life more intensely. There are beautiful facilities for practice, both indoors and in the gardens—an atmosphere conducive to practice. With people converging from all over the world, bringing extensive experience in teaching and practicing yoga, it becomes a center point for sharing ideas and experiences with Swāmījī. It is a place where long-term visitors support each other in developing their sādhana, and short-term visitors can refresh, receive an injection of spiritual energy, and let go of worldly tensions. Whether for a week, a month, or longer, they can immerse themselves in this environment. For those who have been here, they appreciate just how special a place it is. Alongside yoga practice, an integral part of the day includes the pūjās, āratīs in the Mandir, and Vedic culture. By being immersed in the local area and participating in local festivals over time, one develops a cultural understanding that cannot be gained from books or formal study alone. While one studies theory from books, living within the culture gives it new meaning. For example, during the monsoon season in the month of Śrāvaṇa, every Monday the ashram is full of local people coming to the Śiva temple, to Mahādevjī. This flow continues from morning until evening, revealing how this practice fits into and is important for people's lives. Sometimes the emphasis is on Hanumānjī, and people come to Gaṇeśjī. By being here, you see there are many different ways of worshipping. In the morning, as the sun rises, people come to the Śivamandira and Gaṇeśa, greet Gaṇeśajī, perform pūjā, and go to the Śivamandira. Although the words and actions may differ, you slowly appreciate that the one constant in all practices is the feeling with which it is done—the bhakti, devotion, and faith. Along with Vedic education and yoga, people from foreign countries also learn local languages, studying Hindi. Many also find their English blossoms and improves. It is a wonderful atmosphere where many cultures converge; one can sit and hear four, five, or six languages spoken simultaneously. This truly makes me appreciate that this is a center for people from all over the world to come and practice. Yoga students also learn Sanskrit and, according to their disposition, study Jyotiṣa, Āyurveda, or its principles. We also have students from the local area. The ashram includes a school with 1300 students, a college, and a graduate college with about 250 students. There is interaction between these students and visitors from abroad, with volunteers also helping to teach in the school. As seen in the slides, this is an exchange between local knowledge and knowledge from abroad. Like the Oṃ Āśram, we will have more information and insight into the school and college in the coming weeks. I hope the students themselves will explain to everyone what they do, why and how they study, and their backgrounds. The ashram is also deeply involved in preserving the environment. Since its establishment, over 100,000 trees have been planted. Those who have been coming for years have witnessed a transformation from an empty desert into a place with abundant trees and beautiful greenery. Over time, more birds and wildlife have appeared—squirrels, turtles, owls, peacocks—and increasingly diverse bird varieties. The tree-planting project also educates local children; regularly, school students participate in planting and learn the need to care for trees in their villages. Rajasthan's ancient history included vast forests, but trees have slowly disappeared. Now, a realization is growing within the community about the need to give back. It is one thing to wish to plant trees, but through doing it, through experience and observing results, you learn successful methods: how to plant without needing much water and accounting for poor soil. This is another type of learning and education. Additionally, there are many rainwater harvesting projects and different methods of water preservation. The next slide refers to our hospital. There is a great need for good healthcare in this local area. Swāmījī, together with Dr. Śāntijī, has developed a wonderful hospital over the years, offering good, hygienic healthcare. Śāntijī also travels to villages with a team of doctors, promoting health awareness and offering advice, assessment, and treatment. We provide health awareness education for school students, as children can take this knowledge home to their families, quickly spreading awareness that is otherwise difficult to disseminate in villages. Here are a few shots from around the ashram. This image is from Google Earth, which updated its picture of the ashram a few months ago, making ongoing work much clearer. On the far right, you can see the school building; in the bottom right corner is the hospital in the star-shaped, swastika building that houses the hostel, slightly to the left of the school. Towards the top right is the mountain and the talāb (dam). Towards the left, you can see the Oṃ Āśram. This photo is from one or two years ago, as some now-finished elements were incomplete then. To the left of the Oṃ Āśram is our Gośālā, where the cows are, which will also be a topic of a satsaṅg. Here is a photo of the area with the Śiva Mandira and Bhakti Sāgara, from where we are broadcasting. The Bhakti Sāgara is on the left, the building with the grass roof. Grass roofing is a traditional construction method that Swāmījī preserves. It is a simple material that keeps rooms cooler in summer and warmer in winter, with a beautiful, natural atmosphere. For those who came 10 or 15 years ago, this picture would have shown no trees, or only small saplings. For me, the trees symbolize what is possible when you stay in Jāradanā. Each planted tree requires great energy and care to start, but once rooted, it blossoms and grows quickly. Similarly, when people come to the ashram from different cultures, adjusting can be difficult, but once established, it is a wonderful place for blossoming and spiritual development. This panorama of the Oṃ Āśram gives an idea of its size and immensity. Although its appearance will change as parts rise higher and final stonework with domes and spires is added, you can already see its beauty and complexity. These photos from around the Oṃ Āśram include one of Gurujī's Samādhi, where his large picture is displayed. This is where he rests and gives blessings—a pilgrimage site for people from around the country and world, where we can always come to absorb his energy and purity. Other pictures show examples of stone carving artwork. The handwork and methods are part of an ancient tradition practiced for generations. Although some parts have been mechanized over time, much must still be done by hand. These workers and craftsmen are custodians of that tradition, carrying it into the future. In the top right photo, Swāmījī stands with his hand on a wall. This showcases another local tradition: plaster made from cow dung (gobar). Like the grass roof, this natural material gives rooms a beautiful atmosphere and something special that modern technology cannot replicate. The next slide shows a view from the Oṃ Āśram towards other parts of the ashram. The dominant building in the distance is the hospital, shaped like a star—the symbol of the Anāhata cakra, representing the heart center, compassion, and caring. In front are other buildings for living, eating, satsaṅg, and temples. This photo was taken in winter; the fields grow wheat, barley, or fenugreek. As much as possible, we grow our own organic wheat and food for the āśram, using traditional, darker wheat seeds that are more nutrient-rich than modern grains. Earlier, I mentioned the Bhakti Sāgara, the hall we are in now. In these pictures, you can see the grass roof clearly and the center of devotion where Swāmījī sits beside the altar. Here, we gather every evening for satsaṅg, bhajans, and prayer. Students from the hostel and ashram residents join to share this time at sunset. The Śiva temple, Mahādevjī Mandira, about which Svāmī Nirañjan Purujī will tell more, is shown again. For many years, morning Āratī has happened there, with people coming from all around for worship. You can also see the gardens. All our vegetables and fruits are grown organically. This provides amazing education as we develop methods to cope with local challenges for organic gardening. For 15 years, natural fertilizers have been used. Locals who taste the vegetables often take some home, commenting that they have a different, more flavorful taste—like sabjī used to taste 20 years ago. About gardening, Puṣpājī will speak in the future, discussing methods, issues, and practical techniques people can try in different countries. Here is a photo of the kitchen and eating area, a center of the ashram. All food is vegetarian, using ingredients from our gardens as much as possible. We do not just come to eat, but to learn about Indian culture: how to eat, serve, cook, make chapatis, and make sabjī. It is a combination of local knowledge and people helping—part of the education center. Another aspect is the Gośālā, the animal refuge. We have about 700–750 cows. This is one way Swāmījī puts humanitarian work into action, practicing compassion. A slogan of Gośālās throughout India is to practice compassion in action. We often face challenges, such as cows hit by trucks on the highway; people call us to take care of them. We do our best, seeking help from local government doctors and advice from Jodhpur when cases are difficult. We also have ashram horses; a beautiful photo shows Swāmījī with one. As much as possible, horses roam within the ashram, as seen in the bottom right photo outside the Śivāmandira. They are part of the family and atmosphere. The next photo is of the Swastika building, the hostel for children. At one stage, it was a center where women from the district came for training to teach in village preschools. In conjunction with the government, 80–90 women at a time would stay for a month, learning to teach children basic letters, hygiene, and nutrition. Local mothers could come with babies for education. It was a beautiful time with singing and dancing. One person running it commented that when women arrived, they cried at leaving home, and after a month, they cried at leaving the ashram. This pattern repeated each camp. That phase lasted about a year and a half. Then the building became the school, then outgrew that purpose and became the hostel. Who knows what is next? Here are photos of some children. I mentioned the school briefly; we will have a broader view later. In both school and college, we emphasize girls' education, encouraging them by providing free education. The boy in the left photo is smiling after participating in a ceremony called Yajña Pravīta, similar to Confirmation in the Catholic tradition. It marks a point in boys' lives when they perform a pūjā, learn mantras and practices for their youth, and traditionally enter their guru's care for real education. Every Guru Pūrṇimā, Swāmījī preserves this tradition for schoolboys who wish to participate. For those who have seen it, it is a beautiful morning ceremony, leaving the boys glowing. The next slides show school activities: well-equipped science labs where students make inventions and enter competitions, art and painting, and programs for making animations and videos (examples can be seen on the school blog on the website). This is a beautiful photo of the hospital entrance. We will have a broader perspective on the hospital in coming weeks. Of course, the hospital is about patients and treatment. We have specialists in dentistry, orthopedics, eye operations, and Āyurvedic treatment, with facilities for diagnosis, blood testing, and X-rays. One major project over the years has been rainwater harvesting. Rajasthan is in a desert, so every drop of water is precious. Swāmījī encourages projects to preserve and catch rainwater to sustain the ashram during dry seasons. The previous photo showed a dry talāb; here, Swāmījī observes a good monsoon filling it. We dream it will always look like that, but reality differs, making rainwater harvesting crucial. A beautiful effect of this project comes from a village two kilometers away. Before we built the talāb, the water level in village tube wells was below 250 feet, even in a year with good rain. Two years after completion, in a year with little rain, the water level was 80 feet. Villagers realized that although the project was within the ashram, they were the beneficiaries, as it improved water quality and quantity in the ground, vital for the area's sustainability. Here is a photo of caring for a baby squirrel that lost its mother. Caring for cows and any animal in need is part of yoga and sevā. Then there is karma yoga: in this photo, guests from Europe paint the Gośālā roof. This huge job, which would have taken weeks, was done in two days against the approaching rain that would have destroyed fodder. Many hands make light work. Those involved enjoyed the energy of working together and seeing rapid results in that amazing atmosphere. Here, Dr. Śāntijī cares for a local child, giving practical advice on childcare and living. This was a quick tour of the ashram. In the following weeks, we hope you will join us as we explore each part in more detail. I would like to share news with everyone in Jadan and worldwide: on the last slide, you will see a new web address. This website shows all aspects of the Oṃ Āśram and activities in Jadan, as well as Swāmījī's ashrams throughout India—in Kathu, Kailash, Nepal, Jaipur, and Delhi. It features incredibly beautiful photos and stories. After the webcast, please take a chance to look.