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I have just spent the most beautiful few days in Prague, then in Lvoce, and then in Martin. Once again, it was like last year, where there always seems to be another surprise from Swāmījī’s world: the Yoga in Daily Life, more and more places to visit, and more and more incredible stories and incredible bhaktas. It was truly beautiful. Yesterday, we visited a mountain in the High Tatras where Swāmījī, some years ago, built a pyramid with stones. We had āratī there, and it was so beautiful. It reminded me of a story. There was a sādhu sitting in the woods. A man would go past him every day to cut firewood to sell, always offering praṇām and paying his respects before continuing. His life was very tough; he barely managed to cut enough wood to feed his family. One day, the sādhu asked him, "What blessing do you want?" The man replied that he just needed help to survive and feed his family. The sādhu told him not to cut wood the next day, but to go a little further into the forest, find a clearing, and dig. He would find copper. The man did so and discovered a small copper mine. His life became easier; he only had to come every second or third day, and his family lived comfortably. He still offered praṇām to the sādhu each time. After some months, the sādhu told him to go a bit further, where he would find silver. The man did and found silver, becoming more well-off. He now came only once a week. Years later, the sādhu, still meditating under the same tree, told him to go even further, where he would find gold. The man found the gold and only had to come once a month. Still, he offered praṇām when he passed. Finally, the sādhu told him to go to the next clearing, where he would find diamonds, something much more valuable than gold. Though satisfied, the man followed the advice and found diamonds. Now he came only every six months or once a year, and he became so fixed on the diamonds that he began to forget to offer praṇām to the sādhu. After about ten years, the sādhu called to him and said, "This is my last advice, for I am going now. If you go to the next clearing and dig, you will find something much more valuable than diamonds." The man could not imagine anything more valuable and ignored the advice, continuing to mine diamonds. Eventually, the sādhu disappeared. Years later, the man thought he should finally see what was there. He went to the next clearing and found a tree. Upon seeing it, he felt such peace that he was compelled to sit. He spontaneously went into meditation and discovered what the sādhu had meant: something far more valuable than diamonds—his own peace of mind. He went back to the diamond mine one last time to provide for his family, and then returned to sit under that tree, doing his mālā just as the sādhu had done. This story came to mind because traveling from one ashram to another feels like moving from one beautiful state of mind to an even more beautiful one. The story holds deep meaning for all of us. We practice for a long time and find something beautiful, but the sādhu keeps indicating there is always a next step. In the story, each element found is more valuable and more pure. Diamonds are used in Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtras to describe a state of consciousness where everything is reflected so clearly in the mind that you see things as they are, free from your own vṛttis, images, and preconceptions. This journey mirrors the one Swāmījī guides us on. We start on a gross level, and slowly he encourages us to go more inside, deeper into our sādhanā, towards our mantra and meditation. We began with āsanas and prāṇāyāma, but Swāmījī increasingly pushes us to practice kriyā, mantra, and meditation. It is vital to keep taking these steps, even when our current stage seems as beautiful and sufficient as a gold mine. The sādhu says there is something beyond. What Swāmījī has been reminding me during this journey is that all answers are within us. The path is, in essence, simple. The practices Swāmījī gives us are simple, though practicing them is difficult. I recalled a story Gajānanjī told in Sri Lanka about Marpa, the guru of Milarepa. Marpa spent so long doing tapasyā and sevā, undertaking difficult journeys to his Gurujī. In the end, the practices he was given were so simple he could not believe that was it. That is the reality. All we do is to purify ourselves to understand and experience that simplicity. It may seem complicated along the way, partly because purification is necessary, and partly because we make it more complicated than it is. In Hidden Vows with Humans, Swāmījī writes that all practices are important for purification, but the main practice is ātmā-cintan—to go inwards, look at yourself, and do mantra. All other practices are only preparations for that. It is easy to get lost in practices that seem more complicated, interesting, or advanced, but the essence is mantra, meditation, and looking inward. There is an image in many bhajans: when the kuṇḍalinī rises, the downward-facing lotus turns upward. Similarly, our lotus often faces outward, looking at the world and outer practices for solutions. That lotus must also turn inward, to look at ourselves and find what is inside. One turns this way, the other that way; that is what we practice. Since my first day in Vienna, the topic of the mantra has always arisen. I do not know if any of us can fully appreciate how special our mantra is, what a gift from Swāmījī it is. It is a great prasāda, a mahā-prasāda, a divine blessing. Swāmījī has distilled all his teaching into one concentrate, the essence of his knowledge and experience, and given it to us to meditate upon. It is there for us to unfold and make blossom within us. It seems a small thing—just one line—but the more you look at it, meditate on it, and contemplate its meaning from different directions, the more you find within it. There are so many ways to look at that mantra and its meaning: outwardly, inwardly, towards your spiritual self, your physical self, and the whole world around. In all these ways, it has a very special, universal meaning. It may take us lives to fully grasp what Swāmījī has put inside, but it does not matter if it takes a week or a lifetime. The important thing is that every day we try to unlock its secrets and let it fill us. When seeking solutions to our problems, I find it is not as good to look at the problems as it is to look at our mantra and let it fill us. When something challenges you or makes your sādhanā difficult, you can try to cut that thing, or you can make yourself stronger inside so it cannot affect you. In meditation, the mantra is knowledge and also a protection. It forms a boundary that guards the peace inside you. It is like a fence you can put up in turbulent situations to protect your inner peace. When it is not turbulent outside, it is something you can send outward, letting its energy fill you completely. For me, and for everyone it will be different, the point is not what I say but that you look at your mantra, look at that treasure, and try every day to appreciate that you have something so special and beautiful. It is a wonder that we are so lucky to have such a treasure. It is beyond copper, silver, gold, and diamonds. It is the diamond of all diamonds, something we should keep in our hands and hearts every day, look at, and think, "Vah, that is a wonder." Śrī Nareṅdra Bhagavān Kī Jaya, Śrī Śrī Devapuruṣa Mahādeva Kī Jaya. I wanted to sing a bhajan Swāmījī has spoken about in recent weeks. It is a bhajan from Gurujī called "Sādobāī Ye Manabara Anādi." Its meaning is that this mind is very naughty. My dear brother, this mind is very, very naughty. No matter how much you try to explain and make it understand, it is quite stupid, always babbling and talking nonsense. Swāmījī often mentions the next line in satsaṅg: the yogīs, those doing sādhanā, can put in great effort to make a beautiful garden with their sādhanā, but in just one moment, this wicked monkey can come jumping in and destroy everything. That is the mind in action. If you have experienced monkeys in India, you know they can be terrifying. I remember one in Delhi; they now have a grill around the whole ashram to keep them out. Before, they would jump onto the veranda. Once, a monkey chased someone who just managed to get inside a mosquito-net door, and the monkey grabbed the door, hanging there. That is the monkey that jumps into the garden of your peace and sādhanā and can make a mess very quickly. This mind is like a strong ox or bull pulling us through life without our control, pulling us on. As it moves in darkness and fog, it constantly causes us to fall into holes in the road. Gurujī uses the image of the mind being like an elephant with two female elephants and twenty-five children. The twenty-five children are all our karma-indriyas and jñāna-indriyas—all the manifestations of the physical world and our senses. The father is jñāna (knowledge) and the mother is vidyā (learning). Our lack of knowledge and understanding, our lack of intellect, are the father and mother of this beast. It is without form, yet moves faster than anything. In one moment, it can cross to the other side of the world and back. It can do things without time seeming to pass. It has no mouth but is constantly eating day and night and is still always hungry. What to do? What to say? This mind is so notorious and naughty. It is like a useless old buffalo, constantly hungry unless we choose to control it. It always wants to consume something—something to see, hear, read, or know. That hunger is endless. Gurujī asks, "What is the treatment for that mind?" The saints who have knowledge grab the mind like you grab a bull or cow by the nose. The sensitive spot between the nose is where you hold them to control them, to give medicine. The saint grabs that mind by the nose and gives it the medicine of jñāna and vairāgya—detachment and knowledge. With those two medicines, the illness of the mind running everywhere can be removed. Śrī Pūjā Bhagavānadīpa Nārāyaṇa Maṇaka Mūla Ukāḍī. That Mahāprabhujī took this illness of the mind out by the roots. Gurujī says with ānand that Guru Kṛpā is so deep, expansive, and huge. He tries to get us to appreciate that. Samjhaya, samjhaya nahi amorak. Samjhaya, samjhaya nahi amorak. Aisi ni chalabariya sarobhai, yemen bada nariya. jogi jati. Bhaṇḍa bāḍo harāmī, pālamē bāḍī bigāḍī asaro bā’ī. Ye mana bāḍhā nārīyā sarvai. Ye mana bāḍhā nārīyā samjāyo, samjāyo nahī̃ morak. Samjāyo, samjāyo nahī̃ morak. Esā nī̃ calabārīyā sarvai. Ye man badhā nariyā sarvai, ye man baḍā nadī, che kharast kī gaḍī, che kharast kī gaḍī. Jave dhorta, jave dhorta, padhe viṣay kī kaḍī, Asāro bāī, ye mana badā nadī, mana badā samjāya samjāya nahī, moraka samjāya samjāya nahī, sonī calavārī, Asārubāī, ye mana badā nārī, mana badā is bacchiyā pichārī. Is bāchiyā pichārī gyān iskā bāp kahī je, avidyā iskī māṁ asaro bai, ye man badanārī. God bless you. The car is driving, the car is driving,... the car is driving. Chare raga bhi nicha nalayak, kya kaho? Mana nicha nalayak bhen sa kaho. Keh padi asaro bhai, "Jai mana bada nadi." Mana bada jai, yo samjhe nahi. Amorak samjhe, yo samjhe nahi. Asa ni chal badi, asa rubai. Ye man badadi, Sant surma man ki pagri. Nāḍī dava pilāī, keti bimāḍī jadi asa rubāī, ye mana baḍāḍī. Samjayo samje nai, Samajaya Samajaya Nahi, Nandaji Anandahi. Guru Kripābāī Gadī Asarobāī Yamana-Bhara-Nadhi Anājī-Ānandāhe Guru-Kripābhāī Gadī-Asarobhāī Yamana-Bhara-Nadhi Kī Jai Śrī-Śrī-Dev-Puruṣa-Mahādeva Kī Jai Dharma-Sāmrāṭa-Paramahaṁta Śrī-Svayaṁ Arvanān-Purūjī-Mahārāj Kī Jai Traveling to different ashrams and yoga seminars, I am used to waiting for the translator. Coming from outside, I am lucky to see what is happening here in Europe from a slightly different perspective. It gives me a chance to remind everyone what a beautiful thing you have in satsaṅg and so many people practicing. We saw it again in the last days in Levotja—people practicing for so many years, a group that comes together regularly. And in Martin, Prague, and here in Vienna, it is something so special. It is such a treasure and so important to put effort into coming and taking advantage of that satsaṅg. I know everyone has daily lives and personal affairs to manage, but this is the place to come to refresh. When Swāmījī comes for seminars, and when he is not here, satsaṅg is the essence of how we can refresh our practice and ourselves with supportive people. It is such a gem. Gurujī talks so much about satsaṅg. You all remember him saying, "Peace and bliss result from satsaṅg." He would always say it in every English satsaṅg. But what else to say if that is the truth? Why should Gurujī say something different? I was often surprised how many things he knew how to say in English, but he always repeated those same things: peace and bliss result from satsaṅg. Satsaṅg is here when you come together. Satsaṅg is also with yourself when you spend time in the company of true, spiritual thoughts that are part of your path. That is also satsaṅg. Here, satsaṅg is a reminder, a refresher, a different atmosphere where we gain from everyone else’s experience. But satsaṅg must also go out the door with us, in our hearts, throughout the day. Swāmījī’s practice is Yoga in Daily Life. It means practicing yoga and yogic awareness throughout the day, whatever we are doing. It is not restricted to the practice hall. It is also satsaṅg in daily life within ourselves. Our thoughts are always there; they can be satsaṅg or kusaṅg. Which ones do we spend time with? Which ones do we try to choose? Sometimes the mind is a monkey and goes the opposite direction, but as much as possible, we should try to come to satsaṅg—in the ashram and within ourselves. That is how we purify and become that satsaṅg. Then people feel it and react to that vibration within us. Others may have experienced that sometimes people come who want to ask questions about yoga or talk about their spiritual journey out of nowhere. It seems to breed on itself; it is an infectious energy. Our effort goes into making that energy reach a level where it generates within us. When a certain level of satsaṅg is within, you do not think of being in anything else. If the mind makes a mess of the garden and you fall into kusaṅg, it requires effort to return. We must put in that effort to come back to that inner satsaṅg, because that is where we aim to live—in that satsaṅg, with Swāmījī sitting there, with awareness on our mantra and our spiritual path. That journey is the whole beauty of our lives. One more bhajan, and then we will have prayer. I have to sing this bhajan a lot because in Jaran you are only allowed to sing it after midnight. It is after midnight already, or nearly. Satguru Deva Aṅganī Āye, Satguru Deva Aṅganī Āye, Jñānadāna Varṣal Āye, Sutta Haṁsa Tūrta Jagāye, Sutta Haṁsa Tūrta Jagāye, Ānanda Paravana, Ānanda Paravana. Rām kā sandeś mo lāger suāv, Satguru sandeś mo ye lāger suāv. Lāger suāv nām mer, Satguru Devā pāv nām... Rām kā sandeś mo lāger suāv śataguru sundeśomoye lāgeresu sodaliā sejasavaru... Ramka Sandesh Omoye Laghe Resuha. Satguru Sandesh Omoye Laghe Resuha, Laghe Resuha Vanamir. Satguru Deva Pavana... Rām kā sundesho moye lakere suhā, Satguru sundesho moye lakere suhā. Aḍḍugevā parpiyā perā, Sirpurī or mevā kerā. Gerī guḍālī kī rabanāo, Prabhujī jī mā vanā, Prabhujī jī mā vanā, Rām kā sandesh. Mo ye, lage re suha vana, Satguru sandesh, mo ye, lage re suha vana, Rām kā sundesho moye, lagire suha vana, Satguru sundesho moye, lagire suha vana, Mera dil barame harshaavu, Aap hari parshad aroge, Aap hari parshad aroge, Ram ka sundesho moye lage re suhaavu, Satguru Sundeshomoye Lagereswara Parabrahma Purushottama Swāmī... Śrī Devapurī Śāntāryāmī Śrī Svāmī Dīpakāya Avasajño Śrī Svāmī Dīpakāya Avasajño Hilmilā Maṅgalāgavana Hilmilā Maṅgalāgavana Rāmakā Sandeśa Mo Yeh Lāghe Re Suhavana Satguru Sandeśa Mo Yeh Lāghe Re Suhavana Lāghe Re Suhavana Mīra Satguru Deva Pavana... That suhāvana—that beauty, how it makes you feel. I do not know what is more beautiful or more suhāvana: Swāmījī’s words, his blessing, his līlā, all of this, his bhaktas, or his ashrams. Everything is suhāvana somehow. How to say how lucky we are to have this chance? Swāmījī, Gurujī, Mahāprabhujī, Devapurījī, the entire paramparā, the teaching, the practice, and our brothers and sisters—it is such an amazing saṅgham. All these things come together, and what a chance! We are just so lucky. Lastly, I just want to say thank you to Swāmījī for everything he does, has done, and will do for all of us. It is something so special. We are lucky to be part of it, lucky to have such a master. Śrī Śrī Devapurīṣa Mahādeva kī jae! Dharam Samrāṭ Paramahaṁt Śrī Svayī Marāvaṇan Purujī Mahārāja kī jae! Viśva Guru Mahā Maṇḍaleśvara Paramahaṁt Śrī Svayī Maheśvaran Purujī Sattva Guru Deva kī jae! Hari Om Webcast World.