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The Kumbha Melā holds profound significance for life, for humans, as well as for other creatures and the environment. Firstly, it is believed that during the Satyuga, when the ocean was churned, many ratnas—precious and valuable things—emerged in the quest for the nectar of immortality. It is believed that this nectar, which bestows immortality, fell upon this very spot. If it is immortal, then it remains here eternally. This is the core point of the Kumbha Melā. Countless people from around the world, not only Hindus but followers of other religions as well, come to attend the Kumbha Melā, to bathe during its special celestial constellation. They feel physically, mentally, and spiritually purified here. Such purification brings immense contentment to one's heart, mind, and body. Those who are truly seeking do not look for comfort. Today, the Kumbha Melā has become a comfortable place; the government has provided electricity, built roads and bridges, and ensured excellent hygienic safety measures. Yet, in times past, there was no light or roads. People would sit on the bank of the Gaṅgā throughout the night, waiting for the particular day of the sacred bath. One feels a purification that brings harmony to body, mind, and soul. Secondly, the Melā has always been a gathering for the meeting of great scholars, great sādhus, svāmīs, and self-realized souls. They held dialogues here concerning society and humanity, discussing how to give instruction so that people may feel truly free—not bound by any politics, pressure, religious dogma, or cultural constraints. They sought to provide guidance so individuals feel free mentally, physically, emotionally, intellectually, and socially. This was their discussion. Simultaneously, they would receive information from different parts of the world and the country, as communication was not advanced at that time. A message from the Kumbha Melā to Kashmir, Afghanistan, or Pakistan—all part of India then—would take months to arrive, yet it was taken very seriously as an order or instruction. They discussed seasons, natural disasters like earthquakes, fires, and droughts, as well as the environment. Thus, the Kumbha Melā holds great significance for spirituality, society, and culture. Its relevance in today's society is very positive. The number of visitors is increasing. Interestingly, many foreigners come not merely as tourists to enjoy a gathering. You will see they come with great humility; they bathe, perform pūjās, and meditate more than many native people. The present situation, both within India and abroad, is growing, especially among the youth. We are now in a third generation that has lost ethical and spiritual education. Parents are often incapable of providing this instruction at home, and schools lack such ethical teachings. Consequently, these generations have lost touch with their deeper feelings. However, when they witness the activities of the Kumbha Melā, the words and satsaṅg of the saints, and see foreigners participating, the hidden talents within the youth are reawakened. I have attended about five Kumbha Melās, and each time one can see improvements, even in the efforts of the Government of India. The administration takes it very seriously, and those who work there are highly developed in spirituality. Even the soldiers, police, and guards are very humble and kind, feeling it is their great fortune to have this opportunity. In short, this has a very positive impact on modern society and the youth. Thanks to films like the one you are making, which provide honest and serious information that people are searching for—not mere dogma—this will surely bring great light. Every place possesses its own dignity, information, and radiance. Prayāgrāj, or Allahabad—Prayāg means "meeting place"—is believed to be where three rivers converge: the Yamunā and Gaṅgā on the surface, and the Sarasvatī underground. These three rivers signify peace, intellect, and consciousness, or liberation. In yoga, we speak of Iḍā, Piṅgalā, and Suṣumnā nāḍīs, which represent these confluences—Bṛkuṭī, Trikuṭī, or the Third Eye. Trikūṭī means the bank where three rivers meet. It is said the entire divine energy and holy dust of India and the Himalayas, where the ṛṣis lived, is constantly washed into this area. Therefore, these three forces converge here. Even in the Satyuga, the ṛṣi Bharadvāja had his tapasyā and āśram here. Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Śiva used to come here to perform yajña on the riverbank. That is why it is called the king of all holy places. A special constellation of Jupiter occurs, and its radiance is strong in four places: Prayāgrāj, Nāśik, Haridwār, and Ujjain. These occur every three or four years, with a very strong gathering every twelve years, called the full Kumbha Melā. This is also the time when the nectar is said to have split here during the churning of the ocean. As Dhanvantari carried the nectar, the Asuras and Devas fought over it. In the struggle, a drop of the nectar fell here. That moment coincided with that particular constellation. If it is nectar, if it is immortality, then immortality is the energy of the entire universe, connected to that constellation. So at this time, even if you do not take a dip in the Gaṅgā, simply being in this area where the aura of this radiance permeates cleanses and purifies our karmas. This radiance extends about 20 to 40 kilometers—a very strong aura, an ābhā maṇḍal. It functions automatically. When you stand before an X-ray machine, you feel nothing, yet the radiation penetrates. Similarly, the "X-ray" of our life is conducted here daily, more and more, leading to purification. One often feels this more strongly after returning home. The significance of the sādhu-saṅgha is the protection of Dharma, culture, country, and people. From time to time, attempts were made to attack and conquer. There were those who wanted to take great India away, to rule and change it. At that time, the human population was small and communication limited. Great saints like Ādiguru Bhagavān Śaṅkarācārya traveled on foot across the length and breadth of India in his youth, creating a tremendous influence and reawakening spirituality and consciousness of Dharma in the people. Later, as different religious developments arose, the four Śaṅkarācāryas of the main Pīṭhas and sub-Pīṭhas like Sūmeru Pīṭha could not fully control the situation. Therefore, all the sādhus and akhāṛās came together and formed an akhāṛā—an organization, a union, a governing body. The akhāṛā became a government. They had the Nāgā Sādhus, who were highly respected. One does not simply discard their clothes and declare themselves a Nāgā Sādhu; it requires training—twelve to fourteen years of training before receiving Dīkṣā as a Nāgā Sādhu. The term "Nāgā" signifies that for the sake of the country, culture, humanity, the environment, and all creatures, they do not care about dress. If called to a battlefield, they do not worry about a shirt; their skin is their dress. They apply sacred ash on the body because, ultimately, one becomes that ash. It means they lived and fought for Dharma, for the protection of humans and societies. They had their workers, the ministers of this government, called Mahā Maṇḍaleśvaras. From time to time, these Mahā Maṇḍaleśvaras, working in different parts, would gather on such occasions. The akhāṛā honors them, granting them a royal, heroic bath. They are the heroes of the country, preserving tradition, wisdom, and knowledge. This is a symbolic acknowledgment of their work, not a declaration that they have attained mokṣa. Even if one is said to have mokṣa, one must work and practice as long as the body exists. The sacred syllable is Oṁ. Oṁ is primordial in the universe, existing in both nirguṇa and saguṇa forms. The nirguṇa form is Oṁ as vibration, the first resonance from which the entire universe begins to vibrate, creating elements, stars, suns, planets, and moons. Everything emanates from that one sound—Oṁkāra. Oṁkāra bindu sayuktaṁ nityaṁ dhyāyanti yoginaḥ. Secondly, our Sanskrit-Hindi alphabet is known as Devanāgarī. Deva means the gods, and nāgarī means citizen; thus, it is the script of the citizens of the universe. These alphabets are a form of energy protector, like a goddess in nirguṇa form. Through each letter, energy flows, creating and entering human consciousness and the body as cakras, the energy centers. They are both nirguṇa and saguṇa, but the first is Auṁ. Everything emerges from Auṁ, is balanced in Auṁ, and will merge back into Auṁ. The people here are very sincere. They search for sincerity, for reality and genuine practice, not dogma. They seek practical, not merely intellectual, things. About forty years ago, I developed a system called "Yoga in Daily Life." It is a system akin to education, from preliminary kindergarten to university-level higher education. Similarly, Yoga in Daily Life has stepwise exercises for every age, person, and culture. Yoga does not belong to any single religion; if anything, all religions are part of yoga, emerging from it, for yoga is the first. Yoga began when Oṁkār Nāth began. From that emerged Svayaṃbhū Śiva, who appeared in a meditation mudrā. Thus, yoga existed from that time, and "Nāth" means balancing and harmonizing the elements of the universe, balancing and harmonizing body, mind, and soul. They practice yoga in their life. Simultaneously, we work for world peace, respect, and tolerance among religions, cultures, and nations. We also work to protect the environment by planting trees. We have many humanitarian and veterinary organizations, providing people and animals with good water, especially in Rajasthan where water is scarce. For school children, our society offers scholarships to those from poor families who cannot afford education. There is an international organization under the banner of Yoga in Daily Life, affiliated with the United Nations, called the Śrī Svāmī Madhavānand World Peace Council. It holds special consultative status with the UN, as does the Ālakhpurījī Siddhāpīṭh Paramparā. My paramparā, my tradition, originates from the Himalayas, between Kedārnāth and Badrīnāth. Ālakhpurījī, a great saint from the Satyayuga, is the namesake of the Alaknandā River. On one side is the Bhagīrathī, and on the other the Alaknandā; their merging point is called Devaprayāg. The Devas, the goddesses Ālakhpurījī and the Ṛṣi Bhagīratha, come together there. From there, it becomes the Gaṅgā and flows to Prayāgrāj, where the three—Sarasvatī, Gaṅgā, and Yamunā—merge. The Sarasvatī is the original river from the Himalayas, flowing parallel to the Alaknandā from between Kedārnāth and Badrīnāth, eventually merging into the Alaknandā. It is a long story. My guru paramparā comes from there, called Ālakhpurī. This is the pīṭha, the seat of importance for the Kumbha. You will realize through yoga practice that the Kumbha, the nectar pot, is within ourselves. It resides in our cakras. In our system, the Bindu cakra is the cakra of nectar, accessible through Khecarī Mudrā and the three principal nāḍīs: Iḍā, Piṅgalā, and Suṣumṇā, among the 72 nāḍīs. These correspond to the sympathetic, parasympathetic, and central nervous systems. Their vibration emerges at the eyebrow center, which is why all meditate there—the third eye. When the inner Turīya opens, all sins disappear. You become one who only thinks and acts positively. In that being, there is only light, no darkness; only love, no hate. Such a person is a blessing for the whole world. Thus, Yoga in Daily Life guides people in the best way to understand the Kumbha Melā. I am sure they understand deeply now; some have attended three Kumbha Melās here. The Kumbha Melā is a blessing for the world. The radiance and message emanating from here to the entire world through electronic and other media bestow a blessing of peace and harmony upon the world. I wish for our entire world, for our animals and vegetation, peace and harmony. This is possible when we turn our lives toward positive thinking and love for animals. Animals are part of our life; they are our brothers and sisters, not for killing and eating. As long as slaughterhouses exist, there will be battlehouses. Humans must consider the direction they wish to take and what legacy they give their children. They bear a great responsibility. I wish for peace, love, harmony, good health, understanding, spiritual development, and self-realization. This is the message of the Kumbha.