TV Channel

Part 1: The Glory of Śrīmad Devī Bhāgavata on Navarātri Today, I am very happy that on the occasion of Navarātri, on this morning, Śrīman Devī Bhagavad Gītā will be recited here for the last nine days. Even if one person recites a single verse of Śrīman Devī Bhāgavad Gītā and remembers it, it can be a blessing. The house where Śrīman Devī Bhagavad Gītā resides is considered holy, and there is no affliction there. Vedavyāsa wrote the eighteen Purāṇas. Why did he write them? He saw that the Vedas are composed in the Sanskrit language. Who will read them? So, he wrote in many languages. Bhaiyā Siṅgh Mahārāj has narrated eighteen such Purāṇas, like Śrīmad Bhagavad Gītā, Devī Purāṇ, Viṣṇu Purāṇ, Brahmā Purāṇ, and Nārad Purāṇ. Within that, Śrīmad Devī Bhāgavad Gītā is one in which Mātā Satī is mentioned. And it is said that there is no difference between Śrīmad Bhāgavata and Śrīmad Devī Bhāgavata in the Holy Quran? Both of them lead us in the right direction. But what is the difference? Śrīmad Bhāgavata was narrated by Śukadeva Jī Mahārāja to Rāja Parīkṣit. Śrīmad Devī Bhāgavata was narrated by Sūrya Jī Mahārāj at the time of his birth. In Śrīmad Devī Bhāgavata, there is the story of Devī Parambhā Jagadambā, and the origin of the whole creation was told by Parambhā Jagadambā. And in this Purāṇa, especially when Śrī Kṛṣṇa went to search for Prasena for many days, someone advised Vasudevajī Mahārāj to listen to the story of Śrīmad Devī Bhāgavata, and his son would return soon. He heard the story of Śiva Devī Bhāgavata, and as soon as the story was completed, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Mahāprabhujī appeared. There are many such examples in the Śiva Devī Bhāgavata which tell us that at that time, Vasudev Jī, for the worship of the Lord, heard the story of Śiva Devī Bhāgavata. To find his son, he also received the benefit of it. So we, the devotees, should listen to this story in the month of Caitra, in the month of Jyeṣṭha, and especially on Navarātri. Mahāprabhujī kī Karatā Mahāprabhujī kī Karatā... That is why Śiva Devī Bhagavad Gītā is a very important story in itself. By listening to this story, by contemplating this story, the Bhagavad Gītā is achieved. We live for four things: dharma, artha, kāma, and mokṣa. What is dharma? Dhāriyati Dharma. Just as during Navarātri we observe a fast, resolving that we will recite the Bhagavad Gītā, or we will recite the Śrī Rāmāyaṇa, or we will perform the Navāha Pārāyaṇa. After that, we will break the fast. This has become our religion. In the same way, different people have different religions. Some go to church and, after having the vision of Īsā Masīh, then they have food. Some, after reciting the Guru Granth Sāhib, they have food. There are different types, different religions, which adopt certain disciplines or principles in their life. Artha jo hai, usme 1 lakh āpīyoṁ meṁ 9000, 500, 9000 jāti jo hai, artho pardhān ke liye sabher se hī nikal jāte haiṁ aur arth prāpti ke liye din rāt mehnat karte rahte haiṁ. People live for wealth. After that comes desire, which is the passion for living, merely an animal life. People remain engrossed in desires and live an animal life. But the real purpose of living is to attain Mokṣa. And when can one attain Mokṣa? When a person meditates on Dharma and contemplates attaining Bhagavān. And there are many solutions for this. Kaliyun kumār nām, akhāṛā sumārī sumārī bhāvā. After that, sing the bhajan of Bhagavān, practice bhakti. And while thinking about Bhagavān, like Karmā Bhāī, while enjoying the bliss of Khecarā, while singing the bhajan of Mīnā Jī, "Śrī Rām Ratan Dhan Pāyā," one may have the darśana of Bhagavān. Aur isī prakār alag alag prakār se bhaktõ... Ko alag alag prakār se darśan bhagavān ne diye aur devī purāṇ ko, śrīmad bhagavat purāṇ ko inko sunne se jīvan mein niścit rūp se mokṣa kī prāpt kī jā sakti hai isliye unko mokṣa dāyinī kathā kā gayā hai. Śrīmad devī bhāgavat ke 12 skandh haiṁ, aur in 12 skandhoṁ meṁ alag lag deviyoṅ ke kathāyeṅ haiṁ, alag lag utpattiyāṅ haiṁ, Arvaṅd, Viṣṇu se kathā praṇām goṅgar, aur sabhī deviyoṅ kī isme Parambhā Jagadambā, jo jagat kī ādhār hai, unkī kathā hai. All these things have been given in this. I, Śiva Devī Bhargavā, worship the Qur’ān. The house in which this worship is done, that house also keeps moving ahead without any problems. The young girls who have listened to Śiva Devī Bhārgava receive good results, and in the household, whoever listens to this, their household also goes well. In this way, I have been completing this Mahātma’s program here. I want to say a few words in English. Śrī Mādhvī Bhagavad Gītā is considered the culmination of our theological as well as philosophical deliberations and holds the supreme position among the eighteen Gītās. Similarly, Śrīmad Bhagavad Gītā is attributed the same important and sacred place. In fact, the combined effect of Śrī Madbhāgavata and Śrī Devī Madbhāgavata gave a balanced and complete shape to the Param Tattva, the Supreme Truth. One of the main characteristics of Indian philosophy and theology is paying our highest regard to motherhood. Motherhood is equivalent to godlyhood. She is the supreme creator. We all owe our existence to the mother. We believe strongly that the mother is just like the goddess, and she is placed in the rank of the supreme teacher. We believe that Mother is just like God: Mātṛ Devo Bhava, Pitṛ Devo Bhava, Ācārya Devo Bhava. They are just like our God. She is the source of all energy and force, who can bring success, love, devotion, and knowledge into our lives. And at the same time, the Mother can destroy all the extremities and cruelties. Śivad Devī Bhagavad is the most powerful and dependable medium which can lead us to the highest godlyhood. Thank you very much. This was our dear Bhakta, Vidhi Kala. He was previously known as the minister for so many things—health minister, now he is in finance. He is Chairman of the State Finance Commission. But what is more important, he is also the president of the Sanskrit literary festival. So, we wish to thank our dear brother, Guru brother, and dear Bhakta, that he blessed this occasion with his presence. Śrī Dīp Nārāyaṇa Bhagavān Kṛte! Let us do praṇām, and then we will enter into the story. For the first time in Jaipur, I can’t forget this, whether you are sitting on the road, on the road... Or sitting on the top of any high mountain in the world, that on the first day of Jaipur, in July 2006, I greet the Parambhā who is sitting in the form of inner Śakti, in the form of Jāgrat. Life is a riddle. No one in the world can claim what he himself is. A person is most ignorant about himself; that is, we are most ignorant about our own self. We don’t even know our own self. We can read books, we can travel around the world, we can travel all around the world. And nowadays, people even go to space. People told me that when Sunita Williams went to space, she took a book of the Bhagavad Gītā with her. This is a very good thing about this book, Āśraddhā. I have seen it again and again: the universe of the outer world, and one universe is in these scriptures written by these ṛṣi-munis. This Devī Bhāgavata, this Śrīmad Bhāgavata Gītā, or Śrīmad Bhāgavata Mahāpurāṇa, or Śiva Purāṇa is a map of a different world, a different universe. If we sit down and think that we have traveled, then it is exactly the same as if you sit in front of a world map, pray to the world map, worship the world map, and think that your travel is over. This is a map, and where to go to that space where you do not have to move outside, but you have to stop all the movements. Who do we call the power to understand so much in these days? We are in ignorance about our own power. We don’t even know our own power. If we just read it as a ritual, we have worshipped a map, we have worshipped a map. We will have to walk, and this is the way to walk. No one has to move outward; we will have to turn inward, just go inwards. How to walk? For that, Vedavyāsa Jī has given eighteen Purāṇas to tell that one true truth. Like Ekam Sat Viprā Bahuvandhati; even then Puṣwakānt Jī says, "O Lord, O Mahādev, O the world’s supreme foundation, if we make a pen for the trees of this world, if we make a pen, if we make a pen,... even then we cannot cross your qualities." Śrī Śrī... Sari kā dekh liyā, bas ho gayā. Apnī bāt meṁ lete haiṁ... Without the help of the Guru, it is not possible to attain the Lord. That is why we praise the Gurū Mahārāj by praising Gaṇeśa. Sahaja Yoga says, Guru ke saman Hari ko niharu, Hari ne māyā phand banāye, Māyā phand chudāye, Hari ne janam diyo jag mahī. The highest Guru is spoken of by us. Why is this spoken of? Because the Guru takes you beyond this māyā. So the most important way to enter our scriptures is to become a disciple. First of all, what will we do by becoming disciples? How will we become disciples in this certificate course? To become a disciple means to be ready to learn. To become receptive. Chata Śretī’s twenty-four Gurus can learn from trees, from the winds, from every moment. There is nothing from which we cannot learn. You can learn from an incident, but you can learn more from an accident. When we are ready to learn, then we have taken the ticket to that destination, to that country where the map is in our hand. And the day you get the feeling that you don’t want to learn anything from anyone, then understand that you don’t have to reach anywhere now. Wherever you are, you will fall down. Mahāprabhujī Kālidāsa says that those who get the fruits of good deeds in life, the tree also bends down, so even if a person is bent, only then can he enter the temple of the Lord. The first thing, the second thing is that there are nine days of Mahākālī, Mahālakṣmī, and Mahāsarasvatī worship. So Mahākālī comes first. Swāmī Rāma and Kṛṣṇaparamānanda used to pray daily to Kālī Mā. Sākṣṇeśvar Kālī Pīṭha, Adhyātma. Every year, three devotees give darśana to their devotees, even today. A devotee receives darśana; the pūjārī there is also not like the pūjārī of normal temples. Now Murārī Brahmacārī is there. Kālīkā Baṅgadeśe, Vārāṇāśyam Annapūrṇā, Rājasthānī Jaya—in Rajasthan, Jayā pūjā is done. Vārāṇāśyām Annapūrṇā pūjā is done, Kālika Baṅgadeśe. And Vindhyātamme Vindheśvarī Dev, although today is the full month of Kathā, the Kathās that are going to come today have given us a title so that we can walk now: Kriyā. Do you understand what Kalī is before entering the book? Kriyā. Kriyā is such a thing without which you cannot live, without action. If a video is made and you watch it yourself, you will think that you have gone mad. Sometimes you brush your teeth, sometimes you brush your mouth like this. Kriyā bāger jīvan nahīṁ rahe saktā aur. Uskriyā kī abhiṣṭhātā mā Kālī hai. Itnadbhut Vigyan, Itnadbhut Vigyan Mahārāj. Sometimes in the body there are knots, there are bumps. All kinds of diseases are related to our actions, and it is due to the devotion of Mā Kālī. When can you not do the action? When the blood seed comes in you, that is, any kind of cancer like blood cancer. Now who is this blood seed? This is called blood cancer. There is no one else like Vaktbeer. When did Vaktbeer happen? Blood Cancer happened now. The treatment is written in the Purāṇas from that time. The one who does not worship the Mahākālī of this Bhāgavata gets diseases in his body and life. There is a disease. Ākhaṇḍe Jī also fell down the stairs in Banaras while worshipping Lord Śiva so much. He did not have the strength to lift himself up. He was going into a coma. He said that you have done my command in all forms till now. If you worship Śiva without Bhagavatī, then it is called Mahāgopāla Sahasranāma. It is called Gaur Tej or Sam Tej Samar Tej. It means that one who worships without Rādhājī’s teja or without Lord Śyāma Sundara’s teja is a great sinner. It is said like this: this whole world is a house, understand. And if the owner of the house does not go, then the owner of the house cannot stay in the house. So, who is the owner of the house? Parampā, Jagadambā, Ārtya. By the way, there are different types in the tenth stage. The more time you give, the more you will get. So I return to Kriyā. You think a little, think a little. Our scriptures, our festivals are so scientific that your pragyā will be called, this takṣu will be closed. You cannot live without Kriyā. You can find ten shops from one shop and make five houses from one shop. You need an account in four banks and in a Swiss bank also. This is a process. We cannot live without karma. And when all these things have to stop, even in sleep, the mind keeps moving. You just think: are we tired of doing something, or are we tired of not doing something? One question from all of you, and you have to bring out some elements. Now, sit down, students. Secondly, you will decide whether you are tired of doing something or not doing something. When someone tells you to do something else, you get tired of doing it as per your will. You have to understand the action. Is the power less or increased? There are four sources of power. One is the power which you take from food, water, and tea. You will not get food; you will get angry. You will not get tea on time, and you will get angry. So, you have taken the food and drink from outside, from water, from milk, from bread, from food and drink, from fruits. If you don’t get it, you will slowly become impure. There may be a deficiency of blood. You will start to fall. There are such people who are sitting in the Himalayas, at Lhasa University in Tibet, which is not visible. There are people sitting in the same way, Mahāvatārabha, all such gods are sitting. Purījī, Purījī... Śakti, jāpa āpke upara koī viparīti yā koī ājama śakti ko jāgṛta karate haina. Tīsarī śakti, ātmā kī śakti, soul power bīmāra ho gayā. Mo śakti haina eka mainā na soye. Agar vahāṁ cīka ho jāye, kuśa vāta āpkī soul power, mana se bhī upara kī power kāma karege. Jitane bhī mātā pitā haina, vaha ātmā vāna. As soon as the son is born, the father’s soul, the soul of the father, is born. From that day onward, that soul itself became the son. That is why the one who is child-like, in our culture we say that he is a child-like person. Why is he child-like? Because his soul was born with his birth. The son’s name is Ātmārj. And the third, the fourth, the biggest source of power is God. So, body and mind, these are the four sources of power. Power comes from here. Eat the power of the mind in the morning and in the afternoon. Eat as much as you can. Finish. The mind also breaks after three days, twenty-seven days. The mind is also very powerful. The mind works with the moon. There is a gap between the moon and the sun. And one day, even the soul has to break. There is a limit. Like you are sitting in your house, in your room, in your bed. You have installed a window, and then the power of the mind has come further. Our physical power is just like being covered in a room. Oxygen, no lights, no air. So we make a ventilation for the window. Part 2: The Blessing of Breath and the Nine Nights of Awakening We need more oxygen and more air than we receive while confined inside a house. In the same way, the room of your life is like your physical body: its power is limited. The power of the mind is like having a good window, because the mind simply collects information from books and from the internet. This information is shaped by the momentum of your previous births—the good karma and bad karma that also apply to the soul, Mahārāj. When Guru Mahārāj speaks to you about Jñāna, he does not merely offer information about the soul. Rather, taking hold of your hand and the hand of God, he gives directly to the soul. God says, “Take this, hold this. The work is done.” So, Mahārāj, if we rely solely on the power of the body, we may say, “I have done a lot of work for you,” but then the body falls sick and the mind becomes stressed. If you do not tend to the soul—if you do not perform sādhanā—then the power of the soul remains limited. The soul too needs nourishment. Meditation is the food of the soul, just as love and surrender are its nourishment. If you feed only the physical body and the mind, grace will not flow into your life. To receive grace you must connect with that Paramātmā, that Jagadambā. What is that Jagadambā? You must enter into it. The power that resides here, whatever its location, is directly linked to the supreme Paramātmā. I wish to tell you this: we are all already blessed by the Divine Mother. The proof is our heartbeat; the proof is our breathing. Our breath itself is evidence that the supreme power keeps us alive. This breath is the blessing of God. How many of you have studied the Devī Bhāgavata Gītā until now? Tell me a little—have you studied it? No one? This is a very good thing. And who among you practices Navarātri observances? All of us say, “Oli Jai Mātā Jī.” See, this is Navarātri. Now, who wakes up until nine o’clock? We know Śivarātri, Navarātri. So this is rātri. Rātri means whatever you have to do, you must do it during the night. You must wake up at nine o’clock. If you truly want to understand Navarātri, you should not sleep for nine days. Say Jai Mātā Jī. This does not mean you should trouble your neighbor or give away all your gold. We will not sleep, but please take rest. If a person does not sleep for three days only, he begins to hallucinate and see clouds. But here you do not have to remain awake for nine nights literally; you may sleep during the day and thus complete the two observances. What kind of riddle is this? Even when you sleep deeply, you do not really get the sleep you need. This is explained in the verse: Yā niśā sarvabhūtānāṁ tasyāṁ jāgarti saṁyamī, yasyāṁ jāgrati bhūtāni sā niśā paśyato muneḥ. In this verse, the night in which we all sleep is the darkness of the world. The hungers and lusts of the world are that night; desire itself is night. For we are all sleeping in desire and in greed. As long as greed exists, we remain asleep. Whenever lust enters our life, we are sleeping. Night means lust, desire. You run and run, reaching nowhere, struggling without a goal. This is your life; it is a journey. Our ancient Purāṇas serve to awaken us, offering a hammer. What is needed to wake us up? Son, get up! And in some vessels, the eyes open. A hammer is required for awakening. We ring a bell before God. In the temple, is there a bell? Is that bell to wake up God, or to wake us up? That bell wakes us. God is not sleeping; we are sleeping. Thinking, “This is my wife, this is my home, this is my land, this is my city,” is itself sleep. To awaken from this sleep, you must renounce all such attachments for nine nights. Give up these vices for nine days—that is the true fast of Navarātri. A pandit may say, “I want to destroy my enemies, so I will pray to Kālī.” But where is the demon? The demon is inside, not outside. Therefore, for the first three days, practice kriyāśakti: gain control over your actions and your bad habits. This is also worship of Kālī—kriyāśakti and jñāna, Mahākālī, Mahālakṣmī, and Mahāsarasvatī. Indriyon ko sātao yā upāsanā nahīṁ hai; āp prakṛti aur apnī indriyon ke sāth maitrī karo. This is the real nourishment: when you understand nature and work in harmony with it, nine dinõṁ meṁ jo kām. If we avoid eating excessively, disease will not enter our body, for nature is changing. When does this change come? During the transitions from summer to winter or winter to summer—the two Navarātris, the autumn Navarātri and the spring Caitra Navarātri. In Caitra Navarātri we move from winter to summer, and in the autumn Navarātri we move from summer to winter. These two junctures shift the entire system of the body. Most people fall sick at these times. So, to control those diseases, it is said: keep the body balanced for nine days, for eighteen days; then your body will remain healthy for the entire year. The body is tremendously important; it is the body that acts. Yet without knowledge, even when plenty of work is being done and money flowing in, a person may be in a bad state or afraid. What happens to a person? There are two fundamental shortcomings in life: one is lacking money, and the other is possessing wealth. Both are problems, because we try to protect ourselves through money. When you receive money, you wonder, “What to do with this money? What to do with this power?” This is where kriyā, jñāna, and aiśvarya come in. Kṛṣṇa satsaṅg kā mahimā hai, satsaṅg kā mahimā hai… satsaṅg. If you sit in front of a rose or a bird, your ego diminishes. If you go near a small child, your ego diminishes. But the moment you step into worldly matters, your ego returns. Do the work of observing your ego, and sometimes note in your heart how many times you use the word “I.” The more you repeat “I,” the more ego lurks in the background. Simply write down on paper how often you say “I.” This is why a beautiful tradition exists in India—a very good culture—where we address others as “Bhagavān.” When another person is called Bhagavān, your ego dissolves. By addressing someone as God, you relate and work without ego. And who consumes our power the most? Our ego. The ego is a demon; the ego eats our energy. Three types of energy are required: Mahākālī, Mahālakṣmī, and Mahāsarasvatī—knowledge, action, and splendor. So I tell you, you must forget your ego. Whatever emotion you wish to cultivate is found in the Bhavānī Aṣṭakam. I have spoken to you earlier about the Bhavānī Aṣṭakam, which Śaṅkarācārya composed. It states clearly: Na tato na mātā na bandhur na dhātā, na jana na dhitya na vṛttis tameva, mātas cha pitā tameva. We declare, “You are the mother, you are the father.” These same sentiments pervade the Bhavānī Aṣṭakam. In the ashram, there are eight ślokas of Bhagavān’s worship of Jagadambā. When we say, “O God, you are in the form of a mother,” it does not mean that worship of Durgā excludes the worship of Lord Śiva or Lord Gaṇeśa. It is the worship of everyone. In just a couple of seconds we shall enter the bhāva of Bhagavān’s Āśrama. One word will keep recurring, so you can follow. It is truly beautiful. With this Bhavānī Aṣṭakam, we will proceed into the Devī Bhāgavatam. This is a spiritual discourse on Yoga in the Indian tradition. Bhole Jagdāve Rāj, Nāche, dharvā, Aṭal, Kṣatra, Kīrtan—this is the path described in the Bhagavad Gītā. On this path one must practice: practice prāṇāyāma, practice vinyāsa; these are all methods. Without such methods, you cannot attain that state. Mahākālī, Mahālakṣmī, Mahāsarasvatī pūjā, Navagraha pūjā—all are prescribed in the Vedas. Keeping this Vedic teaching in mind, along with the worship of Bhagavatī, we also worship Kṣetrapāla, Gaṇeśa, Maṅgala, and others. For the welfare of all of you, for the welfare of the world, Viśvagurū Mahārāj Paramahaṁsa Svāmī Maheśvarānandajī, here near the ashram and in Jaipur, with a feeling for the well-being of the people, has given all of you instructions so that you may listen to the Kathā and participate in the Pūjā. May everyone receive the full fruit of such devotion. What is the desire of the saints? It is solely for the welfare of all. What is the meaning of the clothes of a sannyāsin, the orange robes? It signifies that he is not living for his personal self. His entire life is dedicated to society, to world peace, and every action is for the sake of nature. In our religion, in our Upaniṣads, in order to heal nature, one must understand science. There is an amazing tradition in our country: when someone falls ill, people say, “Give jaggery to the cow.” But if the person is sick, they say again, “Give jaggery to the cow.” If you worship Lord Gaṇeśa, what is the idol? It is made of clay, stone, or gold. You worship there and your life improves—this is a profound science. To unlock the secrets of the universe, scientists know what to do. The Vedas and the Upaniṣads say, “Don’t do anything. Just sit in one seat. Just for…” but you will fall asleep. What kind of science is this? This is true science. If you desire world peace, the world first needs your inner peace. When you yourself are in a state of meditation, how can you bring peace to the outside? Even in the hands of Mātā Durgā, there is a śūla, śaṅkha, gadā, and cakra. What are you doing? Whom do you wish to destroy? On this basis, all nations and all people feel they must amass weapons, large militaries, guns, bows… He Kevalam, He Kevalam… But the feelings of people are vastly different. We invest two or ten crore rupees to build a house, then we gaze at the house and worship it. We display our power; let us remove it. Leaders go on grand pilgrimages to show off their power. But if you flaunt your power, that power will be destroyed. Power is a vision, a philosophy—not a display. When power is exhibited, peace disappears. That is why it is said: keep your power secret, keep your belongings secret, speak the truth. If you apply a tilak, place it at the top; if you hold a trident, keep it high, and hide the banknote in your pocket. You should also give a note and turn the chair like this. We conceal certain things, yet we want to show real power outwardly. We want to show off because, at the moment, we don’t truly desire peace. When we sincerely want peace, we will worship God in secret. When everyone goes to sleep, we will worship. We will not merely wish for our own auspicious day; we will wish for everyone’s auspicious day— Sarvāt, Sādhgī, Śaraṇya, Tryambake, Gaurī, Nārāyaṇa. Everyone’s auspicious day. Not individual, not personal—the welfare of all. Pūrva ke vijñān kā, of the knowledge of the East, think as a, we all kalyāṇ kā itnā sā sandeś hai, aur koī sandeś hī nahīṁ hai, sabhī purāṇ kā. Khali sochne hum khali vrat kiye hain, upvās kiye hain, tīrth gaye hain, kathā sunāy hain. Nahi bhāī, yeh bāt mein har kathā mein tā, Śiva Purāṇa sunlo tā, Bhāgavat sunlo. Samudra ko kidhar se chāklo, ho vese hī rahegā. We must listen, because this alone is truth. Our saints have bestowed upon us the gift of hearing the truth. That is why Vyāsa ji spoke only truth to convey truth. In the Devī Bhāgavatam, it is said: Salutations to all the ṛṣis dwelling in Badarīnātha. Who lives in Badarīnātha? Uddhava ji lives there. The sons of Brahmā and friends of Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa—Sānaka, Sānanda, Sanātana, Sanatkumāra—these four brothers reside there. Vedavyāsa ji also dwells there. Bowing to all of them, one should study any scripture; without that, no scripture should be read. Who is speaking these words? On the banks of the Naimiṣāraṇya, Sadā jī. Let me explain the meaning of Naimiṣāraṇya: the place where the mind becomes still is Naimiṣāraṇya. Our mind does not become still; when our mind, along with support and knowledge, attains stillness, that very place is called Naimiṣāraṇya. How can we destroy the influences that disquiet this place? For this, the Ṛṣis of Śōṇakaḍi prayed to Sūtajī. All of them sat down to listen to the eighteen Purāṇas. And for how long? They said, “We are sitting for three to six years.” The Śōṇakaḍi Ṛṣi sat for a thousand years. So much commitment! But, Mother explains, a thousand years is not a single person’s lifespan. So how does one’s lifespan lengthen? We must understand this a little. As long as we remain self-centered and consume material things, our lifespan continues to shorten. The day we become attached to the supreme element, from that day our lifespan will begin to lengthen. And possibly, if there is a second birth, the spiritual practice you have done in the previous birth will remain intact. Some people have vowed to sit for one thousand years. Some accomplish it in one year, some in two, some in twenty, some in one hundred. Why does the process differ? A person is like a horse. Some horses become alert the moment they see their master, ready to go. Some horses, when the master arrives, simply note, “He has come; let him come.” They will move only when he sits upon them. The third type: the horse will not advance until it is prodded forward. And the fourth type: even then it will not move. The horse that advances only after much trouble—sickness, exhaustion, severe difficulties—is the horse that moves forward when God pushes it. What is the meaning of all troubles? It is God moving us forward. Part 3: The Purpose of Human Birth and the Spiritual Journey Through Devī Bhāgavata The speaker begins with a call: “Brother, come on, how long will you sit? It will be a human birth. How long will you stand here? Manuṣya Janm kā matlab hai, āge baḍho, vikās karo; matlab hai, āp vikās honā chāhiye.” The meaning is clear: when we take birth as human beings, this is the time for our spiritual journey. Where you are born, what your country or background is, matters little. As human beings, we are simply manuṣya mātrā hai. We are born for devotion, for freedom, for Nirvāṇa. This is the purpose of human birth, as Gurujī has said. Mokṣa is our birthright. If we fail to do karmas for mokṣa, if we live without God and without striving for salvation, that is the greatest sin. Addressing a pandit, he remarks, “O Paṇḍitjī, I have come to listen to this Devī Bhāgavata. Which rasāyam are you preparing? This is the Devī Bhāgavata that awakens you. Navarātri – Rātri means to renounce your attachment to Māyā.” He asks if anyone has heard the Bhāgavata, and many have. He then recounts the story of Rājā Parīkṣit, who was born from Uttarā, the wife of Abhimanyu, and who attained mukti in seven days by listening to the story of Śubhadevjī. Although a snake bite, Takṣaka, came for him, worldly people say that accidental death is when one dies before completing the hundred-year lifespan. Yet, even so, we should listen to the Devī Bhāgavata. The speaker chants, “Mahāprabhujī kī Karatā Mahāprabhujī kī Karatā... He Kevalam He Kevalam...” and insists, “Toh bhi hameṁ Devī Bhāgavat sunnī chāhiye.” The speaker shifts to a common lament: one day every child asks their parents, “What have you done for me?” This happens in life, especially in India. In the West, children often live separately, but now the situation is changing everywhere. To truly give something, the śāstras have said: “Sattva Pitāṅgaśyāpa Jani Jani Niśyāpa.” Nav Yogeśvara, that is Ṛṣabhdev Jī, tells his children, “First become free yourself, then you can free others. If you want to help someone, first be enlightened yourself. Do sādhanā for life. Before enlightenment, whatever you give is like pizza and burgers; nothing lasting will come of it. Before enlightenment, whatever you give will be destroyed by time.” Therefore, “Guru Niṣād, Māta Māta Niṣād. If the Guru is not a Guru, Mata is not a Mata, Bhai is not a Bhai, Bandhu is not a Bandhu.” This is what Ṛṣabhadeva says to his sons: if no one gives you salvation, he cannot save you from the ocean of death. “Aslī Mithra Vahiyai Jo Aapko Mūrti Se Chhūḍā Lai.” The real friend is the one who frees you from death. “Govinda Ke Upar, Paramātmā Śrī Kṛṣṇa Ke Upar Kisne Lagāyā?” Who can blame Govinda? The story of the Syamantaka jewel then unfolds. A Yaduvaṁśī king, Rājā Satrā Jatnāyā, possessed a large, reddish gem and offered eighty tolas of gold daily. The current price of gold is uncertain, but gold has always been precious. “Sona to bād bārī bāte hai.” Someone noted that gold is the best thing in the world, yet the pleasure of sleep is similar—sleep itself gives happiness. That is why people run to sleep, but they are unable to wake up. The call goes out: “Wake up, traveler. Sleep, now where to stay? Leave sleeping, wake up now.” Mahāmaṇḍaleśvara Jī has asked that tea and prasād be offered, though it will take time. Returning to the story, Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa asked for the gem, but the person hid it and refused. People come to Gurujī and greet him, but Gurujī keeps asking for the gem. If someone asks for a gem worth ten rupees, you should ask for a gem worth ten rupees; if for a hundred rupees, you should ask accordingly. “Purījī, Purījī...” — thinking his life was secure, he pulled out a knife, declaring, “I will kill you; I have a good LIC premium; there is nothing of life—it comes and goes.” Śabtacit came to meet Kṛṣṇa, but refused to give the jewel and stopped seeing him. From then on, he kept that gem hidden, occasionally taking it out to look. It is the same with our possessions; we wear jewelry only a few days, it does not go inside. The story of the jewel is like the story of vegetables—everything must stay here; not an inch goes with us. In the West, if someone becomes enlightened and speaks about Jñāna, they are considered bipolar and sent to a mental asylum or rehabilitation center. That is not right. In India, such a person is worshipped, because there is a tradition of Jñāna here. The culture has seen saints for centuries, so saints are understood. Now awareness is growing in children. Śatrājit started to hide the gem. Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa, aware of his aura, asked for it and protected him. Sometimes, if there is one precious thing in the house, others think they should use it. Śatrājit’s younger brother, Śatrājit (confusion in names), who worshipped the sun, took the gem to the forest, where a lion ate him. The lion was then killed by Jāmbavān. “Jamavand Jī, Tretā Yuga, Tretā Kāla Ke Jamavand Jī.” In our Purāṇas, there is a universal tradition of beings who can appear at any time, like Jāmbavān Jī, Hanumānjī, and Nāradjī, who is present in all stories. Nāradjī came crying to the Sudharma assembly in Dvārakā and accused Kṛṣṇa, because His old record as a butter thief was bad. Yet He stole the hearts of the people so they would not fall in love with the world. “Swāmījī ne vī svām śubh rahe, śubh rahe, jā ke kabhī kabhī pakṣa hāṁ hai. Maiṁ samāj mein praveśa nahī̃ karū̃gā. Kabhī kabhī samāj mein ādmī ko log ajeeb dṛṣṭi se dekhate haĩ. Us vāra dekhna bhī bahut gauraha hotā hai.” Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa took Akrūra jī, Dhau jī, and other Yadus into the forest. “Ake Jeeban Mein Kabhi Koi Samasya Aaye, To Aap Yeh Mat Sochana Ki Koi Sistem Aapki Madat Karega.” The Lord tells us to make our own system. Having a driving license doesn’t mean there will never be an accident; even with traffic lights and dividers, you must be careful. In the same way, life must be lived attentively. You have to learn to escape from people; this is worldly knowledge. “Puri Jai Mātā Dī, Jai Mātā Dī.” Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa took a vow to clear His name. He went to where Prasena’s footprints were, and the blame for both the gem and the murder fell on Him. Gurujī said, “Merī bhāī ko mā kiyā, lās kā gayī.” The corpse was missing, and the gem was gone. The lion had eaten Prasena, licked its lips, and finished lunch; Gurujī got the blame. It is not fun to be a big person. Guru means big. Nautal Paṇḍitjī says it is not easy to be big; you think big means eating big pakoras and Jodhpur sweets, but being truly great involves rising early in the cold, bathing in the river, carrying heavy sil, eating rough food, and enduring hardship. Whatever is big in this house, he has had to face all that. He said this is the meaning of being big. In the name of God, what greatness did He have? He was born in a jail, faced poisoning and demons in infancy. “Jisne viṣpīyā banā Śaṅkar, jisne viṣpīyā banī Mīrā, jo kaṭā gayā banā hīrā, jo biḍā gayā, wo motī hai.” In the world, the one who is truly worshipped is the one whose life you see as t̤hirtān kī t̤hirtān; he never sat comfortably on a throne like Śrī Rām. Our hearts fill with joy; soon Rāma Navamī will come during Navarātri. Today Jagadambā has become a temple; what a place it is. Kṛṣṇa entered the cave; it was very dark, but the massive gem’s light illuminated everything. As Śrī Kṛṣṇa reached for it, Jāmbavānjī himself appeared. Jāmbavān is an incarnation of Brahmā. In that era, these four take birth together: Hanumānjī as the incarnation of Puruṣa, Prabhu Śrī Rām as Svāmī Viṣṇu, and Lakṣmaṇjī as Śeṣanāga. Similarly, in Lord Kṛṣṇa’s avatāra, Hanumānjī and Jāmbavānjī also came. But this time, because He became the Rāma Avatāra and went into the forest, He had left His elder brother at home. So this time, Balarāma Jī came as the elder brother, saying, “I did not take avatars because I wanted to see them, and this time I had to go. You wash your own clothes, and I will sit at home.” So Kṛṣṇa Himself went to wash the clothes, which was a significant act. After nine days, Mahārāj returned home transformed. Vasudevjī became anxious, and Nāradjī came to his senses. At that time, Nārada jī established Mahāmāyā Jagadambā in Vasudeva jī’s house and started reciting the Devī Bhāgavata. All the dwellers of Dvārakā sat down, and Nārada began the recitation. This is the power of the Devī Bhāgavata. As the reading began and the eighth day arrived, Jāmbavān jī was still fighting with the Lord. Then Mahāmāyā warned him from within: “Who are you fighting with?” He was shocked and realized he was fighting against his own Prabhuśrī. The darśana of Prabhu Śrī Rāma took place. “Śāstrān karno me loṭ gaye, aur maṇī bhī dedī, aur maṇī ke sāth apnī putrī bhī dedī. Kālān nol gayā, aur māfī bhī mānī nol gayā.” He heard the scriptures, returned the gem, and gave his daughter in marriage. The blame was removed, and forgiveness was sought. Bhakti then completed the kathā; the story was finished. One extraordinary fruit of this kathā is that if a mother and father, for the welfare of their children, read the whole story—the full 18,000 verses—and perform the ritual correctly, the difficulties surrounding the children are removed. Therefore, in our culture, mothers generally observe this fast for their own children. “Navratrī kī sādhanā aapne bachchon ke liye ho jī.” There is another story in this kathā, concerning Vasudeva. Vasudeva jī is a devotee of Durgā Mātā. The story is being narrated to the ṛṣi Sonākalī and to Janme jī (Janamejaya). It tells how, in the past, the sinful Kaṁsa had resolved to kill Devakī. Vasudeva jī was in the prison with Devakī, praying deeply for her. At that time, Gargācārya Jī came and said to Vasudeva, “O Vasudeva, listen. The Bhagavatī Durgā destroys the darkness of all devotees. You should worship that Kalyāṇakārī Devī; this will bring you blessings.” On Garga Muni’s advice, Vasudeva jī began worshipping Mātā Durgā inside the prison. One should chant the mantra, “Om aiṁ hrīṁ klīṁ chāmuṇḍāyai vicche,” and also recite the Devī Sūkta from the Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa. By doing so, no illness will touch you for nine days. At the close of the ninth day, Vasudevajī received his son and, through the grace of Bhagavatī Durgā, gained liberation from the prison. All our wishes can thus be fulfilled. Similarly, in the Mahātmya, King Sudāmā has told the story that when the tale of the ṛṣi and Kārtikeya—the elder brother of Lord Gaṇeśa, the elder son of Lord Bholenāth—was related in connection with Kārtikeya, he heard the story of Raja Sudāmā. Part 4: The Re-establishment of Revatī Nakṣatra and the Path of Devī Bhāgavatam This story of Śuddhām has been narrated in Śrīmad Bhagavad Gītā in the Aṣṭama Skandha. Now I would like to narrate a story that you have never heard before. Śruti is narrating the story of Sonākaḍī Ṛṣi, and Āgandhājī is narrating the story of Kārtikeya. This is the story of the re-establishment and establishment of Revatī Nakṣatra. There are 27 Nakshatras in the Nakshatra system. In that, Revatī Nakṣatra is the last Nakṣatra. "Revatī nakṣatra ko Muni Ṛtvak ne, jo nakṣatra hai, nīce girā diyā." After this nakṣatra fell, Nāth became its Kānti Nāth, and Muni Pramuch is the lord; his name was kept Revatī. On the day of Revatī Nakṣatra, if you look at the Pañcāṅg, what do you see? Today, on this day, the Pañcāṅg is also consulted. And if you have seen in the newspaper today, in today’s day and age, people call it Tipnā, Pañcāṅg, they call it Bhagavān first of all. This is Bhagavān, today’s pañcāṅga, today’s planet, today’s nakṣatra. Today, we can see the benefits and disadvantages of the whole year. If you wish, then tomorrow, half an hour before the Kathā, you can listen to the whole of today’s Pañcāṅg. If not, then even after today’s departure, you will get a chance to listen to it. On the day of Revatī Nakṣatra, Gāndhānta Yoga takes place. The last part of Revatī Nakṣatra is called Gāndhānta Yoga. "Revatī Nakṣatra, Garbha Chalati Jagadambā Durgā." We have given humanity to these nakṣatras. All Western scientists, when they study Indian scriptures, they say that in our culture, what has happened to humanity? People say, "Save nature, save the environment." Work on the environment: "Mala ko bhī ātmīya banāyā hai, Gaṅgā ko strī kā rūp diyā hai, pīpal bhī bol rahā hai, pīpal ke nīche ṛṣi pravāha ho rahā hai, jaṭala to Revatī Nakṣatra kī bhī jīvan kī kathā sunāī jā rahī hai." We have given even the earth a form like a devoted wife. "Prakṛti kā mān vikāraṇ, yānī humne prakṛti meṁ jīvandhātā dekhī hai. Hamārī prakṛti meṁ kucha bhī nirjīva nahīṁ hai." We worship the land on which we are sitting. When you sit to worship, you will also worship the land, you will also worship the ashram, you will also worship the clothes, saying "Jai Mātā Devī." That’s why when you bring your car, you worship the car. If you bring a new car, you worship it. You should also worship the mic, if the mic is broken. You should also worship the mic. If a musician brings his instrument, he will worship his instrument. The train on which you travel, you sit on that train’s seat, and you worship that train. That is why, before people leave, we see the auspicious time. If you are born at an auspicious time, then you will receive good news and go. And if you go crying, then you will come crying. That is why, in a good and auspicious time, you should play the instrument and leave the house. This is not a rude thing. "Koī taibū nahīṁ hai, ki kyā pilak kar rahā hai, yeh vijñāna hai. Devī Bhāgavata kehtā hai ki nirjīva cījoṁ ke liye bhī, agar Devī Bhāgavata kī sādhanā kī jāe, to yeh sajīv ho." The Ṛṣis sang praises and worshiped Mātā Durgā. The nakṣatra had fallen towards the ṛṣis; through their veneration, they restored it to the sky. The story of its re-establishment is now commencing. What is Devī Bhāgavata? Where has this kathā been taken? Like the Bhagavad Gītā is sung in the Padma Purāṇa, the Devī Bhagavad Gītā is sung in the Śraddhā Purāṇa, in which Kārtikeya Jī is the speaker. In which nakṣatras should we listen? Aśvinī, Mūla, Puṣya, Rohiṇī, and in the nakṣatra where Jupiter is placed, there are four types of moments in which the moon is counted. This is about Jyotiṣa. If you read our Purāṇas, then you will get Jyotiṣa, Āyurveda, Vāstu Śāstra, Avidāra Jñāna, and Yoga Śāstra. We are just giving you a little information. Read it well. Do it with your own self. If you want to be happy with Devī Mātā, then you should study until the fourth Navarātri. In one Navarātri, you should study Durgā 100 times. In the four Navarātrīs, if you study the four Navarātrīs, then one of your thoughts will be fulfilled. For that, you will have to sit on the āsana for ten to twelve hours. We have a practice of three hours. Cinema is of three hours, so people can sit for three hours. You can sit here for three hours, but you won’t get anything from sitting here for three hours. But to sit is to have stamina. In yoga, we say that we have to do āsanas. "Sthiram sukham āsanam." We are used to sitting happily. Somewhere we are sitting, in some way, some of the āsanas will work. But sitting is fine. "Mahāprabhujī karatā, Mahāprabhujī karatā dukha." If there is any sorrow in the world, it is not a big deal. There is another name for the world: Cakra. It revolves around us. Who is running this world? This is not Sudarśana Cakra. We are just revolving around that chakra, round and round and round. And whoever comes out of this Cakra, his Deva also becomes an enemy. His grave also becomes an enemy because he has fought a lot of battles. He came out of the Chakra of God. It means that the children have to settle down. There is no pending of any family. There is work. There are enemies. If you do these four Navratri, then that work will be done for you, for sure. It will be told in this. But Pahand is the language of the people. Pahand, Pahand is the language of Sanskrit. All these are the prapnoti, khaṇḍa, khaṇḍa, pahaṇḍa, which divide the person into pieces. Divide, multi-personality, separate in the office, separate in the bedroom, separate in the market—these are the Pahand, which divide the person into pieces. "Mahāprabhujī kī karatā, Mahāprabhujī kī karatā... Mahāprabhudīp karatā, Mahāprabhudīp karatā. Dev pūjā bhūtvā devam yadeta samajha raghule bandhījī, jamīne mahangiyā, kaise pāñch piṭke, Bhagavān ko gahan mithāī, isī meṁ to Bhagavān kabhī ātā hai, ā jāe to kahāṁ rahoge?" Devī, now come for nine days. In Navarātrī, Kālī has come; now bring more sweets, put them in water, in the lās. At least in these four Navarātrīs, worship Devī. So in one year, four Navarātrīs come: two times in gupta and two times in prakāśa. If you want to drink the nectar of Śrī Mādhāvī Bhāgavatī Kathā, then go to a Śreṣṭha Brāhmaṇa and understand its complete Vedānta and follow the complete Vedānta. Only then will you experience and understand the ultimate essence of Navarātri. And even the presentation of Bhagavatī should be done. "Rakhi nān namaskār, krathwān deśhruti Mā Chāritā, Kātyāyanī Mahāmāyā Bhuvaneśvarī." You should worship the Lord of the Universe, chant the Navan Mantra, and say, "O Kātyāyanī Maa, O Mahāmāyā, O Bhuvaneśvarī, I am drowning in the ocean of the world, please help me." Understand the meaning and worship Him, and also bow down to Him. What mantra is used to bow down? "Purī Jai, Togo Mahā, Geṅga, Chaṇḍā, Vichāy." What else do we do in our life other than sleeping? And how many hours do we sleep? Look at our life. We have been given four days, two nights, two days, and two nights. Half of our life goes on sleeping. If a person, on Holi night, Diwali night, and Navratri night—Navratri is the night of Ashtami—and Holi, Diwali, Navratri, and Shivratri, if you practice these four rātrīs, then one work is done for sure. This is your Devī Bhagavad Gītā. The practice of Devī is a little Tantra also. In Tantra, work gets done quickly. But if you make a mistake, then nothing happens. But what do people think of Tantra? To break the leg of the neighbor. This is not the meaning of Tantra. Jesus says, "Love your neighbor." Love your neighbor also. Because Jesus also knew that no one would ever be able to love his neighbor. And who is the neighbor? The one who is sitting in the neighborhood. "Nanand bhī pradoṣī ho jātī hai, śāstrī jo sāth meṁ reh rahā hai, vahī to pradoṣī hai. Sab kī kalyāṇ kī bhāvanā se, Bhāgavata kā bhī yahī samay hai." Pradevī Bhāgavata has such a time that it has been stated by the great souls that even the urges of urine and stool should be restrained and released only outside. I promise you that if we do good practice for three days, we will gain control over the senses for the remaining days. In three days, we will come to the strength of the mind, and we can reach the strength of the soul in nine days. Body, mind, and soul. The body is also threefold: gross body, subtle body, and causal body. The kośa is also three. Ātmā is there. Prāṇa is there. There are three things in our life that we cannot leave: one, we cannot leave our food; two, we cannot leave our sleep; and three, we cannot leave our enjoyment. No matter how much we feed our tongue, we cannot leave our tongue. All our senses, all ten senses, need enjoyment. You think that you are enjoying things, but things are enjoying you. Bhogān Gupta, Vahame Gupta—we are not eating food; food is eating us. Vahame, we are not passing the time; time is passing us. You cannot kill time; time will kill you. That’s why we have the name of time, Kāla. They say I am Kāla, that’s why Mahādeva’s name is Mahākāla, Death. That’s why Kāla is the first to become Kalī. Who became from Kāla? Kalī. The first is Kriyā Śakti, then Kālī became from Kriyā Śakti. "Kaal mein ekaar laga diya." Punjabis say, "Sat Sri Akaal, Sat Sri Akaal,"—Sat Sri Akaal is beyond the time. This is Sat Sri Akaal. Sat Sri Akaal is beyond the time. What is the bondage? We are in time, living in time. Time is controlling us. When we go into enlightenment, there is no time. Time is the biggest lie. There is no such thing as time. You say that it is night and you are bored in America. There is no time anywhere. Time is the biggest lie. There is no such thing as time. That is why my Govind Arjun says, "Nainaṁ chindanti śastrāṇi, nainaṁ dahati pāvakaḥ." This body cannot be touched by any weapon. Fire cannot burn it. There is no time for the body. There is time for the body—this is not understood. You see a small dream. This is a dream, and sometimes you feel that you have spent a lot of time. That is why the saints have told us that this life is a dream. What is this world? It is a dream. This is a dream because there is no time in a dream. Come forward a little, mothers. Don’t sit on the mat. Navratri means to travel. This is a journey. We will develop. Now we will sing a bhajan. Okay? And if you want to ask something special, then you can do Āratī here in the evening. After āratī, you can ask me anything. So, there are special things in this; there is a different package for different people. Golu, Jai Mātā Jī. That is, what is required for what is required for... "Oṁ Sarva Cetanā Rūpaṁ Tam Ādyaṁ Vidyāṁ Cha Dhi Mahi Buddhiyāṁ Prachodayāt." The one who is all-powerful in the form of Sarva Cetanā, Brahmabuddhiyāṁ Bhagavatī Jagadambā, we meditate on her, and she will inspire our intellect on the right path. Śrīmad Devī Bhāgavatam is being started with the meditation of Jagadambā. We have just sung a bhajan at the feet of the Goddess. To make you all move towards the Goddess, I hope that this bhajan will involve you. Until you and I do not go to the feet of the Goddess together, I think that our journey ahead will not progress. We will sit at one station, and the train will leave ahead. It means that we all have to do bhakti together; you have to be involved, you have to sing bhajan. If someone wants to come to Maik Lake, then Maik Lake’s mothers will come and sing. I have seen that some mothers have not sung. So, singing bhajan is the greatest achievement for Bhagavān. Because in Śrī Kṛṣṇa, if you see, then it is said in Bhakti Yoga that we have done nine pranāyāms. If we listen for nine days, then we will get extra time, but not extra time. So, you people should practice this bhajan and worship at the feet of your mother. You can come here and worship your mother at 10 or 11 p.m. You can worship your mother in the form of saguṇa. And here we want to make sure that if there are small children in your house, then by making their jhāntī, the story should be made more rational and jhāntī. So for this also, after your Kārtikas, do contact us, as we have thought of a very big program here. This has been planned: Poli Jagadāṁ Vema Te Kī Jai. This is a spiritual lecture about Yoga in the Indian tradition. Today is the first day of Rājvik Rām Samād, the year 2070. So, for this, I am praying to God for all your happiness and good wishes. And the old wish, the wish of Ahaṃkāra, may God complete it. Today we are sitting here near the Pyana Sagar, and we are listening to a story. Now, see how many verses are there. We want these 18,000 verses to be completed in one hour, and then in three hours. Nine days, nine days, nine days. And those who listen to it will not be able to complete it. Because to read the 17,000 ślokas, if you read it yourself, then it will take 20 days, a full 20 days. Like Paṇḍitjī has said, from the beginning to the end of the Brahmā period, you will get stuck while reading the ślokas. "Pura Tāj Lok Ślok Appar Nīsām." And now see, we want three songs in nine days and three songs in seven days, and they are saying that everything has become a rule. Devī Bhāgavatam should be ready in seven days when you can’t read it in twenty days or thirty days. Then, how will the other person speak in three songs in seven days, or in twenty-one songs in twenty days? And in twenty-one songs, what will happen? "He Kevalam, He Kevalam, He Kevalam..." Sairam, we are seeing. But what you are receiving, this is the essence of the Devī Bhāgavatam you are receiving. If you only listen to the stories, we will all get bored. And even if you are not bored, if you do not understand it properly by dancing, singing, and everything, if you just listen and keep it aside, you will not understand the meaning. Because all the languages, all the food is not just food, there is something hidden in it. Like you take milk, there is curd in milk, there is butter in milk, there is ghee in milk. So to get these three things, someone should tell you, so Panditjī will tell you for the next nine days, he will tell you only the essence, Purī Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Devī Purāṇa, you will hear. "Phir vī āp thoḍā sā dhyān se suniye, aur agar itnā samay de sakte, bād meṁ āp ārām se pūrā lagā pūrī. Āp Paṇḍitjī ne pūchā, 'Kitne hāth ūṁcho?' To agar pūche ki antarā purāṇa kisne purāṇa Mahāprabhujī kā? Mahāprabhujī kā..." I am very happy to be here with all of you... and Purījī, Purījī... But if we understand even a single word of a śloka, then also it will be considered as complete. And the word Oṁ, which is a word, we can experience the mystery of the whole creation, not just the utterance of the word Oṁ, but also we can see it. So we will do the āratī now by getting up.