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Part 1: The Purification of Intellect through the Devī Bhāgavata Ātmā, taṅgirjā, mati, sahacāra, prāṇa, śarīram, graha, pūjate, viṣayopabhoga, nidrā, samādhi, sthiti. Siyai Rām, May Sab Jag Jan Karahu Prāṇān Jori; Jog Pan Poliye; Jagadambā Mahat Kī Jai, Poliye Aṭal Kṣatra Kī Jai, Poliye Dev Purīṣā Bhagavān Kī Jai, Śrī Deveśvar Mahādev Kī Jai, Śrī Dīp Nārāyaṇa Bhagavān Kī Jai, Sadguru Mādhavānandajī Mahārāj Kī Jai, Sadguru Maheśvarānandajī Mahārāj Kī Jai, Kī Jai, Mahāmaṇḍaleśvara Jñāneśvara Purī Jī Mahārāj Kī Jai. Come, for a moment, to the feet of the Mother Goddess. While bowing again and again, let us take a bath in the holy water of the Devī Bhāgavata. Oṁ Sarva Cetanā Rūpaṁ Tam Ādyam Vidyāṁ Cādhi Mahī Bodhyaṁ Yāna Pracodayāt... We bow to the all-conscious form, Ādi Śakti, Brahmā Vidyā, Parā Vidyā, Jagadambā, so that our intellect goes on the right path. By doing all the prayers, by doing all the venerations, by doing everything, our culture says that our intellect should be right. Because for the purification of the intellect, we do jñāna and yajña. If the intellect is right, then everything is right. And there is a lot of knowledge, but the intellect is wrong. If the intellect is not pure, then all the penance, all the hard work, all the knowledge, everything becomes meaningless. Everything becomes wrong, and the meaning of Jñāna Yajña is also the same. If the intellect is right, then what will happen? There will be no jealousy and there will be no ego. Psychologists say that if a woman’s intellect is corrupted, then jealousy will become all-consuming. And if a man’s intellect is corrupted, then he will feel insulted by everything. So all effort of Jñāna Yajña, Devī Bhāgavata, and all the eighteen Purāṇas is just for the purity of our mind. Our mind—if the mind is not pure, all struggle, all effort for yoga or meditation or sādhanā is useless. The mind should be pure. Agar hamārī buddhi meṁ īrṣyā hai, ham kaise pahcāne ki buddhi pavitra huī ki nahīṁ, man pavitr huā ki nahīṁ. If the mind is without jealousy, without ego, it indicates that now we are pure. We have become pious. This is all there is to it. And there should be a test, and where will it be? We will test it ourselves. Okay, if there is jealousy, what will happen? You will say, “He has a big car, I don’t have one.” So Śrī Kṛṣṇa says, “Kāmat krodha vijayate.” Because of that jealousy, if you don’t have enough jealousy, then you will get angry. “Kāmat krodha vijayate.” You will become mohita. “Smṛti rināśa” and “smṛti rināśa vināśyati.” This is the progression. The saints say that we begin to improve our life at the time when life is already slipping from the hand like sand and mud, and now we are trying to improve it. When we cannot even eat bhujiyā or cānā, we should have done bhakti from a young age to a mature age. If you are eighty years old and you go for yoga, then it is possible that there will be some miracle, but generally it is not possible. After sixty years of life, everything is messed up. Then there are lines on the face and worry. After sixty, if a person is happy, he still looks worried. Others say that he is not worried, but his age has made his face like this, whatever you do. And why did all this happen? In our country, the name of old age is very good: Vṛddhāvasthā. There is a name of Lord Mahāvīra: Vardhamāna. What a beautiful name! What is Mahāvīra? What is Buddha? Our Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa and Lord Rāma, even so many sages and ṛṣis had attained Vṛddhāvasthā. But seeing them, happiness arises. They have really attained Vṛddhāvasthā. And we have attained Jarāvasthā, because the happiness should increase. Old age has come, so the happiness should also increase. Khuśī bhī baḍh jāne cāhiye, cintā samāpt ho jāne cāhiye, lekin buddhi vahā̃ nahī̃ gaī, kahā̃ nahī̃ gaī, śuddha buddhi nahī̃ hoī, aur buddhi śuddha tab hotī hai, jab buddhi kī dṛṣṭi cetanā par hotī hai. So what is the process for purity of mind? If we are conscious, awakened, awakening is the process of purity. Pūjā karanā hai, ubāsī bhī ā rahī hai, nīnd bhī ā rahī hai, isliye khet pūjā bhojan karne se pahle karlo, kyūṅki bhojan karne ke bāda nīnd ātī hai. Paramātmā kī vahī citi śakti jo hai, jis kāraṇ se bhagavān cetanāmaya hai, paramātmā cetanāmaya hai, usī śakti kā nām mahāmāyā hai. Bhagavān meṁ se vahī cetanā nikāl do to bhagavān bhī murdā ho jātā hai. Who is the Divine Mother? The Divine Mother is the power of God. She is not only the mother of human beings, she is the mother of the gods. The effort that is made is for awakening, for becoming conscious. In Naimiṣāraṇya, the ṛṣi Sūtajī says to the Śaunakādi ṛṣis, “You are among the best of men because you have studied the great ancient scriptures of the world with Kṛṣṇadvaipāyana Vyāsa.” And you are spending your time in satsaṅg. This is Sant Samāgam. We are sitting in the temple. We are sitting at the feet of Pūjya Devpurīṣa Bhagavān, Dīpa Nārāyaṇa Jī Bhagavān, Satguru Mādhavānandajī. Mahāmaṇḍaleśvara is also sitting in front of you to bless you. Śrī Śrī… Sat Sat… Sant Samāgam Durlabh Hai. The satsaṅg is very rare in this materialistic world. Hey Sarvagya, all three of you are capable of destroying the materialistic, physical, and spiritual miseries of the world. Hey Gurudev, please tell us about the Devī Mahābhāgavata Purāṇa. The scriptures are filled with a strange kind of logic. If you sit to read the scriptures, I am telling you the truth, you will become delusional. If you want to directly read any books of Indian culture, you first need knowledge of the grammar, language, and also a teacher, and the right atmosphere, and other reference books. Otherwise, you will get confused. He is giving the essence, the perfume directly; that is why he has given it like a juice. So Śaunakādi says, “Mahārāj, in my mind, I am not so capable that I can sit and read a book directly.” Either you will sit to read, or you will feel dizzy. So many of you are sitting, all of you must be chanting the mālā. As soon as you chant the mālā with a true heart, you will feel it in that very moment. Āp meṅ se koī hāth kaḍā karke keṛā do ki merī tabiyat nahīṁ lagtī dhyān karte ve aur abhī hum dhyān kar lete haiṅ. Sabse pahle āṅkh bandh kar lete haiṅ, pāṅc minute ke liye maiṁ bolūṅgā nahīṅ. Āp sab apanī āṅkheṅ bandh karlo, kamar siddhī karlo. Āp dekho kyā hotā hai. When we try for deep meditation, automatically sleep comes. We will go into sleep because the state of samādhi and the state of sleeping—Swāmījī, what can we say? When you go for śavāsana, śavāsana karne ke... If you are led, on one side there is samādhi and on the other, sleep. On one side, you can go and enter samādhi, or at the same point, you can go into the unconscious net; you can sleep. Therefore, when a yoga class is held, people see that many people start snoring on that very mat. Kyoṅ ki bane bane haiṅ donoṅ. Samādhi meṁ āp yah samjho, jāg kar ke kisī bāgīche meṁ gaye. If you are asleep, you are in the garden, but you don’t know that you are in the garden. You are in the garden, but the place is the same. So when you read the scriptures directly, then you understand that you are in sleep. And to understand the interpretation of the scriptures, to understand the essence of the scriptures, you will meditate on the Upaniṣads, which are called Upaniṣads. Upasandhi Niṣad, sitting close, doing upāsanā is also called his vāsa, Upasandhi Niṣad, sitting close … doing upāsanā is also called his vāsa … Vāsa, Upavāsa Kyā, Upāsanā Kyā, Upaniṣad, Tīnoṁ Kā Ek Nikaṭ Nikaṭ Kā Arth Hai. Upaniṣad, Guru Ke Nikaṭ Baiṭhnā. Upavāsa, Uske Pās Meṁ Vāsa Kyā. Aur Upāsanā, Uske Pās Meṁ Āsan Lagā Ke Baiṭh Gaye, Ye Upāsanā. Kiske Pās Meṁ? Us Ātmā Ke Pās Meṁ, Us Satya Ke Pās Meṁ, aur vah tabhī sambhav hai, jab āp kā hāth pakaḍ kar koī leke cale. Śoṇakādi Ṛṣi says that while traveling in the cycle of time, it is not possible to be liberated without knowledge for human beings. Vijñānena sarvatra naiva muktir kadācana. Tri Guṇātmak Kāl Cakra Meṁ Bhramaṇ Karte Hue Mānuṣyoṅ Ko Jñān Ke Binā Mukti Nahīṁ Ho Saktī, Isliye Sab Prakār Se Jñān Dene Vāle, Mukti Dene Vāle Devī Bhāgavat Kā Hame Śravaṇ Karāyī. Jñānārthak Vidh Dhātu Vidyā Śabda Niṣpate. Jñān ke arth me jo prāpti hotī hai, us dhātu kā nām vidh hai. Vidyā. Vidyā kis ko bolte haiṅ? Yā vidyā sā vimucyate. Vah vidyā hai jis se mukti miltī hai. Jñān kī kyā vidyā kī paribhāṣā hai? Hamāre deś kī sanskṛti meṁ, jis se mukti mile, vah vidyā, aur jis se bandhan mile, vah avidyā. And in knowledge and in learning, there is no difference. Learning, that is, knowledge, and both of these are means. Knowledge and learning are both means, and the destination, the goal, is liberation. Now, having attained liberation, will we reach somewhere? Kahiṁ jāyeṅge kyā? Kahiṁ nahīṁ jāyeṅge? Jahāṁ ho vahīṁ raheṅge, lekin dṛṣṭi badal jāyegī. When our thought process changes, the whole world is changed for us. There is no outside transformation; only inside transformation is possible in a spiritual journey. If we change outside, we will never get peace. Peace only comes when you are ready for inner transformation. That’s why we are here to worship this Devī Bhāgavata. We want to change inside ourselves, not outside. Maa’s meditation has come in the second chapter. Brahmā De Rapi Sevitam Stuti Pare Dheyam Munīndri Sadā. Here, Brahmans were also sitting. Sūrya Jī is saying, “O Dvija Gaṇo, who is a Dvija?” Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ saṁskārād dvija ucyate. Those who have been initiated, they all are Dvij. One birth is done by the mother, the second birth is done by the Guru. When the mantra is received, it becomes Dvij, the second birth. Aur Brahma jānāti sa brāhmaṇaḥ. When Brahmā is known, then he becomes a Brahmin. Upādhi hai, Vedic mārga anusār, jise vidyā kehte haiṅ, jo sarvadā ādi śakti kahī jātī hai, jise yogī log parāśakti bhī kehte haiṅ, aur jo sarvajña bhāva bandhan kāṭane meṁ nipuṇa hai, aur jo sab kī hṛdaya deśa meṁ virājamāna hai, aur kapaṭī prāṇī jin ko nahīṁ jān sakte. Hum usī siddhidāyinī mā bhagavatī jo hamāre hṛday guhyāṁ meṁ baiṭhī, usko pradhāna karate haiṁ. Bolī Jagadambā Mātā Kī Jai. In this Devī Bhāgavata, there are 18,000 ślokas, and they are written by Śrī Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana Vedavyāsa jī, and there are 318 chapters in it. We are still in the second chapter. There are 31 chapters, and in the first skandha there are 20 chapters, in the second 12, in the third 30, in the fourth 25. This is the content of this Anukramaṇī. In the 7th, 40th; 8th, 24th; 9th, 50th; 10th, 13th chapter—Muni Vyāsa Jī says, in the same way, O Munis, O Brahmins, in the 11th, 24th, and in the 12th, 14 chapters have been told. And what are the topics in this? In this, there are stories of kings of the Sun and Moon dynasties, stories of the fourteen Manus, and stories of genealogies, just like in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. Kalyug ke prabhāv se bhaybhīt ho karke, hum Brahmāṇḍa Nemishāraṇya meṁ hī rahte haiṅ. Śaunakādi ṛṣiyoṅ ne Sūtajī ko kahā, ki Kalyug kā prabhāv baṛā zordār hai. Isliye hum loc dar karke Nemishāraṇya meṁ baiṭhe, kyūṅki Nemishāraṇya meṁ kāl nahīṁ hai. Naimiṣāraṇya is the place. Where there is no time, no money, no deadline, or where our gurus’ feet are, that is Naimiṣāraṇya. Where you sit and are free from all these worries, he is called Naimiṣāraṇya. He is called Sadguru Mahārāj. What happened in Naimiṣāraṇya? All the ṛṣis and munis went to Brahmājī and said, “Wherever we do pūjā and prārthanā, there is a lot of disturbance.” He said that I rotate my mind’s wheel and throw it. Where this wheel becomes calm, you do pūjā and prārthanā there. And going to Naimiṣāraṇya, it became auspicious, it became peaceful. Now see, when such peace occurred in Naimiṣāraṇya, what did the ṛṣis find out? What had happened here? At some time in the past, samādhi was practiced here, and such yajñas were performed in which there was no violence, no hiṁsā. Such actions were performed in which no work was done for the desire of fruits. Therefore, that place became like that. If you practice samādhi and dhyāna and renounce the desire for the fruits of your actions… Hameṁ to har cīz ke badale meṁ kuch cāhiye, isliye āpne ghar meṁ āpne man nahīṁ ṭhaharate. Hum logoṅ ne yahāṁ par cāru puruṣ doṣ rahit paśubhi hīn yajña kiye haiṅ. Heṣut jī, ab āp hame us pavitra pāvan purāṇ kī kathā sunāye. So, Mahārāj jī has given a very good framework in this, that see, let me tell you which Purāṇas are there. There are two Purāṇas with Ma: Matsya Purāṇa and Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa. Two with Bha: Bhaviṣya Purāṇa and Bhāgavata. Three with Bra: Brahmāṇḍa, Brahma, and Brahmavaivarta Purāṇa. And four with Va: Vāmana, Viṣṇu, Vāyu, and Varāha Purāṇa. I think that those who wrote our Purāṇas have given us the method of memorizing the words Bha, Ma, Va, etc. And the Upapurāṇas, which are those? Nārasiṁha, Nārada, Śiva, Durvāsā, Kāpila, Manu, Uśanā, Vāruṇa, Kālikā, Śāmba, Nāradīya, Parāśara, Āditya, Maheśvara, Bhāgavata, Tathā, Atharva, Vasiṣṭha—these are all Upapurāṇas, not the main Purāṇas. In addition, Satyavatī Taneya, the son of Satyavatī, Vedavyāsa Jī, after creating the eighteen Purāṇas, did not even cross the Purāṇas, so he created the Mahābhārata. And that Mahābhārata was established in every house. Every house has Mahābhārata. Say, “Rām, Rām, there is Mahābhārata.” This is our tradition, Mahārāj, of Mahābhārata. There is nothing new. It is not the same thing. He says, “There was a fight in the household, let’s go to the Āśram and catch the mat.” There was a fight in the household. I caught a new mat. That’s why it happens. And see, you think Vyāsa Jī is one, don’t think about this. There are twenty-eight types of Vyāsa. They say we are Vyāsa; Vyāsa is also a title. There are twenty-eight types of Vyāsa. This is told in the Adbhuta Varṇana of Devī Bhāgavata. Sūta jī tells Śaunaka and other ṛṣis that in Dvāpara Yuga, Brahmā Jī himself became Vedavyāsa Jī. In Dvāpara Yuga, who was present? Our Kṛṣṇa Kanhaiyā. Where is Dvāpara Yuga now? It is present in Gujarat, but the people there have seen from satellites that the Dvāpara Yuga is only available within a few kilometers of the sea. If they get a lot of budget, they can take it out. They say like this. Apart from this, in the second Dvāpara Yuga, Prajāpati was made Vyāsa. In the third, Śukrācārya. In the fourth, Bṛhaspati. In the fifth, Sūrya. Yathākramaṁ, Yamanādhi Vedavyāsa Jī Vane. These are all titles. In the same way, I will tell you all of them. In the 23rd Vyāsa, Amuṣyamāna; 24th, Tṛṇavindu; 25th, Bhārgava Vyāsa; 26th, Śakti Devī, Bhagavatī Vyāsa; 28th, Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana Vyāsa. I had heard of the Devī Bhāgavata told by Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana Vyāsajī when he had told his son about the Devī Bhāgavata. So now the story will go towards the birth of Śukadeva Jī, but it will go around a lot. This is Jantar Mantar, Bhūl Bhulaiyā, Jalebī Chowk—all our Purāṇas. They are simple and straight, like jalebī. Round and round and round, you will have to be very alert. That is why Mahārājjī said, “Tomorrow, drink tea in between.” Kyoṅ ki āpko jāgne kī zarūrat hai, yā har do minaṭ meṁ ek dūsre ke pīche lagāte raho, pyār sekho, Kīrām Rām, Sītā Rām, Jai Mātā Dī, tabhī to āp jag jāoge, ki Bhagavān ke nām kā itnā phal to mile, dekhī ek pustak hamne paḍhī jiskā nām hai, Vyāsa Cintan, One. The books I read—the name of the books was The Philosophy of Vyāsa. People think, “Why is Vedavyāsa Jī worried?” Vedavyāsa Jī is worried because the Bhāgavata was born. Vedavyāsa Jī is worried because Devī Bhāgavata was born. With our worry, citta is born, and with the worry of saints, a new culture is born. There is so much difference. When we worry, we get sick, we get depressed, we get nervous, we can’t sleep, we have to take pills to sleep. But the worry of the saint is not worry; it is contemplation. Ved Vyās Jī ne Badrī ke āśram meṁ dekhā ki do pakṣī āpas meṁ kalrava kar rahe haiṁ, aur unkā choṭā sā baccā hai, aur ve paṅkh vihīn us apne choṭe bacce ko pyār se āliṅgan kar rahe haiṁ. Vyās Jī ke man meṁ us pakṣiyoṁ kā vātsalya dekh kar ke... Man meṁ kyā āyā? Are mere to baccā hī nahīṁ hai. Vedavyāsa jī is thinking, “I don’t have a wife, so naturally I don’t have any children. So after my death, who will pray for my physical body, and who will do the last ceremony, antyeṣṭi karma, the funeral?” Putrahīnasya manuṣyasya na sadgatiḥ, svargaprāptiśca nāsti. Manvādi ṛṣiyoṁ ne bhī dharma śāstra meṁ batāyā hai. That is why fire takes only those who have children in front of them. Fire says, “I will not take those without children.” That is why in some places they put someone in the ground and put someone in water. Fire is the rule of God, that I will not take those without children. Because at the time of death, the mind of the living being becomes very sad and deluded. And in the end, he needs help. So who will help me? By thinking like this, Vyāsa Jī is thinking about a thought: “I am thinking so much. Why did I get such a thought?” More tension was created on this, wondering where this thought came from. Now Vedavyāsa Jī got hot breath. Cold breath comes when it is calm. Hot breath comes when a person is in worry, a thought in mind— “I want a child now, I need a son, so should I pray to Indra, Brahmā, Sūrya, Gaṇeśa, Kārtikeya, Agni? Kis kī ārādhnā karūṁ?” Aisā soc rahe. Devtā bhī to itne sāre, soc na pāte haiṅ. Natural hai. Āpne itne devtā haiṅ, kis... Part 2: The Story of Māyā and the Surrender to Śakti “Kī upās na karai, kis cīj ke liye?” Vedavyāsa was lost in such thoughts when Nāradajī appeared before him, vīṇā in hand, and asked, “Bholī Nārad, Bhagvān kī?” “Tum cintit kyoṁ ho? Mujhe batāo.” Nāradajī said to Vedavyāsa, “Please tell me the reason for your sadness. Why are you sad?” Vyāsa replied, “I don’t have children, that’s why. I am thinking, in old age, who will take care of me? And after death, who will pray, who will perform the Gayā Śrāddha or Tarpaṇa?” Nāradajī was taken aback. He said, “Ye kyā ā gayā Bābā ke man meṁ, ye kaunsā ā gayā? Ab budhāpā meṁ, koī ādmī śītī bajānā chāhe, dāṁt hī nahīṁ to śītī kaise bajāyegā?” Think about it. I have seen it with my own eyes—our grandfather. Our grandmother would tease him, “Śītī bajāo, śītī bajāo.” And he would answer, “Pahle dāṁt lāke de, phir bajāūṅgā.” He used to keep his teeth aside, in water. Dāṁt nahīṁ oṭī dī, na toh baṭṭī sī. They would make a great effort, trying to whistle without teeth. It’s not easy; if you have teeth, you can whistle. And if you whistle in the wrong place, if the police catch you, those teeth might also break. Lord Krishna is the supreme whistler—he plays the flute, doesn’t he? The exquisite sounds from his lips! Even today, some musicians experiment while singing, using tongue and teeth as instruments, and people hold programs in big auditoriums. So, in old age, desiring to whistle, to run, to ride a horse—these can only bring trouble. Vedavyāsa understood: “I am over age; I won’t get a wife, yet I want a child.” Oh, what had come over him? I too want a child without marrying, without a household. But see, this is the way of saints: their disciples are their children. And, child, it should be like this. Why do you want a son? A thief’s son will steal; a sinner’s son will sin. If I am true, then my son will also offer the gift of truth to the world. Therefore, I want a son. Vyāsa was thinking that a son would truly promote his subject and the Purāṇas. Then Nāradajī began to narrate a story, saying, “Hey Parāśara Tanayā, hey Mahābhāga, why do you worry so much? All gods, demons, and humans know that this world runs through Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Śiva. But understand one thing: through whom do Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Śiva themselves run? They are also supported by a śakti. Nothing happens without a basis. For creation, Brahmā has Rājasī Śakti at his command; I have Sāttvik Śakti; and Śiva has Tāmasī Śakti. Without Śakti’s presence, no one can create the universe. I always meditate on that Śakti.” Nāradajī continued: the conversation I am having with you once took place between Būṛā Jī and Lord Viṣṇu. It is the story of that great Goddess, that Mahāmāyā under whose sway we all exist. Nārada jī, us mahāmāyā jiske ādhīn meṁ hum sab kuch haiṁ. Us māyā ke pār koī nahīṁ jā saktā. Us māyā ke ādhīn hai Brahmā, us māyā ke ādhīn hai Viṣṇu, us māyā ke ādhīn hai Śaṅkara. Us māyā ko koī bhī nahīṁ pār pā saktā. Kabīr Dās jī kehte: Māyā mahā ṭhaginī ham jānī, yogī ke yog mein baiṭhī, tīrath mein bhai pānī, māyā mahā ṭhaginī ham jānī, Viṣṇu ke saṅg kamal hoi baiṭhī, Śaṅkar saṅg bhavānī, māyā mahā ṭhaginī ham jānī. This māyā cannot be crossed; even the gods are under it—what then of man? The desire you harbour for children, for family, is the result of that very māyā. We are bound by it, but I wish to say one thing to you. You must have seen: we worship Ādi Guru Śaṅkarācārya, we worship the gurus of the sages, the sages of the sages. Brahmā is not free; all the deities are in bondage. That is the glory of the Guru: the Guru can reveal the method, can take you by the hand. We request the honourable Mahāmaṇḍaleśvara Jī to give direction to the devotees. Hame do cain sadguru ke rasa, bhajan se rasa alhādit karein, pramudit karein. Sadguru kā bhajan āp sabko sadguru ke prem meṁ ḍubo de. This is a spiritual teaching about Yoga in the Indian tradition, set amid the assembly of 88,000 ṛṣis and munis at Nemiśaraṇya, a most miraculous place where there is no fear of age or time. The discussion now unfolding was between Nāradajī and Vedavyāsjī. And in our Sanātana culture, whenever a story is told, there is a tradition: no one claims, “This is my knowledge.” He simply realizes it has already been given by many masters. Nāradajī related this story: the ṛṣis asked Sūtajī, “Who cursed Lord Viṣṇu?” He replied, “Listen, I am calling the same Brahmā Jī as Lord Viṣṇu.” Sūtajī called upon the golden ṛṣis, and Lord Viṣṇu himself said that he, too, dances on that same śakti. And see: Lord Viṣṇu’s head was severed from his body. He became Janārdhana Hayagrīva—the body of a horse with a human head above—because of that same power. When Śaunaka and the other ṛṣis asked how this happened, Sūtajī said: “Bhagavān Viṣṇu fought for ten thousand years in a battle.” So never worry about Indo-Pak or Iran‑Iraq conflicts; our gods have done plenty of fighting. The struggle between good and evil is eternal. One day after the battle, Viṣṇu grew weary and sat down in Padmāsana. He assumed the posture, but look how: he needed support, so he rested his head on an arrow whose tip was planted in the ground. Now, Purī Jī, Siddha Purī Jī, you never sleep, but when you do sleep, you never wake up. Even the one who never falls ill, when he does fall ill, it is very serious. Some time later, Brahmā, Śiva, Indra, and all the gods had to perform a yajña, and they wished Lord Viṣṇu to join. So they went to Vaikuṇṭha—the abode of Viṣṇu. Vaikuṇṭha means a place without frustration, without lumps of envy. How do such lumps form? We create them daily in our homes: if one sister‑in‑law’s sari is nicer, or her car is better, or her room is larger, the other gets a lump. If one has a daughter and the other a son, there is a lump. If one husband brings home less salary, another lump forms. Because of these knots, our house—which could be heaven—turns into a frustrating hell. But where Lord Viṣṇu resides, such complexes do not exist. Now, to wake him from sleep—sleep brought by Yogamāyā—Brahmājī created a being named Dhīmak. Even a mosquito, when needed, says, “I won’t bite you; come and do it yourself.” So Brahmā commanded the demon, “Go and cut the bow.” The demon asked, “What benefit do I get?” This is in the Purāṇas, Mahārāj, I am not joking. If your servant looks you in the eye and makes a deal, that is human nature. Brahmājī replied, “If you perform the yajña, whatever portion falls from it will be your share.” The tradition of ṛṣis has stood for four ages. And he was told, “Wherever you sustain injury, there will be no remedy; no one can destroy you.” That is why Dhīmak is immortal. He was no ordinary being—born of Brahmā specifically to cut Viṣṇu’s bow. He cried, “Order! Order!” and advanced. The bow was positioned with the arrow standing upright, and Viṣṇu Bhagavān had rested his head on the arrow’s tip—the arrow two and a half feet long, his neck placed there. Dhīmak, an outsider, neither god nor demon but freshly born, first cut the bowstring. The arrow flew, a tremendous explosion rang out, and Lord Viṣṇu’s head was severed. Everyone wailed, “This is a terrible deed!” Brahmā, terrified, thought, “What will happen to me? I was born through him, and now my grandson has killed my grandfather.” Even Śaṅkara considered sitting in samādhi; the yajña was cancelled. He feared blame. Pārvatī said, “Don’t do this; get up and solve the problem.” Then all said, “Now worship that Mahāmāyā, that Bhagavatī.” At that moment, Māheśvarī was blessed by Kālī Mā, and a celestial voice declared that this event had already been ordained by that very Śakti. Because of that voice, Lord Viṣṇu’s head was cut off in the salt ocean, and Indra was blessed with Sahasra Bhagavata. Sometimes we feel sad, sometimes upset—but what to do? Then the voice instructed: “Bhaiyā, aisā karo, us Māheśvarī ne āśīrvād de diyā hai ki inakī gardan vāpas lag jāyegī. Tvaṣṭā Ṛṣi ko bolo, Tvaṣṭā Ṛṣi jākar ke ghoṛe kī gardan ko lākar pe lagā deṅgī, aur Viśvakarmā jī usko sel deṅgī. Pūrā branch banāye, pūrā is baṛe operation ke liye. Tvaṣṭā Ṛṣi ne kāṭā achhe se.” So Viśvakarmā joined the horse’s head onto Viṣṇu’s body. Why did all this happen? When the ṛṣis, led by Śaunaka, questioned Sūtajī, he explained: it was the act of Lakṣmī’s anger. Here is the story, but don’t laugh. One day Lord Viṣṇu was lying down while his consort pressed his feet. As she massaged, he smiled for no apparent reason. Lakṣmī Mātā grew suspicious: “Mahārāj must be having an affair; his heart has gone to some other woman.” In your language, he had taken a sautan. She thought, “Viṣṇu ne mujhe dekh kar ke kyōṁ hāse? Kyā mere mein koī doṣa? Kyā main kālī ho gayī hūṁ? Yā ye kahīṁ ghoom phir ke āye? Itne avatār lete haiṁ, avatār mein jo inke sāth, abhī bhī kisī kī yād āyegī inko.” And without reason, laughter seems impossible; it felt as if another beautiful woman had become her co‑wife, and her husband was smiling at them. At that, Mother Lakṣmī grew so furious that a Tāmasī Devī emerged from her body. In her wrath she cursed: “The head with which you smile like this—let it be cut off and fall away.” Viṣṇu was cursed by his own śakti. That is why I tell the entire male race: do not waste your energy fighting a woman. Surrender yourself to a woman. Fall at her feet. Say, “Mā, I have one Śivarātri, you have nine.” And four times—there is nothing wrong in this. You were born from a mother. And I say to my wife, “Just fall at the feet of a woman.” Go home today; if you want money, if you want respect, touch women’s feet. Say, “Hey Mā!” Look at every woman and call “Mā! Mā!” If she responds, good; but do not do it insincerely, for this world is full of power—Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Śiva. Now do not think that men are falling at your feet; you must maintain purity and power. But if a man ever thinks he can defeat a woman, even God could not do it. Devatāon ko bhī hār mānnī paḍhī hai. Kabhī bhī apnā samay is saṅgharṣa mein mat gawāo bhaiyoṁ, samarpaṇ mein hī sār hai yahāṁ pe. Jai Mātṛ Rūp Mein, Jai Bahin Ke Rūp Mein, Jai Patnī Rūp Mein, Viśeṣkar Īś Patnī Rūp Mein Samarpaṇ Kar Hī Do. Isī mein āpkī umr kī vṛddhi hogī, parivār kā vikās hogā, aur āpkā sab kuch acchā rahegā. Ye Devī Bhāgavata kā sār hai. Main āpse ikdam sacch keh rahām, and do not think I have become weak or lost. To lose here is to win throughout the world. And if you win the whole world, you will come here and lose. Everything will be fine, for within woman, direct power has come from the source. Do not put your hand on your head and lament, “Mā, Mā.” Bolī Jagadambī Mātā kī—I am telling you the truth. That is why the world is in such a bad state: man is running it. The day mothers run the world—from prime minister to president, chief minister to everyone—that day you will see the world become beautiful. People talk of women’s power; the Purāṇas have proven it, because inside a woman there is maternal feeling, beauty. In her decisions, hydrogen and nuclear weapons will not work; she will not make so many weapons. A man may speak of love, but conspiracy may lurk within. Mind scientists have determined this. So the Purāṇas show what the world made by men looks like. In our Purāṇas, what women do we see? Arundhatī, Madālasā, Anasūyā, Satī, Sītā, Śrī Rādhārāṇī. If we do not respect and re‑establish them in society, society will not flourish. Viṣṇu smiled at Lakṣmī with a hint of mockery; Tāmasī Devī cursed him, and because of that curse his head was severed. When Śaunaka ṛṣi asked Sūtajī whether this truly showed Śakti’s power, he had to admit the truth. Even the curse contained mercy: because that same Hayagrīva-named demon had performed such severe penance that no one could kill him, this whole divine play unfolded. Therefore, surrender to the feminine, for in her lies the ultimate victory. Part 3: The Interplay of Viṣṇu, Mahāmāyā, and the Path Beyond Māyā Brahmā Jī said, “This is a very difficult thing.” A demon named Hayagrīva had devoured all the Vedas. He demanded, “Give me such a boon that no one can kill me—and even the one who kills me must be Hayagrīva, that is, he must have the head of a horse.” Hence Mahāśakti blew upon the neck so that Viṣṇu could be crowned with a horse’s head; in this way Lord Viṣṇu became Hayagrīva. That demon also became Hayagrīva. Mahāprabhujī kī Karatā Mahāprabhujī kī Karatā… He was exceedingly powerful. He saw that everyone was performing pūjā, conducting yajña, and reciting the Vedas. He thought, “Everything is in the Vedas.” So he went and drank all the Vedas. Of course, we need not—or cannot—accept the direct meaning of such tales, but we must reflect on them. Having seized the Vedas, the demon gained the power of every pūjā and every mantra drawn from the Vedas. Moreover, he had the blessing from Brahmā himself that no living being then existing could kill him. It happens that when we become more powerful and attain a higher status, our arrogance begins to show, and our strength and ego swell. After a time, this demon began to oppress the people, subjugating the whole world. Everything fell under his control and suffering spread. Even Lord Viṣṇu himself went and fought with him. You can imagine the demon’s strength: God Viṣṇu battled for 10,000 years. Compared to today’s wars, the conflicts of old were immensely long, and the gods themselves took part. Viṣṇu grew tired. He needed rest. So he sat in the lotus position, placed his bow under his chin so that he would appear to be awake and watchful, and fell asleep. Having fought for 10,000 years, his sleep was equally long. These are legends from previous ages. You may approach them in two ways: either take them literally, that people lived for 100,000 years and wars lasted ages; or take them as symbolic expressions of a long fight, a lifetime of struggle. While Viṣṇu was sleeping, the gods were supposed to complete the battle against the Rākṣasas. Brahmā, Śiva, Indra—all the gods and goddesses came to Viṣṇu and tried to wake him. Waking a god is a delicate affair. If he rises in anger, the first being he sees will meet a dreadful fate. How then to wake him? Brahmā thought of a solution and created the termites. Thus the Purāṇas recount the origin of termites. Brahmā brought them forth for the sole purpose of gnawing through Viṣṇu’s bow. Here we glimpse how even in that age everything can be understood metaphorically. The termites emerged and asked, “What do you want us to do?” Brahmā answered, “Eat the bow of Viṣṇu so that it breaks, he falls, and awakens.” Their first question was, “What is our benefit? Is there any reward for us?” Brahmā thought, “O Lord, I just gave you life, and now you ask about benefits?” He replied, “Whatever falls outside the yajña will be yours.” In a yajña, offerings are placed inside a square or other shaped enclosure; some inevitably fall outside. Those fallen portions are granted to you as your share. The termites went and ate through Viṣṇu’s bow. The bowstring, stretched tight, snapped violently and cut off Viṣṇu’s head. Everyone was utterly shocked. Viṣṇu’s head fell into the ocean and disappeared. Now they faced a headless Viṣṇu. You killed God, and instead of bringing good, everything turned to disaster. Brahmā was terrified. He cried, “I was born from Viṣṇu, and I gave birth to the termites, and the termites have killed my father!” In truth, they had slain their own grandfather. Already we see how intricate family relations can be—not everything unfolds happily. Śiva also grew afraid, and all began to scatter. But Pārvatī, Śiva’s wife, said, “No, stay. Find a solution. You are omnipresent, you know everything, you are Trikālāś—the knower of the three times—so you must find a solution.” They decided that the foundation of everything is Mahāmāyā, the primal Śakti; they would pray to Mahāmāyā and discover the answer. mā̃ se nivedan karte ho, jaise Kāl Pāṇḍey jī ne batāyā, jaise maiṃ English meṃ boltā hūṃ, āp thoṛā sā mālā phir lenā, agar samajh nahī̃ āye, to double kām ho jāegā, āpko bhī puṇya milegā, aur bor bhī nahī̃ ho jāegā. To, Then a voice spoke from the sky: “Do not fear. This was ordained to happen. Simply find a horse and place its head upon Viṣṇu’s body; he will be restored.” They then wondered how all this had been predestined. The story goes that once, Viṣṇu was lying upon the lotus, with Śeṣanāga above and Lakṣmījī massaging his feet. Everything was peaceful. Suddenly Bhagavān Viṣṇu smiled. Lakṣmījī wondered, “Why does he smile? I did nothing. On whom is he reflecting? There must be some woman he is thinking of.” In that flash of unspoken anger, the Tāmsik Devī Kālī took birth. You see, among the gods, whatever emotion arises immediately materializes. But with us humans, it takes much longer because we are not so powerful. Brahmā can create termites in an instant; we would have to go to a laboratory, manipulate genes, and only after 100,000 years might we say, “Ah, here is the solution.” The Tāmsik lady, this Kalimā, came forth and said to Lakṣmī, “The one who is troubling you—he will lose his head.” Rām Rām. Thus Lakṣmī indeed cursed Viṣṇu to lose his head. That curse was now fulfilled when the bowstring severed Viṣṇu’s neck. But what does this signify? Everything is deeply interconnected. On the day Brahmā gave the boon to that Rākṣasa—that no one could kill him—a solution had to arise, because in this saṃsāra no one takes birth without dying. The gods, including Indra and others, brought a horse. Viśvakarmā then placed a horse’s head onto Viṣṇu’s body, fitting it in such a way that Viṣṇu became alive again. Here you have genetic modification and cloning described in the Purāṇas, long before we began experimenting with it now. Only in this form—a horse’s head upon a man’s body—could he kill the Rākṣasa, because of the boon that demon had obtained from Brahmā. Thus you see how intertwined these stories are. They never carry a single meaning. The surface narrative helps us remember the story easily. The inner meaning unfolds when we meditate, when we start observing who these beings really are—who that Rākṣasa is, and what it means to place a horse’s head upon a body. Therefore, never take stories from the Purāṇas and holy books on their most literal level. Do not accept them merely as they are. Always inquire, “What is the meaning?” Sometimes the meaning is exactly as stated, but most of the time it is not. That is for our benefit, simply to aid remembrance. With this, I would like to return the mic to our dear Paṇḍitjī to continue the narrative of the Śiva Purāṇas. Uliye Jagdambī Mā Tātī Jai And Mahāmāyā always appears at the time when everyone has already lost. Jagjanni, Bhoneśvarī, Harambā, Śrī Dhrati, Kīrti, Chammā, whose names are… Once Bhagavān Viṣṇu fell asleep deeply. From his ears, Madhu and Kaiṭabha, two demons, were born—from the wax, born of toil and anger. It is said that when Madhu and Kaiṭabha dwell in the ears, one cannot listen to the story. These two emerged and at first clashed with each other. No one else joined them. We grew up wanting to know, “Where is the road to the market?” We grew up the most. The philosophy says, when an unworthy person gains power, he torments others with it. Sākṣara, Viparīta, Śeṣadṛkṣa, Vidyā Vivādaye, Dhanavadāye, Śakti Par Pīḍa Nāye. He told them, “Kill whomever you find.” How then did they encounter him? They were in the waters. Brahmājī saw that Bhagavān was asleep and a lotus was emerging from his navel. Brahmājī moved here and there, and at last the demons spotted him. “How long will you survive?” they mocked. And these demons were no strangers. You came forth from his navel; they emerged from his ears. If you trace the relation, it is indeed close. Brahmājī said, “There is no one else; we are born together.” This seems a little puzzling and is worth pondering. Brahmājī ko mārne ke liye dode, Brahmājī ne… Bhagavān Viṣṇu ko jin jin nāmo se, Dinanāth Hare Viṣṇu, Vāmanu Uttiṣṭha Mādhava, He Vāman, He Dinanāth, He Kṛṣṇa, He Govinda, He Mādhava, Utho, Bhaktati Ṛṣikeśa Sarvasa, Utho, Utho. Ab uṭhe kahā̃ se, Mahārāj soye be haiṃ, aur bolā na, ye to bahut kām karte haiṃ, karte jāte haiṃ, aur sote tab uṭhne hī pāte. To wake someone from sleep is wrong. It is also wrong to wake a person who is listening to a story. And it is wrong to quarrel between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. All these are called Brahmātyas. All these spring from Brahmātyas. When Mahārāj Jī told the Purāṇic story, why did Bhagavān make a lamp to awaken Viṣṇu? He would have woken him simply. He could have splashed water and beaten a drum, but no—waking a sleeping person is wrong except for a student, a guard, or a dog. Do not wake anyone else. If you awaken them, the light of anger that shoots from their eyes will ruin you for many months. It is forbidden to rouse someone from sleep. You may wake a student—you are called a student, after all. Then Bhagavān began to rouse Viṣṇu, saying, “Whoever gets killed—Viśvam, Brahmā, Viśāla, Akṣaya, Puṇya, Śravaṇa, Kīrtana, Jagat, Dhyānī, Nidākara, Sarvas, Sarga, Sthāntikāraka—O Lord, these two demons wish to kill me. I am your son, O Mahāviṣṇu. Wake up, wake up.” Iti sañcitya manasā niścārya pradīpāditya tustam yog nidram tamekha grah hṛde asthita. And reflecting in this way, when Bhagavān did not wake up, he understood that the one who had put Bhagavān to sleep must be invoked. Who made Bhagavān sleep? When Yog Nidrā, the goddess of sleep, is remembered, even if you cannot fall asleep, calling her will grant you sleep. By praying to her, you can also come out of someone’s life. Thus we recite the path of Durgā Saptaśatī, within which Brahmājī approached: O Viśveśvarī Jagaddātrī—that very path is contained there, that is Māyā, Māyā—arise, come—through one bhajan, to offer two moons to Mahāmāyā. This is a spiritual discourse on Yoga in the Indian tradition. Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśa—these three deities are really three forms of one reality. There is only one, yet it manifests in three forms, acting according to the qualities of Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas. But the power that causes these three to function is Yogamāyā. And Lord Viṣṇu himself was asleep under that Yogamāyā. So Brahmājī thought, if he wishes to awaken Bhagavān, he must seek the grace of Mahāmāyā. Yogamāyā herself appeared and blessed him: “O Brahmā, you shall be protected.” At that moment, the Paramātmā himself rose up, bestowed the gift of abhaya on Brahmājī, and said to the demons, “Leave him. Fight.” Now Brahmājī, once saved, said, “Alright, I’m safe. Now I understand their business. This department is not mine.” And he departed. The children of Viṣṇu Bhagavān—the demons born from his ears—were told to fight and settle their own case. Viṣṇu Bhagavān contended with them, and he was no weaker than they. It is also said that nobody could kill them. Thus a war raged between Viṣṇu Bhagavān and Madhu and Kaiṭabha for five thousand years. Viṣṇu Bhagavān recognized that the power that had awakened us—we had forgotten it by mistake. Now Viṣṇu Bhagavān is praying to Mahāmāyā without fighting. So Viṣṇu Bhagavān begins to recite the prayer of that Mahāmāyā. Lord Viṣṇu was so exhausted that the weapon fell from his hand, and Bhagavān commenced his prayer. Then Mātēśvarī appeared to Viṣṇu Bhagavān and said, “If you wish to win, O Hari, ask them how they will die, because they have received this boon that they will die according to their wish.” So Viṣṇu Bhagavān acted out a little drama. nāṭak, sabko ātā hai karnā, raṅg mañc pe nahī̃ ātā, vaise sabhī log thoṛā thoṛā nāṭak karte haiṃ. Everybody knows how to act; even if it doesn’t reach a theatre stage, everyone performs a little drama. chhoṭe bachche ko school nahī̃ jānā hotā hai, shīrdard kabhī bhī ho jātā hai. A man returns from the office, as though narrating Indian culture: “What did you do at the office? Just played games. Nowadays the computer is God, and he keeps roaming here and there, playing on his mobile.” When he nears home, his face changes; I am so tired now—so that his wife won’t say anything. And his wife was perfectly fine before he came. She had gone to the temple in the morning, worshipped God, performed the evening Āratī, gazed upon the idol of God, and stepped out—with God following behind. And did you hear about that Pradoṣa yesterday? Purījī, Purījī… I have heard that the biggest lie in China is: “I have counted the stars in the sky, and I have counted the hair on my head.” One small child said he saw two women sitting quietly in a park; he said that is real life. He commented that she cannot remain silent because she possesses the power to speak. See, brothers, mothers, doing drama. What do they say in India? strī cāritra—oh ho! The husband has arrived. The whole day the house was peaceful; when the husband comes, she wraps a bandage around her head and says, “My head is hurting too.” There, he brought his headache; it’s giving me a headache. Now both have a headache, so a headache will be born in the future. The children too will suffer headaches because both are headaching, see? Today, look at yourself honestly in the mirror, Purījī, Purījī… Mahāprabhujī kī Karatā… Nothing has changed. These are our perceptions, our plays. We can go beyond these plays only when we take refuge in the Guru. I tell you, even the deities are trapped in plays. They dwell in lies and truth. Lord Viṣṇu also had to lie. He had to appear as a fake Jālandhara. Now look ahead—he goes there disguised as Bṛhaspati Śukrācārya and takes his throne. What plays are unfolding? O human being, you are not born for this drama; you are born to dismantle this drama. A human being is born to lift this curtain. If we continue living in these dramas, understand that we are still in bondage. By removing all the dramas, how does this colorful stage, Natwar Nagar, Vishwagar dance, transpire? Are you dancing in that world, or did you dance the world? The drama danced on the colorful land, and the actors danced on the colorful land; as soon as the curtain rose, the difference vanished. Mahāprabhujī kī Karatā Mahāprabhujī kī Karatā… Mahāprabhujī mujhe jāgṛṇā hai. maiṃ gṛhasthī hūṃ, maiṃ sannyāsī hūṃ, maiṃ brahmacarya āśram meṃ hūṃ, chāhe vānaprastha āśram meṃ hūṃ. maiṃ jahā̃ hūṃ, mujhe awakening chāhiye. mujhe jāgṛṇā hai. Only that person can go beyond māyā who fights with māyā. yahī vyakti māyā ke pār jā saktā hai, jo māyā se laṛegā. yā jo māyā se prem karegā, vo dono māyā meṃ rūp jāyeṃge. So this is the key: how to go beyond this māyā. If you hate this world, you cannot transcend this material existence. If you fall in love or become attached through lust or greed, you are still a loser.