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Welcome to you all. We had announced this webcast for 7:30 tonight, but I had another duty, so we are about 25 minutes late. I am sure you have been listening to the beautiful bhajans from our bhajan band, singing the songs of Mahāprabhujī. Today is a special day: World Peace Day. Ideally, on this day at least, no one should take up weapons. We should all pray for peace. On behalf of Yoga of Daily Life, Śrī Svāmī Mādhavān, and the World Peace Council—which is registered with the United Nations as an NGO—we have planted many peace trees around the world. Today, on World Peace Day, people have gathered at these trees to pray for peace. I was fortunate to plant a beautiful peace tree here in the city of Villach, in Kärnten, Austria, three years ago. Today, it was my luck to join many bhaktas and friends for a peace prayer around that tree in the city park. From my experience and knowledge, I can say there are millions, even billions, of people in the world who desire peace. There are many good people, and very few who are not so good—perhaps they are mentally ill. People often think politicians are not good, but in my experience, they too wish to protect their land and people and to establish peace. Politicians are often criticized, mostly by their opposition parties. The fight between them is usually about greed, power, and position. They argue and try to portray each other badly. Therefore, we cannot simply say politicians are bad. The great Master Gurū Nānak Sāhib said: "I went around the world to find a bad person, and I found none. But then I looked within myself, and that’s where I found the bad person." This means every bad thought first causes restlessness within us; it poisons our own mind. The fault lies within us, not in others. Positive, good thoughts enlighten our inner self, while negative thoughts poison it. There is a principle of Sāma, Dāma, and Daṇḍa. People need good education (Sāma)—we must tell them not to do wrong. If they do not follow, stricter laws (Dāma) are needed. If they still do not obey, then punishment (Daṇḍa) follows. We see that despite great efforts to prevent it, war sometimes occurs because a few individuals do not desire peace. We know violence should be avoided, but sometimes, to protect millions, the principles of Sāma, Dāma, and Daṇḍa must be applied. When we think about peace, we must recognize it begins with upbringing and parental education. In these modern times, in the Kali Yuga, education—whether at home, school, or university—is often not correct. It lacks morals and spirituality. Morality means being considerate, exercising love and mercy. This love should extend not only to people but to all living beings. The principle of Ahiṃsā, or non-violence, is not practiced today. Ahiṃsā is not merely a word or the property of one religion; it is where mercy resides. All holy scriptures speak of mercy, love, and forgiveness. At a World Religious Conference, people from different faiths sat at a round table. A Muslim mullah stated that in the Qur’ān it is written: "If you kill one human being, it is as if you have killed all of humanity." The Bible also says, "Thou shalt not kill." Indian holy books equally preach Ahiṃsā: "Do not kill." Buddhism emerged from Hinduism; it is a branch of it. Buddha was a Kṣatriya warrior from a Hindu Rajput family. He preached Ahiṃsā and was a strict vegetarian. Buddha lived on alms; he would go out daily to beg for food. This is why Buddhist monks are called Bhikṣuks. They do not beg in a negative sense but accept what is given. Buddha would visit only five houses each day from his hut in Bodhgayā, where the Bodhi tree still stands and where he attained enlightenment. He taught his disciples a technique called Udāśī Mauna. He instructed that wherever they go—be it a garden, park, jungle, or to seek food—they must walk with utmost consciousness, aware of stones, wood, and living beings, taking care not to step on any life. It is said that if Buddha accidentally stepped on a living being, he would weep, give up his food for the day out of sorrow, and pray for that being. Such practice requires great concentration and power. According to Buddha, Buddhists should not eat meat, fish, or eggs. But today, many who are called holy are like a stamp on a document—the form is there, but the essence is not real. We preach the instructions of the saints but do not live by them. We talk about religion but do not practice it. This is a pity. If all religions truly lived their teachings of tolerance, and if all politicians ceased opposing one another, we would have world peace. Today, many politicians exploit human emotions in the name of religion, which is wrong. This causes suffering not only for people but for nature and all living beings. Thus, world peace remains a question mark. It is difficult to make peace within a single family, or even between two individuals. Yet we dream of world peace. But nothing is impossible. I recall a song from a film about Saint Francis of Assisi: "Day by day and stone by stone, you can build a temple or a church." Every step counts. If enough people around the world pray and practice Ahiṃsā, peace will certainly come. Mahatma Gandhi said, "We will not take weapons in our hands, and we will not shoot our opposition, but we will win through our love and our right." It is also said, "If someone strikes you on one cheek, offer the other also." Do we possess such strength and patience? No. If someone hits us, we tend to hit back five times. If someone throws a brick, we throw a stone. That is our nature. Therefore, ethical and spiritual education is essential for ourselves and our children. It will happen because every step and every thought counts. All thoughts, positive or negative, multiply in their effect. Today, on World Peace Day, I wish peace for us all, for our coming generations, and for all nations. In our Indian tradition and holy books, it is always said: "Śānti, Śānti, Śānti." Peace be with you, peace be with us. In the Indian holy books, the Vedas and Upaniṣads, there is no personal God; the name used is Īśvara. Therefore, there can be no wars over "my God" versus "your God," for there is only one God. "Brahma satya, jagad mithyā"—the only truth is Brahman, the Highest. We respect all saints because they possess knowledge, mercy, and blessings from the Highest Self. Those who have realized God’s light in their consciousness become one with God. Consider fire: a great fire burns in a forest or volcano, and fire also exists in a small candle or oil lamp. Fire is fire. Similarly, God’s light and power exist everywhere, and we should respect that. From the Vedas and Upaniṣads comes the prayer we sang today: I bow before the cosmic light. May the cosmic light lead us from unreality to reality, from ignorance to knowledge. Lead us from darkness into light. Lead us from death to eternal life. O Lord, may there be health everywhere, peace everywhere, harmony everywhere. May everybody achieve perfection. May there be happiness and wisdom in all dimensions. These mantras do not invoke a personal God’s name. They originate from the Satya Yuga. When these mantras were revealed, the various incarnations and deities known today did not exist, for the Vedas and Upaniṣads declare there is only one God, Īśvara—formless, omniscient, and omnipresent. We also say "Holy Father" or "Allah." There is no image of Allah; they believe in an omnipotent God in whom the whole cosmos exists. That is Brahman. The difference lies only in words. Out of ignorance, we fight over words, language, and culture. Our Holy Gurujī said: "One in all and all in one." The prayer continues, addressed to the Almighty Brahman: Oṃ Dho Śānti Hi. May peace be in the universe, in the cosmos. May peace be in the atmosphere. May peace be on Earth. May peace be in the water. May there be peace in nature and in fruits. May there be peace in plants and trees. May there be peace in the whole vegetation. Aum, Viśvā Deva Śānti Hi. O Lord, may there be peace in the elements. Aum Brahma Śānti Hi. May the Almighty Brahman also be in peace—may He not create stormy weather. May there be peace everywhere. Om Śānti Reva Śānti Hi. Om Peace, only Peace. Om Śama Śānti Redhi. May there be peace in my mind and my heart. O Almighty Lord Brahman, peace, peace, peace. This is the teaching and knowledge that comes from thousands of years ago, even before the Vedas and Upaniṣads were written. If we pray this consciously every day, it will work in our body, mind, heart, and families. If you believe in a specific God, you can direct this prayer to that God, especially if you do not yet understand Brahman. But in the end, we will certainly come to Brahman. However, in this age, it is difficult to believe in a God without form and name. In the twelfth chapter of the Bhagavad Gītā, Arjuna asks Lord Kṛṣṇa, "What is better, worship of a personal or a non-personal God?" Kṛṣṇa answers, "Both are good." But, He adds, for people it is easier to relate to a form where they can seek answers. This twelfth chapter, dedicated to Bhakti Yoga, is very beautiful. It is easier for us to understand when we can see or hear something. So we pray for world peace in the entire cosmos, within ourselves, in our surroundings, and in our families. I wish you all the best and peace. Om Śānti Śānti... Śrī Deep Nārāyaṇ Bhagavān Kī Jai, Devīśvar Mahādev Kī Jai, Mādhav Kṛṣṇa Bhagavān Kī Jai, Satya Sanātan Dharma Kī Jai, Kī Jai Hari Om.