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Part 1: The Universal Prayer for Well-Being: A Vedāntic Path to Karmic Purification Praṇām, beloved Gurudev. Praṇām, all of you, dear brothers and sisters. It is always difficult to speak in front of Swamiji, especially on a subject about which I know nothing. Even so, I will try to say something. I must apologize in advance. In Indian thought, this mantra that I just sang—one that Swamiji has explained many times—captures the essence very beautifully. It says, _Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinaḥ_, “Let all be happy.” Let all be without any disease, pain, or anything of that sort. Let everybody prosper. And there should not be even a trace, a single particle of unhappiness. If you reflect a little on that, it does not say, “Let human beings be happy.” It says _everybody_. It makes no distinction: it does not say, “Let my family be happy, but not the neighbours,” or “Let all the people I like be happy.” It says _everybody_—there is no difference. And this is actually deeply rooted in the Indian subconscious. My belief is that if we manage to observe the whole world, the people, and everything around us in such a way, this outlook can be used, as Swāmījī has said, for karmic purification. Because as long as we have enmity, as long as we carry our deepest negativity—those negative qualities like kāma, krodha, mada, lobha, moha (anger, jealousy, greed, passion, and so on)—it is very difficult to make any step forward. Instead, the spots on the walls just keep getting bigger. I was always impressed with Swamiji, and especially during the war in Yugoslavia (now ex‑Yugoslavia), when we could all meet in Vep—people from every part of Yugoslavia—without any enmity. Not only in the satsaṅg but also outside, there was not a single negative word, nothing. No harsh words were uttered. We simply went our own way. We arrived, we happily had satsaṅg, we lived together happily here, and then we returned to wherever we came from. There was no hostility. We were able to meet one another in a friendly manner; there was not the slightest trace of hostility within all that external hostility. Instead, we felt ourselves to be in unity—not only during the satsaṅg but also outside, whenever we met. In this way we could be together as brothers, and then, of course, each of us went back to the country or municipality from which we had come when the programme ended. We have all heard that there are, say, six main philosophical views in India. One of them was born and never died. All the other philosophical ways have more or less expired or disappeared. But one way about which Swamijī speaks a great deal is Vedānta. This is the philosophical approach, the way of thinking, that is still truly alive—especially the Advaita Vedānta of Ādi Śaṅkarācārya. Its foundation is not simply that there is Ātmā in every one of us. It means there are no borders between Hungary, Austria, Germany, Croatia, and other countries. There are no borders between countries. A human is a human. There are no country borders. Yet there is Ātmā in every living being—including plants, ants, horses, pigs, cows, donkeys, and everything that we now take for granted. It is interesting how we speak of philosophical paths, because “philosophy” is an English word, but in Hindi and Sanskrit it is _darśana_. Darśana can actually be translated as a “view of the world.” It is not a philosophical discussion; it is our view, a special way of seeing the world. So in this sense we can always say, _Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinaḥ_—let all beings be happy. If you really think like that, how could any argument remain? Unfortunately, it is very difficult to follow this kind of thought, because, as I said, we are human. We have our own way of thinking, our own chain of thoughts, our own channel that we are accustomed to using. The way we used to think—and the way we think now—seems to us the best way to think. But if we have come to this path, if we have come to Swāmījī with a single purpose—the purpose of getting liberated, of becoming a better human, a better person, of changing ourselves positively—then what is the problem? We have to accept this and try to think in such a way. As Swamījī has said many times, “Do good, you will get good; do bad, you will get bad.” Now, so as not to remain too abstract—because simply trying to think like that is very difficult—Swamiji gave us a whole system. As I mentioned earlier, all six philosophical ways in India have their own manner of looking at the world, looking at God, and explaining how things are. Yet all these ways agree on one point: they say you will find the real truth _after_ you practice yoga. After you do the practice, after you physically carry out all the preparations and everything, then you will realize that what I am telling you is correct. We are very blessed. You know that as humans we have a tendency to alter everything, and then Swāmījī gets upset with us because we are once again changing the system. But we are forgetting one thing: we _have_ a system. If there were no system, we would not be able to change it. So we have a system of āsanas, prāṇāyāma, meditation, kriyās, and so on. All of this is the foundation for transforming our thoughts. But if we skip one part—if we only practise āsanas and prāṇāyāma because they are good for the body, and we do not change our thoughts because we think we are already perfect—then what? Why should I change? I am as good as it gets; nobody is better than me. As one joke puts it: “Before, I had one problem—I was egoistical. But now I’m perfect.” So, are we perfect? Of course, we would like to think that we are perfect, and that it is the other person who has a problem. Then we discover that so many people around us have problems. And I cannot stand being in this group; I cannot stay here because so many people have problems. I know I will not come to seminars any more—after all, I have an inner connection with Swamiji. Do you really believe that so many people have problems? Or perhaps it is I who have a problem? It is like the ghost driver driving on the wrong side of the road. Because one person may be wrong, two persons may be wrong, three persons may be wrong—but are really 99.9% of persons wrong, including Swāmījī? After all, Swamījī said something outwardly, yet he told me something completely different inside. So why do we come to a satsaṅg? Because if Swāmījī talks to us inside, that is very good, that is excellent. I bow down to you, and I hope that someday Swamījī will speak with me inside. But while Swamiji is here, I would prefer that he speak to my ears, right in front of me. I will dial the phone and ask about some problem in the same manner as I would for a physical problem. If I have a physical injury, I will not go to a dead doctor’s grave and say, “Okay, now cure my cut”—with my bone out of place or something—but I will go to a live one. So how do we change our karmic problems? How do we clean our karmas? Unfortunately, the first step is always the hardest. We have to acknowledge that there is a problem. If I am perfect, there is nothing to change. If the problem lies in everybody else, then again there is nothing to change. As Gāndhījī said, “Be the change you want to see.” How to do that? In the book _Yoga and Daily Life_, there is a chapter called “Self-Inquiry Meditation.” It would be excellent if we practised it in the morning, but we can practise it at any time—even while waiting for the train. Of course, just don’t cross your legs and put them up in some awkward position. Simply think, observe inner feelings, observe everything, and then continue according to the levels. Basically, this is only level 2 and 3. But the main problem I have noticed, even for myself, is actually to acknowledge the problem and to have the wish to change that problem. Actually, I expressed it poorly. It is not about changing the problem—because we are always transforming the problem into something else—but about removing the _cause_ of the problem. And I believe this is possible. If we just practise, and through practice we implement this mantra or this way of thinking—that we are all equal, there is no difference between us, we are all ātmās, and the Ātmā in everybody is the same—along with all the things we hear so many times here in satsaṅg. As the mantra says, _Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinaḥ_—let all be happy, let all be healthy. And if you keep thinking, you might look at the other side of this mantra and ask, “Why do you want everybody to be happy?” Because if they are happy and healthy, they will not create any problems for you, and so you will be happy. If we all live in some buildings, some skyscrapers, some houses, we all hear the neighbours. How do you feel when the neighbours fight among themselves? Do you have more peace or less peace? In the same way, you simply want everybody to be happy, because if our neighbours are happy, we will have peace. If they are peaceful, we will have peace. If they are healthy, our own health will not be endangered. If you go on a tram, bus, or any public transport and ninety percent of the people are viral or have the flu or something, what will happen? You will get the flu. So it doesn’t matter how we approach the problem; the result is always the same. We always benefit. So why not change the way of thinking? Why not actually wish from the heart that everybody should be happy—not just repeat the mantra because it sounds nice? I would therefore like us, if we can, to together repeat this mantra once more, and then I would request beloved Gurudev to continue—and, of course, to give any necessary corrections. _Om Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinaḥ Sarve Santu Nirāmayāḥ Sarve Bhadrāṇi Paśyantu Mā Kaścid Duḥkhabhāgbhavet Om Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ…_ _He Śrī Dīp Nārāyaṇa Bhagavān Kī Jai,_ _Devādhi Deva, Deveśvara Mahādeva Kī Jai,_ _Dharma Samrāj Svāmī Madhavānandajī Bhagavān Kī Jai,_ _Viśvaguru Mahāmaṇḍaleśvara, Paramahaṁsa Maheśvarānandajī,_ _Sattva Gurudeva Kī Jai_ _Jai._ So. _Satguru Dīp Nārāyaṇa Bhagavānakīśaya. Sarve bhavantu sukhinaḥ._ Okay? Very good. _Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinaḥ._ If we all work like this, it would be good. _Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinaḥ._ If we all worked like this, it would be very good. Ganeshwar said, “It means all, not only humans—Bhavantu Sukhina….” Similarly, in the Bible it says, “Thou shalt not kill”—beings and humans. So all these wise words, if the world will implement them in their everyday life, this world will become what you call heaven on earth. We do create a lot of dualities, differences: countries, cultures, languages and religions. That is the problem in the world. So, if you have any question, you have received the practice, how to do it. In Jñāneśvar’s whole lecture, it was that: remove the karmic pollution. So you have the practice; now you have to practise it. Do you have any question? No question also has no answer. So that’s all then. Enjoy. Good journey. Come home safely. Long distances are involved. I think Budapest is more central than Vienna. Well, for a little while some Croatian is different, but still, compared with Slovakia and Poland, the road approach is good. So we should come often to Budapest. Yes. So karma is really, really something. It is a time that will not wait for you, and karma will not leave you free—whether you act mentally or physically. We cannot hide. As I always say, here are two who know everything about you. You cannot hide, even if you are silently speaking something inside. But these two know very well, better than you. One is God. You know that story I have told many times about killing a bird. There, where no one sees, the person says, “I see that I killed the bird. I’m also someone.” Then the master said, “Okay, put a cloth over your eyes.” “But I see the bird; he sees me killing him.” “Okay, then put some cloth and tie the eyes of the bird as well.” Again the person went into the bathroom and came back, “I can’t. Dear Master, you told me how to tie my eyes so that I don’t see, and the eye of the bird. But you said no one sees, yet God sees. And you didn’t tell me how to tie the eyes of God.” So the One who sees everything is God; we cannot hide. God’s observation is more comprehensive than our modern camera systems. Whatever you think, whatever you speak, whatever you plan—what are your plans? God knows everything. Part 2: Do Not Eat Those Who Have Eyes: A Discourse on Karmic Pollution and Divine Justice And the second, who knows everything, is yourself. On the wall of one building was written: “Do not eat those who have eyes.” But it didn’t specify humans only—some might say, then the blind man who has no eyes, can we eat him? That teaching was given to all that have life. Therefore: Sarveṣāṃ sukhino bhavantu—may all be happy. All should be healthy. As Jñāneśvara said, it is hard, but it is the reality. Every one of our negative thoughts creates karmic pollution. Sometimes it becomes so strong that one becomes like an unbearable stench. Not only humans, but all animals cannot come near. Then, by God or by destiny, that one is removed. It shortens the life span. So we said: no bamboo, no flute. No flute, no noise. This story is found in the Mahābhārata, as you will see in a moment. It is a very interesting subject concerning Śiśupāla, who went against God. He went against everyone. There was a gathering, and he was humiliating Kṛṣṇa. Others asked, “Kṛṣṇa, why don’t you remove him?” Kṛṣṇa replied, “I have my limitations. I know he has gone so far that he no longer holds any value to remain in this life. But the promise is there—when he commits that many mistakes, it will happen.” Then the Sudarśana Cakra appeared. As he began to shout at Kṛṣṇa with many, many bad words, a sound emerged. The Sudarśana Cakra manifests from his face. The Sudarśana Cakra was given by Lord Śiva to Viṣṇu. There are different kinds of Sudarśana Cakras, not just this one; there are others, and they are used on different occasions or in different cases. Bhagavān Śiva gave the Sudarśana Cakra because Viṣṇu wished to perform a pūjā, an abhiṣeka, with the thousand names of Lord Śiva. For each name he recited a mantra and placed a lotus flower on the Śiva Liṅgam. Nine hundred and ninety-nine he offered, but one disappeared through Śiva’s māyā. Viṣṇu looked around, asking, “Where is that lotus?” For him, this saṅkalpa, this anuṣṭhāna, was very important. Even God must complete the anuṣṭhāna. Only one flower was missing, and we would say, “Okay, compromise it. O Lord Śiva, this lotus of my heart, Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya, I offer to you. Let’s eat prasāda, let’s go.” That is who we are. But Bhagavān Viṣṇu worried, “What will I answer to Śiva?” At that moment, Śiva appeared and said, “Viṣṇu, why are you so upset? You have so many lotus flowers. You are known as Kamalnayan.” The name Kṛṣṇa, or Viṣṇu, is also known as Kamalnayan. At that time, there was no Kṛṣṇa at all—Kṛṣṇa is only the incarnation of the last yuga; before that was Rāma. Śiva continued, “Your eyes are so beautiful, O Viṣṇu. The hue of your eyeball is like a beautiful pink lotus bud when it has just emerged but not yet opened, nestled between green petals—a beautiful, gentle, pink and white lotus. That is called kamalnayan: eyes like a lotus.” He then said, “Offer this, your eye?” Viṣṇu was surprised, but he wanted to complete his anuṣṭhāna, for he understood what anuṣṭhāna truly means. We do anuṣṭhāna every year in Strilky, in Vape, and elsewhere, yet we forget how many mantras we did, and we don’t care. Many rules are given, but out of those we follow perhaps three percent. So your anuṣṭhāna is not finished. And I think it’s good that you don’t finish, because otherwise you would become self-realized, and I would be sitting here alone. So it is good that you have come back. It is like modern manufacturing: planned obsolescence—use and throw, and you must run again to buy. Such are your conditions. I haven’t seen one person who truly follows the principles one hundred percent. Thus Viṣṇu, in his imagination, called his Brahmāstra to offer it as the thousandth lotus on the Śiva Liṅgam. To offer it as the thousandth lotus. In our case, we say, “I don’t care about self-realization. I don’t need an anuṣṭhāna. I’ll go to the Puszta and Hortobágy, ride horses, see the oxen, do morning meditation, enjoy the beautiful sunrise and sunset.” That is who we are. We do not know the value. If we knew the value, we would be ready to offer anything. It is like an auction: some understand a painting and bid ten million; others bid five hundred million. Dinars? Liras? Others said two billion liras—all Italians were billionaires, and then Kali Yuga came and they are not even millionaires. It is life-changing. How is this the manipulation of Kali Yuga? It is the same paper; only the name is missing. You stamp 500 euros on it, and only because the name is there it has value. Same paper, same thing. This is modern manipulation. In some ways, humans are limited. For a small child of one or two years, it doesn’t matter what kind of money you give—the child will put it in the mouth and tear it. But Viṣṇu had a vow, his saṅkalpa. Many people tell me before receiving Kriyā, “Gurū Dev, no matter what happens, I will follow.” And where are they today? They stopped and disappeared. So Viṣṇu wanted to take out his eyeball. And Śiva held his hand. He did not lie; he was only testing whether Viṣṇu would be able to do it. Śiva would never have let him do it—it was a test. Similar tests come for all of us from Gurū Dev. Therefore we always keep our distance. “Mahāprabhujī, please, I am fed up with the world. Take me to you, Mahāprabhujī.” And when Mahāprabhujī and Devapurījī walk out of the picture, he says, “Come, hold my hand, let’s go.” “No, no, I didn’t mean it like that. Who wants to go away?” It is very hard. If he tells me, “Let’s go,” I will say, “Well, I have to finish my seminar.” So Śiva blessed him and said, “From now onwards you will be known as Kamalnayan. And for this, O Viṣṇu, I give you something—you will need it. This shall be an ābhūṣaṇa.” Ābhūṣaṇa means jewelry, decoration. “You will be known as Sudarśana-dhārī, the holder of the Sudarśana.” And Bhagavān Śiva gave him the Sudarśana Cakra. Therefore, when you see a picture of Viṣṇu, he holds in his four hands all the symbols: Sudarśana Cakra, lotus, mace, and the fourth? Blessings. Śaṅkha, Kaustubha. These are the four ābhūṣaṇas of Viṣṇu; then he is complete. Now I ask you: he has all four hands occupied. He has no hands to eat and drink; everything is fixed. So we say, “I have a handful of work to do.” Similarly, God has a handful of work to do in this world. Yet this Sudarśana will only function when you use it for justice—do not cross the boundary, otherwise it will disappear from you. So he cannot use it arbitrarily; although he possesses the Sudarśana Cakra, he cannot misuse it. If he tries to use it unjustly, it becomes useless, just like a plastic toy they throw—what is it called? Frisbee. That’s all. Hari Om. When Śiśupāla humiliated all his bhaktas and God, at that moment he became like a stench. Viṣṇu only had to raise his hand, and the Sudarśana Cakra appeared, flew forth, and destroyed Śiśupāla. So it is our ignorance, our pride, our greed, our jealousy, and out of these, revenge that shortens our life. Not only shortens this life, but it will not give you a meaningful life again in the next. Therefore, in every holy scripture, heaven, hell, svarga, naraka, paradise, and many other realms are described. It is true. In the Guru Gītā and in many texts it is said: where will such a person go? For yugas and yugas there is burning pain, torturing pain. We cannot even bear to look at it; it is unbearable, and you cannot remove it. Nobody is there to hear. That is called pāpa and puṇya, sin and good deeds—pāpātmā and pure soul. That is the matter. And therefore it is said: this purification, karmic purification, turns you toward accepting your negative thoughts and asking for forgiveness. This karmic pollution is increasing day by day; we should try to reduce it day by day. And as Holī Gurujī said very beautifully: through this mantra our mind will be purified. Then, when the lotus of the heart opens, the eye of the heart will open. If one practices with discipline every day, then añjana—the ointment in the eye—is applied. In our bhajan books of Mahāprabhujī, Gurujī, and our other lineage, immense and immense wisdom is hidden, and in a very simple way that everyone can understand. So we shall try to work on this. And before you expose yourself outwardly in a negative way, first look at what is within you. In our Yoga, in the “Dead Life” book, the immense wisdom of the different ṛṣis is compiled. All the signs of prāṇāyāma, signs of consciousness, the functions of the cakras, and hidden powers in humans—read properly, think over them, and obtain the Mahābhārata video. In every satsaṅg, watch one or two episodes. You should engage with it, and you can choose which character you want to be. Yes. And ask your inner self as you watch: Are you worthy to be like that? Will you be Arjuna? Hare Kṛṣṇa? Or Kṛṣṇa, or Duryodhana, or Bhīṣma, or Śakuni, and many others? See it in such a way that you place yourself inside. Then you will clearly see everything that has happened in your life—perhaps what you have done, or what someone has done to you. In every episode you will find yourself inside. Then watch the Mahāśiva Purāṇa; you will also see where you are. Oh my God! The rākṣasas and the devas! And even the devas run to Śiva crying, “Śiva, Śiva, please help us!” Even Brahmā and Viṣṇu run to Śiva: “Please help them!” Again, Śivajī is balancing. He doesn’t talk too much; he doesn’t give lectures. Only one or two words or sentences, but it is powerful. And then you come to see the Rāmāyaṇa, to follow this path of spirituality and ethical principles, moral principles. Then see how much even God has to suffer. And read the Bible in parallel—how much God had to struggle. Now you have seen the Mahābhārata, you have seen the Mahāśiva Purāṇa, you have seen the Rāmāyaṇa, and you have also read the Bible and other books. Now you are completely finished—completely confused. You say, “Oh God, life has no joy. What to do? Life should be colorful, life should be joyful. We should dance, we should relax, we should have make-ups, blim blam blim.” Then you watch the Kṛṣṇa video. Then you see all the blim-blams, for Kali Yuga is a Kṛṣṇa Yuga—it is called Kṛṣṇa Pakṣa. But Kṛṣṇa is not like that, as you might think. He is not here anymore; he is sitting somewhere in the universe, and all his līlā is moving there. His shadow—you know the shadow theater, the Hungarians are proud of it, but someone said, “He has a black shadow.” Shadow means many things, but literally it means not good. Yet this is only theater. Therefore, this is Kali Yuga. So Kṛṣṇa tried to make everyone a little happy, inspired. Kṛṣṇa tried that bhaktas should not think that God is very strict, but that God is someone who can behave like us—He can sit with us, joke with us, and play His divine līlās. Kṛṣṇa is Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa as Kṛṣṇa. The best cowboy. Yes, Kṛṣṇa is a cowboy. He is called Gopāla. What does Gopāla mean? One who takes care of the cows. So you can say either Gopāla or cowboy. I know, now many Hindus and Kṛṣṇa devotees will be angry with me. Cowboys are not bad; cowboys are the best ones who look after the holy mother cows, protect the cows—that’s it. So time is gone, and I’m sure you will be very happy if you meet the cowboy. He Govinda, He Gopāla... Hari Om, and wish you a good journey. All the best, and we will continue our Brahma Vidyā Kriyās, but we cannot proceed as long as there is a mala-vikṣepa and āvaraṇa. We are only on the first part: mala. Mala means impurities, or pollution, karmic pollution—that’s it. Hari Om. Good journey and much love to all. Bhagavān Kiśaya, Dev Purīśamadeva Kiśaya, Mādhav Kṛṣṇa Bhagavān Kiśaya, Sanātana Dharma Kiśaya, Oṁ Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ...