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Iccha Shakti

A spiritual discourse on the power of desire (icchā) and the necessity of discernment (viveka).

"Whatever you wish, everything is possible; nothing is impossible."

"Before you express your wish, you should know what kind of wish it is, because when it is fulfilled, at that time you change your opinion."

Swami Mahādvānanjī Bhagavān explores the nature of Icchā Śakti (willpower) through teachings from the Rāmāyaṇa and Bhagavad Gītā. He emphasizes that while God's grace can fulfill any wish, one must use intellect to discern the true nature and potential consequences of a desire. He illustrates this with a parable of a monkey whose unchecked desire for a basket leads to a fatal encounter with a cobra, and concludes with a teaching from Shiva to Parvati that the ultimate truth in Kali Yuga is devotion and the repetition of God's name.

Filming location: Vép, Hungary

Śrīman Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa, Śrīman Nārāyaṇa, Śrīman Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa, Śrīman Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa, Śrīman Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa, Śrīman Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa, Śrīman Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa, Dīpa Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa, Dīpa Nārāyaṇa, Dīpa Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa, Dīpa Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa. Śrī Dīpa Nārāyaṇa Bhagavān Devādi Deva Deveśvara Mahādeva Satguru Svāmī Mahādvānanjī Bhagavān Satya Sanātana Dharma kī. In the Rāmāyaṇa, the holy book Rāmāyaṇa, Tulsīdāsī Mahārāj is writing. Tulsīdāsī Mahārāj writes a very beautiful, very beautiful sentence. He said, "Whatever you wish, everything is possible; nothing is impossible." How good. My God. We got everything. Under one tree, we got all the nests. All the mushrooms that we were searching for, we found under one tree. Icchā. What is icchā? Wish. Desire. What would you like to have? What would you like to eat? What would you like to study? What would you like to achieve? Icchā. This is something great. Also, icchā is about business, about marriage, about children, profession, self-realization. So many cakras. But before you express your wish, you should know what kind of wish it is, because when it is fulfilled, at that time you change your opinion. And now you say, "No, I don't want." So with God, there is no bargaining. There is no changing. Now, what is within the icchā? Icchā Śakti. That is something, the willpower. The willpower. So in our desires, our opinion or our wish, that has śakti. If you have no śakti, your icchā cannot be fulfilled. For example, you have an itch to go swimming. Yes, the pond is near here. But you should have the energy to walk until there. You should know what the lake is, the pond. And you know where you want to go in that. On the way, there is what we call the safety tank from bathrooms and toilets, where water is going. And you think, "I need not go so far; it is very close," and you jump in. You come out with different kinds of colors. So, it's a willpower, but it must be very clear. You should know what you want to do. Now you have the Icchā Śakti, but you don't know what is in that lake. There are crocodiles. So, even when you come to the last point of your desires, you should know, or we should know, what is there? Will it harm me or will it help me? So, Icchāśakti is very important, very great. But before we wish, we should know what it is. Without Icchāśakti, we can't achieve anything. Jo icchā kare man mahai, Hari kripā durlabh nahī — what you wish in your mind, by the grace of God, nothing is impossible. But God blesses us because God said, "I gave you intellect, and you know what it is. Even if you wish for something bad, I will say, 'Yes, bless you.'" So in the Bhagavad Gītā, Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa said in the Karma Yoga chapter to Arjuna: Before you do some action, you should know the form of the action. When you know the form of the action, then you will know what fruits will come. When you see the fruits, then you will decide if you would like to eat them or not. So, in this Icchāśakti, we need viveka. Viveka is common sense. Viveka is intelligence. Viveka is a very truthful decision. So we have to develop first viveka. Then we should express our wish; otherwise, desire will torture you. Like there was one man, what we call the snake charmer. They catch snakes, cobras, and train them, and then bring them into the village and play a kind of instrument like a flute, and the cobra is dancing. Who did not see the cobra properly? They go near and look, and after they give some money, sometimes they take the cobra and then they put it under your neck, around your neck. He said, "No, no, no, everyone loves their soul." They don't want to die. So he had one snake that became old. So he went to search for a new one, and he found somewhere a very big, nice, young cobra. So he caught him and put him in the pocket, like a basket made out of some wood, bamboo, or something. So he put the cobra inside and covered it. He is tying cloth over the neck of the basket and with the rope tied it, and holding and carrying, going towards home. Hot day like today, beautiful banyan tree. So he thought, he's going to want to... go under the tree, have a little rest because it's very hot. And now our mind is our monkey sitting on the tree. The monkey was looking like this, and he saw that man, the snake charmer, carrying something carefully, and the monkey did it. You know how the monkeys are. Monkey thought, "Definitely, he brought some honey." He got some honey from the wild honeybees. I want to eat. Desire. Icchā. When you have an icchā, we should try to analyze our icchā. You know, sometimes the young people, they go to disco, or what they call the pub, or some clubs. They have an itch to go there. Then someone says, "Try a little of this. You should experience something in your life. We are living in modern life. Otherwise, you are like a stupid. You are out of the society." Oh, yes. My parents always put me away, but this is something, I'm not stupid. It doesn't matter how my parents think. I live in this 21st century, and it is the new age. Why not take some drugs? It was your desire, your desire, your wish. Your wish is fulfilled for your whole life. Become addicted, you can't get rid of it. It remains in the system, in the body. It remains, this vibration in the brain. So don't go there where you think could be something wrong. It's a desire. Now, a monkey had only one wish. I want to have this basket to enjoy the honey. But how to get it from this man? He will not let me take it. Now you know blackmailing can be done by animals too. Birds can also do it. Every animal can tell, "Go away, go away, go away." So now the monkey is trying hypnotizing. Oh, man. Lay the basket here. Go away. He is saying, "Go away." Man doesn't know anything. He didn't see the monkey steal, but the strong energy functions. So don't wish so strongly unless you know the reality. Well, it's constantly saying, "Oh man, go away. Man, go away." After 10–15 minutes, that man decided to go behind the bush. A civilized person who has social education will not do it immediately under the tree because some people are based there. An animal comes, so he went about 50 meters far behind a bush. And the monkey said, "Jyotiṣakār hī manmayī, Hari kripā durlabh nahī." Because the monkey heard in satsaṅg, "Whatever you wish, nothing is impossible by the grace of God." He left the basket there. The monkey was jumping down. How quickly? Within half a minute, he was already down. He took the basket in the neck. Climbing up on the top of the banyan, on a tiny branch, so that a man can't come up, and he's sitting, monkey comfortably hanging on two legs. On the other side, the tail is hanging. And the basket is in front of him, and the man saw. Oh God. And monkey said, "Now I have it." Yes, now you have it. But man is sorry for him. And now he's sitting and swinging, and he tears the cloth. It comes out. Oh, King Cobra, Nāga Deva, looking to the man. The monkey became completely pale, seeing everything yellow and both. Cold and urine, he tried to throw away as soon as he moved. Angry cobra, dispirited cobra, he said. Again, he tried to move the basket. Now he had a burning desire to enjoy honey. There was no honey. It's something funny. Now he had only one wish more: how to get rid of that? My dear, in this Kali Yuga, there are different kinds of cobras, many. Take care. Once it's in your neck, it's hard, difficult to get rid of it. So, that cobra bit the monkey and went out. But after some time, the monkey had a deep sleep and fell down. Therefore, it is said, without knowing, you should not express your wish. We said, choose the friends first; you should know them, how they are. And drink the water which is properly filtered. This is very important. Therefore, good wishes, spiritual wishes, what we have, definitely God will fulfill. And if you are negative, it will also fulfill, but that will be the suffering and troubles. So, before wishing something, God gave us intellect. We said, "Overthink." What we call, "Don't eat hot potato." Nicely, let it warm, cool it. Therefore, many children, young children, young people, they try, they think we will change the whole world. You know, many, many millions of people want to change the world. Where are they? And the world is as it is. So, Hari kripā, the grace of God, everything helps us. So one day Pārvatī asked Śiva, "Lord, what are you always talking and giving? Sometimes yoga, Vedas, Upaniṣads, mantras, yantras, tantras—I don't understand. You explain to me, but I listen here and go there. Tell me something very simple." The women are very straightforward. They don't want to be complicated. That's why they are one step higher developed. We are like a bear, like a monkey. So many hairs, and we came as humans. It is upgraded, but still we have a beard. Most of us have so much hair, and I am jealous. The women have nothing. Every day, man goes and does like this, and his wife is coming. And she only does like this, so next life we will be upper. Let's come to the Satya Yuga. So, Pārvatī Jī said, Lord, tell me something simple. What is your opinion? What did you create, or what did you experience? Yoga is by Śiva. Mantra is by Śiva. Yantra is by Śiva. Tantra is by Śiva. You know what is Tantra? Tantra is the science. Tantra is like a holy book. You know, it's like a Mahābhārata or Śrīmad Bhāgavatam or Rāmāyaṇa, all holy books. This is Mahāyāna Tantra from the Buddhists. If you read that, then you will know what Tantra is. But of course, in the West, that Tantra, people are not happy. They like to have Tantras, what you call, with all naked postures, and that they buy in the market immediately. So there you see what is in the mind of this Western mentality. It was not. But it has lasted two centuries. It developed in them, and that has destroyed the whole society. This is a commercial business, and this kind of money, which you earn, will not bring happiness in your family. Unfortunately, nowadays, commercial people see women as a commercial model. And here women fail. They think they are so beautiful, and they want to show themselves. But they sold themselves. That is not good for them. I hope one day the women will wake up. I have nothing against women, and I have nothing against them if they are naked. No problem. Because she or I, we were all born naked. But there is a developing culture where the dignity of the human body is recognized, and it is not for selling. So, well, there are many things. So, Pārvatī Jī is saying something. What did she say? Yes, very simple things. Lord Shiva has all the questions and answers. So we were talking about this Tantra. Tantra is a philosophy. Tantra is a very wise wisdom book, and that was developed by Buddhists, but not this what you are thinking of, Tantra book. So there are many, many books written, and also in Jainas. Yes, there is some different kind of magic, and this and everything. This, I don't want to open. Because there is something people can do. So that subject was not my interest, because whoever used to do this will one day also be suffering in that way. So it is black magic, and it will one day come back to us. So when we are talking about Tantra, it is the holy books, it is the knowledge, body, mind, consciousness, God. So it is a different way to explain about nature, consciousness, everything. So Śivajī, Śiva has developed this, gave this science. So Pārvatī is saying, "Lord, give me something simple. You are too complicated." Who dare to say him? But Pārvatī is a faithful of Śiva. She said, "Oh, it is very easy. Do you want to know the easiest technique? Yes. Will I be perfect in everything?" Shiva said, "Well, she put me in a difficult situation." Some techniques you have to learn and do tapasyā. But she said, "Don't tell me stories. Yes. I asked you, what is your own experience? Did you examine this all? Did you experience all this?" But you know, no one can defeat Śiva. Except, but, Bhasmāsura, you know, Bhasmāsura said, "Śivajī, now I will put my hand on you and burn you." And, you know, in the Himalayan hills, he was running. That time became the jogīs. Oh my God, not only Śiva himself. Many cobras also came. Yes, Śivjī is running. Cobra doesn't dare to go out. Otherwise, they will say, "You see," Cobra, you left me alone. Our Prime Minister of India declared the Yoga Day, International Day of Yoga. 21st of June. And he ordered all the embassies around the world, Indian embassies, to get in touch with all yoga studios and yoga centers, invite them, and let them practice and celebrate. The Indian Navy had to practice on the boat. The Air Force, they were practicing in aeroplanes, and the jet airways of India, full of the jet airways, they were all practicing āsanas inside, without safety belt. All armies, police stations, schools, social centers, in every village, people never liked yoga. But they want to be there because I am also a yogī. My prime minister must know that we are all yogīs. And you can't imagine, that day in India was most beautiful. Everywhere. That picture was, I think it was never like that, but I hope it will ever be so, so that wish can come true, experience. So Bhagavān Śiva said to Pārvatī, Bhagavān Śiva said this to Pārvatī. Ummā kahu anubhav apnā, Hari bhajan ek satya, jagat sab sapnā. O Pārvatī, O Ummā! Ummā is Pārvatī. Ummā Pārvatī. Ummā kahu nij anubhav apnā — I tell you my own experiences. Hari bhajan ek satya — The ultimate truth is devotion to God, prayers, meditations, mantras. Hari means Vishnu. Shiva adores Vishnu, and Vishnu adores Shiva. I tell you my own experience. Only the truth is devotion to God, because now is Kali Yuga. Therefore, it is in the Rāmāyaṇa again written: "Kali Yuga kevala nāma ādhāra, sumira sumira nara hoi bhava pāra." So, you know? So, you think that Swāmījī is making his own poetry. This is very important. The word "ādhāra" is great. This tree is standing on the roots, ādhāra. This house is standing on the foundation, ādhāra. Children are growing and happy with the protection, ādhāra, of the parents. Our body is existing with the ādhāra of our heart. And many other organs, ādhāra. Someone supports us for studying, or gives some money, helping us. Ādhāra. That's very important. So Kali Yuga kevala nāma ādhāra. The whole Kali Yuga is still surviving only on the name of God. Because of the spiritual people and many saints, this world is still surviving and existing, because of people like you, positive praying, etc. Those ṛṣis whom we have not even seen, and they said, "Whether you see me or not, it is not important, but we are here to protect this earth and protect all," so that is Ādhāra, who supports us. So Kali Yuga is still surviving. On that spirituality, that is that. So, Kali Yuga kevala nāma ādhāra, sumira sumira nara hoi bhava pāra. O human, repeat, repeat, repeat your mantra, that you may cross this ocean of ignorance. That's it. That's very important. So, Icchā Śakti is a very strong power, and that Icchā Śakti is hidden in the cakra. In the Ājñā Cakra there is the Icchā Śakti. Then there is the Parāśakti; Śakti is only one. But she has different roles. How is this possible? Now I know. There is one old man. What? Old man. The old man's father came and said, "How are you, my son?" The next one came. How are you, my brother? Third one came. How are you, friend? Fourth one came. How are you, my husband? Other one comes. How are you, my son? My father. My uncle. One man has so many forms: grandson, son, father, and friends, and husband. The person is only one. Relations are different, so through which angle we see. All religions are one. Some principles are different. They believe in God. We believe in God. One would like to believe only in God. One would like to have a picture. Etc. Long ago in Christianity, there were no pictures of Jesus like this, and there were no statues. Because in Christianity they did not believe in worshipping a statue, because they believe only in Nirakāra, the Holy Father. Even they would not put a statue of Jesus. And there is no picture of the Holy Father, but people had difficulties. They want to have the form. Now we have many pictures of Jesus, the statue of Jesus. Holy Mother, Holy Saints, we print on the postcards, because it's easy to go through this. So that picture, though it is only a picture, or the statue is only a statue, but that is the ādhāra of our belief. Ādhāra means now our belief, and we believe in that one, so we go there, a shelter to that temple or church, etc. Therefore, it is written everything clearly: so, willpower, Ādhyāśakti, my God, that is something great; Mūlāśakti, that's another great; Brahmaśakti. So, Śakti is everywhere; without her, nothing can be alive, nothing can move; everything will be frozen. But Shakti means not a woman, but Shakti is not a woman. But more in these philosophies, and in some pictures, like mostly, it will be a feminine picture. But Shakti is a man, too. You know, when you are completely exhausted, tired, you say, "I have no energy." So she is in you, so without Śakti nothing can move. Dairamjī was walking very quickly and did everything, and now we inspired him. We gave him bitter salt, and he will walk like this. I will give him bitter salt, and he will walk like this. So, Śakti is only one, but in different forms. Example, from the powerhouse, energy is coming, electricity. Now, that same electric power is in this microphone. Same in the camera, same in the amplifier, in the light, in the car battery, everywhere is the same power, but in different form. This power can kill us, and this power can save our life. We should know how to use it. Too much is everywhere prohibited. So sometimes they give electric shock for the pain somewhere. Yeah, it's good. But if somebody will come and connect the cable, oh God, it will, Śakti will awake. Kuṇḍalinī will jump and pssst, finish. For hamesha, for everywhere. Then this Śakti goes. How does this Śakti go away? How? God bless you. Nama nama rāma kalaṅkana hi me jīvana mukta para paṭayam ko jīvana mukti paṭam brahma nandahame guru mecha sa jami mecha. Thank you. Raṅganā Rūpa Anupāyana Dī Naipause Raṅkana Nare Naipause Raṅkana Nare Guruvayame Cha Usa Una De sa yantar jami pecha laaj sab taj ke kalpan loka laaj sab taj ke kalpan Ādar ke virāgan, ādar ke virāgan sa guruvaraṁ echa ussam śānt jāmī me chalo saun deśhme śānt virāje baram bar. Ādhe āgama deśhme śānt virāje baram bar. Aaj sab taj ke kalpana, Aadar ke ve raga na ves, Aadar ke ve raga na ves. Guru mecha saunade shayanta jami vecha usau nade Sri-Dīpaka e pada esa manabhava, phir nai janam dara Sri-Dīpaka e pada esa manabhava. Phir nai janam dara sadarśināsana apavirajye, sadarśināsana apavirajye. Sao Bhegama De, Sao Bhegama De, Chau Sauna De, Sayantar Jami Me Chau Sauna De. Loka-lāja-sabtajaki-kalapānā dhārakhe vairāgānāve. Sajūrme ca ussau nāde antarjani me chau saunade. Narendra Bhagavān Kī Jai. Devaīśvara Mahādeva Kī Jai. Madhava Kṛṣṇa Bhagavān Kī Jai. Satya Sanātana Dharma Kī Jai.

This text is transcribed and grammar corrected by AI. If in doubt what was actually said in the recording, use the transcript to double click the desired cue. This will position the recording in most cases just before the sentence is uttered.

The text contains hyperlinks in bold to three authoritative books on yoga, written by humans, to clarify the context of the lecture:

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