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Oṁ. Deep Nārāyaṇa Bhagavān kī, Devādhi Dev, Deveśvar Mahādev kī, Alakpurīchā Mahādev kī, Mādhav Kṛṣṇa Bhagavān kī, Satya Sanātana Dharma kī, Ādi Guru Bhagavān Śaṅkarācārya kī, Oṁ. Brahmanandam paramasukhadam kevalam jnanam urateyam dvandatitam gagansadrasham tasmasyadilakshyam ekam nityam vimalachalam sarvaddhisakshibhotam bhavatitam tri-guna-rahitam sat-gurutam namamyam. Dhyana-mulam guru-murti puja-mulam guru-padam. Mahāmantra-mūlaṁ guru-vākyaṁ, mokṣa-mūlaṁ guru-kṛpā. Aum Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ... To all dear ones, spiritual seekers, brothers and sisters around the world, on the holy occasion of Śrī Guru Pūrṇimā, I send you the blessings of Aum Śrī Alak Purī Jīsīd Pit Paramparā. I wish you good health, a long and happy life, spiritual development, and finally, the achievement of the purpose of this human life: self-realization. Life is a journey, not a destination. We have many miles to walk. The final milestone is when our individual self merges into the universal self, attaining ātmā-jñāna. Self-realization can be understood in two parts. As long as we live in this body, our knowledge of self-realization remains within the realm of intellect, imagination, and feeling. One never knows what will happen in life. While self-realization frees one from karmas, the body with its senses still experiences karmic events every second. Or, one should not misuse the power of self-realization. It is said that when Swami Vivekananda, after his world tour, returned to his Gurujī Paramahaṁsa Rāmakṛṣṇa at the Ramakrishna Maṭha in Kolkata, it was winter. Paramahaṁsa Rāmakṛṣṇa, suffering from throat cancer, was resting in the garden sun. The wound was unpleasant to see. Vivekananda was young, energetic, vibrant, and proud. He had great devotion and saw his Gurujī as God. Vivekānandajī is said to have attained Self-realization, but temporarily—a glimpse called Sahaja Samādhi or Bhāva Samādhi. The fever of that experience remained in his memory and knowledge. He was a great person with great knowledge, yet in daily life, we might call such experience imagination. There are two kinds of imagination: lakṣārati and vācārati. When you achieve samādhi, you become both lakṣyaratī and vācyaratī, but the balance leans more towards vācarati. Vivekānanda went for darśan with many devotees. About ten meters away, he saw Rāmakṛṣṇa lying helplessly, suffering. Being human, with emotions and freedom of thought, Vivekananda wondered, "I thought my Gurudeva was God—Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Śiva—and here he lies helpless. What should I think?" He was only thinking; his devotion and love were great. As he approached to offer praṇām, Rāmakṛṣṇa smiled and said, "Vivek, your doubts are a symbol of ignorance, my son. I know what you are thinking. If I wished, I could place my hand over this wound and it would disappear. But, Vivekānanda, for that I would have to be born again and live that much life. Therefore, let it be. Let this karma be exhausted." Vivekānanda felt deeply ashamed and sorry. He then recited, "Guru Brahmā, Guru Viṣṇu, Guru Devo Maheśvara, Guru Sākṣāt Parabrahma Tasmai, Śrī Guruve Namah." Thus, Guru Tattva and our sādhanā are a hard path. Mahāprabhujī said clearly in a bhajan: "Śāstra kauśa gagana ke upara, vyāpāra hera gurai, Agar serapte pāv tumhārā, padegā uṇḍī khāī, manvā dhīre dhīre chāl, yāgan gar chaḍnā re bhāī." Śāstra Kośa is thousands of miles high; we must climb up. Śāstra Kośa Gagan ke upar—the sky is endless. There resides Raghu Rāī, meaning Bhagavān Śrī Rām of the Raghu dynasty. Just as we have our Alak Purījī Siddha Pīṭha Paramparā, we belong to a kula, a dynasty. As long as everyone remains true to their kula, they are on the right path, under the protection of their ancestors. They feel comfortable, and future generations will feel comfortable knowing you are not lost. In the modern world, human roots are rotten and cut off. People decide to do as they like, changing their thoughts, spiritual path, beliefs, religions, and masters. They become nowhere, like a chutney or ketchup—you do not know what is mixed in. We are fortunate to have found our divine paramparā, the Alak Purījī Siddhapīṭā paramparā, through which we return to the right track. Sometimes it is not easy. "Agar se raptay paav tumhara... Manva, dhere dhere chal." Oh mind, walk slowly and carefully. "If you slip, padhoge undi khai." You will fall deep into a hole and struggle to get out, meaning you may miss this opportunity for other lives in other forms. Vivekānanda understood. From then on, he always kept a picture of his Gurudeva. It is said that once in America, an artist painted Vivekananda giving a lecture and included the image of Paramahaṁsa Rāmakṛṣṇa behind him, though he was not physically present. Gurujī said, "Pal pala leta sambhala"—every second, Mahāprabhujī looks after me. Gurudev is not far. Mahāprabhujī said, "If you are five meters from me, then I am also five meters from you. Distance is from both sides." Therefore, trace and find your original roots. Then think about spiritual development, then mokṣa (liberation), and then guru-kṛpā (the Guru's grace). This is part of self-realization as knowledge: lakṣaratī (those who aim and walk towards it) and vācartī (those who read and speak a lot, like bookworms). Both are important. Darśanajī said, "The Gurudev is a moving temple," the one who can answer anything or at least say, "I do not know." That is Sanātana Dharma. Sanātana Dharma is eternal. It will last as long as a mother gives birth to a child. Birth itself is Sanātana Dharma. Those who do not believe in it should not have children; then no cow, buffalo, bird, or animal would give birth. Sanātana dharma is a living religion—"religion" meaning relation. "Mame vaso jīva loke jīva bhūta sanātana." That is Sanātana Dharma. As long as the school system exists, the guru paramparā will continue. Even in this Kali Yuga, we encourage everyone to study—go to school, college, university, learn computers. You need a teacher. In Hindi or Sanskrit, it is guru; in other languages, teacher. Consider a photo of a professor or a surgeon. If you need an operation, can you ask the photo to perform it? It will only smile. If it were alive, it would act. Ask the photo of a teacher a question; it will look nicely but cannot answer. This is guru paramparā—a living religion. If you close it, that is the end; only dogmas remain, and anyone can give commentary. If someone speaks incorrectly, the living master can correct it. That is the final liberation, the final destination. The living master has the duty to correct. I am not keen to show my face, but my devotees wish to see how I look now in Jordan. So, there is guru-paramparā and dynasty-kula (family lineage). Guru-kula and family-kula are called ṛṣi-kula. We are all children of the ṛṣis. "Sabi ṛṣi munyoki santan hai." Every ṛṣi was married; all saints and goddesses were married. But in Kali Yuga, attachment arose, causing people to focus only on their own family and children, not others. Therefore, it is said: no marriage, so you belong to no one but everyone. We are Ṛṣi Santān (children of sages). Like Maharṣi, Graghāchārya, Vasiṣṭ Muni (Bhagavān Rām's guru), Vasiṣṭ Kul, Vyasa school—we are all part of this. It does not matter if from Europe or India; humans are one race—tall, short, white, black, from America, Europe, Asia, or Africa. Human is human. The United Nations' human rights affirm this: every human is a child of some ṛṣi. If you know your ṛṣi santān, you will be free from ancestors, from Pitraloka. Then mokṣa comes. Do not think you will attain liberation and leave. Your ancestors will pull you back, saying, "Hey boy, where are you going? We are suffering here, and you are leaving?" But when you attain self-realization, all your ancestors will be liberated. Therefore, vācārtī—teaching and lecturing—is for a certain time. Then you go antarmukhā (inward). Through active and passive sādhanā, meditation, and karma, a human can achieve the final goal. Guru Pūrṇimā has many meanings. My experience is this: among the twenty-four incarnations, the first was Varāha Avatāra, who brought the earth out of the water. When sunlight first touched the earth, that instant was Guru Pūrṇimā—light from darkness. "Tamaso mā jyotir gamaya": lead us from darkness to light. "Gu" means darkness, "ru" means light. The light of knowledge removes the darkness of ignorance. Thus, sādhanā is crucial. Secondly, Bhagavān Ved Vyāsa. In the Mahābhārata, in the family of the Pāṇḍavas and Kauravas, there was Maharishi Ved Vyāsa. He decided to write all spiritual teachings, the Vedas, Śrīmad Bhāgavata, and other scriptures. All were dictated by him. Kṛṣṇa was not on the battlefield of Kurukṣetra teaching the Bhagavad Gītā; it is a compilation of how Kṛṣṇa acted and instructed Arjuna. The Bhagavad Gītā is the essence of the Upaniṣads, a song made from gāthās. It is said that Kṛṣṇa knows the Gītā, and a mother knows the Gītā. Those who know Kṛṣṇa know the Gītā. Only a mother knows the father. That reality, liberation (mokṣa), comes from that knowledge and blessing—it is Guru Kṛpā. Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Śiva have their duties. The work a clerk (Patwari) does, the president will not do. If the clerk writes a false report about black flags, the president's program is cancelled. Similarly, from cosmic power to earth, we must respect everyone's role. Thus, it is said: "Guru Brahma, Guru Viṣṇu, Gurudev Maheśvara." Above these three is the highest principle, tattva. Among all tattvas, guru tattva is supreme. "Guru sākṣāt para brahma." We do not say Kṛṣṇa is para brahma, or Śiva, or Buddha. But Gurudev is para brahma—"Sākṣāt parabrahma. Tasme Śrī Gurudeva namaha." Even Rām and Kṛṣṇa had a guru. "Tīna-loka-ke-inātha-sattaguru-ke-ādheṇa." Understand: when there is doubt, anger, ego, or pride, a condition like Vivekananda's arises, and one must ask inwardly, "How could my heart become blind?" Our two eyes see the outside world, but to perceive the experiences of saints, we need Guru Pūrṇimā. It is the highest spiritual festival, where we celebrate and worship our mother, father, brothers, sisters, teachers, professors—everyone. Guru Pūjā is tomorrow. How to perform Guru Pūjā? In the morning, rise before sunrise, bathe, and wear fresh, clean clothes. Go to your altar or to your Gurudev. Offer praṇām, pūjā, āratī, prayers, tilak, chant your mantra, offer mālās and flowers. Then make your saṅkalpa (resolve). Remember last Guru Pūrṇimā's saṅkalpa and review the past year: what good you did, what not; moments of doubt, anger, devotion; when you sought forgiveness. This is your account. Bring your pūjā thālī and see what it holds—your saṅkalpa and the fruits of the year. Surrender all and take a new saṅkalpa to achieve your goal. Life is a journey, so may it be comfortable, pleasurable, safe, and successful in leading to our destination. Tomorrow, we will have morning pūjā here. Many devotees are coming to our Jadon ashram and to ashrams worldwide. Every master's ashram holds Guru Pūrṇimā programs. Lucky are those who can go to their āśrams for pūjā and satsaṅg. Wherever you are, remember. Unlucky are those who forget today is Guru Pūrṇimā. I wish you all the best. I pray again to Alak Purījī, Devpurījī, Holy Gurujī, Mahāprabhujī to bless you all with spiritual development and achievement. From this holy seat of Alak Purījī, Siddhāpīṭ Parabrahm, I bless you all on Guru Pūrṇimā. Deep Nārāyaṇ Bhagavān, Devādhī Dev, Deveśvar Mahādev, Satguru Svāmī Madhavānandjī Bhagavān, Alakpurījī Mahādev, Satya Sanātana Dharma, Om Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ.