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The Grace of the Guru and the Wealth of Bhārat

A spiritual discourse on devotion, India's spiritual wealth, and the Guru's grace.

"Poverty is certain, but what appears most prominently here is the greatest poverty that exists in the entire world, which is not found in India—that poverty is called bhakti."

"If today gold is one lakh rupees per kilo and tomorrow it becomes twenty-five lakh rupees per kilo, the gold itself has not increased even a bit; the feeling has increased."

A speaker addresses a gathering, passionately describing his journey to India and Gurudev's grace, which replaced a desire for worldly travel. He contrasts perceived material poverty with India's spiritual richness (bhakti), advocates for vegetarianism and protection of lineage, and explores themes of devotion, the power of the Guru's word, and the essence of Sanātana Dharma. The talk includes scriptural references, a parable about Shiva and a yogi, and concludes with blessings.

Filming location: Mumbai, India

Meditation’s root is the form of the Guru. Worship’s root is the Guru’s feet. The root of mantra is the Guru’s word. The root of liberation is the Guru’s grace. Oṃ, light, the supreme Brahman, the lamp, all enchanting, the lamp that dispels darkness, the lamp of all truth—Salutations to the universal Guru, Mahāmaṇḍaleśvara and the great, self-manifest Śaraṇat Purī Jī Mahārāj. I do not know what was written in my destiny. I do not even know if it was written in my destiny, but our Gurudev's boundless grace is such that I reached His presence. I have been in the presence of our Gurudev since 1990. We have a small country where five times more people live than in Mumbai. My interest in our Gurudev's pradarśana and satsaṅga was awakened from that time itself, with a desire to see the land of India. Then, after university, when I reached the country of India, the desire to return never came back. Everyone used to tell me—my relatives, my grandmother—"Go to America, go to England, go to Australia. Why are you going to India? That is all poverty." Who knew where the poverty of the people was? I myself did not know where the poverty was here. Poverty is certain, but what appears most prominently here is the greatest poverty that exists in the entire world, which is not found in India—that poverty is called bhakti. It was about two years ago when I returned to my country with Gurudev. A seminar was going on, with such a beautiful environment and such a clear ocean. Here, there is no ocean like yours; it is completely clear blue, surrounded by greenery on all sides, with no trash. Switzerland is there, so beautiful. Yet, after a week, my mind was drawn to return to Bhārat because there is bhakti bhāvanā there. Our Gurujī says that there is yādava culture, and there is pāśu culture there. It is the truth; you have also heard in the bhajan that Gurudev made us vegetarians—not just one or two, but our number reached into the millions. And as the number grows there, the question arises: what kind of māyā is at work here? Does this number increase here, or is it purely vegetarian there? There is a note on the restaurant bill about what is included in the meal. In my opinion, the people here, many are complaining about Narendra Modi Jī, saying he stays abroad too often and should return to India more, that there are many shortcomings in India. But in my view, there are many shortcomings here with the Gurujī as well, for over 45 years now. They have been doing such work for 45 years; sleep is hardly ever known. On the way, at night, we manage to take out two or three hours. Our Śrī Śrī Alakapurī Jī, from the Sītā Pīta tradition, is a great power, the form of Śiva. Our Gurudev, as written in our Līlā Amṛta, who is ours... Dādā Gurujī wrote to our Narender Bhāī’s Gurudev, Hindu Dharma Samrāṭ Svāmī Mādhavānanda Purī Jī Mahārāj, and whatever is written there is the truth. And what is written there is that Devapūra... God was called by the deluded people, and the deluded people were sent. For this, for our people, once in a satsaṅga, Gurudev said that I have come to this earth for protection—protection of whom? For the protection of animals. But when I saw this... Gurudev's complete desire is that we become like humans, and from the perspective of a human, we must protect everyone, including animals and birds. In India, cow protection has spread extensively because the cow is considered a mother, but... I request that if you are not a vegetarian, become one from today, and if your friends are not vegetarians, make them vegetarians as well. It is as simple as that. I will not take much of your time because I know that what we eagerly await the most is the words of our Gurujī. Therefore, I will pause my speech here. Hail to Parama Mahā Maṇḍaleśvara Svāmī Gāneśvara Gurujī! Friends, just as a mother rushes to her child when the infant cries out of desire to fulfill its wish, similarly, when a person feels the thirst for jñāna, the thirst for knowledge, and wishes to progress, the Guru too Himself... The world teacher Svāmījī Maheśvarānanda Purī Jī Mahārāj is coming, personally seeking out his disciples all over the world and embracing them. He is paving the way, spreading the message of peace throughout the world, and delivering teachings of peace. They are promoting vegetarianism; to speak the truth, they are showing the path that is essential for a human being’s life to truly become human. That is why Svāmījī has been honored in many countries, and Gurudev has been recognized by the United Nations for world peace. All these honors, all these titles, all these distinctions are bestowed upon Gurudev as a messenger; they are honored themselves upon being associated with Gurujī. We are all supremely fortunate, immensely fortunate, to have come into the presence of Gurujī. We humbly request Gurujī to bless us. As each and every word of Gurujī’s speech descends into our hearts, may we receive energy, may we be empowered. Oṃ Sukhadam Kevalam. Jñānamūrti dvandvātītaṃ gaganasadṛśyaṃ tasmai śrīgurave namaḥ. I bow to the Satguru, the witness of all siddhis, the knower beyond all emotions, beyond the three guṇas. Oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ... Eternal salutations and worship to the Paramātmā, the Supreme Self residing in every particle, who creates and sustains the infinite cosmos. Countless prostrations with folded hands at the lotus feet of the venerable Śrī Gurudev. Devotees, lovers of dharma, respected elders, mothers, sisters, and the children of Bālagopāla—all worship Śrī Gurudev with reverence. The divine Lord Śrī Dīpa Nārāyaṇa, the supreme deity of deities, Mahādeva, the emperor of dharma, Satguru Śrī Svāmījī Mādhavānanda, the Lord of India’s saints’ gatherings, the sacred discourse of Hari, the rare Tulasī, the two brothers Śatadhara and Lakṣmīpāpī—this is all true as written in the Rāmāyaṇa by Tulasīdāsa Jī Mahārāj’s feverish hand. This dreadful Kali Yuga... Inside, gradually even peace is disappearing, and satsaṅga is also fading away. And where there is satsaṅga, today some drama has happened; otherwise, our great souls have said that only one who associates with truth is truly in satsaṅga. You all are satsaṅga. In Punjab, they say that everyone has come to satsaṅga. Are we all in satsaṅga? We say those are satsaṅgīs who associate with the truth. Satsaṅga is where the nectar-like words spoken by great souls are heard; then both ignorance in the form of ego and darkness vanish. Just now, for nearly an hour or two, how beautifully and sweetly the vāṇī has been flowing. We were enjoying the sweet sounds of the great souls' bhajans. I was wandering in my thoughts, wondering what to tell you. For two hours, our minds were elsewhere—not in money, nor in any job or service. Neither in study nor in the sorrows of the household, all our minds had become united. This is precisely yoga when it is bhakti yoga. Bhakti yoga is easy. In Kali Yuga, only the name is the foundation; merely by repeating the name, one becomes free from worldly existence. In Kali Yuga, the only support is the name of Bhagavān. Bhakti yoga is simple. Yet, if there is selfishness within bhakti, then Bhagavān will give accordingly, because bhakti itself is of two types: one is bhakti as selfish, and the other as selfless. Almost everyone goes to the temple or performs āratī at home, and they say, "O Bhagavān, please help me get a job." Then Bhagavān says, "First, you must offer your praṇāma; first, go and get the job started. O Bhagavān, may my children study well and be healthy." They practice bhakti, but the happiness they receive is limited. That is why, when you pray to Bhagavān or Gurudev, do not hold any desires, because Bhagavān knows what you truly need. Yet, we keep saying repeatedly, "Give us, give us," so... He used to remember Bhagavān a lot, and one used to remember Bhagavān for just five minutes every early morning. Both of them passed away, and when they reached the gates of Svarga at midnight, the gates were knocked upon. Crossing the gates, he looked to see who it was. Who are those devotees? One is a devoted bhakta who remembers you day and night, and another is one who remembers you in every particle. Sometimes Bhagavān says that those who remember occasionally are taken to heaven, but those who remember me day and night do not let me sleep. He reminds me that it is due to selfishness, due to selfishness that the feeling is in profit, not in the object. If today gold is one lakh rupees per kilo and tomorrow it becomes twenty-five lakh rupees per kilo, the gold itself has not increased even a bit; the feeling has increased, so there is a profit of twenty-four lakh rupees or not—that is the same. A lakh rupees per kilogram is gold; tomorrow it will become ten thousand per kilogram. In the same way, the attitude one holds towards the Guru, towards Bhagavān, towards mother and father, towards husband and wife, and towards children and parents—whatever that feeling is, that is exactly the reception one will receive. So, it is the feeling that is great; profit or loss lies within that very feeling, the name of Bhagavān. So, regarding the repetition of the nāma, Guru Nānaka Sāhab also says, "Hey, your age has already passed; it will not come back. Now, make good use of what remains, do the sumiraṇa. I advise you, your past age has gone by without the Hari nāma. Until today, your life has passed like this; now whatever is left, take care of it and bring it forth. There is no doubt about it." Faith in our scriptures has diminished. Look at how many scriptures have been written in Hindustān, how many scriptures exist today—no one reads them. Now, elsewhere, you do research, you conduct research, you investigate, but there is nothing new in that research; everything is already written in our scriptures. When the Mughals came, and what was ours, the very first university, where was it, where was that very first university, that... If it were to be destroyed, it would end everything. For how many months—India has never lacked knowledge, does not lack it, and will never lack it. And in every drop of India's blood, that knowledge is filled; it is preserved within those scriptures. Some of it has been lost, indeed. Guru Nānaka Jī writes, do not simply consider this scripture as the book of Gurudev; understand the Guru Grantha, the gift of the manifested Guru, whose heart is with you. Seek within that. Whether Gurudev’s book is a hymn, a poem, or written text, it is... The Guru exists because the Guru is the Vākya; the Guru Vākya is what can lead to your self-realization. Therefore, it is only by the grace of the Guru. Even now, while listening to the bhajan, everyone was experiencing bliss; all the entanglements of the world and worldly life had vanished. This is what yoga is. That Śiva, infinite and endless, within Brahman is infinite darkness, nothing but void. In that, the one who is called Parabrahman, who is the consciousness in the state of deep sleep, it is said within their waking state: "Eko'haṃ bahu syāmi." I am one, now I will manifest in many; through countless ages, the journey has continued. That pūrṇatā which is called Oṃ, that Oṃ—Oṃkāra bindu saṃyuktaṃ nityaṃ dhyāyanti yoginaḥ, kāmadam mokṣadam caiva, Oṃkārāya namo namaḥ—at that time, within that infinite, the sound of Oṃ... What is called Veda is the nāda form of the Parabrahman; within that nāda itself is the Parabrahman. If you want to see Bhagavān, if you want to understand Bhagavān, then within that nāda, within that kaṇṭha—here we have excellent singers and artists who say how beautiful is the Sarasvatī Mātā within this kaṇṭha nowadays. The throat is seated within the lotus, and the instrument they have used is so beautiful, Mahātmā, because only the Guru can awaken that. The flute is very beautiful, but the one playing that flute is not the Guru. The sitāra is very beautiful, but the one playing the sitāra... If it is not there, then only the Satguru can awaken those dormant powers within the disciple, and by His resolve, all auspiciousness is attained without fail. Bhagavān Dīpa Nārāyaṇa Mahāprabhujī says: The giver of all auspiciousness, the compassionate one through countless lifetimes, bestows all auspiciousness; through countless lifetimes, He grants wealth and wisdom, wealth and wisdom, and bestows all auspiciousness abundantly. Gurudev gives everything; He removes poverty that spans lifetimes. There is a great difference between being poor and being impoverished. It is not a problem to be poor, but may Bhagavān never make anyone impoverished. Impoverishment is the greatest sorrow. On one side is Lakṣmī Devī, and on the other side is poverty. So merely uttering the name of the poor makes us unfortunate. Within that infinite, there is nāda; nāda is oṃkāra. From oṃkāra arises a spūrṇatā. The entire cosmos experiences a tremor, as if an earthquake occurs—such is the vibration within it. And within that vibration, agni awakens—the jyoti. And that light itself is Śiva, and from within that light, Śiva manifests again, which is called Svayambhū. All the incarnations had parents, and we call that a man-made religion. But the Sanātana Dharma, which Bhagavān Śiva gave, is not a man-made religion. That is not something with a beginning or an end; it is the eternal Sanātana Dharma. It is the essence of all dharmas, contained within it. It is there that Śiva manifests in meditation. Yoga has been ongoing since that time. Through yoga, one becomes capable of expression, becomes free from disease, and attains happiness in every way. So, when Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa departed, the gopīs... Uddhava Jī is told, "O Uddhava, tell us, does union lessen separation? Yogīs dwell in huts within the forest, while the separated reside in the heart. O Uddhava, tell us, does union lessen separation?" When yoga happens, one becomes united, and when your beloved goes away, you also become one. The yogīs are engaged in tapasyā in the forest huts, but those who experience separation—whether the beloved is mother, father, brother, sister, or anyone—they attain unity here. He too burns in the fire of separation—the fire of separation is the greatest fire. Separation is fire, and it is the supreme grace of Bhagavān upon India. And it is said that our Mahāprabhujī, Yaśorājī, said that the people of other countries have created this misconception that Hindustān is poor. Have you seen any human being in front of your door, in your neighborhood, in your many streets... Who has seen someone who has absolutely nothing to eat and is dying? In all these years, I have never seen anyone in Hindustān die just because they kept saying "roṭī, roṭī" (bread, bread). And what are we watching? Have you ever noticed that those who call Hindustān poor have nothing between their two ears? Today, if you call someone poor... You say that their children arrange weddings for boys and girls, and you don’t know where the money comes from. Such beautiful weddings take place—oh wow! Meals are prepared for hundreds of people, and those from abroad have also arranged weddings. Ten people have invited them, the whole world... I am speaking the truth about food; just observe that there are countries in Europe where children do not get food for two days, on Sunday and Sunday, because they will only get food when they go to school on Monday. So why has India been labeled as a country of poverty? This is as if some enemy of our Hindusthān, of our Hindu dharma, has been going from here to there to collect money to spread their religion here. They have written in newspapers that it has been 46 years. And I circumambulated the earth 47 times. Oh brother, I did not go there to distribute pāpaḍas; I went to give them jñāna and to sweeten the Brahman within their thoughts. Because everything is in India—India has only given, never taken from anyone till today. People say, Mahārāj, you go abroad, you must be earning more money. I said, yes brother, if I were to go there just to earn money, I would have gone once or twice, but not more than that. There are some people who go just to get money, but I have never asked anyone there for money. The turn came, and I did not say to cut the receipt or do anything else. There, I say I have come to give, not to take. Bhārat Mātā always gives; she extends her hand forward like this, the hand is offered to give, not to take. Therefore, our Bhārat Mātā will never beg from other countries. When Bhagavān incarnated, the tradition of dharma continued within India. The scriptures, ṛṣis, munis, knowledge, and everything else originated from within our country; they did not come from anywhere else, nor do others possess them. That is why Gurudev said so. No ṛṣi or muni, no saint, can deny that India is the hope of the world. Without India, the self, Brahman, and light cannot be attained. Revered Bhagavān Dīpa Nārāyaṇa, the humble Brahmavid Mādhavānanda Jī, found bliss and attained it here in India. The country is called Bhārat, the mother Bhārat Mātā. Therefore, dear friends, we have everything with us; we are not poor. We are... He is rich, and he is rich—oh, that is a bhajan of Kabīradāsa Jī, one of his bhajans, very beautiful. What kind of bhajan is it? It is said that what is in majā fakīrī is not in amīrī. And the entire bhajan, I somewhat forgot separately—running around, the intellect of the rich, the carefree joy of the fakīrs. Sometimes sleeping in a temple, sometimes by the riverbank, doing this and that. In the bhajan, I somewhat forgot, brother—the carefree joy of the fakīrs, the intellect of the rich—they do not understand what they truly possess. What is not a small example—a small example just came to mind. There is a story of Bhagavān Śiva and Pārvatī. Pārvatī and Bhagavān Śiva were both passing by a small village late at night, around twelve or one o’clock, with a cold wind blowing strongly. And the fountains of water are quietly flowing, very cold. Then I saw if there was a fire somewhere, and Śiva and Pārvatī were emerging from within. Pārvatī said that there is a fire burning here, let’s go and see. From afar, they saw a yogī sitting, baking bread on the fire. Then Pārvatī said, this is a cremation ground, this... Pārvatī Jī says, "No, no, Prabhu, please have mercy, O compassionate and innocent one. What is this illusion of yours? There are those who would never even remember you in their dreams—such people are like iron-conditioned, lying in graves, eternally drinking poison, suffering endlessly." What sādhanā have you not given, yet they remain as they are. Is there so much sorrow for these poor ones that they are scorched by the fire that burns a dead body? They are not given anything either. Bhagavān Śiva says to Pārvatī Devī, "You go from here," but she replies, "I will not go; first, give them something..." You are giving them to Śiva Himself and will not give them; go and give, I will see. Well, even a woman has a will, right? She did not say, "Remove the king, remove yoga, remove the child, and remove the woman." So Bhagavān Śiva says, "Devī, you grind this bush..." Be firm, I am going to give them something, you do not come and do not get angry. That yogī had made his roṭī, big roṭī, thick roṭī, it is called Anumāna Jī’s roṭī, what do you call it? They stand there but do not see at all. Śiva does, but they do not perceive any vision. Śiva does. Even when they say namaśśivāya, they do nothing. Śiva says, "The devotee is not looking upwards; he is concerned only that my bread does not burn." Their devotion is solely in that—this is the devotion, the attachment to the feet of the Guru. I am deeply devoted; without the feet of the Guru, how can I attain this? The world is enchanted by all dreams, but without the feet of the Guru, the world is enchanted by all dreams. The devotion of Mīrā Bāī is unique—Mīrā Bāī was the heartbeat of the entire cosmos. Mīrā was truly Mīrā, and Bhagavān Śiva himself would say, "Then he is a yogī." Who is it that Lord Śiva calls Svayambhū Śiva? It is the yogī. When asked why he has come here, the Lord stands and asks why he has come. Then Lord Śiva says that he has come to give something. Pārvatī Jī is standing there, biting her fingernail. What can I say about Guru Bhagavān Śiva’s condition standing there? I never asked for this. I didn’t even look up. You are also looking at that roṭī. Then Bhagavān Śiva says, whenever I manifest... So I give something, therefore take something; then the yogī says, if you must give, then give this and leave from here. Wow, brother, wow, such are the yogīs. The essence has become intoxicated, now the essence of Rāma, the essence of Rāma has embraced all the essence of the world. The yogī renounces everything because the heart is the abode of love, not of illusions. One must bow the head and place it at the feet, surrendering fully. If the mind is cowardly and accepts impressions, it becomes a destroyer of love. When one offers the head with devotion, then why fear, for it is immortal. If what you consume becomes as sweet as a sweet dish, then let it be so; and if it instantly removes the bitterness of worldly attachments from the mind, then let it be so. The words of the great souls, the teachings of yoga, remove separation and unite the ātman with the Paramātmā. Śiva is the supreme Śiva, the one who creates this entire universe. That is why Śiva alone is the Bhagavān whom we call Mahādeva. And no other Bhagavān's name comes to mind except Mahādeva Śiva. He alone is the creator, the creator of dissolution and dissolution itself; that is Śiva's work. Therefore, Śiva is within everyone. Our ātman itself is Śiva. We, the jīva, are like a drop of water, and that drop merges into the ocean. If the ocean is Śiva, then the jīva merges into that Ātma-like Śiva. Instead of just singing bhajans, doing good deeds is better. People say that human service is the greatest service. This slogan is not originally ours; it belongs to others, the followers of different faiths. It is not part of our dharma because they consume meat. That is why they say service to humans. If we are great, it does not mean we should not serve other creatures. Our understanding is that all beings in the world are my ātmā; all beings in the world are my ātmā, and the ātmā itself is Paramātmā. All is one, brother. Look, in Hindustān, there are many unique things, very unique things. It was somewhat like this even before, 46 years ago, but not to this extent. There was none; now they say that if you have more than two children, you will not get servants, and even now they say... The tradition has always been that even if prāṇa leaves, what is this lineage? Explain this to me, I have forgotten. What is the rāgu lineage, what is this lineage? Someone please tell me, what exactly is called lineage? Once, why once? That is, whose child are you? What is your caste? Whose ṛṣi’s child are you? Now, brothers, see, may Bhagavān never let this happen to anyone, but if there is only one child and that child is lost in an accident, then your entire lineage is lost. Now, what if you have only one child, a daughter, and you have already ended your matter—what do you call it? Family planning. Now what? No matter how much you try, there will be many difficulties. You are no longer going to have children, and all your filth, wealth, and property are gone, so the lineage is not ended, brother. Protect your code, do not worry about your job, and those who are our supporters, who protect dharma, who are Sanātanīs, you want to diminish them, slowly destroying the seeds. This is exactly the opportunity, the moment is missed. Do this: give the injection, perform the vasectomy, now if anyone intervenes or tries to stop it, no one can come in between. Earlier, there used to be bājra, right? That bājra was called saṅkara bājra because it was a hybrid bājra. But they don’t accept the term varṇa, so they say that we... Two of ours, two—oh, the disease is bad. Don’t say this; instead, raise the slogan: "Mātā Pitā Ek Śaṃtān Anek Vaṃśa Bacāo." Why not write this behind your vehicle: "Mātā Pitā Ek Śaṃtān Anek Vaṃśa Bacāo"? Otherwise, the lineage of the people of our India will gradually come to an end. Therefore, one must not be a traitor to the lineage. Otherwise, what will our ancestors say? When Bhagavān Rāma bound Rāvaṇa, Rāvaṇa said in the sky, "O Rāma, having a son like you, I am truly blessed." The welfare of all my Pīḍī Pīḍī has been accomplished, so do not teach this slogan to your children: "Ye ye nārā ye ham do hamāre ham do hamāre do." Never say this, my son, because if even one accident happens to someone, your lineage ends there. Therefore, keep these two things written on your vehicle: first, parents, and second, many children. And secondly, do not fear these spells, incantations, or rituals; there is nothing to fear in them. People only try to create disturbances within you. That is why Gurudev said that magic, spells, incantations, and sorcery have no power over a true devotee of the Guru. A true devotee of the Guru has nothing to lose; become detached. It is not about performing some trick or remedy, nor about getting possessed or affected by anything. None of that truly affects you. When someone says, "I will destroy you," just say, "Go ahead, destroy me now." These things only weaken us psychologically. So, parents may have many children, many lineages, but all the magic, spells, and sorcery mean nothing to a true devotee of the Guru. To Bhārat Mātā, to the ṛṣis and munis of Bhārat, to the Satguru Dev, and to all the artists and singers of our time who have showered such joy, we offer our blessings. Thank you, Bhagavān, may He keep them healthy and, through them, may many more people sing bhajans and find joy. Our brother Narender, many many salutations to him, and Damodar, his brother—such a complete family, like a family of ṛṣis and munis. So, many thanks to them. Come, Narender, give your blessings. Say, "Satyam Gurudev kī le paramod ājā tujhī." Where has the lamp of Nārāyaṇa Bhagavān gone, the divine Lord Mahādeva, the Mādhava Kṛṣṇa Bhagavān? The eternal, true Sanātana Dharma. I offer my respectful salutations to all of you and to Śrī Gurudev. May you remain healthy and live long. May there be peace and tranquility in your home and in your neighborhood. And sing the praises of the Lord; this is my prayer to Śrī Gurudev that you remain healthy and happy in every way. With this blessing, I conclude my discourse and repeatedly offer my prostrated salutations to Śrī Gurudev. May all be auspicious, may all be free from disease, may all experience well-being; may no one suffer any pain. Bhagavān, Oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ... Oṃ, mother, father, mother, father, children, lineage, Oṃ śāntiḥ Oṃ śāntiḥ Oṃ. Magic spells, magic incantations, magic charms, magic spells, magic incantations, magic charms... Magic spells, magic charms, magic spells, magic charms... Magic spells, magic m...

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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