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Part 1: The Path of Yoga and the Oneness of Consciousness Deep Nārāyaṇa Bhagavān, Devādhi Deva, Devī Svaramādhe, Alakhpurījī Mahādeva, Satguru Svāmī Madhavānandajī Bhagavān, Satyasanātana Dharma. Good evening, and blessings of Alakhpurījī and the Siddha Pīṭha Paramparā to everyone. Haṭha Yoga is Prāṇa Yoga, the purification of the prāṇa. It depends on us how we nourish ourselves, how we think, how we behave, and how we practice our yoga, prāṇāyāmas, kriyās, mantras, and so on. Ultimately, everything leads us to meditation. Meditation leads us to higher consciousness. Thus, meditation is a path to that door of higher consciousness, but that path should be enlightened. This is not so easy. Now, there was scientific research in Germany, and they also accepted that there is life after death. So, when one dies, the soul departs. When one dies, another body comes out of him or her. That is the astral body, and it contains all memories, many different kinds of visions, and experiences. It can come back, but not everyone can. We know that slowly, slowly, so-called modern science also now accepts what is written in the ancient scriptures. Gradually, they are returning to that ancient wisdom and understanding how to reach that level, which is through yoga practice. The day will come when it will be compulsory in every family to practice yoga every day. They will not need to be told by someone; they will know how good it is, and one cannot survive without this. Also, reading holy books—those which talk about ahiṃsā, which talk about love—so that even our love, our attention, our care, can turn coal into a diamond. So, do not burn the coal. Do not destroy the coal. Through your positive thinking, the coal can have the value of gold. Some religions fight against others, believing that if people do not believe in my religion, then they are no longer worthy to live. That is not the way. One says, "I don’t believe other religions. I believe only my religion." This means that one does not know what religion is. That’s it. You have come from different countries, by different ways, but you have reached here, to our ashram. Every spiritual path leads us to the supreme. The best and easiest way is yoga. But yoga is not what we call physical exercises. These are good for our health. Health is not everything, but everything is nothing without health, as someone said. So Āyurveda states, "Pahala Sukh Nirogī Kāyā"—the first happiness is good health. The body is also very, very precious. This human body you cannot buy. Any body, even an animal's, you cannot exchange. You cannot sell it; you cannot buy it in a supermarket. It is only and only by chance that God has given us this body, the so-called human body. The glory of the body is great. The human body is more precious because of the intellect. Humans have a strong intellect. But animals also have intellect, in a certain quality and quantity. Monkeys also have it, but that intellect needs training and education. We can even educate a bird. No, Ādi Śaṅkarācārya—you see his picture on the altar, on the right side of Mahāprabhujī—he was a great being. He wrote many, many books and scriptures. Śaṅkarācārya came to be known as one of the best philosophers, a learned one. He had a brilliant memory, even in childhood. He was a great, miraculous person. Śaṅkarācārya, as a child, performed various miracles. He was a man with an unbelievable memory and a truly excellent philosopher. Śaṅkara is a name of Śiva, so he is Śiva. Those who follow Śaṅkarācārya, his teaching is non-duality: dvaita and advaita. Teachers of Dvaita and Advaita should know this. Śaṅkarācārya traveled around the whole of India, I think twice. I cannot tell exactly. I do not know exactly, because at that time I was not in India; otherwise, I would have accompanied him. His path is Śiva, Śaṅkara. Those who follow this path call themselves Śaivas. Then there are Vaiṣṇavas. It is said that Śaṅkarācārya jī brought forth the Vedānta philosophy known as Advaita Vedānta. Advaita means non-duality. There is also Mādhavācārya Jī, who declares and teaches Dvaitavāda, dualism. So, between these two philosophers, Mādhvācārya and Śaṅkarācārya, Śaṅkarācārya declares non-duality, and Mādhvācārya declares duality. So, dvaita and advaita. Dvaita means two, duality. Advaita means no duality, no two, only one. Ekobrahma Duttinasti: Only there is one, the Brahman. One God. Dvitiya nāsti: whether there are two, that is not a reality. The two are one, and this one is merged into two. So it is one, Pūrṇa, what we call Pūrṇa Madhā, Pūrṇa Medhā. Pūrṇa is always pūrṇa. If you take something out from pūrṇa, it will remain pūrṇa, and what is taken out from there is also pūrṇa. So, Īśvara, Parameśvara, Brahma, it is Pūrṇa. And what came out of the Brahman? All these Jīvātmās. All different souls, not only humans, but all. These are Ātmā. This ātmā is from Paramātmā. The ātmā, though residing in individual bodies, is also pūrṇa. This hall where we are sitting—how many square meters must it be? I think it is a thousand square meters. There are many pillars, and this is one hall. So, it is a duality. It is counted in square meters. Yes? So now it is duality. But when we remove all walls, then there are no square meters. It is one sky, the one space. So, duality exists only because of the walls. And these walls are ignorance. This wall is like a curtain: Mala, vikṣepa, āvaraṇa. Mala is impurity, and impurity also means ignorance. Vikṣepa means disturbances, different temptations. And āvaraṇa is the ego, the other, no knowledge. Ignorance. Ignorance is a curtain. That is called āvaraṇa. A mother has a baby child in the womb, but there is the āvaraṇa. We cannot see if it is a boy or a girl. Nowadays, there are instruments, and you can check already if it is a boy or a girl, and so on. Some ways are good, and some ways are not good. Now we have more or less become free thinkers. We respect emancipation. So everywhere in the whole world, when a boy was born, how happy was the family? Everywhere, here also. And when a girl was born, they would ask, "France, did your wife give birth already?" "Yes, Anna gave a child, but it was a girl." "Yes, son. Anna has a son." This was everywhere in the world. In India, when a boy was born, they would make noise, a sound out of a golden or silver plate. So everybody knows a son, a boy, has arrived. And when a girl was born, then they would use a kind of plate—not a basket, but a plate made out of grass, used to clean rice or corn. So, when a girl was born, they would make a plate from that grass. It means not very loud, but when there was a boy... I do not know why. That was a duality. Without a girl, without a woman, a female, there is no child. But if there is no man, only a woman, there is also no child. Therefore, you have to become one. So Brahmā and Māyā are connected to one another; there is no duality. Nowadays people realize this, and they are happy. It does not matter if a girl or a boy comes. But in the subconsciousness, parents and grandparents... My grandson got only five girls, but this grandmother said, "I cannot die; I will be happy to see my grandchild boy." So, I am sorry for all of us; we are thinking like this. In animals also, duality is there. In some animals, when a male is born—like monkeys, tigers, lions, etc.—they kill the male. They have a kingdom of the women. One monkey, Zangur, and fifty or a hundred females. So there is peace. Like space: one is a hall, one is a sleeping room, one is an office, and one is a kitchen and dining room. There are different rooms and dualities because of the walls. When removed, it becomes one space. So, Ātmā is one. Therefore, no dualities. Thus, Śaṅkarācārya brought non-dualism. Before, there were too many dualities. There was a conflict between Buddha and Śaṅkarācārya’s declarations, but we are not going to say anything. Someone said, "We do not like the Maheśvarānandajī yoga." Others said, "Haṭha yoga, we like it." So Maheśvara Nanda Haṅkā, Haṅkā... you have a name, Anna. Maheśvara Nanda or Haṅka? Haṅka, cook, pohaṅka. Well, Śaṅkarācārya was a winner in philosophy and knowledge. He went to an event, and there was one philosopher who declared that he could not accept Śaṅkarācārya as a winner. He said, "He cannot be Śaṅkarācārya. He should come and discuss with me." So, Śaṅkarācārya went to his village, the village of Maṇḍana Miśra. There was a small village in South India, like Srīraṅgam. Or maybe half of Strilky. Strilky is only one long street. And that village was a nice, round village. Outside the village, there was a water well. The whole village people drank water they brought from this well. It is always the women who are best for working in every aspect. That is why women are women. The women make the human. So there were a few women, ladies, taking water from the well. Śaṅkarācārya asked these ladies who were taking water, "Sisters, can you tell us where is the house of Maṇḍana Miśra?" When great learned people are there, all are wise. Ladies and gentlemen, all spoke Sanskrit, so they were equal. Śaṅkarācārya asked, "Where is the house of Maṇḍana Miśra?" One lady said, "You go on the street, and there one house will come." He said, "Only one house?" "No, no, there are many houses. But there is one house that will have, outside on the door, a birdcage. And inside, one papaya, a parrot. And on the other side of the door, another parrot." Part 2: The Story of Śaṅkarācārya They were discussing philosophy in the Sanskrit language about Vedānta. The parrots? Yes. Sanskrit language? Sanskrit? They said yes. "Ahaṁ Brahmāsmi." "Ahaṁ Brahmāsmi"—I am Brahman. Others said, "Tat tvam asi"—you are that. Others said, "No, no. Brahman and Māyā, these two." So it was the bio-parrots' philosophy. This lady made a joke. What does Śaṅkarācārya think? He is our Maṇḍana Miśra. He is not a normal person, not an ordinary person. He is extraordinary. A great, wise man; the whole village draws up wisdom because of him. And this young man, this young boy, he wants to go and discuss philosophy with Maṇḍana Miśra? We are sure he will turn back from the door. Even the parrots will ask him questions in Sanskrit. So, Śaṅkarācārya said, "Good, thank you," and went there. There were many questions and dialogues. Finally, Maṇḍana Miśra got up and made praṇām to Śaṅkarācārya, saying, "So you are the ācārya." This means Maṇḍana Miśra lost; Śaṅkarācārya was the winner. Everybody was saying, "Śaṅkarācārya Kī Jai, Śaṅkarācārya Kī Jai." Maṇḍana Miśra’s wife came. "No, no, no. Husband and wife are one, no duality. Only half the dialogue is finished. Now discuss with me." You see how the woman supports the man. The best wife never lets her husband go down. She always puts her husband’s dignity and respect first, and the husband does the same. We don’t know how they quarrel in the room, but outside it is like that. All the philosophers sitting there said, "Yes, yes, Śaṅkara, you have to answer the question." They said, "Yes, yes, Śaṅkarācārya, you have to answer her question." He said, "No problem." Śaṅkarācārya, sitting there, asked the questions. He answered so many questions. Then she put a question about Kāma Śāstra, about sexual life. How is that? Śaṅkarācārya said, "I don’t know. I am a brahmacārī." She said, "I don’t care. Answer or no?" He said, "Give me time, and I will answer you." So, Śaṅkarācārya went to a cave for meditation and told his disciples, "I am going into samādhi." This is a real story; it is not a joke. They were very serious boys. Śaṅkarācārya went out of his body, and at that time, a king died. They were carrying him to the funeral. Śaṅkarācārya entered his body and walked up. Everyone was very happy. The queen was crying; she was also happy because the king was alive again. Everyone said, "King kī jai, King kī jai." The body was the king’s, but the soul was Śaṅkarācārya’s. After some days, he began asking the queen very particular questions about how things function. She said, "My lord, you know, you have experienced nice times all the time." He said, "No, but there is something I want to ask you." She said, "This is a woman’s secret. They do not even open this secret to their husband." He said, "But I will do nothing. Just tell me what this is, and what this is, and what that is." These were the same questions that Maṇḍana Miśra’s wife had asked Śaṅkarācārya. He got all the answers. Then he left the body. Har Har Mahāḍī Nārāyaṇ Nārāyaṇ... Śaṅkarācārya came out of the samādhi. They went again to Maṇḍana Miśra’s house, and Śaṅkarācārya said, "Mother, now ask me the question. Did you marry?" She said, "No. Did you meet some woman?" "No, I went straight to the samādhi." Then he answered everything. She surrendered to him, saying, "You are the winner, O Śaṅkara." Then Śaṅkarācārya was declared Jagat Guru Śaṅkarācārya. He was declared as Jagat Guru. He traveled through all of India, including Pakistan and Afghanistan. In Kashmir, there is his ashram called a Math, then also Joshi Math near Badrinath, and Sangeri Math. There are four Gadis, the Śaṅkarācārya’s seats, and then there are some side Gadis where Śaṅkarācārya went and stayed. He was very young. His age, I do not know exactly. Do you know the Śaṅkara of Gajananjī? How old was he when he died? Thirty-two. But he knew all the Vedas by heart. He was the incarnation of Śaṅkara. In Kedarnath, he was poisoned by someone of another religion, which, to tell the name, is not necessary. So it happens with the great, great people. When Śaṅkarācārya’s father died, he was sitting beside him. His father gave the last words to Śaṅkarācārya, the knowledge: "The body is not śvān, the body is not reality. Ātmā is the reality." He was very young, about eight or ten years old. Then he told his mother, "I want to become a sannyāsī." His mother said no. When you become a sannyāsī, you must ask your mother, take permission from your mother. When you are a sannyāsī, you do not have any more family. "Vasudeva Kuṭumbakam"—the whole world is my family. The sky is the roof over my head, and the earth is my bed. Air is my prāṇa, and so on. The rules of the sannyāsī are very strict. Then you are not going home at all, you are not telephoning, you are not writing. But now, 98% of people do not follow these rules. That is why they are not Śaṅkarācārya, but some are. Follow the rules. He asked, "Mother, can I become a sannyāsī?" She said, "No, you are only a child. Your father died. I will be alone. I do not allow you to become a sannyāsī." Again, he asked from time to time—one year, two years, three years. "Mother, give me permission." She said no. There is a river in South India, the Tuṅgabhadrā River. His village is near the bank of the river. They were always going there, bathing and washing laundry. Śaṅkarācārya was swimming. He went just a little far, and a crocodile came and caught him in the middle of the river. He was crying. His mother was crying. He said, "Mother, there is only one chance to survive. Otherwise, this crocodile will kill me. What? Give me permission. I will become a sannyāsī." What can a mother do? So she said, "Okay, I bless you." The crocodile went away, and Śaṅkarācārya walked on the river. Wherever his foot was on the water, a lotus came. That one was Śaṅkarācārya. He went home only once for bhikṣā, to take food from his mother, the last food. Second, when his mother died, he came for the funeral. All others said, "No, a sannyāsī should not go to the funeral." So he wrote the law that for mother and father, a sannyāsī has a right to go to the funeral. Otherwise, to know any funeral? Not even others’ funeral. Because a sannyāsī should not create sorrow. When you show sorrow or emotion, you have no vairāgya. It means you did not realize the ātmā. If you know that you are an ātmā, then this body is nothing. For what do you make the sorrows? So it was very hard. This is very important to know. Anyhow, this prāṇa, this sādhanā, and this tyāga which we come to know—tomorrow again, we will come to the prāṇa. Good. That’s it. You can read about him. Every sannyāsī is a follower of Śaṅkarācārya. He gave four different names; he created four titles: Tīrtha, Giri, Purī, Bhāratī, Sarasvatī, etc. Giri means one who is living in a mountain and preaching the dharma to the tribes in the mountain. Purī is a city in India. Sarasvatī is teaching knowledge everywhere. Bhāratī, throughout the whole of India, Bharat. So all these ten different titles, but they are all one. Like you have ten children, and different duties, different names. That is what the Akhāṛās began, and that is the royal path. It was the protocol also with the British and with the Muslims, the Mughals, about the Kumbha Melā. That is another story. Anyhow, I wish you all the best, and you should know these questions. With whom did Śaṅkarācārya have the dialogue? Discussion. Śaṅkarācārya, and who lost, and who did not lose. Śaṅkarācārya came to Benares, and he was walking when a man approached him. So what they called that time, a lower caste? One came, like a lower caste. Śaṅkarācārya said, "No, no, go to one side." And he stood in front of Śaṅkarācārya and made śāstras, discussions. His discussions were so great, Śaṅkarācārya realized, and Śaṅkarācārya wanted to touch the feet of that person. And he disappeared. That was Śiva. Shiva himself. So, at that time, great saints, great sādhanās. How must we do the sādhanā? What are you thinking when you are meditating? What are you thinking when you are doing mantras? To whom are you looking? And the other one is looking at you. Let’s go. After meditation, we will go to the Tilak. So is our vṛtti. So, tomorrow. Wish you all the best, and now we will have the prayer. Alakhpurījī Mahādev Kī Jai, Dev Viśvar Mahādev, Dīp Nārāyaṇ Bhagavān, Satguru Svāmī Mahādvāranjī Bhagavān Kī Jai. Jai Guru Deva. Nirañjan Dina Nahitā Kare Osvā. Oṁ Namaste Śrī Gurudev Śrī Rāmakhaṇḍa Prabhudīpadī Vigaṁhāraṇaṁ Aṅgalakāraṇaṁ Dhāraṇāparasvaraparāvadī Nandanaṁ Jaya Jaya Devadāyāla Śivadkāraṇaṁ Vandava Śaraṇaṁ Śrī Deva Purīṣa Sukhudaya Yoga Yogatī Jai Śmurati Prabhu Jani Bhava Timire Gaye Ārudha Dharāvai Bhai Gyāna Śrī Dīpa Prabhu Sākhī Vīṇati Namo Namo Gurudevajī, Koṭi Koṭi Parāka, Pālaka Pālaka Vīṇati, Nam Rīyāsa Baubhara, Ānandahot, Āfrata Gurume Śiṣyauwa, Paramahaṁsa Gurudevajī Iti, Sūrnār Muni Sabhāśānt, Sabh Jag Maṅgala Karasa Sabhīkāra. Rāmakṛṣu Se Kaun Bale Inaloka Kena Tuve Satguru? Satguru Purāṇa Brahma He Jove. Sūrnāravata Lī Chajare Lāī Yetan Viṣkī Velalī Guru Amṛtati. Dhyāna mūlaṁ guror mūrtiḥ, pūjā mūlaṁ guroḥ padam. Mantra mūlaṁ guror vākyaṁ, mokṣa mūlaṁ guroḥ kṛpā. Oṁ dīpo jyotiḥ parabrahma, dīpo jyotir janārdanaḥ. Dīpo me haratāṁ pāpaṁ, sandhyā dīpaṁ namo ’stu te. Sarvaṁ satyam. Boli Śrī Dīp Nārāyaṇ Bhagavān, Alakhpurījī Mahādeva, Devādhi Deva, Deveśvara Mahādeva, Satguru Svāmī Madhavānandjī Bhagavān, Satya Sanātana.