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The One God and the Boat of Satsang

A satsang discourse on spiritual unity and the importance of spiritual community.

"If there is one God, it is the cosmic God, the omnipresent, the light, the knowledge, the grace, and so on."

"Satsang is the boat to cross the ocean of ignorance. The ocean we cannot cross... but there is a boat, and that boat is the Satsang."

Swami Avatarpuri (Vishvaguruji) addresses a gathering, responding to a question about visiting different places of worship. He emphasizes the oneness of God beyond all divisions and explains the critical role of satsang (spiritual community) as the vehicle for crossing life's ocean of ignorance and reaching liberation. He is joined briefly by Swami Gyaneshvari Puri, who shares his gratitude.

Filming location: Vienna, Austria

Devadideva, Devaīśvara, Mahādeva, Kiṣhya, Alagpurījī, Mahādeva, Kiṣhya, Mādhavakṛṣhṇa, Bhagavān, Kiṣhya, Sanātana, Dharma, Kiṣhya. A warm welcome. I am very happy to see you again, especially those who have not been here for a long time. I had to come here to see you here. A question came to me today, and I thought I would speak about it to give an answer. We are all here together in our āśrama, and the summer seminar was very, very good. Much has been spoken, and I myself have also learned a great deal. It is important to bring the inner wisdom outward; one also learns oneself because sometimes all the wisdom goes into the subconscious, and then one forgets. So our yoga practice, our sādhana and lectures, kept us awake. It reminds us once again that nothing is only from this life, but also from previous lives. How many lives have we already lived? Yogas and yogas, and still, we are on the path. When we are together on this planet, on the Earth—Earth is not referred to in this Jyotiṣha as just a planet, but it is called a living Earth, the living Planet. The other planets do not have life as we do. We arrive there. After our departure from this body, within a second, we are on another planet. Just as one dreams and immediately wakes up from a mosquito bite. And so it is, when the soul leaves the body, it is at an incredible speed. Very, very far. Or he is here. He has his own decision, his own will, his own path. But our karma accompanies us. Karma guides us. And our mantra is like a cup lamp. It helps us to walk through the dark forest and organizes our comfortable journey with light, devotion—what we have dedicated here to God, there it continues back to us. As Guru Kṛipā, the Gurus’ power, energy, mantras, what they have given. The question today was: if I go to a temple, then to an āśrama, then to a church, then somewhere else, what should I do? Am I faithful? To whom are you faithful? You are faithful to God. When you go to a church or to a mosque or to a stūpa, āśrama, temple, everywhere you see God. And you sit there and say, "I do not believe in this God. There are so many gods, please." There is only one God. And if there is one God, it is the cosmic God, the omnipresent, the light, the knowledge, the grace, and so on. In the body, there is more. Just as our breath, our true Self, is one, only one. But through these five elements, through this body, it has been divided. For example, where we are sitting here, there was once a jungle and everything was underground. Or the snow, one says snow. So, no man’s land. Then one person came, then a second, then a third, and so on. And suddenly, here stands a city—Vienna. And how many houses are there in Vienna? And in a house, how many rooms there are. And in an apartment, how many rooms there are. At the beginning, there were the anteroom, toilet, bathroom, living room, kitchen, bedroom, children’s room, storage room, etc. So distributed again. And when all of this will be cleared away, it is just a piece of earth. And so, these walls are dualism. In the space, in that space there is no duality. And so one should see God as God is, not as two. Yes, there is something beautiful. The most beautiful state in the world, it is always said by the world of health, often praised, which state is that? You say? You are selfish. Well, it’s Vienna. But maybe someone says no, it’s another Vancouver, Vienna. There are certain places also beautiful. But in China also very beautiful. There are police everywhere. It’s beautiful. Goethe said, to see heaven, you don’t need to travel anywhere. And so, God is everywhere. And in Sanātana Dharma, we respect that all is one. And so, wherever you are, it is said, this and no other place or situation. Wherever we are, in whichever country, with whatever situation, every country has its own rules and we should follow the rules. But when we say goodbye to this body, then no one is with us, no one. It simply is not there. You can go to Mars and the other comes to Jupiter and says, "Hello Franz, how are you?" He replies, "Who are you?" That is it. But the soul returns again to this Earth because the Earth is alive. She is alive. What is alive? She is alive here on this Earth. And what? It comes here like a vacation and lives here. Again departed, and we do not know where, in which direction he will go. So, no dualism, no doubts, there is only one God. And whoever says, my God and your God and this God, and I do not like God, then that is not true unity and realization. Then you move like the mammary gland. How do you say it? Lobe be to you, yes. When one has started the whole supermarket. Then a woman in America, she goes to the supermarket. And she brings so much every day because there is so much throat to buy. And this and this and this. These vegetables are very good, and these fruits are very good, and this cake is very good, and this chocolate is good. So they come with two bags full. Her husband says to me, why do you buy so many things? I say, yes, I like it. And the things lie around for several days and then have to be thrown away. So, she said to her husband, what should I do? Should I go to the supermarket or not? He said, yes, okay. I said, I hold a box on the left and right and say, I only want bread. Nothing is good if it is one-sided. Internally observe, watch, everything—how beautiful it is, how good it is, and so on. But what am I here for? That is what I seek. I found that and took it. That is all. And so, wherever we go, wherever we practice, we take what we have lacked. What we have not lacked means that we do not need anything yet. And when we need, we will seek. Who seeks, finds. That is it. So, it is very nice to be in Vienna again. And this year I was here too little, especially in Vienna. So I am glad. But when one speaks of Linz, I was there only two hours in the entire year. Well, Salzburg. I was in Salzburg this year, Hilde? So, when I return from the world tour, I must land in Salzburg. So, it feels to me as if I am nowhere and I am everywhere. Such is my state. The people all around the world, who wait, who wait, who wait. And it is beautiful. People wait like our nature, the trees, the vegetation, waiting for rain. And so it is, I am also waiting. It is not one-sided, but from both sides. When you make such a sound, it comes from both sides. And if another hand is here and is searching for a hand, where is that? That is nowhere. It is like this: just as a magnet, we need both sides; that is love. And when there is love, then they come together. So everywhere, many, many facts. We are very happy now, especially with the webcast concerts that we can watch. And it is like a treasure song with them. So, it is important that we practice. What we have received, we should continue to multiply and pass on. And to lead our life according to Ahiṃsā, without administration or No Violence, Non-Violence. Peace, peace begins from our own heart. Who does not have peace within themselves cannot bring peace to others. We seek devotion, we seek joy, we seek grace, we seek wisdom, we seek a beautiful, blissful feeling. It is all within our body, within us. We find it nowhere else. God has given us what we seek, God has given it to us, and it costs nothing. Be happy, it costs no money. Be kind, you don’t need to. Be blissful, God has given us; we don’t need to pay at all. At one time, we can say thank you to God, but God has not given us anything to thank Him for, nor is there anything to thank, because He Himself is within us. So, what we seek—joy, devotion, understanding, bliss, love—is all within us. And so through meditation. Many people make mistakes in meditation. I have been teaching meditation for 55 years now. That’s enough, right? So we have already learned something, or gained a bit of experience, over 55 years. So, what we seek is only within ourselves, nowhere outside. Yes, we go outward, we concentrate, we focus, still for learning. We have a beautiful house, a beautiful kitchen, furniture, everything, plants, such a beautiful house we have. And then we go to the neighbor’s house, wow, he has it much better than we do. Well, it is an inspiration. Good, we also want to have it like that and not like this. I really liked how the neighbor did it. This is why, when we meditate, we go far away somewhere in the mountains and so on. This is exhausting. Look within yourself. And therefore, practice mantra and immerse yourself in your own consciousness. Bliss is there, the light is there, everything is there. Too much imagination in the external world is simply distraction. So, from our own fear, from our own restlessness, error and so on, our own ignorance, then we seek outside. But we have everything, everything within us. And so, often at least once a day, a week, we have Satsang here. I always say, those who do not come to Satsang have lost something important in this life. Life simply lost. What exists in Satsang exists nowhere else. Śānti means true divine grace. And from divine grace, there is never enough. And divine grace, the God, the spiritual one, the master, the saint, your friends—each one of you carries God’s light and God’s grace in your hearts. And that is what should be shared with everyone in Satsang. Nothing else. Satsang is there, and two are sitting in the anteroom, pacing back and forth, and one is sitting there drinking coffee. One is sitting there, then goes outside to smoke a cigarette, and afterwards, when the prayers begin, they sit again and distribute the Prasāda, then they come inside. That is not Satsang. Day by day we grow old, that we all know. And a day lost never returns. We can ride horses, or now we can drive a car, or fly an airplane. The lost time we cannot make up for. And so one day, we will be lying somewhere, and that means, you know, others know, now it is a few days or a few hours, please, pack your things and stay. Where to? Into Nothingness. Pack your things. The Tyroleans still say, are you sad, are you happy, or how do you say it, no, no,... if you don’t feel well, pack your things and go to Tyrol. But one more word is missing: you are not happy, you do not feel well, day such and such. And so, the day comes for all of us, for me as well, at this time, for example for myself, how often, how many rounds traveled around the whole Earth, how many people met, how many this and that, but what is the result now? What do you take with you? Only the feelings, karma. Everything stays here, everything. And so, day by day, we grow old and we do not know when our day will come. There is a person who is 180 years old. And she wrote, "Death has forgotten me." So perhaps one grows old, another becomes young, yet still, farewells are said. It is not necessary; one must not become old in the body. One may die perhaps very young. So we do not know when our time will come. And therefore be ready and appreciative. My suggestions, my advice, and my blessings from Allakpurishisiddhapita are one and the same: to engage in Satsang. If you do not have asthma, that is your problem. If you do not meditate there, that is your problem. Everything, everything. But the Satsang is one of the truest paths. When you go to church or to the mass, what is that? Satsang. You can also read the Bible yourself at home. And you have heard the same kind of mass several times. But it is not enough. This is the Satsang. To the temple, to the ashram, to the church, or somewhere else. A Satsang is your path. A Satsang is your liberation. This body. How long will we hold on like this? How long do we hold on like that as little children? Yes? You have to go to school. Oh God. And how long do you have to sit in school? Oh, many, many years. In school. Yes, my God. Thank God, finished. School. Good. The Matura is finished. Oh, Mahāprabhujī. Okay, at the university. Okay, that is also finished. Yes, I do not know that. But that is knowledge. We must recharge knowledge. Although some people feel it is a form of torture in school. The master is always seated, sitting just once. I am completely tired for so many hours. But you must learn, you must learn. That is a part of our life. Life. The best time of our life is gone. Why do you always sit in school? If you don’t truly learn anything, then maybe after 20 years, 25 years, 30 years, 35 years, you still won’t even have your diploma. So, my dear, such is Satsang as well. Satsang means to continue, to continue, to continue. Satsang—Sat means truth, Sang means time together. And so, God is within us. And guidance comes through the Satsang, through the words of the Master and the Holy Book. All of you, we have often read the Bhagavad-Gītā. But when a saint sits and clarifies. So this mantra, 15th chapter. And there Kṛṣhṇa says, Arjuna, the ordinary tree has its roots down in the earth. And the human body is also a tree, but the roots are above and the first ones go down. And just like a banyan tree, roots always grow down from the branches. But ours is above. And what about our health? They say the ascetic. Once I called someone and said, "Excuse me, please, this is a wrong number." He said, do you have something in your sādel? So, Satsang is the boat to cross the ocean of ignorance. The ocean we cannot cross, we cannot swim across with the strength of our arms and legs. It is impossible to cross the ocean, but there is a boat, and that boat is the Satsang. Satguru is the boat that carries across; whoever serves with faith and devotion, is brought to the other shore. This is written in the holy book of the Guru Granth, of the Sikh religion, the Sikh faith, and Guru Nānak writes, Satsang-Nām-Jahāj-He. The Satsang is the boat. We are in this boat together. Incoming. Guru is the descent. The captain is the Gurudev. And he definitely brings us to the Mainland. So, do not miss Satsang. Do not miss Satsang. This is very, very important. We must have a saṅkalpa. No matter where, no matter what. I come to my Satsang. Āsana is good, it keeps us healthy, but for how long? Prāṇāyāma is very good, it keeps us healthy, but for how long? Everything has an end, but Satsang does not end. Satsang will lead us to the Brahmaloka. After this life, after this physical body, when the soul leaves the body, Satsang will guide us. Satsang will lead us to Brahmaloka. Safety Place, that is called Brahmaloka. So, with these words, I wish you all the very best. Yes, I will come again, our Destiny, I will come again to Vienna in December, early November, late November, early December. Then we have programs, many, many programs we have. And when I have gathered many experiences, I will share them with you. Of course, if you are bored, you are warmly welcome. But you must know where I am. Wherever I am, do not go there. Why? Because you fly there and I am not there. So, summer program, 10 days, where can I be in 10 days? You should come there, then we will meet. So, all, all,... all the best, all love and blessings from Mahāprabhujī. I wish you a wonderful time, health, God’s grace, and I ask for Satsang. Satsang is the best. Without Satsang, illness arises. Which one? Spiritual illness. Nowadays, there are many illnesses in the body, such as gout and heart attacks, etc. and so on. That is a physical illness. And if you do not do this, if you do not practice the exercises daily, then this disease will attack. And the second illness is the mental disease Brahmaloka. And no one can cure this illness. Only someone else. And so, so, when we come into Satsang, then we are completely, completely healthy and we will surely come to the divine light. That is called, that our soul will find a place for eternal peace and light. And so we are all longing for that, Satsang. All the best. Now we have some good news. And here we have our guru brother, Swāmījī Gyāneśvarī, from Croatia. And now he is not in Croatia, he is in India. He has a password in India. And he is a Mahāmaṇḍaleśvara. Oh my God. He took care of the Jaipur Ashram, the Kailash Ashram, and many other things. He is a Mahāmaṇḍaleśvara of the Mahanirvāṇī Khāṇḍa, like me, and so he came to visit us for a few days. And he went into the Kriveśa. Homesickness is sometimes, yes, yes. Sometimes it is homesickness when one eats at home. Yes, no matter where you are, come, seek out Vienna and come, well, the Viennese, Austria is farmer’s bread and cheese, you know. It is, how do you say, I have lost a word. You cannot compare with anything. How do you say that? Incomparable. And so Croatia, no? My God, so many fruits. Now it only comes at the time when the onions are very sweet, the onions and the onions and everything. So he comes to Greece for two weeks and then he goes back to Vienna and Austria, no, India. So, I think our dear Mahāmaṇḍaleśvara Gyāneśvara Purī Jī Mahārāj will share a few words with us. Okay? So, please hand me the microphone. English, yes? Not Kuratic. Or not Indian. [Swāmījī Gyāneśvara Purī speaks:] Dear Gurudev, dear brothers and sisters, it is an honor to be here with all of you today, especially without our Gurudev. I have been living in India for a long time, and it is in human nature that we experience sadness. And I was saddened by the Viennese. How much time Swāmījī spent here. And then, when you come here, you realize that it is actually very little. Also, Svāmījī travels so much around the world that we are so happy when we can catch him in the city where we want him. Swāmījī comes to Jaipur for a total of about 10-15 days per year, when I am truly happy and when I feel guilty. But then I realized that this actually happens all over the world, because there are so many of us and we want Swāmījī to come only to my place, only to my city, to our āśrama, to visit us. I would like to thank Viśvagurujī very much for these words and above all for not giving up, which is our specialty. Stepping out of the boat of Satsang is our specialty, and another specialty is catching ourselves in the net and bringing ourselves back. So, it is a very pleasant and very nice feeling to be here with you all. And I wish for our Gurudev that we will follow your words and remain with you for as long as possible. As we all know, Mahāprabhujī lived for 135 years, and we also hope for at least that long for our dear Viśvagurujī. It is the tea of Siddip Nārāyaṇa Bhagavān. It is the tea of Devādhi Devadeva Śarma Deva. The essence of Hinduism is the all-pervading Kṛṣhṇa Bhagavān. Hail to the World Teacher Mahāmaṇḍaleśvara Paramaśaraṇajī Sattva Gurudev. And call everyone in Jaipur. Yes, of course. They are all calling from Jaipur. Whenever you wish to come, you are most welcome. Just tell us forward or don’t tell us, as you wish. That is a good devil, isn’t it? Thank you.

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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