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Summer seminar June, 2009 in Strilky (CZ) (3/9)

The blessed moment of meeting the Guru initiates a transformative spiritual journey.

A profound inner search, marked by discontent with worldly offerings, culminates in a single vision. That first sight of the Guru penetrates deeply, instantly answering the soul's longing. The initial meeting is brief, yet the impression is permanent, creating an intense desire for union. Subsequent events, guided by destiny, unfold to fulfill that longing. An invitation arrives, leading to a determined journey and a second, pivotal encounter. The wish to stay near the Guru is miraculously granted, marking the true beginning of discipleship and sādhanā. That moment of inner opening is when the yogī has been waiting.

The Guru's love is profound, though the path involves strict discipline and tests to purify the disciple. Spiritual practice requires daily effort to deepen devotion and keep the first impression alive. One must fulfill the promise made to God, as there is no escape from that accountability. Realization comes from turning inward, for the spiritual kingdom is within. You are the king of your own mind and senses; do not become their slave. Trust in yourself and your inner guidance, balancing work with relaxation according to your inherent talents.

"From that second, the process begins."

"Day by day my love should increase."

Filming location: Strilky, Czech Republic

It is said that minute, that hour, that day, and that year is the blessed constellation—that in that minute or second, that very first day, with these eyes we saw our Gurudeva. That vision went through and through. From that second, the process begins. I will tell you one very personal story. It is natural that every child is sad when their father passes away. It doesn’t matter, father or mother. Also, when our brothers, sisters, or best friends… but it is said blood is thicker than water, so the blood relation is still more intensive. So it’s not easy to digest or understand death. Another story is that my interest from a very young age was different. Maybe sometimes I will speak more, and we can write it down. Everyone is born with certain feelings and certain dharma. So I went on a search. Like I came on this planet to search for something. And whatever I found was not contentment. You go somewhere shopping and you want to buy something: a handbag, or a dress, or shoes. And there’s so much choice. Hundreds of choices are there. And you say, “Not this, not this, not this.” But the seller doesn’t know what you are searching for. It’s only you who knows that you have a specific choice of the color. But that color is different; though you want to have a green, there is a different green. So similarly, you reject, reject, reject. You are not happy. You don’t know what you are searching for. When the father passed away… The situation was not good. We were all small children, mother alone. So after one year or one and a half years, Gurujī came to my village to pay his condolences to my mother. You know, my mother is the elder sister of Gurujī. Before that, we were only hearing that he was the brother of my mother. At that time, we used to call him uncle, but now he is not an uncle anymore, he is Gurujī. And some people still write to me: “Your uncle.” That’s wrong. Don’t write this. That was in a past life. That relation died. As I told you the day before yesterday about sannyāsa. What means the sannyāsa? You cannot take sannyāsa as long as you are connected to the family relation. You are not a sannyāsī, but this I will talk about next time. So we heard often how Gurujī is, how great he is. And I didn’t see him for so many years. That time, there was no transportation. No roads, no cars, only horses, camels, ox carts. And the distance between the birthplace and Gurujī’s birthplace was long, two days walking distance, 15 hours walking per day or 18 hours, 8 km speed. Very hard to come. One day, afternoon, about 4 o’clock or 5 o’clock, one very peculiar jeep came, like a military jeep, which was belonging to some Mahārāja, and in that jeep came Gurujī. And immediately, the whole village people were running to see Gurujī. They only heard about it. Can you imagine? I was a small boy, and I was somewhere outside with my horses, two horses and one cow, and like this. And I also heard, of course. I ran. But there were so many people, and the small children tried to go inside, but people said, “Hey, stay on one side.” As soon as I saw the first look of Gurujī, and it went through and through, I said to myself, “Yes, boy, that’s what you were searching for.” And so the vision, the impression went so through, and I… said, “Yes, I want to be like that,” that I was searching. I remember so well that day, and after ten, twenty minutes, or half an hour, Gurujī walked away, went to the jeep, and I was standing. And all the times in front of me was that such a great personality, the light, orange. Even now, it’s always, whenever I remember, yes, my heart, my eyes are full of tears, emotions that remind me. That was the minute, and I was ready to do anything to renounce everything to be with him, but how? It’s like one small ant would like to fly. A small ant would like to cross the big Himalaya, but it is in destiny. It comes day and night. My feelings, my visions, one with Gurujī. On one side, I was so sad that he went away. Only half an hour was there. And I had not even the opportunity to come half a meter closer. Second side, the father passed away. My question was this: how to come to him? But then in me was a voice. It will be. After some time, one year or ten months or something, in 1965, we got a postcard. He invited my mother to release Nīlī because that was the inauguration of the Nīlī Āśram. The 13th of July, 1965, was Guru Pūrṇimā. And we read the postcard. My joy was indescribable. But that was not an invitation for me. That was a disappointment. The question came: Who will go with Mother? There is one beautiful bhajan from Mahāprabhujī. I read the letter of my beloved. The message of my beloved, and my eyes are flowing tears. I am longing, looking for him. Him? I am watching or observing the path. If someone gives me the great news of my beloved, where he is or that he is coming, whatever he asks, whichever jewel he wants, I will give. It’s called Padviranī Bhajan Śrī Mahāprabhujī’s. Very beautiful. Je to Sunorī sajanī marula gopī vasane bhajadan. Mera merī bhajagai gurude. This is the bhajan in Pādvaraṇī. Sunori sajanī, listen, my friend, that I fell in love with my Lord. What a great fortunate one I am. Jaké obrovské štěstí mám, that Gurudev has held my hand. After three days passed, my saṅkalpa was to go with Māṭājī, and I said, “Māṭājī, I will go with you,” and she said, “Yes.” And the other two brothers said, “Yes, keep quiet.” Elderly brothers are always right. Elderly sisters are always right. Anyhow, mother said, “You can go with.” Can you imagine the joy? That joy is still continuing, that joy. That was the opening door for me to enter. So early morning, me and mother walked about 12 kilometers to get a bus, which was only once a day bus going. And we got in the bus, and halfway, the bus stopped because it was monsoon, raining and rivers flowing, so the way was blocked. So, around 2 o’clock, we got off the bus at 3 o’clock. And we had to walk long, about 30 to 40 kilometers. So again, me and mother, we were walking. She knew the way because it’s her birthplace. For me, it was the first time. I was not tired, my leg. I was not walking, I was playing, to see Holy Gurujī again and see my other uncles and like this. We came around 9 o’clock in the evening. We were very happy that we were home. My mother and all were coming and visiting, saying, “Hello, how are you?” and so on. Mother was talking with her elderly brother, and so on. I was sitting and pulling her cloth. I said, “When will we see Gurujī?” And so, around 10 o’clock in the evening, 9:30, with my other uncle, we walked to the ashram. Again, something happened. We were walking, going to the ashram, and Gurujī was walking, coming towards us. He did not know that we were coming. Again, I saw him. It was like schizophrenia, hypnotized. But I had to use all my energy not to explode. And I made a praṇām, and Gurujī spoke with me. He said, “How are you? What is your name?” I don’t know. Now you see, desires have no end, one after the other, saṅkalpa. When you get one finger, you would like to have the whole hand, and when you have the whole hand, you would like to have the whole arm, and then you would like to have the upper arm, and then you want to hug it. That’s how we humans are. One after the other, saṅkalpa, and how quickly saṅkalpa is fulfilled. I want to stay with Gurujī. My wish, but I didn’t dare to say, “Mother.” I didn’t dare to say anything. But my imagination, I would like to stay with him. After three days, me and mother, we went to some other village to visit her sister and some other relatives, and there I talked to her, “What do you think if I stay with Gurujī and go here to school?” She said, “Well, she don’t know if he will allow.” I said, “Okay.” Pity, I said again many different names of gods. That time, I did not know Mahāprabhujī’s name in this life. And when we came back after a few days, we went to visit Gurujī before noon at 11 o’clock. Gurujī was sitting there. Mother made praṇām. I was hiding behind mother, and I made quickly praṇām and then sat on the side. And Gurujī said to my mother, to his sister, “What do you think if he would go to school here and stay with me?” Oh God, I was pulling mother’s dress, and I said, “Yes.” And Māṭājī said, “As you wish. Anyhow, he would like to stay.” Gurujī said, “There is no problem. Okay, tomorrow you go here in Nepal to school, to school again.” I didn’t want to go to school. That’s why I wanted to go away from Rūpā Vāsā. This is a problem of children. But it was one of these events, one of the beautiful events of my life. And Mahāprabhujī was waiting, pushing me from inside, uplifting. So when I remember these visions of my life, I understand what the Gurudev means. It is the same thing that Gurujī is describing. As Gurujī saw in the first minute, Mahāprabhujī, how great it was. So this is not that you try to understand your Gurudeva. It is there. But if you close your eyes and run away or hide yourself like this, then the karmic curtain is closed, and the distance begins more and more. You lose the hand you try to catch, but it doesn’t come, and that’s it. So that year, that month, that hour, that second where your inner self was opened, realized—and that yogī is waiting for that. Of course, sometimes, or most of the time, it was not easy. Gurujī was a man of discipline and strict. Many flowed away. Hard test, hard test till the last drop is pulled out, and still, if you are surviving, then he will put energy in you to serve. Gurudev is not easy, but inside his heart, he loves you more than anything. One saint said. Which your holy Gurujī was saying often, more than parents, God loves you, but more than God, the Gurudev loves you. Understand that, that’s very important. And therefore, our sādhanā began on that day. Should we stop, or should we continue? But bhakti, who realized once, one touch is enough. Like Swami Gajarāja wrote one bhajan in English. How hard is it with you, my Gurudev? Sometimes I am thinking to leave you, but how can I leave when you are within me? That’s it. So when he is within you, wherever you run, he is there with you. English song, how is that? O, Svāmī, how is that? Yeah, Svāmījī, you live within me. And so, the spirituality, the sādhanā, it is carried on like that, and Gurujī had immense love. His love was indescribable. Only rare people could understand. And, of course, the rest of my time with Gurujī, you know, all. Time had to come, and it came, that anything Gurujī wanted to do, he asked me. And when I asked him, he said, you know, that’s it. So mother duck is watching the babies, throws them into the water, and just taking care. But one day they will fly. And therefore, it is said, Gurujī said, “Akiyā Satguru Charanamīlagī, Akiyā Satguru Dīpadāyāluke Charanamīlagī.” First impression. Keep in your mind all the time. Remember this all in order to get realization or fulfillment. We have to continue our practice. Husband shouts on wife and wife blames the husband. Such love should not die. Therefore Gurujī said, “Nita nita prem mera adhika badiju,” day by day my love should increase. And so that devotion, that love, that intensity must deepen even more. And that means, however, to practice. Now you know that is the road. Now, how to go? You should know you have all the facilities, possibilities, and abilities—ability, facility, possibility. And if you still don’t do, then it’s stupidity. That’s it. So practice every day and make the journey within thyself. What promise did you give, and what answer will you give? O my dear, when you came from the astral world to the physical world, you promised something to dear God. You spoke to dear God, “I will do. Please give me a chance.” And are you following this? When you return, he will ask you, “Hmm? Where are your promises?” je tam. Sarvatra, omnipresent. Kṛṣṇa said, it doesn’t matter through which belief and spiritual path you will go. At the end, I will be there for you. That’s it. So, nowhere to escape in the entire universe. Do follow your promise. What will you say to Guru Dev? Where are your sweet promises? That’s it. Therefore, there are many, many beautiful bhajans, and we should sing the bhajans. Also, we should practice prāṇāyāms and āsanas. First, āsanas, then prāṇāyāmas, then meditation, to dive within thyself. Analyze thyself. Don’t worry, don’t think it is too late. It’s never too late. Even the last breath of this life. He comes. You are successful. What does he mean? Self-realization. Gurudev, our God, last minute, that’s very important. Therefore, nītā nītā prema merā adhika baddhijo, day by day my love should increase. So there was one great saint, he wrote a beautiful bhajan, something like this: “Milta hai satya sukha,” like this bhajan: “Surat dekhī apriyo gurana sa dujāna āve mohe dohā. I saw your surat, your face, now I don’t like any other.” Which surat? That light, that spirituality. That divinity, so the physical world is one side, and the spiritual world is the other side. The physical world will disappoint you, but the spiritual world will not disappoint you. And that spiritual world, do not search outside; it is within you. You are the king of all, but though you are a king of yourself, you do not know how to rule your kingdom. That is your problem. Once the Indian president invited Gurujī, so Gurujī arrived there. They welcomed him, put him in a nice room, and the personal secretary of the president phoned in that room and asked Gurujī some questions. To know that if it’s Gurujī, it is Gurujī. If it’s that person. And he was South Indian, so that secretary who couldn’t speak Hindi well. So he said, “Swamijī, what is your designation?” Gurujī said, “King of the whole universe.” So you are the king. You are king of this world within thyself. One great saint said, “Tum manendriyon kare rājā, ātmā jantar jāmī.” You are the king of your mind and your senses. Mat karte kī gulāmī. Don’t be the slave of this. Kāya nāgrikā rāja. You are the king of this whole. Do you know what’s going on in your kingdom? If your kingdom is not under your view and control, you fail to be a king. You become the slave. You lost the dignity of being a king. So, good decision you are always making. Don’t always do what others say. Do it. Work. From what will you leave? What will you eat? Don’t force anyone to work; they will work. Who gave the peak will give the food also. Stimmt? So ist das. Why God gave you the Schnabel? Nicht nur, but also for hum, hum... hum. And so, Mom gives something for “Hūm,” and Gurudev gives you “So Hūm.” Therefore, follow your intuition. Your work and relaxation should be balanced. Remember, work and relaxation are balanced. It means now you are not in the stress. Otherwise, it’s called burned out. Because you work too long and too hard, therefore, don’t be nervous. You will work. Your wife should have confidence in you. She should not force you to go and work, or your husband, or your parents, or your mother. That’s it. So your decision is the best decision, and your decision, which you take, you have been thinking weeks and months long. But take once more within, so don’t depend outside. Then you will be happy. Then the material world and spiritual world will be balanced. Otherwise, if you pray and God will give, I don’t want to work. Who gave the pig will give the food. God said, “Yes, I made a mistake.” I didn’t make a mistake. I gave you the pig. Same time, I will give you the wings and legs. Go and search your food, find your food. That’s it. So God has given everything, therefore, but take rest, relax. Then again, some intuition will come. Yes, what should I do? You have a talent for painting, but your parents are forcing you to be a musician, and you don’t understand what it is. But you don’t have the talent at all. A person like me is not talented in music, so your talent, you know. And work according to that; you will be successful. There you can put yourself in; you are not forced by outer forces. So, it’s very easy. If all will follow these directions, then this global crisis will not suffer. We have enough. Mother Earth has given enough for everyone’s need. But not for the greed of those companies. Therefore, the best, who is happy, is the farmer who has land, grows vegetables and crops, and has a cow for milk. What I want to say is, trust in you. When you trust in you, then you trust in God. And research thyself spiritually, and also mentally and physically, I mean. That’s it. Okay? So, practice, practice, practice. When you are waiting so much for someone’s telephone call, whom you love very much, you are waiting, you are waiting, looking, waiting, and the telephone rings. Hello? Yes, is this car number yours? Who’s speaking? Police. What a problem. So we are waiting for Gurudev, for blessing, for love, for the divine. Waiting and waiting. Čekáme a čekáme, and waiting is beautiful. Night and day, night and day, I look for the night and day. Night and day, night and day, I look for the night and day. So tomorrow. Takže zítra again we will have a beautiful subject to go within ourselves. So, let’s see. We will make an entire universe traveling, yathā brahmāṇḍi yathā piṇḍi: what is in the universe is within myself. So don’t run away. Remain inside. And know what is happening to your kingdom. Gurujī said this nicely. Your Viveka is your personal secretary, advisor. And ten horses are ten senses, and the rider, the controller, is your mind. If positive, I say it’s good. Deep Nārāyaṇ Bhagavān Kī. Devīśvara Mahādeva Kī. Dharma Samrāṭ Satguru Svāmī Madhavānandajī Gurudeva Kī. Satya Sanātana.

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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