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The Oneness of Ātmā

A spiritual discourse on the oneness of the soul and the nature of life.

"Our Gurudev, Holy Gurujī Madhavānandajī, said: 'One in all and all in one.'"

"Water is water; it does not matter which quality. Now, there are some machines, and they are purifying the water."

The lecturer leads a satsang exploring the non-difference between Paramātmā, ātmā, and jīvātmā, using the metaphor of seeds from a single cherry tree. He discusses the proliferation of life in water, on land, and in the air (Jalchar, Thalchar, Nabchar), the inherent violence in nature, and the unique human capacity for mercy and the dharma of non-violence (Ahiṃsā). The talk covers the purification of consciousness, the pitfalls of negative qualities in the chakras, and concludes with an intention to sing a bhajan and meditate.

Filming location: Prague, Czech Republic

Paramātmā, ātmā, and jīvātmā—what is the difference? There is no difference. It is a pollution which is making differences. Our Gurudev, Holy Gurujī Madhavānandajī, said: "One in all and all in one." One in all—we are all in one Paramātmā Parameśvaram. One in all and all in one. That is like a cycle, zero. And this zero has no end. It is the ring, and we do not know where this ring begins and where it ends. Similarly, this ātmā and jīvātmā, what we call... So it is a jīva; it is separate. For example, you have one beautiful cherry tree. It is a big, very nice, big cherry tree with a very beautiful dark red color, and it has very nice fruit. You people say "the flesh of the cherry." This is only for those who are saying, "Who is eating meat?" A person as a yogī will not say "the nice flesh of the cherry" and then we will spit it. But it is the juice, the fruit that is the fruit of the cherry. So we are always thinking in purities, and therefore we should know which word we are using for what. Now, this one beautiful, big cherry tree has about two or three thousand cherry fruits coming. If you see all the form, color, and sweetness as the same. And the same seed quality; everything is the same. Three thousand cherries, but it is the same. And when each seed will grow, then it will become more trees, and it will be millions of cherries. But the quality is the same. In that seed is exactly everything that God or nature has given. But we call for the humans or others the genes of the people. Your bodies, your genes in your bodies, many, many... many ages, but they are the same. So that is why it is said: one in all, and all in one. Duality is a form outside, but everything—the sweetness, form, color, everything. So we are not looking at the form only, but we know that, in reality, the seed of the cherry—so we call the seed—but also humans have the seed. So your father and your son are the same. It is from the mother, too. It is from the mother's color, the mother's quality comes; it is both are in one. So, in this way, we all know that all souls are one. So it has for all vegetation. So there are three: Jalchar, Thalchar, and Nabchar. Life in the water. How many creatures are in the ocean? In the ocean is a bigger life than our human life. If all humans fall into the ocean, the big fish will perhaps one day have a good dinner. Because there are so many, and we are not that many humans. So, population—we think we humans, we are too many. No. Even the mosquitoes are more than humans. The flies, fruit flies, are more than humans. So how can we say there is too much population, too much population? No. Have discipline. Be healthy, and there is enough earth, land we have, but we are always, our eyes are on the big city, and we said, "Oh, it is a crowd in Prague, it is a crowd." But look, about 20 kilometers, 50 kilometers, 100 kilometers, villages are empty. All are coming to study here. All are asking for work or a job here. All villages are empty. How can we say there is too much population? Why are you afraid? Live healthy, happy there, and with the discipline. So similarly, all creatures that are called Jalchar, the life in water. But not only the water in the water life, but life itself is a life water. So that you are saying in your language, "voda a život," what you are saying. And what we said, where there is water, there is God. So you see the soul, and we see God. That is within us. That God is with us, but all is one. All elements are the same. On the solid place, how many creatures are there? How many? Once, long ago, there was a scientist who was showing something on television, and he said, "Make a square, one meter by one meter." And then again, make measurement your square foot according to your feet. And then they were seeing through the instrument. And what do they see? You are standing on uncountable creatures under your feet. It means, and earth, on the sand, everywhere is life. So the person who was standing and then they were looking through the instrument, and he said, "Oh God, I cannot stand." Different kinds of animals, like a snake, this, that—oh, God. I think it was nearly about 20 years ago, or 18 years ago. Maybe I will ask on the television in Austria to ask someone to find out about this. It was some American who was making this film. So, Jalchar Thalchar, the water is fine. A drop is a life, water is a life, and from this water, everything is living. But each element has different... Then the third point is called the flying creatures. They call it nabha chara. Nabha means the space. And how many creatures are there? They are born there, and they die there. Now, you see, evening this time, how many flies there are and how many birds or flies are nourishing. There are many, many birds; they cannot sit on the ground. Either they sit on the wall, on the rock, or on the tree; they cannot sit down because they cannot fly again. And now they are flying, just about half an hour, or 15 minutes. And they fill their stomach, and they relax. So many birds and so many flies. So it is said that one jīva eats the other jīva. So everyone, they are eating others. The biggest one eats the weakest one. And how cruel it is, but it is their nourishment. They cannot, they do not have this, called the sin. For them, there is no sin, because they are in the sin. That you are in the sin, you are moving in, out, in, out. You may call it in Christianity the hell. All the times, all the times, round and round and round. But if everyone will eat life, then they are ever in sin. Therefore, that consciousness which is in humans is given that knowledge, and that there is pain. Now, animals also feel the pain. But they do not have the feeling of pain for others. So, you know when one animal catches the other animal. They do not care; they will bite anywhere and eat. Some creatures, like tigers and lions, have little way to kill them quickly. So they get the snake, so the animal dies quickly. And other animals, it does not matter. If you suffer this, that, they bite anywhere, but it is said if you will do this, then there is a sin, and so it is a will. We come out of this creation, therefore one is the human, and humans have mercy; animals also have. The tiger loves its babies. Yes, they are also taking care of every creature; they are looking after their children. But humans should love all creatures. If we have no mercy, then again you will be in that condition. Back there is a nourishment for the humans, and now you see, after so many years, I am talking about not to eat meat, not to eat eggs, and this and that. And suddenly, what is happening in the whole world? Many people, they got the Ahiṃsā. Ahiṃsā paramodharmaḥ: that non-violence is the dharma. Not this dharma, like my dharma, your dharma, this dharma. This is just our different culture. But real dharma is that of not giving pain or suffering to anyone. So this dharma understands humans. Animals and birds, they have dharma until their own children. But there is something that goes more down in life, like reptilians. Also, the water animals, so they eat them. The snake can eat its own babies. But many animals do not eat their babies. It is developing, developing life. So humans are different. Humans understand now life. And that life means that soul. Pain is in every creature. Why did God make this pain? Because one should not kill. God gave us more knowledge. Our consciousness, our whole brain. And so we are, we humans are born not to kill or destroy. It does not matter, humans or other creatures. So the jīva, that jīva is coming out of the suffering. A beautiful big cherry tree. How many blossoms are there? The whole tree is full of beautiful cherries or blossoms, but everyone cannot get the fruit. But then fruits come. Some do not ripen. With the wind, they fall down, etc. So, I think about 20% will arrive. The other is gone. Also, we humans, we cannot get all the time children. Otherwise, the mother will be completely lost. So we get child, one, two, that is enough. Three, four, five, it is okay. Like this, anyhow. So we are coming again to this. We are choosing the world out of 8.4 million different creatures, and out of them, one is a human. And there, human has everything: love, harmony, understanding, this, this... Everything there, we understand that we are all. We understand everyone's pain, everything, because that soul is our soul. We do not take care of the body, but what... It is in the body, and through the body, that one soul is there and the other is suffering. When one has died or one is killed, and the soul has gone out, so, the jīvā is gone, and in the body you can do whatever you want. You can burn it, kill it again, eat it, anything. That is called the death. There is a life and a death. So do not eat death as a human. You should not eat the dead bodies, and therefore it is said God has given very sāttvic nourishment from the vegetation. And vegetation also, do not kill any tiny grass. There is the principle of the Jainas, and the monk of the Jainas will not walk on the green grass. They will not cross over through the meadow because you step on the grass. They said it means you are stepping on the woman, which is, what do you call them? Pregnant. How will you feel when you step on the pregnant woman's? It is not possible, but there are certain lives that also, but you do not know, but they feel it. There are still the Jainas, who will not eat green vegetables. Because it can be on some leaves of the vegetable, there is some life on it. So let it come down when the fruit is ripe, and it comes out. Or the corns. That is it. And all day and night, they are repeating mantra. And there are some people who are slaughtering day and night. And eggs also. The egg is a life. We also have eggs in the woman's body. So, all animals first have the eggs in the body. Then we come as the whole body. So we have to understand the jīva, the soul, the destination of the soul, and what is the karma of this soul. Now, why is my soul good, pure, and everything, and why is the soul of this snake just reptilian, with no legs, no hands, no ears? And why is my soul pure and everything, and why is my soul... The snake is only from vibration; he understands. What a life! So what is this all about? This morning I was telling that very pure, clean water, and we can hold the water in our hands from the rain, and we can drink it. And I was drinking this water here. It is so pure, very clear, from the rainwater under the rocks. Certain, what do you call, mineral? But it is so sweet, so good. I am constantly thinking. Is this sugar inside? Because I did not drink such water long ago, or they have done something, I do not know. And another thing, in the stuck of a toilet channel, there is water also. What is the condition of that water there? And what is that water which is very clean, and every creature will drink? Water is water, but which is where stuck in, so that part is separated, but it is a oneness. That water, nobody will drink, but other water, everyone will drink, but there are some creatures. They are so lower, lower, lower life, and in that stink water there are also some worms and some animals, because they survive only in this impurity, and we are in the purities. But still, it is water. That is water. The ocean is water. A cloud is water. So, how does it happen that this water is here and this water is there? That is destiny. So there is coming and going in the wrong direction. So, therefore, it is said, one is the Brahman, and the rest is just garbage, you can say. And so, our ātmā, all ātmās, all ātmā is ātmā. Water is water; it does not matter which quality. Now, there are some machines, and they are purifying the water, and so that water is so nicely purified, but they call it filtering. And they filter in such a way that it is like drinkable, but still you will not drink. If they are purifying dirty or the dirtiest water and then bring a glass of the water, very pure, but you will say, "Aha, it is good." You will not drink still. But if you have the other one in the glass and you say, "Okay, please, this is water for you to drink," we will drink it. So that we will not go to the impurity. For example, a scientist, that is also a scientist, is making machines and instruments for filtering and purifying to make nice water very drinkable. So that is the master. That master will purify, make clean, our antaḥkaraṇa. Our antaḥkaraṇa is the master purifying through mantra, meditation, prayer, and positive thinking. Never, never have in your brain some kind of negative thinking. Do not think that I am the best, yes. But still, we must purify our brain. Still, our brain becomes such a beautiful... If you are a little bit... Does someone tell you something, and how quickly you are offended? And you know how the offending... You know that the corn is dry, very good, looks like a gold yellow. And very solid, everything, but when we put on the hot fan, it immediately explodes. That is called popcorn. So that corn has become popcorn, and that popcorn we do not need. What does that pop mean? It exploded. Now only the chickens will eat. Mostly they are feeding the chickens, or with some people, eat also with some masālās. So, it does not matter how much you have studied, how many scriptures, how much you think that I am the best one, but when you are suddenly offended, then it is that one chakra, and this chakra is here in the Svādhiṣṭhāna chakra here. It is here, Svādhiṣṭhāna. And in the Svādhiṣṭhāna chakra are all negative qualities. When you read in Hidden Human's book and then see the quality of the Svādhiṣṭhāna: hate, jealousy. Desire, crudities, etc. There are how many? Six chakras, and these are the six karmas. And they do not let kuṇḍalinī go up, and kuṇḍalinī means just light. Never, never... never is there anything going through the spinal column, like something is moving. Or any chakras you think there is some kind of movement. This all is the nervous system. Nervous system. And that is out of control. So, therefore, practice according to these chakras and kuṇḍalinīs in your yoga and daily life, and you are lifting very nicely. When we take an aeroplane off, how it goes smoothly up, and exactly there it will land, millimeter and there it will land nicely. That is called the master's work. But you know, we see one big bird, and the big bird is flying quickly with speed and lands on the branch of the tree. But he is not moving like this, very peacefully. See every tree, even the little bird. How they are coming, sitting, and how they fly. What a beautiful one more, your mosquito. Your mosquito comes and he wakes you up, and if you are deep sleeping, then the mosquito will say, "Okay," then he will suck the blood. So how quickly mosquitoes are flying. That is it. Everyone has some quality. And humans have more. This is the difference. So our soul is more developed, but sometimes an aeroplane takes off but it can fall down. We always pray to God that it should not happen. But we can see the more people are dying in cars or on motorbikes. So see how many people died from the accidents of cars, buses, trucks, and this. So much is not dying every year in the airplane. So we are coming here. There is one beautiful bhajan of our Gurujī's, Mahāprabhujī's disciple. And that I will explain to you how our ātmā, our soul, is one, and how it is developing. And where is our destiny? That we will now learn again. First, a little meditation, and then I will tell you further. That is very, very important. So, the webcast is finished now, and we will do the techniques. Dīp Naya Bhagavān, Kīj, Jai.

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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