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We are again with the full moon. It is said that it is the moon through which sweetness comes into the vegetation—the fruits, the roots, and the blossoms. This sweetness in living plants comes through the moon. On the full moon, the waves of its influence are immense. The moon is very, very powerful for us. It is said that if you are fasting, you will have more calmness in your mind and heart. Fasting is for health and for balancing our emotions, though many people do not believe this. People fast for certain purposes; some do it to get a good husband. But they do not know that husbands are always best—yes, but sometimes the opposite. The man may say he doesn't care. Therefore, girls also pray for their own beauty and for their husband. On the full moon, they look in the mirror. This is a very secret practice for girls; they go to the window. There is a story, I think in the Mahābhārata or elsewhere, where one day a God came... but the whole story I have forgotten. My beautiful husband came—but was it not a God? This normal person was a God, you know. And she said, "Please, please, I did not mean this. You are beautiful." No, no... me. So when you look at the moon, you should think of purity and peace. It gives light energy and takes away many diseases. The moon has more power than the sun in this regard, and it is closer to us on our earth than any other stars or planets. Now one makes a saṅkalpa. Do you know what saṅkalpa is? A wish. A wish for what? Then you take something upon yourself. You will have some saṅkalpa, like fasting or doing something. You can direct this not only to the moon, but to the Divine Mother, the Śaktis. Shakti is very, very important, powerful, and clear. There are many śaktis, and what the other gods cannot manage to destroy—some negatives—the śaktis can do. There were, you know, the nine nights of the Divine Mothers. There are four Navarātrīs. Nava means nine, rātrī means night. Two Navarātrīs are open, and two are more closed; not everyone can go there. If one does, one must have great discipline. These are both the śaktis, the mothers. You should not look at Śakti as merely a woman; she is the Divine Mother. You must see her as Divine, not think, "You are beautiful, oh, she is very beautiful." No. Then you are gone. The Shakti power is very strong. People observe this nine-day fasting. During that fast, you can drink milk, have some fruits, and drink water. But when you make a saṅkalpa, meaning a promise, you should go through with it for nine days. Or you can say to the Divine Mother, "I will worship and pray, but I cannot fast." Then that is okay. It gives so much energy, happiness, protection, everything. Men can do it, and women can do it, no problem. If someone wants to get a good husband, she may also fast during these nine nights. Or a boy, for a good wife. They believe it is so, and it will be. I was flying from India to Vienna on an Air India flight. Many people say to me, "How many of you were flying with me from Delhi to Jodhpur?" or "I saw you on the flight to Jaipur or Bangalore," etc. On the way to Jaipur or Vienna, people said, "Hari Om, Swāmījī," and so on. Ninety percent of the people, even the hostess after serving food, would ask, "Swāmījī, can you look at my palm? What is my kismat? What is good?" As I said, do you want to marry? How do I know? I say because mostly I am already doing it like this. So, have confidence and faith. It brings reality. This time was the period of Navarātrī, and I gave someone prasād. This one girl, she is 25 years old, said, "No, Swāmījī, I am fasting because of Navarātri." So I gave her one apple. She said, "Okay, that I can take as prasāda." You see, there are people who have respect for their religions and festivals, and they believe. It is like that for the male too. You know, we observed Krishna Janmashtami. Now it is coming for God Rāma. This energy and protection we get from the belief in a God or Gods. We also say Śakti is a God; a male is also God. But you have to follow the principle, otherwise not. I do not want to tell you so that it will not help you. But who wants to do something? Then you will ask, and I will tell you. But I will tell you something which you might say, "Oh, that I cannot do." My principles, your principles, I mean, yes? For example, I say, "Don't eat eggs, don't drink alcohol, and do not eat meat." It is difficult for people now. Or you might say, "I want to get something." Then you might say, "Okay, any kind of fruit," but that one kind of fruit you should reject. Many keep this discipline; it doesn't matter, man or woman. Mostly women observe it too, and do not eat watermelon. Watermelon is a symbol of the head. And so the woman is there giving some help, so that nothing should happen to her husband, no accident or anything. For that, she gives her promise: she will not eat, even one piece in her mouth, of watermelon. How proud is your husband? He says, "My wife is doing everything for me. It doesn't matter what I'm doing. I am good, and I respect her very much, but I can eat a melon. For me, my wife is doing, and my wife is all for me." So when you marry, and you break that, you are gone. You are gone. Next life, we do not know. Is it better, cats than these others? But similarly, for the husband also. It is one power, moon and sun. When you hold hands at the altar, or wherever you sit and marry, then keep it lifelong. Otherwise, it is like animals. It is counted among animals. Of course, if one of them dies, he or she, many do not want to marry anymore. But someone can do. Why? In the Testament, I do not know if Jesus said it or not. Or the mother, Mary. Why is it given to you, that you give the promise? And when one part has died, one cannot be married a second time in the church. It has its meaning, and if you believe, you are believing. I am not speaking of the Hindu religion now, but I am talking here, where we are sitting, with mostly people who are Christians. How many rules are there in the church? And how many of us are following those rules? Similarly, it is in other religions too. Religion may be changing a little bit, but we are finally at that point. So there is a prayer, and we are following it. Now, the moon. The moon is that energy of purification and taking care of us. So you have the freedom of fasting. There are twelve months in a year, and we sometimes have thirteen months according to the moon. In this, every month, according to the seasons like winter and summer, the radiance of the moon also corresponds to that season. Tonight, this moon is called the moon which now enters into the winter. On the other side, like in Australia, it is entering into the warm sun. For both sides, there is a lot of energy coming. We call it sarajpunam, and on this night they put out milk, some put a little rice, or some kind of dry fruit, or some kind of almonds—little almonds, something like that. And of course we like sweets more, so we put sweets inside. But the whole offering should be outside all night, where a lot of energy enters into what we call kṣīra, what you call milk. In the morning, after you clean your mouth, the first nourishment you take is one spoon of this. It will give protection against disease and impurities, promote good thoughts in the body, and prevent anger and hate from affecting you. That is why you should take that milk. Milk is the best nourishment, and almost all beings drink it first. It doesn't matter if they are dogs, cats, goats, horses, humans, or cows—all babies first drink milk. That is the highest form of life in the creation. Those who are born from an egg first come out of the egg, but they are not given milk. They are given some corn or different kinds of worms or such. So this is the second part. That also includes fish, which also lay eggs. So this shows that we are of the highest consciousness, highest in the brain, etc. Also on this day, you make offerings to your ancestors. This is just now beginning, and very soon it will come also in Christianity, when you go to the graveyard. Now, a question: if our incense is there, you go, you are emotional, you cry, you give flowers, you light candles, you pray to the mother or the father. At that time, you feel that he is here, or she is here in the grave. Not in the earth, but in front of you. Another way we say that the soul is gone. It may be reborn as a human or as a donkey, etc., according to karma, determining where the soul will go. But as humans, these nine nights give freedom to our ancestors to go free into the divine. For us, it is one cycle of twelve months. Every full moon has its very powerful meanings. Many incarnations come on the full moon. From five days before the full moon, you are already in that complete lunar energy. So if a child is born five or six days then, girl or boy, it is okay, very good. After all, it can also be good. So there is the moon, but there are eight other planets. They are moving around us, protecting the souls. This is what we believe, all believers, in any religion, in any part of the world. We should, if not many things, then on some occasions, pray for the protection of the lives of others. On the full moon, men also, but mostly women, fast. When you make a vow that "I will do this and this," or "I want my wish to be this and this," after it is fulfilled, or if one says, "For everything, I will pray and fast on the full moon," then after certain years, he or she will worship the full moon and bring all their friends. It is very good to do this on the full moon and on Monday. Monday is the day of the moon. The eight days, the seven days, correspond to seven planets. These planets are moving around the sun and moon. Because we are human, and God has given us everything. So we speak of what we call a curse or the divine, what we call good or the curse. It is only for humans. What do you call heaven or hell? But not for animals. Because animals are there, and they are going through life. Hell is nowhere, and heaven is nowhere. When it is here, it is in your heart. It is in your feelings, and that we will get again. So we humans shall go, but never to hate, always to prayer. We humans understand what love is, and we should never curse anyone, because when you curse, it comes back to you. Therefore, there are seven days, and every day has its meaning because of where the moon is and which constellations are there. There is also a constellation of 24 hours. This is another subject; we will speak on that. So, full moon, please remember. Now, a question may be: on a full moon day, there are heavy clouds and we cannot see the moon. No problem. Neither the clouds nor the rocks—do not worry. We should know tomorrow is the full moon, and sometimes there are two full moons at once. So, this Pūrṇimā or the next Pūrṇimā? This belongs to human rules, human knowledge, human protection, and humans are giving mercy. Our mercy—so whatever happened, did you pray for mercy? In Christianity, they have a mantra: "Holy Mother, Mother Maria, please give me mercy." So, Holy Mother Mary, a prayer for mercy. If you believe, then Mother Maria will bless you. And who is Matka Maria? It is the Śakti. So maybe Kālī, Durgā, any other. This is the higher power who has mercy in her heart. Whatever happened with Jesus, Maria would not give a curse, but she would pray. So, if you are coming to Christianity and you believe in Maria or Jesus, then go there. Understand that one, not now. So, is that life? There are many, many good things. How many festivals are best for the best? I will, and mostly for the women, for what? That these women are blessing us, yes, blessing us. Yes, that's it. Siddhi Pāta Bhagavān, Siddhi Pāta Bhagavān,... Siddhi Pāta Bhagavān. Siddhi Ptaḥ Bhagavān, Siddhi Ptaḥ Bhagavān...