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The Essence of Mantra and Discipline

The essence of spiritual practice lies in authentic mantra and disciplined resolve. Mantra initiation must come from an authentic spiritual lineage thousands of years old, not from a self-made master. All are instruments; to declare oneself the master is to be lost. Do not imitate the external form of teachers but follow their essential word. The foundational practice is to renounce harsh speech, for this alone attracts friendship. Stern words from a loving guide are for training, not harm. True progress requires strict personal discipline, or anuṣṭhān, in all practices. Without such discipline, one cannot succeed. Spirituality grows through this dedicated resolve, paying for happiness with attention, humility, and kindness. Respect all creatures and the natural environment, taking only what is offered. Prepare the body and mind to sit in stillness, for constant movement disturbs deep meditation. Life is short; the destination is reached through disciplined techniques.

"The root of mantra is to follow the Guru's word."

"Give up harsh words, and all will be your friends."

Filming location: Strilky, Czech Republic

Oṁ Namaḥ Śrī Prabhu Dīpa Nārāyaṇam. Haṁ Śabdas Prabhu Śaraṇ Parāyaṇam. Oṁ Namaḥ Śrī Prabhu Dīpa Nārāyaṇam. Oṁ Namaḥ Śrī Prabhu Dīpa Nārāyaṇam. Namo Śrī Prabhu Dīpa Nārāyaṇam. Oṁ Namo Śrī Prabhu Dīpa. Haṁ Śabdās Prabhu Śaraṇ Parāyaṇam. Om Namah Siri Prabhu Dīpa Nārāyaṇam. Om Namah Siri Prabhu Dīpa. Om Namah Siri Prabhu Dīpa Nārāyaṇam. Om Namah Siri Prabhu Dīpa Nārāyaṇam. Haṁsabh Dās Prabhu Śaraṇ Parāyaṇam. Good evening and welcome to everyone here and to our international audience joining via webcast. Today concludes our eight-day seminar or retreat, which began last Friday. We have journeyed through instructions from the Patañjali Yoga Sūtra and enjoyed the beautiful nature of the village Strelki. We held five distinct programs. First, we had wonderful programs for our juniors. Many families came with their children, who were remarkably disciplined and serene, even sitting quietly in satsaṅg. This indicates they are divine souls who have found their spiritual path, aided by their parents' loving education. I observed no parent being harsh or angry. It is a great happiness to see our future generation growing with spirituality, mutual understanding, and love in this spacious ashram, guided by excellent yoga teachers. Secondly, we welcomed many new practitioners. Their faces, initially full of tension, were radiant by the end of their program of āsanas, prāṇāyāma, relaxation, yoga nidrā, and lectures. This is the beautiful introduction of yoga in daily life within a master's satsaṅg. The third group was our volunteers, the Karmayogīs. As Śrī Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad Gītā: "Yoga karmasu kauśalam, Arjuna." Your yoga practice succeeds through seva, karma. There is śakām karma (selfish) and niṣkām karma (selfless). Our volunteers perform selfless service in the kitchen and garden, tending to our organic vegetables in this pollution-free, divine atmosphere. I hope those brothers and sisters will join us to chant the peace mantra, kīrtan mantra, eating mantra, drinking mantra, walking mantra, sleeping mantra, and waking mantra. But the paramount mantra is the one received from a Brahmaniṣṭha Śrotriya Gurudev—an authentic spiritual lineage. Consider the Gaṅgā. Its water is holy because it flows in the Gaṅgā. If it separates and flows elsewhere, it loses that name and holiness. Similarly, mantra dīkṣā (initiation) must come from a spiritual tradition thousands of years old, not from a self-made master. We are all instruments. The day one says, "I am the master," they are lost. People often ask, "Why do we need a guru? Buddha had no guru." This is incorrect. Buddha had masters, and Buddhist monks have masters and disciples. Buddha was a pure vegetarian. He walked so slowly during bhikṣā (alms) to avoid harming small creatures and carried only one pot for food. I recall being in New York, invited by a UN official who follows Buddhism. She showed me a painting of Buddha holding a pot, calling it the "Medicine Buddha." I explained it was his bhikṣā pot, not a medicine pot. This shows how we can misunderstand symbols. Buddha was vegetarian; true followers of Buddhism should be vegetarian. Similarly, I have heard that Jesus was vegetarian, and thus Christians should be. A story about Prophet Muḥammad says he ate only pumpkin from a soup containing mutton, stating that the innocent animals killed would one day torture you. All great divine personalities loved nature and creatures. We, in our ignorance, make arguments. Even if Jesus ate meat, could we endure his suffering on the cross? Do not compare yourself to them; do what they said, not necessarily what they did. This is a common disciple's mistake. Years ago, my disciples started growing long beards and hair because I had them. I told them not to imitate but to follow the Guru Vākya (the Guru's word). Mantra mūlaṁ Guru Vākya—the root of mantra is to follow the Guru's word. Another great mantra comes from Tulsīdās in the Rāmāyaṇa: If you wish for everyone to be your friend, give up harsh words. Be kind. You must do, renounce, and dedicate something to have friends. Always use sweet language, not like "Mukh mein Rām, bagal mein surī"—God's name on the lips but a knife under the arm. The Vaśīkaraṇa Mantra is this: renounce harsh words. It is difficult for the ego, but do not use words that wound hearts forever. With love, you can say, "What you did was stupid," and a friend understands the intent. A wife may say, "Are you crazy?" without meaning it literally. The husband understands. Angry words may be on the surface, but inside there can be peace. Mahāprabhujī said the ocean's surface is restless, but the depths are calm. If the depths are agitated, it is a tsunami. Similarly, when anger rises from the Manipūra to the Anāhata, it is a hurricane. When the ego is offended, the mūlādhāra muscles contract. If you relax them, the anger subsides. Observe an animal: when its tail is relaxed, it is calm; when the tail moves, beware, as its mūlādhāra is tense. People with deep egos who are easily offended often have tension there. A psychologist suggested a link to hemorrhoids from constant muscular tension. Know yourself. Therefore, the one Vaśīkaraṇa Mantra is: Tajdī bachan kathor. Give up harsh words, and all will be your friends. When parents, friends, partners, or masters use stern words, it is often out of love and teaching, which sometimes must be firm. To train a dancing horse, a rider may use a small stick. So, when loved ones are angry, take it as being for your good. Among all mantras, the best is from the Satguru. That mantra guides your soul and your lineage to spirituality across lives. I often feel some children here were my disciples in past lives in Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Austria, Hungary, and other countries. Their energy has such attraction. Who knows how many lives I was a strict master to them? I support ladies for their husbands' well-being and marital harmony. If you fear your husband will leave, first abandon that doubt, as it blackmails you. Always think, "My husband is the best and will stay with me." Never say "no" to him; say "yes," but do what you wish. A woman can pray: "My husband should be healthy, have a long life, avoid accidents, have inner peace, and be a societal example. For this, Lord Śiva, I will fast every Monday for twelve years." This is anuṣṭhān—a disciplined spiritual resolve. There is lifelong anuṣṭhān, renouncing certain things. On Guru Pūrṇimā, we make a saṅkalpa: for my health, my family's health, society, all beings, my spiritual development, forgiveness of my mistakes, and purification of my four antakaraṇas. I will do five mālās daily. Even in a car or hospital, do it mentally. Some yogīs do multiple anuṣṭhānas at different times. Spirituality grows with discipline. Without discipline, you cannot succeed, whether driving a car, working with electricity, carpentry, or in the kitchen. Anuṣṭhān requires discipline. A disciplined life and marriage bring happiness, paid for with discipline, attention, humbleness, kindness, and prayers. When the sun rises, everything is illuminated. When it sets, you cannot read. Let your inner sun of wisdom, vivekā, intellect, and life's flame be continuously disciplined through anuṣṭhān. We hold kriyā anuṣṭhān programs yearly in summer here in Strelki and other places. In this ashram, you received much in eight days. This evening, we saw a video from the Śiva Purāṇa. Many now understand Śiva is not a demigod but the first, the highest. The Purāṇa, drawing from all Vedas and texts, states Śiva creates Brahmā and Viṣṇu and is the mighty, omnipresent one. When there is a universal problem, all go to Śiva for solution, for he holds both a sweet ladḍū and a triśūl—he can destroy tāmasik energy and forgive. Tomorrow, a new program begins with explanations from Patañjali and other authentic texts. You are all welcome. We will have a welcoming satsaṅg in the meditation hall this evening. This ashram is for your well-being and all creatures here. We have an orchard with hundreds of apple trees. The apples are large but unripe; please do not pluck them. They will be ripe by late September, and you will be invited to enjoy them. Until then, we have other fruits like bananas. Every creature seeks happiness and peace. If you see a bird or squirrel, observe quietly; do not chase them. Similarly, if each of you plucked one flower daily, the garden would be bare in days. Admire flowers, touch them, offer them mentally, but leave them be. This respects nature and all co-inhabiting creatures. As yogīs, be more aware, alert, and conscious. Remember why you came. You can eat better at home. I advise reducing solid food by 50%, drinking more liquids, to avoid falling victim to tamas guṇa, the enemy that destroys spirituality and creates laziness. Enjoy the anuṣṭhān here. Fortunate are those who can do anuṣṭhān, not just for a few days. You must be able to sit for an hour without moving. This time, I observed some practitioners fidgeting, thinking moving would clean their cakras faster. That is not so. You had a year to prepare. If you were careless, it is better not to join the anuṣṭhān course, as constant movement and rustling disturb others deeply in meditation, which is a sin. Today, you will have a test in the evening satsaṅg: sit in one āsana without moving for an hour. If you succeed, you may proceed. Tomorrow, sit for one and a half hours. If you cannot, you are very fit for Karma Yoga, and I will join you in that. Life is short, time passes quickly, and the destination is far. We strive to reach it through special techniques in Yoga in Daily Life: Anuṣṭhān, Cakra Śodhanam, Trikuṇṭī Sandhānam, Cidākāśa, Dhāraṇās, and other kriyās. These require discipline and body control. I convey this to our international bhaktas: the programs here are beautiful, and while some practices can be done at home, being here is unique. Perhaps you will come next year. I wish you all the best. For those where it is already night, good night.

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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