TV Channel

Today we observe the day of our Mahāprabhujī's Mahāśramādhi, his Brahmalīna. Brahmalīna: 'Brahma' means Brahman, the highest consciousness. It signifies that the ātmā, the soul, enters into oneness with the whole universe. In that form, they are present on every level of vision on this earth, for all animals and, of course, for all humans. We receive more light from the bhaktas. The sun gives light, but some people have closed doors or windows, so no light enters. Where windows are open, there is light. So, we still carry within ourselves this bhakti, devotion, and memories. In the truest sense, not only Mahāprabhujī but all great souls are still with us. It is said there are two things to consider. One is: why do we cry? Why do we cry when someone dies? For long days, months, and years, we feel deeply in the heart that we have lost that person. On the other hand, we speak of dying and going away as if everything ends. But for those great souls or yogīs—it doesn't matter how we phrase it—those who have attained ātmā jñāna, it is different. Ātmā jñāna is of two kinds. One is the Ātmā Jñāna we believe we have understood. We think, "I have understood Ātmā Jñāna; I possess it." Yet, in one minute, we can lose that Ātmā Jñāna through some kind of conflict. Suddenly, you are a very good friend, a husband and wife, very happy. Suddenly, after eating and dining, the wife says, "I am sorry to tell you, but now I will go away. I will not be with you." How happy it was, having dinner and everything. He did not know, but she did not know either. And now he says, "I am going, bye-bye." Immediately, how happy she was, and how unhappy she becomes minute by minute. So it is with Ātmā Jñāna. We think, "I am spiritual, I know everything." Yes, you are. But within, like this, it can be gone. The second ātmā-jñāna is that of the final moments of life. Then we are in Brahmaloka. That is why it is not good if someone says, "Now I am spiritually well enough, I need not do my mālā." Those who grow in sense understand this. There is another point. When these great saints are in Brahmaloka, why do we cry? We are constantly remembering them, so we are bringing them back. No, the Brahman is always present. It is only that we feel our emotion, our bhakti, and therefore we remember. When we go to the graveyard of our grandparents or someone who died, we go there, offer flowers, and light a lamp. The person died 80 years ago, but still we are there, searching for them. Yes, he or she is there in memory. As spiritual masters, they are with us. Gurujī always used to say that our Mahāprabhujī, our master, or your mother, your father, they are with us. They are all with us, but when they left this body, we became sad. It is said that your father, your mother, your child—your wife, I don't know if she will be with you or not. Boys, be ready. And every lady, every girl should be ready, for you don't know when your husband will jump out. But your father, mother, because there is blood connection, that is certain. With that blood, ages and ages will go together. So, it is said they were with us, and when they died, we said, "They died," okay. They died, and now they are within you. Before, they were with you; now they are in your heart, in your feelings. That is the difference. Therefore, we should remember our ancestors and everyone. Also, our friends we should remember. For example, there are many. But I tell you today of our dear Rādhā. Her father was so friendly; anyone who was a little unhappy, he would make them laugh. This is so very nice. I remember him so much, so much. Of course, she remembers her father definitely, but I liked him very, very much. That is how we are present, like that. It is very important. So we are here to remember Mahāprabhujī, and we would like to have more of his light within our heart. He is with us. He will be. He will help us. But of course, his duty is not merely that we make a mistake and he makes it better, and we make another mistake and he makes it better. That is what we have to do ourselves. Today, all over the world—in Africa, in America, in Canada, in New Zealand, in Fiji, in China, in many other countries, and all over Europe and India—can you remember? It is like a light. For example, Jesus. How long? Nearly two thousand years. But you see, we are still remembering him. This is with us. He will not say, "Come and worship me, please. No, make the light, no." If we are doing that, does it mean that love is there all the time? And if that love is there, then you are eternally with us. Jesus was long, long ago, but still, if we have devotion, then he is in our heart forever. But if you do not, then your heart becomes hard, both heart and life. God is only one, but manifests differently throughout the whole. The world is eternally endless, and finally, there is only one door. It doesn't matter how you will come, from one direction or another. We came through this one door, and we will go again through that one door. We are here. Dualism is destroying everything. "My God, your God, their God, this God, they are Rākṣasas, they are this." It means these people have within themselves a kind of duality, and therefore God does not want to accept them. Do you think God will say they are devils? Did Jesus say that always? No. Mahāprabhujī said no. Krishna said no. Rāma said no. All in all, no. But we are making a difference, and that is why we are suffering. So this day we remember Mahāprabhujī in our whole being—in our body, mind, consciousness, in everything. Thank you for coming to remember our Mahāprabhujī. He is always, always with us. Memory is always there. It is said in one poem: "I have forgotten half, and half others." But it is said this body will disappear, but we will not disappear. When it is burnt, the ash will flow away, but we are there. There is a beautiful, somewhat private thing there. My dear, I know it is very late now. Many are going; they have to come back from other countries. Thank you. On this day of Mahāprabhujī's Mahāsamādhi, someone gave a donation. What is a donation? Money? Not only money. Devotion. Devotion, and what? Donation? So we are giving devotion from our heart. It is devotion and devotion. There are some people trying and trying, looking for the right time. Many people are throwing arrows, birds running away, but one who is very constant, days and days and nights and minutes, exactly, then we are there. So I would like to mention our dear sister Brigitte. Yes, the strawberry. She made so many nice books. All our best books go through her hands. After her, we will continue. So she will walk, and she gives the donation to Mahāprabhujī's holy... near to Mahāprabhujī's... And where Swāmīs have repeatedly maintained this light and carried it on. Just as Swāmījī has now passed on this knowledge to us in many lectures. At any time, in any culture, it is, of course, adapted to the cultural situations. But it is a matter that really encompasses all areas of life. Swāmījī spoke today about the window where you should let the light in. In this case, there are many, many windows in the book that bring in the light. If you understand what these things mean and if you implement them, or try to implement them as well as possible, then it brings the light into yourself. That is what it is about. We have to feel the light within ourselves, and then a lot has already been gained. You cannot do much more. This book is a great help, and we have to thank Swāmījī. Swāmījī, we have to thank you that this book was created with the help of Rādhā, for example, who wrote it down and implemented it. This is also an incredible work that we can only be thankful for. There is no other way. So I can only recommend to everyone: if you read this book—and you do not have to read the whole book; there are 450 pages; we kept the writing a little bigger so it is easier to read—you should just let it play into you. The moment the inner self begins to absorb it, the inner self already knows it; you just have to open it. These texts bring this knowledge, and when you are open, then it also grabs you, and you can implement it. So I wish everyone who takes this book that they have these experiences. You do not have to read a whole book. You can read a text every day, or a text in the week; you can also read a text in the year. If you only keep one text, it is already a very big thing. I think Swāmījī will oblige me to do so. Okay, and now I can hand over to Swāmījī. I am looking forward to the Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali. Patañjali, I can only say, we are living now, especially in this year. Now is the time when we are waiting for the light. In Christianity, we are waiting for the birth of Jesus, who stands for the light, who brings the light, who is the light. In all cultures, there is this light that is celebrated when it comes back. In parallel, the sun is also understood as rising again. That means all of nature is also focused on it. It is a time where we can find more stillness within ourselves and also discover the light inside. These are things more valuable than anything else we can do externally. We can build up the whole thing. I do not know how many things we experience, look at, and practice; I do not know what all. But now is the time to go inward and to find this inner light. I hope that many of you practice yoga; it is a great help if you want to find this light. You can really find it; it is a very nice experience. I only recommend to everyone that they work on it every day. Okay, Swāmījī, will you release me now? Okay, thank you.