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The Beauty of Unity: A Gathering in Strilky

A spiritual address at an ashram gathering.

"I have been around the world... I asked around the world, all yoga-in-life people and other yoga people, those who do not eat meat. How many of them were affected by the coronavirus?"

"We should respect each other... So we are sitting here from different countries, different faces, etc. But we are here, together. That is beauty. Therefore, it is Sanātana Dharma."

A spiritual teacher addresses a diverse international group at an ashram. He shares observations on the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting a link between a sattvic lifestyle and well-being, and emphasizes the importance of unity, respecting all spiritual paths, and maintaining a positive inner state. The talk includes personal anecdotes, an invitation for shared laughter, and an outline of the upcoming spiritual program.

Filming location: Strilky, Czech Republic

Oṁ Śabdhas Prabhusaran Paras. Oṁ Manasiri Prabhudīpa. Aum Śrī Dās Prabhu Śaraṇ Parāyaṇam Namaḥ Śrī Prabhu Dīpa Nārāyaṇam Haṁsabhā Dās Prabhu Śaraṇ Parāyaṇam Namaḥ Śrī Prabhu Dīpa Nārāyaṇam Hamsabhādās Prabhusaran Parāyaṇ Om Śrī Prabhu Dīpa Hamsabhādās Prabhusaran Parāyaṇa Om Mausirī Prabhudīpa Śrīdīp Nārāyaṇ Bhagavān Kī Jai Devādhī Dev Deveśvara Mahādeva Kī Jai Āradhī Bhagavān Satguru Svāmī Madhvanājī Bhagavān Kī Jayā, Alak Gurujī Mahādeva Kī Jayā. Om Śānti, Śānti, Śānti. With the blessings of our Guru Paramparā, I wish you and welcome you, beautiful ones, today. I was looking forward to seeing you again. Some have seen me now after how many months? Since December. I know that you have all been practicing your yoga in daily life. I see on you that you have practiced and that you have helped each other, and we all come here to this very holy place. Here has been our Bhagavān Swāmī Madhavānandajī Bhagavān. You could see, I can see sometimes how he was moving, walking here and there. Our ashram is so pure, very clean, and it has no negative energy from the other side at all. I have been around the world. After, you know, we all experienced this, what we call this corona, and it happens. We do not know why and how it happened, but it is said it is the Kali Yuga; the end of the Kali Yuga is coming now. You know that from November it already began, and it was in the whole world. No one could think that such a thing could happen. Now, still we do not know why, but immediately on that day I told everyone this is happening only to the humans. Not any animals. In my thinking, I was considering that because all other animals and humans—how much they are torturing them. Many people, they are burning animals' lives, and not completely; one leg burning, then the second burning. This torturing is not good. I think all these animals who are tortured are very much in pain. Perhaps they would say to God, "God, please, why are you torturing us? What have we done?" They said, "Please, give something in this Kali Yuga for humans to suffer." And it has come. It is all animals; no one is suffering from the corona. Second, I have been asking around the world, from our bhaktas and from others, how many humans are eating only vegetarian food, who are not torturing animals, who are practicing yoga, meditation, prayers towards God—everything. They have not been affected very much by this corona. So I asked around the world, all yoga-in-life people and other yoga people, those who do not eat meat. How many of them were affected by the coronavirus? I asked around Europe also, and the yoga practitioners and vegetarians were not affected, maybe one or two, something like that. Those who practice yoga and are vegetarians, they did not get infected, maybe one, two, a little. And do you know that our yoga people, our yogīs who are not eating meat and this and that, do you have or do you know some who were affected by this corona? Do you know of anyone among us who practices yoga and does not eat meat, that they had any serious course of that coronavirus infection? You are from many different countries. So please raise your hand up. Who was that in our Yogānanda life or other really sāttvic? Hand up if they had a corona. So two people, yes? You were attacked? No, you did not attack. Otherwise, you would not live now. You are alive. Gayatri from? From Lín. Gayatri from Lín. Is she dead? Did she die? No, yeah, then the air is coming. So it is definitely when the air is very cold, and you have good clothing, but sometimes still you feel it is very cold. So if you did not follow the rules, then definitely you are also affected. And still, we know that things can happen. But definitely, you are so humble, so spiritual, so very clear, and this, you will not be affected like that. But when you are not following, then, of course, it happens like that. But many, you can see around the world, this I hear only—you are Czech. Yes, Czech is okay. Can you? Also, Czech. Okay. So this was something they were cursing everywhere. They did not follow the instructions. So, in that same way, did you see in some of your house who was eating meat and this, and you are there? Maybe due to you, that person is also not affected. Because you are spreading such a nice spiritual raise, so the other person will also be protected. Because you spread such a spiritual vibration into which you include the other person. Then we know if it is really a real person doing the vegan eating. They also have their effect, and not very much. So, my dear, we have in this Kali Yuga, in Kali Yuga, on the spot like this now, it is in Satya Yuga. So, what does that mean, that Satya Yuga? I mean, still, it is a Kali Yuga. But inside, there are spots which are not affected very much by Kali Yuga. Many people now come towards vegetarianism. Many people have some kind of very, very beautiful thinking. So in this way, around the world, so many bhaktas are treated. And I was praying always. I always said, "Mahāprabhujī, Gurujī," in my old prayers. Everywhere I was praying for you all. So I am very happy to see you healthy, happy, and relaxed, but I see that all of you are not talking anymore. Yes, it has an effect. Not that, because of this, we have the language and we do not want to speak. But we can talk any time. So, last week, the whole group who was here, so many like you, they came depressed. And then about satsaṅgs, bhajans, our lectures, our sādhanās, they were not in the depression. So do not worry. Be happy. That is it. And, you know, long, long ago, about, let us say, 25 years or something, in San Francisco, there was some little conference, all yoga centers. And some organizers, they come to know that I am there, so they call me also, "Please come." And so, like everywhere, there are many, many yoga centers. They bring their yoga books and this and that, and practice, and many things. It is very important that any person practicing yoga anywhere, we should support them. Not only yoga in their life, only yoga in their life, no. Yoga is one. But some masters, some disciples, some yoga practitioners, they are giving their name. Why not? So we have many, many yogīs, and they gave the name to their path. And when there are so many different kinds... it is beautiful. You see how many trees here, how beautiful and very big. But every tree is different, that is the beauty. So we should not say only yoga, that is all. We have many: Sivananda yoga, Yogananda yoga, yoga, and our Yoga in Daily Life. And many, many others, so why not? They are good, they are very happy. We should respect each other. That is it. It is like one little village or big city, it does not matter. A small village or a big city. And you are one family. And a husband with a wife have a child. And down the street, a child is also born to a couple. So the whole city or village, they are giving children. And how beautiful it is. We will not say everyone, only this one child is good; the others we do not want. When we come to the kindergarten, how beautiful it all is. When we go to the school, how many are coming, and how everyone is coming, and having another view to think, the face, etc. So we are sitting here from different countries, different faces, etc. But we are here, together. That is beauty. Therefore, it is Sanātana Dharma. Sanātana Dharma is everlasting. It will be ever and ever, because it is not only one. So we should respect everyone. One has a big company or factory, and another has a little factory or little work. Let them work and live. Similarly, in the world there are so many yogas. In the world there are so many different yogas. And it is up to us to respect them all. If someone among them is not saying something completely good, so in this way I was in San Francisco and there was a podium, and they invited me in about 20 minutes to give some lecture. And there were many, many shops. So, some were listening to my lectures, some not. They were good. And someone listened to my lecture, and someone just walked around in order. Once I had a lecture in Czech. There was also a very big, like this in your country, so it was very good. There were many people from yoga in their life in Prague, and also they asked me to speak, and I was talking 10-20 minutes. So we meet each other. We are coming together. And many people give the name of yoga. So yoga is yoga, one, but the name is different. A human is a human, but we have our names. So we should come together. What I want to tell you, I put a point because everyone is silent and depressed. On that subject, I was telling. In the aeroplane I came, it was also like this. When I come to the airport in New Delhi, all were sitting like this. I landed in Germany. Again, there was also a crisis. I came to Vienna. Always they were asking for passports and things like this. They said, "OK, yes." And when I tried to come, they said, "No, no, it is okay." Well, also here. So not last week, but one week before. I gave this lecture here. So there is one man, now he has become about 70 years or something, 70, 80. In San Francisco. And he came to me when he saw me, only I was in an orange dress. And when he saw me there in San Francisco, I had the only orange dress, so he came to me. There were many different groups, and one Indian came and he saw me. So you know that the deer go towards the deer. And you know that the deer go towards the deer. And birds go to the bird's side, rabbits go to the rabbit's side, so an Indian came to me. He came and he gave, from his pocket, he gave me some dollars and made me praṇām. It is a tradition: if you meet some sādhus or sannyāsīs, then you give something, and then pronounce, it means respect, and so on. And he said, "Swamiji, I am doing something." And I came here to make the people something. And he said to me, "I will show you, Swamijī. I am a yogī also." I said, "Perfect, very good." And then he said, "I am making all happy." And all will be happy and relaxed. I said, "How? Just now." And around me, all will be relaxed. That is my yoga. Very good. So he said, "And now you know this many." Around the world, people know this now, and that is called laughing. Do you know a hand up with somebody? Now look, my God. Look at this. They are already laughing. So also, he comes now to some yoga conference in India. And he comes to an aeroplane, and in the aeroplane he said, "I will make you happy." And some look, my God. So how does he say it? How happy it makes them, okay? So many of you know now. Then let us make us all happy now, okay? How? One, two. Three. Little cannot get out. But just keep it inside of you, because people will be angry. Because when we laugh, maybe something comes from us. So, keep it inside without mouth? So how can we laugh without opening the mouth? So I have, I told, techniques for that. So we will make, but mouth closed. Mouth closed. So, the corona must finish in the mouth. So, once more. Oh, you are like a house, horse. A horse yoga. So, we are here, and we will have our programs. We know all our programs, what we have. You have got a paper. And we are lucky, for some days it will be nice sun, they said. So, as we know, we are always coming and knowing and thinking of our inner side. So what we give inside to our side, to us, inside, giving us insight. That is, what is happening in us is happening inside us. Dormant, and which our sādhanās, what we will do, is awakening within ourselves peace, harmony, understanding, and all good things. And through that sādhanā, which we will engage in here, it will be awakened, it will awaken within us. Awakening peace and that positive for which we stand. We manifest something outwardly and others also manifest in some way. And that together collectively creates a certain atmosphere among us. Good or bad feelings are within ourselves. And that we can change those negatives, depressions, and we bring from inside also happiness, joy, etc. And so, there are many gurus in the world. And it is the greatest thing, that there are so many gurus in the world. Now, one guru is coming from the north, one is coming from the south, etc. But all will come to that one point. And so all have different paths. Some are on a highway. Some are on only one road. One came by aeroplane, one came by car, one came by cycle, etc. One day we had a lot of rain; the other side was very clean, sunny. So you know difficulties: east, west, north, south. But all we are the same; our aim is that, and that aim is only where we are going now. And so we are here on this spot, in our āśram, Strilky. So similarly, there are so many masters, gurus, and we should adore them. But we should know, it is a paramparā. Paramparā means the one after the other, their gurus. We are there like Sapta-ṛṣis. And this is from Satyugas and a long time. And residents now of the Sapta-ṛṣis, we call in India, and this, there are seven stars. And I do not know if you see somebody else, but our astrology said these are the seven ṛṣis. And in India, it is said that the seed of the seven ṛṣis is seven stars. I do not know if there is such an astrology here, but according to Indian astrology, it is seven specific stars in the sky. And from them, ṛṣis, they come, more ṛṣis, they come. So, for example, we know now our Ālak Purī Jīho. And there is a lot of knowledge given by one great person, Kāvīkālidāsa. And thanks to Kāvīkalīdāsa we learned a lot. He was three years, three hundred years before Christ, Kālikālidāsa. He lived 300 years before Christ, this Kavidās. And so he wrote many things about Alakpurījī. There is a little bit of a language difference. They said Alkapuri. We say Alakapurījī. That is different. And a large part of the Himalayas is Alakpuri G's. And called Alakpuri glaciers. And it is Alakpuri G's capital there. But it means spread it more, more in the Himalayas. Many books and many literatures you can see about Ālakpurījī. Alakpurījī was of the Satya Yuga, and he was very close to Śiva. And so from the Ālakpurījī, I do not know how many disciples he had, maybe a million. But I do not know, but I know that there is one river, Alaknanda River. But I know that there is one river, it is called Alaknanda. It comes and comes to the Bhagīrathī and Alaknandā. Then becomes the Gaṅgā. And there are many other rivers coming there together. So the ṛṣis are this, but they must not be only in the Himalayas. It can be in many other countries, anywhere. And therefore, we should respect all. But if it is our paramparā, then it does not matter from which direction you come, but we come here. And so, from Alakpurījī still to us now, today, here. Devpurījī, Mahāprabhujī, and our holy gurujīs, and we all together. You are the great. I am little great. So I learn from you, and you learn from me. Because we are one drop, and from this one drop we become a big river. And we come to the ocean. So we are here all like brothers, sisters, guru, disciples, etc. We should never say that I am the great, I am this, okay. Somebody will say this. I said, "Yes, you are very great." And again I said, "Yes, you are great." I said, "OK, but you know, you are great. I make him more great. The balloon is expanding, so please do not put too much air inside." So we are the same. So, yoga in daily life. It is our paramparā. Now, you have your father and mother. And then you go somewhere else, to the other families. You can go to other families anywhere. But you are the child of that father and mother. And the reality of your child, it is said, who knows Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa, they understand what is the Bhagavad Gītā. What Krishna knows, that is the Bhagavad Gītā. Others who do not write, how they died, we do not know. And mothers know who your father is. Nobody knows otherwise. Similarly, your guru is your guru. When you got the mantra blessing, only once he even said, "You like that blessing, you became that." But every guru, you can go to satsaṅg, listen to something, but it is not that now my Gurujī is out, I go to that guru. That is wrong. So, similarly, it is a freedom. That is Sanātana. We should not say, "No, this is not good, and this is terrible. No, no, no." How do you know? As long as you say that is not good and that is bad, and that is you are a dark. But negative or positive? So, do you want negative or positive now? Yes, please. Negative. This is negative. And that negative we have in the mouth, yeah. It means do not talk too much. And on that day when you will be, that from your guru you have accepted, you very much, then you become light. So you can go anywhere where there is darkness. But the knowledge of your guru is the torchlight, and it will show you all the time light; all dark will disappear. So we will have our sādhanā. We begin always from the roots, so first, they are the first children, and children is—children is tomorrow, the day of tomorrow, what we call the future of tomorrow, the future of tomorrow. So we have to take care of our children very nicely. And who will teach me with the children, tell them something, one word of yoga. One word. So they will listen, and they will come. So that those who will take care of this will give the children happiness, joy, peace, harmony, understanding, and great humility, good things. So you, who work with children, give them love, understanding, happiness, joy, humility, good things. Then, the second is called Yoga Karma Sukauśalam, Bhagavad Gītā. Bhagavad Gītā is called Yoga Sukoshalam. So karma is the best. Or, the best is karma. You will be successful if you are doing this karma yoga. So that is the second step, the first one and second. So, please, ruhík. And so, this is two. And third is learning yoga. And we are teaching the yoga, and this is the third step. And this will be very good, and then we have the fourth class. That there is some of our yoga teachers, yoga in their life, and they will give you the yoga in their life teachers' instructions, that you become a yoga in their life teacher. And the fifth is our Anuṣṭhān, what is that? Kriyā Anuṣṭhān. So this is five, five prāṇas. Five, that is called the body: Prāṇamaya Kośa. First the Annamaya Kośa, Prāṇamaya Kośa, Manomaya Kośa, Vijñānamaya Kośa, and Ānandamaya Kośa. So this is our beautiful program for you, and we know which teacher will be with you. They have given all the Gaṅgā and Yamunā and Jamunā, and all are there. And the program will be nice. I am very happy to see you. Shrī Deep Nāyan Bhagavān kī Devajī Dev, Deveśwar Mahādev, Satguru Swāmī Madhavān jī Bhagavān kī.

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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