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Śrīdīp Nārāyaṇ Bhagavān kī devā dī devā, devā purīśāvā devā, ārādhi bhagavān, mādhvanujī bhagavān, satya sadātam dharma kī jaya. Today, our Ācāryajī, Chaujitwāle, Mādhav, Kṛṣṇajī, will give a lecture in English. He is a very good Paṇḍit. The subject is Sanātana Dharma. What is its meaning, and since when has it been there? It has been there since the time of Lord Śiva. I wish to speak briefly. Bhagavān Brahmā had four children: Sanak, Sanāt Kumār, Sanandan, and Sanātan. They are described in our śāstras as being like five-year-old children. There are two terms: first, sun, and second, sanātan. Sanātan sun means tapasyā—a person engaged in chanting mantra, fasting, and various disciplines. Those who stand in tapasyā follow Sanātana Dharma. Dharma is controlled by Paramatmā, who is not far from us but is very closely present within our physical body. How can I speak briefly? We speak of sattva. What is its meaning? We mix sattva-guṇa, then sattva bhojan, then sattva bhāva, then tapasyā. I am speaking to you because tapasyā depends on the sattva guṇa. What is sattva? Is it an immortal body or a mortal body? We are speaking of sattva śarīra. If we have a sattva śarīra, then we can enter into Paramātmā, as taught in the Bhagavad Gītā. How should we enter? Through Lord Brahmā, Lord Viṣṇu, Lord Śiva, we purify our physical body. Our body must be pure, like a diamond—clear everywhere, with no obstruction or blackness in our vision. Like a diamond, our body should be clear. The body is dependent on food, āhāra. Āhāra śuddhi leads to sattva śuddhi. There is a clue in the Vedic śāstra: āhāra śuddhi, sattva śuddhi. If we take pure food (śuddha bhojanam), then our physical body will become clear like a diamond. Then Paramātmā comes to us, and our dirtiness, our physical problems and impurities, are stopped. We must first have āhāra śuddhi, then sattva śuddhi. Our physical body will be very pure, and then we can enter into our Paramātmā and our Gurudev. This is called Sanātana Dharma; Āhāra Śuddhi is its basis. Āhāra śuddhi should lead us to Sanātana Dharma. Sanātana Dharma is very ancient, from a time when human life became possible on earth. Sanātana Dharma is natural Dharma. It has no foundation imposed as "you must do this." Only our behavior and our inherent nature (svabhāva) constitute Sanātana Dharma. From this, Sanātana Dharma is Śiva Dharma. Śiva was the first in this Brahmāṇḍa. I have read in many Purāṇas and Vedas. Among the Aṣṭādaśa Purāṇas (the 18 Purāṇas), Śivapurāṇa is counted separately. I wondered why it is different. It is because Śiva was the first person in this world and in this Brahmāṇḍa. Śivadharma, Śiva, ruled this Sanātana Dharma. Sanātana Dharma is very pure, very clear, and very peaceful. If we wish to enter it, our first duty is Āhāra Śuddhi. Āhāra Śuddhi, Sattva Śuddhi. Sattva Śuddhi, Dhruva Smṛti. When our diet is pure, then our intelligence (buddhi) and mind awaken. When our buddhi wakes up, then all Vedas and all holy books of Sanātana Dharma reveal to us what we are. Our intelligence must be pure, for Paramātmā and Gurudeva desire that a person be very pure. Then he will enter into the Sanātana. Sanātana means tapasyā. There are ten symbols of dharma. If we choose only one from these ten and behave accordingly—for example, "I will speak truth, that is my satya"—that is tapasyā. By slowly adhering to this one point, we will achieve our Sanātana Dharma. Our tapasyā will be successful. I give one example from the Upaniṣads. Imagine we are in a forest with no paths, only trees and wilderness. We do not understand where humans live. Then a bull comes. You should follow only that bull, for it will enter the family and the place where humans live. Similarly, there are ten dharma symbols. We follow only one, not all, in one lifetime. Sanātana Dharma is a very ancient dharma. Today, there are many dharmas, but they are all essentially Sanātana Dharma. They provide clues, create many ślokas and mantras. They originate from the Vedas. They are expressed in different languages because there were three communities on earth: deva, dāitya, and rākṣasa, who had three languages at that time. Their foundation was only the Veda. The Veda is based on Sanātana Dharma. Therefore, all dharmas today belong to Sanātana Dharma, not others. They are based on the Vedas. Bhagavān Śiva was and is the first person in the Brahmāṇḍa. Brahmā and Viṣṇu came after Śiva. Today, my speech is dependent on Sanātana Dharma—how we enter into it. I have told you very briefly, and I offer my speech. My Gurudev feeds. Thank you. Oṁ Sahanāvavatu, Oṁ Sahanobhunaktu, Oṁ Sahavīryaṁ Karavāvahai, Oṁ Tejasvināvadhītamastu, Oṁ Mā Vidviṣāvahai, Oṁ Asato Mā Sadgamaya, Oṁ Tamaso Mā Jyotirgamaya, Oṁ Mṛtyormā Amṛtaṁ Gamaya, Oṁ Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ... Holi Sadgurudev Kī Jai, Āj Ke Ānand Kī Jai. Swastina Indro Vṛthasra Vāha sastinapukha viśvevedāha sastinastachoh aristanemi sastinobṛhaspatērdadhatu dhyāo śānti antarikṣagoṅg śānti antarikṣagoṅg śānti pṛthivī śānti Śrī Hṛddhi Siddhi Sahitāya, Śrīman Mahāgaura Dīpataye Namaḥ. Today I am going to recite the Śiva Tāṇḍava Stotra. Galeva Lambya Lambita Ambu Janga Tunga Malikam. Dhamaddha maddha maddha manni nādhavaddha marvayam, Cakāra chandatāndavam tanotunah śiva-śivam. Jatākatāhasam brahmā brahmani limpanirjali. Vilolavi chivalari virāja mānamurdhani, Dhagadhaghadhaghajarallalātapattapāvake, Krishora Chandra Sekhara, Ratih Pratih Saramma, Maha Dharadharendra Nandini, Pramodha Mana Manase, Jatabhujanga Pingalas. Purātvarā Mariprabhā Vadambakumkumadravā Dhananjaya Sphuliṅgabha Nipita Pañcāśayakam Namāmi Limpanāyakam Garala Bhāla Paṭṭikā Dhaga Dhaga Dhagāchara Dhananjaya Huti Kṛta Prachaṇḍa Pañcāśayake Dharādharendra Nandinī Kuchāgra Chitra Patra Kapra Kalpanākaśilpinī Trilochanera Trimamaha Navina Megha Mandali Niruddha Duradharasphurath Kuhuni Siti Neetama Prabhanda Baddha Kandara Nilimpa Nirjari Dharasthanothu Krittisindhura Karanira Nidhana Bandhura Srim Jagaddhurandhara Praphulla Neela Pankha Japra Panchakalimaprabha. Valambī Kaṇṭhakaṇḍarī Ruciprā Baddhakaṇḍarā Samāracchidaṁ Purācchidaṁ Bhāvacchidaṁ Makacchidaṁ Gajacchidaṁ Dukacchidaṁ Tamantakacchidaṁ Bhaje Jayadvāda Bravībhramad Brahmad Bhujaṅgam Aśvasār Vinirgrhamad Kramāsurād Karālabhālā Uvyavad Dhimidhimidhimidvanam, Vidangatunga Mangalat, Siddhi Nārāyaṇa Bhagavān Kī Jaya, Devēśvara Mahādēva Kī Jaya, Mādhavānandjī Sadgurudēva Kī Jaya, Pūjyapāda Anantaśrī Vibhūṣita Paripūrṇikācāri. Brahmanist Sotrī Śrī Śrī Ek Hazārat Viśvaguru Mahāmaṇḍaleśwar Paramahaṁswāmī Śrī Maheśwaranjī Purījī Gurudeva Kī Jai, Siddhi Devaśwara Mahādeva Kī Jai. My adoration to the holy feet of our master, Gurudev. He gave me the topic of "What is yoga?" in connection with the previous lecture. Yoga is the process of realizing Sanātana Dharma. Sanātana Dharma is the eternal teaching valid for all mankind, regardless of country, race, or time. It is the root of human life. Vishwagurujī often says in his lectures that there are 8.4 million forms of living beings, and only human life allows us to realize the meaning of this existence and creation. The world is full of consciousness, but that consciousness is not aware of itself. In the material world—stone, rock, metal—there is consciousness that is part of Paramātmā, but it is totally unaware of its origin. As we proceed in evolution, there is a higher level of self-awareness, with the highest found in humans. The process of realizing the ātmā in us is yoga. This is the task of each human being. Unfortunately, in the modern world, this knowledge is lost, which is a great pity. People then cause harm to themselves and the world, bringing much suffering. Two very important principles are reincarnation and dharma. As long as these principles are taught and understood by different religions worldwide, human life will have its sense. It will lead people to uplift their understanding and to final realization. Without it, harm, cheating, and bad qualities prevail, creating more suffering. We are the authors of our destiny. Whatever happens in our life, we are 100% responsible. No one else is the reason for my suffering. Whatever I suffer, I am the cause. The process of yoga helps us understand that only we can make our own life better. Lucky are those who meet Gurū Dev in their life—the realized Gurū who has knowledge of ātmā and paramātmā, for only he can enlighten and awaken higher qualities in us. Otherwise, it rarely happens. Look at the millions of people in the West. They have all material backgrounds and facilities, yet they suffer often more than people in less developed countries. People in less developed countries are closer to nature. Closer to nature means closer to God. Closer to God means closer to knowledge. If the modern world does not start teaching the principles of reincarnation and karma—our responsibility for our life, the true path to knowledge and not mere enjoyment—then there will be more suffering. Suffering itself is a teaching with two meanings: it balances our karmic account, and it brings knowledge. Whatever bad we have done in the past needs to be paid off. I throw a stone at someone; I will get the stone back. It may be today, tomorrow, or after ten years, but it will come. The law of karma is mathematically exact; nothing fails. It is perfect. But we must realize we are the creators of what comes to us. Some people become extremists and fatalists, thinking everything is predestined: "I cannot do anything. Whatever happens has to happen." What is happening is the outcome of our past karmas. But what we do with that is our free choice. That is why Guru Dev comes—to show the light, the right thing to do. Without Guru Dev, it is difficult to understand. I can share a short personal reflection. I studied biology at university, where we learned about evolution and the theory of coacervates—how life developed from non-living matter. We were taught that once life began, we don't need God anymore, as biological laws suffice. But science is wrong. They think they know how life happened through powers like thunderstorms, but they have not created it in the laboratory and never will, because life is God-created. It did not happen by accident. When I passed that exam, I became a certified atheist, taught that God is unnecessary. I was a completely frustrated person because deep inside, something felt wrong; it did not make sense. Thanks to meeting Gurudev, everything changed. Only through his light could an atheist become a Sanātanī. A Sanātanī is a person who follows Sanātana Dharma and tries to realize higher knowledge and consciousness through yoga. Perhaps Gurudev's question was leading elsewhere: "What is yoga?" One possible definition is that yoga is the process of realizing Sanātana. When all people in the world become sanātanī—following ethical principles—there will be harmony, and human life will become successful. In India, we have a very good thing happening year after year: so many festivals, one following the other. In between, we work a little, but the main thing is we enjoy festivals. Soon, one of the main Hindu festivals, Diwali, will be celebrated. Diwali is the festival of light—not only physical light but also symbolic light. It is the day Lord Rāma returned from Śrī Laṅkā and was welcomed. Symbolically, the light people missed for months or years returned to the kingdom, for Rāma was a light—a perfect human and much more. This festival is celebrated annually over about five days. It involves socializing, bringing people together: families, society. People visit each other, celebrate together, and celebrate the divine light that symbolizes our inner ātmā. Outside, we light dīpas or candles, similar to Christmas candles on the tree. It is not only to celebrate light but to celebrate God's creation, which manifests as inner light, as the soul (ātmā). On this day, people come together, talk, and visit. In the evening, in villages, people place lights in front of their houses and gardens to symbolize welcoming Rāma—the personified God in human form, the perfect man, husband, king, and knowledge. This Diwali, we are happy to have Gurudev with us, as nearly every year. In Jatah Nasham, we will sit together. We have a special Diwali tree with many lights, and we hope Gurudev will give a nice Diwali satsaṅg with much light and blessing. Please, all who can manage, come here, celebrate Diwali with us, and enjoy the presence of Gurudev Śrī Deep Nārāyaṇ Bhagavān. Aki, Jai. Thank you. We will give one bhajan. Prasad dāite jāo, one bhajan only. Jai! God bless you.