Swamiji TV

Other links



Video details

Keep the flame still

A spiritual discourse on maintaining the sacred flame of life within daily householder and community practice.

"You are already a yogī. You possess that science, yet you seek yogic attainment."

"This flame is what we call our ātmā, our spirit, which then departs. So when this is happening, we must learn from it."

The lecturer addresses a gathering, weaving together themes from the Yoga in Daily Life system. He emphasizes the dignity of the householder path, advocating for marriage and family life as spiritually vital. Using the extended metaphor of an oil lamp, he explains the body, life force, and spirit, urging the daily practice of lighting a lamp and maintaining temple pūjā in āśramas to nurture collective spirituality and personal health. He shares personal anecdotes and practical instructions, concluding with blessings and travel plans.

Filming location: Slovenia

Om Purījī Mahādevakī, Devādhi Deva, Dev Purīṣa Mahādevakī, Ārādhi Bhagavān Śrī Dev Purīṣa Mahāprabhujī kī, Ārādhi Bhagavān Śrī Mādhavaṁjī Gurudevakī. We have learned a great deal in our yoga over many, many years. You have all practiced Yoga in Daily Life for a long time and continue to do so. Today, I tell you this: it is wonderful that you have practiced for so many years, but you are already a yogī. You possess that science, yet you seek yogic attainment. You have been teaching our people as yoga teachers. Of course, we control ourselves and must remain steady. But you practice, you understand, and you should continue. I tell you, even those who have practiced for only two or three years have achieved something, though their journey is not complete. You see, Yoga in Daily Life is very great, and our practices are excellent for our people and for others around the world where it is taught. This is the first point. Secondly, my dears, we always speak of Yoga in Daily Life. I always say there are thousands of great yogīs, sādhus, and gurus practicing. I respect them all. It is clear that all yogīs and sādhus are engaged in this. Some have certain techniques, others have different ones, but most are progressing toward spirituality, toward God. Therefore, there are many yoga centers and āśramas, like ours in many countries. We respect them greatly, practice, and teach. Similarly, in those same countries, many other teachers instruct sannyāsīs, or their guru guides them to practice specific things. They are all one, as Holy Gurujī said: one in all and all in one. In our world, gurus and sannyāsīs propagate that yoga is for that purpose. Some wish to study in colleges and universities. What are they seeking? There are two paths: one is science, which is very great. I am very happy about that; there is nothing wrong. All these scientific hopes are good, but when these professors pass away, we have only a photograph. They have done good and continue to do more. But secondly, there is a difference. That is Guru Par Brahma Viṣṇu Bhagavān. It is not only about worldly science; spirituality itself is a science. How many yogīs, sannyāsīs, gurus, or masters are learning it? They learn and become sannyāsīs. Many renounce their families, and they all contribute to spiritual life. In that life, we must... I am not teaching that you should not marry. I tell you: marry and give me more children! Yes. Your little children, whom you have taught well, are like Śiva, Brahmā, Viṣṇu. Their children come and go. It is not that if you do not marry, you will go to Parabrahma, to Brahma, to Ātmā. It is not like that. We must learn within our own mind, heart, and speech never to say anything sudden or unkind. That is not good; it causes everything to go away. So now I tell you: you all have your houses, your families, your relatives here and in other countries. It is good. You have a good house, an office, or something. We should have this. Otherwise, if we were only sannyāsīs and yogīs and did not marry, I think very quickly the world would have no people left. So it is very necessary to have children, to be married. Holy Gurujī always said that people who work, have families, and do everything in this world are greater than us. They give us food; they may give donations. Holy Gurujī said, "You are humans, our humans, you have a house, you live, and you have your children." But we say: no meat, no alcohol, do not go astray. Come home, be with parents and children. Give them good knowledge, all kinds of knowledge, study everything. This is very important, and in this case, it is what we all should do. It is said, and it was so. Even when I used to come to Europe, at that time many people performed their prayers here. Before eating, they sat with their families and spoke about Jesus or Islam. Muslims are still very strict and very good. The little children stand there; they are taught everything, good teachings. But now, we Hindus and Christians have lost our way. We must return to it. This is very important for you all, and also for all sādhus and sannyāsīs, that we must practice everything in this manner. For example, I tell you about this flame. What is this flame? The flame is for easing our life. You see, everyone, there is a glass lamp. Inside is oil. Then there is this wick, and from it comes the flame. So, one, two, three, then comes the fourth, the flame. From this comes the understanding that for life, there are five elements inside, and there is a life. This is your life. You see, everybody? Our life, our body, everything we have is here. Now, this oil... Where is your life? Our life is here in all these five elements, but within these five, it is inside our heart. From our navel, it came and will go. The flame comes from here to there. How long is a life? Life is when there is no more oil; then slowly, slowly... this will go, the fire will go. That means we have died, and there is no more. But where has the flame gone? That flame is what we call our ātmā, our spirit, which then departs. So when this is happening, we must learn from it. Every morning, when we get up, wash, and do whatever is needed, we should light a lamp. You can call it prārthanā, meditation, or anything. Look at Jesus or the Christians. In Christianity, they also have churches. In the church, they also have a light. This is a life. Now people are not doing this. In the morning, in Hindu homes, they also come to the mother. The mother, or sometimes the husband, but the mother is... Ladies are great. They do everything: light the lamp, cook, and so on. This is the morning flame; it is your life. I have said to you many times already: when we wake up, we say, "I am human." And then what? I step on the earth, my mother. I am water, light. And this is the flame of life for us all. Then you go about your day and go to work. But, of course, be careful. Do not light a flame and leave, as the fire could spread. There might be a cat or something in your house. Do not do this. Your dog, your cat, or something might cause trouble. Therefore, we must arrange things nicely so they do not break anything. Otherwise, only do it like this and then go, because in the house, a fire could start. So that is important. And when you come home again, we are delighted when the light is still there. One person told a story about a flame in India. He was standing near a river as the sun was setting. He was looking there, and what did he see? There was a temple, and in the temple was a veil. What happened? The sun was going down, and at that moment, there was a clicking sound. He looked to the other side and saw the pujārī lighting the lamp. He said, "The sun has gone down, but the flame has remained." It means I am sleeping, but I am alive. I live my life myself. And so, morning and evening, everyone should do this. This is number one. Number two: we have a temple in our āśrama, and we should have morning and evening pūjā or āratī with mantras. Let us say we cannot go every day, but we should organize in our āśramas that one person comes to perform the pūjā in the morning and another in the evening. So one person can come, or more can come, but we must maintain our āśrama, and life is real. Then you will see our spirituality will rise, and our health will improve. And always, our eyes... this flame is in the eyes. That is very, very important. So in our āśrama, every āśrama where we have people, they may not be able to come every day. We should decide each day who will come and who will not. For example, if someone cannot come because something happened, they should telephone: "Please come for pūjā because I could not." Now you will see, in our yoga, from here it was Yugoslavia. Yes, all of you. So that is yoga. You are all there, and you should do this. You have so many āśramas, and many, many people are doing pūjā. Then you will see again, many great things will emerge. Otherwise, many people will think, "Ah, now I will do something else, I will go there, I will do this." There are many negative things being discussed, but you know that you are so pure, so good, and that we must come together. This means you are here now. This is living. You are all living. And when the flame is gone, then we are gone. All five elements disperse. So this is for always, and it is for everybody. At least you know that when the dark night comes, everybody lights a lamp. Why do they make light first? The thing is like this: life is the life. This is what I wanted to give you: these instructions and practices. And do your mantra. The mantra is... and in the mantra is every mālā. This mālā, if one day you do not practice... You may not practice for a week or a month, but still, in your mala, it is going constantly: your exercises, your mantra, everything. This is already from my guru. My blessings and powers are there all the time. This is why we have them, because they are inside. Do not go outside. If you want to be out here, then put it inside. But this is our life, and we are constantly going there, thinking, "How far have I come? I will be here." This is your teaching today. You know, there is a little child who cannot sleep, or a child who wets the bed—perhaps ten days old or ten years old. I give you this example. In the evening, when the child comes to sleep, you should see him, see this flame, and then take it away. The next day, the child will not wet the bed. I have told this to many people. Yes, because this flame, this flame is prāṇa. For this, suddenly it comes many, many times. I told many people this in my childhood, about bed-wetting. On that day, it stops. Secondly, when your prāṇa is not good, look into the flame like this, close your eyes, and you have the flame inside. It gives you prāṇa, very, very much. But we should not become like this ourselves: now I am angry, other times I am not; sometimes it is this way, then it is not. This flame is not like that. This flame is as it is. We must go on. Never say it does not matter who tells you good or bad. You should be good. You should allow that if someone told me something bad, okay, but I will not do wrong. There are many such things. Then I am also angry, okay? But my anger is not in the heart. My anger is different. What kind of anger do we express? They say to a child, the mother and the little child. The child does something, then what? The mother will say, "Don't do that, child, this and that." But inside, she does not mean it. It is my child. Outwardly she says, "Don't do this and that," but she keeps the child in her heart. Like a little child and mother going shopping—the child is about eight or ten years old, or even one year old, and you hold the child's hand. What if something happens? The mother falls down. But if she falls, what will she do? With the child in her hand, she will break her fall with her other hand, but she will hold the child. She will not let go. Many times it is said, "You are telling somebody this?" Did you say that? When the child falls, you will fall to the other side too, but always the mother holds the child in that way. That is the mother, or the father should be also. The father should be, but the father might break his legs because they are others. So in this way, if we are in Brahma, in God, or Jesus, or whatever you see, then you are never angry anywhere, nor do you wish to say this or that. Of course, when they act like this, they have not yet learned. They do not know. Therefore, it is said when something happens, what should you drink? Cold water. Okay? When somebody is drinking something, then a little water automatically brings peace. But you can also make hot water like this, which comes from inside. So learn and learn. You have learned from your gurus, your disciples, your friends, your husband, or your wife. We must, otherwise this flame will go like this, like this. And if it is like this, it is like that. This is what I wanted to convey in this lecture, and next time I come, I have many, many things to share. I wish you all the best. As long as you have to go, you can go many kilometers. You are going. So I wish you all the best, my dears, and from my side, I wish you all. We will all now, every day, consider these problems in the world. We should ourselves become one. We should become one, and we cannot tell humans, "Don't speak." We tell God, "My Lord, only my Father, you can do." That is it. And so we will become clean, clean, and clean—the whole body, everything, and knowledge. What you have is you. This is "Know your knowledge"—negative, but good. I am, and so early morning we should say, "I am a human, and a human should not cry and not ask why." And I stand on the earth, my earth, on my mother. Two mothers: one is the birth mother, and the earth mother, and boda jīvotā, boda jīvotā. Water is life, living, and as long as this water is living, this will live. So, my dear, I am going to India after a few days and will stay there for one or two months. Perhaps I will go to Australia and New Zealand, and to many other places, or maybe only a few times. One of my disciples, a very great yogī who lived long in India, in the Himalayas, has unfortunately contracted a disease. He may live for two months. But still, he always says, "Gurudev, I am everything, and this." I have five sannyāsī disciples in Australia, and perhaps I will go because he is going; I have to go to him to give that, like this. If it is impossible, so everywhere is... wherever I go, and you see me here in Europe, you see how many times. Sometimes for two years they could not see me, but they said, "Gurudev, we see you all the time in our sleep or in this." And I also, I am not only that one, but all. And now here you all are; you are all my one, and one of my... all are you. So we should not cause each other any kind of problems or negativity. You should become one. Then when one is, we are only one. Only the body is like this, but we are all one. And when you see negatives like this, then you have destroyed your whole being again. The whole being, yes, there are. It does not matter: man or woman, young or old, boys, people, teacher or no teacher. Then there are problems, big problems. So do not say, "No, that's like this." Then why are these people going away? Some people go there. I go to my disciples in my countries, see how much they are cooking. There are many, many people every day at home who perform pūjā, and first they say, "Prasād Gurujī," and then after, so everything is there. I wish you all, my dears, and when I come soon, I will be with you. But you should tell me, please, all the time. Something, not everybody, but some people, yes, we are okay. We are okay with this, and we do our best. Mother and Father's blessings. Jai Om. Om...

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:

Email Notifications

You are welcome to subscribe to the Swamiji.tv Live Webcast announcements.

Contact Us

If you have any comments or technical problems with swamiji.tv website, please send us an email.

Download App

YouTube Channel