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The importance of yoga dress

A spiritual teacher addresses a gathering on tradition, respect, and practice.

"According to our tradition, the Satguru is our Bhagavān: Śrī Dīp Nārāyaṇ, Mahāprabhujī, Devpurījī."

"I have told you many times, for at least 20 years, that all disciples of our Yoga in Daily Life should have this dress."

Swami Maheshvaranand speaks to practitioners, emphasizing reverence for the guru lineage during a holy period. He discusses the spiritual significance of traditional attire, urging modesty, while acknowledging personal choice. He then announces future ceremonies for Om Ashram and explains, through the metaphor of Lord Shiva and his bull Nandi, a protocol for making offerings and prayers.

Filming location: Strilky, Czech Republic

Sisters, brothers, devotees, practitioners of sādhanā—we are all very great. According to our tradition, the Satguru is our Bhagavān: Śrī Dīp Nārāyaṇ, Mahāprabhujī, Devpurījī. Mahāprabhujī entrusted me with the work of helping and making Ajay my disciple. Yet, I still hold my Gurudev as the greatest. All Gurujīs, not only ours, are to be revered, especially during these holy days. This period, about one and a half months now, has been significant. Yesterday and today were among the best. We have spoken with Umā Purī and Maṅsā Devī, and all was very nice, very good. You know I have been in this country for about 56 years, and we have done many things. Our path is not only yoga, not merely exercises. You know that Mahāprabhujī, Swami Madhavānandjī, said: "Maheśvarānand, exercise is okay, but you have to go further, five speeds beyond that." I have told you many times, for at least 20 years, that all disciples of our Yoga in Daily Life should have this dress. Many of you still do. This dress, like that of Alak Purījī, Devpurījī, Mahāprabhujī, the holy Gurujī, and myself—it is not just clothing. It is a screen of ourselves, a screen. This is what it is. Why is it like this? It is very good; we must have it. I know that in the whole world, styles change every year or two. I tell you, of course it is your choice; you can do what you want. I have been in India this whole year, and in other countries, and I see what people are doing. Those who make dresses cut them, and everyone takes them, and we all follow. Respect humans, human respect. Even many animals know their own nature. So, I am very sorry. What I say may make you angry with me, I tell you. Please, thank you. At the very least, we should have clothing that comes a little below the knee, okay? The knee, but not above. It is not good. It is not good. And then it will be just one small thing, nothing else. It is like that. I am sorry to say this again and again, but you know that here in this country, our yoga people are doing exactly this. So please, from today, I can give you this respect: we should have a good dress and good color. When we finish our exercises, when you are all doing yoga, one, two, everything is there. And sometimes something can happen, like water, this. My dears, you can do it. It is yours. But I would like to see it brought back again. We will bring it back in the... There are people in yoga in Austria, India—not non-Indian, Indian—they have also started making yoga like this. "My God, my clothes like this." Indians adopted it because you Indians are doing it. You can do it at home. You can go in the street like this, but in our yoga and our āśrams, we will be very great. We should go in the family, and also in other countries and in the street. We will have our own standard. We will say, "Oh, you are not dressed properly." You will say, "Thank you very much." It was only half. My life has been like this. Something. Thank you very much. This is all I told you. Thank you very much for coming. We have very little time, and this is the number one and the number four point for us. I think in one year, we will have ceremonies for our Om Ashram. It will be very great. For five days there will be many programs: many bhajans, śikṣā, many, many nights. All people will come, and you will be very welcome. There is a place, and sometime we will acquire more land to make it nice. It will be very good. There I will be sitting in meditation—my meditation is like this. There will be pūjā, very nice pūjā. You know Bhagavān Śiva. Śiva is the Śiva. But you know, Shiva itself. When you say Shiva, then I give, you give, you give to Shiva, Bhagavān Śiva. Then we'll say it: "Nandī, Nandī, yeah, Nandī." So Nandī should come and tell Śivajī, like your professor, your ambassador, or somebody. And he, his other person, will tell him, "Bring this, then, or this." No, yes, like a President. Your president has another person. He will bring the letter and give it to him like this. And see how, until he will not give it to you, they will not give it back still. You know that? Yes or no? Yeah. So, like this, that Shiva and Nandīśvara, Nandi. Nandi is a very big, very great being, and he is sitting there. We have one of like this height. He said, "Be happy." How did you say you're out? Stand up. You know, have you seen? Okay, you will see. That is very great. So he sees outside from the Śiva Āśram. He looked to Mahāprabhujī, somebody there, or Gurujī, and then the same also with Śiva up there. And Nandi, he comes, and people have to come, all people, and then they speak in his ear, please, for Śiva. And then Śiva will come to the Nandeśvara. So, Śiva and Nandeśvara. I had—I was, last year, years—I tried very much, and I got something for you all. You will go and make praṇām, do some things. You will say that you are the best in you. How is it that then you will go? First, you go to praṇām to this (Nandi), and then you go there (to Shiva). All Indians, all who want to, they go to them. And when there is something, they go to the Nandi, and then they should make the message. It will go there automatically.

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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