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Śrī Dīp Nārāyaṇ Bhagavān Kī Jai! Śaḍaśiva Śaṅkara Bhagavān Kī Jai! Alak Puruṣa Mahādeva Kī Jai! Deveśvara Mahādeva Kī Jai! Deep Nārāyaṇ Bhagavān Kī Jai! Dharmaṁ Sambharāchāt Guru Svāmī Madhavānandajī Bhagavān Kī Jai! Satya Guru Bhagavān Śaṅkarācārya kī Satya Sanātana Dharma kī ṛtā. From Śrī Devpurī’s āśram in Dungong, Australia, to all bhaktas, every āśram of Mahāprabhujī, all the centers around the world, to yoga and daily life, to all spiritual seekers, brothers and sisters—it does not matter which spiritual path you are following—I bless you on this holy occasion of Guru Pūrṇimā. What does Guru Pūrṇimā mean? Another occasion is that we are successfully completing the calendar year 2009, and in a few hours here in Australia we will begin the new calendar year 2010. But the counting of time is from the ages: yugas, manvantaras, kalpas. This means from when this planet was created, when Sadāśiva, Svayaṁbhū, Śiva manifested. He is the one who manifested himself from this universe, with no mother and no father; he is the first creator of everything. The right constellation to count astronomy or astrology, the centuries or yugas, is counted according to those yugas' times. It is called the time of Brahmā, the time of the Devas, the time of the Goddess, and the time of the human, or of this planet Earth. But for our daily work, it is easier for us to have some clear lines that everyone can understand. So we count twelve months, beginning from the end of December this year. Also, according to Christianity, this year is counted from the birth of Jesus. But in the Jewish religion, which is also very ancient, there is a different new year, a different new year time—if I am not wrong, somewhere in November or October. Also, according to the Vedic Dharma and Hindu Dharma, Vikram Samvat 2066 is running. And according to Islam, there is a different new year and years. The Buddhists also like to count it, and the Jainas also begin to count it. And Yogananda’s life also begins to count it. So, it is good. Everyone should celebrate their birthday. We cannot celebrate the birthday of all on the same day, right? That is it. But why today? Especially Thursday, Jupiter, Guru, and full moon, Pūrṇā, completeness. And it happened that the new year begins. It must be some good constellation, and I can tell you, and I pray that the coming year will be spiritual and very good. For that, I wish you a happy birth and a happy new year. First of all, I wish you a happy, healthy, harmonious, and successful year in every aspect, coming here for you. In the name of Alak Purījī Siddha Pīṭha, as a Pīṭhādhiśvara, I bless you all for this new year. Happy New Year. Guru Pūrṇimā is mostly understood in India as the birth of the great sage Vedavyāsa. Ved Vyāsa—you can read about him in the Mahābhārata; he also belongs to the dynasty of the Kauravas and Pāṇḍavas. The great sage Vyāsa, Maharṣi Vyāsa, was known as Trikāla Darśī, Brahmaniṣṭha Śrotriya. Trikāl Darśī means the knower of all three times: past, present, and future. Brahma-niṣṭha śrotriya means the knower of Brahman and one who can inspire and guide us. Ved Vyāsa began to write down the Vedas. Before that, it is said the Vedas were only given from master to disciple verbally. That we call the Śruti and Smṛti. Śruti means what was spoken and what was heard by disciples. Smṛti means memory. So, how did the disciples remember the wisdom that the master taught them? But slowly, slowly, it began to get lost. Ved Vyāsa, as Trikāl Darśī, saw all this—what will happen even today. He thought humans have lost their memory, and it will be a great pity if this wisdom, the Vedas and the Śāstras, gets lost. You know all who are sitting here? Hardly you have ten percent of your memory, hardly. Maybe someone has a maximum of fifteen percent. Or someone who is living in a village, with no computers and no telephone, then twenty percent. The example: how many telephone numbers do you know by heart? That is the limit of your memory. That’s it. So I need not tell you how many. Since technology developed, these electronic instruments, humans became the slave of it and lost their memory. Everything is written down, everything recorded, and now even filming. In ancient times, there was no recording, no writing; everything was only in the brain. Their brain, their memory, their intellect, their intelligence were brilliant. And they ate always sattvic, balanced food, very one hundred thousand percent organic. Before sixty or seventy years, there was no word about organic. If someone would ask you, "Is this apple organic?" they would say, "What do you mean?" So it means we humans, in this last century, began to pollute and destroy our nature. And the result is there. Hardly we will live seventy years, eighty years. If you live eighty years, that’s the world record. In Kali Yuga, normally one hundred years, but now in this polluted Yuga, it is a polluted Yuga mentally, physically, and aurally: the sound pollution, the mental pollution, and the physical pollution. So if we can reach sixty, seventy, or eighty years, be happy. Our age is limited now, maximum thirty-five years only. Yes, my dear, thirty-five years. Thirty-five and thirty-five, seventy, maximum. For thirty-five years you are going up, and then for thirty-five years you are going down. Clear? That’s it. So celebrate your golden days till thirty-five years, and you know, many, many diseases, cancers, and this and that, everything. It is very hard to avoid all these poisons and pollutions. Therefore, it is said: "Kali Yuga Kevala Nāma Ādhāra, Śumāra Śumāra Narahoi Bhava Pāra." In this Kali Yuga, only the quick way—a highway, safety way. It will be escorted by bhakti-yoga, devotion. But before Ved Vyāsa, there were many, many other gurus and saints: Guru Viśvāmitra, Guru Vasiṣṭhamuni, Gṛgācārya Ṛṣi, Alak Purījī Mahārāj, and many, many gurus, Dattātreya, and so on. So Guru Pūrṇimā is not limited only to Vedavyāsa. "Gu" means darkness, and "Ru" means light—that light of the cosmic Self. That light transmits from or through the sun to our planet. So, the first day when the sunlight descended on our planet, that day is called Guru Pūrṇimā. But when was it? We do not know. But that time the moon was full, a brilliant moon, and the sunlight reached our planet. That means that when light is removed, darkness and light appear. That’s called Jīvan Jyoti, Śiva Jyoti, Param, the Brahma Jyoti, Śiva Jyoti, Jīvan Jyoti, Ātmā Prakāś. So from the Svayaṁbhū Śiva, that Brahmajyoti which was in the form of—I would not say dormant, but it was in such a form that no one could see. It is there, but that Brahmajyoti manifested in the form of Śivajyoti. And through this Śiva, many jīvas were created. Śiva Jyoti is the Jīvan Jyoti, the light of our life, Ātmā Jyoti, and that is the light of our ātmā, the soul. So since that time, Guru Pūrṇimā is remembered, and thanks are given to the masters, and the lotus feet of the master are worshipped. After all worshipping, everything, finally they came to the one point, one agreement: that was now how many we should worship. Then it is said: "dhyāna-mūlaṁ gurur-mūrtiḥ." Meditate on the embodiment of the Gurudeva. The best meditation is that in your meditation you have His divine form. What we sang before: "Kindle my heart’s flame with thine." Dhyāna mūlaṁ gurur mūrtiṁ, Pūjā mūlaṁ gurur padam. The highest worship ceremony is the lotus feet of the Gurudeva. You have seen today the Charaṇa Pūjā, Pāda Pūjā. It is in every religion. You know the initiation and Abhiṣeka. These are from God, through his master. Who was that? And where you see, also, the disciple has to give prostration. Sahasrāra and Daṇḍavatī Praṇām—there are many sculptures and photos in Europe, in old churches you can see, where they have a water basin where they make the abhiṣeka, and then the priest has to go down to the master, completely on the earth. Slowly, slowly, we changed everything. The reality is nearly lost. The beauty and reality is lost because the ego and proudness of the human became so far that human’s ego is like an arrow here under the chin—can’t bow down. If it bows down, the arrow goes through. So always say, "Hello, sir. Hello, sir. I will come to this point tomorrow, not today." Therefore, the pūjā—there will come another beautiful story from the Purāṇas, from the Viṣṇu Purāṇa. And this is the mythology of the Sanātana Dharma, that God Viṣṇu is residing in the ocean, the ocean of nectar. All. You see every day, no? Beautiful asana, no? And he has his security bodyguard, who has many heads. And Lakṣmī still is not there. She will come. Last night she came already? Oh, Lakṣmījī. Last night, to celebrate today’s Guru Pūjā—oh, oh, that—what a great mystery, wonder. That’s it. So, Viṣṇu is residing on his Śeṣanāga, a thousand-headed snake, and the whole earth is balanced on him. When the Śeṣanāga’s neck is a little bit tired, if he moves a little, an earthquake takes place. So when the earthquake is there, Viṣar, the Śeṣanāga’s neck is a little bit stiff. There is one beautiful story next time. From the Saptaṛṣis, there was a great Ṛṣi, he says, Durvāsā. What was Durvāsā? There was something happening, and Durvāsa said, "What is Viṣṇu doing? He is responsible; he is a protector to take care of us." So Durvāsa went to Vaikuṇṭhaloka, where Viṣṇu is residing in the ocean of nectar, and Lakṣmījī is sitting near and massaging his lotus feet. But Durvāsa came and became so angry. People are suffering, and he is just here enjoying, relaxing. The Ṛṣi was very angry, and he came and he kicked Viṣṇu with his feet on the chest. Who dares to kick the Lord on His chest with his feet? Who dares? Only such great sages, great yogīs who are above that, who do not care about anything. And you know what Viṣṇu said? He sat up and he took the feet of the master and said, "My Master Gurudev, Ṛṣi, my body is like iron. Did you hurt your foot, please? Let me gently massage and apply some ointment. Ṛṣi, it is my blessing that from today onwards the feet will be worshipped." And from that time onwards, the holy lotus feet, which we call, are worshipped, because Viṣṇu said also at that time. And you see Śiva before Viṣṇu; also they worship his lotus feet. Dhyāna Mūlaṁ Guru Mūrtiḥ, Pūjā Mūlaṁ Guru Rūpam. Blessed are they who can bow down, touch the Gurudeva’s feet and worship them. Your day will be great. If you do not have a chance every day, at least when you get up, you can imagine the Holy Lotus Feet and greet them again. Your day will be divine. But you need love and devotion; otherwise, not. Do not make theater, and therefore it is said... The disciple of Mahāprabhujī, you read in this Līlāmṛt, what means the master and what Master can do; this book will tell you. Lil Amrit. Finally, after all pilgrimages, Sivanandajī Mahārāj said, all the holy places are in the feet of Gurudev. Who goes away to other holy places and leaves his Gurudev somewhere alone cannot be a greater mistake than this. It means you have lost the love. Anything my Gurudev does is divine. Suddenly, the doubt comes. Tomorrow, I will talk again about doubts and all this, but not today. Today doubt is out, without any question. That’s it. Mantra mūlam guru-vākyam. Then ask, "Which mantra should I repeat? Which ślokas, which mantras, this, that?" Then finally, say it for the disciple: the instruction of the master is final. Vākya, the words of the Master. Who cannot follow the Vākya, or some years follows and then breaks the Saṅkalpa, is lost. Example: you have a water well twenty meters deep. Many of you do not know what a water well is, because you have never seen one, and you do not have one. But in the desert and where there is little water, there we have the wells. Now, from twenty meters deep, you have to bring water out. What do you do? You tie a bucket with one chain or rope. And slowly, let the bucket go down and move it until it fills with water. Twenty meters, and slowly you are pulling it out. Good muscles. Indian ladies have good muscles because every day they were doing. A present lady is not. Present, ladies, I do not want to tell. I cannot describe. So this is our Saravitasana. Pulling the water was going on the wheel also. So, twenty feet deep—you were pulling out eighteen meters, sorry, twenty meters, and eighteen meters—you pulled out nineteen meters, and you see the bucket is only one meter far, and the rope breaks. The rope breaks. Now, what happened? Please, can you tell me? The bucket will fall back again. Similarly, for many years you did hard work, spiritual work, and burned out, and you changed your thoughts and feelings. The bucket falls down. So there is a beautiful bhajan of Mahāprabhujī, he said: "Mana sab khoya re kushangiya ke san." This is the Rajasthani language: "Oh my mind, you lost everything with kushangīs, bad society." You lost knowledge, you lost your meditation, you lost your bhaktī. Now you are running in a different direction. So, next time, I will translate the bhajan completely. Therefore, mantra mūlam guru vākyam, adhyākārī, obedience. Therefore, there was one holy saint who passed away from Hawaii, Satguru Subramanyam Swami, who started the magazines and everything called Hinduism Today and Hindu Monastery. Many, many great sādhus are living there; they are very disciplined, and those who want to have sannyās go there. It is very strict. You remember this story? Heartbed, called eating, I go. Tapasya. Even God Śiva said to Viṣṇu, "Śiva, may I create?" Viṣṇu said, "Viṣṇu, tap karo, go and do the tapasya. Tap karo brahma jala me." And so the water of the Brahman, the whole ocean—this is the sweating of Viṣṇu. Did you see in the Mahāśivapurāṇa? So Guru Vākya. Mokṣa Mūlam Guru Kṛpā. So, how will we finally get mokṣa? All goddesses and all angels, they can give you everything, even heaven, everything that you want, but not mokṣa. In the heavenly parliament, in their protocol, and the law was made: Mokṣa, right, is given to the Gurudev, to Guru Tattva. Mokṣa mūlaṁ Guru Kṛpā. Then finally he said, "Guru Brahma," so he is the creator, Guru Tattva. Guru is Brahma, who creates in you the thoughts, who motivates you, who guides you. Guru Brahma, Guru Viṣṇu, he is protecting you from bad energy and bad things. Guru Devo Maheśvara, and he is the Śiva. He destroys negative things from you. Sometimes it is painful if the master tells you, "This is not right," and if you are angry, then it means you did not understand the Guru Vajra. Sometimes the disciple is burning like a chili inside, like a corn on a hot pot, a plate. You put the corn on the hot plate. What becomes? Cornflakes, explodes, popcorn. It is not easy to understand and follow Gurudev’s vākyas and Gurudev’s instructions. Not easy, not easy. Suddenly when your doubt comes or a little anger comes, or that rope is broken, then what do we do? We put some kind of hooks with a chain and search the bucket in the deep water, and with the hook we pull it up. You said, "Oh, now it’s already here." Before you catch it, again it’s lost. How many chances? Every doubt, every behavior, everything. Gurudev’s work, Gurudev’s path, Gurudev’s will—when you criticize, you are lost. Then we will give up. Let this bucket lie in the water. It is an iron bucket. Slowly, slowly it will rust, and when it rusts, again the lowest of the low consciousness is gone. Guru Brahma, Guru Viṣṇu, Guru Devo Maheśvara, Guru Sākṣāt Para Brahma. Therefore, the result was given: the Sākṣāt Para Brahma, not only Brahma, but Para Brahma. Guru Sākṣāt Para Brahma. So the guru tattva, that’s it. Not his body or this and that. That knowledge, the ātmā, the soul. So, it depends on this tattva in which body is transferred or developed or realized. That becomes holy. You have one pocket with garbage, and one small pocket with precious diamonds. If this is lost, it does not matter. But if this diamond is lost, it does matter. So this one, which is a garbage pocket, you will just throw anywhere. But where is the diamond in this little box? That means a great deal for you. It is not only the pocket or the box, or whatever you call a case, but inside is a diamond. Similarly, Holy Gurujī said, "Those who understand Gurudev, they need not practice; they become themselves Gurudev." But lifelong serving, that’s it. So therefore, I adore and bow down to Gurudev’s lotus feet. That’s why, and that constellation is today. We are lucky that we have Gurudev on our altar, and we can see him and worship his holy lotus feet. Do not think you were doing Swāmījī’s feet’s pūjā. No, no, no. It was symbolic, my feet, but it was that one. You were praying, making āratī, and I was praying to the Lord Sadāśiva, Lakṣmīpurījī, Devapurījī, "Please accept, this is a pūjā to you, not to me." On the day when I will say, "Oh, I am a guru, and now everybody is making pūjā to my feet," I will be like that bull which gets fused and confused. No guru will say, "You are worshipping my feet." No. Ignorance will say that. Those who said, "I am guru and I am this," then you know how? There was a church, and on the top of the church, on the peak of the church, there was sitting one crow. And people in the church were praying, and the crow was expanding his wings and said, "Ah." His partner, the female crow, said, "Come on, we go." He said, "You dare to disturb me? Do you know who I am?" She said, "Who? Do not ask me. Look inside, how many people are praying to me." She said, "They do not pray to you. They pray to Jesus." She said, "Who is that?" She said it will take many yugas to know who Jesus is. He said, "No, no, you are wrong." She said, "Then come fly with me. We will see people go away." He fled, and people are still praying. Then he said, "I was wrong." So ego is that crow sitting on the top of the church or the temple and thinking, "Oh, believe me. No, no, no." We pray and worship this holy chair. This holy chair is Sadāśiva’s chair from that time. And whoever sits on this chair is respected like that. So our duty is only to come every day and go down to this holy chair. It belongs to them, to the Gurudevs. We are sevaks, we are disciples. We are very happy and thankful that they gave us this duty to carry on that light. Like Jesus said, "Holy Father, why must I suffer all this?" The Father said, "Because, my son, I trust you, you are the worthy one." If somebody else will run away, before they find him, he will run away from the caves or anywhere. And he will surrender, and he will not be capable of taking the cross. Before taking the cross, he will have a heart attack. We, what we will say, okay, it does not matter, I do not care, please, I am like you, no, no, okay. We are very, very scared and weak ones. God needs someone who understands God. And so the master needs the disciple who understands the master. That one becomes the master. Water which enters into the holy Gaṅgā becomes Gaṅgā’s water. Make anywhere enter, water is water, but cannot be that water. Like the Ganga’s water, it does not matter. Even the canalization water enters into the Ganga. Immediately, we will not say canalization water. After a few meters, it is the Ganga’s water. And if this water will go out in a different direction... In canalization, no one will say it is Gaṅgā’s water; it is dirty water. So who comes to the shelter of the Gurudev is like a Gurudev, but who goes away and does not come to the satsaṅg and this, then is again like a nullification. So today is a great constellation merging together: the new year, Sylvester today, full moon, Thursday, Guru Pūrṇimā, and we are all Guru Bhaktas together. How beautiful. I wish you all the best. Many blessings, dear brothers and sisters around the world, bhaktas of Gurudev. In the name of Om Śrī Alak Purījī Siddhapīṭh and our spiritual lineage, we bless you and wish you once more a happy new year. God bless you. Mahādev kī Satguru Svāmī Madhavān Jī Bhagavān kī Jai Satya Sanātana Dharma kī Om Śānti Śānti.