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We are at that point in the Rāmāyaṇa where the people are contemplating and organizing the wedding for Śiva. The bride, in this sense, is the entire party, the whole group. It was all beautiful. As they proceeded towards the palace of the king of the Himālaya—that place where they lived, be it village or city—many joyful things were happening. People were enjoying; some were singing, some were making jokes, as is human nature. Yet it was not only humans, but all kinds of creatures partaking in the joy. All were happy. This is the unity of nature and consciousness. When there is a perfect unity of nature and consciousness, then there is balance. Throughout the whole earth, everywhere—in every park, garden, meadow, and hill—the creatures are enjoying. All kinds of creatures are playing happily. That is Śiva's wedding. It is not merely one person marrying another; it is a cosmic union involving the entire planet. To understand this, we must assign it a particular name. In the summer, you see the rabbits playing happily. Deer are playing, bears are playing, birds, butterflies, and bees are playing. All are happy. How beautiful and indescribable it is. Wherever such happiness exists, there is a perfect union of nature and consciousness. Everywhere there is happiness and joy. On the other side, the king of the Himālaya prepared a most beautiful residence for all the guests who would come. Tulsidās said it is indescribable how he prepared everything, catering to everyone's nature. Some like to sleep in sleeping bags, so sleeping bags were prepared. Someone likes to sleep on the grass, so grass was prepared. He prepared for all in many different ways. God has prepared comfort for everyone according to their nature. Some sleep in a tree and some cannot; some like to sleep under a tree and some cannot. God organizes for everyone, and everyone feels comfortable there. One feels comfortable where one is no longer afraid. Some like to sleep with a locked, closed door; someone likes open windows, and someone sleeps with closed windows. Such are the different natures. In this world, the king of the Himālaya gave an invitation to all creatures, from the little to the big and the big to the little—to all mountains, small or big, which you cannot describe or count (how many hills are in the world!), and to all forests, oceans, rivers, ponds, and lakes. They see a hill, a mountain, as a living being; a lake is a living being; a river is a living being. Now, when all will come to the Himālaya, what will happen? That is why the Himālaya becomes bigger and bigger. Now you know why the Himālaya is the highest mountain. It means when God is merciful, then it rains everywhere. Everyone shares in this happiness. When the sun is shining, everyone is invited to take the benefit of the sunlight. This is, as I told you before, the unity of nature and consciousness. Symbolically, who is the king of the Himālaya? He is also Śiva's own self. The Himālaya holds great meaning; it brings good weather. You know how important mountains are. The ṛṣi, the self-realized one, sees everything as living beings. A tree is also a living being. There is one tree that is very, very old and very, very tall; there is no one taller than that tree in the world. It is written as the oldest and tallest creature of the world. Everyone is living. All are invited to have enrichment, to grow, to exist. That season when spring comes is a unity of two seasons. Like day and night meeting—that is a wedding. Not in the ordinary way. "Swāmījī, I love Śiva and Kṛṣṇa. Do you think I can marry him? I would also like to marry him." Millions of girls are waiting like this. I knew you would have a kind of passion, a desire. But what we are talking about between Śiva and Pārvatī was not a marriage of that kind. That is how you can understand and misunderstand. Well, the king, the host, invited everyone: all rivers, all ponds, all lakes, all big and little mountains. Everyone was invited. According to their own choice and their passion, they dressed themselves. According to their vices, they all manifested in beautiful bodies. Every single person came out as one and was dressed accordingly. When you go and sit near a lake, how beautiful it is. Even a small water pond—you can sit and see its beauty. Or a river flowing—you see from afar how beautifully it flows. Or a small brook—oh, it's beautiful, an indescribable beauty. "Oh God, beautiful. Oh God, beautiful. Oh ... God, beautiful in the mountains, in the forest, in the river, in the ocean. Oh God, beautiful." This is a beautiful bhajan from Paramahaṃsa Yogānanda: "Oh Lord, how beautiful you are in the mountains, in the forests, in the rivers, in the oceans, in the lakes, in the flowers, in the humans, in the animals." Recording location: Czech Republic, Strilky, Summer seminar