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Patañjali said, long ago, that a yogī, a practitioner, or even an ordinary person should create as many friends as possible. Some people do not like others. They do not want guests, nor to go where many people are. They are individualistic and cannot create this maitrībhāva. The mantra our Swāmī Avatārpūrījī was singing—"sarve bhavantu sukhinaḥ," may all be happy—was spoken by the great sages in the Upaniṣads. This is a Vedic teaching: may all be happy. "Sarve bhavantu sukhinaḥ." That sentiment is itself maitrībhāva. One day, sit and count how many friends you have, and how many enemies you have. My dear, it is easy to acquire anything in this world except friends. It is very hard to have a friend. To have a friend, you must dedicate yourself. You must surrender yourself. You must open the door of your heart to welcome them. Do not think, "I do not want to go there; I do not like these people or those people." Therefore, the satsaṅg is the place where you can make many friends. Friends are those who live for you and die for you. Friends are your well-wishers. For them, Mahāprabhujī said very clearly and beautifully in his bhajana: "I am longing for my brothers and sisters of my Gurudev's satsaṅgs. How much I long for them; when I remember them, my eyes fill with tears. I remember so much that I am full, my heart is full of joy, of maitrībhāva." So, create that maitrībhāva. Even a wild dog, if you have love for him, feels that feeling and will not harm you. If you are angry and hold something against him, he feels that too. But we humans sometimes cannot feel what another is thinking. That is our problem, and perhaps it is for the best. So never think, "I do not like to go there because they do not like me." This kind of thinking is a destructive, self-destructive thought. It is said: "Jisko Prabhu darun dukha deyi, uski buddhi pahle har ley." Those who are destined to receive great suffering, their intellect or buddhi is taken first. Whoever thinks like this does not use their intellect or their viveka. You have the opportunity to have more and more friends in the satsaṅg. Try to create more friends and talk with them about good things. No blackmailing; sometimes one speaks such negative words that you destroy another's spirituality as well. Maitrībhāva—develop maitrībhāva. It is every yoga teacher's duty, and my suggestion to them, that if they wish to be successful, they should create maitrībhāva. These are thoughts of friendship, not the thoughts of a dictator or a master. Not "I am the teacher." No, I am only a helper. That is very important. Patañjali mentioned long ago: "maitrī, metrā, dīṣu, balāni"—in this there is immense power. Patañjali said the strength of friendship is immeasurable. Even a mighty elephant can become your gentle friend because you love him and have friendship with him. If someone surrenders to you, if someone loves you, and where you feel protected, happy, and relaxed, there is only one thing: your friendship, your love. So if you say, "I have no friends; no one loves me, no one likes me," it is not their mistake. It is that you do not have that bhāva. Bhāva means inner feeling, and that is also what a master or teacher must give to people. That is why you come to me, because I have this feeling towards you, and you feel this. That is why we are bound tightly together. We are bound by one thread, like this mālā has one thread, and all the beads are strung upon it. This is maitrī bhāva, friendship. This friendship, this kindness, this humbleness, this love will help us to improve. It does not matter which field of life; if you use this remedy, you will be successful and happy. Whether with your business partner, in your family life with your spouse, with your colleagues in the office, or anywhere in the world. It is you who can make friends. It is you who can gain friends. It is you who can make yourself unhappy. And it is you who can disappoint all your friends. So do not give up Maitrī Bhāva. That is Patañjali's suggestion. He said in Maitrī Bhāva there is immense strength. Recording location: Croatia, Cakovec, Weekend seminar