Swamiji TV

Other links



Podcast details

The Four Principles

A discourse on the role and spiritual qualities of a yoga teacher.

"To be a yoga teacher is to be a great social worker; the fruits you will reap from this are far greater than you can imagine."

"Enter the kingdom of God through the gate of sacrifice. If you wish to enter God's kingdom... there is only one door: renunciation."

The speaker outlines the yoga teacher's duty as selfless service (seva), contrasting it with the corruption of material self-interest. He explains that the ancient ṛṣis developed yoga for humanity's well-being, and a teacher must embody four key principles: vairāgya (detachment), tyāga (renunciation), dhyāna (meditation), and bhakti (devotion). The talk emphasizes that a true teacher is a complete vessel (supatra) for this wisdom, integrating knowledge and compassion to harmonize the self and society.

Recording location: Czech Republic, Strilky, Weekend seminar

Teaching yoga is a profound act of service, or seva. However, when a teacher begins to harbor self-interest in material things, they lose their essential quality, and people, in turn, lose respect for them. The success of the teaching diminishes. To be a yoga teacher is to be a great social worker; the fruits you will reap from this are far greater than you can imagine. The great saints who developed this system we call yoga did not do so for material gain. They had a singular interest: the well-being of humanity. When humans are harmonious and satisfied, the entire nature will be in harmony. When humans are not in harmony, nature falls into disharmony, for humans will disturb and destroy it. Therefore, the most powerful and most dangerous creature on this planet is the human. Without a spiritual and ethical injection, humans become the most dangerous, destructive beings. The human intellect is easily manipulated and is shaped by education. If you educate someone to be a saint, they will become a saint. If you educate someone as a thief, they will become a thief. If you educate someone as a terrorist, they will become a terrorist. This is how the human intellect is trained—conditioned to accept nothing beyond what is implanted in the mind. This education sinks deep into the subconscious, and from there, all actions arise. The seed of fear also resides in the subconscious. When you are detached from the subconscious, you will not even feel bodily pain. Yet everything plays out from this level. Thus, the ṛṣis gave spiritual science to humanity, just as God gave the five elements without any expectation. We inhale and exhale oxygen without paying any tax to God; God does not demand one. Similarly, the ṛṣis developed this spiritual science—you may call it religion, yoga, spirituality, or a path of betterment—and gave it to humans to help others. If we have this divine conscience in our intellect, we will quit our own interests and help others. Without it, we cannot help. Therefore, the ability and spiritual quality of a yoga teacher increase or decrease in accordance with the teacher's personal interest. It is said that a teacher should first possess vairāgya, tyāga, dhyāna, and bhakti. These four principles are paramount. Vairāgya means detachment and seeing everyone as equal; it is lost when you pursue self-interest. Tyāga means renunciation; you must renounce your own interest. Without this capacity, you begin to collect, and collecting is the greatest burden. We collect many material things, and they must burden us. Gurujī often said in satsaṅg, "Enter the kingdom of God through the gate of sacrifice." If you wish to enter God's kingdom—which pervades the entire universe, though we may envision it as heaven, Brahmaloka, or other realms where God resides—there is only one door: renunciation. As Gandhi said, "Renounce and enjoy." Any yoga teacher, and especially a Yoga in Daily Life teacher, is not merely a Haṭha Yoga instructor. You represent completeness—bhakti, Rāja, Jñāna, everything. But do you possess this quality? That is what matters. If you have a broken pot, nothing can remain inside it. We speak of a supatra—a good, solid, clean vessel. A supatra śiṣya is a worthy disciple. If a master does not find a supatra śiṣya, whatever the master gives will be destroyed. But if a master finds one supatra śiṣya, that disciple will multiply the master's teaching. Therefore, all yoga teachers should strive to be supatra śiṣyas. A Yoga in Daily Life teacher is not only for physical exercises. One should teach with this understanding, and for that, one needs jñāna—the knowledge of what to do and what not to do. This knowledge is not only for utilizing in the outer world but for utilizing for thyself. All of us sitting here are very wise; everyone has advice to give. But ask yourself: how much of your knowledge do you utilize for yourself? Those who are truly wise utilize it first for themselves. When you utilize wisdom for yourself, it means you are already giving your wisdom. Without jñāna, one is a paśu, an animal. Jñāna, paśu samāna: one without wisdom or knowledge is like an animal. Then comes bhakti: love, devotion, the feeling of oneness, where another's pain is your pain. This is when your bhakti begins to blossom. A yoga teacher should utilize and realize these four principles: vairāgya, tyāga, dhyāana, and bhakti. Then it means you are a good vessel, and whatever the Master speaks will reach your inner self. Recording location: Czech Republic, Strilky, Weekend seminar

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.

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