Podcast details
Ashram
An āshram is a divine shelter for spiritual work and service. Vedic tradition outlines four life stages: Brahmachārī for student life until 25, Gṛhastha for household duties until 50, Vānaprastha for detachment and preparation until 75, and Sannyāsa for complete renunciation until 100. After 100 years, one departs this world. Human life is for self-realization alone; all possessions are left behind at death. The greatest tragedy is to die without God-realization. Practice, not theory, is essential.
"Āshram means shelter. 'Ā' means welcome and 'śram' means work. It is an invitation: come and work."
"Human life is given for only one thing: Ātma-jñāna. To urge the Ātma-jñāna—self-realization, the knowledge of the Self."
Filming location: Brisbane, Australia
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:
- Yoga in Daily Life - The System
Paramhans Swami Maheshwarananda. Ibera Verlag, Vienna, 2000. ISBN 978-3-85052-000-3 - The Hidden Power in Humans - Chakras and Kundalini
Paramhans Swami Maheshwarananda. Ibera Verlag, Vienna, 2004. ISBN 978-3-85052-197-0 - Lila Amrit - The Divine Life of Sri Mahaprabhuji
Paramhans Swami Madhavananda. Int. Sri Deep Madhavananda Ashram Fellowship, Vienna, 1998. ISBN 3-85052-104-4
