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Glory to Śrī Dīp Nārāyaṇa Bhagavān, glory to Dev Purīṣa Mahādeva, glory to Mādhav Kṛṣṇa Gurudev, glory to Sanātana Dharma. I wish you a good, abundant, very nice, and beautiful evening, dear friends, brothers, sisters, and spiritual seekers around the world—those who are with us. Through this webcast, blessings come to you from the beautiful green city of Villach, Austria. Many bhaktas from different parts of the world are here, and I welcome all of you. As I promised and say today, Svāmījī Gajanandjī has a birthday, and he is in Vancouver. So we wish Svāmījī Gajananda a happy birthday, and also Haripurī and Sevapurī in Jādan a happy birthday, the Shāntoṣ. And to all who have a birthday or any special day, may all blessings be with you. Well, here we are. A beautiful evening, beautiful warmth, weather, and sun. Our topic is peace, or peace and meditation. It is beautiful; it is perfectly clear. The name alone says it all: peace and meditation. No peace, no meditation. And peace is within us. Peace is in nature. Without peace, life is a torment. Without peace, life is like a plant without water in the heat. Without peace, a fish is without water. Without peace, it is a dark night without a beautiful full moon. Without peace, there is no beautiful dawn. We are in search. Everything that happens around the world comes from insecurity, fear, and a lack of contentment. Often, we are not satisfied with ourselves. There are many people who are not satisfied with how their hair looked. Just because of hair, one is dissatisfied, my God. But thank God, there is a hairdresser, a barber, who brings us back to peace. Yes, he is a master. That is what we need, each one of us, a little bit every day. And so it is also with desires, habits, and the search for peace. Many of us are not satisfied with our spiritual development. Our mind is like a monkey, a monkey that is always playing with its toes. Peace is not present because we lack patience. Where there is patience, there are signs of peace. There is a story; I will try to keep it very brief. Do you know about Indian philosophy, about Indian scriptures, religion, spirituality, about creation, Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Śiva, and so on? Brahmā is the Creator. Through his jñānendriyas—through his eyes, nose, ears, mouth, and so on—he has brought Ṛṣis into this world. Yes, Brahmā had a hope. Now, Brahmā received a task from Śiva. "You are Father Brahmā, you are the creator. And now you shall create this world." And Brahmā thought about what he needed. So he had several beautiful daughters through his prāṇa-śakti. And the first disappointment was experienced by Brahmā, the creator—the first disappointment. So when we experience disappointment, it is no wonder. In comparison to Brahmā, we are nothing at all. Brahmā told his son, a Ṛṣi, "Now go into the world, onto this planet, and create families to continue the generations." And each of his children said, "Excuse me, Father, I am not interested; I would rather go meditate." The second also said it. The third also said it. Now he thinks, "What should I do now?" And so, faces stretch long; it is beautiful. There is a Śiva Mahāpurāṇa, and it would be wonderful if you could see it; there is a video DVD available—beautiful, with subtitles in English. Yes, that was Nārada, Ṛṣi Nārada. And Nārada said, "Father, what is your order for me?" Well, God Brahmā said to Nārada, "Nārada, bring devotion to God throughout the entire universe and everywhere in this middle loka. Bhakti Yoga—that people have faith—and you have freedom to wander through the entire universe." So Nārada could, with his whole body, according to his wish, go anywhere, to any planet. Thus, he attained siddhis. And his mahāmantra, his message, was only one. A mantra is always sung. This mantra was: Śrīman Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa... "O my mind, repeat the mantra, the name of God, Viṣṇu." The problem is that we do not understand German. English would be very good, no? Yes. So, and he was always saying Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa. If someone has heard Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa, the Ṛṣi said Nārada will come. He had an instrument in his hand, a Vīṇā. The mantra: Śrīman Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa... Nārāyaṇa, Śrīman Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa... Ajman Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa, Bajman Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa, Lakṣmī Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa, Lakṣmī... Nārāyaṇa Nārāyaṇa Lakṣmī Nārāyaṇa Nārāyaṇa Śrīman Nārāyaṇa Nārāyaṇa... Dīp Nārāyaṇa Bhagavān Nārāyaṇa... Nara is Puruṣa, meaning Puruṣottama, the best among humans. Nārāyaṇa is the god Viṣṇu, and Lakṣmī is his faithful one. How do you say it? Faithful Lakṣmī, goddess of prosperity. We spoke about Lakṣmī this morning, didn’t we? But Lakṣmī is said to be... The name is Lakṣmī, but she is mutual because Lakṣmī has not yet recognized Viṣṇu. One day, Nārada goes to the god Viṣṇu from this world, through the Himalayas, and suddenly, he sees a yogi sitting there, meditating. Nārada thought, "I will go and greet the yogi, the saint." And when Nārada came, the Ṛṣi was so happy, so happy. A happiness, a joy in the heart is like an overflowing ocean. Or as soon as we boil milk and it overflows. Full of joy, tears, bliss. That is called love. Love is God, and God is love. When this love comes, you don’t need to say anything about your eyes, because it comes from the heart—tears, your eyes, like apples, swimming in fullness—tears of joy, love, tears. It can also be an apple tree. You know, if I have a beautiful apple tree, and for many, many years you were away, somewhere else, in another part of the world where there are no apple trees, and then you come home at the end of April, in March, and suddenly your apple tree is blooming. And you are full of joy, love; your eyes have tears. My monkeys, I have missed this. So, there are many things where peace is created—harmony and unity. It is an emotion. Emotion has several names or qualities, characteristics. Tears of emotion, laughter of emotion, weeping emotion, happiness emotion, much happiness. So the yogi was so overwhelmed and said, "O great Ṛṣi, holy Nārada, how wonderful that today, surely today the sun has risen with much blessing and joy and happiness for me, that your doors have opened so that I may reach you, so that I might meet you, so that I can see You." Holi Gurujī said, my Master said, had anyone come to him. The person who saw Mahāprabhujī, Holi Gurujī’s eyes were full of tears. He said, "I revere these eyes that my Master has also seen. The eyes that have seen God, and we see these eyes; for us God is in these eyes. God has left His image within them." The Ṛṣi asked Nārada, "Where are you going today?" Nārada said, "I have a meeting with Viṣṇu." "Really?" He said, "Yes." "Could you please ask Viṣṇu when I will receive liberation or mokṣa? How many more years will it last? I meditate as long as I have lived meditating. But still no mokṣa, no liberation, no Brahmajñāna. When?" Nārada says, "Okay, no problem, no problem. I will ask Viṣṇu how much longer you need to realize." Nārada left, and the next day Nārada comes again. And the Ṛṣi waited and waited. Sometimes waiting is not easy either. Longing—I wait for the meeting with my brothers and sisters from my Satsaṅg. When I remember my spiritual brothers and sisters, my eyes are full of tears. Waiting. Every minute you wait for something is sometimes eternal. So the yogi waits, and the yogi hears a sound coming from the sky. One sound. The yogi listens—one sound. Something is coming. What was that sound? What was singing here? I had forgotten. Loud: "Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa, Śrīman Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa... Śrīman Nārāyaṇa... Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa..." I stand up and say, "My adoration to you. Be greeted or hailed, Ṛṣi. Have you forgotten my question, or did you ask God?" Nārada said, "I have asked. And that is why I am here to give an answer. I have had other paths, but a promise is a promise. I took a detour of several thousand kilometers. But my promise to you, O Holy One, is more than a detour. Yes, what did the Ṛṣi say?" The Ṛṣi said, "Oh God, Viṣṇu said, tell the yogi: Under which tree do you sit? And how many leaves does this tree have? You have so many lives ahead of you to reach realization. So many lives." The Ṛṣi stands up and begins to dance, has danced full of joy and happiness, and said, "Only that much? Oh, how happy I am." And so it is a path to liberation. To become one with God, we truly need patience. And where there is patience, there is peace, and where there is peace, there is patience. And this patience can make our path smaller, shorter. Impatience can make it even longer. But peace... peace. So, do not think, "I have spent over 20 years and still have no spiritual realization. Whenever I close my eyes, I always see darkness. Nothing at all happened. Absolutely nothing happened to me." Be glad that nothing at all has happened. If something had happened, one would not know what would be in which state. Once a man called me at three o’clock in the night. I do not know from whom the phone number was obtained. There were no cell phones back then. And said, "Master, Master, help me," we said. "What?" He was from here, from Villach. Yes. "Especially in sleep, I opened my eyes, and I see myself—I am floating. Just a blanket, one and a half meters, two meters high from my bed. What should I do? Master, help me. I cannot sleep." So I told him, "But I cannot sleep. Now bring your hands to your face and then open your eyes." "Open. Yes, truly, I am under my blanket." I told you, you see. As soon as an experience arises, be mindful; we tend to become nervous. Fear. "What should I do?" Suddenly, you hear a beautiful voice. Some voice says, "God, what have I heard? No one is in my room. Have I gone mad?" No, you have not gone crazy. Tune, let it tune. Beautiful. Let it be. So long as we have fear, there is no spiritual development. And because we have so much attachment, confusion, despair, and little trust. And among these things, we suffer. No? For Avatārpuri, it is midnight. Two words. He goes into my room, here in the rest room, okay? And you may go and rest. There is a room prepared for you, alright? You can tell them, "Hurry home, good night." Good night. So, peace. And now we will lead a meditation. Do we have self-confidence and trust in ourselves and in what we have decided or will decide? Is that clear to us, or is it fear, or a beautiful feeling, a peace? Let us try to do a little meditation. Is that okay? Meditation. How many people here do not understand English? Please raise your hand. Who doesn’t understand English? One, two, three, four, five. Okay. I always see those who perhaps raise a hand and then say if they like someone else. Then rise up. That is good. This is what it means to be secure. Sitting so comfortably and upright. Among us are also some people who do not understand a single word of German. So, I will use both languages, English and German, okay? Speaking in German, you should not think about what has happened—"Svāmījī is confused today, confused." That is why I say beforehand: sit comfortably and upright. Those who have a mantra can repeat the mantra. Close your eyes and relax. Now sit comfortably, upright, straight, relaxed. And close your eyes. Close your eyes and relax. And take a few minutes to reflect or clarify what peace means to you. For a while, for a few minutes, simply clarify for yourselves or contemplate what peace means to you. We often speak about peace. Do we know what peace truly is? We often speak about peace. But do you truly know what peace is? Mahatma Gandhi said, "There is no way to peace; peace is the way. There is no way to peace. Peace is the way." What do I understand about peace? According to our imagination, our thoughts, according to our knowledge. Of course, we know what peace means, but I would like to ask, what does peace mean to you? According to our knowledge, according to our feelings, and according to our imagination, we know what peace means. But now in this meditation, once again check, clarify for yourself: what is joy? Be aware of your being here, one with yourself, in the ocean of peace. For a while, be consciously present in your existence within the ocean of peace. No expectation, no despair, no fear, only bliss. Be aware of your existence; you are infinite and you are in infinity, and that is peace, joy, tranquility. You are in the eternal and without any borders, and you are within that eternal one. Thyself is endless, and you are within the endlessness. Peace. But still, we have these bodies, and we continue to live as individuals. But still, we have the body and individual life. Therefore, imagine, feel, and pray to the Almighty, in whichever form, visions, or way you believe: "Lord, Almighty One, bless me with eternal peace. All my senses, jñānendriyas and karmendriyas, may have peace. Each blood cell in my body should vibrate and enjoy the peace. My mind, my intellect, my prāṇa, my heart, all to radiate the peace. Lord, bless my existence, every sense organ, my jñānendriyas and karmendriyas; may they experience a beautiful peace. May my body, my mind, and my intellect be at peace. May my breath, my heartbeat radiate peace. May every counting of my body be a beautiful harmony. To experience peace, I know, Lord, only You can remove my obstacles and the darkness from my path. And I also know this: You are peace, and I am Yours. A part of You is also peace. And that is my despair. Remove my despair. Lord, remove all my obstacles, the rock of my doubts and the darkness of my ignorance. Let me be the experience of that peace. I know You are the peace, and I am too. I am part of Thy Self. Below is my despair. Peace within me, peace in my organs, peace all around me, so that I, as Your messenger in worldly understanding, faith, and devotion, may bring peace. My existence is peace. Help me to cultivate within myself and my body a state surrounded by peace, and let me be the ambassador of that peace." Peace. Feel beautiful sensations or vibrations of peace throughout your entire body. Allow your body to be relaxed. This is the best healing process for our body, mind, and intellect. Feel peace thoroughly throughout your body, in your mind, in your intellect. Peace is the best remedy for our body, for our mind, for our intellect. Relax. Where there is peace, there is no error. Where there is peace, one does not lose the way, because there is no way to peace. Peace is the path. Peace. When one has peace within oneself, one cannot get lost, one cannot be confused. One cannot lose the path, because the path is peace. Feel your existence and your body and sense. You breathe in peace, and you breathe out peace as well. Your existence is peace. Feel your being here and your breath. You inhale the peace. You too exhale peace. Your being here is nothing but peace. Peace in your thoughts, peace in your words, peace in your events, peace in your being here and there. Peace. Perfect peace. Peace in your words, peace in your thoughts, peace in your actions, and peace in your deeds. Yes, I am peace. Relax. The source of the light, the source of that light of peace, is your Mantra. Mantra is like a cup lamp, a signpost, a travel companion. Surrender and trust are the battery. And you are the one who holds the Taschenlampe. Your mantra is like a battery, a torchlight in your hands. And the water of the battery is your faith and devotion, charging through your devotion. Power of bhakti. Peace, peace, peace within and around you. You are in the endless ocean of peace. Inside and outside of you, only joy, peace—an endless ocean. This is your existence in peace. I breathe in, peace. All my despair, confusion, and dualism have melted into peace. All my doubts and dualities have dissolved and melted into peace. Come back to your heart, to your mind in clarity, and pray inwardly: "Lord, let me realize this infinite peace in my life. Help me, no matter what happens, that my trust, my peace shall not depart." Feel your body, your heart, and your mind. And pray: "Lord, help me to have this eternal peace and confidence. Help me to realize this in my life. I am Thine, I am Yours." With that, we breathe in and out deeply. We will sing Mantras: Nāhaṁ Kartā. Fold your hands together, your eyes still closed. "I am not the doer; the Lord is the doer. Mahāprabhujī is the doer. He alone is the doer..." Rub your palms together and place your hands on your face, gently massaging your eyelids and facial muscles. Then open your eyes and bend forward. Place your palms on the ground and your forehead on the ground, and feel the blood circulation flowing towards the head. All the jñānendriyas directed towards your head; observe them, receive more oxygen, fresh blood. Simply relax and feel the circulation. Jñāna... circulation, blood circulation; it flows more in this mudrā to your head. Our jñānendriyas, usually all four or five jñānendriyas, are located in the head region above the skull. After meditation or long sitting, it is very important to bend forward and stay for a while. This also dispels your fatigue. You gain more energy. And now, with the help of your hands, slowly lift your head up. Place your hands on your knees, interlace your fingers once, and stretch your hands above your head, palms facing the ceiling. Stretch your whole body and turn a little to the left—turn to the left. Left, left—your side is the other side, mine is the other side. Left, turn to your left side, and now to the right side, slowly, stretching. And left side, left, and to the right, and to the center, and to the side. Stretch, and fold the elbows, and the fingertips on the shoulders. Bring the elbows together once and stretch the entire chest backward. Very nice. Once more, and backwards. And head forward and backward. Very good. And circle your shoulders in the other direction, nicely. Hands on the ground, palms on the ground, beside the body. And slowly, during the exhalation, turn the upper body to the left. Look over your left shoulder. Inhale, come to the center. Exhale to the right over the right shoulder. Inhale to the center. Exhale to the left. Inhale to the center. Exhale to the right. Inhale deeply and exhale. Look at the palms of your hands and feel peace. Yes, hands on your knees and look to your friends. Peace, peace. Good. Peace. When we take a photo, not "cheese," but "peace." Okay, so, that was it; that’s enough for today. I wish you all a wonderful evening and a peaceful good night. Tomorrow we will see the program again, just as the organizers have said. It was wonderful to spend a day with you all. The day has gifted us and brought us many things. Our day has begun. Prayer, meditation, āsanas, prāṇāyāmas, a tree—the tree of life—we have established them. That is, the tree itself is peace. And where there is peace, everyone receives peace. Where there is a water source, everyone receives water. And what we have done, that remains. The flower dies, but the fragrance remains. The body passes away, but the memory, yes—through these hands, with this mind, with these eyes, with this heart and feelings, we have planted a tree. Initiation water is—don’t think it is something ordinary; it is not just something, but it is a great thing. We lay the foundation of peace, lasting peace—what the United Nations strives to achieve, called sustainable development. And through this tree, we have a sustainable peace. And whoever goes there and touches this tree and repeats a wish, it shall be fulfilled. But a positive desire. Have I already addressed the tree, spoken to it? Afterwards, there was a lecture. What does peace and meditation mean? It is not only in sitting, but much more. That was the morning session. And in the afternoon, lunch was good, and the afternoon was also very good. And now I wish you all a pleasant evening. With that, Hari Om, greetings, farewell. Hari Om.