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When we begin to speak or think about spiritual sādhanā, what do we truly understand? Is a few minutes or hours of practice sufficient, or must we do something more? First, spirituality means purity. The word "spirituality" originates from the spirit, the individual spirit. The spirit is a complicated concept. In our ordinary living, the mind is dust, and the spirit is also dust. The spirit is different from the mind and different from the soul. The spirit is a reflection of your soul. Consider a lamp, a flame, and its light—they are distinct. When one flame burns, how much light does it give? Similarly, the soul we possess—how much spirituality it has means how much light it radiates. This light is the radiance of a person as harmony, making everyone wish to be your friend. Reflect on how many friends you have had and how many have left you. Did you ever analyze this? In reality, you are the cause. Someone may wish to work with you, then suddenly they do not. They become angry with you, and you with them. Where is the mistake? Analyze this. A pure spirit means the soul has pure karmas. Every negative movement—physical, mental, or verbal—that occurs through our being places a thin layer over our soul, like the layers between an onion's skins. No one can avoid this. When we perform positive deeds, a layer is removed. How many layers do you have? In yoga, these are called mala, vikṣepa, and āvaraṇa. There are three. Mala is impurity: physical, mental, and intellectual impurity or purity. Mahāprabhujī said in his golden preaching, "Only external purity has little meaning." You may apply much perfume—lavender, sandalwood—and care meticulously for your outer self, but inside there may be stench. To hide that inner foulness, we constantly apply fragrance. But if you are positive and pure, practicing prāṇāyāma and cleansing all toxins—what Āyurveda calls āma—your body will naturally have a beautiful scent. When a holy person passes away, even years later, their grave retains a beautiful fragrance. That is a pure spirit. Those who can see perceive, even on a samādhi, something like a white cloud or a light. So, mala is impurity. As long as you do not purify yourself, you will not have divya-darśana, divine visions. No matter how much you practice, it will be futile—like milking a cow and pouring the milk into a drain. Then vikṣepa: disturbances and doubts. Doubt is what makes a human completely confused, lonely, and lost. Doubt ensures no one will trust you. Do not think that what you believe is best. Confucius said, "Do not think that no one loves me, but ask, 'Why should they love you?'" When you reach a state where everyone loves you, they will do so without your asking. Do not think people do not know you; consider that you are still not the one whom all should know. These were Confucius's teachings. This is your doubt: "I don't believe. I don't like this. I don't like that." Who are you to say "I don't"? Have you ever considered how insignificant you are in this endless universe? Even with a telescope, you are not visible. Many like you have been swept away. Doubt, my dear, is vikṣepa. Therefore, gain confidence and faith. Then there is āvaraṇa, the curtain of ignorance. Every negative act through our being creates a layer over our soul, our consciousness, so our spirit cannot properly express itself. This means we cannot give to the world what we were born to give. Layer upon layer accumulates. Therefore, always be ready to learn and to surrender. You may possess much wisdom and knowledge, but consider that you are still not pūrṇa, not complete. There was a great holy saint who performed tapasyā for thousands of years. In that era, life was very long, disciplined, with little stress, no pollution, and only organic food and pure water. Every herb possessed immense energy. The herbs we find today in meadows have lost 99% of their strength; out of a thousand, only one remains. Remember your grandparents and what they ate. That nourishment contained strength. Now, with fast food, pesticides, and dairy products, it is hardly possible to breathe without chemicals, even atop the Himalayas. It is said that pollution reaches there through air and air traffic. Yoga is our only hope to help ourselves a little. Our nourishment has no strength, and our tastes have completely changed. Nowadays, small children dislike cold-pressed oil; they prefer heated oil with no smell. They refuse fresh farmer's butter because it smells different. It is unbelievable how people change, even in their tastes. The result is that they age quickly, even before 20 or 15 years. I used to say that after 50 years, one is old. But the pace has accelerated. After 35 years, you are at least old—that is the limit. You came from the earth and climbed for 35 years; now you must descend for 35 years. The ascent was joyful, but the descent brings pain: knees, hips, heels, back—every day you grow older. Do not think you are young. It is painful to realize that a child, after 35 years, steps into old age. If we continue like this, in Kali Yuga, the lifespan will rapidly decline to a maximum of 25 years. In Satyugas, people lived for thousands of years. One ṛṣi sat in the mountains or Himalayas, under a cave in the glaciers, meditating for thousands of years. Someone told him about the Vedas, and he resolved to learn them all. When his time to die came—very old—death did not arrive through Yama's angels. For us, Yama himself will come. Do you see? Sometimes we call this science. They grow long nails; if not, they apply plastic and paint them red. Red is the color of blood. Husband, be careful. This is not merely a color, my dear. Your blood yoga? So, who has many negative layers? Anger. Anger is a fire. It is said in India that the holy Sītā, the faithful consort of Rāma, had to walk through fire only once, and she emerged spotless. But we must walk ten meters through burning flames. How do you think we will manage to emerge? Those who harbor anger and jealousy walk through fire lifelong—their hearts constantly agitated. I am not speaking of any particular individual, but those who are jealous and angry always have hearts in turmoil. I know. They need not tell me; I will tell you until you purify this. When a tiger attacks a deer, it holds its neck or throat until the legs relax. Then it knows, "Now it cannot run away." Your legs suffer similarly, so for them comes Yama. Yama means cruel, torturing, without feeling or mercy. For others, self-realized souls, divine souls like you all, perhaps angels will come. Currently, there is a negotiation between Yamas and Devas—devils and angels—over who should come when the time arrives. What is the protocol? It is said the last seconds of life will decide. Be ready. Like at an airport when a plane lands, two, three, or four fire brigades stand ready. For years or months, they may have nothing to do, but they must be prepared. So the angels and Yamas are always ready. The angels came to that saint and said, "Praṇām, your holiness. A message has come that you go with us. If you have any wish?" He said, "Yes, go and tell Dharmarāja or God, please grant me a thousand years more, as you wish." The request was granted. He read and learned for a thousand years. When they returned, he asked for five thousand more. This repeated several times. Finally, Dharmarāja sent a messenger to impart knowledge. The saint, though very old, appeared more energetic than we are. When we stand before such a person, we seem disabled—paralyzed emotionally, psychically, by desires, anger, jealousy, hate, complexes, and more. Let us conduct a research exercise, but please, be courteous to others. Close your eyes now. Do not open them; if you do, you create negative karma. For a few minutes, keep them closed. If you prefer not to close them, look down at the ground. Everyone has closed their eyes except me. Do not be afraid; I will not tell anyone, but I will note who had doubt. My question is this: who does not possess these five qualities—anger, jealousy, hate, conflicts, and doubts? Those who do not have them, raise your hands. No one is looking. Be sure, I will test you for doubt. Once more, make sure and raise your hand. One, two, three—oh, many more. I will not reveal the number. Now, who has these qualities? Raise your hands. Thank you. You may open your eyes. It does not matter which group was larger; I can tell you the strongest force and majority we have: those with these five—jealous, angry, and so on. Congratulations. There is a small story for those who claimed to have no doubt; they should reflect. A master and his disciples lived together in a forest. The disciples had to go shopping in a small village like Strilky every day or every other day. The walking distance was about ten kilometers. Even for a single lemon, they had to travel ten kilometers each way. That lemon held not monetary value, but the value of love. One day, a disciple reached a river swollen with water and could not cross. He returned to Gurujī and said, "What should I do? I cannot cross the river." Gurujī instructed, "Go to the river and say, 'If the God Kṛṣṇa, who had 16,000 gopīs, is a brahmacārī, please give me a way to cross.'" The river stopped, and he walked across. He could not understand; he thought perhaps it was his Guru's power alone. "Kṛṣṇa? No, that cannot be. I am sorry, Kṛṣṇa, but I have doubt." Internally, he debated. When he reached the other side, the river flowed again. After purchasing milk, oil, and other necessities, he wondered how to return. He asked the salesman, "My master helped me cross the river, but how do I cross back?" The salesman said, "Dear young man, go to the river and say, 'Mother, even if my guru has never eaten or drunk anything in life, please give me a way.'" The disciple replied, "Sorry, brother. You know I buy food here daily and prepare it for Gurujī myself. I serve him, and sometimes he complains: 'Too much chili, no salt, too little oil.' How can I ask the river such a foolish question?" The salesman said, "Just go and see. Do not create your own stories." Doubt is doubt; it persists. For how many years had he cooked and his guru eaten? He went to the river and said, "Mother River, I am sorry to trouble you. I do not trust now, but it would be your greatness if my master never eats or drinks, please give me a way back." Immediately, the river stopped, opening a path about thirty meters wide—one meter for each year of his age. He walked across, returned to Gurujī, and remained silent. Gurujī asked, "You look depressed. Any problem?" "Yes, Master. I cannot understand." The Master said, "I cannot understand for you. You must understand for yourself. Go to the kitchen and cook nice food; then we will talk." "That is my problem, Master." "Yes. Go." Doubts can arise so quickly. Later, the master gave an explanation, and his doubts vanished. What explanation he gave, I will tell tomorrow. So, the Lord Dharmarāja himself came—the King of Dharma for the entire universe and the King of Death for the entire universe. These two are mighty. Let them come to play their theater. It does not matter who is who, which god or holy one. They too are under the law of dharma and pāpa. Pāpa means sins. Where there is sin, the rākṣasa, Yama, comes. Where there is dharma, the devas come. This time, Dharmarāja, the king of dharma, came and requested the ṛṣi, "Please, it is time to go. You have been in this body for so many thousands of years; you have achieved everything. What do you still desire?" The ṛṣi said, "Dharmarāja, I have no desires. I only wish to know more knowledge and wisdom. The Vedas are the source of wisdom." Dharmarāja asked, "How many thousands of years have you been reading them?" "About 25,000 years." "Ṛṣi, come to me, please. Raise your hands like this." The ṛṣi raised his hands toward the Himalayas. Dharmarāja ordered the king of wind to bring a storm, and some dust from the Himalayas fell onto the ṛṣi's hands. Dharmarāja asked, "What happened, ṛṣi?" "Just a little dust from the Himalayas." Dharmarāja said, "My Lord, in your entire life of 25,000 years, what you have learned is only this much dust of the Himalayas. What you wish to learn is the entire Himalaya. How many billions of years will you live here? Come." Therefore, it does not matter how much wisdom or knowledge you possess. Always be ready to learn. Surrender with humbleness. When true knowledge appears, the curtain of ignorance will be removed. Otherwise, we can do nothing. Sometimes we are very sad because we have love, we love, and we are human—we are capable. But though human and capable, we cannot act. You see on the highway a large truck carrying pigs, cows, or chickens to the slaughterhouse. We know its destination, and we are unhappy, but we cannot intervene. We understand how horrible it is, how the animals look at us. We know what will happen, and the animals know too. Similarly, the Master knows, but sometimes even the Master cannot help you—because you possess these five qualities. If they are cleansed, you become the king of yourself. For that, we must undertake an inner journey: change our way of living and thinking. Be humble, be kind, have mercy. That is important.