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Yesterday, we had a very nice translation of a bhajan written by Gurujī to Mahāprabhujī. It seems it didn’t go through. Many people didn't understand, or didn't want to understand. My question is this: who was not here in this morning program? Please honestly raise your hands. Thank you. So, those who were not in the morning program did not understand at all. And those who were in the morning program misunderstood. It is better to attend the program. Last weekend we were in the Strelky Ashram, Mahāprabhujī Ashram in the Czech Republic. I had a very serious talk with everyone, and the same thing I have for you today. Please listen very carefully. You know very well what brought you to yoga. Why did you come? Including myself, I know why I came. You also know: you came for health, for philosophy, for spirituality, for concentration, and so on. Our slogan, written as a footnote or subtitle in our "Yoga in Daily Life" books, is "Harmony for Body, Mind, and Soul." Many of you read this and were very inspired. "Yes, that's what I'm searching for. Yes, that's what I want to realize. Yes, that's what I want to have." We are civilized, educated, academic people. None of us comes directly from the jungle, so you know what harmony means. You know what body, mind, and soul are. Harmony in family, in the environment, in society, in relations, and within oneself. Similarly, for body, mind, and soul. This was your question. This was the cause, the catching point, that inspired you to come to yoga. And now you are here. Now, you are here. For how many years, months, or days? The person who has a toothache knows what toothache means. The person who has a headache knows what a headache means. The hungry person knows what food is. What I want to say is that the reality about oneself, only one knows. The question is now: How far have you realized what you came to yoga for? Mahāprabhujī said in a beautiful poem: > Paras saṅg loha kyā pirbinā paltā loha. The iron was brought together with the stone, paras (the philosopher's stone), which has the ability to turn iron into gold. But he said, "I brought the iron and the fire together, but still the iron didn't change." The answer is written there: > Jato paras aslī nahī. Yā rahā bī sova. Either the paras is not real, or a distance remained between them; they didn't come together. So the answer is there. Mahāprabhujī posed the question and gave the answer. So, either yoga is not that which can give you harmony, or you didn't understand; it didn't touch your heart yet. There is doubt, laziness. Why is it like this? I wouldn't say yoga is not real. Yoga is divine. Yoga is the science of body, mind, and consciousness. Yoga is the balancing and harmonizing principle for the entire universe, not only for the individual. Yoga is the principle of balance and harmony for the whole universe. Then the problem is in us. Constantly, we are complaining about illnesses—many, many illnesses. And yoga challenges us: if you practice yoga, you will be far away from roga (disease). So there is yoga, and there is rāga, bhoga, and roga. Where there is bhoga (desires, indulgence), there is roga. Roga means illnesses. Where there is rāga (attachment, quarrel, jealousy, dualities, dveṣa), there is also roga. So bhoga, rāga, and roga—these three go together, but yoga is separate. If you practice yoga, these three things will automatically disappear. I give you a very simple example. It's wintertime, and you drive a car. Constantly your windows have condensation; you can't see through. It's a hindrance. There is only one button you can push, and immediately the windows will become clear. You must put the button on. There is one sign: getting air from outside. If you circulate the inner air, you will always have problems; you will have no clear vision. With the outside air, the heating effect will be better. The air will be clean, warm, and humid. When the sun rises, automatically darkness disappears. So when you begin with yoga, then rāga, bhoga, and roga all go away. But we don't let them go away. We may miss our yoga exercises, but we don't want to miss our bhoga exercises. We have time for bhogas and rāgas, and the result, the cause of rāga and bhoga, is roga. And if you lessen your roga, then you take more, then this roga comes to the mental level. Therefore, in Āyurveda—Veda is the knowledge, knowledge about life, the expansion of life—there is a program called Ārogya. Ārogya and arogya. Arogya is the ill one, and Ārogya is the healthy one. So in Hindi or Sanskrit, when you eat, we don't say "Good appetite." We say "Ārogīe," for your good health. We don't say "eat." The modern language has become "khā-ye." "Khā-ye" or "khā-nā" is from the Urdu language. Or "bhog-lā-ghā-ye," offer to thyself. Or "pāie," receive the health. Gain health. So culture is connected to language. Language is a picture of the culture. The culture is a leading principle. The culture leads us, that culture which gives us a right direction through language. There is a food culture, there is an art culture: music, dance, singing, painting, carving, writing. So there are many different branches of culture. And culture is a leading power for humans. When humans lose their culture, they have lost their direction. You go in the forest for a walk, and you've lost the way. Or you go into a cave with many different chambers, and you are lost. You can't come out. So when you are lost in the forest, they have signs on the trees for all the people hiking there. And you know for whom are the signs on the trees? For one of the most intellectual creatures in this world. The most wise and intelligent are the humans. Birds don't need any signs. Deer don't need, dogs, cats don't need; they are not confused ones. So culture leads us. One culture is the culture of the healthy way of life. And that's not only body, mind, emotion, consciousness, intellect, and so on. So, the Ārogya program is a health program for good health. And this Ārogya is a subject of our dining table. Not that you are eating what you like very much, but what is very healthy for you. There is mostly the vegetation that Mother Nature gives us. Now, look at yourself. In the mirror, feel your body. Feel your mind. Feel your life situation. How does it look? If you think of this, you will say it's a disaster. So where is the mistake? A few years ago, Gurujī sent me an audio cassette from an Indian radio. Every morning, first come beautiful bhajans from different saints. And Brahmamuhūrta comes with very uplifting teachings, the words of different holy incarnations, like the Bible, Qur'ān, Rāmāyaṇa, Gītā, Mahātmā Gāndhī, and many other great personalities. It is one of the Western philosophers from Germany, I think—I do not know the name—who said, "India is a cradle of all cultures." So Gurujī, also in the morning during his meditation, he used to listen to these bhajans. At 3:30 in the morning, he started his bhajans. At 3:30, he had already bathed, taken a half-hour walk, done his āsanas. At 6 o'clock he was ready. Whenever I came to Gurujī's room, he said, "Today at 3:30," he had already bathed and finished his exercises, walking at 4:30. At five o'clock, he had tea and so on. So I said, "Why? You need not go anywhere. You are not missing an airplane. You could do it at six, seven, eight o'clock. You are not going anywhere." So Gurujī smiled and said, "Yes. Yes, I'm going on a long journey. And that's preparation." He said, Brahmamuhūrta. Those who have tasted the nectar, only they know what it is, how sweet it is. So I said, "3:30 I went to sleep." So Gurujī said, "Well, you are a Yogīrāj, at least." These are his words, not my words. He wanted to be nice to me, you know. So Gurujī used to record all the bhajans coming on the radio from different saints. And when the tape was full, he made a copy and sent it to me in Vienna. Sometimes he wrote on the cassette: "Mahesh, I have selected these bhajans for you from the radio." Like a gardener selects beautiful flowers for the garden, I have those cassettes with his handwritten words. Well, in one of those bhajans, the singer said: "Lord, I want to offer, to give to you, one flower, one blossom. But I couldn't find that flower. I was searching continent to continent, shore to shore, in the forest, meadows, and mountains. But I couldn't find that flower which I want to give you, my Lord. And why couldn't I find it? Definitely, it was my mistake. That I couldn't find that flower, or I couldn't recognize that flower." And this is the answer to our question today. With which intention did we come to yoga? And still, we haven't fulfilled that aim. So many seminars, so many weekends, so much traveling, and so much quarreling. Day by day, something is growing parallel inside: ego, pride, longing for power, position, jealousy, hate, complexes, greediness, sadness, and laziness. One holy man said, "Laziness is a coffin for the dead body." A coffin for humans. So if laziness is governing you, then you are in the coffin. Sometimes, the black car is taking. You can tell, "Please take me also, I am a lazy one." He will say, "Yes. Wait, I will return." So he will come. Therefore, the purpose of my telling this is: how honestly are you practicing? Don't tell me anything; only ask yourself. This year already, who has finished the fourth time Śaṅkhaprakṣālana? So, who has finished the fourth time already, Śaṅkhaprakṣālana? Please raise your hand. One, two. Out of 1,060 people, two have finished it four times this year. How many percent is that? How can you be healthy? How many people practice Jalanetī every day? Well, thank you. Thirty people. And how many practice Kuñjalī every week? For six people, thank you. I also do Kuñjalī when I eat too much, and it automatically goes out. What can I do? Well, this year still has twenty-six or twenty-seven days. I wouldn't say that you do it four times. You can, no problem. Every fourth day you can do Śaṅkhaprakṣālana. But at least you can do it once. Netī, Dhautī, Bastī, Naulī, Trāṭak, Kapālabhātī should be your everyday program. So you don't look like a yogī or a yoga practitioner. You look like a... we are rogī here, all, not yogī. There are one, two, three sitting, but they don't want to come to the front. Therefore, I would ask you seriously to begin with yoga. You will have contentment and happiness. You will have happiness and joy with your body, with your mind, and with your soul. It's a pity that two of you had already broken fast today, otherwise we could do all Śaṅkhaprakṣālana now. So, the same thing I told in the Sri Lankan Ashram, in Mahāprabhujī's Ashram. And people, seriously, they took it, and they are already beginning to organize Śaṅkhaprakṣālana and programs. I am not happy to have too many people around me. But I am happy to have people who are honestly practicing, doing sādhanā. You remember, if you have read Līlā Amṛt, when Śrī Devapurījī's ashram in Kailāś... Devapurījī was giving nice satsaṅgs of Rāmāyaṇa, and many people were coming because every day there was very good eating there. One day he said, "You are all coming only for eating, not for satsaṅg." And so from that day he changed his attitude. He made the building fall down, and he said, "Now my best bhaktas will come." And all the snakes came. So you see, Śiva has more snakes than people. So that should not happen to us; we shall practice. You know, whenever I come to Vrindavan, 65% of my time is gone for consultation and complaints. 65% of my time goes to consultations and problems between the organizers. You see? And then, another 25% for personal complaints. And 15% remains for my eating and resting. Where is time for teaching? So the program is this: at six o'clock in the morning, everybody has to be in the practice hall. Why were you not here? And if you are not able to come, why did you come here? So in the future, no seminars will take place where people are not 100% attending all. We need two persons: yogī and rogī—the yogī and the ill person. We need two persons to cure, to help. But two we don't need: bhogī and rāgī. Bhogī and rāgī disturb all our vairāgī. Therefore, next year's seminars will be strictly controlled, and diet will be strictly controlled. Only some raw diet and boiled food, that's all. You have to become the representative of Yoga in Daily Life. You should realize this is what you came for. Otherwise, one person disturbs all. So now, seriously begin, please, your practices. All Haṭha Yoga techniques: āsanas, prāṇāyāmas, mudrās, bandhas, kriyās, meditations, mantras. And working. Working. Eight hours in the office. Many people write, "Swāmījī, I have a money problem, I have a financial problem." Why? You cannot have a financial problem. Why do you have what others don't have? Because others are working, that's it. So this is what I want to tell you: we should have a practical life. We should show that really yoga can grant us this harmony for body, mind, and soul. So this jealousy and complaining against each other—"It's not my job, it's his job. It's his duty, not my duty. Why not this person? Why should I? Why are you always saying this? Why not I?"—this must stop. When God Rāma came back to Ayodhyā, all were very happy. Rama was sitting, also happy. And where God comes, even the whole season changes. Trees give blossoms, fruits, good weather. Hanumānjī was sitting in the garden under a tree and making his mantra: "Rām, Śrī Rām, Śrī Rām." And suddenly Hanumānjī was thinking, "If I wouldn't have met Rāma, Rāma wouldn't be successful. It was me who found Sītā. It was me who could fly, jump from India to Sri Lanka, and find Sītā. It was me. It was me who brought the Sanjīvanī to save the life of Lakṣmaṇa, otherwise Lakṣmaṇa would have died. It was me who brought Garuḍa from Vaikuṇṭha, otherwise Rāma would also have died." So his ego went up. "I have done this, I have done this, I have done this. Without me, he will not be successful; he can't do it." And God Rāma, he read the mind, the thinking of Hanumān. So Rāma said, "Now today is the time to put the ego of Hanumān into the cold water." But in a nice way, in a diplomatic way, gently, without him noticing. Oh, God Rāma calls Hanumānjī. "Hanumān, Hanumān, come here." And Hanumān was running, jumping. "Oh Lord, you remember me. You called me. What can I do, please? This servant is ready to give life. What can I do? Today is my greatest day, that you called me." God Rāma said to Hanumānjī, "Hanumān, I want to tell you something in confidence." "Yes, Lord, what? Should I bring the whole Himalaya?" "Say, no, no, no. You see, Hanumān, if I wouldn't have met you, then I would have lost Sītā. And I wouldn't have been able to build the bridge between India and Sri Lanka. If you would not have brought the mountain from the Himalayas, the whole hill, Lakṣmaṇa would have died. If you had not brought Garuḍa, I would have died." Everything, systematically, Rama was repeating what Hanumān was thinking there. And Hanumān was getting angry and becoming strong inside. "But Hanumān, I give you today your last duty. No one can do this. I'm sure you will be successful." "Yes, Lord, tell me. Nothing is impossible for your devotees if you are with me. Should I bring heaven on earth? Or should I bring the whole earth into heaven? So all are automatically in heaven. That only Hanumānjī can do." Rāma said, "No, no, no. Hanumān, in the Himalaya, on certain hills very high up, rarely any human can reach that point. There is a beautiful snow and ice cave, and there is living one great ṛṣi, great saint, Alapurījī. Please go and give him this ring. Don't lose it. Be careful, it's a very dangerous way." Hanumānjī said, "Lord, when you are with me, nothing is dangerous." He put the ring in his mouth, kept it in his gums, made praṇām, and left. It was really very difficult to get there. Hanumānjī was completely exhausted, and cold, and hungry, and tired, and lacking oxygen. And suddenly he sees somewhere one ṛṣi is meditating, doing the Bhakṛī mantra. Hanumānjī went and made praṇām. The ṛṣi smiled and said, "Yes, Hanumān, it was difficult to come here." Hanumān said, "Yes, Lord, it is your blessing that I could come till here." "What have you brought here? What brought you here?" "My Lord Rāma sent you one present, a ring. A beautiful ring. Brilliance is inside." So he took the ring and threw it into the water. There was a little lake. And Hanumān was so angry. "What a proud ṛṣi! Even he didn't say thank you. Even he didn't look at the ring. He took it and threw it in the water. And how hard for me to come till here. I will tell Rama, 'Please don't send me to such people.' Rama didn't allow me, otherwise I will catch him and bring to him." The ṛṣi smiled; he knew all what Hanumānjī was thinking. He said, "Hanumān, can you get this ring back, please?" Hanumān put his hand into this little water pond. And he had a handful of rings, same quality, same design. With both hands Hanumānjī offered the rings to the ṛṣi. He said, "You know what it means?" Hanumān said, "No, I don't know. I only know there are many rings." He said, "Whenever God Viṣṇu incarnates on this planet, he needs the permission of the saints. And he has to pay the tax. Vishnu has to pay the tax to come on this planet. After the end of his mission, he sent me a text with one ring. That I bless them so that they can be successful. As many rings are inside, that many times Vishnu has already incarnated here. And I am still here. Hanumān, don't think that it is you who helped Rāma to win. It is a blessing of the saints. Put these rings back, and tell Rama that your mission is completed." Hanumānjī made praṇām, and he came back to Ayodhyā, walking tired. God Rāma was waiting. He came and said, "Praṇām, Lord. Oh, Hanumānjī, how was it?" "Thank you, Lord, that you sent me there. My being in this world is now successful. That I have had a darśan of such a sage whom even the Lord Viṣṇu has to pay the tax. And Lord, He told me something, and I want an excuse for that." Rama said, "All right. I am going back, but you will remain here on this Mūrti Loka and take care of my bhaktas. Serve them. Don't punish them. Help them." And therefore Hanumānjī is here to help us. So don't think that you are doing, and you are organizing, and you are helping. Many people were thinking like this; they are gone. Many kings wanted to govern the whole world. And you can't find even a small piece of bone of them here. The world continues. So take it as a blessing. Take it as your divine chance, your fortunate one, that you got the seva, the service. To do, to work something in yoga and in life, this honor goes to you. You are the blessed one. This privilege goes to you. Therefore, if you will work and organize as a seva, you will be uplifted and the fruits will be good. But if you have dirty, stinky, thorny thoughts, jealousy, hate—"I don't like them, I don't want this"—then I'm sorry for you. So it doesn't matter who is who, what they are telling. You should do your seva and support this beautiful work, which is for Mahāprabhujī. Do not be against anyone. You are guru brothers and sisters. There is quarreling in Zagreb, quarreling in Maribor, quarreling in Ljubljana, quarreling in Budapest, quarreling in Hungary, quarreling in Vienna, quarreling in Prague. What is this? You are not jungle people. You are educated, civilized people. So be the bhakta like Hanumānjī. We say very often, "Lord, I'm not that Hanumān who can open his heart and show that you are within me." But there is no difference between him and me. All a little different. He has a long tail. So it doesn't matter who is who, what is talking. Forget it. Negate it. Be paras. Be that precious stone which turns the iron into gold. So be that wise one. Anyone tells you something bad, negative, turn it into wisdom, into wise, beautiful things. Therefore, Mahāprabhujī said: > Stogī Mahāprabhujī reka.