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We were discussing cosmic elements, cosmic energy, and mantra. Mantra siddhi is perfection in mantra, or perfection attained through mantra anuṣṭhāna (practice). Mantra anuṣṭhāna requires very strict physical and mental discipline. If you do not follow the disciplines, you will not gain anything. In the universe, there exist different kinds of elements or principles. Like the cosmic mother, the Cosmic Consciousness, the Paramīśvara, the Īśvara, the Holy Father, as you might call them. There are many different forces and elements in the universe; they have no forms. Yet, they can be realized and represented through symbols. You must create a symbolic form and explain its meaning. How do you see it? Are you able to explain this scientifically? Can you explain it scientifically? Mahāprabhujī said in his Gītā Vigyān Divya Gītā: Jñāna vijñāna tṛpta ātmā. "Tṛpt" means satisfied. When you have eaten and drunk enough, you say, "Now I am satisfied." That is called tṛptātmā. No more hunger, no more thirst, nothing left—no desires, no longing. Tṛptātmā, Mahāprabhujī said. In his Vidyā Gītā, he teaches that knowledge fills the soul so completely that there is no hunger anymore. Jñāna is knowledge, and vijñāna is science. Together, they represent the science realized through knowledge, and the knowledge realized through science. Thus, that yogī, through his knowledge and the science of yoga, realizes that the ātmā is tṛpta ātmā—nothing remains. That is a perfect yogī. This state of jñāna-vijñāna-tṛpta ātmā is realized through mantras, svādhyāya (self-study), studies, and practice. Of course, many things you explain will not be accepted by many. If you explain this, many will not accept it. That is called talk with talk—arguments, discussions, and debates. This has always existed. There is always shadow and light, darkness and light. If there is no darkness, light has no value. If there is no light, darkness has no meaning. Yet, there is one ultimate truth. For example, we explain in the Mūlādhāra Chakra the elephant with seven trunks. This does not mean the elephant literally has seven trunks. Rather, these trunks symbolize the sapta dhātu, the seven elements or minerals. Dhātu means mineral. Thus, every symbol in Hinduism or Vedic culture—the forms of the various goddesses, the many hands and faces—carries a symbolic meaning. In Hindu and Vedic culture, all forms, deities, faces, and hands have symbolic significance. Therefore, the depictions of gods, with their many hands and faces, hold deep meaning. In some parts of Europe, there is a folk festival called Fasching. It is a German festival where people wear masks of animals, ghosts, and other figures. This signifies that a person is not that animal but is trying to express certain qualities. Similarly, in India, we have many dramas where children portray Kṛṣṇa, Rādhā, Rāma, Hanumānjī, and God. In Hinduism, there is a tendency to decorate God as beautifully as possible, imagining all precious and beautiful things offered to God. That is why I call Hinduism a colorful and happy religion; there is no sadness in it. Thus, according to the experiences of an individual practitioner, a saint, or a yogī, they create a form, they create symbols, and they explain their meaning. That is called the landmark—a landmark established by those great, holy saints. They describe these symbols because, through that form, the energy is changing into that form. Energy is formed or changed in a bulb as light. The same energy is converted into a fan. It is the same energy that is diversified and formed in this microphone. The inventor of the microphone gave it the name "microphone," and we all call it a microphone. If we were to say it is not a microphone but a drum, everyone would laugh and say, "Please, this is not a drum; it's a microphone." Similarly, the Trikaṛ Darśī, the great self-realized saints, brought cosmic energy into the daily use of humans and other creatures and placed it into certain forms. When you see that form or sign, it immediately reminds you of something. When you see OM written in Sanskrit, you immediately recognize it. But many people have not seen it and do not know; they will ask, "What is this?" Or, when you see a cross hanging somewhere, you immediately know it is a cross, and it evokes certain feelings—it signifies where Jesus was crucified. Yet, many still do not know. In India, many children, upon seeing a cross and being told Jesus was hanged on it, ask why. It is very hard to explain. So, how can a symbol or sign transfer feelings and knowledge? Thus, we have what are called Cosmic Mothers—what we term Śakti, Devī, Kālī, Durgā, Sarasvatī, and so on. Sarasvatī means knowledge. This learning process is that Mother Sarasvatī who resides within you and blesses you with knowledge. If you pray to Sarasvatī and she is pleased with you, she blesses you. You become the best student, and you will excel in examinations and everything. If you are a good preacher, if you speak beautifully and inspire everyone with your lecture, we say, "Oh, he or she has Vāk Siddhi." If you can inspire others with your words, you have Vāk Siddhi. Vāk means voice—the words you speak. Each word you speak carries a balance, and this comes through mantra. Your walk, your speech is like a horse, and that horse must be given to other forces, to another power, to control and to ride. Therefore, the mantra "naham karta prabhudiv karta"—meaning "I am not the doer; the Divine is the doer"—should be spoken loudly or silently before you give a speech or a yoga lesson. One saint says in a beautiful bhajan: "O my inner self, divine Ātmā, you are the Lord of your senses and your mind... do not be a slave of the senses. You are the king of this city, of this body." One day, if you become a slave to your senses, they will pull you to do something, and you will be so sorry. Millions of times, you will tell yourself what stupid things you have done. When you become a servant of your senses and they pull you, you will be deeply saddened and say a thousand times, "What a stupidity I have done." So, Vāk Siddhi is attained through certain sādhanās and techniques. First, svādhyāya (self-study). Then manan (contemplation), and chanting mantras. Therefore, likhit (written), vekṛī (audible), upāṃśu (whispered), mānasik (mental), and ajapā (automatic)—these are the five levels of progression, perfection in practicing mantras. Then you attain Vāk Siddhi through Guru Kṛpā (the Guru's grace). When you speak, you should speak neutrally, without your own selfishness. As soon as you inject your own interest and selfishness, you become a commercial person, and people will lose their trust in you. Therefore, mantra is very important.