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This evening is a very divine evening because we are sitting in a place called an āshram, in satsaṅg. Āshram means shelter. "Ā" means welcome and "śram" means work. It is an invitation: come and work. Work on your body, work on your mind, and work for others as a seva. Dharma, Seva Dharma—Seva means service, helping. Seva Dharma is the greatest Dharma in the universe. Ā—welcome. Śram—work. An āshram is a place for everyone. According to Vedic tradition or Vedic culture, we have four different āshrams. The first āshram is called Brahmachārī āshram. It means the student life, until 25 years of age. For 25 years, these young people should have no other interest, no worldly affairs—only studying, learning, and acquiring a profession. After 25 years, you enter the second āshram, called Gṛhastha āshram, where you marry, work, and may have children. This Gṛhastha āshram lasts 50 years, so 25 years more. After 50 years, you enter the third āshram. This means you shall now separate from worldly attachment, both husband and wife, and give your duties and all responsibilities into the hands of your children—retirement. The third āshram is called Vānaprastha āshram, from age 50 until 75 years. Prepare yourself for complete renunciation; go to meditate and do sādhanā. Give all your belongings to your children and prepare to detach from all attachments. Finally, the fourth āshram is called Sannyāsa āshram, the monk's life. Sannyāsa means you renounce everything; nothing belongs to you personally. All your work and everything you have is for the sake of others. That is what we now call a non-profit organization in the world. A Sannyāsī is known as a hermit. Hermits go to the forest, have a small hut and a little garden where they can grow flowers, vegetables, and some fruits. Reduce your diet by 75%, because all bodily functions become slow and you do not need as much food; you cannot digest it. That is life—complete renunciation until 100 years. After 100 years in Kali Yuga, this iron age, you enter the fifth āshram, and that is the last one. There is one mantra for that āshram. It is called: "Rāmnām Sathe Theet Giyān Gathhe." "Rāmnām Sathe" or "Theet Giyān Gathhe"—the name of God is truth. All else is finished. Hari Om Tat Sat, bye-bye. You pack your things from this world and enter the astral world. It is said that when you were born, your fists were closed. It seems you brought something with you—your destiny. When you die, your palms will open. Whatever you have, you lose it. Everything in your life you lose. What you think today belongs to you—your jewelry, your dress, your car, your garden, your house, your parents, your children, your money, your bank accounts—even your body will not go with you. Finally, you have to leave everything here and check out from this worldly hotel. If you paid your bills, okay; otherwise, you have to come back in the next life. To pay the bills means to perform good karmas. "Ko'haṁ kathaṁ idaṁ jātaṁ ko vā kartasya vidyate." From where did I come? Who am I? "Ko'haṁ." And from where did I come? Why did I come? Am I doing the things for which I came into this world? And where will I go? This answer is not clear for us—only theoretically, yes; practically, no. Tons of theory is nothing compared to a grain of practice. So what have you done practically towards your spiritual realization, for your God-realization? Human life is given for only one thing: Ātma-jñāna. To urge the Ātma-jñāna—self-realization, the knowledge of the Self. Many good and bad things happen in human life, but the most terrible tragedy that will happen to us is that we will die without God-realization. Recording location: Australia, Brisbane, Australian Tour