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Fighting within family -- from the Mahabharata
The true nature of relationships is revealed in conflict and inheritance.Reality is only fully known after death, so one should not hurry toward it but enjoy life. A story illustrates this through familial strife over a throne, where blindness and ambition lead to plotting and exile. … read more »
Dharma of the Master
A moral dilemma arises when one must choose between two sacred vows of protection.A bird sought refuge from a predator. The master promised safety, stating even death held no power. A second bird then arrived, claiming refuge from starvation, having pursued the first for days. Both beings placed their … read more »
Inspiration to start the day
The sacred rhythm of daily life begins with conscious first impressions and intentional actions.Upon waking, direct your first gaze toward a beautiful or sacred object to set a positive tone for the day. Before rising, offer your body and mind in dedication. Determine which foot to place first by … read more »
Meeting Fatima Meer and Swami Sahajanand
We gather to honor service and spirit in this community.A spiritual leader was appointed to guide humanitarian work here, providing aid without discrimination. Daily, thousands receive free food and medicine. This service has been recognized with a national humanitarian award. Today we also acknowledge a … read more »
God is always with us
We need the help of all things to realize ourselves.It is realistic to feel you need human help, but we need help from every creature and object. We need this microphone to be heard, these walls for shelter, and this chair to sit. In this … read more »
All in One, One in All
We are one human race, a single species.Scientifically, there are not two races. For the divine, all are one. Our bodies are merely vehicles, varying in color or creed. All beings are reflections of one source, like the moon seen in different cups … read more »
Cycle of birth and death
Upon leaving the cycle of birth and death, one enters an astral form for a time.In this state, one sees and knows everything, undergoing a process where destiny for the next birth is determined. The form of the next birth is first created by this destiny. However, present actions can show … read more »
Saraswati
The grace of Sarasvatī and the necessity of self-effort define the spiritual path.Sarasvatī is the goddess of wisdom; her grace grants eloquence and knowledge, making her adored by all. In spirituality, all are supreme and equal, a principle reflected in human rights concepts originating from ancient texts. True … read more »
Kal chakra
Death is certain, and one must fulfill one's duty.The time and place of death are fixed but unknown. Therefore, one must act on their duties immediately, without delay. Life presents two paths: engagement in worldly duties and withdrawal from them. One must not abandon … read more »
Regression therapy
Regression therapy is a complex tool with potential benefits and significant risks.The method can sometimes help, but it often reveals truths that are difficult to master. If you recall a happy past life, you may feel happy; if you recall a miserable one, you will feel unhappy. … read more »
Svarga
Heaven and hell are not distant realms but present states of mind.A person content in their situation experiences heaven here. Another person in the same room, filled with anger and jealousy, experiences hell. The entire world and all situations are projections created by your own mind. Therefore, … read more »
Trapti
The self is satisfied by knowledge and wisdom.Satisfaction means completeness, ending the hunger of desire. When the self is fully satisfied, all unhappiness disappears. Such a person has mastered the senses; the senses are active but follow instructions, they are slaves, not masters. … read more »
Lagan
Lagan is the concentrated power of intention and love that directs one's entire being toward a single aim.Without this focused interest, one cannot achieve success in studies, work, or family life. When your effort is merely duty, it lacks this force. True lagan makes you unwavering, like a mountain, undisturbed by changing circumstances. … read more »
Svabhava
One's intrinsic value, or sva-bhāva, determines all benefit and happiness.Those who habitually find fault in others cannot be happy in any relationship. This nature is like a price; the object does not change, but its value fluctuates, dictating gain or loss. Your bhāva towards God, … read more »
Theory and practice
The peril of mere intellectual theory is that it creates hollow argumentation, not devotion.Theory has destroyed many, making them empty-headed and dead-hearted. In contrast, a devotee knows only love and surrender. As one develops theoretical knowledge, one tends to criticize and argue more. A story illustrates this: a master … read more »
You are me and I am you
The core teaching is the non-dual unity of being, where apparent separation is an illusion born of physical attachment.You feel separate because you identify with the body; this perceived distance is the source of all suffering. In truth, there is no separation. The divine speaks through this form, not from a separate self. The … read more »
2nd International Children Peace Conference
Our prime duty is to nurture children and honor nature, for they are our future.Children are the culture of tomorrow; we must inspire them with truth and not abuse their innocence. Their performance was a lesson and a call to humanity. We must hand them a pure world. Our duty … read more »
Tyaga and vairagya
The path to enlightenment is rooted in the inseparable practices of inner renunciation and dispassion.The banyan tree symbolizes this enduring spiritual truth, as it was under such a tree that Buddha attained enlightenment through a life of tyāga and vairāgya. These two qualities are mutually dependent; the presence of one … read more »
Health and wealth
The first wealth is a healthy body.You are the primary doctor for your own body. True health cannot be purchased; it must be cultivated. Modern life has separated us from nature, making basic protections like clothing necessary. Human life is guided by … read more »
Eat that sweet, which makes you immortal
The search is for the peaceful corner within, where the soul regenerates.Only those who have tasted that immortal nectar truly know it. Ordinary sweetness creates desire and disease, enslaving the senses, particularly taste. Compulsive eating often stems from a psychological lack, a search for lost maternal love. … read more »
Vyaspurnima
The day commemorates the birth of Vedavyāsa, who preserved divine wisdom for humanity.He foresaw that human memory would decline, leading to the loss of this cosmic science. To prevent this, he dictated the Vedas to Gaṇeśa under a strict condition: his speech would not stop, and the scribe … read more »
The Eternal Presence of the Master
The divine presence is realized through devotion, yet often fully appreciated only in retrospect.A Master perceives the heartfelt love of devotees during sacred gatherings. That profound connection remains accessible beyond physical forms. The feeling of belated recognition arises from human attachment, not divine absence. The eternal bond transcends temporal … read more »
What is the Carana?
The Mangala Caranam is the auspicious invocation of the holy feet.This initial step is a prayer for the divine presence. The holy feet, or lotus feet, represent the Guru's grace. We pray for the Guru to enter and reside within our home. Wherever the Guru is, … read more »
What can we do for our passed away loved ones?
When someone departs, the appropriate prayer is the Mahāmṛtyuñjaya Mantra.This mantra is a powerful invocation for the soul's journey. It is a prayer to God for the forgiveness of the departed's deeds. Its purpose is to guide that person towards the divine light. The focus … read more »
Question of our age: the water
When the asurī śakti comes into power, distraction begins.This age is marked by wars, earthquakes, and floods. The planet now faces great challenges, threatened by its own child, humanity. What is called development is a path to destruction through pollution. The result is the … read more »
You can not reach the Atma without the body
Śrī Gaṇeśa is the deity of auspiciousness and the remover of obstacles.Remember him at the start of any new endeavor to ensure it proceeds without hindrance. Śrī represents prosperity and spirituality, and Gaṇeśa is the lord of all elements and beings. One cannot reach the ultimate reality … read more »
Krishna, the Karma Yogi
Karma is the supreme, impersonal law governing all existence, even God.God operates within this law, granting outcomes according to one's accumulated karma, not in defiance of it. A story illustrates a king who, becoming a renunciant, chose not to worship deities bound by temporary heavenly karma, … read more »
Vigyan Deep Gita
The holy book's name reveals its essence: Vijñāna is the specific science of the Self, Dīpa is the inner light, and Gītā is the song of that glory.This song connects one to immortal truth. Unlike fleeting worldly pleasures, the truth within holy books is eternal and unchanging. Reading these immortal words always opens new perspectives, offering fresh insight with each encounter. The same … read more »
Satsang makes the man god-man
The summer program is a dedicated time for spiritual practice and stabilization.Throughout the year, life's fluctuations create unstable mental patterns. Daily situations cause constant changes in thoughts and emotions, preventing a steady state of being. This instability is like electrical fluctuation, requiring a stabilizer. Spiritual practice, like … read more »
Live and let live
You must be a light that enlightens the darkness of negative speech by rearranging your thinking.Human consciousness contains the divine capacity to unite the universe, so it must not be polluted, or suffering continues. Your words are more destructive than atom bombs; measure them, for a spoken word cannot be taken … read more »
Everyone have a share according to his or her capacity
The Guru Upaniṣad is the wisdom heard by a disciple sitting near the master.Different sages instructed their disciples, creating the Upaniṣads. The teaching is a flowing river; aspirants collect its water according to the capacity of their vessel, their own consciousness. Those with pure hearts receive much, while those … read more »
What is the bindu chakra?
The Bindu Chakra is a center at the crown of the head that produces ambrosia.It is seen as a whorl in the hair. This center supports longevity and memory, developed through specific yoga practices. The nectar it yields is not a conventional sweetness; its taste is different, akin to enlightenment. … read more »
Control your destiny, do not wait for the change idly
Kriyā practice transforms destiny by purifying stored karma and cultivating a new, protective power.If you cannot help others, at least do not harm them, for destiny does not forgive. Understanding mantra is understanding destiny, recognizing the human as the center of cosmic energy. Kriyā purifies the bodily systems by … read more »
Place of the spirituality and the healing power of wisdom
The body is a temple for the Ātmā and must be kept divine through daily cleaning, prayer, and ceremony, which are spiritual acts, not religious ones.While religion and spirituality are hard to divide, one analogy is that religion is the outer skin of a banana, protecting the inner fruit of spirituality, yet we often fight over these outer things. Tolerance, mutual … read more »
Divine will and karma
The distinction between Divine will and karmic destiny is essential.Bad thoughts and actions arise from denying or misunderstanding Divine will, not from the Divine itself. A story illustrates this: a disciple, believing God is in everyone, did not flee a mad elephant, thinking it contained … read more »
Celebration days should remain on their place
The observance is a remembrance, not a celebration.It is a time to pay homage through prayer, song, and good acts in the name of the departed. For a worldly person, prayers are offered for liberation or for the well-being of the departed soul. … read more »
The precious does not praise itself
A spiritual practitioner's ego obscures true attainment.A man meditated for decades, lamenting he gained no powers. A bird's dropping angered him; his glance coincided with its death, inflating his pride. He journeyed to a village to proclaim his greatness. A girl drawing … read more »
Mediate purely like the bamboo
We are born to serve, to help each other.One hand cleans the other; with only one hand, cleaning is difficult. To be alone is to be individualistic, selfish, and full of doubt. A yogī is not so. Life is beautiful; we are blessed. We … read more »
Trees are the memory and witness
Trees hold the memory of divine moments and spiritual revelations.Scriptures were composed and enlightenment was attained beneath them. They faithfully witness all events, enduring every condition. Human life is also a tree, with roots in the brain and branches as limbs, as described in the … read more »
Slower breathing -- longer life
Every breath is a precious diamond, for its total number in a lifetime is fixed by destiny.You cannot increase this count, but you can slow the rate of breathing. Those who practice prāṇāyāma and meditation are not ruled by fear, jealousy, or anger. A person who is angry or jealous breathes too … read more »
Take your destiny into your hand
Ultimately, you are the one who must help yourself by remaining steadfast under the shelter of the Guru's grace.The most difficult spiritual practice is to observe your mental modifications. You must ensure no thoughts enter that weaken your willpower for practice or create doubts in your devotion. All other disciplines are not as important … read more »
Prana
Prāṇa is the essential life force and the very substance of existence.All living beings are holders of prāṇa. This energy animates the body and departs at death. Prāṇa is intricately linked to nourishment. The soul's journey, as described, enters vegetation and grain, making food sacred. A cosmic … read more »
Gurukripa
The Guru's grace is not a transaction but an automatic transmission within a bond of love, received through service and understanding.You cannot buy grace with money or work; it is not a commodity to be handed over. It is a cosmic process. The relationship is illustrated by the metaphor of dyeing a cloth. One prays to … read more »
Guruvakyam
The rarity of true disciples necessitates a path of absolute purity.Guru-vākya is rare, understood only by devotees. Rare disciples exist, so one must be careful when becoming a guru. Disciples are tested; most are fall overs, not true jewels. The supreme self as sound resides everywhere … read more »
Anusthana
Destiny, the product of one's own karmas, is the greatest obstacle.To remove obstacles, one undertakes anuṣṭhāna, a disciplined resolve involving renunciation and ritual. Something must be offered to achieve a desired aim. Mantra is essential; without it, practice is lifeless. This discipline requires pure thought, body, … read more »