Ashram needs dedication
Seva, or selfless service, is the highest spiritual practice. Karma Yoga, the yoga of action, is the most accessible path. It involves using one's abilities for the benefit of others, leading toward liberation. God incarnates to perform seva, and saints hold a unique power to alter destiny through compassion. True service requires dedication and freedom from jealousy, which harms both the giver and receiver. The foundation of all seva begins with honoring one's parents, the primary pilgrimage. Cultivating pure relationships through selfless action is the essence of yoga in daily life.
"Gurujī used to say that if you put Mokṣa on one side of a scale and Seva on the other, the side of Seva would be heavier."
"Whoever can perform Seva achieves everything."
Filming location: Vienna, Austria
DVD 235
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Being a human
Spiritual discipline guides one from ignorance to enlightenment.
Human life is a rare opportunity among countless life forms. Animals possess innate discipline, but humans are given specific principles—conduct, thought, diet, and recreation—to cultivate goodness and occupy the mind positively. These rules, including fasting and observing holy days, were established by sages to prevent negative actions. Every action creates a corresponding reaction, good or bad. By following these disciplined observances, known as saṃskāras, one progresses spiritually. Without such discipline, one remains bound to the cycle of karma and rebirth. The goal is to become absorbed in the formless, eternal Brahman.
"God knows everything, does He not? God knows what you will say, what you will do."
"Where there is action, there will be reaction. Good action yields good reaction. Bad action yields bad reaction."
Filming location: Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
The Essence of Kriyā and Anuṣṭhāna
Kriyā is any action, from breathing to meditation. Haṭha Yoga unites the moon and sun channels, balancing emotion and intellect toward realizing the unchanging reality. Spiritual Kriyās, like mantra and breath control, require deepening daily practice. Success arises from increasing, not limiting, your practice, which purifies negative qualities like jealousy and anger. Constantly observe your thoughts and feelings as a witness; this self-inquiry is Manana, or thinking over. Ego is a toxin; humility brings one closer to the divine. Surrender in service makes your practice successful. Remember your past struggles to remain grounded. Give up anger and jealousy, and apologize. Practice involves techniques like Trikuṭī Sandhānam to balance emotion, intellect, and consciousness, opening the third eye of wisdom. These Kriyās purify inner impurities, disturbances, and ignorance.
"Be the witness of your thoughts. Be the witness of your feelings."
"As humble you are, as kind you are, you get a higher position."
Rishis are fathers of mankind
The aim of human life is to realize the light of Brahman through dedicated practice and unity. Ancient ṛṣis, through deep meditation, researched existence and declared the unity of the cosmos and the individual body. They described 8.4 million life forms, with human life being a rare opportunity to ascend toward divine light. This light, the formless Brahman, is present in every atom. Modern science finds only one human race, aligning with the ancient truth of a single cosmic consciousness that multiplied itself. However, humans create division through religion, nationality, and social class, forgetting their essential oneness. Realization requires relentless practice, not mere intellectual imitation, as illustrated by the foolish disciple who copied a physical cure without understanding. Yoga and spiritual disciplines are tools to burn karma and ascend. All authentic paths ultimately teach the same truth—Sanātana Dharma—with differences only in language, not essence. Life is fleeting; one must practice diligently, avoid doubt and laziness, and abandon all divisive dualities to unite in harmony.
"Yatha brahmāṇḍe tatha piṇḍe—what is in the universe is in this body."
"In imitation, you should use your intellect, and using intellect in imitation means you have to practice."
Filming location: Jadan, Rajasthan, India
