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The Guru Paramparā and the Power of Devotion The Bhavānī Aṣṭakam reveals that all worldly relationships are mental modifications, and only the Divine Mother provides true movement and refuge. Śaṅkarācārya calls family ties vṛttis—thoughts, distractions. The devotee confesses knowing neither tantra, mantra, pūjā, nor yoga. Neither puṇya nor sacred places are known. The devotee is a doer of bad karma, indulged in bad company, with bad intellect, bad sight, and uncontrolled speech. No other deity is known—not Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Śiva, Indra, Sūrya, or Candra. Only the Mother grants gati, movement forward. She is the sole refuge amid conflicts, enemies in water, sky, mountains, or forests. The devotee is weak, deaf, dumb, sick, and helpless. The story of Toṭakācārya demonstrates this devotion. Unable to understand or remember teachings, he wept by the river, praying to the Mother. Through pure-hearted faith, he received knowledge overnight and returned chanting a complex stotra for Śaṅkarācārya. Devotion with purity of heart and conscious mind brings grace. Without faith and devotion, nothing works. "O Bhavānī, only you are mine." "O Bhavānī, only you are the one who gives me the gati." Filming location: Strilky, Czech Republic

I have seen the divine embodied. My spiritual master was the divine incarnate, possessing complete awareness and power. He once warned me of a shooting that had already occurred exactly as described. On another journey, my vehicle failed dramatically, yet I reached my destination. After his conscious departure from the body, his divine power remained active. A child suffered a severe eye injury from a pencil. His parents prayed to the master. Doctors repeatedly delayed removing the bandage, and when they finally did, the eye was fully healed. The soul is not lost; the same divine power persists from when he was in the body. Therefore, engage in worship to awaken and progress by this power. "He told me, 'Colonel Sāhab, today some bullets are going to be fired at your stomach.'" "After 15 days... they removed the bandage. That child... can see with both eyes—something only Bhagavān can do." Filming location: India

Kriyā yoga is the path to divine consciousness through mindful action and awareness of the five tattvas. All activity is kriyā—walking, eating, working, even sleeping. The body is the Annamaya Kośa, where thoughts and desires arise. Walking is a divine act that energizes every cell, bringing vitality. In nature, birds sing in harmony, not in chaos. Singing bhajanas in satsaṅga unites all into one through love of God. Yoga is not acrobatics but gentle stretching and awareness of muscles and organs. Interlocking fingers and stretching overhead nourishes the shoulder blades and joints. The whole body, from fingers to hip joints, extends, releases tension, and becomes happy. This stretching becomes knowledge, long life, and a direct feeling of the divine. Sleep comprises three states: waking, dream, and deep sleep. The transitions between them are subtle; to know them is to be a great yogī. The act of falling asleep and reawakening is itself a kriyā to be observed. Concentration is fleeting—the mind flickers like a flame. Like the flame of a lamp, it wavers and never rests. In conversation, the mind wanders, and concentration breaks unexpectedly. Only through the guru’s grace can the rosary of thoughts be stilled and absorption occur. "Kriyā means movement, actions, doing something. Even deep sleep, this is also kriyā." "When we are stretching the whole body, that is the life, that is the knowledge, that is the yoga, that is long life, and we are going to God." Filming location: Jadan, Rajasthan, India

Sādhanā must be properly practiced as the guru teaches. Disciples sing bhajans daily and inquire to become yogis and understand sādhanā. If sādhanā is not performed properly, life cannot be good. The sādhanā given by Alakhpurījī, Devpurījī, and Mahāprabhujī is known by some. One disciple, Premānand, did difficult sevā, living only for his guru. Gurus, parents, and worldly bonds all present challenges. A student spent time at the ashram school but left to follow his own guru; later he became a brilliant yogi drawing many seekers. Another young speaker explained that buttoning from bottom to top is correct; top-down is wrong. He then asked for a lecture but the teacher wished to hear him instead. A tale tells of a father and son evading a ticket on a train. The son extorted money for treats, threatening to reveal his true age. Finally the father lamented that buying a ticket would have cost far less. Mahāprabhujī once sent a disciple out in blazing heat to beg for food. The disciple was told to bring back whatever was given. When the disciple feared being left, the guru promised to bring him food wherever he was. That is the true bond of guru and disciple. Among countless sādhus, perhaps only one or two are genuine. "If this is not done properly, then it is not good; your life will not be good." "Wherever you are, I will bring you food." Filming location: Jadan, Rajasthan, India