The Fourth Sri Swami Maheshwaranands Festival of Spiritual Music (4/4)
Worldly life is impermanent, and the only true refuge is in the saint.
All worldly relationships and possessions are temporary. The body is a temporary guesthouse, and the mind is a fleeting traveler. Wealth, family, and status are all subject to change and loss. This impermanence is the source of all suffering. The only permanent shelter is found in the company and grace of the true saint. The saint's teachings and divine name are the sole anchors in this transient existence. By taking refuge in the saint, one transcends the cycle of birth and death.
"Everything in this world is temporary; only the saint's refuge is permanent."
"Without the saint's refuge, there is no peace, only the endless cycle of suffering."
Filming location: Slovenia
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Kirtan singing from Strilky
Evening satsang from Yoga Summer Retreat from Strilky, Czech Republic. Sri Ram Jay Ram kirtan singing by Swami Madhuram.
Singing bhajans by Swami Gajanandji
Devotion is the direct expression of the heart's longing for the divine. The song is an offering, a plea for refuge in the guru, who is the true shelter. Through repetitive chanting and praise, the individual consciousness seeks to dissolve. The devotee acknowledges personal incapacity for rigorous practice, surrendering entirely to grace. Worldly attachments and the snares of illusion are recognized as binding. The sole request is for the guru's compassionate hand to provide crossing. Liberation is described as the burning away of latent impressions and the cessation of identification with elemental principles. The act of singing itself becomes the transformative path.
"O Swāmījī, you live within, you live in my heart."
"Japa tapa na hove mujhase, yahī Prabhu ārajāhe."
Filming location: Strilky, Czech Republic
Bhajan evening from Vep
Evening satsang with Vishwaguruji from Vep, Hungary. Bhajan singing.
Active and passive meditation
Meditation is an ancient practice with two forms: active karma yoga and passive inner absorption. This world is a mortal field of action where all that is born will die and all that is created will be destroyed. It is also a living planet, a home for countless creatures, not just humans. Humanity's error is believing the planet belongs solely to us, using our intellect to govern and destroy it. There are two worlds: the perfect God-made world and the imperfect man-made world, which are now in disharmony due to human selfishness. We have become a destructive force, stealing from and harming nature for our comfort, leading to climate crises as nature's reaction. True success is not personal gain that causes another's loss, but action that considers all beings. Therefore, return to karma yoga—selfless, protective work—as your worship. After such active work, practice passive meditation by withdrawing the senses, surrendering burdens to the divine, and seeking oneness. Meditation requires techniques to concentrate and ultimately merge, allowing you to see the divine beauty in all creation, which physical eyes alone cannot perceive.
"Yogaḥ karmasu kauśalam—through the practice of karma yoga, you will be successful in your yoga practice."
"Mother Nature has enough for everyone’s need, but not for the greed."
Filming location: Strilky, Czech Republic
DVD 524
