Be careful with the mind
The spiritual path is narrow and perilous, requiring vigilant discernment. Pride in the body or limited knowledge is a profound weakness. Spiritual development itself brings danger, akin to a newborn vulnerable to infection. Negative influences and mental afflictions can infiltrate and destroy progress from within, much like a small axe fells a mighty tree when joined by the forest that becomes its handle. Therefore, the protective power of true satsaṅga, or holy company, is essential. In this dark age of ignorance, the path is slippery and lined with adversaries. One must be humble, avoid negative company, and remain steadfast on the chosen path, for the mind can either liberate or destroy.
"Satguru satsaṅg yārī olu avere, olu avere nen bharja avere." (I am longing for those people who have satsaṅg.)
"Galiyāṁ choṭī, rāt andherī, rāste meṁ chikanāī." (The path is very narrow, the night is very dark, and the road is slippery.)
Filming location: Strilky, Czech Republic
Up next
Self is happiness
The sense of life is to become happy and free from past suffering and karma. Satsaṅg is the best way to attain this peace. Our inner self, which seeks happiness, is a part of God. We often search for this self externally, but it cannot be found that way. To understand God and oneself, one must attend satsaṅg and study the scriptures. Yoga is the union of the self with the Cosmic Self. All who take physical form, even God, must endure certain sufferings according to cosmic law. We are here due to our karma, while God incarnates by free decision, yet He too must accept difficulties, sometimes due to curses. Even a great devotee like Nārada once cursed Viṣṇu, causing Him to incarnate again. This occurs when one's intellect becomes confused. We must always pray for positive intellect.
"If the self is searching for the self somewhere, we will never find it anywhere."
"The difference between us and God is that we came to the world because of our karma, and He came according to His own decision."
Filming location: Vép, Hungary
DVD 155b
The Weight of Life and the Resolve of a Student
The Weight of Life and the Resolve of a Student
Bhāra means weight. All weight on our shoulders—negativity, happiness, sadness—we give to Gurudev. Life’s troubles and joys, we place in Gurudev’s hands. We remember God and Gurudev when troubles come. Dhṛḍha Niścaya means determination. The five qualities of a student include the determination of a crow. A crow wanted water from a pot with a narrow opening. It collected pebbles and dropped them in until the water rose. The subconscious mind can make anything reality. We are not worthy, but within, everything is possible. Live in the world like a lotus in muddy water. Offer all bad qualities at Gurudev’s lotus feet. Act without expectation. In the last moment, let that be in Gurudev’s hands. The world is in Gurudev’s hands. Our actions and mālās are in our hands. The lotus has a protective layer; mud falls off. Responsibilities are like mud. Two wolves live in the mind—one of bad qualities, one of goodness. Thoughts are food; whichever wolf we feed awakens. Sarasvatī holds a vīṇā. Strings too tight break; too loose make no sound. Life is balance. Too much work is stress; too little is boredom. Too much talking creates confusion; too little creates distance. Sarasvatī teaches harmony, balance, unity, clarity, awareness. Words have power. One person believing in us changes life. Gurudev thinks of us before we think of ourselves. Speak with awareness, listen with patience. Arguments start without awareness and patience. Mālā teaches awareness and patience. Everything originates from somewhere. All forms of the Goddess originate from Bhagavatī Parāmbhā.
"Jo jag me rahū̃, to aise rahū̃, jo jal me kamal kā phūl rahe."
"Jaba jaba saṁsāra kā kārya banū, niṣkāma bhāva se karma karū."
Filming location: Strilky, Czech Republic
The Miraculous Heart
The heart is the constant source of life and warmth for the entire body, sustained by prāṇa. The navel is the vital point of origin for the individual self, the ātmā. All spiritual practice converges in the heart. One must be careful and maintain good practices, as illustrated in the story where Rāvaṇa was defeated only when struck at his navel. Spiritual development requires sustained practice over time, not a quick acquisition. Feel the warmth from the heart and the cleansing coolness from the hand, focusing attention on the heart and then the navel.
"Everything comes from the heart—warmth from here to the whole body."
"And when it went to the navel, he died."
