Guru Pūrṇimā: From Darkness to Light
Guru Pūrṇimā marks our new year, leading from darkness to light. In Kali Yuga, negative energy spreads like wildfire, consuming the world through cruel practices like meat-eating. Meat's origin is unknown and could include human flesh, showing this age's depth. All creatures have eyes and a soul; you see God in the eyes of other beings, for every soul is the same God. Despite practices, you will not see God if you do not recognize this unity in all life. Every creature feels fear and pain, and torturing them distances us from divinity. Those under a saint's shelter avoid harming life; others remain in darkness. The guru guides you, even through harsh lessons that remove karma, for his bitterness brings the sweetness of knowledge and protection. Upholding your dharma—your duty to protect every creature and element—is essential, as dharma will then protect you. The complete remains complete. Human dharma is to protect all life. While negative ways spread, a positive message grows through practice and teachings, which we must share. Follow your master's guidance for your good, as unified vibration creates strength.
"Every soul is the same."
"Gu means darkness, ru means light."
Filming location: Vienna, Austria
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
Advice for the education of children
The foundation of a child's education is the love, presence, and guidance of the parents. A mother is the first and best teacher, providing foundational instruction. When both parents work, leaving the child in another's care all day, the deep, continuous connection is missing. This can lead to a child feeling unloved and becoming depressed, questioning their place. The solution lies with the mother and father. If a child is distant, a parent must dedicate time daily for teaching and bonding. A compassionate tutor, especially a female teacher for a young boy, can provide parental-like love and emotional support to alleviate depression. Parents work for money, but children instinctively seek their mother. We must keep children close. Without proper guidance, children may be led astray by influences like pocket money, which can lead to harmful experimentation. You cannot force a growing child without causing breakage. A spiritual teacher or yoga guide can help redirect one onto the right path. We are all learning until our last breath. Fill the mind with good thoughts and knowledge before sleep.
"Who is my mother? I have a mother at kindergarten and a mother at home."
"If you give pocket money, I fear it may lead them astray."
Filming location: Strilky, Czech Republic
Knowledge is the Light
Guru Pūrṇimā is about moving from the darkness of ignorance to the light of knowledge. Without knowledge, one is like an animal. This light is the inner knowledge within every being. Humans possess intellect, but it is shaped by its education; one becomes what one is taught. Therefore, proper education is paramount, which is spiritual and ethical education rooted in Sanātana values. This education comes from the guru. The essence of all scriptures is the same truth of one God, though languages differ. Today, people prioritize learning English for jobs over their mother tongue, leading to a loss of cultural roots. Sanskāras create culture, culture creates humanity, and humanity protects the country. Guru Pūrṇimā is the worship of the divine being who gives knowledge and is a festival to keep culture alive. Sanātana Dharma is a living dharma, seen in eternal relationships like that of guru and disciple. This relationship will last forever, making it the greatest and most living festival.
"Without knowledge, one is like an animal."
"God is one. God has no name, and all scriptures speak of the oneness of God."
Filming location: Jadan, Rajasthan, India
Hymns of Adoration and the Nirvāṇa Ṣaṭkam
The true Self is pure consciousness and bliss, beyond all attributes and dualities. It is not the body, the senses, the mind, or the elements. It is without hatred or attachment, virtue or vice, pleasure or pain. It is not the doer, the enjoyer, or any object of experience. This Self is Shiva, the eternal, all-pervading reality. Devotion to the sacred form, the Linga, is praised as a means to destroy all sorrows and sins, leading one to Shiva's abode. These hymns point to the formless truth while honoring the forms that guide the mind toward it.
"I am not the mind, intellect, ego, or consciousness; nor the ears, tongue, nose, or eyes. I am not space, earth, fire, or air. I am the form of consciousness and bliss. I am Shiva."
"To the Linga worshipped by Brahma and the gods, the destroyer of the sufferings of birth, the always auspicious one, to that Linga of Sadashiva, I bow down."
Filming location: Jadan, Rajasthan, India
