Бесплатный фрагмент - Salvation in Kali Yuga

From the Compiler

India, foothills of the Himalayas, May 2024. We’re ascending a mountain trail from Lake Sattal to the summit of Hidimba Parvat. The atmosphere around us is alive with birdsong, surrounded by forest freshness. The air is crystal clear and nature here is breathtaking. Massive pine trees sway gently in the spring breeze, releasing the subtle fragrance of pine needles. These aren’t like the pines in Russia — they’re much taller, with fewer branches and cones the size of an adult’s foot. They say tigers roam these forests. For now, though, we only see monkeys leaping from branch to branch and an occasional deer hastily retreating at our distant approach.

This area is now a sanctuary. But before Swami Vankhandi Maharaj arrived here, nearly fifty years ago, and began watching over these forests, this was merely another Himalayan foothill slope, gradually being invaded by human activity — trees were being cut down and litter was beginning to accumulate.

«Vankhandi" translates from Hindi as «Knower of the Forest.» He came here and became the guardian of this place. I wrote «merely another slope,» but that’s not entirely accurate. This hill is actually an ancient pagan site, where people have worshipped Mother Nature since time immemorial. Vedic sages once lived here, performing tapas (profound spiritual practices for mastering the mind). Even the legendary rakshasi, Hidimbi, after whom this hill is named, underwent significant spiritual transformation here, evolving from her original nature to achieve the status of a Goddess. To this day, she is revered and worshipped as the Goddess of this Power Place.

We’ve come to Vankhandi Maharaj’s ashram hoping to conduct one or more interviews with him. I’ve long wanted to meet this holy sage, having heard so much about him.

His full name is Bankhandi Swami Akhandanand Saraswati. The last part of his name indicates his affiliation with a branch of the «Dashanami Sampradaya» spiritual order, established in the 8th century by the great sage Adi Shankaracharya. This Vedantic lineage is also known as the «tradition of the single staff of renunciation» and requires complete detachment from worldly affairs while selflessly serving all living beings.

At the time of my visit Swami is nearly 105 years old (born December 14, 1919). He is a genuine sage who dwells in a stable state of «sahaja-nirvikalpa-samadhi.» In India, such individuals are known as «siddha-purusha» — a «perfected soul who has attained liberation.» I heard this characterization from an important scholar-swami who had come to pay respects at Maharaj’s ashram. In Hinduism, the term «siddha» also refers to those who have achieved significant extension of their physical lifespan and various supernatural abilities — though such individuals rarely demonstrate or publicize these powers.

Swami typically remains silent when asked about his past, family, or similar matters, because for a sadhu who has renounced the world, worldly concepts like family cease to hold meaning. Thus, biographical information about him is scarce. What is known is that he spent over thirty years high in the Himalayas, living among the glaciers in complete surrender to the Divine Mother. Even about this, he speaks rarely or briefly. Nevertheless, readers will find some fragmentary accounts of Maharaj’s life, both in the Himalayas and in the ordinary world, scattered throughout this book.

During the couple of weeks I spent at the ashram, I came across several Russian translations of Vankhandi Maharaj’s satsangs from 2021 to 2024. These contained invaluable, practical, and simply fascinating material. Additionally, I managed to conduct the planned interviews, three extensive interview-satsangs about nama-japa practice, self-inquiry, the phenomenon of shaktipat, and the subtleties of seva, selfless service. All of this ultimately formed the foundation of this book.

My notebook also accumulated several personal impressions and observations from my stay at the ashram, and I was somewhat uncertain whether to include them in the book. However, during the compilation process, I received this message from Maharaj: «Write about how you lived in the ashram, what you saw here, whom you met, how people live here, what they do. Describe your own experience.» Therefore, I decided to keep these notes — as brief introductions to the interviews and satsangs.

Siddharth

PART ONE. INTERVIEW

Vankhandi Maharaj lives in the flow. And he speaks in the flow too — turbulent yet measured. This flow is impossible to control or direct. For this reason, the three conversations presented here aren’t exactly interviews. It seems Maharaj needs just one true question for his answer to transform into a discourse. Even if the answer to the specific question has already been given, Maharaj continues to dive deeper and further into areas tangential to the question asked. Like a tree growing lightning-fast before your eyes, sprouting new branches here and there… And it’s very difficult to interrupt this flow to ask the next question when it arises during his response. Truthfully, you don’t want to interrupt. However, Maharaj, while continuing to speak, often mysteriously begins to answer questions that arose during his monologue but were never voiced — when they truly require an answer.

First Conversation: From Jiva to Atma

Anupriya, who agreed to come with me to the ashram to translate, introduced me, telling Maharaj that I wanted to ask him questions to later publish the answers in Russian. «Thik hai», he agreed without visible enthusiasm but with readiness. It wasn’t that he was indifferent, but it seemed that reading the newspaper, from which we had thus distracted him, was more relevant to him at that moment than conversations.

Siddharth: Maharaj, I want to ask you several questions. I was inspired to do this by your Russian disciple Niranjan. He believes such an interview will generate great interest and benefit people, especially the Russian people who surround you. I have already interviewed many different spiritual teachers, and some of these conversations later became books. Niranjan read these interviews and books and suggested creating a similar book about you to spread your teaching. That’s why I’m here.

Vankhandi Maharaj: You will write a book for Russian people? Many Russians live here now, they come to do sadhana, to engage in practices. I always tell them: the main thing is kindness. Approach everything with kindness. Do seva with a kind attitude toward the world and with great love for all surroundings. But without attachment. Don’t quarrel, don’t be hostile. Don’t hold evil in your heart. You shouldn’t be angry with anyone. Often people don’t restrain themselves, they get irritated and pour out hatred on each other. But you can’t go through life with hatred and irritation, you won’t achieve anything through these. On the contrary, you’ll only harm yourself. Irritation and anger deplete a person, rob them of energy. The energy inside such a person runs dry.

It’s very important to learn to live in a state of santosha, complete contentment and agreement with reality as it is. What is, is; how things unfold, so they unfold — don’t fidget and desire to change the situation overnight. Accept with gratitude what you have, what has come to you — food, water, anything — be content and rejoice in what has come to you at this moment. Your soul should not have vain oscillations: «this I will have, and this I won’t, this I want, and this I don’t want.» Swinging from one whim to another, from one desire to another — this is the wrong approach to life.

Siddharth: And what is most important in life?

Maharaj: The most important thing in life is to take control of manas, the ordinary mind, which is based on thoughts and reactions stemming from feelings and emotions. The ordinary mind, manas, must be brought under control, calmed, conquered, tamed. After conquering manas, one must direct all attention to that pure, eternal, unchanging and indestructible presence within us — some call it Atma, some Truth, some Brahman. One must find this unchanging, indestructible, eternal constant within oneself. This requires inner independent work, deep study and self-observation, contemplation, reflection. Who are we? Where did this external world come from? How did we end up in it? What is the ultimate, absolute Truth? After all, this body is not Truth. It is changeable and transient. What is subject to change cannot be absolute Truth. Truth can only be that which never changes. One must figure out what in us changes and what remains unshakeable and eternal. This is Atma or absolute Truth, whatever you call it. It never changes. Under any conditions. It remains unchanged in you in all states — both when you were a child and now. Truth was here before the body’s birth and will remain after its death.

This Truth is what one must try to feel, to recognize. The search for Truth is a special path. To follow it, one needs to aim in a certain direction, tune oneself, change one’s way of life, maintain discipline, create rules for oneself and develop a new style of behavior. One must adopt a sattvic lifestyle, eat only sattvic food. Your behavior, interaction with the world and people — and this is the main thing — must become sattvic. Simple and modest. You must be even-tempered, calm, polite, and patient. This is sattvic behavior. You must have an equal, impartial attitude toward everything. No rejection, dislike, or conversely, attachment to anyone or anything.

The Ramayana says: «One who renounces desires, fear, sorrow, and joy will find refuge in My heart.» Ideally, you should strive to develop within yourself the state of samdarshi — an even attitude toward everything that happens, a detached view of things, the ability to look at all phenomena in life equally, be it joy or sorrow. Samdarshi is the absence of emotional attachment to events and phenomena.

Desires and thoughts associated with them must leave your soul. Samdarshi — this is what your sadhana should be directed towards. No desires. You are calm and steady — both in sorrow and in joy.

Siddharth: Why is it so important to conquer one’s mind? And what exactly does this mean?

Maharaj: Everything we do in this life is connected with the activity of manas. All reactions and thought processes are tied to it. We look at the world through it. We think through it. It unites our feelings, thoughts, emotions, and ego. Through it, our body comes into contact with surrounding reality, forming attachments. It is our instrument of interaction with the world. Further, everything depends on how you use this instrument. How you apply it, where you direct your attention, there a connection arises. You can direct it towards samsara, towards food, towards worldly goals and pleasures. Or you can direct it towards knowing Truth, toward strengthening its connection with the Divine.

Siddharth: Undoubtedly, directing the mind toward God is far more important than toward worldly affairs and pleasures. But how to do this? Should we somehow form an attachment in the mind only to God? Or is it better to have no attachments at all, even to God?

Maharaj: Manas can connect with anything. Above the worldly mind, manas, stands the higher mind — buddhi, which gives us viveka, our innate ability to distinguish good from evil, truth from falsehood. Viveka and buddhi exist in each of us. Manas has no eyes. It has no vision and no awareness. Like a small child, it grasps at everything that attracts it. It doesn’t understand that here it might fall, there it might get burned. A child reaches for fire because he doesn’t yet know it will get burned. But buddhi is our wisdom accumulated over many lives, inner knowledge, experience, and ability to make decisions. And if manas is handed over to buddhi, then the higher mind-buddhi [reason, intellect] will lead manas onto the right path. Everything then depends on what goal stands before you — if you want to go on the road to heaven, buddhi will lead you to the road leading to heaven. If you want to go into samsara, on the path of career growth and earning money, buddhi will help you with this.

But if manas is not given over to buddhi’s control, it will be left to itself, jumping and darting between different desires, passions, and extremes. But such wandering of the mind only depletes your energy. The more your ordinary mind wanders and roams, the weaker you become energetically.

Indriyas, our senses, can be compared to horses harnessed to a chariot. What controls them, holds them in check, and prevents them from running off in different directions? The reins. Our manas is these reins. And who holds the reins in their hands? The charioteer, buddhi. If buddhi-charioteer loosens the reins, the horses will run scattered and drag manas — thoughts, emotions, ego — along with them. If the mind is in buddhi’s firm hands, you will move on the right path. You won’t stray from the path. Therefore, it’s very important that your mind be in the firm and reliable hands of viveka-buddhi. Even if ego-emotions-thoughts (manas) try to dart aside from the road, buddhi with its willful decision and conscious thought will return them to the true path.

Before every muni, sage, in India, there always stood a dual choice — shreya or preya. Shreya is spiritual joy, preya is worldly joy. Either go toward samsara and strive for a prosperous life in the physical world, or go toward God, Ishvara, Atma. Two main paths in life, two directions. You cannot walk on two roads at once or take a middle path. You must choose one thing. You can strive only toward one goal. There is no middle ground here. It’s impossible to hit two bullseyes at once. If you have tea in your glass and someone brings you milk, to drink the milk, you’ll have to pour out the tea. Tea and milk cannot occupy the same glass simultaneously. You’ll have to give up one thing. And accept something else irrevocably and finally. If you want to live in samsara, you’ll go down samsara’s road. That will be your practice. If you want to go down the road leading to Ishvara, you must turn away from samsara and begin spiritual sadhana. Whatever sadhana you choose, that’s what you must practice. You can’t retreat from it. Two different roads. But manas is one.

Siddharth: How does one develop viveka? How does one use their intellect, buddhi, to choose the right path?

Maharaj: Buddhi knows from the very beginning what is true and what is false. What is right and what is not. Buddhi inherently knows that fire is hot and your body can get burned. And it tells us about this. Our organs of perception, eyes for example, show us what’s outside. But buddhi shows and reveals the knowledge that we already have inside. But for this, we must learn to listen to it, think deeply, catch its messages. For this, we must use our power of investigation — detach from the external, close our eyes, focus, concentrate on our inner «I»: «Who am I? Where am I from?»

Siddharth: But how does one learn to hear specifically their buddhi, the higher mind, and not manas? How does one focus internally, what are your practical recommendations? How does one focus within oneself and act from the position of buddhi, rather than from the position of the changeable mind, manas?

Maharaj: For this, certain rules are prescribed in the yoga sutras. You set a goal, make a decision to achieve it, and strictly follow the rules, discipline. Direct communication with your buddhi requires constant abhyasa — training, practice, and more practice. It’s just like in sports or music. Without constant exercise, training, and practice, you won’t achieve anything. Everything comes only through persistent practice. To achieve your goal, you accept necessary rules, make a vow to yourself, adopt a certain algorithm of actions, and strictly adhere to this algorithm. The rhythm, regularity of your practices is very important.

The famous musician, Ustad Bismillah Khan, a player of the Indian shehnai flute, was awarded the Bharat Ratna. This is India’s highest civilian state award, a sign of recognition for the highest level of service to society. Even after receiving this highest recognition, Ustad Bismillah Khan still continued his daily riyaz (daily musical practice). Until the end of his days, every morning he would sit with his instrument and hone his mastery. He has now passed away. Before his death, he expressed only one wish: that the flute remain in his hands until the very end. He achieved international recognition, had many students, but he never stopped his abhyasa.

Besides abhyasa, you need to subject your life to a certain routine, daily schedule. You must meditate with rhythmic regularity at a specific time and in a specific place. You’ll need to enter into a precisely tuned rhythm of life — getting up at the same time in the morning, eating at the same time, going to bed at the same time.

Great attention must be paid to what you eat. Diet affects your health, mind, and psyche. Proper sattvic nutrition gives us a state of even peace and ability to concentrate. Intense-tasting food, such as overly spicy, salty, or sour items leads to an excited, agitated state of mind. It will be difficult for you to control yourself. Eat sattvic food — eat more fruits, vegetables, drink juices, milk. Such nutrition will maintain you in a state of calm, clear mind and concentration. It will support your abhyasa, practice.

The Bhagavad Gita says:

For those who are regulated in their habits of

Eating, sleeping, recreation and work,

the practice of Yoga becomes

the destroyer of suffering.

Adhere in your sadhana to rules that contribute to achieving your intended goal. Choose an appropriate diet. The time you wake up in the morning is very important. It’s best to wake up early in the morning, at 4 o’clock. Ten minutes before sunrise. If we want to establish contact with the Divine, we must wake up before our God awakens. As poet Vanshidhara Shukla wrote:

When you sleep — you lose.

When awakening — you find.

Open your eyes!

Turn your attention to God.

How can you sleep,

When your God is awake!

You can’t let your God wake up while you’re still sleeping. Rise before dawn. Wash yourself. Do puja and immerse yourself in dhyana, meditation. Stick to such a schedule. And if the one whom you love with all your soul has already awakened, while you still remain in the darkness of sleep, then who is to blame?

Further regarding the amount of food we should consume. The human stomach has three compartments. Any machine has an engine, tanks for gasoline, oil, and water. Similarly, the stomach has space for food, water, and air. And the stomach needs equal space for these three components. If we stuff the stomach completely with food, there will be no room left for water and air. Therefore, food should only occupy one-third of the stomach, no more, leaving room for water and air. If you consume a moderate amount of food, you won’t be overcome by drowsiness and laziness. On a full stomach, concentration of consciousness is impossible.

Siddharth: I’ve heard about these rules, read about them, but I want to clarify how much really depends on human capabilities here? How far do real human powers extend here? After all, we are all limited by our karmic conditions. For example, you explain how we should eat properly, but in our lives we all have certain habits, preferences, attractions. Moreover, we are bound by different circumstances. For instance, some often have to eat away from home, while others can’t break their family traditions and are forced to eat as is customary there. In general, sometimes it’s not so easy to change our way of life, even if we want to. What do you advise in this case?

Maharaj: One must firmly determine for oneself that I am not the body, I am Atma. One must establish oneself in this knowledge. Karma from previous lives influences the unfolding events and circumstances in this life. But you must establish yourself in the consciousness: I am not the body, I am Atma. Eternal, indestructible and unchangeable. Remain firmly in this consciousness, and circumstances will cease to affect you. Karma will not affect you. Often from hurtful words said by someone, we flare up in anger. But one who has this knowledge and firm conviction will not experience anger. He will not feel offense. Abiding in this consciousness, he pays no attention to hunger and cold. All his attention is focused on Atma. Atma neither eats nor drinks. Neither sleeps nor stays awake. It is unshakeable. Everything is the same to it. It is unchangeable. It is beyond karma. Neither heat nor cold frightens it. Though it is connected to the body, circumstances do not affect or change it in any way. It experiences no torment. It has no desires or doubts, no whims — I’ll eat this but not that. This is all external, superficial. And when a person abides in the firm knowledge that they are Atma, they most naturally accept evenly and calmly everything that comes their way — whatever God has sent is good. God will leave no one hungry. Everyone will get their roti.

We say: «my hand,» «my leg,» «my body.» We don’t say: «I am a hand» or «I am a leg.» That is, my hand or leg is something separate from me, a part of my body. So who is it that says «my»? The body doesn’t say that I am the body. Therefore, I am one thing, and my body is something else, separate from me. If a person says «this is my house,» then the difference between the «house» and this person is obvious, they are separate from each other.

Only one who seeks themselves has a chance to know another. First find yourself, understand who you are. Who am I — Atma or body? Here, for example, is my hand. What does «my» mean? And whose hand is it really? My leg hurts. Whose leg? Mine. Good, but who are you? The leg isn’t you if you say «my.» The one who says «my» — that is you.

This element needs to be caught — this is Atma. Atma is the awareness sitting within me, the sensation, the vision of Self. Catch this sensation — who says «my»? Once you grasp this sense of «Self», you’ll gain awareness and much knowledge will open up. Gradually, through abhyasa, practice, reflection, and training, you’ll accumulate certain experience, the realization that I am not the body, I am Atma.

The first Adiguru of the Jains, a famous rishi, held one hand over fire while holding his wife with the other. With one hand he gained the experience of suffering, with the other the experience of bliss. And he tried to maintain balance, to remain at the neutral point of non-suffering and non-bliss. This is the state of understanding that you are Atma. His name was Rishi Vishabdev. Mahavira, the founder of Jainism, was his disciple. It’s like with the Sikhs — Guru Nanak didn’t officially create Sikhism, its creator is considered to be his disciple Guru Govind. Similarly with the Jains: the spreader of Jain teaching was Vishabdev’s disciple — Mahavira.

In Tamil Nadu state lived a holy mahatma, this was a hundred years ago. In his youth, his parents arranged his marriage by contract, hardly asking his opinion or consent, as was customary in those times. But he didn’t even pay any attention to this. All his attention was directed towards sadhana practice, he devoted all his time to meditation. He lived in a separate room, hardly ever left it, and meditated by the light of an oil lamp. He had no concern for what was happening in his family. All household members respected his practice, tried not to disturb him, simply cared for and looked after him, providing everything necessary to sustain life. Thus years passed. Fifteen years went by. Once, his lamp was running out of oil, and its light began to dim. His wife noticed he was sitting almost in darkness, approached him and added oil. The light flared brightly, and the mahatma startled from surprise. He raised his eyes, stared in amazement at his wife standing before him and asked: «Devi, who are you?» After fifteen years of married life, he hadn’t even properly realized he was married or who his wife was, so absorbed was he in his dhyana practice. What control he had over his manas! Such is the power of spirit. When it is present, a person can become anything they want.

As Tulsidas wrote in a chaupai in the «Ramcharitmanas,» the jiva cannot exist without a body, but Atma is free. There are many jivas, but our God is one. The jiva has only one path to break free — to turn to Atma and realize oneself as Atma. And then the jiva will become free even while in a living body. It will become independent of the body in which it lives. It can freely change its form and live through the body of an animal, bird, plant; it’s no longer necessary to be bound only to a human body. It is already independent of the five elements of the physical world and is free to exist in any body and any form it desires. It can take the body of a child, an old person, woman or man. It’s easy for it to do this because it becomes omnipresent.

But when the jiva considers itself a jiva and relates to itself as a jiva, it is bound to the specific body with which it identifies. It cannot break free beyond this body. But Atma is omnipresent, it has no barriers. It is indivisible, boundless, beyond time and pervades the entire Universe.

The most important thing is chintan, concentration of consciousness on Atma. If you constantly practice concentration of consciousness, there comes a moment when you approach the realization that you are Atma. You separate from the sensation of the body. There is a beetle, called bhringi in Hindi. It has an interesting characteristic. It doesn’t lay larvae itself. It picks up larvae of other beetle species, seals it completely in an earthen burrow, and sits on the surface nearby buzzing. All the «attention» of this captive larva ultimately becomes focused on this buzzing. Out of fear, it can’t concentrate on anything else. Under the influence of the sounds this beetle makes, the larva as it matures becomes an exact copy of the beetle and takes on the form of its species. When it grows wings, it emerges and flies away.

A person who is completely immersed in attention to the Divine gradually merges with the Divine, changes their appearance, acquires His features. You become what you constantly think about, what your attention is focused on.

There’s another story. This happened in Meerut. About 40—50 years ago. There lived a man, without father or mother. He earned his living by herding cows in nearby villages. Local residents would feed him. Once, while with the cows, he wandered deep into the forest and saw a rich ashram. Flowers grew in the ashram, and there was complete abundance. Seeing such prosperity, the poor man asked the head: «Babaji, tell me, what’s the secret of your wellbeing?» He replied: «God gives me everything.» The shepherd asked: «And how do you achieve this? Teach me, I’ll do the same.» Baba replied: «Just pray and think about God. It is God who fulfills all my desires.» Then this man stayed in the ashram and began to pray and meditate diligently. One day Swami asked: «Well, how are you doing, is your meditation working?» The man replied: «Babaji, as soon as I start meditating, the image of a cow appears before my eyes.» Babaji told him: «Well, that’s fine. Then meditate on the cow.» After a few days, the head inquired again: «Well, how is your meditation going?» And the poor man answers: «Babaji, everything is wonderful.» Then Swami says: «Well, if that’s so, enough sitting, come outside.» And the man replies: «I’d love to, but how can I get out? My horns get stuck in the doorway.»

This man merged with the object of his meditation and began to identify himself with the cow he was meditating on. What you think about, you become. Therefore, it’s important everywhere and always — sitting, standing, wherever you are and whatever you’re doing — to concentrate consciousness on Atma or on God’s Name, which is the same thing. A certain time will pass and a moment will come when you won’t say a word, but you’ll hear a voice — that very Name you’ve been repeating all this time will sound in your head. The object of your concentration, what you concentrate on, whose Name you focus your consciousness on, will answer you, will enter into interaction with you. You’ll only need to listen.

On the banks of the Narmada River, there once was an ashram. Everyone in the ashram lived by a strict schedule and always woke up at four in the morning. Once, some wandering sadhu settled in this ashram. He disregarded all rules and allowed himself to sleep until late. Soon all the disciples became indignant. They approached Swami: «Look, this man sleeps as much as he wants, does nothing, doesn’t practice and doesn’t follow our rules.»

Swami took a stick, woke up the sadhu and said:

«Why are you breaking the rules? Why are you still sleeping?»

«I’m not sleeping at all. It seems you’re the one who hasn’t woken up yet.»

«What do you mean not sleeping? How should we understand this?»

«I never sleep because I continuously practice japa. Here, listen.»

And he extended his palm. Swami listened, and the palm sang to him the Divine Name: «Ram-Ram.» The sadhu threw him the blanket he was covered with, and it was saturated with the same sound — Ram-Ram. This is how the great power of repeating God’s name manifests.

The energy of what you concentrate on will begin to emanate from you and from the objects you use, from the clothes you wear, even from the blanket you cover yourself with. Everything becomes filled with effulgence of this Name.

Ram Paramahansa could change the color of roses through the power of chintan, his focus on the Name. After his touch, any rose would become white.

Siddharth: Can we say that the meaning of human existence as jiva is to rid oneself of identification with the body?

Maharaj: Yes. Ideally, jiva should merge with Atma, identify with Atma and become jivatma. A jiva that concentrates all its attention on Atma becomes Atma. It becomes jivatma while still alive. And then — whether it remains in this body or manifests in another form — it will no longer be attached to this form. This is jivanmukti — liberated while alive. Jivanmukti is not attached to anything. No desires or attachments remain in them. They experience no lack because they no longer need anything. The jiva is like quenching its thirst and becomes blissful Tripta-Atma (completely self-sufficient Atma). When you drink your fill of water after exhausting thirst, you no longer want to drink more, and you experience complete satisfaction. Similarly, the jiva becomes saturated with the power of Atma and experiences complete satisfaction. It no longer needs anything else. There are no desires. One who dedicates themselves to sadhana, concentrating consciousness on the Divine Name, begins to change and ultimately will acquire the features of the Divine Name on which they concentrate. The crawling larva spreads its wings and flies out of captivity. Completely transformed. And all thanks to chintan, concentration of consciousness.

There’s nothing impossible here. The seeing one shall see. It’s like a mirror — put it in front of yourself — you’ll see your reflection. Turn it to the back side — you won’t see yourself. So it is here: one who doesn’t see themself, sees nothing. Know yourself, and you’ll know everything else.

Second Conversation: Chintan, Seva, Shaktipat

Organizing this second interview proved to be quite challenging. Maharaj was always busy with something — either household work, or conversations with devotees who had come from Delhi for a day to see him… or with something completely unfathomable — sitting before an open fire in his room. It seemed that he had no desire at all to impart any teaching and that he considered this kind of knowledge transmission ineffective. And why? Through the very power of his presence and the precision and refinement of actions flowing from this power, this sage transmits the necessary knowledge without words to all those who are capable of receiving it. Through every movement and manifestation — through gaze, action, word (even if it concerns something completely mundane). He teaches unintentionally. (In many spiritual traditions, it is considered important not so much to talk as to simply be in the presence of saints — the mind becomes infected, saturated with their light and thus purified from accumulated «darkness». Moreover, «being in the presence of a saint» doesn’t necessarily mean «meditating in the presence of a saint.» It rather means simply being nearby, serving them, seeing how they live in every moment, even the most casual, how they manifest in various situations.)

However, it would be a mistake to claim that Vankhandi Maharaj completely denies the value of transmitting teachings through words. To the question «who is Guru?» he often replies that Guru is his Word itself (in Sanskrit — «Shabda»). Perhaps that’s why this conversation did take place.

Siddharth: Yesterday you spoke about chintan. You said it’s the concentration of consciousness on Atma. How does one do chintan? What can help with this?

Vankhandi Maharaj: Repetition of the Name. Concentration of consciousness on one Divine Name.

Siddharth: And which Name is best to repeat?

Maharaj: Any. Choose any Name and repeat it.

Siddharth: Any Name? How does one choose?

Maharaj: You must choose the one that resonates in your heart. You can choose the name Rama, or Krishna. You can repeat the name of Durga. Or Ganesha. Or Shiva. There are five main Gods, Param Devata. Surya (or Aditya), Ganesh, Vishnu, Shiva and Devi (you can take the name of Durga, Bhagavati, any name of the Divine Mother). Choose what you love, what you feel a close connection with. And constantly concentrate your attention on one and only one Divine Name and repeat it. Repeat it not aloud, but internally. This Name should constantly revolve in your mental space and resonate in your heart. You don’t need to pronounce and repeat this Name loudly — tongue and lips don’t move. Everything happens internally, without effort, and then it begins to happen by itself, ajapajapa begins.

You don’t need to close your eyes either. Learn to live and work with this. The same applies to meditation (dhyana). When you sit to meditate, don’t start with closed eyes — eyes should be open. When you enter deep contemplation, your eyes will close by themselves. There’s no need to close them deliberately. With closed eyes, the thought process will interfere. Thoughts will dart around in consciousness. Let your eyes close by themselves when you reach a deep degree of concentration, one-pointedness of mind (ekagrata).

So repeat the Name. And it should be only one Name. Don’t scatter yourself. Concentrate only on one Name. Repeat continuously.

Siddharth: So we do this to make the mind concentrate on one thing, to achieve this ekagrata, one-pointedness?

Maharaj: The Name that you repeat and concentrate on will eventually come alive. The God behind this Name will manifest within you. You will begin to clearly see Him with your inner vision. The Divine energy corresponding to the Name will arise in your heart and gradually reveal Atma to you.

Siddharth: And will this ultimately help to rid oneself of identification with the body?

Maharaj: Undoubtedly.

Siddharth: So this is the way to begin realizing oneself as Atma, to identify with Atma rather than with body and mind?

Maharaj: Yes, of course. The Divine Name you pronounce possesses energy that will gradually pull you out from the grip of samsara and lead you to Atma. Such is the power of the Name. It is this energy of the Name that does all the work; you don’t need to make efforts for this. Your task is to concentrate attention on the Name, and the power of the Name carries you to Atma. During this process, you’ll begin to experience such happiness that will eclipse all transient joys of the samsaric world. You’ll become indifferent to all bodily pleasures. This inner experience of Realization is called anubhuti, it will happen within you by itself. Identification with the body will disappear.

But this should not be mechanical repetition of the Name; that way the Name won’t reveal itself and won’t manifest its power. This works only when you repeat the Name with complete dedication and love, putting your soul into it. Between you and the bearer of the Name you repeat, there should be a connecting thread, a string that quietly vibrates with each sound of the Name. The Name should continuously sound mentally in your head, whatever you’re doing. The mind should be constantly involved in this, even during daily activities. Initially, this will require some effort on your part, but gradually, with practice, it will become a natural process. The mind will continue repeating the Name all the time, even when you’re doing various tasks. If during cold weather you increase the intensity of fire, the cold retreats, it becomes warmer around. Similarly within you: as you, like wind fanning flames, fan the power of the Name, It burns away worldly desires, attractions (vasanas) and karmic obstacles with the heat of its energy. The Name will do all this work; you only need to fan Its heat.

Siddharth: Ramana Maharshi advised concentrating attention on the feeling of «I,» on the thought «I.» He sometimes even recommended using the word «I» as God’s Name for repetition. Repeating: «I—I-I.» Aham-Aham-Aham in Sanskrit. He said that this Aham is also God’s Name. And ideally, he recommended simply giving all one’s attention to this simple feeling of «I am,» «I,» since, essentially, this is the manifestation of the Divine in us. He called this «self-inquiry.» What do you say about this?

Maharaj: Yes, you can repeat «Aham, Aham.» This is also a path. A path to your true Self. But repeating God’s Name is simpler because the Divine power, energy standing behind this Name provides support and automatically takes you to the true Self, that is, to Atma. And this Self will already be absolute, «Aham Brahmasmi». You will in any case arrive at the same point — the true Self. It’s just that if you try to come to the true Self without God’s support, it will take you much more time, perhaps several lifetimes. After all, the mind has a tendency to wander off, to be distracted by samsaric lures, it wanders and constantly falls into samsara, while the Divine Name acts as a strong magnet that pulls the wandering mind onto the right path. Whatever you get distracted by, it won’t affect you, because Divine energy will pull you back to the Self. And when you are already absorbed in the Nature, the Self, you ultimately won’t need either God’s form or His Name. All forms will merge into the one Self, Nature, Atma. And you will automatically realize that all Names of God are just manifestations of this Self. And you will dissolve in Atma.

Siddharth: So God’s Name allows one to acquire this holy grace, God’s Mercy, through which dissolution in Atma occurs. And «Aham,» «I» — this is the root that lies at the foundation of any Name of God and any Divine manifestation. Can we say it this way?

Maharaj: All different forms of the Divine ultimately have one nature. They are all essentially one. It’s only to us they appear different. The sun is one. Sunlight is unified, wherever the sun’s rays penetrate — into your home’s room, into a temple sanctuary, or other places. Light from the sun spreads everywhere and fills everything.

Siddharth: So, your main recommendation is to repeat one of God’s Names. Or are there other techniques you can recommend to sadhakas?

Maharaj: There are many different ways, but they all go through application of effort and long practice. You won’t achieve anything with a snap of fingers. Without long, intense abhyasa, that is practice, no method will work. Usually, for example, a person cannot sit in meditation and instantly subdue their mind, stop thoughts and enter deep concentration. All this comes with development, gradual practice. You are given a certain practice, mantra or Name, then repeat, concentrate, train, develop. And with time you’ll begin to reach Atma.

When a small child cries, it’s given a toy. Their attention focuses on this toy, and they calm down. The ordinary mind needs an object on which it can focus. It is surrounded and attracted by thousands of things, it jumps from object to object. So, one must know how to direct it to a certain point of focus. There are many focusing «toys» for manas — mantras, nama [Name] and other methods for such concentration. But to take the mind under control and begin to manage it, to achieve victory over it and conquer it, any method or technique needs abhyasa [constant practice].

Siddharth: Is there a possibility to reach Atma directly, bypassing the mind and its whims? Can we simply push the mind aside and reach Atma by a short path without abhyasa? Right now?

Maharaj: There is no such direct way. You can’t bypass the mind. You can’t jump over it. You have grain, but it won’t turn into roti by itself; there’s a certain procedure for this that cannot be bypassed. Everything requires effort. You need to achieve purification of the mind and subtle energy channels in the body. You can try different methods, check which ones suit you. Conduct research, study them. There are different yoga kriyas. For example, pranayama. You can master the path of pranayama. There are different techniques of dhyana, mind concentration. You can do chintan on fire — concentrate attention, focusing for long periods on the light of fire. It’s important to concentrate your entire mind on one thing. Choose for yourself the sadhana that suits you best. But all these kriyas will in any case be directed at subduing manas. Until you conquer it, you won’t dissolve in Atma.

Manas is like a raja, a king. It rules over the indriyas (senses and organs of perception). Try to control even one indriya. You won’t succeed. But if you achieve victory over the ruler of indriyas, conquer it, then all indriyas will naturally submit to you.

Siddharth: By our true nature, we are not mind and not senses, we are not body, and essentially we’re not even jivas. We are Atma. But to realize this, for some reason we must go through a long thorny path. It turns out to be a very slow process of realization.

Maharaj: The mind is necessary. Mind, body, and Atma are not substances separate from each other. Atma is in our body too. It is omnipresent. It is present in everything. So how can we isolate it? Manas is precisely that instrument through which you can feel and realize It. Manas is needed to find It. It’s just that while manas is fixated on samsara, it cannot independently concentrate on Atma. Manas, like a spotlight, must be directed at Atma, and then it will sense it. Through manas we reach Atma.

Ramana Maharshi managed to quickly take control of manas and reach Atma. He came to this world already prepared and had a clear vision of the goal. It’s no coincidence he was called Ramana [Fresh], he lived up to his great Name. He already had great karmic experience and development from past lives. He possessed powerful will and knew what to strive for. And he merged with Atma. That’s why he said there is nothing except «Aham» [I]. This was his direct experience. But even he had to go through practice, abhyasa. And not everyone can be like Ramana Maharshi. Any beginner needs to go through sadhana. Yes, it’s not a quick path, but an ordinary person can do this if they follow certain rules.

First of all, observe rules of proper nutrition, don’t eat just anything, give up harmful habits. Transition to a sattvic lifestyle immediately affects the way of thinking. Sattvic diet changes the mind, you begin to think differently. Changes occur in your organs of perception — indriyas. For example, spicy food affects the tongue and taste receptors. And similarly, it affects the mind. And when you eat sweet food, there are different sensations on the tongue, and similarly in the mind after sweets, corresponding effects arise. This is how you can influence the mind in order to conquer it. Eat food that doesn’t agitate the mind, but rather calms and centers it. You need to reach the root this way, to the true causes of various disturbances of your mind, and stay away from these causes. Because until you take manas under control, something will always distract you from sadhana — hunger, cold, heat, mosquitoes. And only when you conquer the mind and stop being distracted by all these irritants will you be able to fully do sadhana.

Siddharth: How many years did it take you to do practice, abhyasa?

Maharaj: It doesn’t depend on time. Time is not the criterion here. The faster manas turns away from samsara, the faster you’ll enter the state of vairagya — detachment from the world. It is in the state of detachment that Knowledge comes to you. Until you’ve entered the state of vairagya and still experience attachment to samsara, to sensual worldly pleasures, Knowledge won’t come to you.

But the state of detachment won’t come just like that. Until your desires are exhausted, while you still want to communicate with people, talk and remember about the past, travel, while some of your dreams remain unfulfilled, you won’t enter the state of vairagya. You must abandon the desires of manas. Tyaga [Renunciation] — Vairagya [Detachment, impartiality] — Jnana [Knowledge]. That’s the formula. And, of course, Bhakti [Devoted love]. Jnana and Vairagya are its children. And Bhakti rests on seva [selfless service]. Therefore, one must learn to do seva.

Seva implies love and compassion for all living beings, animals, people. Help everyone however you can, give your kindness to people, and this quality — bhakti — will begin to grow in you. With bhakti comes such a state of love that vairagya becomes an integral part of your nature. You no longer need anything because you already possess the most valuable thing — bhakti.

You won’t want to specially meet with anyone, you’ll remain indifferent to feelings of hunger and thirst, you won’t care how you’re dressed. And in such a natural state of vairagya comes true Knowledge.

Siddharth: If I pray for God to grant me the state of vairagya, will it happen?

Maharaj: Serve the Divine and do seva with the intention of receiving vairagya. Unite your seva with the feeling of serving God and with the desire to attain vairagya, and when God is pleased with you and asks you what you want, ask Him for this state. He will give it.

In the «Ramayana» there’s an episode when Rama shot an arrow from behind at Bali, Sugriva’s elder brother, and mortally wounded him. There were reasons for this. And when Bali before death began lamenting about why Rama killed him, Rama took pity and said: «You, Bali, have already received punishment from me for your sins, now I can gift you immortality.» To which Bali replied: «No, Rama. In all times, great sages-munis asked for only one thing in life — to directly behold God. This was the main goal of each of their births, and they were born again and again to receive Divine darshan. And you, O Rama, already stand before me. The cherished goal is fulfilled, so what do I need immortality for now?»

You move from birth to birth, having one main goal: meeting with God. The heart’s desire to attain unity with God grows stronger and stronger. In each new life, you accumulate merits that bring this possibility closer. It takes more than one birth to attain such darshan. You cannot behold God in an instant.

Bali, responding to Rama’s offer of immortality, said: «I don’t need immortality. You have given me what great munis ask for throughout their life, from birth to birth. I need nothing more. What more would I do, remaining in this body? I have no more desires.» He had no more desires in life and no reason to live. He was liberated.

The «Ramayana» says: «In many births sages and sadhus diligently engage in sadhana, striving to attain mukti, but when the most important, final moment before death comes, they forget the Name of Rama, and as a result they are born again and again.»

It takes more than one birth to reach direct communion with Atma. Sometimes one needs to live several births in the state of vairagya. Right now you’re burning with desire to attain vairagya, but you still maintain love and attachment to this world. But your love should not be divided. Love must be dedicated to one thing. You either love God or this world. Either shreya or preya. Preya is happiness in samsara, shreya is happiness with Ishvara. If you reach for samsara, Ishvara won’t come to you.

You take care of your body, maintain its cleanliness, eat good food. You love your body. But there are people who have become so detached from the world that at first glance they look like they’ve lost their minds. These are free jivas, muktajivas. Death of the body hasn’t come yet, but they have already attained mukti in life. They are considered mad. They can be seen at railway stations or on street corners. They don’t care about their body, they don’t think about it at all and look disheveled. People laugh at them, call them names, but they pay no attention to anything. They live in their joy. They are well. They are blissful. They might even put others’ leftovers in their mouth. They don’t care. If you want to live in vairagya, you must first detach from love for your body.

Choose one sadhana for yourself. Chintan on the Name is a good sadhana. With constant repetition of the Name, you’ll feel changes in yourself. You don’t even need to think about anything else. The Name will do everything for you. Don’t delve into the mechanism of how this happens. Success in one well-practiced sadhana will open all roads for you. For this, you need to choose only one Name, one that’s close to your heart. The energy of this name will give you new experience, new sensations. Knowledge will come about what true reality is. As soon as the power of the Name, peace and joy enter your heart, you won’t want to leave this path, you’ll want to preserve and increase this Divine peace and Divine joy within yourself. For spiritual happiness, everyone needs spiritual energy, peace and joy. One who has this energy, peace and joy attains mukti.

Siddharth: Why did God make everything so complicated? This path to liberation is very complex…

Maharaj: It’s not complex at all. Everything is very simple. Although we think it’s complex. It’s just that in this world, grains of wheat don’t turn into bread by themselves, they need to be ground into flour, kneaded into dough, and baked into bread. Loaves of bread won’t fall on your head from above. In this world, everything is accomplished through work. To perform work, God has provided you with everything and given you tools: body and mind. You just need to get to work. Why were you given hands, why were you given mind? So that you could use them and do your work. You were given the higher mind buddhi for thinking and making decisions. Don’t you want to use this gift? After all, it was given to you to use. Look at mechanical watches, they don’t work by themselves. How many screws and gears they have. How many parts and wires in a mobile phone. Each part has its own meaning, its own purpose. And if you know how to use them, everything becomes simple.

Siddharth: You say it’s simple. But to me it seems like heavy work that requires enormous efforts.

Maharaj: You will experience difficulties as long as your manas is fixated on samsara. Yes, until then it’s difficult. But as soon as you turn the mind away from samsara, everything will begin to come to you naturally. When you wander through jungles without knowing the way, it’s very hard for you. You’ll wander until exhaustion. But as soon as you know the way out, it immediately becomes easy.

Siddharth: Sometimes because of attachments it’s very difficult to get on the right path, even if it’s already been shown to you. For example, even seva and nama-japa-chintan, which you recommend, seem very difficult for a lazy person like me.

Maharaj: A lazy person won’t achieve anything. You must overcome laziness. Mother Earth always says that holding high mountains is not heavy for her, but carrying a lazy person is very heavy. A lazy person is doomed to failure.

Siddharth: Well, actually in some matters I’m not so lazy. For example, I take up work with great joy and enthusiasm when I need to conduct an interview like this one now, or translate some interesting and useful book. But there are types of activities that simply don’t interest me. For example, sweeping floors.

Maharaj: This is pride speaking in you. You find it beneath you to sweep floors. Boring and uninteresting. This is understandable. But on the path of yoga, one shouldn’t hurry and try to fly to the clouds immediately. In conquering manas, one must act gradually, at the speed of an ant crawling along a path, moving from one twig to another, not rushing to the clouds like a bird. Don’t jump, don’t hurry, first master one thing, accept changes, then move forward. Such is the path of yoga — it’s not done in leaps and bounds, it’s a progressive process. You need to take on the work that life places before you on your path. You need to gradually learn new things and abandon old preferences and ideas.

Remember: when you do a good deed, even if it’s not very prestigious or interesting, by bringing benefit to others in a moment of need, you yourself attain happiness. The more good and mercy you create, the more good rains down on you. To those who do seva without expectations of reward, the Lord gives everything necessary and more. The fruit never remains in the roots, it grows and ripens on the branches in its own time.

During the Ashwamedha yajna ceremony conducted by the Pandavas, there was much work, everyone had to take on certain duties. And Krishna chose for himself the duty of clearing dirty dishes from tables and pouring water on people’s hands so they could wash them after eating. And this was the Lord Himself! For a sevak there is no unprestigious work. All seva is equally honorable and important — whether you serve in a temple or clean toilets. Seva is seva, in any form. Its value is measured by necessity.

Siddharth: The other day you said that seva can be very different. It can come from body, mind, word and thought. After all, what I do is also a kind of seva?

Maharaj: Of course, any kind of activity can be seva — whether it’s physical work, intellectual labor or work connected with word and communication. It can also be service for the benefit of plants, animals, birds, not just people. Singing devoted to God is also a form of seva.

Look at ISKCON representatives. They walk the streets, sing songs in praise of God, chant the mantra «Hare Rama Hare Krishna,» and this too is a form of seva. That’s why they have so many centers around the world. They are devoted to their path and always look happy. Indeed, when you serve the Lord in one way or another, you are happy inside.

You can do seva in thoughts too. Even if you repeat God’s Name silently — this is also seva. There are three types of seva — from body, from word, from thought. Though, no matter how you look at it, any type of seva is still connected with the activity of the body. Moreover, even if the body has no strength left, you can still do seva — sing mantras, bhajans and kirtans.

Siddharth: So there’s no direct path to God? For example, coming to a Guru and asking: Maharaj, please give me a direct experience of Divine presence! Maybe not self-realization, but at least a glimpse of God, so that through this experience I could, for instance, rid myself of pride and attain vairagya…

Maharaj: Everything is by Shiva’s will. And if you concentrate on God with love, devotion and faith, on repeating His Name, on seva, then He Himself will reveal His face to you. You will see Him and be able to perceive Him directly. You will have direct experience. But in our tradition, it’s forbidden to artificially induce this direct experience of God in people. It’s considered criminal to do this, for example, to advertise an ashram, to talk about how we can give such magical experience… This is a very personal experience for everyone. So we don’t do these tricks and don’t give direct experience of communion with the Divine. Look around you: how many flowers, trees, plants, what diversity of forms, what amazing play of colors — red, white, green, yellow! These flowers, these fruits that surround you — is this not a miracle, is this not a manifestation of Divine creation?! All nature that surrounds you is that very image of God that you so want to see for a moment.

Siddharth: Interesting, why in your lineage is this considered a crime? After all, there are Gurus who give disciples their first acquaintance with Divinity, this glimpse of «Anubhuti.» And thanks to this experience, the disciple receives a kind of reference point, a starting point, and now knows exactly what to strive for, which direction to go. For example, in these lineages they give shaktipat.

Maharaj: Shaktipat is given only if the disciple is ready for it and worthy of it. It doesn’t happen that a Guru gives shaktipat at the very first meeting. One must walk a long path of sadhana, special preparation, accumulate special powers and endurance, reach a certain level of understanding. Only this way and no other. Sometimes after receiving shaktipat, unprepared people go mad. If a person hasn’t walked the path of sadhana, they can lose their mind, unable to bear the power of this force.

Siddharth: So if someone comes to you who sincerely believes in God, is mentally prepared and has gone through sadhana, then you can give them shaktipat?

Maharaj: Yes. I can. But the person must already possess enormous endurance, stamina, special energy to receive shaktipat.

Siddharth: And how does it happen in your case: does something spontaneously trigger and somehow transmit itself through your body to the disciple? Or do you first see that yes, this disciple is ready, and after that intentionally give them shaktipat?

Maharaj: The disciple must first pass a test, endure verification.

Siddharth: What kind of test?

Maharaj: A disciple’s readiness can be tested in different ways. Well, for example, someone might say an offensive word to the disciple, and if they flare up and start arguing. This is a sign that this disciple isn’t ready for shaktipat. Anger has destructive power, it burns a person like fire. A hot-tempered person, prone to taking offense, won’t endure, will simply go mad if given shaktipat. For the fire of their anger will rise to the surface.

Siddharth: Do you specially create situations of quarrels and conflicts in the ashram on a subtle level? To test your disciples?

Maharaj: No, I don’t arrange anything specially myself. I just observe. And observation shows me what progress people are making in their sadhana, how much love for God they have. After all, when you have strong love for God, you don’t have any desire to quarrel with anyone. You simply don’t need it. Shanti [peace] is the most important thing. And if they have raga and dvesha [attractions and aversions], there will be no shanti. We have many conflicts in our ashram, people quarrel, shout at each other, take offense. I watch this. I say nothing, let them quarrel. For I have no preferences. But I don’t arrange anything. All these situations are created by Devi, the Goddess. This is her play. We have a Goddess temple here. This is her doing.

One who loves God has no time for conflicts. One who lives advaita, has a non-dual view, never conflicts with anyone. For them, the opposites and extremes of existence are erased. For them there is no difference — important work or not important. All work is important. Here at this moment there are dirty dishes, they need to be cleaned. And they will clean them, because it’s for the good. They don’t find it offensive or shameful, they accept any such work as seva. This is non-dual attitude to reality, advaita-bhava. Small or big, dirty or clean — in every facet of existing phenomena, a person with advaita-bhava sees one God in everything — in every opposite. So why should they take offense and conflict?

Sadhana gives understanding of this. Become a sadhak, and you’ll achieve such an attitude to life. When the mind is cleansed of dirt, you won’t commit anything bad anymore. You will be balanced. But if there are preferences, attachments in the heart, they will spread like waves and transmit to others.

Suddenly Maharaj turns to the Russian devotee present at the interview, who knows neither Hindi nor English, and through the translator asks: «Do you understand everything?» She answers: «Only in the heart,» and the translator adds that later all this will be translated into Russian and that this is Siddharth’s seva — to bring this message to Russian-speaking people.

Maharaj: The «Ramayana» says: «Most of all I love those who do seva for the benefit of others.» Everyone loves sevaks. If you possess the quality of a sevak, everyone will love you. A sevak never considers themselves higher or more worthy than others. They have no ego. An egoistic person will never be able to engage in true seva.

It happens with us that a young person from a village goes to university, gets higher education, then gets a good job, and that’s it — they already consider themselves above everyone in their native village. They find it beneath them to simply take a broom and sweep in their own house, they’ll consider it beneath their dignity. It’s even awkward for them to bring a glass of water to a guest who has come to their house. Parents will both sweep the floor and serve water, but they will remain sitting. I’ve seen such things.

Siddharth: But many people do seva to earn respect from others…

Maharaj: You can’t approach seva this way. Seva is done selflessly, a sevak never expects reward, praise or encouragement. You simply do good, that’s all. Animals have a subtle ability to sense sincerity and true kindness. Look at our dogs, for example. We feed them, give them water, take care of them, and they respond and answer us with mutual love. Animals and birds understand everything. And trees, plants understand everything.

There’s such a story. Two biologists, an American and a German, were conducting research related to studying the emotional state of different plant species. The American scientist had his own laboratory where instruments were attached to tree roots, registering plants’ reactions to changes in the environment and surroundings. Once his German colleague came to visit, she had a knife in her briefcase. Before she could approach the laboratory door, the needle on all the American’s measuring instruments began pointing to red. This is the color indicating feelings of anxiety and danger. Then the American asked the woman to show if she had any weapons with her, and she admitted she had a knife. But when she removed the knife from her bag and took it away, and took a water hose in her hands instead, the instruments’ needles began showing green.

Plants and trees know and feel everything. Trees experience fear of violence and acutely sense others’ intention to harm them — to cut or saw them down. And if someone cuts down a tree, other trees growing nearby cry and suffer.

Japanese people never pick flowers. They only pick up fallen flowers or fallen petals. The Shastras say: if you need to pick a plant, talk to it, bow to it, explain to it — why and for what purpose you want to pick it. After such a conversation, the plant won’t feel pain. If you approach and roughly pick it, you’ll cause it suffering.

Siddharth: Do you directly feel your unity with trees and plants? Do you understand their language? They’re not much different from us?

Maharaj: They’re no different at all. The external form is different, but we exist with them in a unified space of consciousness, though at different levels. We are all one.

There was such a sadhu in Maharashtra state named Namdev. Once he was baking roti in the courtyard and went into the house for a minute to bring ghee. And then a dog, while he was gone, came, grabbed the roti and went further down the street. Namdev saw this and ran after it shouting: «Lord! Bhagavan! Where are you going? What about the ghee? Let me spread ghee on your roti, it will be tastier that way!» For Namdev, God was manifested in the dog. This was long ago. Back then, sadhus didn’t call a dog a dog, they addressed it as God.

I once planted a tree by our gates. It’s still growing there. And once during bad weather, one branch of this young tree was strongly bent to the ground by wind and pressed down by a log. I was sleeping in my house at night, and I dream that the tree is crying. Crying and crying. I could hardly wait for morning. In the morning I got up and went straight to this tree. I see — the pressed branch is lying on the ground. I removed the log from it, freed it from the weight, and it immediately rose up, even flew up. And it became so joyful. Trees, they understand and feel everything. This tree is still growing by our gates.

If you love someone, you feel and understand them. Unity of consciousness arises between you. It’s the same with animals. Sometimes I lie down to rest, and he [points to one of the dogs] comes at 11 AM to wake me up. If I forget to give him food on time, he comes and wakes me. Animals sensitively feel your attitude. They feel your love. You can’t show hostility and fear toward them. They pick up on such attitudes toward themselves very well.

All living beings understand the language of love. Chetan-atma, consciousness at the level of Atma, exists in everyone, it’s expressed through the feeling of love.

It was once predicted to a raja: tomorrow at noon Death will come to you in the form of a black snake, and you will die from its bite. When the raja woke up the next morning, he sat by the main palace gates. He placed gold and silver saucers beside him, poured milk into them and waited. Death came crawling as a snake and saw: the raja sitting in lotus pose, hands folded in pranam, and all around him were refreshments in gold and silver dishes. Death was amazed — no one had ever welcomed him so warmly! The snake began to drink the milk, and the raja continued to sit, showing no fear. His face radiated love and respect. Then Death appeared before the raja in its true form. «Well,» it said, «I gift you another 25 years of happy life. Thank you for the refreshment!» Such is the power of love — when you love, there is no fear. In a state of love at the level of chetan-atma [self-consciousness], you can communicate even with the consciousness of a snake.

Siddharth: You spend most of your time sitting by the fire. Do you also communicate with the fire?

Maharaj: Yes, of course. It has an element of Divine consciousness. This is Agni-Dev. If I offer it refreshment, it accepts it. If you simply place an offering in the temple, it remains untouched. Offer refreshment to the fire in dhuni, and the fire eats it. In our temple we do not offer sweets to the Deities. We offer prasad to Agni Deva through the medium of dhuni. If the sweet prasad is left in the temple, then the ants eat it. Some dedicate their puja to fire, some to dhuni. It doesn’t matter to whom you do puja. You can dedicate puja to a tree.

Siddharth: Maharaj, you already know many Russian people, have met with many. Is there any message you could pass on specifically for Russians?

Maharaj: I have already conveyed all meanings and messages to Russian people — both during my trips to Russia and here, sitting in the ashram. Do nama-chintan, do seva, look at everything from the position of love and compassion, treat everything with kindness and love. One who has love in their heart is capable of much. God comes where there is love. A bee sits only on the flower that is filled with honey-bearing aroma. Ishvara comes only to one whose heart is filled with love and bhakti. He comes to no one else.

Third Conversation: Practice

The next day, again around noon, Maharaj was sitting with devotees and talking about something mundane, and then fell completely silent. We sat nearby, with the recorder ready — in case there was still an opportunity to talk with Maharaj once more. The silence continued, and then I gave a sign to the translator. She addressed Maharaj like this: «Can we have another satsang?» He replied, surprisingly, that throughout this time, nothing but satsang had been happening. This indicated that satsang was perpetually ongoing in his presence, even if it’s not obvious. After all, the word satsang itself translates from Sanskrit as «connection with Truth,» «communion with Truth.»

However, Maharaj still allowed us to put a lavalier microphone on him to answer a few more questions.

Siddharth: Is repetition of the Name the main thing you recommend? The main sadhana for everyone?

Vankhandi Maharaj: Even Tulsidas wrote many years ago: when Kali Yuga comes and humanity becomes mired in sin and sinks into the darkness of ignorance, the spiritually seeking person will have only one path left — to keep attention on the Divine and repeat God’s Name. The Divine Name will become the only ray of light, the guiding thread that will lead a person to the pure shore of Truth. Tulsidas called the repetition of God’s Name adhara — the foundation and core of human spiritual practice. Otherwise one cannot stand firm.

What matters here is your attitude towards this practice. This sadhana will only work when you invest spiritual fervor, love, and firm faith into this process — shraddha, prem, and vishwas. These three components — the heat of your heart, love, and faith — ignite the spark, activate the Name, infuse life into It and fill It with power. The Name comes alive, gains power and immortality. It becomes the Name of Paramatma for you.

And then, on the wings of this Name, you either fly to freedom or achieve the fulfillment of samsaric desires and aspirations. That’s up to you. Whatever goal you set in your sadhana. If you want worldly happiness and success in samsara, the Name will give it to you. If you want mukti, It will help you attain mukti.

Someone from the gathering: And what if you want both?

Maharaj: It doesn’t work that way. You can’t catch both birds with one hand. I said yesterday that if you have tea in your glass and you want to drink milk from this glass, you’ll have to pour out the tea.

Siddharth: On one hand, I realize that mukti is most important for a person, that it is the only true goal of human existence. But on the other hand, I still have some unfulfilled worldly desires. I still want something from this world although I would prefer to be liberated and as soon as possible. What would you recommend in this case?

Maharaj: If you truly want to attain mukti, then the Name you repeat will gradually remove all other desires from your life to clear the path for mukti. Such is the power of Its influence. A Name written on stone can move that stone and work miracles with it. By the power of the Name «Rama» inscribed on stones, Hanuman was able to build a bridge across the sea to Sri Lanka.

The Name is beyond time. Time erases and devours everything, but the Name remains.

Mahatma Gandhi left life long ago, but his name lives on. The whole world knows and reveres Gandhi. He was born in a simple family and was an ordinary person. But all his life, on the advice of a saint, he repeated the name «Rama, Rama.» It never left his lips until the end of life. It was this Name that helped him show such persistence in struggle, endure many privations, maintain tyaga. He achieved his goals and now the world repeats his name with great respect.

That’s why I say that the Name you repeat carries a powerful charge of energy. Take, for example, murti, a stone or clay idol. It has no energy. But in its Name there is energy. Murti is an inanimate object. It doesn’t eat or drink, but when you direct your consciousness toward it and repeat its Name with fervor, love and faith, the murti opens up and enters into interaction with you.

This is how Ramakrishna Paramahansa acted. In one hand he held a laddu sweet and offered it to goddess Kali, in the other hand he held a sword. «Either Kali will come to me and accept the offering, or I plunge the sword into my neck and take my life.» He himself put himself before such a harsh choice. It was not a game or simple threat. Thus he had paved his way to interaction with Kali, to the sight and knowledge that came from Her. He was actually ready to die, to take his own life. And Kali came and accepted his prasad.

This is the uniqueness of human beings — they possess inner strength, will and the ability to concentrate consciousness on the Name. The Name comes alive and manifests its energy.

Siddharth: So, we choose the Name that attracts us and begin to repeat It. But do we need to prepare for this beforehand, perform any special rituals connected with this?

Maharaj: There must be purity and love in the heart. That’s all. This is the main condition. And where and how you repeat the Name doesn’t matter.

Hanuman transmitted the Name «Ram» through every cell of his body and could himself catch the vibration of the sound «Ram» at a distance — in every word spoken by someone, in others’ thoughts, in phenomena and things. Although even he could make a mistake. Once a man was standing on the road, relieving himself, and in complete detachment was repeating the Name of God, Rama. Seeing this, Hanuman became indignant and kicked the sinner. After some time, he came to God Rama, and found him sitting and rubbing his bruised side. Hanuman sympathetically asked what happened. Rama replied: «Well, it was you, Hanuman, who kicked me!» Hanuman was shocked, he would never knowingly kick Ram. Rama explained to him: «The man you kicked is my devotee, my Name always sounds in him, whatever he does. The mantra of my Name emanates from his body constantly, regardless of where he is or what he is doing. It sounds in him consciously and unconsciously. My Name has become part of his existence, and if you strike my devoted bhakta, it means you strike me myself.» Then Hanuman begged Rama for forgiveness.

So it doesn’t matter where and when you repeat the Name.

Siddharth: When we repeat the Name, should we concentrate only on the Name? Or on something else? Where should we hold our attention?

Maharaj: You don’t need to hold attention on anything else, only on the Name.

Someone from those gathered: Maybe on some image or form?

Siddharth: Or breathing?

Maharaj: No. There is only the Name, you must hold onto It. Don’t be distracted by anything else. Different types of sadhana have different rules, but in nama-chintan sadhana your attention is directed only at the Name.

Siddharth: But how can we live, work and engage in any kind of activity when all our attention is held only on the Name? Or should we completely give up all activity?

Maharaj: The sound of the Name resounds within you. In your head. But your hands are free. Do what you want with them. As Kabir said, repeat the Name when you sit, stand, eat, drink, go somewhere. Your hands work, you work, but the Name continues to sound in your head. It should never be interrupted.

Live like this for about a year, and then you won’t even need to specially remember about it. The Name will live its own life, it will automatically pulsate in you, whatever you do, at the subconscious level — even in sleep, because the Name doesn’t sleep. You breathe and don’t even think about it, inhalation and exhalation happen by themselves. That’s how the sounding of the Name will become an integral part of your life — like breathing.

Siddharth: When will I reach that level where the sound of the Name happens at a subconscious level, what should be my next step in this practice?

Maharaj: What comes next is progress. Changes will come to your life, your consciousness, behavior, thoughts, and destiny. The Name will do its work independently of you. Your only task is not to interfere with It and never stop the practice. Continuously continue repeating the Name. If you get distracted by thoughts like «what’s next? what’s the next phase?» — then the process will be disrupted, and the practice will break. Don’t distract your attention from the Name, allow It to continue its work. It’s like when you’re watching a movie on TV and then you switch the channel, the film cuts off, and you miss the plot that follows. Abhyasa [practice] should not be interrupted. If you jump around and try new things, you’ll disrupt the process that’s begun.

Siddharth: Alright, my hands are free and I can do what I want with them, but some activities, like professional work, involve mental activity. And as soon as we start thinking concentratedly about something, we break our concentration on the Name. What should we do in such cases?

Maharaj: Mental activity isn’t really an obstacle. Several mental tracks can run in your consciousness at the same time. You can simultaneously cook food, talk to a friend, watch what’s on TV, and keep an eye on a child. Simply, when you clearly attune yourself to repeating the Name and it becomes part of your life, it’s as if a dedicated track for repeating the Name is created in your head. It becomes fixed in memory. Part of your attention will always be with this process, whatever you’re doing. This comes gradually, with practice.

Imagine two women carrying pyramids of pots stacked on top of each other on their heads. You can often see such a picture in an Indian village. The women walk with pyramids on their heads and chat cheerfully with each other, while part of their attention is constantly maintained on keeping the necessary balance.

One craftsman sat by the roadside engaged in his craft, making arrows for a bow. The main thing in his work was to sharpen the arrowheads, which required effort and great concentration. Once an entire royal procession on chariots passed by him. «Did you see what a luxurious procession it was?» someone asked him. «What procession, I didn’t see anything, I had to sharpen arrows.» That’s the level of concentration you need to develop in yourself.

Siddharth: Such level of concentration is only possible when we have strong love. How can we achieve such love to begin the practice of nama-chintana?

Maharaj: Such love doesn’t come immediately. But as you engage and practice, the power of love will grow in you.

Someone from the gathering: Should love be developed first? Or does it develop during practice?

Maharaj: You should already start this practice with a bit of love for the Name, then the Name will begin to respond.

Someone from the gathering: And how do we build up these three components for real practice that you talked about — shraddha, prem, vishvas [zeal, love, and faith]?

Maharaj: This builds up gradually during abhyasa. First comes a little love, which transitions into passionate worship and spiritual zeal, shraddha. Then firm faith, vishvas, appears.

Siddharth: Still, what should serve as the main motive to start this practice? Can we start it having in mind rather a certain goal in this world, or should we strive specifically for self-realization, mukti? Or should we start our practice without having any specific goal in mind?

Maharaj: You don’t need any desires. Just repeat God’s name with love in your heart. The «Ramayana» says: «He who distances himself from desires, fear, sorrow, and joy will find refuge in my heart.»

To realize any specific desire or goal of yours, you can perform anushthana, recite some specific mantra. And then your desire will be fulfilled, the goal will be achieved. But the Divine Name — it is, first and foremost, about liberation, mukti.

Don’t set any goals. Don’t look for motives. Just repeat the Name. Repeat the Name, and your thirst will be quenched and you’ll be fed. Everything you need in life will be yours. Уou’ll achieve goals. There won’t be obstacles on the path to achieving them. If you ask for mukti — you’ll get mukti. If you want simple happiness in life — you’ll get that too, but then the Name won’t gift you its love and mukti, it will only help fulfill your desires. You’ll simply get plenty of what you want, according to your prarabdha. On this path, you won’t have hindrances and obstacles. The Name will take care of this. The road will be cleared for you. Even if problems arise, the Name will help remove them.

Remember that your guiding thread and spiritual core are within you. And the Name is the foundation on which you can stand firm in your spiritual practice. The Name will never betray you, just remember It, and It will always come to your aid. The main thing is, don’t abandon It.

PART TWO. SATSANGS AND MEETINGS

After we’d done the interviews presented above, I received translations of many of Vankhandi Maharaj’s satsangs into Russian. These satsangs revealed deeper information on topics we had only briefly touched upon in the interviews and elaborated on many things we hadn’t discussed at all. But most importantly, in these conversations, you can hear Maharaj’s living voice, his flow, his vibration. And the stories and parables he tells read like an engaging literary work. «Truths are well conveyed through fairy tales, parables, and fables,» he says. «We should more often clothe them in literary form. Perhaps this way people will understand faster and begin to implement it in their lives.»

Anupriya left on the fourth day of our stay at the ashram, and I no longer had the opportunity to talk with Maharaj, as there was no one around to translate. Therefore, I could only absorb the light emanating from Maharaj and read these satsangs, in which his living voice was clearly heard.

Burn with Soul, but Stay Aware

Swami Vankhandi’s speech is simple and accessible to everyone. It lacks philosophical sophistication but contains something elusive that instantly pierces the heart, making one listen with a frozen and thought-free mind. He often quotes sacred Scriptures and holy poets and frequently tells stories from his life or from the lives of Indian saints. Sometimes he tells the same stories and examples from satsang to satsang. He repeats the same teachings. And these repetitions are important, as the Master’s guidance is absorbed deeper and deeper each time.

«In cold weather, burn the leaves. Collect them and burn them on the fire. I burned many fires. Lived long at the roots of trees,» Vankhandi Maharaj speaks quietly, adjusting with a large stick the smoldering mountain of leaves collected from all over the ashram and brought to the backyard, where they are either burned or left lying until some special time suitable for burning. This time is determined by Maharaj himself, guided either by some inner intuitive sense or by signs known only to him, connected with natural and climatic cycles. In his ashram, many things are generally subject to such orders, aligned with nature but often completely incomprehensible to newcomers. Maharaj smiles as if something pleasant or amusing flashed through his memory. «Naga ascetics (’naga-baba’) often come here, they don’t cover themselves with anything, even when it’s cold like now. They don’t need any blanket.» Maharaj begins to tell those gathered around the fire a short story from his life.

Vankhandi Maharaj: I spent three months in Tihar prison. People from Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Congress, VHP) sent help once a week. I always had a bottle of milk. They provided tea and everything necessary for the dhuni fire to the imprisoned sadhus. I would accumulate two to four kilograms of firewood. The VHP people helped a lot in general.

I’m talking about the time when there were powerful protests and demonstrations against cow slaughter in India.

They brought entire trucks of semal tree branches to us in prison as a sign of support for the dhuni fire. It was important to separate the wood from this tree’s bark. All the movement participants in prison kept dhuni fires burning. I threw the tree bark into the fire, and my dhuni burned beautifully, while others couldn’t get their fires going. Everyone was surprised. But I knew the secret that only the bark of the semal tree burns, while the woody core doesn’t burn. I remember sharing this bark with everyone. I spent three months like this — November, December, January. In February, we were all acquitted and released by Supreme Court order. Everyone was declared innocent.

The released movement participants were outraged, filed claims against the government as wrongfully convicted, demanding huge compensation. Some demanded hundred or even two hundred thousand rupees in compensation. I didn’t file any claims. What difference did it make to me where I got my daily bread — inside behind bars or outside. I didn’t have any property anyway. What losses! I left prison and went to Haridwar…

During the peak of the protest movements defending cows (Goraksha), sadhu ascetics marched and filled the square from Red Fort to the parliament building. Everyone shouted slogans: «We’ll give our lives but protect the cows! Our country and dharma, the cow is our mother.» There were leaders of the Shankaracharya tradition, Muslim leaders, Jains, and many representatives of other directions.

Question: What, Muslims also demanded cow protection?

Maharaj: Yes, they also contributed. But the naga ascetics were the most vocal.

The crowd of demonstrators sat opposite the parliament building, occupying a huge square. Swami Rameshwaranand was with us too. Ministers from the Congress party came. Indira Gandhi gave a speech.

People wouldn’t leave. The police chief ordered to shoot, but initially the police refused to follow this order and even threatened to throw down their weapons and leave if they were forced to shoot at the ascetics. It was a really powerful movement.

But then the shooting started anyway. Many were wounded, some in the face, some in the stomach. They just started spraying us with bullets. Major politicians hid in their cars. They cleared the entire square in front of the parliament building of people. We knew and were prepared: if they start shooting, you need to lie on the ground. That’s what happened. We had a group — eighteen people, and we all lay on the ground right in front of the parliament entrance. Then the Minister of Internal Affairs arrived, inspected the square, and ordered to remove the corpses. Trucks arrived. The wounded and dead were transported in separate vehicles. I lay motionless, they picked me up and carried me to the truck for corpses. I started saying: «Where are you taking me, I’m alive!» I even waved my hand for clarity, so they would better understand. (Listeners laugh.)

They took away protesters by truckloads. Those who managed to escape the bullets were sent to prison. This event went down in history. It was a powerful movement. Subsequently, Tihar prison, where the protest participants were held, was nicknamed Mahakumbha, by analogy with the triumphant procession of millions of sadhus at the Kumbha Mela festival.

Question: What year was this?

Maharaj: Around 1965.

Kalpati ji also participated in our movement. The words «Burn with soul, but stay aware» belong to him. That means living life fully, giving your heart completely to the cause you serve, while always remaining in a state of awareness, in contact with the Supreme. You’ll see this inscription here in my ashram. «Burn with soul, but stay aware.» Kalpati used to say that even in sleep, the mind should be kept aware. «Live honestly — live without fear.» You’ve also seen this inscription in my ashram, it’s a revelation from heaven.

There were many attempts to expel me from here, they offered a reward of 10,000 rupees. So much was undertaken, but I always knew: if you’re honest and sincere, if you carry Truth and believe in it, then there’s nothing to fear. And whatever will be, will be. Live honestly, in unity with Truth, in harmony with God, and nothing will happen to you.

Back then, there were no buildings here. I lived simply under a tree, such a house — without windows and doors. Lived without worry. There were stones, flowers, and three trees growing. I built the temple on this spot. And everywhere I wrote: «Burn with soul, but stay aware.» And this phrase became a mantra for me, descended from heaven. There was no fear at all.

Five-six years I lived and worked here, didn’t sleep day or night. A Nepali settled nearby, he cooked food, roti, carried water for me from below. I kept water in a large jug. Once a bullet hit the jug, all the water spilled out…

People came here to intimidate me… I asked why they came. They named various reasons — their cow got lost, or their goat got lost. They looked for any excuse to evict me from here.

This used to be part of the Himalayas. I don’t live on this land by my own will. I was told to. Rishi Markandeya said so. He’s still alive. I’m fulfilling his will. He said: you need to live in the world, in samsara, come down. I asked him to allow me to settle in some secluded place where there’s no one.

The first six months I lived in Munsyari. Then moved to Kapkot, Bhawali, Bhimtal. In Bhimtal, temple construction began, many people bustled around, and I was seeking solitude. I realized that this place wasn’t suitable for me either, too much hustle and bustle. And I needed quiet and solitude.

Back then I heard a lot about these places, about Sattal. They said it was a deserted place, few people settle here. And I decided to come here.

I came to the village of Chintamini. Local workers guided me up the mountain, helped me climb up. We walked for a long time, it was already dark. And I decided that since I had climbed so high, I would stay here. I made a fire and sat all night under a tree.

Sat like that for forty days. Gathered firewood for the night fire.

Question: Maharaj, you mentioned Rishi Markandeya. Is this the famous ancient sage? You said he’s still alive. Where did you meet him? What was the nature of your relationship?

Maharaj: Markandeya is a great rishi, a yogic ascetic, a tapasvi. He usually doesn’t meet with anyone. He grants his darshan to very few. He came to me once in the Himalayas, at the place where I sat by the dhuni. He then told me to go into samsara and live among people.

Such yogis can appear in various forms and guises. And often, even if people see them, they still don’t recognize or realize who they are. In ancient times, great rulers and rajas held large yagna ceremonies to which they invited holy sages. Markandeya also came and conducted such yagnas. He could come in any form. Not everyone could recognize him.

I saw him only once. Only once did he give me his darshan, during which he inspired me to go into samsara.

There is a place called Rishikand in the Himalayas. He lives there. People try to reach there to see him, but he doesn’t show himself to anyone. Sometimes he might meet a simple village person somewhere on the road, but they won’t even understand who is before them. But those who try and specifically seek to meet this rishi cannot see him.

There are situations in life when we meet holy people. For example, I once met Jesus in a cemetery. But this always happens unexpectedly, it’s not predetermined. It happens when Divine grace descends upon you, you don’t expect it and don’t think about it. It’s always a surprise and unexpected. If you try specifically, it won’t work.

Meetings with saints do happen. One baba came to us here; he didn’t approach the dhuni, and went straight to the temple. He entered the temple and came out after some time. He held a katori with prasad in his hands. Some saw him, some didn’t. It depends on how fate favors you. Someone might later say that a baba came to us, we drank tea with him, ate potatoes. And someone else will say: «I didn’t see anyone.»

I don’t have any specific connection or relationship with Markandeya. Markandeya is a holy rishi from Uttarakhand who has been granted immortality. In past yugas, rulers and rajas invited him to large ceremonies and yagnas. When the Pandavas held the Ashwamedha yagna, Lord Krishna himself sent Bhima to deliver an invitation to Rishi Markandeya to participate in this ceremony. Krishna instructed Bhima: «Go and bring Rishi Markandeya. Just don’t bother him with talk, spend time with him in silence.» Bhima went to Rishikand. There in Rishikand, he found Markandeya and was surprised to see that he lived in a pasture, raised goats, cleaned goat dung, and ate right there under a shed. Bhima said: «I’ve come to invite you to Hastinapur.» Night had already fallen, it was too late to set out, and Bhima stayed overnight with Markandeya. In the morning, they prepared for the journey, and here Bhima was surprised to see that the holy man didn’t perform his morning ablutions but set out as he was, unwashed. He wore only goatskins for clothing. They walked all day and stopped for the night in Ranibagh. And in the morning, the story repeated: Markandeya got up and, again without washing, set out on the journey. On the third night, they stopped in Mirath, which is near Hastinapur. Here in the morning, Markandeya washed once. When they arrived in Hastinapur, the holy rishi went to the river and washed for a long time and very thoroughly.

Bhima approached Krishna and expressed his displeasure: «I think this man isn’t holy at all, he’s just pretending. I spent three nights with him, and he never washed. Only in Mirath did he deign to wash. And as soon as we came to Hastinapur, he immediately started washing himself thoroughly.»

To which Krishna replied: «Well, Bhima. Then I ask you to return to those places where you stayed overnight with Markandeya and bring soil from each of these places.» Bhima obeyed, went back and brought soil from all three places where they had stayed in separate bags. When they opened the first bag with soil from Rishikand, instead of soil, there were pearls and diamonds. When they opened the second bag, they saw it was filled with pure gold. When they opened the third bag, there was silver. But this silver already had a slight tarnish. When they opened the bag with soil from Hastinapur, from the place where Markandeya had washed most thoroughly, all this soil was teeming with worms and insects.

And then Lord Krishna said to Bhima: «Why wash where your earth is pearls and diamonds? Why wash where your earth is all pure gold? But silver with black tarnish already needs to be cleaned. And earth teeming with worms needs to be washed off every day.» This was the teaching Lord Krishna gave to Bhima. And since then, the sages-munis have called the mountain where Markandeya lived Hiramoti (which means «Pearls and Diamonds»).

One whose body and mind are soaked in dirt needs to wash and clean off dirt constantly. But one whose mind is pure, holy and righteous can well do without ablutions. God, after all, looks into your heart; he doesn’t look at the body. When the mind and heart are pure, dirt on the body doesn’t play a big role.

Take Barahi Baba, who lived in our ashram. Did he wash? He didn’t wash at all. But his body never emitted a bad odor. A common person living here, if they don’t wash, will start to smell unpleasant after two or three days. But this didn’t apply to Barahi. Barahi didn’t even pay attention to what he was wearing.

God looks inside you, he sees your mind and its state. If the manas is pure and full of holiness, then God doesn’t care about your external appearance — God doesn’t pay attention to this. The body is temporary and transient. The heart should have purity, the mind should be calm, pure, and bright.

Barahi always pulled some rags over himself, but even these rags didn’t smell. And he didn’t smell of sweat. Yet, often it happens that someone sitting nearby smells of sweat. Barahi had a pure manas, and he didn’t pay attention to the external world. He was pure inside.

For saints in the Himalayas, the process of ablution happens differently. There’s crystal clear air and fresh wind there. It’s enough to open the door, go outside, breathe fresh air, and you’re already clean, as if after a bath. After all, you can wash in different ways. Some wash off the dirt accumulated during the day with water from a bucket or under a shower, while others, if there’s no running water nearby, make do with simple wiping. The body is cleaned with grass or a wet cloth.

In the Himalayas there’s a lot of snow and you can wash with snow. There’s such purity there that this is enough. The body doesn’t get dirty. If you approach a saint in the Himalayas, you can catch the aroma of roses or mountain flowers emanating from him. This is the natural smell of his body.

In samsara, people care a lot about body cleanliness but don’t monitor the cleanliness of thoughts in their head. They dress the body in beautiful clothes, pour perfumes over it and think they’ve gotten rid of dirt. But their mind and thoughts are full of impurities. But God doesn’t look at your body, he looks at the manas. The manas should be crystal clear. Lord Rama said, «I am with those who are pure in soul.»

So yes, I met Markandeya. He honored me with his grace. He gave me darshan and said: «Now go into the world, bring goodness to people in samsara. And do seva.»

He meets with few people. He walks the earth alone.

But other saints came here to our ashram. Vivekananda came here to our ashram. Although no one recognized him. While such people are among us, we might not suspect anything, and only later, when they leave, comes the realization of who it was. Information comes during meditation, dhyana. Vivekananda lived here with us for three days. He, like everyone else, did seva, cleaned paths of leaves, swept.

How and why such darshans happen is a mystery. A mystery that’s not easy to uncover; it can’t be described in words. Such phenomena are beyond simple verbal descriptions. It’s beyond words. And if it can’t be expressed in words, what else can I tell?

The Gift of Fearlessness

There isn’t a shadow of fear in Vankhandi Maharaj. And this is a sure sign of a paramhamsa and maharaj who truly has nothing to fear because everything belongs to him, moreover — everything is him. The word «maharaj» translates from Hindi as «great king,» and Swami Vankhandi is indeed a maharaj: all his behavior is always regal and filled with the authority of inner strength, which is distinctly felt both when he, smiling like a child, jokes with devotees, and when he strictly gives them everyday instructions. And when he, illuminated only by rare flashes of fire, sits in the twilight by his dhuni, leaning on his staff and staring intently at the glowing coals, he resembles some king or rishi from ancient sacred Scriptures — perhaps even Indra, the king of gods himself.

Question: Maharaj ji, tell us about your life.

Vankhandi Maharaj: My life is before your eyes.

Question: Tell us the story of your life! What happened to you in the past?

Maharaj: I don’t even recall the past. I don’t remember it. What was has passed. What’s the point in digging through the past? Let the past go, and one should look to the future, feel it, and move forward. Of course, memories sometimes come flooding back, but I don’t hold onto them, don’t savor — what happened exactly where and when.

Vivekananda left behind memories, described his travels, life experiences. Rajneesh said that one who walks the path of yoga doesn’t look back, doesn’t get fixated on what happened in their past.

The life of yogis is so complex and difficult that not everyone can trace this path. For some, it’s completely inaccessible. It’s like climbing up a sheer cliff. After all, life’s story isn’t connected to just one of your births. A person’s life story can only be understood in combination with their other lives — like a link in the chain of many rebirths. Experience gained during one birth isn’t enough to grasp the entire meaning of one’s existence.

Rama said: «You will know God when God Himself manifests in you as Knowledge and the meaning of all that exists.» If the meaning of words and phenomena is inaccessible to you and you don’t see clarity, harmony and rhythm in them, turn directly to God, and by His grace He will manifest in your heart and reveal all meaning to you directly.

There are fruits that can be picked and eaten immediately, in their natural form, as nature created them. And you can process them, change their structure, and they will still be edible, but this will be a completely different, unnatural product, with different quality as a result of artificial intervention. So it is with knowledge. You can receive it directly from God. The road has been shown to you. Here it is. Go straight along it, don’t turn aside. And it will lead you to the goal. Or you can make yourself dependent on others, seek help from intermediaries, subject your consciousness to processing, but this will be a different experience, a different quality of knowledge.

People fear death most of all. People are ready to spend hundreds of thousands of rupees to extend their existence even for one day. They go abroad seeking treatment for what is incurable. But what is our life? Two days! One day we come, another day we go. And these days are predetermined. So what is there to fear! Nothing can be changed anyway. Neither the date of birth nor the date of death. Not even for a moment.

Those who fear death and die in fear are doomed to wander through various circles of hell, reaping the fruits of their karma. Those who don’t fear death are either reborn in a human body or go to heaven, enjoyably tasting the fruits of their righteous life.

A person gripped by fear can’t concentrate on anything. Fear blinds their eyes. They don’t even notice their children. The fear of approaching death paints terrible pictures before their eyes. Death, just before the end, appears to them as a frightening figure with a sword, in clouds of smoke and flame. Consciousness becomes clouded. A person in such a state can’t even recognize themselves. Their mind wanders in darkness.

Those without fear don’t see such pictures before death. After all, we create fear ourselves, it’s a product of our consciousness. Fear can make a person lose the gift of speech or lose the ability to recognize relatives.

A person leaves life with the baggage of values they formed during life — what they held onto, what they believed in, what they prayed to, that’s what you die with.

Mahatma Gandhi in childhood was afraid to be alone in a room, afraid to move from one room to another without a nanny’s accompaniment. Until he received wise advice: to constantly repeat God’s Name — Rama. One who constantly keeps their attention on the Divine Name fears nothing. Mahatma Gandhi followed this advice all his life, achieved perfection in this practice and lived to the end of his days with God’s Name. In the hour of death, «Ram-Ram» became the last thing that came from his lips.

Now, we live in a free country, and still, people grab firearms in moments of danger. Gandhi lived in times of colonial slavery and violence, yet he walked everywhere without any fear with just a staff. He went to England and spoke freely before the English, wearing only a dhoti. Fear forever left his life.

There was a time when Nathuram Godse threatened Gandhi with murder to his face. And Gandhi, who had a small child sitting on his lap at that moment, calmly responded to the threat: «Wait, let me remove the child from my lap, then shoot.» When the real hour of murder came four years later, and Godse put several bullets in his chest, Gandhi managed to say «Ram-Ram» and departed to the other world.

Fearlessness is a great gift. An even greater gift is to free others from fear. And to live so that birds and animals aren’t afraid of you. This is a wonderful criterion. If birds and animals aren’t afraid to approach you, it means there is no fear in you. Only a coward emanates and instills fear. A person free from fear doesn’t transmit fear to others. One who threatens, frightens and inspires terror is deep down a coward themselves and full of fears. If you try to intimidate another, it means you can be just as easily intimidated.

If you turn off the power button, all devices stop. If you turn it back on, everything will work again. Humans also have such a switch. The button of dharma and adharma.

Everything in the world has its opposite. Truth-falsehood, dharma-adharma, sin-virtue. Each phenomenon is balanced by its opposite. If there is happiness, there is sorrow, if there is harm, there is benefit. That’s how the world is arranged. The pinnacle of dharma is kindness, love and compassion. Kindness is the foundation of dharma. It nourishes dharma. One should love everyone, even the smallest bug, ant, animals, birds. A mosquito shouldn’t be killed, it should be pitied and understood. How much harm can it do? It takes away a drop of your blood, that’s all…

The Ramayana says: «Whoever has come under my protection, even the biggest scoundrel, I will forgive him, not reject him. Even if he is a thief and robber, I will take him under my protection and responsibility. You cannot betray the trust of those who seek your protection.» If a bird, insect, forest creature has come to you for protection, they must be protected. Dharma is based on kindness and compassion. Sin is based on ego and self-love. And, without God’s help, a person can’t eradicate their ego. Only when you turn to God, bare your soul through concentration, repentance and love, and God penetrates your consciousness and becomes part of you, does enlightenment, purification and rejection of ego occur. Only God helps a person atone for sins planted by self-love. Only God can root out human ego, free His devotees from the burden of self-love and ignorance.

It was excessive ego and self-love that caused Ravana’s death. The King of Mathura, Kamsa, was also destroyed by ego and self-importance. Even in the recent past, the British had to leave India forever, and the reason for that was their immeasurable ego. After all, initially, when they governed the country sattvically, benevolently and fairly, no one resisted them. But as soon as their attitude changed and they began to lord overegotistically, harshly and contemptuously, they had to flee in fear. A country renowned throughout the world for its might was forced to leave India in disgrace…

Doing Good

The day starts at 3 AM in Vankhandi Maharaj’s ashram. Immediately after — cleaning the territory: devotees sweep the streets — clean up leaves fallen during the night and dust brought by the wind. Then — meditation or nama-japa (repetition of the Divine Name). Then aarti (collective service-glorification of the Lord). That’s how the day begins. The schedule is strict but natural. Throughout the day, no one sits idle. To an outsider, such strictness might at first seem like quite a heavy burden, but in reality, these are very simple rules derived from years of experience living in unity with the surrounding nature and based on the foundation of the Vedas. After all, one translation of the word «ashram» is «order.» The cornerstone on which ashram life is built is seva, selfless service.

Vankhandi Maharaj: I’ve sat under a tree for so long, and I can sit longer — the world doesn’t change at all. There’s still much idleness, selfishness and greed. People quarrel, argue, and begin to hate each other. This contradicts the very spirit of seva. One needs to learn to develop the attitude of a true sevak. In seva, some people have no superiority over others. In service, everyone is equal. If someone thinks they’re doing more and better than others, they’re no longer a sevak. If someone expects special treatment or encouragement, this is no longer service. Seva is done with love, from the whole heart. A sevak doesn’t choose what’s better to do today — clean the toilet or wash dishes. If you see dirt or disorder, clean it up. I myself had to wash dirty dishes left by people many times. If needed, I’ll do it now, too.

There’s great meaning in seva, it should be done by the heart’s calling. Without calculation, without greed. Seva is, first of all, a soul’s impulse to do good. And that’s its meaning. And that’s its reward. This is dharma. Bhakti might not give you what seva gives…

Now the attitude toward this has changed. Everyone tries to show off, proving that they work better than others. One shouldn’t talk; one should do. Simply do good.

The Ramayana speaks a lot about this. A true sevak doesn’t compare, doesn’t calculate results. They see that something needs to be done — and they do it. There’s never too little work. When I go down the mountain, I always, without thinking, pick up plastic bottles, garbage. I pick up discarded matchboxes, cigarette packages, and plastic bags. Now I walk little, age doesn’t allow it. But the point is that a sevak doesn’t look for reasons to do good.

There lived a sadhu who had a disciple from Gwalior. Once the disciple said to the sadhu: «Babaji, I want to serve, do useful work, I can take care of cows. Give me any work.» The sadhu replied to the disciple: «Good, here are ten cows for you, take them and care for them. When you have a hundred cows, come back.» The disciple took the ten cows, went with them into the forest and for twelve years cared for them, grazed them, looked after them, didn’t even drink the milk himself, gave it all to the calves. As a result, his herd grew to a hundred cows. And he brought the whole herd back to the sadhu. The sadhu said to his disciples: «Look, my disciple has returned, he has fully fulfilled his duty of service. Look how much light is in him, what radiance emanates from him. God lives in every cow, and all hundred gods have gifted him with their radiance, blessing, and gave him knowledge of all four Vedas.» Everyone greeted him with great respect. And the teacher said to that disciple: «Now you are free. There is so much light and knowledge in you, acquired through true service! For seva is an austerity that gives experience and knowledge.»

Seva should be done with joy, with a light heart, without thinking, and it will never seem difficult to you. Those who consider service their dharma don’t experience difficulties and pain. Household cleaning is also seva. Don’t make a mess. Create cleanliness everywhere with joy in your heart. And help others; helping others is also seva. After all, essentially, the concept of home already implies abundance and prosperity: a home should always be a full cup. India is a rich country, everything is in abundance here, and there is no place for poverty. Poverty comes from karma, from wrong thoughts and attitudes. If you are poor, it only speaks of your shortcomings. Poverty in the home means that you don’t take proper care of the home, don’t serve it. Everyone is looking for opportunities to get a job and make a career. That’s all they dream about. But you start serving your home properly, putting love and soul into it. You’ll see how everything suddenly starts falling into place by itself, prosperity will appear in the house. Live as if your home is a temple, a dwelling for gods. Keep it in order, beauty and cleanliness, love and worship it. And you won’t even notice how your home becomes ennobled, filled with everything necessary, and prosperity will come to it. Don’t be lazy. If you’re lazy, you’ll live in poverty; work, and you’ll have everything.

Look how much grows in our forest — cinnamon, reeds, batash, fruits — everything needed for prasad. We take care of this forest and receive so many gifts from it. People come to us from other ashrams, saying: we ran out of food in another ashram during bhandara. But with us — whoever comes, there’s always something to treat them with. The word ashram comes from «aasha» — hope. That’s why everyone comes here with hope. Even if someone comes in the middle of the night, we’ll feed them. We even used to leave milk for the mice in leaf cups at night. Mice would come at night, drink milk and leave. And we left grain for them. Now there aren’t as many mice here. But they still run around, finding food for themselves. There’s no damage from them, it doesn’t affect food supplies at all. Mice, they never devastate. In warehouses where grain is stored for ten years, mice live, but the grain doesn’t spoil and stays fresh. Ganeshji uses a mouse as transportation. And Ganesha is associated with buddhi (intellect), riddhi (success) and siddhi (prosperity). Mice should be loved, fed, they shouldn’t be killed. You cannot kill what you cannot resurrect. The right to kill belongs to one who gives life. If you can’t return life to the slain, you have no right to take their life.

Once, Raja Vikramaditya was hunting in the forest. He killed an antelope, approached to take his trophy, and saw a holy sadhu standing next to it. The raja said: «Step aside, this is my prey, I killed it.» The sadhu asked, «Where is it written that you have the right to this prey?» Vikramaditya exclaimed, «I am raja, I have the right!» Then the holy man asked: «Right to what — to give life or to kill? Can you resurrect this dead antelope?» The raja said, «No, of course not. Can you?» Then the sadhu killed a small creature before his eyes, went to the pond, put it in the water, took it out, and the creature came back to life. The raja humbly stepped back. And the sadhu said: «If you took someone’s life, but cannot give it back, then you have no right to kill.» Such saints lived in our land before.

Many holy people lived in India. When addressing God, they often asked for bhakti rather than mukti, liberation. They said: we are ready to be reborn again and again, with one purpose — to receive bhakti, satsang and sanskar [inclination, ability] to love you and receive your love, Lord. They didn’t ask for fame, wealth, or a career in life, only bhakti.

Some saints didn’t even ask for siddhi, supernatural abilities. Why do we need siddhi — for physical pleasures? God has already given us many joys in this physical world. And what is worldly joy? Just work and reap the fruits of your labors. You don’t even need to read mantras and practice tantra for this. Sadhana is needed only for one thing — for the love of God and for receiving love from God.

Everything that happens in this world happens by the will of the Supreme. We are merely instruments in Divine hands. Lord Krishna tells Arjuna in the «Bhagavad Gita»: «Everything that needs to be done will be done by Me. I do all this through you. You should only become a conductor of My energy, a means of implementing My plans.»

The Creator implements His designs. Whether we want it or not. Everything happens by itself, according to His discretion. Our spiritual task is to facilitate His desires and contribute to His Divine will. This is not for us. This is for Him. And for us, what? How much do we need? We made dhuni with our own hands, and built a temple with our own hands. We are free to go wherever we want. Still, you can’t escape yourself. Whether in hell or heaven.

In the «Gita», Krishna says: «Even if you have attained inner freedom, don’t rush to give up working for the benefit of society in this world. Continue to labor and work. Not for yourself, but for the common good. Contributing to Divine plans.»

Someone by Divine discretion will become a doctor, someone a warrior, someone an engineer, someone a teacher. After all, the whole world is God’s creation, and God creates it according to His design and preserves it for His purposes. Even in the deepest jungles, life is built in the most complex way. Everything is finely organized, coordinated, and balanced. Everything has its place and purpose. Nature is truly a Divine creation. Money won’t create such perfection. Some believe that money can do everything. But ultimately, everything is created by His will and His.

«True strength is in God’s want.» Hanuman performed yagna to get to heaven. But he had to descend into hell for some time. Learn to listen, heed and contribute to Divine plans. Act in unison with God. When a person relies only on their own desires, success doesn’t come to them. Yet, most often, it happens that people try to impose some of their personal desires on God. They ask Him, beg, almost demand: God, do this for me, give me that, arrange marriage, find a bride, give good work, help pass exams, and give grandchildren. And I’ll ring a bell for you. That’s the attitude people have.

An elderly woman approached Buddha: «God, I have no grandchildren. Make it so that I have grandchildren.» Then, Buddha gave her a bowl full of chickpeas and sent her to the well, saying: «You are tired and hungry. Go to the well, sit and eat.» She sat by the well and started eating chana, chickpeas. Children came running. God Himself created them through His maya. The children surrounded the old woman and started asking, «Grandmother, treat us to chana, give us at least one each.» But she just waved them away and didn’t give them a single pea. After eating, she washed her hands and came back to Buddha. And he said to her: «I sent so many grandchildren to you, and you didn’t even share one pea with them. And after this, how can you beg me for grandchildren? Who needs such a grandmother!»

When you turn to God, ask Him only for love, ask for nothing else. And if He gifts you with His Divine love, this is an enormous blessing for your whole life. This is the essence of bhakti-yoga. Its exponent was Ravidas — a medieval saint, poet and mystic. A true devotee. Kali Yuga knows many such great devotees. Kabirdas, Mirabai, Namdev, Gyaneshwar, Surdas. Their love for God was sincere, boundless, true and deep. These great people dedicated their entire lives to singing Divine gunas, through their love they gave people Divine knowledge. And none of them ever asked for anything for themselves. Didn’t beg for fulfillment of their desires.

Surdas didn’t ask for a dwelling for himself, but received it by God’s will. All his life he sang of Krishna’s deeds, communicating with Him directly in his heart, for he could see Him with his inner vision. He didn’t write poems on paper, they were written down by those who listened to him. Kabir also didn’t write anything down himself. He couldn’t even write. But he sang, and others reproduced it on paper. Thus their heritage was preserved, whole collections of works that once flowed from these poets’ lips. Now people sing what they once sang.

In communication with God, purity and sincerity are important. Prayer should come from a pure heart. Speak to God directly, in your own words. Better not to repeat others’ words, better not to copy prayers written by others. Prayer should flow from the depths of your being. There is much power in such prayer. Let it be just a few words. But this is how you yourself interact with God, He hears you, hears your heart. Words repeated by you that belong to others don’t please Him as much. He feels that these are not your words. Others’ words will teach you much. But the feelings you have for God cannot be copied. Prayer is your word, it’s the intimate connection between God and you.

Living Truthfully

«The Maharaja is more interested in animals than in people» — this is the impression one might get when observing him in daily life. What people consider their «problems» and «desires» clearly doesn’t seem to concern him much. If someone starts telling him about their worries, he will, of course, listen attentively and even give some wise advice. But overall, it’s clear that all of this is trivial to him. However, he is very attentive to animals and plants. Their difficulties appear much more real to him than human ones (which are indeed often contrived). For example, if during satsang, an ashram horse named Manju comes and stands expectantly nearby, looking at people with a desire to eat something, he pauses and doesn’t continue speaking until she is given something. He responds to many subtle movements of dogs lying next to him, as well as to loud bird calls or, for instance, gusts of wind. This is life inseparable from him — this life might even more be called «his life» than everything that happens directly with his body. At the same time, he is very caring and kind to all living beings. But this kindness doesn’t come from the idea that «it’s the right thing to do,» but from an inner love for the essence of these beings — for that essence which he sees as himself in everyone and everything. You can call this compassion, or you can call it wholeness.

Vankhandi Maharaj: «In the process of life, a person needs to understand what kindness and compassion are. How human fall and spiritual growth occur, and how to achieve the state of shanti — peace and tranquility — in samsara (worldly existence). There is no greater happiness than shanti. There is no greater sorrow than anger. The greatest happiness is finding harmony and shanti, and this is achieved through detachment. Detachment brings peace. Anger and negative emotions give birth to sorrow. If you allow anger to control your emotions, then shanti — peace and harmony — will never enter your life. Reject anger, and you will find peace. This knowledge comes to us from the Vedas.»

Life is not about acquiring comfort, wealth, fame, or luxury. It is rather to form such a mindset and a path for yourself that will lead you to a higher step, to a level above where you started your life. We came into this world with everything already prepared. The Divine created everything before us. Did we have any hand in this? No. What contribution did we make to the creation of this world? How did we deserve to receive all this? Everything has already been created in nature for our life and works perfectly and naturally. Everything is thought out and provided for. The Divine gives food to everyone, feeds us all — from the tiny ant on the ground to the birds high in the sky and fish in the oceanic depths.

In Hemkund, there is a temple of Lakshman where the famous sindoor stone is situated. Shiva and Parvati once sat on this stone. Parvati once said to Shiva: «Everyone calls You the provider. You take care of everyone and feed everyone. Do You really not overlook anyone with Your attention?» And she decided to test this. She took an ant and hid it in her sindoor box away from Shiva’s eyes. She didn’t notice how a grain of rice fell from her head and landed into the box. She hides the ant and asks:

«Shiva, have You fed everyone?»

«Yes. Everyone,» answers Shiva.

«Are You sure? You didn’t miss anyone?»

«No. No one.»

«No one at all remained hungry?»

«No. No one.»

«Well, look here!»

And she decided to show Shiva that one being still remained unfed. After all, she hadn’t hidden that ant for nothing. She opened the box triumphantly, and look — there sits the ant, holding a grain of rice in its legs, eating it with pleasure. Then Parvati slapped her forehead with the box, and all the sindoor spilled onto the stone and colored it red. Such is the Divine lila (play). Shiva took responsibility for caring for and feeding everyone. And His caring gaze overlooks no one.

That is why He is called limitless, and no one can surpass Him. Yet humans still fidget and worry: «What will I eat? What should I do? What will happen to me?» A person’s whole life passes in worries, in searching for solutions to their small problems. They are always preoccupied: building something here, breaking something there. But the secret is that life’s joy comes in detachment, in refusing everything. The more you free yourself from attachments, the more joy there is in your life. As said in the Ramayana: «The greedy rich man cares about his wealth, but I in My heart care and worry about those who have renounced their wealth, small joys, desires, fear, and sorrow. The more you worship Me, the richer you become.»

One who lives in the Divine heart will want for nothing. This is not complicated, but it’s not so simple either. Yet practicing such sadhana (spiritual practice) is quite possible. So says Rama. So say all Deities.

The Rigveda describes thirty-three types of different Deities, each representing a personal manifestation of Brahman. For each Deity, there is a specific prayer, ceremony, individual offerings, specific daily puja (worship ritual), and rules for conducting it. You can choose ten Deities and worship them every day. There are countless rituals and ceremonies for each individual Deity. In Kali Yuga (the current age), it’s difficult for people to take all this into account and perform it. After all, one is supposed to know exactly which flowers and what offerings are presented during each puja or aarti (ceremonial worship). To Ganesha, for example, durva grass is offered during prayer. If you offer Him a lotus flower, Ganesha will not be pleased. Only durva grass brings Him joy.

However, nowadays, no one approaches all these rules so strictly and meticulously. Everyone has started praying as they see fit, as they prefer. Everyone has images of Deities hanging on their walls at home, with a home temple in every room. I also have my two temples (laughing, points toward the dhuni — sacred fire). My main temple is my dhuni. And it gathers everyone around itself. «Sureshanand, Jagadanand — are you hungry, don’t you want to eat? Come to my dhuni. Are you cold, feeling chilly? Come warm yourself by my fire.»

Daily reading of the Ramayana dispels the grief and sorrow brought by samsara. But achieving this takes time, requires comprehension, detachment, and application of higher mind. One must step away from worldly bustle, and only then will the Divine turn to you with love. New and better paths will begin to open for you. But if you spend life earning money, solving daily pressing problems, then the quality of life won’t change. You’ll walk in the same circle, there will be no progress.

Consider that there are people who are born in poverty, on the margins of life, living right on the street. They are people, too. They were born this way according to their karma (the law of cause and effect). And others are born in palaces. The universe is manifested in different forms and aspects. Look at what place you occupy in it. Look at who lives above you, who below, who lives better, and who worse. Before looking up with desire, turn your gaze down, to those who live worse than you. Consider what difficulties they must go through, what torments they must endure. One must know life from all sides. Without knowing the lower step, you won’t rise to the upper one.

Notice how many living beings go through suffering in this life. How many people work all day to exhaustion and still barely make ends meet! They sleep right on the street, covered with one blanket. These are people, too, but this is the karma they’ve earned; now they’re reaping the fruits.

Karma plays an important role. The Bhagavad Gita says: don’t covet beautiful and tasty fruits, don’t waste time on empty dreams and desires. Work. Do good deeds. The fruits will fall into your hands by themselves, according to the results of your labors, in accordance with the karma you’ve earned for yourself. Those who desire self-development and improvement must understand and realize this.

The Bhagavad Gita further teaches that if you were walking this path but then stumbled on life’s journey, stained yourself with sin, you will still be given another chance in the next birth. You will be born in the home of good people, they will feed you well, take care of you, give you education, and you will meet good teachers. A person will still have a chance to understand the Divine hint and get on the right path. In the next birth, you might go even further, practice sadhana, and acquire Divine siddhis (spiritual powers). However, in this birth… if everything is bad for you, it means you didn’t use your chances in previous times, didn’t realize Divine lessons. You didn’t make progress and regressed; now it will be difficult for you.