Diwali

Diwali 1976

Diwali 1980

Diwali 1982

Diwali 1983

Diwali in Greece 1999

Diwali 2001

Diwali 2002



photo: Diwali 2001

The Meaning of Diwali

Lord Vishnu

Advice given by H.H.Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi:

Today I was thinking that we'll have the puja of Shri Vishnu, who was the basis of dharma. So far we have never worshipped anyone who were the basics, except for Shiva. We only worshipped the incarnations because they became as incarnation; Ganesha came as incarnation, the Goddess came as incarnations, Rama, Shri Krishna, Gurus, Christ, Buddha, all of them came as incarnations on this earth. And we worshipped the incarnations who came on earth specially. But today, as Sahaja Yoga is established as dharma, we have to know about Shri Vishnu who is the basis of dharma. Later on He came on this earth as Shri Ram, then as Shri Krishna, and ultimately as Kalki. It is a beautiful evolution of Shri Vishnu. So, one has to understand what is the basis of dharma. If you know, in the matter they are eight valencies. They are negative, positive and neutral. But in human beings there are ten valencies, and these ten valencies are created by Shri Vishnu, within us . They are protected, looked after, and nourished by Shri Vishnu. And whenever He finds human beings falling down in their dharma, He takes His birth on this earth. Ultimate stage is the Virat. At that stage, this Vishnu principle divides into two: one goes to Virat, another to Viratangana. But the third principle is what you call as the Mahavishnu, which incarnated as Lord Jesus Christ. So all these three principles act, at this time, in Sahasrara mainly.
(extract from Shri Vishnu Puja, Paris, 1994) (1994-0713)

On the day of Shri Krishna Puja, I'm going to tell you about Shri Krishna. But before that, we should know how the whole thing evolved from Shri Vishnu's evolutionary process. So, as you know there were ten[unclear: sounds like Avataras], ten incarnations of Shri Vishnu. Now Vishnu is the one which grows to be the Virat, to be the [unclear: may be macrocosm or microcosm], as they call it, and this Vishnu principle is very well established within us. As a result of that only, we also seek and we seek money, power, love, families, children, all kinds of things we seek. That is only through, because of the Vishnu principle within us. But the biggest thing about the Vishnu principle is that it gave us evolution by which we evolve. Also, we evolved at the social structure, the political structure, the economic structure. We also evolve. India, I mean, I would say, India was once upon a time, you see, a slave country. Then democracy came in, and the English had to give up India, because they learned that if they have to make a majority rule in India, then there are more Indians than English. So they had to give up, in any case. So, wisdom came over and they gave up, you see. ...
So the wisdom is the kind of a light that comes in our understanding. But as human beings have evolved, even the deities have evolved themselves accordingly. So it was a fish, and then a tortoise and like that, it went on, till we come to the stage of Wavana avatara where it was a small man, then a big man, a tall big man, a Greek, who we call as Zeus, Parashurama. And then came Shri Ram. Shri Rama was the one who was wise, extremely wise, cautious, careful, a very formal, beautiful person and he had forgotten that he was the incarnation of Vishnu. He was made to forget that he was an incarnation. But he knew about his powers, but he did not know that he was an incarnation of Vishnu. But he knew he had all the powers and he could do all these things, that he knew. So, the ... because he was to become a Maryada Puroshottama means he had to become a man who was observing all the maryadas, all the boundaries of dharma, and that he had to be the best person.
(Pre-Shri Krishna Puja Talk, Ipswich, UK, 1990) (1990-0817)

Today we are here to worship Shri Krishna. As you know Shri Krishna is the incarnation of Vishnu. And Vishnu is the one who is the preserver of this universe. When this whole world was created it was necessary to create a preserver also because this world would have been destroyed and completely if it is left alone without a preserver, then the way human beings are, they could have done anything to this world. But so, Vishnu is the preserver. He's the preserver and He's the only one really incarnates. Of course, sometimes Brahmadeva also incarnated, but He only takes forms. In our evolutionary process He has taken different forms. He came on this earth in different ways. But still He had, as you say, twelve - up to twelve was Shri Rama and up through ten He was there. So He created also an atmosphere of the many great prophets around Himself so that they could preserve the dharma of this universe. So the basis of preservation was dharma, which has got, as you know, the most important basic foundation for spiritual life. In this dharma whatever was to be established was to be established balance. Was a habit with people to go to extremes in anything. So He created a balance within us. The first principal of dharma was to create balance. If a person doesn't have a balance then he cannot achieve his ascent. As simple as that. If you don't have a balance in your airplane it cannot ascend. If you don't have a balance, say on a ship, it won't move. In the same way, first the human beings had to achieve the balance. But they are born with different capacities, with different capabilities. I said that, Ya Devi sarva bhuteshu Jhati rupena samstita, means the aptitudes are different. They are born with different aptitudes, with different faces, with different colors, because variety was to be created. If everybody looked the same, you see they would be looking like some robots or something. So everybody was created in a different way, according to the country, according to the parents. All this was organized by the principal of Shri Vishnu, that He created this world in different varieties. He gave variety, and Shri Krishna is the master of it.
(Shri Krishna Puja 1994) (1994-0828)

Sahaj A-Z: Virata

TempleNet: Dasaavataaram - The Ten Incarnations of Vishnu

We laugh the same way, we smile the same way

We have to know that Sahaja Yogis have to get over all kinds of discrimination and identifications according to races, color or different religions into (which) you are born. Because you are born as a Christian, you do not belong to a church. You were not born in a church, thank God, otherwise all the spirits there would capture you immediately. But these identifications will linger on. To accept anything new, you are to be reborn, and you are reborn now. Now you are dharmatita - means you need not follow any particular type of religion. You are open to all the religions, and all the essence of religions you have to take. You are not to denounce any religion any time, to insult any religion any time, or to insult any religious Incarnation at any time: it's sin, it is a great sin in Sahaja Yoga; any one of them, and you know who they are. There should be no racial understanding of oneself. You could have been a Chinese or you could have been a Negro, you could have been anything. As long as we are all human beings, we should know that we laugh the same way, we smile the same way, we hold the same way. This is all conditioned in our mind of this society that you, some are untouchables, some are touchables: this is in our Indian community - horrible people. Brahminism of India has ruined India completely, and you learn from them.

H.H.Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, extract from Guru Puja 1980

The Content Within

Navaratri 1989 from Sahaja Library

Now it was very spontaneously decided that we should have the Devi Puja in England. And this is the place where really Devi Puja should be, because it's the place of Sadashiva and where Adi Shakti should be worshipped. We have to today understand that why do we do Devi Puja? What is the reason for this Devi Puja? What do we get out of it? What are we supposed to achieve in our contents within ourselves? The first thing is that Kundalini is the Devi. She's the reflection of the Adi Shakti. So when you worship Devi, first you worship also your own Kundalini, by giving Her credit because She has given you this realization. It's much deeper understanding than normally people have about the Devi Puja, because they are not realized souls. Their Kundalini not is awakened. So normally when they do Devi Puja it's for the purpose of getting realization, so that the Devi should be pleased - prasanna - and should give them realization, or must give them a chance to get to somebody who will give them realization.

But you are at a different level now. So it's more of a thanksgiving to your own Kundalini and to Adi Shakti, glorifying that whatever has happened so miraculously is because of the kundalini which was within you, which was reflected by the Adi Shakti. But one has to know that only we are realized souls is not the point, only that we can feel the vibrations is not the point, that we can give realizations to other is also not the point. Then what is it? Very important - it's the content within us. What do we have within us is the point. These are all the expressions of what we have within. Supposing somebody is generous, then know that he's a rich man, otherwise he cannot be. So the content within us we have to see. And when we start seeing the content, where do we find in the nature there is real content? We say the sea; sea is there you see, full of water. So much of water it sucks in from everywhere, and then it allows itself to be boiled by the sun and gives rain. But sea is the lowest level, stands at the lowest level and sucks in all the water from everywhere.

In the same way a Sahaja yogi must know that to be really achieving more content, we have to be not at a higher level outside. It's said in the Bible, "You have to be meek," but I think it was not explained to people. Only the strong people can be meek, secured people can be meek, only the rich in essence can be meek; not the people who are insecured, because they are insecured, how can they be meek? And not the people whom we think are rich, so-called, because if they are rich they are not generous, they are not satisfied, they are not philanthropic, so they are not rich. They are still greedy beggars.

So the content within us is to be seen. What is our content? You love me, I love you - it's very good. But when you love me, you have to know that there are certain qualities which are very loveable in a Sahaja yogi. Actually people get lost even after Sahaja Yoga. They think they can get over everything, they're perfectly all right, and they are thrown overboard. So when we say that we have to be meek, this is a content, the humility is a content. So try to do that, try to be humble with someone. You'll like yourself. You'll enjoy that quality within this that "You see, I'm humbler than another person. ...

You have to care for your own quality, for your own inner capacity to suck in...

So you have Adi Shakti with you, whose power is all this Divine. So you are at such an advantageous position. But first you must realize. So when we say we should have content, then the vessel has to be strong. Otherwise everything will break. And this strength is the one you should know, that you are completely protected. No one can harm you. They'll try - this has to be, otherwise how will you test whether you are absolutely safe or not? So somebody has to try some tricks just to see, and for you to watch how you are successful. Without doing anything you'll be amazed, everything will be cleared out. And you'll not know how things have cleared out, how things have worked out. So the strength comes. ...

The negativity that is around you is not so dangerous as whatever is in you. Today it has become subtler. The negativity has become subtler. It's entered into your being, and be careful - it may anytime topple you. Even one step you do not put right when you are climbing up, you can go down. So one has to be alert, without tension. You have to be alert without tension. And the alertness grows. When the light goes within you start seeing it. Immediately you see, "Oh, that's it! So I, the so and so - that's it." And you know how to correct it and you know how to put it right. And immediately you take to it. Like a good sari now has something fallen on it, immediately you clean it. In the same way we have to be very, very alert - daksha is the word for that. ...

So you have to kill your negativity, you've become as powerful as your Mother. No negativity can touch you. So you can give realization, you've got that power very well; and you can watch your defects more than that of others. And you try to put them out because they're not good, they're not for your benevolence, they're not for your ascent. By that nobody is going to gain. At the collective level it just works automatically. ...

Now another quality that you have: to believe that the Goddess is working through you. In you She resides, you have got the powers, it's penetrated into you - is that you can comfort people, you can cure them, you can give them peace, you can give them bliss. But then what Goddess has done in you is that She has given you the bliss, you have become bliss. Like there's say a cool air-conditioner, you get the cool from there. In the same way if you are emitting bliss, you give bliss to others. But there is no bliss within yourself, but what bliss you can give to others? So a Sahaja yogi has to be a blissful like the Goddess. ...

So to leave certain things into the hands of the Divine is what we call as surrender. And that much of is, if done, then most of your things will work out so miraculously. I mean, you'll be amazed, "How, Mother, how it is worked out? We never expected, how things we got it done?" There's a very, very big force working: the Force, the Energy which is the Source of all the energies, which has created this great universe, which has created this Mother Earth, created this sun, which has created you very delicately. This Force is working. And that Force is looking after you, so proud of you that you have come on the stage now.

So as it is we are today praying to the Goddess that "Help us to fight our negativity within us. Give us Your tiger so that we fight, give us Your lion so we fight." Let us fight all these horrible animals that are within us, these horrible haunting things that are within us, these horrible conditionings we have - you have to get rid of it. Still, still if you watch yourself, lots of conditionings are there, lots things, you see. If you see, there are covered with very thin curtains and you don't see it, but they are there. But let the tiger enter into all these dens and find out. And you enjoy that, riding over the horse, riding over the lion, and riding over the tiger - like a Goddess, why not? After all, children get all the heritage of the mother, don't they? So you have all the heritage available to you. But you have to be worthy, in the sense that you have to know that you are worthy, that's all. You have to just know that you are worthy and that you can do it.

So again today we are here to do this puja, which would have been in Perth but somehow or other it was not so, and is luck for you to have this puja. And it is something of a very deeper nature, very subtler nature. Like your blood it is, because on these seven days they say the Goddess has to wear the red all the time, because it's blood. And the first color you see in the womb of your mother is red - it's the security. One side is the red rag, another side it is the security. So for you it is the security around you. Every place you go, it is there - just feel it. You have entered I must say, entered the Kingdom of God, no doubt about it. You all have entered, so beautifully you are settled down.

May God bless you.


H.H.Shri Mataji Nirmala, extracts from Navaratri Puja 1989

(1989-1008)

Giving realisation in cinemas

On September 15th Dutch Sahaja Yogis gave self realisation to 12,000 women attending a special Ladies Night at a chain of cinemas in Holland.

Every month these cinemas organize a Ladies Night, which attracts thousands of women each time. On September 15th the movie Eat Pray Love was screened, a movie in which a woman, in crisis after her divorce, decides to go on a journey “to find herself again.” Among other places, she travels to India where she learns how to meditate.

One of the Sahaja Yogis was responsible for organising this event, and came up with the idea to have a small adapted Sahaja Yoga meditation, minutes before the movie starts. In a truly collective effort, with the help of our Belgian brothers and sisters, Sahaja Yogis managed to be present in 29 auditoriums in 18 cinemas in 15 cities throughout The Netherlands.

With more screenings in the following weeks, a total of 12,000 ladies will have received their Self realisation. At the end of the evening all women attending received a “goodie bag” which included a Sahaja Yoga brochure announcing meditation courses in various cities throughout the country.

It was an amazing sight to see a huge cinema packed with ladies, all with their hands raised above their heads to feel the cool breeze. They were very positive and clapped enthusiastically after the short meditation.

Sahaja review of Eat Pray Love (movie)

Eat Pray Love (book)

Navaratri 2007 - Second Night

Very nice to see you all so happy here. Today is the second day and is a very important day from the point of evolution. As you know that our second chakra is very important. That's why today is very important. So what is the second chakra? Do you know which one is the second chakra?

Ah? What did they say? You must tell loudly. Swadisthan is the chakra, is very important because in this Kali Yuga, Swadisthana works the most. We have so many agents to make it work and work very hard. You know what is in second chakra. In the second chakra what happens that we are caught up by our ambition and the ambition makes you run up and down, and I've seen many Sahaja Yogis also getting lost, so it's a very important day for all of you.

So second chakra is important because in modern times it is very, very cosmic as well as active. We become very active, over active, and we start thinking about everyone with whom we are not concerned and bothering our heads. So today's chakra is important because it bothers your head, it troubles you a lot and you start thinking about them. You start thinking what have you said, what has happened, who is angry, all sorts of nonsense. You are all Sahaja yogis, so you shouldn't worry as to all these people, what they say, what they are doing. You should just enjoy yourself. Second chakra you must enjoy. That's the best way to enjoy Sahaja Yoga. Where your Swadisthana is satisfied nothing can destroy you or disturb you. At Swadisthana you can really look after; Swadisthan Chakra is so much good for you because now you are Sahaja Yogis and you can master it. That is one chakra which upsets, especially in the West people think too much, all the time thinking, thinking, thinking. That's from Swadisthan, you get that problem from Swadisthan.

To satisfy Swadisthan, you have to take to silence. You have to take to quietude and look at yourself. What is bothering you, what is troubling you, what gives you ideas and thoughts is Swadisthan. And some people think so much. There may not be any problem, but they create their own problem with the Swadisthana and just go on bothering about the stuff.

Swadisthan is very happy when you are just laughing and enjoying and not bothered about nonsense. How much time we waste on nonsense! We don't need it, Sahaja Yogis don't need it. It's only those who are not yet realized must be suffering. They do suffer and they might even trouble you, but just laugh at it and you must pardon them, forgive them, because they are doing this because they can't help it. You see, this Swadisthan Chakra is bothering them so they can't help it. ...

So now, don't allow your mind to bother about whatever nonsensical thoughts are coming - all kinds of, all kinds of nonsensical thoughts. You have nothing to do with them, but the thoughts are coming Now, this is the work of Mister Swadisthan. He's trying to distract you, you must get into silence. Once you get into silence, then he will go away and don't bother you.

My all attention is on your country because you're very good Sahaja Yogis. We have had Sahaja Yogis all over the world, you know in thousands they are, but nothing like Australian, I see. Because they are somehow or other very deeply touched and bothered about the world problems. So what you have to think now: not to have anything to do with Swadisthan, but what you have to become is you are Sahaja Yogis and no Swadisthan should bother you.

So there was ...I never knew that you were all here, now only they told me that you were all here. They said, "Only a few people are there." I said, "All right." Ah? How many? You have counted them?

Now, very sweet, Australia is really great to have beautiful children like this. And people care for children. That is first thing you must do is to care for your children. That is fighting your Swadisthan. Anything bothers you, you worry about you own children, finished. You have to bother about them and everything will work out. ...

You are definitely blessed because you are not falling to the whims of your Swadisthan. Definitely, and that is the chakra of your country also. So it makes you run up and down and think and think and think. Specially all the Sahaja Yogis have this problem. So you should just think that you are sitting on Swadisthan and you have to ride it, not to be ridden by it. All right?

I'm so proud of you people from this country have shown path to the rest of the world how can you be united and to be one. It's rather very surprising. In other countries the problem is different. Your country is the problem of Swadisthana as I said today, but you people have conquered it. When I came first year I found everybody's head moving with the Swadisthana. Then they became silent and very peaceful and now I see you all and I'm very happy because that's gone now, all that nonsense is finished. And there is nothing bothers you.

The root of all diseases is Swadisthan, it comes from there. So you should know not to play into hands of Swadisthan and go into thinking, thinking, thinking. They go on thinking, I mean something that doesn't exist, they go on thinking. So any such thought comes in you said, "We don't want to think," finished. I'm there to think for you, you don't think. If you have any problem, you let Me know, but you don't think. What you can do, you can write it down and send the problems to Me and I would like to see it. All right?

And then Swadisthana is chakra of your country, that is the second chakra and is here. And you'll be amazed to know that Sahaja Yogis there are from every country, but Australian ones are something special. They have very great faith in themselves. They do not go to wrong ideas. I've seen that, and I am very much thankful to you for that. ...

(The Music of Joy group sings Mata Oh Mata)
Beautiful, thank you.

H.H.Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, Sydney, October 2007


video

Navaratri - 2nd Night. Shopping day and Talk (report)

Photo slideshow

Jalna, Maharashtra

Photos from a recent Sahaja Yoga program in Jalna, Maharashtra.
11000 people attended. In the program 5000 people got realisation.

Chakras

The Inner Journey sequence from the Opening Ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, October 3, 2010.

Delhi 2010 Games on youtube

Love

The other day I was talking about love. Now the love, as it is understood, is in your heart as this; but do you know the ocean of love is your Sahasrara? When your Sahasrara is filled with love, then the life is changed. You don't become a very intelligent man, a very dynamic personality, but you are nothing but love, and this love is so self-satisfying. You are not bothered if others don't love you or they love you. You don't see to that part. What you see is the enjoyment from that love. It's a tremendous ocean of love. You all have got it. And once you have entered into Sahaja Yoga, you know that you have entered into Sahasrara. And Sahasrara is the - I tell you - the source of all the truth. Truth is there - the complete truth. Truth is the knowledge and also the truth is love.

If you love somebody, you know the truths about that person. You find out whether the person is good or bad or anything. It's very difficult. But if you love that person, then immediately you know what's wrong with that person, what's right from that person. But because of your love, you encompass the whole atmosphere between you and him or between you and others. You don't see the bad points easily - very difficult. ...

So residing in the Sahasrara, if you see the waves of love flowing, maybe some people might take advantage of it, doesn't matter, makes no difference. Some people can also mislead you, it's all right, all kinds of things they do, but, when there is love, you see, you are satisfied, you are not bothered, because you love everyone. ...

Anybody who has innocence would know the technique of love. If you are very clever, intelligent, you can answer back, you can correct people, do that. No. That's not the way. If you have love, you can correct people without saying anything to them, because love is a supreme intelligence. It gives you all the correct method. It works out that. The whole thing works out that, and then people say, 'Mother, it's a miracle how it has happened.' No, no, it's no miracle, is simple thing, that love has acted in its own way. Love is not a dead thing. It's not a dead sea. It not only thinks, but it acts and acts so beautifully. Sometimes I'm amazed at its working. We call it a miracle, this, that. Nothing - it's love. ...

Love should be just open. Then you will see where do you stand as far as your country's concerned, as far as your relationships are concerned. You will know everything. You need not harm, you need not say anything, you need not quarrel, fight, but you will know - because love gives you knowledge, complete knowledge about the person. You know the person, what he's up to, what he's doing, but you don't mind because you love that person. So you don't mind. 'All right, go ahead.' It's like a little child. It's going on the wrong way. Let it go.

Now with all these things, whatever you wear, you are very lucky people who have reached Sahasrara and that you all know everything about Sahaja Yoga. But without practicing Sahaja Yoga, you cannot work it out because then, by practicing it, you'll know about your Self. When you meditate you'll know your Self, and then you get just filled with love. But now, while sitting, you just start thinking, 'He's a very bad man. I hate him,' this thing. All such stupid ideas come into your head - or 'I must buy this ornament' or 'I must buy this particular car' and all that, then you are not loving. But if you love, then what happens is that whatever you need, you get. Whatever you want, you get.

You have to first love yourself, but that love should be pure love. As a result of that, you'll cleanse yourself. Sometimes you are so much identified with your temperaments, with your nature, with you personality, whatever it is, but then you realize, in that love, that 'This is not love. This is blind.'

Love gives you a complete idea about yourself. 'What am I? What problems I have? Why do I create problems? Why do I get into problems?' You'll be amazed that love has such a powerful light in it, that it is the truth and it is the knowledge. ...

And this love is universal. It has nothing to do with any particular type or particular style. It's universal. That is why Sahaja Yoga is universal. It is spreading everywhere. I want you to enjoy that love. ...

So I would request you to find out that ocean in your head at the Sahasrara, which is being filled by your heart. Do you know Heart and Sahasrara are very much in relationship with each other? Their style is such that if somebody's head is not all right, the heart won't be all right. If the heart is not all right, his head won't be all right. But is more reflection from the head to the heart.

They say that there's genes are bad or this - nothing of the kind. After Sahaja Yoga, your genes are changed, you are changed; everything is changed now. So your brain is filled with nothing but light. Your heart is filled with light and you are just bouncing with love, all the time with humor, with loving care. Every day, I mean, it's so different. But that you have achieved now, now you have got it. So just enjoy that. ...

I don't know what else to say. I mean, it is something I would like you to do, for you to get it, this kind of life where you just flow with your love.

May God bless you very well.

H.H.Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, Birthday Felicitations, Delhi, 23/3/2002

(2002-0323)

Fashion

We should not be influenced by outside things. Like, the outside thing is that, some sort of a fashion starts. People who follow fashions are stupid. They are like blind mices. Anybody can lead them into anything, now do this, they do it. That, they do it. So if you try to follow any kind of a thought which is given to us by somebody else, in that thought you'll completely lose yourself and you'll become, "I am this, I am Christian, I am Hindu, I am Muslim, I am Musalman." Stupidity. You are yourself. You are the Spirit. And when you become the Spirit then you start knowing so much and that knowledge is very important. This is the gap between a saint and a normal human being, which you have crossed gradually so you know what are the problems of the human beings, and dealing with human beings, you know how to deal with them.

H.H.Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, extract from Diwali Puja, Lisbon, 10/11/96