 Namaskaram, Govind Dev ji. Namaskaram, Guruji Maharaj. Wonderful to be talking to you. Namaskaram. Really speaking, I am so much excited today that a world teacher like our Sadhguruji has accepted to guide us and that too, on a very short notice, I apologize that I should have requested much earlier, but it's your grace only that you accepted it. I bow before you, my… When you are… Hundreds and hundreds, pranams for you. When you are continuing Krishna's work, how can I say no to you? It's the grace that you are showering upon us. Today, as Bhagavad Gita has said, sattvic diptra nipatena pariprasne na sevaya upadekshanti te dhyanam dhyanena sattva darsinaha. Those great seers guide you only when you offer your pranams at their lotus feet and ask some questions. We, for last six months, during this COVID period are working. Really speaking, we have been working for 36 years on this cause, but it was never online. But this COVID has compelled us to come online and it has turned like a miracle. We reached around 80 countries and more than 1 lakh kids, almost kids, some parents have learned by heart two chapters from Bhagavad Gita. Wonderful. This is being done by selfless workers who are not paid at all. They are all only honorary workers. They are Krishna Bhaktas. They are the Karikartas only. And we are doing this through 11 languages. And today, it's the grace of God that we have found a world teacher like you to guide us. In the beginning, I want to ask one thing. From the beginning, we have emphasized upon one thing that we may read Gita from any language, from any translation. But when chanting, we should emphasize only on the Sanskrit text because they are the words that have come from the lotus mouth of Bhagavan Krishna and therefore they are like mantras. And therefore all this Gita teaching is done through Sanskrit text only as far as the chanting is concerned. For explanation, we use all the languages. With folding hands, I am asking a question. Are we right in giving that emphasized emphasis on the Sanskrit original Gita text that should be clarified by you? Your clarification shall be a great guidance for us. See, at a time like this, as you said, there has been a pandemic. And second wave, third wave is coming in many countries. And the UN agencies are predicting a mental health pandemic, a suicide pandemic. A massive number of people are committing suicide. For example, in the year 2020, in Japan, more people committed suicide than they died of COVID infections. So when human beings are going through this kind of strife within themselves, there is a challenging situation around us. But when they are going through a strife like this within themselves, I, in my humble opinion, I don't think we should limit the power and the wisdom of Gita from reaching people simply because of our love for our languages. We may have much love for the language and there is a science behind the utterance of Sanskrit language, Sanskrit language, there's no question about it. But I think the understanding, the wisdom and the knowledge of Gita should go to people first. Chanting, because chanting is like converting people culturally into our way of life. I do not think we should impose that. Those who are willing, we should encourage them definitely towards that. But we should not make that compulsory because it's very, very important this knowledge goes. Why I'm saying this is, see there are many kinds of belief systems, philosophies in the world. But in my opinion, I clearly see this that for the next generation of people, this in India, our way of looking at things is we look at the divine as an empowerment for us so that we heighten ourselves and function at a higher level. The most important aspect of Krishna's teaching, I am not... See, I myself cannot read or speak Sanskrit, I am an ignorant person. Well, in front of you, you are all scholars. So, I would be restricted by this. So, in my opinion, for me, the most significant aspect of Gita is the Vishwarupadarshana that Krishna bestows on Arjuna. Whatever he spoke, how much ever wisdom was there, still Arjuna went on asking questions because this is the nature of human mind. It will go on investing in more doubts and more picking, more and more loophole somewhere. But the moment he shows him who he is in terms of his inclusiveness, how the whole existence is a part of himself and he is showing this because he also wants to convey to Arjuna and everybody in the world that this is your nature also, if you are willing, if you open up your... the dimension of your existence, you could experience everything as yourself. For me, that is the only thing that's been my guiding post, that ultimately the word yoga means union. For me, the ultimate expression of yoga is Krishna because he displayed it. The most crucial aspect of entire teaching is that, that he is able to show Arjuna that all the entire universe irrespective of plants, animals, this, that, planets, everything is a part of me because this is the nature of human consciousness. This rising of human consciousness or raising of human consciousness is very, very important because morals, values, ethics all stand by us when things are going well, when there is crisis or when there is mortality hanging in front of our face. The only and only thing which takes us beyond that is, you know, is really human consciousness which is all inclusive and this is what Krishna represents for me. So in that sense, this must reach maximum number of people. Anything that impedes this reach must be taken away. As you said, this online thing has been a miracle that what you cannot do physically, suddenly now, why if you could reach ten people physically, now you're reaching thousand people online but this can be multiplied in such a way if you translate this into thirty different languages in the world, you can reach billions of people and that is more important for me than sticking to the language. Language has its power, language has its significance but above all, people understanding there is a universal way to exist is more important for me than the language. We shall certainly follow this advice and shall try to reach at most people. Can I ask one more question? Yes, sir. Today, we want to know what can be the essential message for global youth from Bhagavad Gita. If we want to look at something as a message, I think the most significant message of not just Gita, Krishna's life as a whole is, see in many ways his life is full of strife. There are so many wars, there are fights, there are people who are extreme levels of evil intentions and actions. So his life in many ways is full of strife and challenges. Our pandemic challenge is nothing compared to the challenges that he faced in his life. So even though all others, the Pandavas, the Kauravas and various other parties who are involved in this drama, they all suffered immensely either because of anger or hatred or anguish or shame, many things happening to everybody. But Krishna was one person who went through this entire serious drama, very virulent drama, if you ask me, and a terrible war and everything with a big smile on his face, playfully. So the most significant aspect of life is to be involved, to be absolutely involved. At no point did he show that I am not involved. At every point, in every small thing and big things, trivial things and significant things, in everything he's involved absolutely, but absolutely playful, unentangled, involved but not entangled. I think this is the most important thing that needs to happen to human beings, particularly the next generation of youth. They must understand, involvement does not mean entanglement. You can be absolutely, totally involved in everything in your life but unentangled. In my understanding, in my experience of life, I think that is the most significant aspect of Krishna and his teaching because to go through life playfully, to carry life, the most serious aspects of life, lightly in your life because after all, we are here for a brief amount of time. We are not permanent dwellers here. We are mortal human beings. Today we are there, tomorrow we'll be gone. We need to learn to handle this life lightly. Then we will do appropriate things. The moment we get serious about everything, then we become sick. See, at least in India, the way we speak English language, if somebody says, my grandmother is serious, we understand that she is dying. So if people have become serious, they must understand they are moving away from life towards death. I think most important aspect of Krishna's message is its life, life and life. While listening to this reply, I just remembered that our Sadguru Maharaj is himself an example of this. I had always got great respect for Sadguru Ji but it reached its ultimate height. When I came to know that he has started the movement for the freedom of Hindu temples in Tamil Nadu, today he is involved in the whole movement. We assure that we are all with you and we start, we desire to start the movement for the whole of India. But at this point what I remember is, Sadguru Ji is involved but not entangled in the movement and therefore he is just setting an example before us in front of us for how to live the life. It's a very great message for the global youth. This is a very important thing because, see the basic infrastructure in this country, which kept the Hindu of… Hindu way of life alive because Hindu way of life is not run by one head somewhere, there is no one belief system, there is no one book, there is no one principle. Everything is entertained and everything is respected and regarded. The variety of spiritual processes, all of its… all of it has been respected. Karma, Gnana, Kriya, Bhakti, everything on the same platform, we are not separating those two as one superior to the other. But at different times, maybe different things become significant in human evolution. At different times of history and time, certain things become more dominant than the other, it's a different matter. But we have not ever thought this path is superior to that, that path is superior to this. So in this context, temple infrastructure was the main infrastructure where nobody ever led a prayer or a teaching. But people went there to imbibe that energy. We go to a temple not to pray but to have darshan. We want to see, we want to see and you know, imprint that divine image within our hearts and come out. We are not going there to pray. We are not going there to pray, petition God. He need not talk to us. He is silent. But we want to take his image into our hearts. This is the nature of the Hindu temple. But now to keep this as a vibrant image, the Murthy to keep it alive, there are many processes. When these processors are run by people who are not involved, who are just government employees, well these processes are all dying. As the government has admitted over twelve thousand temples, there is no puja happening. Even one puja is not happening. Thirty-seven thousand temples, their income is less than ten thousand rupees per year. And thirty-four temples, thirty-four thousand temples, there's only one person in the temple doing puja, maintenance, security, everything one person and he's paid fifteen hundred rupees, thirty rupees per day, something like that. So, when this is the condition, I feel devotees must take into charge. But with this everybody needs to come together. I am seeing that I am receiving a lot of abuse. Now myself and they are not even sparing my mother, they are abusing everything. And unfortunately what I see is very strong devotees. Genuine devotees are also misguided by certain vested interests and there's a lot of reaction. It is very important that we present ourselves with a single face, not one against the other because this has cost us enormously in the past. Enormously in the past through the invasions, through occupations we have paid a huge price, at least in free India. We are going to complete seventy-five years of independence. It is time we come together as one force. It is not necessary, we are not made like this in the Hindu way of life. You have to agree with me, I have to agree with you, not necessary. There may be many things I don't agree with you, many things you don't agree with me. This is perfectly fine. We need to understand Krishna's life is an example. Though he is standing there as a divine embodiment, still Arjuna can ask him a hundred questions. He is not telling him, just shut up and listen to me. He is answering every question, all right? So this is the nature of our culture. It is not necessary we have to agree with each other, but still we must understand the fundamental purpose is same. So we should not go in divergent ways which unfortunately is happening in the country. I hope we come to our senses and function as one unit because the demographics of the nation is changing in such a way. At this time, I am not even thinking of my culture, your culture in that sense. I am seeing that this is the only culture which allows seeking for truth. Everywhere else, everything is written down. You either believe it or you're dead kind of attitude. Here even if God himself comes, we can question him. Where else is it possible that you can question God? You can ask hundred questions to God. Where else is it possible? This is the only culture. So I am saying for future generations, the only thing, the only and only thing that will be relevant for the world's youth in the… for all the youth in the world is this Hindu way of life, not as a religion, not as my culture, you must take it, not like that. But as a teaching, as a guidance, there is no other guidance in the world which is universal and inclusive. Let us keep it inclusive and universal. Let us not make this you versus me because there is no you versus me. You can worship a stone, I can worship a tree, but both are devotees. This is the nature of our culture. We must keep it that way. Yes, Guruji, our Indian culture has always said, Vasudeva Kutumbakam, the bird is one family and therefore nothing is thrust upon anybody. Everybody can have his own way. Now today, we received a light from you that we don't go to the temples just for praying. But we get there, we go there for getting our batteries charged. This is a new concept at all, totally. And therefore, we are grateful and people may abuse or people may say anything, but we all are your followers and what you are doing for this country, for this nation and for the humanity at large is quite necessary today. And we shall try to follow your footsteps. Definitely, going Guruji, I am not talking about abuse as a problem for me because I am made like this, neither somebody's abuse nor praise either rises me nor puts me down. I am who I am for what I am. That is not the issue. But the problem is right now there is an express need in the world as you are doing spreading the Gita teaching through online for one lakh people, whatever. One lakh people is not enough. One billion people, five billion people needs to happen. If this needs to happen, it is important that we don't get against each other and unnecessarily impede the work because in this generation, if we don't do it, our own youth will lose it. Once our own youth have lost it, you can't take it to the rest of the world. I feel very strongly feel if this spiritual seeking has to live, we have a significant responsibility in the next twenty to twenty-five years. If we don't do this work, after that it could be very late to revive that. All of us are committed for this cause and we shall take it ahead. Definitely. Can you please guide how Bhagavad Gita can be useful in these days of pandemic for all the people? See, I am not an expert on the Gita as you are, Swamiji. But in my understanding... Whatever you are speaking is Gita only. This is what my being sings within me. I've unfortunately not spent, you know, because I got all western educated. I did not go into the scriptural studies in any way. But in my understanding, what I see is when you say Gita, we are not talking about a song that somebody sings. We are talking about a song that our soul sings. My body and your body missing different songs. My mind and your mind missing different songs. My emotions and your emotions missing different songs. But my soul and your soul cannot sing different songs. It sings only one song. And in whatever ways they have tried to put it into language, because putting this into language is not easy. I personally feel it's almost nearly impossible. You can talk around it, the real song can never be put into words. I think Gita is one of those efforts to put that into words in the closest possible manner, which has come to us through the ages from the time of, you know, Krishna and Mahabharata and whatever. So, in this context, what is the most important thing simply means this. Well, Krishna is an embodiment of yoga for me. Because you can only be playful even when there is life and death situation, not just for you. For everybody who is dear to you, there is life and death situation. You are still playful. This is only possible if you're well established in yoga. If you're not well established in yoga, life situations will squeeze you. Life situations will crush you. Life situations will make you a different kind of person in different situations. No matter life or death, still you are at ease and you're playful. This is only possible if you're deeply rooted in yoga. So, as far as I'm concerned, people may see Krishna in so many ways. In my experience, he is an ultimate yogi. That's how I see him. In Bhagavad Gita also, Yatra Yogeshwara Krishna is not only a yogi, but is Yogeshwara. He's the highest form of yoga. And the way you're guiding people, when Sadhguruji was not there in Coimbatore, I had been in the ashram. Oh, really? I'm sorry. I didn't know. I'm sorry I was not there. And I imparted this to you when we met in Omkara Eswaram. But what I'm saying today is everywhere in every look and corner of that ashram, we saw that you have tried to protect our Indian vision, our Indian culture totally. This is the great challenge. And the wisdom that has come from ages, it has been not only imparted intellectually, but the kids are given that atmosphere so that they can be molded that way. We are trying to do the same thing, Sadhguruji. And therefore, we shall require your guidance for this humble work many a times, not just once. Today we are very much grateful to you that you have given so much of time and showered your grace upon us, but yet we are thirsty. We shall again request sometime not take much of your time, but your blessings are required. Even though you speak for some minutes, that shall be inspiration for us for years. And therefore, for stepping myself at your holy feet, I again request my gratitude pradam pradam and pradam. Namaskaram to you, Swamiji. The work that you're doing is very important in the world and we are always available for you in whatever way possible. The best that we can do, we will do for you. Namaskaram and thank you very much. Namaskaram.