Key Points of Swamiji's Gudi Padwa 2017 Speech from Swamiji's New Studio

Samarpan Meditation
(There may be some odd gaps in the speech because of transmission issues but here are some key
points of the speech. Gudi Padwa is a Marathi New Year).

People have not realized the meaning of self-realization. It's first necessary to realize what it is.
Hence,there's no value for it.

There is a cycle of karma (thoughts, words or actions) which causes people to be reborn. They are
reborn so that they may be relieved of such karmas be they good or bad. One spoon of black ink may
spoil a glass of water yet a drop of ink can be obliterated in an ocean. Collectivity is like an ocean
which makes your black ink of karma dissipate. You then don't realize the burden of your karmas as
this happens.

In the presence of my gurus, I was bound with their collectivity while having a heightened soulful
awareness. Amidst this, I didn't know when my karmas finished off. When we become elevated, we
don't have bad karmic energy to commit bad deeds and we surrender our good karmas to our guru.
Hence, there's no karma which equals a liberated state.

Not doing anything is meditation. At that point, you're karmaless or one without any karmas to bear.
This therein equals a liberated state too. Nothing is tying you to be reborn. Another aspect of the
liberated state is when your craze to live longer is nil. Upon reaching the liberated state, you won't want
anything for yourself and you won't do anything bad to anyone. You'll then always consider the well
being of others. This is also reflective of the liberated state.

Self-realization is the realization that you are a soul. Just as no other woman could be your mom other
than the one who gave you birth, so too is this the case with the guru. While there may be many gurus,
the one who gives birth to your soul can only be one. Hence, the guru is also known as maoli which
derives from the word mother. When you find that guru for you, the quest for God ceases as it did for
me. When I found my guru and I kept my attention at his lotus feet, he became like God for me though
I knew he was human. I spiritually progressed this way and attained bliss and satisfaction.

When we find such a guru or figure, the gaze of our consciousness starts going inwards even if its
propensity was to be outwards. We realize then that God is within us. Hence, the inward journey
begins. After the Shivratri function (when Swamiji came out of isolation after 45 days), an 8 day series
workshop was held for Jain monks and ascetics. Followers and gurus think on different levels. So some
of them said to me, 'Swamiji, we learned this meditation practice for 8 days. How will we explain what
we're doing to other Jain monks or ascetics or intellect-dominant people?'

'You don't tell us to light a clay lamp or to focus on a given thing or to sit in a certain direction. There's
no pranayam (Detoxifying breathing techniques) or focus on one's regular breathing. One can call all
these methods. But there are none here to follow. People will not believe us. They'll think you asked us
to hide something or think that nothing happened. (As though they imagined something).'

Experiences can't be captured by words. We've experienced these epiphanies. We can't express this to
the outside world. This meditation practice is something to be grasped from the soul. And it has
reached a global scale. It's a sacred instilling of traits. No barriers of religion, race, country, gender or
creed exist for this. This meditation practice is an inculcated trait and not a method. The body learns
methods. Whereas we grasp this divine energy while sitting down. We don't have desires for this.
The inculcating of traits between a guru and disciple is passed between soul to soul. (In other words,the
meditation practice is an energy exchange and doesn't happen on the body level of learning to do
something. Samarpan, on the contrary, happens to you so to speak). This treasure chest of this
inculcated trait has been travelling with you from lifetime to lifetime.

You have 3 things which travel between lifetimes with you. One is the soul. The second is the kundalini
or life force which is also a record keeper of all your deeds over lifetimes. The third is your subtle body
which keeps track of the accumulated spiritual progress you've made.

This all explains why sometimes a 5 year old may seem more spiritually evolved than a person in their
senior years. It's the result of all the progress the child has made throughout their past lives. In contrast,
when a guru leaves his body, he leaves his subtle body behind. (This is how one is able to grasp their
energies even when they may not be physically present). Gurus are present in the subtle realm. They're
near us. But we don't have the knowledge of this nor do we have the spiritual state or subtle eyes or
abilities to see them.

When I was recently in Alwar, I was asked by followers to go to go see a big temple which was a great
work in progress and things were stalled. It was near the entombed shrine of Purshottam Maharaj.
Somebody asked us to to by-pass this shrine to go to the temple. As I checked the energy of this shrine,
I noticed people were stepping on the shrine. People were so unaware of the fact that the great flow of
energy they were getting near the temple was coming from this saint's entombed shrine. They were also
unaware of the direction from which the flow of energy was travelling. I said to the people there to
recognize the shrine for what it was and make efforts to preserve it. The work on your temple will
therein take off. So the thing about this shrine was that it had so much energy which it was emitting
but there was no one to take it much like the lactating woman who has no kid to give milk to.

After I meditated there, I told people there that things will take off. So the guru was there with his
energy but people didn't know about this. But in order to recognize such things, you need to first know
yourself. There are treasure chests of energy which surround you but you're not aware of this. You've
meditated over lifetimes. That's how you've met me in my lifetime. There are influential people who try
to reach me but can't while a simple goat herder may. This is owing to the goat herder's meditative
practices performed over various lifetimes. You need to have the spiritual state to reach me or you
won't .

You also need to know the sadguru. People often tie the guru with a given religion. He/she is above
religion. Religions are there to help people build a deep spiritual state. But at some point in the spiritual
journey, they get left behind because the person goes beyond them. A religious person may be a
spiritual person while a spiritual person may not be a religious one. It is also necessary to recognize
spirituality or the knowledge of the soul. Religions are methods by which one recognizes or gains
soulful awareness. But one's lifetime goes by in reaching that stage if one takes such a path.

In contrast, when one chooses to go into the proximity of the guru, they may take on the spiritual state
of the guru if they so focus such a way. It's like how when one unlit candle goes near a lit candle, it
becomes lit. All the candle had to do was come into contact with the light of the lit candle. At such
points, we notice the surrounding darkness fades. Don't see unto where the darkness extends. Light
your own wick. Your wick will reduce the surrounding darkness. You can't fill the world with light. You
need to start shining yourself. For that, meditative practice is necessary. Spiritual progress will therein
happen and eventually you will attain a liberated state. There will be nothing left to gain.
Living longer is the biggest desire though your body ceases to yearn for it. You're reborn to fulfill the
desire. When you get rid of this desire, there's no need to be reborn. But this can't be achieved in a day,
week or year. You need to meditate with regularity and be surrounded by collectivity for this. You'll
then gain control over your chit or conscious awareness. (Some may define chit as the eyes or windows
of the soul but one can also describe it as where you're placing your attention). It's not enough for your
conscious awareness to be strong or pure. Controlling it is necessary. It's like maintaining the speed of
a car. When your chit becomes strong, it can take in the smallest of things so easily if there's no control.

Whereas you can maintain your chit when you have control. E.g. You can make your chit strong on
your own. But then if you are a destructive type, you'll grasp the flaws of those whom you put your
focus into. So though your grasping capacity is higher, your chit is being employed to take on the bad.
So you'll progress if you maintain control. I believe you all too will progress well but it will happen
through regular meditation and accessing of collectivity.

(The centre was emphasized for different reasons). You were initiated into meditation through centres
so this is one benefit of accessing centres. (It becomes a public place for people to get initiated). You
may be surrounded by constructive or destructive people or by those people with too many thoughts.
But you need to be able to fall into meditation inspite of all this. This happens with control. When you
do reach such a state, you'll be very much inward looking. And at that stage, nothing and no one will
affect you.

Your family consists of 4-5 people. I am connected to hundreds of thousands. In spite of this, I am
alone. I have made my corner with my aura and no one can come near it. Even when I am speaking
with you, I am in that corner. You do the same. It's possible with the traits I have imparted to you.

In this era when people ask for proof of everything, I can provide it with my aura photo. I have been
able to maintain my state regardless of whether people are in my midst or not. I am like you in that I
have a family too. I wasn't just knocked down from the Himalayas. The aura photo has been taken
while dealing with people in society. Society has had no impact on me. Space is not a room or garden.
As you meditate, space will be created. It's no miracle. The aura you create is your corner irrespective
of whether it's 5 ft.,10 ft, 15 ft, 20 ft or 25 ft.long. This is where no one can touch you.

Householders have the complex that only ascetics can be spiritual because they can leave things
behind. While it's true one needs to leave things, you need to leave things behind with your conscious
awareness or chit.

Copy me. I've no bad feelings towards anyone and you shouldn't either. Wish for the well-being of all.
Pretend to do all this if you can't feel it truly. One day, such feelings will reside in you. There may be
centres where soulfulness is at a zero and identifying at the body level is at an all-time high. In this
case, xerox copy me where you can't tell the difference between the copy and the original.

Only display as much of your sense of surrender to the powers that be as what your soul tells you. This
is regardless of whether it's 10%,20% etc. If you show what you don't have, it affects your throat
chakra or energy centre. (One's throat chakra is associated with being weakened if one lies).

Your soul is unique and therefore one's grasping capacity is not uniform. Subsequently, the seed you've
been given is unique too. How much this seed is developed is up to you. It's about the fertilizer and
water you place on this. I've therefore got distinctive personal relations with everyone on a subtle level.
Hence, a collectivity in this way is formed. (I.e. The guru is the bonding point through which everyone
is united into a collectivity). Your nation, language or skin color may be different but that's all
irrelevant. All these have been attached to your body. Your soul, life force and subtle body are with you
throughout all your lives. Your subtle body is where your hidden knowledge lies. If you focus on all
these three, your chit will not go on nonsensical things.

There's a girl who read a book by Swami Muktanand where she read about three ways to awaken one's
kundalini. It was either through speech, touch or gaze of the guru. But there was no mention of one's
awakening happening through a photo or video workshop because the guru element has evolved so
much over time. Right now, in fact, through photos and video workshops, people's kundalini in Nepal
is being awakened. (I.e. They didn't need the physical contact of a guru as per the old days). In fact,
I've never been to Peru but people have been practicing meditation there for 7 years. Their kundalini is
were awakened through the video workshops. A follower from Peru came here years ago and went back
to start a centre there and things have been running since. I'm not greater than other gurus because of
this.

It's like a youngster saying he's starting a cycle shop because he feels there won't be any petrol left for
his generation because his father's is eating it all up. So therefore what's the point of bothering with a
car? Likewise, we need to pass Samarpan to the next generation. And the guru shakti dhams or energy
centres are the place and means by which to do this. It's not just about the statue but also the resolution
with which energy is infused into the statue. E.g. You may have visited places where someone resolved
to keep the naval chakra unblocked in a statue or temple. This helps in creating economic sustainability
in one's life. Or you may have experienced a place of fearlessness because the resolve was focused on
keeping the heart chakra open. In the case of this energy statue, one will experience self-realization
through its presence. This may not be new to you.

The next generation will not have the opportunity for supporting the guru shakti dhams (these energy
centres are present in different places in the world as in India).I've never asked people to give for
anything but I've asked this time. This is so that your contribution may exist in some form in the
different guru shakti dhams so that you may also further get the benefits and good will for having done
so. Through this effort, I am training you to invest to get back these things.

Efforts are on in Dandi and Ajmer. In fact, Ajmer has taken off with great speed with 50 lakhs or (5
million rupees). Expand your scope. Don't limit yourself. Ask your relatives to join in giving to any of
the guru shakti dhams so that they too may get the same opportunities as you to give. There's one girl
who told me she was feeling ashamed to ask and was therefore putting it off but in the end, a relative
gave Rs. 25 000. So it was her ego getting in the way. I tried even uniting 2 people who were not on
good terms to go and help fundraise by asking them both to hang their pagdis or head wear. (Putting
away such a headwear is symbolic of doing away with one's ego). I told them to put their differences
aside and said it's about me.

It's not a brothel for which you should feel bad asking. We're developing a spiritual place where people
can forget their bodily problems. This is an opportunity to expand your soulfulness. If you smell the
fragrance of a rose and then cast it aside and curse it, will the fragrance stop? No it won't. If you're
afraid of people criticizing me, even those who do so will get my energy. Things will change in due
course for those that do. Many provisions for donating are there from credit cards to online donations
and so on.

I have done what I have to help all humanity. Ask all of your relatives irrespective of whether they give
or not. Inspire them to visit guru shakti dham. Anyone who visits will like it. It doesn't matter if they
don't donate. With hundreds of thousands of followers, this message can reach millions. People
experience peace in these guru shakti dhams. In fact, in Kutch, there was a person who spoke of how
whenever he would set out to read the hanuman chalisa (sacred Hindu hymns), he would get distracting
thoughts. When he tried reading this in the shakti dham, no thoughts got in his way. Don't force people
to donate something at a given amount. Let them donate as they wish.

First, make a resolution plan for contributions which may be either monthly or yearly. I will express
this like the Nagpur fakir (Muslim ascetic). When people would give him money, he used to say only
give 10 rs if that's your capacity. Otherwise I don't really need it. So I ask the same of you all. Do as
per your wish or capabilities. This is an activity for years. Then it'll be over. These dhams will be made
no matter what. But this is your opportunity to contribute to them.

One's spiritual progress and its offsprings will slide hand in hand with your resolution plan. I am
planning for my entombed shrine to be built in one of the shakti dhams.

I have conducted 4-5 meetings with the trustees. I have been working with them for 4 months on how
to do these projects and they've not come to any conclusion and can't tell me what to do either. I took
the Ajmer property in my name with money put from my account and the progress of work there went
fast in 4 months. On the occasion of Gudi Padwa, I speak from the soul and I have decided the money
for all guru shakti dhams should come out from my account and from my name.

Some of the impending issues which have come up are as follows. In such a scenario, we would have
to pay an income tax of 30%. As well, people keep wanting to register this as a religious trust (for
potential savings) and I don't want it this way. I have constantly argued that samarpan meditation is
above religion so why should I do this?

When people come to visit these places, they do so by using trains which are run by the government or
by using streets which are maintained by the government. So if you give the government 30% in taxes,
so what? We are also reaping the benefits of what the government does. I've also discussed with my
kids to not fight over the property later after I am gone and I am leaving it in my will that they not be
able to divide this.

The Ashram Trust can be separate. If I want Guru Shakti Dhams according to my liking, I should be
prepared to pay 30% in taxes. It's so that we don't face the same as Shirdi (sacred site) with the
government taking over it. You also don't know what the courts can randomly decide if it's in the public
body.

For example, in the Shani Shignapor temple, women weren't allowed to go inside historically. Not long
ago, some women protested against this as an act of discrimination and they were granted entry by the
courts later. But the reason behind why the women were not asked to go inside historically was
because of the strain high energies place on women on their initial menstruation cycle or periods.
(Especially in the first 3 days). When a woman's period happens, there is an internal cleaning going on
at the subtle level. So whereas the period is a time when the bad energy leaves the body, it's not able to
when the woman goes in a place of high energy. Because then while the good energy is coming into
the body, the bad energy is not able to leave and then it potentially forms into cysts because it's not
exiting the body.

That's why our ancestors came out with this idea of not letting women go inside there. Another point of
possible contention is something I had argued greatly with a lawyer on the 6th of this past month. Right
now, people can't go near the energy statue with more than a distance of 20 ft. Why can't we touch it?
It's like how a father is asked not to touch his newborn child though it's his because the child is so
sensitive and the father's illnesses may touch him. The same holds true for the Guru Shakti Dhams.
There's a follower from Rajasthan who told the following story. There was a five-star hotel which was
converted into a palace. Behind that palace was a privately owned temple by the former kingdom there.
It's known as a palatial temple. Over there, no one other than the priest goes near the statue and it's
been maintained like this for 150 to 200 years. It's personal property. No outsider can interfere with its
conduct. So this is a way to maintain the sanctity of the guru shakti dham.

I'm giving you all till April 8th. If you have a solution besides this, you can meet the trustees or tell the
Navsari office. We've been going through alot of head-banging for the last 4 months. 800 years later,
none of this will be there. If the government gives us conveniences, let's make them partners. Through
the guru dakshina (token of respect for guru) program, Iget so many donations. I don't want to say I
don't need the money because I want to provide people with a medium to give to me if they wish. And
giving like this helps in developing one's soulful expressiveness. I am also planning for the entombed
shrine.

I don't want this money to be abused at all.

With these bank to bank transactions, things have become much smoother. The bank people are also
happy because no queries have come up in this process of donation. I'm 63 and I guess I have become
an oldie set in my old ways. Initially, I opposed Anurag for creating online transaction possibilities. I
felt things were fine the way they were. Why change? But now I see what a wonderful thing that has
come up. Earlier, the method of donation was for an individual to give it to their district head who
would then give it to the regional head and then to the person who finally deposited it into the bank. So
at each stage, doubt would arise about the other's action as to when or if the money was reaching the
account finally and you didn't know when the money would get processed.

Now followers are giving donations confidently. Donations, have in fact, doubled. This online project
was done 4 months prior to demonetization in India. (Demonetization was a move proposed by the
Indian prime minister in November to get people to turn in old 500 and 1000 rupee notes within a very
limited time to counter monetary corruption. This consequently gave rise to cash becoming tight
publicly and people not being able to take out as much cash at one time. People were therefore being
stirred into using credit cards or debit cards and doing more online transactions to work around this).

We're now seeing the results of these online efforts. Hundreds of thousands of rupees come and no
questioning is coming from the banks. (It means things are smooth). I will give a message about all this
on April 8. Fill out a resolution contribution plan. Join in this on Gudi Padwa and get others to do so as
well. I tell people what I feel. I keep treading the path of my soul. What you have inculcated are
meditative propensities. So as part of the new year, we will meditate now.

May the Guru shakti dhams be constructed quickly and may we be part of these projects. Today, on
Gudi Padwa, I wish lots of blessings to you all. Please give Anurag feedback about what was said and
he'll pass it on to me. Namaskaar. (Divine greetings).