Israel Trip part 1 / Remind yourself of what you have inside

Here is an excerpt of Sri Swami Vishwananda's Darshan in the City Hall Springen, after he returend from his pilgrimage to Israel:

Sri Swami Vishwananda: Jai Gurudev! Actually, what I will talk about is my trip to Israel, from where I just returned yesterday and which was very beautiful. We were how many people? 28 or 29? Probably 29- it depends on how you count it. You see: when we talk about Israel, everybody has a different view of it. Unless you experience it, it’s completely different from what you read about.
Let’s say you read the Bible, but when you are there, it’s completely different. It was a trip, where we experienced a lot of things that we have been reading about and know. You have heard about it since childhood for sure, but to be there is amazing. It’s the same when you read the life of Krishna and then, when you are in Brindavan, it’s completely different. You have do adapt yourself. It’s the same with Jerusalem, Bethlehem and around the lake of Galilee. These places were very special places- special because once Christ walked these places and they have been kept alive through the faith of people; special, because there is a connection that one feels, which is completely different from other places.
Of course how I experience it and how others experience is different and the funny thing is that during the trip I didn’t talk about how I felt. I let everybody talk and it was very beautiful to see how each person feels and how each person’s point of view is.
We are all talking about the same Christ, but everybody looks at in a different angle. Some will see in the right angle, some will see in the left angle, but it’s beautiful to see that experience. But the most amazing is if you can feel with your heart. It’s not what you see in the outside, but what you can see with the eyes of the heart. When you look at it with the eyes of the heart, you will realize that all these places are here. They are all present inside of you. You go to pilgrimage places to remind you of what you have inside.

Have Faith and don't doubt the power that you have inside

Sri Swami Vishwananda about the light and healing power within one Self:

Sri Swami Vishwananda: Whenever you read in any Holy books like the Bible and also the Bhagavad Gita, it is said that Lord Krishna or Lord Jesus went far away in a desert corner or on a high mountain to sit down and talk with God. However, each one of us can also go deep inside of ourselves and raise the vibration in our self, reach to the higher level, and open to the consciousness of God. Let the light flow through you; become the Self and realize it; and know that you are the Self, and that the Self is acting for you. And when the Self is acting for you, for sure everything will be perfect. There is no doubt of this with the power of trust you have in the mind.

Swami Vishwaparthananda (Jyotir) says: "Whenever a sick person comes to Swami Vishwananda for healing, he always tells them that he will pray for them. When a spontaneous healing occurs, he always points out that it is God's work. I have never heard him say that he healed anyone. According to Swami, there is no one who can call himself/herself a healer. I have heard him say of healers that they are only tools in the hands of the Divine." From around the world, Devotees of Sri Swami Vishwananda give testimony that numerous and varied healings have taken place in His presence.


Sri Swami Vishwananda continues:
When you have this power of trust, this willpower, then you can create in the mind what you really want! Imagine it. Make it a thought, and project this thought on whatever you want, and say by the power of word, “I want that!” See what happens! See what Jesus did when some people came and said, “This person is ill. Can you please heal him?” What did he answer? He didn’t say much. He just said, “Be healed!” The person did heal because in his consciousness, Jesus was always with the Divine, always with the Father. He didn’t have any doubt in his own word; he didn’t doubt himself. He didn’t say, “OK, let me heal.” With strong conviction, he said, “Be healed!” But it’s also true that the person has to have faith in Jesus.

The Divine Lotus feet of the Guru

Here is an excerpt of one of Sri Swami Vishwananda's Speeches in the Chapel in Springen on Easter 2008.

You will see how important the feet of the teacher are.
When you go to a Hindu Temple,the first representation that you see are the feet of the Deity.
The first thing that you do is to bow down before the feet.
You go to the Master and you bow down in front of the feet.
You bow down to the greatness.
You bow down to the Divine inside of you.

You bow down to the Father within the Teacher.
And that is what *Christ said.
He said it word by word.
I don’t even need to comment on it.
[* Christ said: “My Father and I are One.”]

It is very clear that this non-duality of God is within man.
On the way to God-realization
You will not reach God-realization with pride.
You will not reach it with arrogance.
You will reach God-realization only when you are humble.
And people will be against you.

But you know where you are going and you know why.
So, meditate on that.

Looking at the World with Divine Eyes

Here another excerpt of one of Sri Swami Vishwananda's Speeches: Looking at the world with Divine eyes, you will see that the world is simply the radiated light of God shining through everything. Keep trying until you have come to that realization and never loose hope. The moment you loose hope, you loose everything. The moment you say, “I can’t do this,” you will not be able to do it. Challenge your fear! Keep reminding yourself that you are part of God. You are in His Divine hands and He will never let go of you. Never! He always will be nearer to you than the breath or the air you are breathing in.

You try to imagine how close God is with the mind. It’s difficult, isn’t it? The mind will never let you imagine God. When you start thinking with the mind of the heart, then you may realize Divinity completely. How does one think with the heart? Meditation is an important element in thinking with the heart as you sit with yourself in silence. Jesus said, “When you pray, go to the darkest corner of your house, close yourself in and talk with your Father.” Christ meant for you to go into the inner chamber of your heart and speak with God. Talk with your true Self, and you will receive an answer. So, what exactly is in this inner chamber of the heart? Therein is just love, nothing else!

We are like a lovely Chandelier

Sri Swami Vishwananda is talking about the equality that connects us all: There is no power of the mind to stop anyone because we all are equal. We all are the same light, the same energy. We are like a lovely chandelier that has many lights, but it’s the same electricity that is lighting all the lights. Keep reminding yourself of your purpose of this incarnation and make sure that you reach it in this life. Don’t think of other lives; now will be the best time.

It is possible to fulfill the purpose of your incarnation only if you surrender body, mind, and soul completely to God. Let go of your identity, let go of this ‘I’, this egoism that causes you to focus only on the outside. When you let go of your identity, then the Divine will reveal Itself to you. Then you will see the Unlimited and you will feel the blissful happiness.

Share Your Divine Love with everybody

Sri Swami Vishwananda is talking about the realization of Divine Love in our hearts: When your mind is quiet you can hear the heart talking to you. So keep practicing. I always say it, and I will keep saying it. Maybe every time you come for Darshan you will hear the same thing. As long as you do not practice listening to the heart properly, I will keep saying it; I will bore you with it. When you attain the greatness of love that you have in your heart, you will know it is even much more beautiful than this nature that you see on the outside.

I would love all of you to reach Divinity. I want all of you to realise the love of God that is inside you. And not only that, I want all of you to become an instrument of this love and share it around. Bring this love to everybody. You don’t need to go and hug the person or whatever to share the love of God. Just by the reflection of your face, this light will be passed on wherever you go.

And this light will be continuously with you

The Mrityumbageshwar Shiva Lingam

Sri Swami Vishwananda speaks about a certain Shivalingam that one can see and venerate in His Temple Altar in Center Springen: This Shivalingam has been blessed by Mahavatar Babaji. Mahavatar has given it the name Mrityumbageshwar. The meaning is “the one who removes all suffering and inspires people to realize the Divine.” The lingam has been blessed with great healing energy. Whoever pours water over this Shivalingam while reciting eleven times the mrityumjaya mantra can be healed by drinking the water.

Myrityumjaya Mantra: Tryambakam yajamahe sugamdim pushtivardanamurvu rukiamiva bhandhanat mrityor mukshiya mamritat
This Shivalingam is very special because Mahavatar Babaji has blessed it with the same energy as the jyotirlingams in India. Shiva appeared and manifested eleven lingams in eleven places to leave those places sacred.

When you come here (temple at Springen) you may pour water over the Shivalingam and then keep it in a container and drink it if you are ill, and you will get cured. Have faith in it. When you place flowers on the Shivalingam, you receive the blessings of the Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and beauty. Wealth means not only material wealth but also spiritual wealth which is the most important of all. The worship of Lakshmi and the Shivalingam together is in accordance with the Shatras. Mahavatar Babaji has said the water from this lingam can even transmute death and give back life.

Ways to God

Sri Swami Vishwananda is talking about the several ways that can lead to God: What have all the great masters like Jesus and Krishna taught us?
They have taught us to realise our Self! They have taught us the way. There are different ways to realise the Divine:

There is the path of bhakti.
There is the path of service.
There is the path of meditation.
But each path has its own way to realise the Divine.

An Example:
"When the mother is holding her child, there is no condition (Unconditional Love). Such is also the love of God. Whatever you have done good or bad, when you turn to Him, who has the love of a million mothers inside of Him, He will happily forgive."

The purity of the Heart awakes God inside of You

Today we share with you one of Sri Swami Vishwananda's inspiring stories:

Sri Swami Vishwananda: Once, a man came to visit a certain holy man, St. Sabbas, in his cave while he was meditating. When the Saint noticed the visitor, he became very joyful. He happily washed the hands and feet of his visitor. When the Saint looked up from washing the feet of the man, he realized that this visitor was Christ Jesus sitting there. The Saint felt such love that he started crying profusely and said, “Oh my Lord, You are here!” At that moment, the visitor disappeared.

A certain lady in Switzerland was walking down the street and a beggar asked her to give him some money, and she willingly gave him some money. The woman’s only reaction when the beggar asked for money was to take some money and give it to him. The moment the money reached the hand of the beggar, he disappeared on the spot. Very often she talked about this story.

So like that I can tell you many stories, many facts that many people have told. Through charity, through service, through love they have experienced so much. And if you really want to experience the same thing, open up your heart and let Jesus work through you; let Krishna work through you; let God work through you. Through that you will realize His Love. You will realize that He is always with you. You will know how much He Loves you and how much you can love.

Let us create in our mind and in our heart the same experience that over two thousand years ago Mary and Joseph experienced at the birth of Jesus. We will read [reproduce here] a short passage from the Christian Bible. Imagine and create with your mind, the baby Jesus, and Mary and Joseph.

The Birth of Jesus — Matthew 1:18—25:

18: Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise. When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.

19: Then Joseph, her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privately.

20: But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying,” Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.

21: And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.

22: Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying:

23: “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”

24: Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife.

25: And knew her not till she had brought forth her first-born son: and he called his name, Jesus.

Sri Swami Vishwananda continues: Mary, the mother of Christ Jesus was pure, the virgin, and therefore she often is represented by white lilies, which are pure and completely without stain. This symbolizes the purity of the heart. From the purity of the heart God can take birth.

Swamiji's Divali Speech- Shining the Divine Light

This Year on the 17th October Sri Swami Vishwananda celebrated with His Devotees and disciples Divali, the Hindu festival of Lights.
Here is an excerpt of the first part of His speech:
Sri Swami Vishwananda:

First of all: “Happy Divali to all of you.” Before, I explained already about Divali, the festival of lights, especially about finding the inner light and how to let it shine through. Let it shine from deep within your heart to everybody. Often people say „Swamiji, we would always love to have this Divine light shining through, but it’s so difficult. Am i right? (People: Yes)

You see: If you want it to be easy, you will make everything possible to make it easy. It doesn’t matter how hard it is: You will make it. But if you make yourself weak by saying it, it’s difficult. This word, which is so easily used is a barrier and we create this barrier, we make the difference and then we say „Ups, it’s difficult.“

It’s the same: when you say something is easy, what happens inside of you? You build up this self-confidence that you put on yourself, when you generate this energy inside of you ‚Yes, i can do it’. You will receive the blessing of the Divine also.

But if you already make yourself weak, then God will say „What’s the use of me, giving this grace to that person, if he can’t handle it? He is already weak.“ It’s of no use giving the blessing or giving the grace to that person. Actually we stop the grace then. How do you think the light will shine?

Matsya- The first incarnation of Lord Vishnu

Sri Swami Vishwanda is talking about the first incarnation of Sri Vishnu:

So, let´s analyse the first incarnation. It is said, that to safe the Vedas, the Lord manifested Himself as the fish-Avatar, which is Matsya to safe the world from the illusion. You see- a similar story is in the Bible also, about the great delusion, where...It was Noah, isn´t it? Yeah, Noah´s Arc. It's so similar these two stories, but they don't mean the same. You can say that they have taken the story from the Vedas and changed it into Noah's Arc, because it's so similar. So the first one is just to safe the Vedas.

To learn more about Matsya, click here:

http://www.webonautics.com/mythology/avataar_matsya.html

Sri Swami Vishwananda's mission on earth

Somebody asked Sri Swami Vishwananda once about his mission on earth. Are you interested in his answer? Here it is:

Sri Swami Vishwananda:

My mission is to spread love. Divine love. This is the main base of my mission- to open up the hearts of people. You see: the word 'Love' itself has so many meanings nowadays, that people have forgotten the true aspect of Love. The unconditional Love. And that is what will change the world. All the other forms of Love have expectations. But when one feels this real Love inside one’s heart, it’s beyond all expectations. And only with this Love peace can be restored.

Swamiji, why are You doing what You are doing?

Once somebody asked Sri Swami Vishwananda the very interesting question, why he is doing what he is doing. Is there a deeper purpose behind? Let's find out what Swamiji answered.
Sri Swami Vishwananda answered: That is a question that everybody asks, ‘Why does one do what they have to do’? Actually I do what I have to do because I love doing it. I love to help people. I love to serve people. It is the role of a guru to help and serve people. The guru, the master, is not here to be served, but to serve people so that they can advance also towards God-realization, towards Self-realization. Self-realization is the main purpose of life. I do what I have to do because it gives me great joy.

Lord Vishnu comes in different forms

Today Sri Swami Vishwananda is telling us more about the manifestations of Sri Vishnu.

So, I have explained how the Lord has manifested Himself throughout different times and also about each incarnation of Him. Among the ten main incarnations, not all of them are considered to be a full incarnation of the Lord. Only three:, which are Narashima, who is sitting there, Rama and Krishna. All the others are semi-incarnations, Nara Hari Roopa.

So... Narshingadev is considered to be the fourth incarnation of Narayana. To understand this incarnation of Narayana, we have to really look at the first four incarnations of Narayana. The first three are Matsya, Kurma and Varaha. The first incarnation one is Matsya Avatar, the second incarnation is Kurma and the third incarnation Varaha - Matsya, Kurma, Varaha. So the first incarnation was a fish, the second one a turtle and the third one was a boar. The fourth one was Narashima, the fifth one was the dwarf. Then the sixth one was Parasurama, then Rama, Krishna and so on.

The incarnation of Lord Vishnu

Sri Swami Vishwananda is talking about the spiritual path and the incarnations of Vishnu. He is explaining to us why the Lord incarnates from time to time.

We see in this world nowadays, that only few people really achieve a spiritual life. So, the Lord incarnates from time to time- many times, not only ten times or one time, but whenever it's needed, He would come. It´s said: "
“Yada yada hi dharmasya glanirbhavati bharata
Abhyutthanamadharmasya tadatmanam srjamyaham.”, which means:
“Whenever there is a decline in Dharma- whenever human being are moving away from the path- whenever human being are getting entangle by all the negativity, the Lord will come to the rescue”. He will take many forms. It is said, the Lord has taken so many forms that He Himself doesn't know! This is the first thing in the Vedas that is said. He has taken so many incarnations, that one is not able to write all about them. But in all these incarnations that he had taken, we consider ten as His main incarnations, which are called Matsya, Kurma, Varaha, Narashima, Vamana, Dasharam, Ram, Krishna, Balaram, Kalki- Avatar. This are the ten main Avataras, that the Lord had manifested Himself. So look at these ten incarnations deeply and analyse them.

Free yourself from illusion and surrender to God

Today Sri Swami Vishwananda gives us an important advice for our spiritual path:

Everybody wants to get liberation quickly. But how many people really want to surrender? Only a few. Everybody wants liberation, but only a few people want to surrender... Only a few people want to let go of and say: “Lord, yes, I let go of everything, this is all just an illusion. I surrender to you!” But no- people like the illusion. They like to dance with the Maya and when Maya has Her effect on people, they like to complain also: “God, why I am having like this? I pray to you every day, but still I am suffering so much!” Whereas, somebody who is wise, surrenders to the Lord. Whatever God gives this person, this person will regard everything as a gift from the Lord. So, the difference is: both of them pray to God, but one has surrendered and the other one has not surrendered everything. He still hangs on his things. That's why the two are different. The one will percieve everything as God's giving. He will enjoy the Lord, whatever may come. But the other one will blame God always, no matter what comes he will say: “Why I am having this?” So, in that way we see that in this world nowadays, only a few people really achieve a spiritual life.

The direct path to God

Sri Swami Vishwananda is talking about the importance of surrendering to God, which will lead us directly to Him:

Let's say you want to go to a destination and there is a direct bus to your destination and a bus which stops everywhere. Which one would you take? The express one. Isn´t it? (people: “Yes.”) But how would you take the express one? Only by surrendering to God. If you choose to take the one which stops at every busstop, of course you will reach late! You will reach your destination, it doesn't mean that you will not reach your destination; you will reach your destination, but with longer time.

Chanting Divine Names like Chaitanya Mahaprabhu

Sri Swami Vishwananda is talking about the Indian Saint Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
There was a saint called Chaitanya Das Maharaj who lived in the 17th century. He was always Gauranga, Gauranga - all the time. Even while he was sleeping, people would just hear 'Gauranga, Gauranga, Gauranga, Gauranga' vibrating from him. Each breath of him changed to Gauranga and he rised in such a divine, spiritual advancement, that even when he died, when he took Samadhi, his whole body was vibrating Gauranga, Gauranga. Gauranga is another aspect of Krishna, who appeared 1500. So just by chanting you are making proper use of your tongue, by reciting the name of God and also you are utilizing the hearing, which will become more fine till you realize the vibration within yourself. So this will lead you to self-realization or God-realization and to attain the love of God completely.

Serve whenever you can

Sri Swami Vishwananda points out how important it is to help others and perform service to them:

People offer a lot of things to please God- big, big things in the outside, but everything is from Him. It’s Him who gives. We are just taking what is given by Him, and offer it to Him. Whereas this love, which we have inside, is also Him. But it’s upon to us to develop it or not. It’s upon to us how we handle it.

We can go and do service in the outside, like many organizations just buy a lot of things and give it to the poor countries. Does this mean this is service? You can always put hundred Euro every month aside, and put it in an organization account, saying, “That’s service.” But the moment it’s gone, you don’t even know what it is happening with that.
But when you yourself go and participate in it, it creates another joy. And that’s the joy that God wants you to develop. People say, “Yes, but I don’t have time to go and serve.” Because in the mind, when you talk about service, people think that you have just to go to India or to Africa to serve.
But here your neighbor is dying or the neighbor by your side is hungry. You’re thinking of India and of Africa, but God will think about it. Service starts near, around you. Stop seeing the difference, clear your mind of the difference, and see the same road everywhere. Offer from deep within your heart the flowers that you have inside. Offer it to Him. In this way, you don’t even need to sit to pray. Because He will be always with you.
So, open up your heart. And serve whenever you can. Help whenever you can.

Having strong faith like Saint Eknath

Today Sri Swami Vishwananda tells us an inspiring story of Saint Eknath's life. ( If you are interested and want to learn more about this Indian Saint, click here to watch a short introduction about him: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CHGoGtR9bU)

In the life of Janardana Swami, there was Eknath, who is a Saint. (1533-1599, born in Maharashtra, India)
Janardana Swami was a governor and once a week he would fast. He would not talk and resign himself in a room, where he would sit in meditation and pray.
This would be his weekly meditation. During this time he would not meet anybody, he would not even go out of his room. But that time there were lots of wars between the kingdom. So there was the army, because India was ruled by a Moslem king. So he took the opportunity to attack at that time the castle, where Janardana Swami was. There was Eknath, sixteen years old, seeing that the army was coming. Of course he was aware, that the army will not do anything without the permission or the blessing of the Guru. So he took a great courage, went inside the room of Janardana Swami, dressed himself and put ton he armour of Janardana Swami. He came out of the room, rose above Janardana Swami and went to fought the enemies.
In the evening he came back, quietly went inside, placed back the Guru clothes and everything else in it's place and went for evening prayer. A few days later Janardana Swami heard the story and was really, really amazed with Eknath, that he transfered all his Shakti on him. So St. Eknath took this great courage and responsibility on himself, to act in the time of need.

This courage- that’s what is needed. It’s not that one hears this and one hears that and moves.
It's like Christ said: Your faith has to be build on a rock.
That no matter how strong the storm is, and I’m not saying wind, nothing can move. Then you can consider yourself really lucky, to surrender to the Master, to the Guru.

The seven gates or reaching God's kingdom

Today Sri Swami Vishwananda is talking about the seven gates that we have inside of us:

One day a man visited a palace and said “I want to meet the king”. He was passing by the first room and saw a very elegant gentleman sitting and talking to all the people. He said to himself “Is he the king?” But then he thaught "No, he is not the king.” and so he went to the second room, where another person was sitting, who was also dressed very elegantly. Again He akes himself “Is he the king?” and concluded “No, he is not the king.” It continuted- third room, fourth room, fifth room, sixth room. Finally he reached the seventh hall. As he entered he saw the majestic of that place and he saw somebody sitting on a high throne, very elegantly dressed, even more elegant than the others. Without any question he knew that this is the king. There was no question, there was no point of asking “Is this the king or not?”

Try to get what is behind this story. In one life we go through many levels, the seven steps, the seven gates that we have inside ourselves and in each gate we encounter certain aspects of the Divine. But yet the mind is still present, the mind is still wondering “Am I there already or not”? But the more you advance, the more you see that there is more and more to go. Till finally, when you are face-to-face to the king, there is no question, there is no doubt, there is absolute peace. Even more than that: There is this absolute love. So if your aim is to attain that- no matter what comes on the way: Trust, never loose hope, you will reach there. The Divine is ever present around you. He comes in many forms to help you. With the eyes of the heart you shall see and you shall feel Him. So practice. Practice not opening the mind, practice opening the heart, so that you can love unconditionally. You can love and feel the Divine love inside of you, and not only inside of you, but everywhere. The easiest way to do that is to…? (Someone: to sing) (Someone: to chant) Try to be calm. (Laughter) Chanting is good. Chanting helps to calm the mind, but in silence you are coming inside.

The chamaleon or how God is taking different forms

Today another inspiring story by Sri Swami Vishwananda:
Once there where three friends, who were arguing. They knew on this tree, there was a chameleon. So one of them said the chameleon is green. The other one said "No, no, it’s not green, it’s red. " Then the third one said "No, it’s brown. "So they were busy fighting with each other about that. After a while one of them said “Let’s go and ask this saint who is sitting under this tree”. So, they went and asked him saying “My dear holy man this chameleon is green”. Then he said “Yes”. The second one said “No, no, no, no, no, it’s red”. He said “Yes”. And the other one said “No, no, no, no, no it’s brown”. Again he said “Yes”. Of course they were all shocked thatb he always said “Yes”. Then he explained to them: “It’s true- all the colors that you said. Why? Because a chameleon changes colors according to where it is sitting.” Such is the Divine also. He will always come the way you call Him.

So if you call Him with a form, He will take that form, because He is not bind by any limitation of the mind. He can manifest Himself, the way you call Him. You call Him as Jesus, He will come as Jesus, you call Him Krishna, He will come as Krishna. It’s not that you call Him as Jesus and He will appear as Narshinga Dev in front of you, you know? You will never believe in Him. It’s the same thing opposite . When somebody believes in Krishna, and He appeared as Jesus it would be strange, no?

Loving and humble service

Sri Swami Vishwananda once told us following story:
Once there was a king, who had many servants. Among the servants, there was one servant who had a custard apple. So, the king was seated on his throne and everybody would bring him big, big gifts. In the corner there was one of his servants with a cloth which was hiding something. Everybody was bringing big, big, gifts, and the servant was saying, “Oh my goodness, look at this. He has lots of gifts. He will not like the
fruit I have brought him.” But then the king looked to the side and saw that the servant is trying to hide something. So he called the servant, “Come here.” The servant went to the king and the king said, “What are you hiding?” He said, “Nothing, my king.” The king answered “Yes, you are hiding something. Give it to me.” So the servant offered the apple to the king. When the king saw the appl and the love how the servant was offering it, the king got very excited. Very quickly he took the apple and started eating it like a child. And as he was eating, he was saying, “Oh, my goodness how great, how juicy it is”. So he said to the servant, “My dear fellow, where did you get this juicy fruit? Tell me.” He was expressing his love so much to the servant. Such is the Divine, also. When we serve God with love like the servant; when we serve the Master as a servant, God also will look at us in such a way. If we are sincere with ourselves, He will look at us and say "How great you have been serving me."

God is only Love

Sri Swami Vishwananda's message for today:
We often hear people asking the question, “Who is God?” I will ask you now, “Who is God?” As long as you have not known Him, you can’t answer this question. Love is God. But how many people realize this love? In which religion does God really belong? Is God Christian? Is God Hindu? Is God Muslim? Is God Buddhist? To which religion does He belong?
Love. The word love. Everywhere you go, you will see there's only one God… and that’s love. It’s in each one’s heart. But how do we realize this love?
We are so busy with this material world that we forget about the Divine love. We try to look for this love in the outside world. We try to look for this love in other people. We try to look for this love by traveling around the world. But we forget that we have to travel, not outside, but inside, to find this love in ourselves. We have to realize our closeness to this Divine love, which is inside, in your heart. Some people will say it’s very difficult to reach this point, but I will say it’s very easy. You just need to want it.
People try to find the easy way. If they could buy love, they would. But love can’t be bought. If somebody comes and tells you, “Listen, I will make you be able realize this Divine love.” It’s not true. Only the Guru can do that. Only by the grace of the Master can you do that.

A story about Guru Nanak or loving service

Sri Swami Vishwananda is telling a story of the life of the Indian Saint Guru Nanak.
Once a very proud and arrogant King came to Guru Nanak. Guru Nanak is a Sikh guru, who he wore a turban on his head. So, when the king came to him, Guru Nanak offered him a small needle. This king normally was very wicked and he liked to collect things only for himself. So, Guru Nanak gave him this small needle and said to the king, “King, take this needle. Keep it and return it to me when you see me in heaven.”

So, the king was very happy. Joyful, he reached his kingdom and said, “Guru Nanak, has said I will go to heaven.” And, he showed his queen, “Look queen, Guru Nanak has given me this beautiful needle. He said I shall return this to him in heaven.” The queen looked at him and said, “My dear king, how would you return the needle to Guru Nanak in heaven, because when you die you leave your body here?” So, he said, “Yes, that's a good question. Out of my joy and my happiness I forgot to ask him. I forgot that I have to leave my body here.”

So, early morning he was at Guru Nanak’s place. And he said very happily “Guru Nanakji, you have given me this needle yesterday and you told me to return it to you in heaven, but tell me something, how will I return this to you in heaven? When I die, I leave my body here, how will I take this?” Guru Nanak smiled at him and said, “My dear king, you don’t realize what you have collected from the people, in a not good way. All the thing that you have collected don’t even worth this small needle, but yetyou can't carry this little needle to heaven How will you carry all the other things that you have collected?”
Hearing that, his pride and all he was inside of him was shattered. So, he fell down to the guru’s feet and asked for forgiveness. And he asked the guru to blessed him. He detached himself and gave everything to the people.
So if you want to be happy, serve. Serve with the open heart. Serve with love and don’t expect anything, because if you expect you will be always unhappy.

Sri Swami Vishwananda is talking about the inner awakening:

We are living in a dreaming state. When we get awakened, we will see the reality. But this reality is not to be understood with the mind . It’s different and that’s what human beings are here for: To attain this reality of who you are. We will attain this reality only through unconditional love. The same love that He loves us. Do you think His love is bind by any limitation or what we understand of Him or how we dress Him? The love of God is not bind by anything, only by the love of His devotee.