Rig Veda XI vs 2 says:

"O Mighty Agni, thou must be glorified at our festivals,
Bearing our offerings to the Gods."

Title: Objections to Marriage Category: Family Duration: 2 min., 06 seconds

Gurudeva's visit to Lancaster, California, for a padapuja and special puja to Yogaswami.

Cybertalk: We pray that we are not too late in putting up this response. A woman in Selangor, Malaysia, asks Gurudeva what to do regarding her desires to marry a certain man. His family is now objecting, and their situation has driven them both to tears. Gurudeva's answer is clear cut. He says that since both are now adults, the parents have missed their opportunity to arrange a marriage. It is too late now for them to object. Gurudeva says, "Go ahead with your plans and live a happy life."

" For more information about listening to Gurudeva's talks online and to hear them in other formats, click here.

Do you have questions for Gurudeva?
Please continue to send your questions for Gurudeva to answer in his Cybertalks. E-mail questions@hindu.org.

A detailed index of past inspired talks is available here.

Book Three of His Trilogy:

By Experience
We Evolve

A family provides toys for the children to make them happy. Siva provides karma and dharma to all of us to make us happy, to bring us closer to Him. He created an expanding and contracting universe and eventually absorbs all in the great dissolution of the cosmos. He gave birth to all souls, our rishi-saints tell us; and we are evolving back into His image and likeness, they further explain. The toys of experience help us in our evolution, keeping us entertained so that we can learn and grow and experience our karma, dharma and other basic cosmic laws. Just as the children can laugh joyously as they play with their toys, break them and cry or throw them at one another, hitting and hurting each other, we too can avoid duty and dharma, make karma, hurt ourselves and others or help ourselves and others as we play with our own evolution, strengthening ourselves, learning and growing wise.

It is natural to forget about God, but there are many helpful ways that we can avoid distraction, that we can remember to keep seeing God Siva everywhere. One of the practical ways to bring God iva into the midst of all this is to keep repeating His name. Do japa when you find yourself forgetting, when you just can't see God at all, let alone everywhere. Repeat "Aum Namah Sivaya." When life becomes difficult or strained, say to yourself "Siva Siva" or "Aum Sivaya" or "Namah Sivaya." Mentally put it all at His feet. See Him in everyone that you meet or confront, regardless of the circumstance. He is there as their life force, but you just need to quiet the mind to see.

Smile when you feel unhappy with someone and say to yourself, "How nice to see you, Siva, in this form." Animals, beggars, princes, politicians, friends and enemies, holy men, saints and sages are all Siva to the soul that loves God. He smiles and thinks to himself, "How nice to see you, Siva, in this, another of your many forms."

Nobody can think of Siva in His formlessness. This above all has to be realized, and then the realizer has to realize that he has realized the formless. The truth is that precious few will realize Parasiva, though many can and will realize Satchidananda even in their later years or at the moment of death. The fullness of lives of experience experienced, the performance of prior goals perfected, would lead a soul to the burning desire to accomplish the ultimate goal. For each person on the planet, the immediate pattern is clear. Once it is fulfilled, the next step appears naturally. It is the same force of desire that accomplishes all of this. The desire for a mother to take care of her children and to be a good wife, the desire of the father to support his family, the desire of a scientist to discover, the desire of an athlete to excel, the desire of the yogi to merge in oneness with Siva--it is the same force of desire, transmuted through the chakras as they awaken, as the soul evolves. It is that same desire that finally draws the seeker to know That which is timeless and formless, That which is spaceless and causeless. Be patient. It comes in the course of time to all. It comes. It will come. Be patient.

• While many gave short prayers and benedictions, few addressed issues of real substance.
• Gurudeva's talk on ending the war in the home as the first step towards world peace which was printed and passed out to everyone made a big impression. He also spoke on this as a keynote speaker of the plenary session on "Forgiveness and Reconciliation." Many were grateful that he had brought to the forum something we can actually do to make a difference.
• All the delegates of the Abrahamic religions were somewhat dower and at odds with each other, while all the delegates from the Asian religions and representatives of the spiritual faiths of the indigenous peoples were all happy smiling and melded together beautifully.
• The Hindu presence was very strong and made a dramatic impression. The VHP hospitality lounge at the Waldoft Astoria was the only such place, providing a venue of warmth and friendship, while delegates of other faith wandered in the halls with their briefcases. "Please come, have a samosa while you are waiting!"

Gurudeva's other monastery in the island country of Mauritius
in the Indian Ocean near South Africa

Join Gurudeva for Himalayan Academy's 17th travel-study program, the 2001 European Innersearch, themed the "Hinduism Today Adventure".

Go to www.innersearch.org and for more detailed information, please contact Sadhaka Dandapani. Space is limited and filling up fast!

Very Important: Please include your mailing address and telephone number in the body of your message. We will keep you posted as the program develops.

Sign our guestbook and we will send you a free issue of our global full-color bi-monthly magazine, Hinduism Today.

For those who have been touched spiritually by Gurudeva's work, his books, his guidance, his inspired life and example and even his website, the "Thank You, Gurudeva Fund" has been established within Hindu Heritage Endowment.

Proceeds from this fund last forever; they're not a one-time gift. So gifts to this fund have eternal gratitude built into them. They live on in perpetuity.

Each month Gurudeva receives the income from the fund to be used at his own discretion to promote his work and mission around the globe. He loves this, for he knows that it comes from all the good souls who have met him and studied with him, traveled with him or just talked with him over the years. A contribution to this fund is tax-deductible.