17 - 19 February 2017

For the auspicious event of Mahashivaratri, spiritual seekers gathered to meet His Holiness Vishwaguruji Maheshwarananda in Vép, Hungary, during a weekend yoga retreat. The unusually cold winter began to change into the sunshiny weather of spring, warming the mood of participants.

His Holiness Vishwaguruji explained the meaning and significance of Shiva and encouraged all to develop a true desire for the divine life:

Shiva is the greatest, there is no-one beyond him. He is balancing and controlling everything. Even devic and asuric shaktis (divine and dark powers) are under his rule. Shiva gives the opportunity for us to escape from the dualism and cruelty that are increasing day by day.

There are two types of viraha – longing/desiring – one is towards temporary things of the world such as cars or houses; and the other desire is the longing for Brahma loka. It is expressed by Sri Holy Guruji in his bhajan, PREMA KA PYALA HARI KAB MERA BHARASE – Oh Lord when you fill the pot of my love?

Make a sankalpa not to get any more stains on your consciousness and try to find the shelter of Gurudev. Gyan agni and guru kripa make it possible to clean all stains and sins. Yoga agni karma dagdani – the fire of yoga will burn karmas. Beside practicing asana, pranayam and meditation, you need tapasya, vairagya, tyaga (penance, detachment, renunciation). 

Vishwaguruji declared that we are very fortunate to exist in a human body. In such a state of existence the jiva (soul) can work to dissolve past karmas. What tools are given to purify the jiva and his/her karmas? Sanga/society, nourishment, movement and discipline. It does not matter how long you live, but the main question is whether you are working on yourself to develop. Sanga is the root that can become satsanga or kusanga – good or bad society – which turns our actions into success or failure.

First Secretary of the Indian Embassy in Hungary, Mr. Vijay Khanduja, brought the message that the traditional way of education in India was for outer and inner education to take place together, and said, “Gurudev Maheshwaranandaji provides both ways of education and represents India – as himself and with the Yoga in Daily Life system.”

The weekend retreat included Abhisek (act of worshipping the shivalinga, the symbol of God Shiva), singing of bhajans (spiritual songs), and darshan (meeting with spiritual Guru). Representatives from various countries greeted Vishwaguruji and celebrated Mahashivaratri, among them many sannyasis, male and female renunciates (monks).

The practical part of the weekend was a great rejuvenation for body, mind and soul, as Mahamandaleshwar Swami Vivekpuri lead the meditation and yoga sadhana – practice of asanas and pranayams.

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