It was beautiful. Someone whom I have known from the age of 7, I’d never thought in those years of 1956-57 that we will be meeting here. Such a touching occasion for me. The whole history from that country where I was serving Guyana to this day here in Rishikesh. And tonight, Hungarian song-hymn sung to the tabla rhythms in Rishikesh. What can be a better demonstration of a world culture. And here we are creating this world culture so beautifully expressed. Those things make me blush.

I’ll share one secret with you. When I first moved to India, I said to my mind. This is too much. I can’t take it. Such reverence, every composition you have presented tonight. I surrender to my Guru. It’s his. Long, long, long ago, 2~3 years after I first met him in 1969, 1970-71, in a little yellow house in Minneapolis, in the USA, he said to me, ‘Teri sari ichayein puri karunga.’ I fulfill all your desires. I didn’t even know what my desires were.

And I missed those days and those countries, the flow of Ganga, the singing of Gita Govinda in Sanskrit. And today, by Guru’s grace and really by Guru’s grace and truly only by Guru’s grace, all that is present here, Ganga is flowing. I can go and have the darshan of Mother Ganga any day I want. And “Gita Govinda” is sung and my beloved disciple Jyoti and her students, and their coming up give us hope for the future that this song and dance tradition, this culture-tradition will continue. And when they did the prakriti puja, offering, as worship and appreciation to Nature, I cried. You may not understand the symbols of the hands and the facial gestures. But my heart cried, overfilled with joy. You filled me with such love.

But I have one desire yet unfulfilled. If you really wish to honor me, wish to love me, do two things for me. This, I am saying to my students. First, love each other. All those here at SRSG, you love this Swami, but you don’t love each other. If you want to love me, love each other. Secondly, make yourself adhikarin so that the knowledge coming down from thousands of years of tradition can be passed on and can continue.

Everything that you have given me tonight, I will keep it filled inside me. Allow me to take this occasion to thank all those who have played a role in creating whatever I have been. The sacrifices that they have made so I could reach where I’ve reached, yet, still short of my goal. I give them my appreciation. I thank you.

And the third condition, if you want to love me, meditate. That is our true relationship. Silent love is the best love in the universe. And my master, Swami Rama said “Love is the Lord of All.” And today you have shown that love. But I would be happy when you show that love to each other. That I want to see here.

I thank you all, thank you all from the depth of my heart.

God bless you.