Pujya Swami Avatar Puriji Maharaj's inspiring visit to Europe

Living Yoga: Unity, Truth and Consciousness

Pujya Swami Avatar Puriji Maharaj's inspiring visit to Europe

The Yoga in Daily Life community was deeply honoured and joyfully surprised by the recent short visit of Pujya Swami Avatar Puriji Maharaj to Europe, in mid-April 2026. During his stay, he offered uplifting satsangs to the devotees of Vishwaguruji, bringing warmth, wisdom and inspiration to all who attended.

His presence graced sacred places such as Sri Devpuriji Ashram in Zagreb, Croatia, Guruji Ashram in Vienna, Austria and Mahaprabhudip Ashram in Strilky, Czechia. With his loving and joyful nature, he touched every heart and left a lasting spiritual impression.

The Story of the Water Drop: A Journey of the Soul

One of the most profound teachings he shared was the story of a drop of water:

A drop rested on a leaf until a gust of wind caused it to fall. As it descended, it feared this was the end of its existence. Instead, it landed safely on a rock and flowed into a small creek. Relieved, it believed it had found stability, yet after some time, it noticed the creek approaching a great river, and fear arose again. Still, the drop merged into the river and continued its journey. When the drop finally understood and accepted the river, it reached the vast ocean. In awe, it asked, “Who are you?” The ocean replied, “I am you.”

In this story, the drop represents the jivatma (the individual soul/self), the river represents the guru (the guiding master), and the ocean represents the paramatma (the universal supreme Self). Through the guidance of the guru, the individual soul reunites with the Supreme. The ocean revealed that the drop had always been part of it, separated only temporarily, to gain experience before returning home.

The Nature of Life and Inner Peace

Swami Avatar Puriji emphasised that life itself is inherently good and beautiful, just as our souls are. What truly matters is our perception. Whatever life brings, it is ultimately up to us how we choose to see and understand it. True peace does not come from external appearances. We may seem calm outwardly, yet internally, the mind is often restless and filled with thoughts and questions. This is human nature.

He described the mind vividly as being like a monkey that is drunk, stung by a scorpion, and jumping on a trampoline! Such is the restless state of our thoughts. Through sadhana and self-discipline, we can gradually bring the mind and senses under control.

Real peace arises only when atma becomes one with paramatma.

The Meaning of Purity

Swami Avatar Puriji spoke about shuddhata (purity) and ashuddhata (impurity). Purity is not limited to physical cleanliness, such as washing the body, but extends to the mind and consciousness. One may appear clean externally, yet if the inner state is impure, the connection to guru tattva and higher consciousness weakens. To experience divine awareness, we must purify ourselves from within.

The Importance of the Guru in Kali Yuga

In the present age of Kali Yuga, when spiritual decline is increasing, Swami Avatar Puriji highlighted that the most important practice is the repetition of God’s name – through mantra japa, one maintains a connection with the divine. He reminded everyone how blessed they are to have a guru, a guru mantra, and a clear spiritual path.

All of this is the result of the immense tapasya (austerities) and grace of Vishwaguruji, who has gathered seekers from all over the world and established ashrams to support their spiritual growth. It is now the responsibility of the disciples to preserve and continue this work.

Unity: The Essence of Yoga

A central teaching accentuated during the visit was unity. The word yoga itself means union, not only of body and mind, but of the individual soul with the Supreme and of all beings with one another. Asanas are only one small part of this greater path. The true essence of yoga lies in realising oneness.

Truth and Communication

Swami Avatar Puriji encouraged everyone to accept themselves as they truly are and to express truth honestly. In today’s world, many people are conditioned to suppress their thoughts and emotions, yet real solutions come through open communication and understanding. Every problem has a solution. If there is a lock, there is also a key, and even if the key is lost, the lock can still be broken. It is always better to speak the truth than to create layers of falsehood that further complicate life.

Dharma and Inner Responsibility

Quoting from the Bhagavad Gita, he highlighted the teaching: dharmo rakshati rakshitah; those who protect the dharma are themselves protected by dharma. Dharma refers to inherent duty or purpose. Within each person reside both higher and lower tendencies, symbolised by the qualities of Rama (goodness, loving, etc.) and Ravana (evil, destructive, etc.). Through awareness and practice, it is up to each of us to choose which aspects we nurture.

Through sincere sadhana (spiritual practice), our thoughts, words and actions gain power. Swami Avatar Puriji emphasised the importance of being mindful of every thought and every word, ensuring that what we express is positive and constructive. In this way, spiritual practice shapes not only our inner world but also our external reality.

One of the most touching teachings was the reminder to see Gurudev in every person. When we recognise the divine presence in others, respect, compassion and understanding arise naturally, transforming our relationships and interactions.

The Light Within

He concluded with a powerful metaphor of the lamp: a lamp is merely a decoration until it is lit; once lit, it becomes a deepak, a source of light.

Similarly, initiation into OM Sri Alakhpuriji Siddha Peeth Parampara ignites the inner flame of love and awareness within us, and through the repetition of the mantra, we continue to nourish that flame, like adding oil to a lamp. Over time, this light grows stronger and brighter.

The visit of Pujya Swami Avatar Puriji Maharaj was a profound blessing for the Yoga in Daily Life community. His teachings reminded everyone of the deeper purpose of human life: to purify oneself, to discipline the mind, to live truthfully, and to walk the path guided by the guru toward unity with the Supreme.

May the grace of Gurudev continue to grow within all, day by day.