The 1000-Day Mahamrityunjay Yagya for World Peace

Today, I want to discuss the Mahamrityunjay Yagya (a sacred fire ritual dedicated to the conqueror of death) that you performed here. Many people were unaware that this Yagya was taking place. What was the reason behind performing this ritual?

We performed the Mahamrityunjay ritual for 1,000 days. I don't believe such a feat exists elsewhere in history—performing the Mahamrityunjay Yagya constantly and without a stop for 1,000 days. At that time, the situation in the country was very grim. You saw it on television and in the newspapers. We were frightened. At that moment, the Radiant and Immortal Being who resides in the sky—the one from whom both creation and destruction originate—called to me.

When I was reading the Upanishads, it was said: "Yas cha asmin akashe tejomayah amritamayah purushah..." (He who is in the sky is the Radiant and Immortal Being). I am always remembering Him. It further says that my soul is always devoted to that Supreme Being who resides in the sky. By "sky," I do not mean the physical sky above us; I am referring to the "sky" within our hearts. Most people are unaware of this. My soul is constantly fixed upon that Radiant Being in the heart's sky.

"Tam eva viditvati mrityum eti nanya pantha vidyate 'yanaya"—there is no other way. If I can know the Mahamrityunjay, I will keep calling upon Him as long as there is life in this body. We performed this Yagya for 1,000 days because I received an inner command. My heart, the inner sky where Mahadev resides, stirred me.

Why did it stir me? Because of the state of the world—storms, floods, famines; nothing was being spared. My inner heart told me to perform the Mahamrityunjay Yagya. Astronomically speaking, the planetary positions today are very similar to how they were during the Kurukshetra War. I have no doubt in saying that millions of people will perish due to health crises, malnutrition, and other factors. Millions died in the Kurukshetra War, and a similar time has arrived.

That is why I started the Mahamrityunjay Yagya. Initially, I started with just one or two people. Later, women joined as well, and together, about 13 or 14 of us performed the ritual. However, there is a catch: in the Kali Yuga (the current age), both the Mahamrityunjay and Ashwamedh Yagyas are forbidden. Those who perform them must face punishment.

As it turned out, many of us were "punished." Two of our members even passed away; we couldn't save them. It is written that if you perform these rituals in this age, you will face great suffering or even death. I barely survived. Another young man passed away, and others have become disabled. It is astonishing—men who were perfectly healthy and performed the ritual for 1,000 days are now physically broken and weak.

The Vedas recognize this ritual. There is a chapter in the Vedas that asks, "Kasmai devaya havisha vidhema?" (To which God shall we offer our oblation?). Back then, the modern gods and goddesses did not exist; there were only the Vedas. The Vedic tradition was primarily masculine. Female sages like Gargi, Maitreyi, and Apala contributed, but they were not given a prominent place. In those times, the Vedas revolved around 24 deities. People would perform rituals for those deities based on what they desired. The Gayatri Mantra and the sound of Om originated from these 24 deities.

We performed this Mahamrityunjay Yagya for 1,000 days for one reason only: when we made our vow, it was for the welfare of the world, the benefit of humanity, and for world peace. We used a massive amount of wood and ghee—I can't even count how many tins of ghee were used. In today's terms, the cost was approximately 10.5 lakh rupees. That was just for the ghee, wood, and other necessary materials. None of us took any money for performing the ritual.

I wanted everyone—Hindus, Muslims, and Christians—to be well. Today, we are divided, but what is the fault of a Muslim? They also want to live. What is the fault of a Christian? They want to live too. And as a Hindu, I also want to live. Let us all live together. That is the only reason for this Yagya. Through this, people will find peace, the country will prosper, and untimely deaths will be prevented.

The Vedas contain ten Riks (verses) regarding this, though only nine are currently found; one has been lost.

(Gurudev begins chanting a Sanskrit Mantra)

"Sa nabhoni rajang... daksatbang bikashitang... shitang tatpadma kosha madhye... tu mandala chanda rochiso... jaba kusuma sankasham... rakta bandhuka sannibham... rajasattwa tamo rekha... joni mandala manditam... madhye tutang mahadebi... surya koti samaprabham."