Ome, Asatoma, Jhāhma, Jotaurama, Tama, Jotyrgamaya, Mritiurma, Amritamamaya Ome shanty, shanty, shanty.

Ome, lead us from the unreal to the real, lead us from darkness unto light, lead us from death to immortality.

Ome, peace, peace, peace.

Dear friends, we are in the midst of a crisis.

The whole world is gripped by the coronavirus, the COVID-19 crisis.

Here in New York, it has become the epicenter.

This vast city, so busy at usual times is now silent and quiet.

And in the hospitals, medical centers, doctors, nurses, other medical workers are fighting desperately to save the lives of thousands of people, tens of thousands

have been infected.

The authorities are doing their best to control it.

At this time, what spiritual practices are going to help us? This is what I would like to speak about today.

Can spiritual practices help us at this time? Of course they can. In fact, these are the times that

spirituality is meant for. Let us not forget that the Bhagavad Gita was taught to Arjuna not in a Vedantan society or in a mountain top in an ashram.

It was in the midst of a great crisis in the battlefield where a terrible civil war was imminent. In the midst of that, Krishna taught the highest philosophy, the highest devotion to Arjuna.

So certainly spirituality is helpful for us, is of great, great help and relevance at this time.

I hear the voices of so many people. great help and relevance at this time.

I hear the voices of so many people and how there is suffering.

Of course, in the hospitals there is the direct combat with death.

Those who are infected are fighting for their lives and the doctors and nurses are trying to help them day and night.

But also across society, there is fear and depression and anxiety.

So many people are saying how they have lost their jobs.

You are all now forced to socially distance ourselves from each other and stay at home.

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