Evening Talk before Diwali. Nova Ligure (Italy), 24 October 1998

So I wish you all a very happy Diwali, and a very prosperous New Year. The whole evening was so full of joy, peace that I don't know how to describe. The whole event was worked out so beautifully by the French. Especially people from South Africa, from Benin, from Ivory Coast, from Kenya, and also many others who have come from various countries, have shown their talent, their joy, their happiness. The best part of it is that I've found them to be very well equipped with the names of all the deities and how to praise them. Very surprising, in this short time, how Sahaja Yoga has spread to all these countries.

Regarding the programme, that was presented by the French, it's remarkable I must say. Last year they had one very good drama on Jnanadeva; and this year this other one was really very very remarkable. A long time back I told them that Joan of Arc was a special, blessed person by the divine; and she should be worshipped as a goddess or as a deity, which has looked after France and its independence. But then the people, every year I repeated, but they didn't make anything on her. So I was very happy to see Joan of Arc represented here.

Actually in my own life, I have seen, at a very young age of fourteen years and eighteen years, I was fighting for the independence of our country. And my professor, my principle of the college, told me later on that "I knew that you are the Shakti, because how could you, all alone, fight these people?"

So all this aggressiveness is now quite visible, and people can see how they have been aggressed. Now the French aggressed these people, these countries. Because of their aggression also they have been able to come to Sahaja Yoga, in a way, because then the French took interest in these people, and now, some of them are Moslems, and of different religions and they have taken to Sahaja Yoga; it's a very very remarkable thing to happen. They are full of rhythm; rhythm is in their body. God has given everybody something. Now, if some people have got a fair skin, I don't think God thinks much about that. But if the people have a dark skin, see their rhythm, the sense of rhythm, and the way they were dancing to the tune. Not only, but with what speed they were dancing.

I must congratulate you all for making such a nice play out of Joan of Arc; and all the actors, especially the lady who acted as Joan of Arc, was remarkably good. I really must say that I never expected Sahaja Yogis to come out with such a nice drama on Joan of Arc. Practically, she was forgotten, because lastly she was burned. So many asked me, "If she was the blessed one and looked upon by the goddess, then why was she burned?" Why was she destroyed? So all of them had to face (all the saints had to face) the negativity, and even if they died, doesn't matter, they are eternal. So it's not a very sad thing to think that all the people who are saintly have to suffer. They can suffer because they can afford to suffer; they have a power to suffer. That's why everybody who is a saint, in itself, is so rewarding to the whole world; you all have become Sahaja Yogis now. Whether you are from South Africa or from France or from England or from anywhere. So there should be no idea of domination on anyone, or taking charge of anyone. Once you understand that you are all brothers and sisters; and that you are under one flag of Sahaja Yoga. You should have no idea of becoming individualistic or trying to show that you are something better than the others. To my eye, to my own vision, you are all just the same. Whether you are well educated or if you are not educated, whether you are dark or you are white or whatever may be the colour. To my eyes you are just the same. Look at the mother earth, as you have seen, anybody who wants to see the mother earth can learn that she doesn't differentiate. She looks after everyone with the same love and affection. So I think, if there is even a little in your minds left out of these dominating areas and dominating nature that you had, please try to get rid of it and see to it that you become a humble person. Without humility, you cannot achieve divine heights, it's very important to be humble. And at the right time then you will be surprised that all this humility is paid for.

So tomorrow we are going to have the puja. It's a very good puja of Shri Laxmi, it will be. I was thinking because it's quite a warm place, we can have it about six o'clock tomorrow. And I hope you all will come and attend the puja and get the blessings of Shri Laxmi. It's very necessary, I must tell you, that I allow you all to have these pujas of all these deities, but you must know its a very sensitive area, where you have to be auspicious, you have to be sensible. You cannot just come to puja without understanding the significance of the whole thing. Now for this Laxmi puja also, there's a warning. If you are coming with a closed mind or with a heart, which is closed, which has no generosity in it, and which has all funny ideas in the head; all such people won't be blessed. On the contrary, they will get a kind of the other side of the Laxmi called A-laxmi. And that's why one has to be very careful that when you come tomorrow for puja, come with an open heart, with a love in your heart and there is proper reception of Laxmi's blessings.

May God bless you all. Thank you very much for the nice entertainment and for bringing out all the talents of the world. I must say I'm sorry for the Portuguese because I was going to Portugal, and I just couldn't do it because of my bad health. I don't think I have a bad health, but whatever it is. I just couldn't do it this time, but next year I'm sure we'll be able to manage.

May God bless you. Thank you very much, thank you.

21 Invocations in honour to Shri Joan of Arc

(offered during Navaratri Puja 2012 in Cabella, in the occasion of 600th anniversary of Joan of Arc's birth, by organizing Countries- Africa, Cyprus, France, Greece, Israel and UK)

Salutations to the Virgin Goddess, the divine protectress of France.

Salutations to the pure youthful Virgin who led Her country to victory from the age of seventeen.

Salutations to the Virgin Goddess who is the master of the art of war.

Salutations to the Virgin Goddess who is ever pure and steadfast of purpose.

Salutations to the Virgin Goddess who acts with lion-like courage.

Salutations to the Virgin Goddess whose innocence and purity awaken the purity of others.

Salutations to the Virgin Goddess who is loved and worshipped by the innocent.

Salutations to the Virgin Goddess who leads the innocent and inspires them to victory.

Salutations to the Virgin Goddess who works tirelessly to establish the Kingdom of Heaven within human beings.

Salutations to the Virgin Goddess who is one with the Voice of God.

Salutations to the Virgin Goddess who only knows the Will of God.

Salutations to the Virgin Goddess who easily overcomes anger, hatred, evil and aggression.

Salutations to the Virgin Goddess who is the embodiment of peace and compassion.

Salutations to the Virgin Goddess who incarnates again and again to protect Her children.

Salutations to the Virgin Goddess whose pure intellect easily outwits those who stand against Her.

Salutations to the Virgin Goddess whose sword is the sword of faith.

Salutations to the Virgin Goddess who is attended by Shri Bhairava in the form of the Archangel Michael.

Salutations to the Virgin Goddess who is attended by Shri Hanumana in the form of the Archangel Gabriel.

Salutations to the Virgin Goddess whose banner inspires love by radiating the pure love between the Divine Mother Shri Maria-Mahalakshmi and Lord Jesus Christ.

Salutations to the Virgin Goddess whose pure heart was untouched by fire, as She is the purity of fire.

Salutations to the Virgin Goddess who resides in the heart of Shri Mataji.

Sākshāt Shrī Ādi Shakti Mātājī

Shrī Nirmalā Devyai namo namah

H.H. Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi