Sri Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Swamiji – speech on Day 4 of Navaratri Celebrations – October 11, 2010 – Mysore
Jaya Guru Datta
Song: Hari Hara Vinute
“Mother of the Universe has limitless compassion towards her children. She is always ready to guide, to bless, and protect. She takes so many incarnations to protect the beings in the entire creation. She is the mother of all the worlds. She is called in 1000 names of Lalita, “Vishwa Mata, Jagad Dhaatri”. Jagat is that which moves. All the planets, globes and spheres in the cosmos are constantly moving, including the Sun and the Moon. Even the entities that do not move depend on the Mother for support. They await her power of attraction, her light, her sounds, and her commands. She is Jagadamba. She does not move. Whatever changes is un-enduring and hence unreal. Only what is steady and enduring is the Truth. You and your thoughts are also ever changing. That is why you are also not Reality. She is “Charaacharaatmika”, the soul of all that moves and moves not. She is in the Earth, the Sun, the Water, Air, She is everywhere in all the five elements. She is in the entire galaxy and in all the solar systems. They are all interdependent. She gives support to all. Yet she is invisible. She holds the hand and leads everyone, from the tiniest ant to Brahma Himself. The frogs that remain under the rocks in the jungle are fed by her. The bear that sleeps for 6 months in a cave without food and yet has babies and feeds them is nourished by her. What a wonder!
As Meenakshi, today’s incarnation of Mother Goddess she is constantly watching to see and provide whatever her children need. She knows how and when to protect each individual. She has incarnated as also Kamakshi, Vishalakshi only to protect out of her boundless compassion. Do not ever say to her, “You are also untrue.” Ask only to merge into her. She uses Gurus to teach her children. We belong to her. Whether you praise or blame a Guru, the praise and blame are addressed to her. She receives them. We are not affected. Keeping Swamiji’s photo always in your pocket is not enough. You must develop devotion and faith. If you abuse the Guru, you are abusing the Mother. So be very careful. She has taken many forms. As Meenakshi, She is very important.
Parvati once performed severe penance to marry Siva. The fire of her penance scorched the three worlds. They could not bear the heat. When the heat gets so intense, only fire can put out that fire, not water. Siva wanted to stop her penance. Siva went to her disguised as an ascetic, in an unattractive form to test her. We are happy with this drama. It is a love affair. Vishnu does not go himself. He sends his clever agents to do his work. But Siva did not send his Siva Ganas. They are wild and noisy. They are not sophisticated. Siva likes to do everything Himself. Guru is also like that. Most of the time, he goes himself. Only rarely he sends messengers. Siva went and stood in front of Parvati and started severely criticizing Siva. Parvati got irritated. She could not keep quiet. She fiercely argued with the ascetic, defending Siva’s virtues. Siva remained stubborn. Unable to bear this onslaught Parvati decided to leave his presence. As she was about to leave, to stop her, Siva reached out and held her hand. All the sages who were witnessing this praised Parvati and addressed her as “Brahmachaarini”. Their marriage was performed.
Parvati was very proud of her beauty. She thought she could impress Siva with her good looks. She became infatuated with her own charm. She thought that she was more beautiful than Siva. However, Siva never praised her for her beauty. She realized her mistake that she had forgotten that the beauty that she enjoyed was something that was given to her by Siva Himself. One should never praise oneself. Only others should praise. One should never admire oneself. It is very wrong. Parvati felt very ashamed of herself and wanted to punish herself for her wrong attitude. She decided to do penance. She wanted to be born on earth as the daughter of the Pandya King. She wanted to bless that family and also remove the King’s ego.
King Malayadhwaja and his wife Kanchanamala were childless. They performed a yajna, a sacred ritual to beget a child. From the sacred fire pit a girl emerged. She had three breasts. They got alarmed. A voice was heard from the sky, “Name her Meenakshi. Raise her like a boy. When she meets her prospective husband, she will lose her deformity.” Because of her pride about her beauty in her previous birth, she had to suffer this fate now as Meenakshi. She was unattractive. Only Siva is beautiful and is known as Sundareshwara. Only her eyes were beautiful. She had the eyes of a fish. That is why her name was Meenakshi, the fish-eyed. A fish never closes its eyes. It is ever watchful of the wellbeing of its children.
From her infancy Meenakshi was raised secretly as if she were a boy. She was stronger and more valiant than male warriors. After her father, she became the king. She conquered many lands to the North and South. Finally she approached the region of Mount Kailas, which was the landing place for Siva’s space shuttle. Siva is fiery. His third eye is Fire. His vibhooti, his rudrakshas, his shoola, the trident, his drum the damaru, are all representations of fire. Although he wears the Moon and Ganga on his head, there was still imbalance. Hence he needs the snowy, cold region to cool him off. Siva was full of compassion for Parvati. He wanted to fulfill her desire. He wanted to bless her. He had cursed her before. Now Siva came looking for Meenakshi. He assumed a beautiful form and appeared in front of her. At once she felt shy. Her deformity disappeared by his grace. She became most beautiful. Siva became Sundara Pandya. He married Meenakshi. Kumaraswami was born to them as Ugra Pandya.
All those who are fallen into the whirling waters of this ocean called worldly life are protected by Meenakshi, who is ever watchful of her children. Even in salt water the fish has its eyes open. We cannot keep our eyes open in salt water. They begin to burn. Meenakshi removes our ignorance. She gives us the inner vision of Truth.
Songs: Madhura madhura madhura madhura Meenakshi
Jaya Jaya Meenakshi
Meenakshi paripahi matanga kanye
Jaya Madhura Meenakshi mam palaya
Sri Jayalakshmi Mata’s picture was projected beautifully as a backdrop on the stage. There was discussion as to who Puttu Gam might be. “Whoever she is, a lot of good is happening through her. The source of a Guru and a river should never be pursued and searched for. You may run into dirty waters.”
Mangalam: Jaya Devi Durga Jaya Sheravali
The lyrics for this beautiful but lengthy song are in the Hindi Sachchidananda Bhajana Mala vol. 2, pages 262-264
Sri Guru Datta
Courtesy: Smt. Hira Duvvuri