Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – september 4, 2011 – Nuzividu
Jaya Guru Datta
“Omnamo hanumate namah. You will not allow me to come out. You do not allow me to remain inside. Why should I come out? May be I should simply remain inside. I want to start this practice from today itself. Everybody wants to torture me. This is not devotion. Again and again people rush at me at the doorway the moment I step out of the door, to have me do Namakaranam (giving a name for a newborn baby), Aksharabhyasam (teaching the first ABC’s), or Annaprashana (giving the first solid food to a baby). The moment I come out to go to the program, people are crowding outside, when the time is not appropriate.
I go abroad frequently because there everything is done systematically. All these programs also take place, but in a planned manner, and not haphazard like what is happening here. In spite of experience, you people have not learnt how to treat the Guru. All the old and senior devotees trouble me morning, noon, and night, any time of the day, demanding that I give them a face to face interview to listen to them and their problems. They are not satisfied with having my darshan during a public program. They follow me all the time and waylay me while I am walking to the program or when I am returning to rest, and pose their personal questions to me anytime, anywhere, even where I cannot properly hear what is being said, such as when I am about to getting into the car.
This is very troublesome for me. You put pressure on me to give instant answers to serious questions. This is very wrong. It makes me want to decide not to grant any more private interviews at all in the future. I do not want to give you darshan like that anymore. What! You applaud for this! You are happy?
You suddenly thrust a lagna patrika (a wedding engagement announcement) in my face and demand a blessing. You can come toMysorefor things like that and speak to me properly. I am here for only a day or two. I came to specially bless Sri Bala Swamiji during his Chaturmasya Deeksha. I came to give blessings to the devotees. In a regular program, I allow time for Annaprasana, Namakaranam, and Aksharabhyasam. We make announcements and allow devotees to line up and receive blessings. It is a sin to come to me at inappropriate times and demand my time and blessings.
InAmerica, I simply touch the rice or honey and later when the time is right, they feed the baby with the cooked rice or the honey. It brings bad results if things are done at an inappropriate time. When it is done right, it brings wonderful results. If you ask and I decline, you will feel hurt. But just to please you, if I oblige you when the time is improper, you and your child both will suffer for it.
This person just now came while I was walking to come here, to show me a venture worth 4 or 5 crores and demanded instant blessings. He should come toMysore, set up a time and present it properly for my advice and blessings. If I am pressured into an answer, a wrong answer may come out and your venture may flop. Do not bring me such things when I cannot concentrate on the matter. I try to be patient with you and try to oblige. But you carry it too far and abuse your privilege. You torture me with your behavior. You come as if to offer a garland as I am walking, and suddenly pose a serious question for which you expect an instant answer. You come to a meeting to discuss ashrama affairs and then you begin talking about personal problems. I cannot even hear you properly at such times. I feel like not even holding meetings anymore when you behave like this. Everybody says, “shh. Don’t talk.” Yet the same people talk at once about their personal affairs with Swamiji. I can tolerate these things only to a certain extent. Not too much. Learn to receive blessings from afar. That is enough. It is not necessary to come physically so close. It is wrong of you to insist like this. You do not learn, especially the old and senior devotees!
All these people who are crowding here in two or three groups are here only to spoil the program. To prevent such behavior we built a bridge inMysore. Otherwise people wait at this door, that door, that entrance, this corridor. I am afraid to go in also. I don’t know who is waiting inside. It is a curse upon you if I scold you. Many times I need to concentrate. I need to think before giving an answer. Now is not the time. Somebody wants to give a thousand rupees. Somebody wants to give cloth. Somebody wants to give fruits, all when the time and place are inappropriate. I do not need your cash or your gifts. Stop all this misbehavior. One party here, second party there, and a third party waiting over there. Tea party. Coffee party. I do not say ‘No’ to your face because you are devotees and I do not like to hurt you. But what you are doing is very painful.
The good devotees should tell all these people, “Leave this place! Do not give trouble to our Guru!”
Appaji is growing old. I feel like going away and hiding in a cave in theHimalayas. I want to escape. You have to be satisfied with darshan from a distance. You should have the sense to tell yourselves that you should go toMysoreand properly discuss the matters at the right time.
When I speak like this, I know what will happen next. You will pick up the microphone and will loudly apologize and beg to be forgiven. These people who behave like this will not attend bhajans. They do not attend other programs. They only come to have interviews to discuss and get solutions to their personal problems. You must learn Guru Tatva. Then you will automatically receive all your answers.
I give an opportunity to everyone in the Datta family to offer Pada Puja and discuss personal issues. But waiting on the way to talk to me of personal affairs is very wrong.
I came to bless the local devotees. They are good. Their behavior is good. It is the people who come here from outside, and from neighboring towns who come and pester and trouble me. The local people do not trouble me.
Sometimes some devotees host me in a big house. But the next time Swamiji refuses to accept their hospitality. Do you know why? Minute by minute they come in to talk about their problems. So the next time Swamiji will avoid going to their house.
InAmerica, the owners vacate the house when Swamiji comes to stay. I tell them to stay, to take care of the utilities, like water, and electricity. They are also Indians. Once they go there they become all right. You request for time for Pada Puja. Swamiji sees everyone. Morning till 2 PM he will say. He will see thousands of devotees during that time, giving time to each one. Then they are all free to attend the evening program and the next day’s program in peace.
Only if you mend your ways I will come again. Otherwise I will not come. What is more important than studying Bhagavad Gita and all the Puranas is to learn how to treat the Guru. You recollect your good experiences with the Guru. Then Swamiji himself will enquire about your family, and your health. That is so nice. That is such a great blessing.
THIS IS A WARNING! I AM CAUTIONING YOU! CORRECT YOURSELVES!
I tell Sri Bala Swamiji also to be careful. If you are inconsiderate, you will suffer. Just because I am compassionate, you will not escape the blow. You will not be able to stand it if I really distance myself from you. Do not trick me into a hasty answer to suit you. Do not abuse the Guru. Even Sri Bala Swamiji will not come out if you do not treat him properly and give time for his austerites. Then what will you do? You must learn how to respect, how to consult the Guru, and how to treat the Guru with reverence.
Following the Guru all the way to the room with questions is very bad. The important people must learn this. You must respect the timings. I follow timings. I maintain my health. I treat my body well. I am not like you. For exercise, worship, food, I follow strict timings and discipline. For everything, you say that you do not have time. “No time, no time, no time, no time”, you say. You will end up with the doctor.
Don’t behave like this. I am speaking out what is in my mind. Enjoy this two day visit. Enjoy the blessing. Tomorrow I am going to Delhi. There is a concert there for the ex-president’s family. There the ashram is far away. Still devotees come. They do not know how to give trouble to me. I have not taught them. I have taught this only to you. People of Tamil Nadu simply fall onto me. May be in comparison you are a little better than them. That is why I do not go there much. They even block the door. I have to quickly and forcibly get in and shut the door. Then they crowd at the window and demand that I come out and answer their questions. That is because they are close to Sri Lanka. Why Sri Lanka? It means, they are Rama’s servants, they belong to Vibheeshana’s army, the Madras people.”
Sri Guru Datta
Courtesy: Smt. Hira Duvvuri