Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – May 17, 2012 – Mysore
Jaya Guru Datta
There is no need to prove your point or insist that you are right and that the other person is wrong. Every person has some skill. We have a need for it. We are living in society. Everyone should work together. We need the cooperation of everyone. It is not good to show off the ego. Even if you are right, and the other person is wrong, do not get into an argument and fight to prove that you are right. Just remain calm. Do not yield to your temper. Keep it under control. One should never hurt another person either verbally or physically. We have no right to do so. We cannot claim to be devotees. Our devotion is very small; it is miniscule. We are not like Prahlada. We have absolutely no qualification to show off our ego. Only those who have attained great powers through the performance of intense penance can claim their superiority; but when they do, they become yogabhrashtas, they fall at once from their spiritual stature.
Once a person takes a body and touches the earth, he is only a human being. Rama, Krishna and such were all only human beings and they all remained within the limits of a human being in their behavior. Only God in his invisible form, in his all-pervasive form is divine and can claim to be so. Once having taken a human form, even the greatest one cannot act other than as a human. If you are visible then you are only a human being. You cannot act as if you are superior. We all have to stay within our limits and exercise perfect self-control. On many occasions I could have argued to prove my stand. I did not. It is useless to do so. That has been my experience. It does not benefit anyone. Anger should be kept under control always.
Prof. Krishan Kumar held high positions at the Delhi University. He was a Reader and a Professor. He had many students. Some students made fun of him and spoke in a ridiculing fashion to him and about him. He had the power to fail them in the exams or give them low marks. He never did any such thing. He invited even such students to his home, gave them food, and remained friendly with them. Later on they became his friends. The youngsters of today will be the future leaders and important persons. One cannot reject or ill-treat anyone. Prof. Krishan Kumar has set a wonderful example.
What did Lord Krishna say at the end of the Bhagavadgita? “I have given you good advice. I have told you the Truth. I am your well-wisher. I have not discovered this Truth. It has been there for ages, but it has been forgotten. I have revealed it to you again. I urge you to follow this advice. But it is up to you. Follow it if you like. If not, it is your karma.” That is what he told Arjuna. In the beginning Arjuna got off from the chariot and refused to fight. We should not get down to such low levels. We must remain duty-bound. It was Arjuna’s duty to fight. Lord Krishna persuaded him by his teaching to pick up his weapons and do what was right for him.
I am giving you advice based on my experience. It is up to you whether you want to follow or not. It is your karma.
Sri Guru Datta
Sri Swamiji’s advice on May 17, 2012 – Mysore
Jaya Guru Datta
Many people come to the ashrama only either before or after a main function because they are only interested in getting an interview with Swamiji. They know that during festivities He will not be available. Swamiji is cleverer than they. He finds ways to avoid such people. It is understandable that for reasons of financial, health, or school and work schedule problems it is difficult to attend all the functions. It is best to have a plan of attending only a few functions per year as circumstances permit. It is wrong to say, ‘O I have already attended that. I have already heard that. I have already seen that. I already know what it is like.’ and so on. Every event is different. You should make every effort to attend as many programs as possible. It is very bad to pass judgments and speak lightly and flippantly about things concerning Sri Swamiji and His activities.
Sri Guru Datta