Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji during the Valedictory function of the first Gna Na Bha Yoga Conference – December 13, 2008 – Saturday – Mrugashira Nakshatra – Mysore
The first Gnaa Naa Bha Yoga Conference, Navagraha Maha Yaga was held from December 10-13.
This conference is only an introduction to these subjects. In fact each of these subjects is like a big ocean in itself. Each is like a Veda in itself. In fact each of these subjects is known better by experience than by explanation. Practice will make us to get the experience one day. There are many things in this practice-
1) Pathanam – reading scriptures.
2) Shravanam – listening to lectures and words of wisdom by learned scholars,
3) Mananam – recapitulating the knowledge that is heard, read or experienced,
4) Mathanam – mentally churning for the inner meaning of those words.
Therefore one is ordained to read the scriptures again and again, as this will facilitate better understanding as well as help us in spiritual upliftment. Mind is like a recorder. It records all the things that we read or listen to. Rewind these when you are alone and this is Manana. Recapitulate what the saints and scholars said. With Manana comes Mathana (churning). The Gods and Demons churned the milky ocean. At first all the venom came out, later nectar came out. Similarly in the spiritual Manthana, all confusions will be removed; later pure nectar and bliss are attained. Manthana is the Sadhana. Vishnu was capable of giving nectar to the gods even without churning the ocean but he wanted them to do Sadhana (practice) and attain the nectar. When you churn the milk you will get butter. Butter is the surfacing of sins. Krishna is eating butter means that He is destroying the sins. Krishna is Jagadguru. So he is cleaning the person. The pleasure that is attained at the end of the churning is the Anubhava (experience) or Ananda.
The Upanishads talk about this Ananda. Of the 108 Upanishads Swamiji likes very much Chandogya Upanishad, Katopanishad and Isavasya Upanishad. On the first day of the conference, Sri Vishnubhotla Salakshana Ghanapati spoke about the Upanishads. He explained very nicely the secrets of Sadhana in the Upanishads. On the second day, Sri R.K. Padmanabha spoke on Nada and its relevance to the health of man. On third day Swamiji explained about Bhakti – Who is eligible for Bhakti? What is the importance of Bhakti? Today we listened to Kaliji on Yoga. Among the many meanings that Yoga has, one is Ananda or Bliss. To attain Ananda or Bliss, there are many paths.
Parashurama, the incarnation of Lord Vishnu, was ordered by His father sage Jamadagni to chop of the head of his mother. Without hesitating a moment he did so because he did not want to invoke the wrath of his father, that would destroy the entire world. So he immediately obeyed the orders of his father and chopped of the head of His mother and protected the world from calamity. Later, when the situation had settled down and Jamadagni asked Parashurama to seek for a boon. He humbly requested to give back his mother as he had committed a sin by killing his own mother. Pleased with Parashurama’s desire and attitude, Jamadagni gave back life to his wife with his spiritual power. Later, Parashurama traveled round the globe 21 times slaying all the wicked kings. Parashurama is the first disciple of Datta. He is like our brother. He was enlightened by Datta with Tripura Rahasyam (the secret worship of Mother Goddess).
Every year Gna-Na-Bha-Yoga conferences will be conducted at various places, even in small towns also – for one to four days depending on the feasibility.
Jaya Guru Datta