Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – March 18, 2012 – Mysore
The new Ugadi (Telugu and Kannada New Year’s Day) song was sung by Sri Swamiji for the year Nandana. The meaning is as follows:
Won’t you come once again like this on a floral boat for our sake, O Lord of the New Year! With Venus as the lord, may universal well-being flood the world like an overflowing river and give us a bounteous harvest of peace, and equality! May our minds, constantly remaining pure, dispelling controversies and sorrows, with increased devotion and strength, bestow upon us Sachchidananda (Truth, Spiritual Knowledge and Bliss)!
Bhajan: Vande Santam Hanumantam
“Today all the sculptors will recommence their work. At first the idea was to place the Hanuman murti somewhere along the Bangalore/Mysore road, a huge one like the one in Trinidad. But a proper place was not found. Some other locations were gifted to the ashram, but they were not suitable. Hanuman wanted his home to be right here inside the ashrama. There was a lot of internal mental discussion as to how big it should be, where it should be placed, and so on, one after another many questions were pondered upon.
The Shatashloki Ramayana Yajna took place, with chanting, writing, viewing on the computer screens, and with the vibrations sent in huge quantities up into the sky via the Internet (Akasha Yajna). In addition, wherever the Hanuman yantra was placed, as per authoritative scriptural mention, all those places were visited in the past six months, to alleviate future disturbances in the world due to imbalances of Nature due to either an excess or a dearth of water. The highest water fall in the world, Angel Falls (Akasha Ganga) was also visited in Venezuela. There even the mountain peak was not visible. It was as if the water was falling straight from the heavens, from the matted locks of Lord Siva. The place is very inaccessible. The government authorities as well as about forty Christian families came to help us out. The Hanuman yantras wer perceived and recognized by Swamiji at all these places, including places in India as well, including some in Karnataka.
God is not a big rock or a stone. It is wrong to refer to Him like that. It is not an idol or a statue. It is a deity, a divine murti. We were looking for a special kind of rock for the sculpture. To import from abroad was proving to be unaffordable. By our good fortune, near Pulivendala, near Allagadda, our sculptors found a suitable rock. These are the same sculptors who have made our Subrahmanya Temple.
At first I wanted a 70 foot murti. They told me that it is possible only in a dream. Then I said may be 50-60 foot. They found a black stone. But I did not like to do it in black stone, because at night it would not be visible. It would require special lighting, and also it would get blemished due to exposure to weather, unless it was protected with a cover. Also it would require regular abhishekam it maintain its luster. Then the question was asked if an 18 foot murti like the Dattatreya consecrated at Ganagapura would be acceptable. I wanted it bigger. They said may be a maximum of 25’ could be found. I said I needed 45′ plus at least. They did not want to say no to me, and so they said they found a 30’ stone. I did not agree.
One day they were descending into the quarry, holding on to the rocks, when strangely one boy said, “I see something here. He touched it. Slowly they removed it, and Hanuman was lying there! (He was in the womb of Mother Earth, 20 feet below ground level). At once the order was placed. It was 45’ high. They did half the work there (it weight 300 tons and the maximum that could be transported was 200 tons). It is very difficult to lift and transport such a huge rock. A good company was found to bring it. Usually such huge sculptures are made only with rocks available close by, like at Sravana Belagola. Aim Transport company used a truck trailer with 98 wheels to bring it here all the way. Both the Andhra Pradesh and the Karnataka governments gave their full cooperation. Ramdas from the Karnataka govt., who is none other than Hanumanta himself, as implied by his name, was especially helpful.
Swamiji has a special connection with Hanuman. As a boy, he received his first spiritual initiation and the twelve sooktis (spiritual principles) from his mother Sri Jayalakshmi Mata inside a Hanuman Temple in his village. That is why Hanuman is a part of the Datta family. Now Swamiji is building many temples for Hanuman. (The first Karyasiddhi Hanuman Temple was built in Chennai. Now in India and abroad there are several powerful Hanuman Temples consecrated by Sri Swamiji).
The Hanuman Mantra video has been watched by over 40 million (4 crores) viewers worldwide as of today. The Vrata, the austerity is still going on, with the nine syllable mantra, Om Namo Hanumate Namaha and the shloka, ‘Tvamasmin Kaarya Niryoge Pramaanam Harisattama Hanuman Yatnamaasthaaya Duhkha Kshaya Karobhava’. It is at www.vimeo.com – SGS Hanuman Mantra. (Viewing this video once is equivalent to chanting these mantras 1000 times. That is how much power Sri Swamiji has instilled into this recording).
Today the formal inauguration of the sculpting ritual is going to take place.
As per our ancient tradition, we see God everywhere, in every atom, in the ocean, in the stars, in you, and in me. Hanuman is the future Brahma. This god is Siva, Vishnu, and Brahma, all in one. He is eternal. He is our breath. He is our Life energy. Devotees worship him all over the world, just as they worship Ganapathy. This is the first time in Karnataka that a huge 45 foot tall murti is going to be consecrated. It is happening at Datta Peetham. The pedestal will be about 25’ high. You may ask, why should it be so big? Why not small like a thumb? It is because He is big like the cosmos, small like an atom, and is also invisible. He is the Life Force.
The Shatashloki Ramayana has been viewed also at vimeo.com over 40 million (4 crores) times. All of you please continue to watch and be blessed. Untimely rains will be averted. Now the New Year begins with special blessings. May all difficulties be averted.
During Hanuman Jayanti in December, between 24th and 27th the consecration will take place along with Datta Jayanti celebrations. I cordially invite everyone to come and participate. Hanuman had carried the hill Sanjeevani. He is like a hill and we have brought him here. Please watch the Shatashloki Ramayana and SGS Hanuman Mantra videos on vimeo.com.
Wish you all a Happy Ugadi!”