Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – Nada Mantapam – Mysore – October 15, 2012
Sri Maha Ganapathaye Namaha
Sri Saraswatyai Namaha
Sripada Vallabha
Nrisimha Saraswati
Sri Guru Dattatreyaya Namaha
(This speech was given in the presence of the general audience but addressed to the assembled Brahmins who were given Deeksha by Sri Swamiji – stipulated rules to observe certain austerities during the Navaratri rituals this year)
You have all received taken the vow just now. You are serving Swamiji. You are going to be assisting in the worship to Mother Goddess in some manner or another. This is a great good fortune for all of you in this lifetime. This alone is the bank balance in your account that you are going to earn which will benefit you all your life long, until death. This merit alone will endure. You have to utilize this opportunity by remaining pure and strict with yourselves in performing your duties. You must not spoil this chance. Selflessly, without any taint in your thoughts, you must serve. Don’t think that you are doing this for Swamiji. Don’t feel, ‘O we endure so many insults in the service of Swamiji’. Go away if that is your attitude. You are doing this for your own benefit. If you misbehave on the altar, you will be asked to leave. How you behave will determine how you are treated. Do not think that just because you are near Swamiji, you will be treated with respect. Going to the canteen to eat vadas (fried snacks) or to drink coffee while you are in this vow of austerity is not allowed. If you do not wear your prescribed purified sacred attire, but go after the worship on the altar and put on your underwear and join with the rest of them, it will not be tolerated. If you neglect to do your regular chanting of the Gayatri Mantra, or to do your fire ritual, you will be disqualified. If you consume food or drink contaminated by the saliva of others, or if you do not wash your hands and feet after you urinate, you will incur sin. The sins of the people around will become your sins. They will get transferred to you. Swamiji has drawn a boundary. You must not cross it. This is not a regular type of worship. It is not idol worship. It is a reverential prayer offered to the five elements, to Mother Nature. This procedure is a little different. It is based on Devi Saptashati, the Devi Mahatmya. Swamiji himself transforms into the Divine Mother. Special mantras are chanted.
Whether you are handing the worship materials directly to Swamiji during the Navavarana ritual, or whether your job is to clean the floor, or prepare the leaf containers to distribute food prasadam, you receive and share the exact same merit for participating in this sacred ritual. You have to dispel the attitude that some of you are superior to some others. If some of you belittle yourselves that you are inferior to those who are chanting the mantras, you are the greatest sinners.
As an example, I will tell you a story. It occurs in a certain version of Guru Charitra.
Amongst the Nava Natha ascetics in the Dattatreya tradition, Charpata Natha is a very renowned Tapasvi (sage). He had no ashrama. He would simply roam about everywhere. Every year for 40 days he would remain in a hut on the banks of the river Ganga. To remove the toilet waste that was left by the few attendants who accompanied him, and those who would come to have his darshan, there was a woman, named Rangi. That was her job. It is said that during a certain time period such persons were treated as the untouchables. It is not so anymore.
There was a king. He fell under the spell of a terrible evil spirit (a Brahma rakshasa). To exorcize that ghost, many attempts were made but they all failed. Finally the king was taken to Charpata Natha, who was an Avadhoota whose behavior was most unpredictable. Since this was a king that was standing before him, Charpata Natha questioned the minister why he was brought. The minister explained the situation. Charpata Natha held a stick in his hand and began a dialog with the evil spirit. He asked him why he was tormenting the king and what would make him free the king. Whether an Avadhoota would show his grace on the king or not was also unpredictable. An Avadhoota’s grace is not dependent on one’s spiritual merit or demerit. It is entirely dependent upon his will.
The evil spirit went around and looked at all those who were present there. He came back and declared that if he is gifted with the spiritual merit that is earned in three days by the scavenger woman, he would let go of the king. The minister was surprised and asked the spirit, “After all, she is a lowly scavenger. Her job is to dispose of shit. Her speech is foul. What she eats is foul. What merit can she have? Why are you asking for this?” The Brahma Rakshasa (who is none other than a onetime yogi gone astray and fallen due to evil ways) replied, “She has performed her duty with the utmost devotion and attention. She never thought of the work as anything mean or dirty. She has not set her eyes upon the guru. She had only seen him for afar. She is so happy to be of service. She loves the guru so much that she would apply the dust that he had walked on, all over her body in ecstasy. She has more spiritual power than all those who chant mantras and do penance. Her powers are equal to those of the guru.”
The guru refused to oblige. He said that three days’ worth of her merit would equal that of 3 lifetimes’ worth of others. Finally the Brahma Rakshasa agreed to settle for the merit earned by her in one instant. The guru was reluctant to even grant him that, because she was his disciple. But considering the welfare of the kingdom, after much deliberation, he acceded to the request. At once the king became free. The spirit climbed a bilva tree that was close by, and announced its departure by tearing off a limb from the tree. He was seen proceeding to higher planes of existence. He was at one time, a Brahmin, who had done penance. The kingdom prospered thereafter. The citizens became the disciples of the guru.
The Avadhoota found Rangi and showered his affection upon her. He was ready to go on his way. His ways were very strange.
All of you must understand the implication of this story and apply it in your lives. Do not try to display your services and exhibit your devotion. Do not seek importance. Whatever job is given to you by the Sadguru, perform it with sincerity and faith. Do it with a good, clear conscience, without selfishness, anger, and desire, jealousy and envy. Give up such human weaknesses.
I am not a human being. I am not a human being. I am not a human being. I only appear as one. This truth is etched in stone by Lord Shiva. You are deceiving yourselves, you are fooling yourselves. That is your karma. You must stop thinking of me as a human being who has to be impressed by your outward show of talent and devotion. Do not think that it is necessary that you should be praised and appreciated by me.
Keep your mind and body both clean. You are under a vow. All those who are witnessing this ritual are also under a vow. They all must keep themselves pure. It is uncertain how many more Navaratri festivals you will get a chance to witness or participate in. This is a great good fortune this year for you. A couple of months ago I had decided, based on the condition of my health that only Sri Chakra Puja, Trishati chanting, and the Chandi Yajna would be performed, and these could be handled by Bala Swamiji. I was going to only perform the final offering of harati (sacred lamps and camphor lights). My sugar levels were high and I felt that I was not going to live long. Definitely I will live long. There is no question about it. I went through a phase like that when I felt unwell. For me both are the same. I have no feelings. I appear as if I have feelings but I really don’t.
If one Navaratri is missed, then it discontinues the deeksha. The Shivaratri Agni Puja (Fire worship when Swamiji used to enter into the fire pit amidst raging flames) has now been discontinued. This is a very special worship where your Sadguru himself becomes Devi and in a state of trance worships the Mother Goddess This bestows a great blessing to all of you to witness this. Do not miss this chance. Next year also if it happens, don’t miss it. My eyes do not see; I lose my external awareness. My footsteps happen automatically as I go around the altar. The 16 services are offered without my awareness. I keep chanting. Those around me wonder how I am keeping track of the proceedings. But everything finishes perfectly on schedule. Sometimes I fall unconscious just prior to the conclusion. If I am left alone for a few minutes I come back to my normal awareness. Those who panic and say that it is sugar problem and blood pressure problem, are speaking lies. It is no such thing. When Mother Goddess is moving about in this body here in person in this manner, you must in no way do anything out of line. You have to be very careful.
(Many people are conscious of their degrees and qualifications when they come to serve here. They ask Swamiji to give them a chance to serve. I never inquire about their skills. I first tell them to clean the toilets. They refuse. They ask for some work that is in line with their qualifications. I tell such people that I have no use for them. If you cannot do the work that is useful for me, then, I have no use for your services.)
Those of you who are sitting in the audience will ask, “Why is it we don’t get a chance to serve also?” Your privilege is to witness. You are more fortunate than these people on the stage. What if I had refused to perform the worship this year? What if I declared that I will do my worship in private and I do not wish to make it public? Then you have no chance to watch this special worship. It is entirely by my will. Even if these people make one simple mistake, they will transfer onto themselves all your sins.
These people commit many sins. They go out and eat onions. They tell lies. They do not wear washed clothes always. They re-use, without washing, clothes already worn once. They eat and do not properly wash their hands or mouth. They mispronounce the mantras. In between they eat bananas and apples. Out of compassion for the Veda students, I give them a chance. Not all, but some commit many sins. Some are God-fearing, strict and self-controlled.
Some of them are so full of lust, desires and unsteady minds. All that they are concerned about is marriage and children. You must control your weaknesses and offer them up to Mother Goddess. Mother Durga protects us in three ways. If you study and chant the Saptashati, all your sins and diseases get destroyed. You will awaken spiritually. You must gain spiritual wisdom. That is what is most important. It is not important to get married, have children, make money and acquire houses. Earn the grace of the Mother Goddess. I keep telling you off and on in the most cajoling manner. I inquire whether you have done your chanting of Gayatri and done your fire ritual. You lie to me that you have done it. Not only have you failed in your duties, you incur the additional sin of lying to your guru. Chitragupta (the accountant of Yama, the Lord of Death) at once records your sins. Later when you face difficulties, you think, ‘What have I done to deserve this?’ This is what you have done. You have earned your troubles by your own negligence and your sins.
Just because Vali threw the corpse of the demon and it fell on the mountain near the ashram and disturbed his rituals, the sage cursed him that if he ever steps on the mountain his head would break into pieces. Of course, later it served well for Sugreeva. It provided him shelter from his evil brother.
Vishnu Maya is very powerful. Only Mother Goddess can protect us from Vishnu Maya. You must always pray to her to protect you from falling in its trap. Vishnu Maya is like the rope of Yama.
I have been observing your actions for some time now about 4 or 5 years. You are making many serious mistakes. I laugh within myself that you think that I do not know about your mistakes. I do not feel compassionate at such times. I am very strict and calculating. Mother Durga will be within me then. I keep certain people far away, just to protect them from being cursed. Chant the Gayatri Mantra 108 times at least. It is good if you do it 1008 times daily.
People will laugh at you if you cheat and eat at the canteen. Those who laugh will also get cursed and will suffer hell.
Please be very careful. As the story indicates, sins and merits get transferred from one to another at the whim of God and Guru. Guru is absolutely free to do what he pleases. He cannot be questioned. He is the one who gives you merit in the first place. He has every right to take it away at will. He even demands sometimes that you earn merit and then give it away to benefit somebody else.
How many of you had prayed for Swamiji’s good health! After all of that, now don’t act carelessly. Many of you have climbed on foot the Chamundi Hill just with prayers that Swamiji should get well. Swamiji does not disclose to others his sufferings. You all wish that Swamiji should continue for a long time to be amidst you, sharing your troubles, giving you timely advice, correcting your mistakes and giving you required spiritual instruction. Do not lose your wonderful opportunities. Dedicate all your prayers for the benefit of your guru. Do all your chanting to help Swamiji. Why should Swamiji take on the troubles of others and suffer like this?
May the entire world prosper and be at peace. May the anguish that is tormenting the states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh be dispelled. May we have timely rains. Pray to Swamiji that all your mistakes should be forgiven. Pray that Swamiji should remain healthy, cheerful and always willing to share with all of you his inner bliss that he ever enjoys. Listen to the discourses. Listen to the beautiful music concerts. They will increase your concentration. They are not mere cultural programs. They serve a spiritual purpose. Swamiji’s music is filled with powerful seed syllables. Please listen to it.