Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji before leaving to airport – June 4, 2013 – Trinidad
Om Namo Hanumathe Namaha
So yesterday and the past three days, we were celebrating Hanuman Jayanthi. In ashram and all other places, Hanumantha chants are reverberating. Many of the Hanumantha bhajans are being sung. On the discipline front, also there is lot of improvement. People are not asking for interview. This time, devotees have asked their question in mind and Sri Swamiji has answered them in mind. All Sri Swamiji’s devotees should learn to control all your karmas (destiny) yourself. Do not create new karmas, it is not good. Sri Swamiji wants improvement in devotees. You look. Every face, it looks like Sri Swamiji. Sri Swamiji sees Jayalakshmi Mata in every face. I am not differentiating like this is devotee or this is man. I am not looking like that. I am looking at all of you as forms of Sri Jayalakshmi Mata. I am seeing Sri Jayalakshmi Mata everywhere. If Sri Jayalakshmi Mata makes a sankalpa to punishe us, then no problem. We are ready to experience it. If she wants it like this, then we will experience it. If our Guru or God wants us to go through the emotions of laughing, weeping and facing problems, pain and He is happy with it, then no problem. Do not blame Sadguru. It is in His system. We should experience it. This is our experience, our karma, and we must face it. Do not entangle Sadguru or God in this. Sadguru and God are separate. Do not mingle them with your karma. This is your karma. It is your duty to correct yourself, and then Sadguru is having satisfaction. Otherwise, you are not my follower, disciple, or family member. If you want to be my family member, then you must experience what your Sadguru has experienced.
Our Sadguru wants simple living. You are defeated repeatedly. Defeat defeat… ok defeat also in His sankalpa. We don’t want any win win. Defeat defeat. Because we have so much karma that we have done in so many previous births. I am thinking of Prahalada story. How many painful circumstances did Prahalada experience? So much pain. Vishnu did not appear before Prahalada. Vishnu is testing Prahalada many times. Battery of tests. Oh! How many times Prahalada was put to circumstances of death, but was rescued. Again put to the death circumstances, again got rescued. This happened many times. Prahalada is still chanting Narayana, Om Namo Narayana and Om Namo Narayana. That is a very strong mind. Lastly, Prahalada called his father Guru. Prahalada said, “Father, the more you are fighting my devotion on Narayana, the more my mind is becoming devoted to Narayana. If you are not fighting my devotion on Narayana, then I am a Rakshasa (demon, because my quality of devotion doesn’t improve), then I am only a prince. In such cases, I also require the facilities that I am experiencing now.” Prahalada says “Father, when you are against my ambitions, when you are against my Narayana, Who is my Sadguru, my God, my mother, my father, my everything, when you are being against my Narayana, it is enhancing my devotion towards Narayana. Therefore, you are my first Guru.” Prahalada said “Father, when you are against my God, then my affection towards Him increases more and more.” Prahalada did not blame Narayana even for a day. Somebody told Prahalada “Why are you crying Narayana Narayana, because of which your father gives so many problems?” Prahalada said “No problem, let him give as many troubles and problems as he wants. My mind is growing in strength. It is stronger and even stronger.” This is a real devotion. If you lose devotion, you are not a devotee. You are a Rakshasa (demon). If you are a good human being, then you must possess more and more strong mind with devotion. If you say, to Guru/ God that despite I am worshipping You two times a day, You gave me trouble, then you are not a devotee.
Many Indian Saints have prayed God in their own composition and poems. They prayed God many times to give them problems, to give them enemies. Go to the poems of Purandhara Dasa, a very famous composer. Thyagarajam is an ardent devotee of Lord Rama. Now the poems of these these poets are translated in English also. When you go through their poems, you will understand how much problems they and all devotees faced. We are talking about our problems, but in their own experience, they did not talk about problems. Problems are like a gift given by Swamiji. Problem is like a valuable cloth. Not only new cloth, new bicycle or new car. In the beginning you take care of it so nicely. You do polishing daily and don’t allow others to touch it. Gradually after 1 day, 1 month, it gets old and then you don’t take care of it. You ignore it. You just leave it unattended. Gradually you lose interest and want to sell it and buy a new bicycle or car. This is not good; you must maintain it until you resell it.
So all problems are like a gift. When new problem comes, then you welcome the new problem. My dear problem! Welcome! Meanwhile one more problem comes, you welcome that problem also. Doctor has done the body checkup and he says there is small problem. Doctor advises for medicine or operation. After some time, again when the doctor tests, then a new problem crops up. Problem, 2nd 3rd 4th problem. Until you die, don’t leave Sadguru nama. Om Namo Hanumate Namah. Om Sadgurave Namah. Om Sadgurave Namah. Om Sadgurave Namah. You clean yourself. You clean yourself mentally. Clean your heart, and clean your sense organs. We don’t want any enemies. We will friendship everyone. That people are not good, dirty, no problem. Our duty is to laugh. I am laughing with everyone. There is no differentiation, like this is an English man, this is an Indian man, he gave money, he did not give money etc. When Sri Swamiji has time, He wishes everyone “Hi, how are you? How are you?“. Some people are upset with Sri Swamiji, no problem. You do not like me. No problem, I like you. You can practice like this. You do not like me, ok does not matter. I like you.
In Mysore, there was one pundit – scholar. He is a big musician, he plays Veena. Very nice and famous man. Now he is 85 or 90 years old but still gives programs on Television. He is Very famous. I am searching all vidwans – scholars music people to give them a title. I gave titles to many but this vidwan is left out. What can I do? I asked somebody go and give an invitation to the vidwan. I told I would also write a letter. Prasadi wrote a letter and emailed. The vidwan refused the invitation straight away. He said, “I don’t want any title. I am 90 years and your Swami is 70 years. I don’t want any title. Your Sri Swamiji doesn’t know anything about music”. This vidwan was also propagating this over microphone to the people. People have different opinions. Some people are against, some people are laughing, some people are saying He is very crazy. This incident took place recently. Last year. It’s not an old story. So many people came to Me and said that the vidwan is a dirty man, please do not entertain him. Do not give any title to him. I told “Who are you to tell me to entertain him or not? It is my ambition. It is my Iccha – wish. He is a big vidwan, recital, big musician, experience man; I want to give him this title”. The invitation was sent. The vidwan refused. What to do? Then I said, “No problems, don’t worry. Go and convey Swamiji’s message that He is waiting for you “.
Vidwan: I do not like Sri Swamiji. Sri Swamiji messenger’s: vidwan, you do not like our Sri Swamiji but our Sri Swamiji says he likes you. The vidwan was surprised and said: “What, your Sri Swamiji still likes me? Sri Swamiji messenger’s : Yes, still Sri Swamiji likes you. Manjunath (famous violist) along with his father and 4-5 violists went and conveyed Sri Swamiji’s message to the vidwan. Vidwan: Ok , but I do not want to receive any title. Sri Swamiji messenger’s: No problem. Come and have darshan. Vidwan: Ok, I will come and have darshan, but I do not want to do any prostrations. Sri Swamiji messenger’s: Ok. Vidwan: I do not want to bring any flowers. Sri Swamiji’s messengers: Ok. Vidwan: but you Sri Swamiji says He want to listen to my Veena. Ok I will bring my Veena and play two or three songs.
The vidwan came to ashram. I asked, “How are you Chandrasekhar? Oh, you are getting old. Your brother is my friend. I have heard so much about your father. I am very happy. How is Amma? How are your American son and everyone?”
The vidwan directly asked me “are you Sri Swamiji?” Sri Swamiji: Yes. Vidwan: Somebody said Sri Swamiji is arrogant. Sri Swamiji: Who told? Vidwan: Somebody says arrogant. Sri Swamiji: Somebody says eh? Now you also told arrogant. Vidwan: No No, I did not tell. I only told I do not like you. Sri Swamiji: You do not like me, but I like you. I like your music. I like your capacity.
Vidwan in front of all people there prostrated to Sri Swamiji and said “You are a real Sri Swamiji!” This happened last year. Many of you did not come to birthday celebrations last time. I went to their house. I have conducted aspecial Homa. I gave him Nada Nidhi title. The vidwan now composes for Swamiji, and propagates now. Come on come on, my Sri Swamiji wants to see you. Sri Swamiji is a real and a very big musician. We are not musicians. The vidwan is now giving so many lectures on Television and on Radio station. I told, “What is this, Vishweswara ? This propagation is not good.” His name is Vishweswara and his brothers name is Chandrasekhar. Vidwan says: “No Sri Swamiji, this is real. This is real. Truth. I am telling real truth.”
So this is my mantra. “You don’t like me. I like you.” but your mantra. Is “You don’t like. I also don’t like you blah blah…” no do not tell like this. You do not like me, does not matter. I like your talent. I like your good qualities. I do not like your bad qualities but I like your good qualities. I like you because you have more good qualities than the dirty qualities. So in Datta devotees what is Sri Swamiji’s mantra? It is “You don’t like me. I like you. Like I Love you”. Then definitely, you win in samsara (Ocean).
Jaya Guru Datta. Sri Guru Datta. This time there is very good improvement. No one has asked for an interview. I am very very happy about it. I told Prasadi if you have any possibility, postpone one day. He said no Swamiji, in London we have a little bit program. Sir, anyway you can postpone. Sir, one day at least. Nevertheless, Prasadi did not agree. Ok.
compiled by: Kalyani Narayana B.