Summary of speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji on Vaikuntha Ekadashi in morning at UPH – January 11, 2014 – Mysore
Jaya Guru Datta
Om Namassivaya.
Om namo hanumate namaha.
Today is Vaikuntha Ekadasi. Om Namo Narayanaya. It is a very auspicious day. I am a very happy. Swamiji has traveled by boat, ship, airline, car, and lastly even by a horse-drawn cart here inside the ashram.
It is a different feeling, as if on a different planet, the Antarctic ocean. The Antarctic and the Arctic both Swamiji has visited but both gave different experiences. I will give a detailed explanation tomorrow evening.
But one thing that I mention is that more than those who went with Swamiji, those who remained behind, have benefited more. They have done more intense Japa of God’s names. Those who accompanied Swamiji were afraid for their lives, for their health (seasickness, airsickness), and safety. They were afraid of getting lost, of the ship sinking, the aircraft crashing, of throwing up. They were with Swamiji. It was like going on an excursion. They have a false impression that since they are with Swamiji, they do not need to engage in any austerities like japa or worship. In fact, it is when they are with Swamiji that more austerities should be performed, such as meditation, japa, and worship. More energy is gained if it is done.
It was a big ship, about 8 storeys high, double the height of our Nada Mantapa. It is very nice. Many wealthy persons also do not get a chance to go on a trip like this.
So many people go on a visit like this, but their experiences may all be different. A pilgrimage is different from a pleasure trip, or an excursion. It is very different when you go with Swamiji. I will explain to you in detail tomorrow.
One thing that Swamiji felt as He entered Mysore is that Mysore was extremely hot. He kept saying, turn on the a/c. He got used to the cold climate and also throughout travel it was all fully air conditioned, in the ship, aircraft, car, etc. So I felt as if I was entering a fire pit.
Man gets adjusted to any circumstance if he so wills. If he is unwilling to adjust, even the best comfort he will not appreciate. If you like something, no matter how bad it is, you will continue to like it. If you dislike something, regardless of how good it is, you will not appreciate it.
There are millions and billions of creatures living on snow and ice. They are happy there. The penguins live in their own world. The different species, they all have their own colonies, their own leaders, their own Swamijis, their own families, and societies. Swamiji felt it to be very interesting and amusing. If Swamiji Himself feels it to be strange and curious, then certainly it needs to be researched.
The earth itself is so strange and wondrous. It is 75% water and yet the water does not spill, as the earth rotates and revolves. Just keep watching a globe spinning and think about it. What is your position? You will become dizzy. You will know what illusion is. There is no need to read the Bhagavad Gita. In this entire Creation, the planet earth is an almost invisible atom. If that is so, what are we? We have absolutely no significance. If the earth is like an atom, we do not count at all for anything. We are totally insignificant.
Simply keep a globe near you and keep spinning it. Keep on spinning. It is my experience. You do not need scriptures, school, food, or snack. If you do not get enlightened, I will change my name to Geemeeji. I am not Swamiji.
You speak such useless talk, I, you, he, they, this, and that. Nothing exists. It is all illusion. It is all only a waste of time. Just to waste time we are born and we die. What happened to Adi Sankara, Sri Rama, Maha Vishnu? Our father, grandfather, ancestors? If you keep looking at the earth spinning you will understand.
It is said that those who go to Mt. Kailas and perform a parikrama (go around the holy mountain) return with a different mindset. It is as if they got a rebirth, because due to the lack of sufficient oxygen up there, something happens to their brains. On this trip it was not like this. There was plenty of oxygen. Very healthy atmosphere. The mind is not affected. But Swamiji’s experience is different from your experience. A poet’s experience is different. A group on a pleasure trip will have a different experience. Those who have too much money and arrogance, and take such a trip will have a different experience. Those whose trip is sponsored by someone else, and it is a freebie for them, will have a different experience. Those who go on an expedition will have a different experience. Those who save their hard earned money and as a dream to fulfill, go on such a trip will have a different experience.
Swamiji’s experience cannot be described. There are no words to describe it. Swamiji is the one who gives experiences. Now, imagine that He Himself has an experience. How will it be? It will be wonderful. It is like a flow experiencing the flow.
The people in the long line having darshan of Lord Venkateswara, chanting Govinda, Govinda have their own experience. They visit the temple, then go home and have a full meal. They eat laddus and enjoy. It is all great fun. We will meet again tomorrow evening.
Jaya Guru Datta