Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji in the evening – October 19, 2014 – Mysore
Jaya Guru Datta
Ramayana teaches the value of man. In the world, in society how one should live, what courtesies should be followed, are taught.
In the olden days, they used to sniff snuff powder. Now I take this pill (to clear my throat).
Bhagavata teaches the easiest way to attain liberation. In the Naimisharanya they had a discussion and have explained to us the glory of the Bhagavatam.
Swamiji has made MMS Musical Message Sayings. If you do not even watch those, your taking birth is itself a waste. Even in Kannada and Telugu they are propagated. In Swamiji’s lifetime if we do not learn the teachings, what is the use? Swamiji has told many short stories. Since 4-5 years in ETV Kannada and Telugu, and on Gemini TV for 13 years, he has given teachings.
All the videos are available on YouTube. But you do not watch them. You are satisfied merely with eating.
You are all around me.
Bala Swamiji was teaching the Bhagavatam. You do not pay attention while listening. You say you do not understand. You may not understand the Sanskrit shlokas. But you certainly will understand the explanation.
Bhagavatam is so easy to understand. It gives the same benefit as studying Vedanta and the Upanishads. Even if you read the Bhagavatam in prose that is also enough. The more you read the original Sanskrit, the easier it gets to understand it. Swamiji explains so easily that even fools will understand. Guru Gita also Swamiji has explained. Sweet is the same. It is presented in different forms. The messages teach us how to avoid rebirth.
Many people ask how to attain liberation. When some troubles strike, people experience temporary dispassion and express an interest in spiritual matters. They want to simply chant Rama, Krishna or they just want to die. It is all empty talk. Instant dispassion they get but it is temporary, born out of anger at someone. Suddenly they say they will renounce everything and will go away.
Two Dasaris were there, who sing God’s names, beg for alms and make a living. They were thick friends. Grovinda, one of them would chant, not Govinda. The husband and wife in the house were constantly quarrelling.
All the ones sitting to the sides and back, please come and sit in front. It strains my neck to look at you. The devotees must sit in front of the Guru, not to the sides and behind him. Guru’s teachings must be given face to face. It is a sin if the faces are not seen. Guru incurs 100% sin and the devotees incur 50% sin. Why should I incur sin because of you? Besides teaching for free, why should I also gather sin because of you? In spite of being indisposed, I have come. Since this morning I have not felt well.
Just as sitting for a meal, unless you sit in a row, they will not serve you food. You cannot sit scattered all over the place. Even mother will not serve. There is so much space up front. The Video people must place screens blocking them off. If they sit to the sides, even their cough and sneezes will be caught by the microphones.
Despite doctor’s suggestion that I do not strain myself, I have come since you have all been waiting. Even in the Nada Mantapa, people sit so far away, some close to the bathrooms, some close to the kitchen, and so on.
Hereafter, I am going to have people pour water on the sides so that people will be forced to sit in front of Swamiji. May be some dirty water shoud be poured. Tar will spoil our own property. Then Guru can give upadesa facing the Guru. The disciples must be looking at the face of the Guru as they listen to the teachings. If you listen from the side, you give 100% sin to Guru. But by giving 100% grief and sin to Sadguru, you lose 300%. It is explained in the Bhagavatam. I am simply conveying it to you in easy to understand terms in a very informal way. If the crowd is immense and there is absolutely no place to sit up front, then there is no mistake in sitting far away or to the sides, as long as they can hear the words. Saunaka and other sages discussed these subtleties of Dharma in the Naimisharanya, at the beginning of Kali Yuga. Krishna was returning to his abode.
In Kali Yuga there are no Avataras/incarnations. Incarnations ended in Dwapara Yuga. Many call Swamiji an incarnation of Dattatreya. I feel ashamed to hear that. It is not right. Swamiji was born in the aspect of Lord Dattatreya. He is not an incarnation. Only the Supreme Soul, Lord Vishnu takes incarnations. In Dwapara Yuga he took numerous incarnations. Uddhava asked Krishna and received the response that in the future, in His aspect, saints and sages will take birth. Sripada Vallabha, Tembe Swami and such others belong to that category. They cannot be called incarnations.
Only in Krita, Treta, and Dwapara Yugas, there were complete Avataras/incarnations. Thereafter, only the aspects of the lord took birth.
At the beginning of the Bhagavatam, there was a discussion between Vyasa and Narada. Narada asked Vyasa why he had been feeling sad for so long. Vyasa lacked peace of mind. He sat with a long face. Vyasa had consolidated the Vedas and organized them into different categories. He separated the material into the 4 Vedas. Vyasa was of the aspect of Lord Narayana.
Everyone must practice the teaching of the Vedas. At least daily Sandhya Vandana must be performed. The Gayatri Mantra must be chanted by everyone. Everyone has the permission to chant the mantra. Vishnu is Veda Purusha.
Vyasa said he could not figure out the reason for his despair. Vyasa pleaded with Narada to help him feel better.
Narada said that in the Kali Yuga people will have a shorter life span. They will be afflicted with anger, lust, indolence, ego, greed and a sinful attitude. They will have no compassion. They will not respect parents and gurus. They will not hesitate to tell lies and commit sins. They will blame gurus and elders. They will have no satisfaction. They will rob the wealth of others. They will live in fear. There will be no respect or love amongst people. Even by age 30 people will begin to suffer from diseases. After age 60 when death will occur will be unpredictable. Life will be devoid of affection and mutual respect. A suspicious nature will be prevalent.
Children will be irresponsible and disrespectful. Life will be led with no value system. Narada predicted precisely the lifestyle that we are experiencing now. Belief in God will be absent. Mutual love will be absent between spouses. How will they progress spiritually?
Will they not attain salvation? Vyasa, you have compiled so many works. But they will not be interested in studying them. You have so far not written the stories of God. The actual facts from the life of God should be recorded and presented. You do not need to cook up any stories. Vyasa is like a living diary. He knows all the happenings. Narada, being the son of Brahma, could look into the future. He told Vyasa to write the Bhagavatam.
Therefore, Vyasa composed the Bhagavatam. He presented each episode vividly. It is not poetry. It is the story of divinity. Vyasa had the power to see the past, present and the future. Vyasa began describing God in all His aspects. Bhagavatam has many chapters which describe many aspects of God and his incarnations.
Swamiji was studying the Bhagavatam and recording the episodes very carefully, avoiding any mistakes in the chanting of the shlokas. Swamiji had tears in his eyes. Repeatedly he chanted the verses as Upadesa. He presented them in a perfect manner.
I will now chant a few verses. Please repeat the lines after me. That will give you the benefit of having read the Bhagavatam.
vyāsāya viṣṇu rūpāya vyāsa rūpāya viṣṇavē
ṇamō vai brahmanidhayē vāśiṣṭhāya namō namaḥSriman
Narayana Sriman Narayana Sriman Narayana Narayana
In this one mantra the entire incarnation of the Supreme Soul is seen. Vyasa is the same as Vishnu. Maha Vishnu Himself is Vyasa.
All the sages, Vyasa, and Vasishtha are incarnations of the Lord.
namaḥ pankajanābhāya namaḥ pankaja māline
namaḥ pankaja nētrāya namastē pankajānghrayē
kr̥ṣṇāya vāsudēvāya dēvakīnandanāya ca
nandagōpa kumārāya gōvindāya namō namaḥ
Krishna Govinda Hari Krishna Govinda Hari
vāsudēva parāvēda vāsudēva parāmakhaḥ
vāsudēva parāyōga vāsudēva parākriyāḥ
vāsudēva paraṁ jñānaṁ vāsudēva paraṁ tapaḥ
vāsudēva parō dharmō vāsudēva parāgatiḥ
I am very happy today that you are all listening to Swamiji’s Bhagavatam verse rendered as bhajans. I give my blessings to you and your families.
This is a very auspicious day. Recording of the Bhagavatam is going on in Telugu language.
Please witness Datta Kakada harati now and sing along the song.
Sri Guru Datta