Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji during bhajan evening on sixth day of Sri Devi Navaratri Celebrations – September 30, 2014 – Mysore
Jaya Guru Datta
Om Ayim Hreem Shreem Sri Mata.
Sharanagata deenaarta …
Bhajan: Annapurna jnanapurna
Mother Goddess removes the troubles of the downtrodden and the grief-stricken, when they seek her refuge. Mother Goddess should be contemplated upon as Narayani Devi and offered prostrations.
In the past few days we learned about the significance of Navaratri, the nature of Maya/illusion, about desire and how it starts and what havoc it creates in the minds of men and even celestials and leads to fights. We learned about the importance of understanding spiritual wisdom, about austerities, and about the importance of time. The wisdom contained in the work Tripura Rahasyam is rarely taught these days and rarely studied. It is the upadesa given by Lord Dattatreya to Parasurama.
In this world the position of mother is highly exalted. Sri Jayalakshmi Mata ordained that all women should be looked upon as mothers. The position of Sri Lalita Rajarajeswari, who is the mother of all mothers is most supreme. That is why the scriptures urge that she must never be forgotten. Parvati Devi is everyone’s mother. Parameswara is everyone’s father. To answer the question, “Who is Mother Goddess?” the Lalita Sahasranama calls her Sri Mata as her first descriptive name. It means that she is Mother to all.
O Mother of the Universe, you are the reason for the existence of all the worlds. You encompass the three gunas and yet, you cannot be known by the people through the three gunas. Unless one merges in you, you cannot be known. That is the only way to know you. You are absolutely pure from any type of contamination. Even Hari and Hara cannot know you. This great universe including the entire cosmos and all the planets, suns, and spheres, is but one small, most tiny aspect of you.
All the news we hear of scientists reaching far away globes, and even the Sun, is insignificant. We cannot even approach the sun. She is as brilliant as countless suns. We say close the window, the sun is too bright. We always hide from the sun. Go to the desert and keep looking up at the sky to see God. Or see God in your dream. How to find Mother? How to know Her?
Mother is Adi Parasakti. She is adored during Navaratri pujas. Time flies. It does not stop for anyone. Every single minute is precious and should be used for Guru Seva. No matter how much money, fame you have, you have to leave it all, when the life force leaves the body. Even this body and all its ornaments have to be left.
Everything belongs to God, who is the owner. Everything has to be returned to Him. It is all rental property for us. We have not brought anything with us and we cannot take anything back with us. We cannot keep anything permanently. Our world, our native town, spouse, brothers, sisters, body, jewels, things, money, fame, everything has to be left when we leave. Why should we cry about them? Why should we fight for them? Why should we torment ourselves, our body and mind with them, and why should we create conflicts over them with those around us? Why should we break friendships over them? Why should we create trouble in society over them? What is the significance of all this? We cannot take anything with us. We have to leave it all.
In Tripura Rahasya, Lord Dattatreya teaches Parasurama the secret knowledge about Mother Goddess. Nobody learns it these days. We are most fortunate that we are listening to it during this Navaratri. It is not knowledge that can be given in half an hour. I am merely giving an outline, like the Table of Contents in a book. Even the front cover is not yet passed. It takes an immense length of time to explain it fully.
Who is the Mother of the three worlds? Mother Jaganmata is the mother also to Durga, Saraswati, and Lakshmi. She transcends all. She is Mother to even Adi Parasakti. Whatever is seen and also unseen, even to light, she is the source. Light has no color or shape. She is the Mother of Light. She transcends even Light. She makes light visible. That is Paramatma. Even Light has to bend its head before Mother. Because people cannot conceive this concept, it is not explained. Even Light cannot show Her to us. Durga Parameswari, Maha Saraswati, even the Bindu Rupa, the most subtle form of Mother also has emerged from Her. She cannot be defined. She is end of the final find. Immeasurable, endless, so many terms the scholars use to try to describe Her. They fail to convey the secret in words. It cannot be proven or compared to anything. Our ability is limited to describe Her. We simply say, transcends everything. We and the entire world should remain silent that is all. You yourself must vanish into non-existence to really experience Her. It is easier to say I don’t know. It has to only be experienced in person. I cannot explain. I have to say the same thing. You have to say the same thing. Your grandchildren also have to say the same thing. How to teach about this? This is what Dattatreya said to Parasurama. Both Datta and Parasurama are incarnations of Paramatma. Yet, they cannot give definition to God.
The secret about God is a very big subject. This universe as it exists now has existed before. It can come into being again in the future. 6 days have flown by. We use so many names to describe Mother. We quote so many scriptures, Devi Bhagavatam, Saptashati, Tripura Rahasyam, endless commentaries, so many words, debates, and arguments. What is God is like? You appear as God to me, I appear as God to you. If you cannot understand my words, how can you possibly understand me? If you describe Nature, you are actually describing the Creator of that Nature. Brahma Himself is tasted in all that is tasted in His Creation. You enjoy the taste. Until you leave tasting it, you do not experience the creator of the taste.
One day you say Mother. Then you say she is Light. Then you say what transcends Light. When you do not know light, then how will you proceed to what is beyond light? If you have no teacher, no knowledge, how will you learn the truth? To learn anything in this world, you need a teacher. Even your mother will lose patience if you keep criticizing her food. Mother is mother of mothers and most subtle, subtler than the subtlest thing in existence. How to know Her?
We seek the source of this vegetable. To understand the true taste of this, understand the taste of the creator of this taste. If this decoration is so beautiful, then what about the creator of this decoration? A decorated deity is beautiful and divine. Suddenly you think of the deity as only metal and we hide her in the safe to protect from the thieves.
In each different language, the explanation given is different, the examples used are different. The main subject is the same. Each drop of rain is still only water. Pure water, dirty water, gets evaporated, becomes clouds, rain, and water again. The same water goes round and round.
Be satisfied with what you get now. Do not keep demanding for Moksha/liberation. At least you are not asking for Andal Nasyam, the snuff used by old ladies made from tobacco. Thank God people have stopped using it now, the stinking substance.
Mother Rajarajeswari, you have no beginning or end. You do not undergo any changes. We give shapes and descriptions for our convenience. But all great declarations and scriptures state that you are the foremost in existence. You glow like a mighty fire. You burn away all sins. You shower the nectar of immortality. The Veda mantras and the Lalita Stotram describe you as having four arms wielding a rope, a goad, five arrows, and a bow of sugarcane and glowing with a divine radiance. This is Mother’s external form. By worshiping this form, through penance, one has to envision Mother’s true transcendental form as the Parabrahman transcending all. It is Mother’s job to grant fulfillment to those who follow the words of the elders and the guidance of Sadguru to walk the righteous path. Those who refrain from causing pain to anyone and perform the most severe penance without the least complaint will be graced by Mother. You can never complain, at any time. I place my trust in you and you have let me down are words that should never be spoken. It means that you have not placed genuine trust. Do not abuse the word ‘trust’. Do not be foolish and misuse the word, trust. Walk the path of knowledge without swerving from Dharma. It is not an easy journey. Whatever may come your way, do not complain. Continue with your trust. To receive your reward, you must show continued patience and tolerance. It is not a business deal, it is not a tradeoff. I gave so much. You give liberation is not the proper approach. I broke two coconuts and you accomplish my mission is bad policy to treat God like a contractor. You praise when your desire is fulfilled. You blame and heap abuses if you fail in your effort. Those who behave like this are most ignorant. God’s merchandise is different. Your cash is filled with selfishness.
Be grateful that you have the great good fortune of being in your presence, of singing your bhajans, of seeing your glory. Simply be ecstatic that today you are enjoying this divine bliss. Do not regret yesterday. Do not anticipate tomorrow. Enjoy the bliss of this present moment. Mother requires your humility and your attitude of surrender.
Mother is everywhere. Her pleasure and grace bestows the greatest health for the mind and bliss for the heart. Do not equate Her grace for relief of bodily aches and pains. She needs no X-Rays to diagnose your problems. Forget your physical pain, your back pain. Focus on Mother. You can easily find someone to massage your limbs. That is not important. Try to do things to please Mother Goddess. Avoid doing whatever will displease Her.
Mother loves those who tread the path of spiritual wisdom. She appreciated humility and a reverential attitude. She readily protects with mercy those who surrender to her with modesty and humility. There is no place where she is not present. When she is pleased, she cures diseases and grants good health. If she should ever get angry, then all comforts will vanish instantaneously. Therefore, one should never do any bad deeds which would displease her. Those who seek her support will be protected from all danger. Only those who seek her shelter are truly the ones who are protected. All others are only under the illusion that they have something that supports them.
Mother, who is invisible, is Mother to all. Sankara, who is invisible, is Father to all.
Who is this Mother of the Universe? Where does she reside? What does she do? How does she show her mercy upon her devotees?
To learn the answers to the above questions, let us learn the bhajans which describe Her glories and learn what they mean.
Bhajan: Srimata paradevata
Keep listening to this bhajans. All the mantras are in this songs. Listen to all Mother Goddess bhajans constantly. Or listen to healing music constantly. You will experience Mother Goddess. All the time you are engaged in satisfying hunger, sleeping, and yawning. You spend all your time only in protecting your body. The caring of the body becomes a huge karma for you. Pains keep going from here to there. If there is not pain, there is drowsiness and sleep. If there is body comfort, then someone says something to disturb your mind.
People travel by different means, flight, boat, bus, car, bicycle, walking, hopping, and riding a donkey, and so on. For a smooth and comfortable journey through this life, ride the vehicle called bhajans on Mother Goddess.
Bhajan: Jayahe jayahe Srimata
Mother, you give us victory, wealth, knowledge, and enlightenment. You alone exist inside me and outside me. You are my refuge in joy and sorrow, O Srimata. O spouse of Sankara, supporter of the pious, you ever bestow all that is auspicious and beneficial. At every step, in every atom you reside in all your glory, O Srimata. Please ever reside in my heart. Ever pure and true, you are the most beautiful experience of Sachchidananda.
Bhajan: Palaya palaya Sri Lalite
Please protect me with compassion, O Mother Sri Lalita. Your heart soothes like the cool sandal paste, and the rays of moonlight. You remove all troubles, O Mother, the consort of Siva, the daughter of the Mountain, you are ever praised by the pious. You reside in the seed syllables Ayim, Hreem, and Shreem. Your glories are described in the Vedas and other scriptures, O radiant one, who expresses the power of Guru who is dedicated to the establishment of Dharma in the three worlds protected by you. You rule the hearts of your devotees. You transcend the three aspects of knowledge, knower, and knowing. You are nothing but transcendental ecstasy. Please guide and protect me, O Sachchidananda.
Today in Hyderabad volunteers do great service in the name of Swamiji. They are organizing a concert on December 20th to raise funds for their humanitarian services. Please support their effort because they are doing this to perform greater service to humanity. Please purchase tickets to the concert whether you are able to attend the program or not. Let us watch a video describing their services.
Have darshan of Lord Venkateshwara. Receive prasadam at Annapurna Mandiram. Apparel worn by Swamiji while he was interacting with the birds, is put up for sale to raise funds for the Shuka Vana. You will feel as if Rama comes as a parrot to land on Hanuman to hear the name of Rama being chanted. Contact Kriya Yoga Ramanna to obtain these items used by Swamiji as prasadam.
Finish making your offerings to Mother Goddess. Share the goodies with others.
Harati song: Jaya Devi Durga
Sri Guru Datta