Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – Day 1 of Vajrotsava Birthday Celebrations – May 21, 2017 – Mysore
Compiled by: Bala Aati
Shri Maha Ganapathaye Namaha
Shri Saraswathyai Namaha
Shri Pada Vallabha Narasimha saraswathi
Shri Guru Dattatreyana Namaha
Shri Guru Dattatreyaya Namaha. Shri Guru. Shri Guru. Not Sri Guru. People say it as Sri Guru. (Female Guru). Why don´t you say Purusha Guru? (Male Guru). Say Shri Guru, not Sri Guru. Everyone is very happy today. Everyone danced today losing their conscious. That happy they are. Everyone lost their conscious. Very happy. Became like small children. People jumped out of joy. Danced. Very nice. We don’t have such freedom in the ashram. It happens only during festivities. During 60th birthday once, during 50th birthday once. And now during 75th birthday we got one chance to dance. We came through the new road. It was all decorated nicely. Happy. I didn’t get a chance to see all that. Today saw the decorations from the chariot itself. Everyone is happy. That will be there for 10 mins to one hour. Later, again discipline. Do not talk. Sit quietly, follow the queue and so on.
Being happy is very healthy to the body. That happiness should be real. This is true happiness. The joy that you get in club or pub is not real. That leads to downfall. That is artificial. You need to spend money for that. No pure air there. It is all artificial. Spiritual happiness is true happiness. You dance in slum area. There will be oxygen there too but is polluted. Area will be congested. Cleanliness will not be there. Mind will be at unease. All these are artificial. On the other hand, in the ashram, the premises is clean. Fresh air will be there. Pure oxygen will be there. Divine darshan of the Lord will be there. Guru, our best friend will be there. Guru is also called as friend. The joy and happiness here is pure. There will be no second thought. You will be deeply immersed into it when you come in the procession, dancing to the tune and music. There is no selfishness in this. Whereas in club, it is a selfish motive. It is only to show your greatness and superiority. So, that is artificial. They just act to show off that they are happy.
The joy that everyone felt today is pure and you do not find it anywhere. You happily watched the procession and the lord in the chariot. You happily watched your beloved Appaji. You danced to the music and drums. The happiness that you feel in spiritual life cannot be found anywhere. It is not possible elsewhere.
The joy that you get in a procession of a newlywed couple is different from that joy that you can have in procession of the lord. People dance there too but they are hired people for that. Their immediate relatives do not dance. Because they would also get dressed in a beautiful saree. The saree would get spoiled if you dance. It gets wrinkled. You would have worn a nice watch. Rolex watch. You would be wearing a diamond ring and you become conscious about it. So you just look at the couple and keep walking just with a smile, which might just be artificial. That is not true happiness as that is not your true inner feeling. But when you look at Swamiji, you feel happy and that is your true inner most feeling.
Some people laugh artificially. You cannot make out if that is a laugh or a cry. Some others laugh out loud with a sound as though they opened a bottle of soda. That is not happiness. That is just sound coming from inside. Some others laugh without any expression on their face. They are just like monkeys. Brush your teeth properly so you can at least laugh properly. They brush just once a week that too with a broomstick. Brush your teeth so you can laugh. Some people do not have teeth. Only God knows if they are laughing or crying.
Don’t just laugh artificially… heee hee heee…. Feel it from inside. Laugh and make others laugh. I see this book from these comedians. So, I feel like laughing. All these comedians are like oxygen generating machines. What is that life without a smile? Many people do not laugh. They look like owls. Keep laughing. People sitting in the first row do not laugh at all. Moreover, they look at others and give a blank expression with a question mark on their face as to why others are laughing. When I look at such faces, I feel like slapping them. Why can’t they laugh? They give a cheap kind of expression at others if they laugh. They think not laughing shows their greatness. Never be like that.
So today, none were like this. Everyone were dancing out of joy like a child. This is true spiritual happiness. People take bath in river Ganga. When they do so, some do it with very pure mind that they should get rid of all their sins. So, when they bathe, they don’t feel the coldness in it. Some others go for bath, they just touch the water and shiver. Someone will be pushing them to take bath in Ganga. They don’t come out of their interest. So, they feel cold. Those who go to Ganga to get rid of their sins will not feel the cold. But those who go for the sake of others gives all kinds of excuses. They say, they will catch fever if they bathe in Ganga. One person says I’m bathing to get rid of my fever and other says I will catch fever if I bathe. Faith is important. One believes in it. Other doesn’t. Both are friends. One who goes with trust does not feel the cold. He feels the water is warm. You may test this. You make a strong sankalpa that you must take a dip in Ganga and go. You travel so far. Some may take a flight or a train. That’s ok. With such strong determination, you travel for four days and reach there. You don’t feel tired even. Because you are determined. You have that enthusiasm in you to go there. Some may have over enthusiasm inside. Excitement. Some people are excited to watch Bahubali movie. That is only till they watch it. But with Ganga, that is not the case. When two people go, one with medium devotion and the other with complete devotion, the first one hesitates to take bath and says I will just sprinkle while the other person without any second thought takes bath. How will the sin vanish if you don’t even take bath? You cannot attain unless your mind is determined, concentrated and focussed on it. Else you can never attain, no matter whatever you do. Just in case even if you dip yourself, your focus is on the chillness. You don’t utter Ganga or Namah Shivaya, Not even Narayana. Nothing. You quickly dip, come out and change. What is the use? Can’t you tolerate for few minutes? You drink coca cola one complete bottle. Don’t you feel cold then?
So, faith is important. You make a sankalpa here and after reaching there if you look at the temperature and say oh.. 12 degrees, minus 11 degrees and so on.. what is the use? With complete faith if you bathe, even if it is too cold, you don’t fall sick. For sure you won’t. Your faith is your protection. Your faith becomes your oxygen. A small quantity of food eaten with contentment also fills your stomach.
So, spiritual happiness gives you a lot of energy. Even if there is rush, you really don’t bother. When you go to Kasi, there will be huge queue for darshan. Jagannatha Ratha Yatra – the famous chariot festival of Lord Jagannatha in Puri goes on. Lakhs of people will be there. You literally don’t need to walk. If you just stand, you will be taken forward. They keep pushing. Such will be the rush. That is spiritual joy. Artificial joy – weddings, parties, birthdays – all these are artificial joy. Only two people will be happy. One – parents and the other is the bride/groom. All others wait for food and want to leave. They forget their surroundings, respect and dignity. That is artificial joy. Whereas in spiritual joy you forget your conscious and will be happy. When you feel happy, your oxygen intake will be good. When oxygen intake is good, your heart will be healthy. With that your respiratory system becomes clean. When this system is clean, blood supply to kidneys will be good. When kidneys function properly, your brain recognizes this and functions well. At that stage, even if you have some disease, it vanishes.
So, as much as possible, try to be happy. That should be genuine happiness and not artificial. Keep laughing. You may come across few scenes either in movies or dramas that makes you laugh. You don’t need to pay for that. You can feel happy because you compare your life with that scene. When you do so, you feel you are there in that character. When you do so, you feel happy. So, laugh and make others laugh.
So, today we have seen that happiness in the chariot festival. We find this happiness in Pandarapur, in Jagannatha ratha festival, in Shiva Kshetras, Vishnu Kshetras, and in Mathura. We pack our bags and go there. We forget about our house. You will not have phone. You will be happy for 2-3 days. If you take your phone there too, then you don’t feel that happy. It will be good if your don’t have signal there. Cut off everything for three days. Only then you can feel that joy. Else no if you keep checking your phone there also. Your phone is your enemy. You must use it wisely only for what is required. Don’t use it for news. Put it in aeroplane mode. Use it for all other things. Click a picture. Record a video, and go through those memories. Else, it is like carrying a cat even when you go to Kasi. Taking your pet dog. You will remain in its service there also. That should not happen. Your phone also is like your pet dog. You carry it even to Vaikunta. I have a doubt. Will this phone work there? Will you call your house from there? When are you coming to Vaikunta? Will you ask? It seems they are inventing phones that can be taken to Vaikunta (Swamiji jokes). Similarly, it can be taken to hell and Yama loka also.
One phone spoils all your happiness in life. Don’t get addicted to it. Learn to switch it off when needed. Don’t get involved into it. It spoils your happiness. Avoid all topics that makes you sad. Postpone such conversations and topics. When you postpone, the severity gets diluted. You don’t feel so much pain for it later. You come to know about it after three days, you say oh is it, I don’t know. But you know. You have avoided it. Because it is a hindrance to your happiness. That leads to disease. Don’t let anything hinder your happiness. Postpose such things. Do not entertain unnecessary grief. Postpone it for two days. You can be happy. You don’t feel so much pain.
Anger also is a hindrance to happiness. It creates restlessness. It shows up only for few seconds in best people. They forget in the next moment. For madhyama – medium, they show it on others and remains till evening. For adhama – it remains for one night. It remains for ever and ever in adhamaadhama. This anger also is like phone for us. This is also dangerous for us. So avoid anger also. What is your status in this? Check for yourself. Try to be the best. Everyone gets angry. Who doesn’t? Even Maha Vishnu who was peace loving also got angry. But whenever He was angry, it helped the world. But our anger destroys everything. We lose friendship. We will lose everything. So, leave anger. Don’t get upset. You put your head and mouth in everything that is not relevant to you. We do that much. So we lose happiness. All the time, you appear with pale face. You eat 10 dosas, 20 chapatti’s and sit sad. Because you need energy for being sad. Many people pretend in front of everyone that they are angry and will not take meal that day. If there is someone to plead them, they do it even more. I don’t plead anyone. I eat nicely in front of them. I tell them, if you don’t eat, I will put that food to dog. Then, they themselves will come. All these I told so far is not brahma Upanishad. They are all simple things that happens in our lives. All these can be easily avoided. So we must keep going to pilgrimage often. Our pilgrimage is coming to Swamiji. Swamiji has done so many things here. Museum is there. Bird Park is there. Now cold Anjaneya Swami – Patala Anjaneya Swami temple is there. Bhairava temple is there. You need one day for all these. For Bird Park alone you need one day to visit. Swamiji would have told some people to come and stay in the ashram for one night. It will be good for you. Yes. It will be. Library is there. Good food is available. So much is there in the ashram. 1-2 days is not sufficient to visit all these. You feel like staying for more time. Swamiji will ask you about your return journey. Because you need to vacate place for new comers. Keep coming and going. Everyone should experience. So, we are experiencing true happiness in our ashram. Initially I used to feel tensed to sit in the chariot. I only used to worry about the safety of people around, to take care of their hands and legs. But today I’m so peaceful. This is a good beginning. My blessings to all.
Jaya Guru Datta! Shri Guru Datta!