Speech by HH Sri Datta Vijayananda Teertha Swamiji on the occasion of Tamil New Year – April 14, 2014 – Velachary Ashrama, Chennai
Happy Tamil New Year !
This year name is Jaya. When we say Jaya, we remember Jayalakshmi Mata. She bestows victory to everyone. Who ever has purity of heart and mind, Atma gnana will come automatically for them. Both Seva and Sadhana are not easy to do. People may know the meaning but they do not know how to utilise it. You must continue to do Seva and Sadhana parallally. You can not measure these saying I have done 2 kgs of Seva or 2 Kgs of Sadhana. Only Guru can measure it. Seva and Sadhana ultimately lead to ‘Jaya’ – Victory.
Chaitanya bhajana mandali sang Muruga bhajans so well. I’m so happy. Today is New year. Very auspicious. Yesterday was Phalguni Uttaram. It is a very auspicious festival for Lord Muruga, Venkateshwara Swamy, Lord Shiva, Devi and Lord Datta. All traditions celebrate this Phalguni Uttaram. Yesterday was Phalguni Uttaram, today is Jaya Nama new year and tomorrow is Hanumath Jayanthi and Vishu. In North India, they celebrate Vaishakaha Purnima as Hanumath Jayanthi. After Rama’s birth on Rama Navami, Hanuman was born. All these three festivals, phalguni uttaram, new year and Hanumath Jayanthi falling in the same month in consecutive days is special. It is an indication of Jaya – victory.
Bhajanotsavam is good. They sang Swamiji’s bhajans also. Then, Bala Datta babies also performed well. We cannot call them as babies. Because when Sita devi addressed Hanuman that He is like a baby in tiny form, He showed His vishwaroopa. Like wise, these kids also showed their vishwaroopa in their talent. Its been one year that this Bala Datta group was started. Everyone practiced well. Very happy.
Don’t leave your tradition. You need Maths, you need Science. You earn well. But at the same time, you must give value to traditions also. You must not leave your dharma. If you don’t follow your dharma, how much ever you earn, it goes waste. It is important to teach tradition to your children. The name, fame what ever is earned will vanish if you leave your tradition. In which ever language possible, educate them about tradition in that language. Only then the tradition will continue. Otherwise, they will enter adharmic way. You can say that you are on dharmic way only when you are into complete Vairagya. Those who can go to Himalayas and live without food and water and can do continous penance, only they can say that they are in dharma. Else, you cannot claim that. But for us, we need food time to time. Not just time to time, we need it every half an hour. We are in such a stage. If you don’t follow your dharma, you will get the sin of adharma. That is why Swamiji always says Victory to Dharma and Victory to Vedas ! We always should keep saying ‘Jayam Jayam’ ! Victory ! Victory ! and do what ever is required to get that victory. Only then, we get the merit of being on the path of dharma and get the blessings of Sadguru completely. Without Sadguru’s blessings, one may not get victory.
Look at Rama’s story. Rama is very powerful. Ramayana is called Maha Veera Charita. The Bala Datta child narrated Hanuman story very well in the story telling competition. For a small task also, Hanuman has put big efforts. He was told to just go see and come. But He has burnt Lanka. Then He realised. Ayyayyo… I have burnt Lanka. How is Sita Devi there ? He then went back again and asked ‘Amma, are you fine ?’
Hanuman charitra teaches us that who ever is doing Guru Seva, they must also find out all other related tasks associated with it and perform them also. If teacher says, you must get good marks in Maths, that means that you are weak in maths, you must study well. That does not mean you need not get good marks in science. You must score well in science as well as maths. You must catch the essence. Who ever understands Sadguru’s words well, understand its essence and puts them into practice, they will gain Sadguru’s blessings always.
Ramayana is called Maha Veera Charita. Rama is an incarnation. He has all great qualities. In Aranaya Khanda, we come across Sage Agastya. He is very important. Even in Appaji’s charitra, we come across “Agastya muni Sankranta, Naana Vaidya Durandharam, Bhavagnam Sachchidanandam, Sadgurum Tam Namaamyaham”. Agastya is Guru for all those living in South India. He is the one who gave weapons to Rama. He gave the bow and arrow to Rama. Bow in Tamil is called ‘Will’. And there is english term ‘Will” – which means will power. Rama must have both the wills – the will in the hand – the bow and the will in the mind – the will power. Only then He can establish dharma.
Sadhana and Sankalapa – both are required. What is the use if you just have sankalpa without sadhana ? What is the point if you just say this karishyami.. that karishyami… I’m doing this. I’m doing that… When you say Karishyami (doing this), you must do that atleast a little. Else, you don’t get the benefit out of it. Rama is an incarnation. Even He did not have the will power. What did He do ?
Tato yuddha parishrantam samare chintaya sthitam
Ravanam chagrato drishtva yuddhaya samupasthitam
Samare Chitaya sthitam… He is worried. How to fight with Ravana was His worry in the mind. Incarnation like Rama also had this worry. During this time, sage Agastya came and said, Rama, you have forgotton Surya Upasana – Sun worship. That is why these difficulties arised. Rama is Sun Himself. But still, He is disciple then. Guru does upadesha at the right time.
The kids now have done surya namaskaras. That is good for health. Mitra, Ravi, Surya, Bhanu, Khaga Poosha, Hiranya garbha, Mareechaditya, Savitrarka, Bhaskarebhyo Namo Namaha ! How long will it take to chant these names ? You can do it in 30 seconds. Is it difficult for us to chant these ? No. Its a small mantra. Everyone can chant. Who ever does surya namaskara will for sure get victory. Today is new year day. This also, we are celebrating according to souramana – solar system. Today, Sun is entering Mesha Rasi, the first among the 12 zodiac signs. The vibrations from Mesha rasi are filtered by sun and are spread across the world in the form of sun rays. This is required for us. Scientifically also, they say, sun rays are good for D Vitamin. That is why Swamiji has started Datta Kriya Yoga classes. These kids have done it. I’m very happy. Sage Agastya told Rama to chant Aditya Hrudayam during this time.
trirachamya shuchirbhutva dhanuradaya viryavan !
Now Rama got the will in the mind along with the will in the hand (bow). English will was there in the mind and Tamil will (bow) was there in the hand. He then entered into battle with Ravana. Then Rama got the victory. Even Aditya Hrudayam says :
Jayaya jaya bhadraya haryashvaya namo namah
So everyone, daily in the morning, worship Sun God and pray to him. It is very important. We ourselves do not know when we are going to office and when we are coming back. Even if you are busy with your office, school, college and even busy in any other form, you must worship Sun. Busy in other form ? What does this mean ? What do you do ? You are busy thinking what to do.
Jayaya jaya bhadraya haryashvaya namo namah
Sri Rama gets victory only after chanting Aditya hrudayam. This year name is ‘Jaya’. New year. Souramana year. This is very special. May everyone be victorious ! We also heard just now Swamiji’s new year bhajan ‘Jaya varudam vandedu’. Jaya year has come, bringing Jaya for everyone. You may think, what victory did we get ? My head. No victory. This is very wrong. We must understand it properly. As per Shastras, who ever says that which is going to come in future has already come, such thing will come for sure. It will happen for them. We have a tradition of saying it already has happened that which is going to happen in future. They say, what ever is going to happen has already happened. This means, it will surely happen for, the mind has this belief and secondly, since our words are the form of Goddess Saraswati, it will happen. If someone come saying, we do not have children, Mahatmas say, you already have them. They don’t say you will have. They say you already had. Even those people in mind must think that they already had. Only then, it will happen. This is very important.
We must win every day, every hour and every second. Win over what ? The thoughts in your mind. Win over them and turn your mind towards Guru and God. This is the purpose of life. Otherwise, there is no meaning for life. Have some purpose for life. Don’t waste it. Every day we pray. But we do it more on special occasions. You wear new clothes on your birthday and distribute sweets. Why ? To mark the beginning of another year and with an intention that may all the evil go with the past year and may all good happen in the coming year. Similarly Ugadi has come and brought new thoughts for all of us. It brought new victory. With the divine blessings of Jayalakshmi Mata, may everyone be bestowed with victory – a victory for dharma, victory for Vedas. We do not live for 1000 or 2000 years. Swamiji always says this. Always remember, we have to make an effort for all those that are required for the family and for our own life. We will anyways do it. Because, God has given us hunger and thirst. We cannot avoid it. But there is one secret which we do not know. The secret which protects the world. That is Dharma. We must strive for that Dharma.
What is that Dharma ? Manava Dharma – Human dharma. If your heart does not melt for others’ difficulties, that means there is no dharma. If your heart melts, you will feel like doing seva. Manas is part of Hrudayam – heart. You must fill that part with dharma. May Sadguru bless everyone with this shakthi. Phalguni Uttaram is very special for Subrahmanya Swami. We celebrated this in NaduPalani yesterday and today we are celebrating Jaya nama new year here in Chennai ashrama. Tomorrow is Hanumath Jayanthi. Some people celebrate this on Vaishaka Purnima. Even in Kerala, some people follow this. In north, everyone celebrate this on Chaitra Purnima. Performing Hanumath Jayanthi on Vaishaka Dasami is there in Tamilnadu and Andhra also. May good happen to all. May this year be new for everyone. May Sadguru bless everyone with health, knowledge and wealth. May all your sankalpas be victorious.
Sarvecha Sukhinah Santu… Who are Sarve (everyone) ? You must Survey ! Only then you will know. Who ever has good mind, who ever does good seva, who ever makes good sankalpas.. they are all Sarve. This is the secret. Medical camps are being done. Good. Participate in everything. Don’t say nobody told me. Who ever has opportunity for seva, participate. Don’t miss any chance. May everyone have Jayam ! Atma Jayam ! Indriya Jayam ! Jaya Guru Datta !
Jai Bolo Sadgurunatha Maharaj ki Jai !
Jai Bolo Karya Siddhi Anjaneya Swamiki Jai !
Who ever have participated in the puja will get prasadam now. It is a system to give coins worshipped in puja. Don’t spend that for Auto rikshas. Keep those coins safe. They are Jayam for you.
Jaya Guru Datta !