Speech of HH Sri Datta Vijayananda Teertha Swamiji – Welcome function – April 19, 2015 – Mysore
Whatever Swamiji attempts to do will be grand. If He starts something small, it turns out to be very big. If big things are planned by Him, they turn out to be magnificent and enormous in scope. Swamiji is Nada Trivikrama – He is like the Vamana Avatara in the field of music (spanning all three worlds with three tiny steps).
The scope of the programs held in Sydney is equal to one thousand marriage ceremonies. It may be called Nada Kalyanam. Only a few devotees from Melbourne achieved a fantastic feat. Swamiji’s divine sankalpam made it happen. It was a divine resolve made for the World’s Welfare.
I remember an incident that occurred in my youth in the late 1980 s in Mekedatu. I went along with Swamiji. The area was still like a jungle. A few devotees came from Bengaluru. Swamiji suddenly announced in the afternoon that He wanted to sing bhajans there that evening. No one was there except only ten or fifteen members. There was no microphone. Only a harmonium was there and a small bhajan book. We all wondered what kind of a bhajan program it would be with so few people and minimal resources. Even the Bhajana Yogam books were not yet published. Suddenly 2 bus loads of devotees came there, that being a full moon night, to have darshan of the Lord and to stay overnight at the ashram. A great bhajan program was conducted. A hundred people participated.
Ayyappan had expressed a desire long ago in2008 in Bhadrachalam, Andhra Pradesh, about a concert of Swamiji to be held at the Sydney Opera House.
My Dream Concert Swamiji said about this concert. Ayyappan was only instrumental. I was fortunate to be there in Australia for the concert on April 6th, 2015. There are only very few devotees in Sydney. Only Kannada devotees conducted this Sydney concert. That is a matter of pride for all of us. Manjunath, Lakshmi, Arun, Neena, Srikant, Hari etc. were the devotees who worked with determination to make this event happen.
1000 miles each time, 18 times they drove in the duration of six months, from Melbourne to Sydney. They made so many trips to prepare for this program. One person resigned his job even to dedicate all his time for this mission. Swamiji scolded him. Even Guru’s anger is a blessing. The same day the devotee got a job. Srinivasa Sharma is his name. He took this great opportunity to serve Sadguru.
Manjunath was asked by me about his association with Swamiji. He knew Swamiji since the Kesare days. But, as it happens with many devotees, a gap occurred when there was no contact. A devotee might distance himself from Guru. But just as a mother never leaves caring for her child, Swamiji never left His devotee. In the 70’s suddenly Swamiji knocked at their door one night to alert them not to forget their Guru.
They had built a house. At their request to give it a name, Swamiji named it Atreya. It was the same name as the name of their ancestral home. They were surprised and thrilled. Your past lifetimes also I know, declared Swamiji.
We went to visit a Buddha temple on the 5th. We received a message to cut short our visit and to return at once. By then the music practice had just finished at the concert hall. I felt bad for having missed listening to it. Then the sound technicians requested a repeat practice to make some required adjustments in the equipment. The song Shantirastu in Charukesi Raga was played again. I looked at the empty concert hall at that time. I felt that our Nada Mantapam is far better. The hall was fully closed in, with no windows. I was under the impression that it was built in 1936. I wondered how people managed to stay inside a place like that without any ventilation, prior to the advent of air conditioning. Then I learned that it was actually built much later, in 1971. Yes, by then they had AC.
On the 6th, at the actual concert, the experience was totally different. I felt like I was in heaven. That is the miracle of Nada. The structure was built on reclaimed land in the middle of water in the shape of sails. From my room I had the view of the building. On the 5th afternoon there was a unique Yoga photo session held on the steps leading to the building.
During the concert, I felt as if I were on a swing. As a mother swings a child, Swamiji was swinging us gently and soothingly with his music. It was an experience of immense joy at the Opera House. It was also a test.
How can a child be told, ‘No sleeping allowed’ when the baby is comfortably placed inside a swing? We were told not to sleep. Charukesi, Sindhu Bhairavi, and Subhapantuvarali ragas were played. I was not able to control sleep. It was a music therapy lesson. We had to sit alert holding different fingers while listening to the different ragas as instructed by Swamiji.
Good sleep means joy and relaxation. Through Nada it can be achieved.
Ramaprabhu had alerted us about the attempt to get a Guinness record set. I had seen their representative on the premises making observations.
Two Swamis were invited. They were not familiar with Swamiji’s music. They sat in the front row. They were good at giving discourses. They never applaud for anything, I was told. I wondered if they would sit through till the program concluded. That day they clapped for every song with great enthusiasm.
I wondered how the Guinness person will react to a program such as this. I was apprehensive about his speech. How will Roy, the master of ceremonies perform? He pronounced Swamiji’s full name. That itself was a great achievement for him. The whole program was excellent. The speeches were all excellent. It was a unique program, the person from Guinness Records reported his results. He was wholehearted about giving the award. Such joy and transformation in people he had observed. We all feel completely fulfilled.
The next day a boat ride was arranged. Swamiji even sang the boat song: Hailessa, Naav chal padee. He gave recognition to all the people who contributed to the success of the program.
Then Swamiji made the trip to New Zealand.
Nagaratna from Ontikuppal traveled all the way to Australia to attend this concert. Many countries were represented there by audience who traveled from all over the world. Padma Murthy gave the Award to Swamiji today. Jayaraman uncle from Chennai repeated the words of his daughter Sri that within 3 months 2 Guinness records were set by Swamiji. He predicted that Swamiji will set a record perhaps for setting the largest number of Guinness records.
It was indeed a divine program conducted for World Peace. With prostrations I conclude.
Jaya Guru Datta
Sri Guru Datta
Compiled by Smt Hira Duvvuri