Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – Bhajan session – June 28, 2015 – Mysore
These are not ordinary songs or bhajans. As per context, they were composed as part of a Saptaha (seven day special discourse). They convey the praises showered upon Lord Hanuman by Indra and all the other gods when they were successful in their missions and in overcoming their terrible difficulties because of Hanuman’s help.
The first song in Gundaki Raga is very difficult to render. It is a raga/musical scale that can melt rocks.
Narada and Tumburu, out of arrogance, went to Lord Hanuman for judgment as to who is the greater singer amongst the two of them. They were referred to Hanuman by Lord Rama Himself. Rama said: I am only good at listening, but not at singing.
Rama declared that Hanuman is the greatest exponent in music and the only one competent enough to be the judge. Rama said, Hanuman is Nada Brahma. He is always singing.
When Narada and Tumburu appeared before Hanuman, they were asked to lay down their instruments, the Veena and the Tambura, respectively. They placed them on the rock nearby. Hanuman began rendering a melody with his voice in this raga Gundaki. By the power of the melody, the rock melted and the instruments got stuck in the rock. That is why the raga is called Gundaki raga.
When Hanuman was done singing, he asked the other two to sing. They required their instruments to hold the pitch. Without the aid, they could not sing. But the instruments were stuck in the rock and could not be retrieved. The rock had been overjoyed at Hanuman’s music that it simply melted.
Hanuman was surprised that such great musicians were unable to sing without the help of their musical instruments. That was the first blow to their ego. Acknowledging their helplessness and inadequacy, the two musicians fell at Hanuman’s feet and begged forgiveness for their arrogance about being experts in music. They acknowledged the supremacy of Lord Hanuman in the knowledge of music.
Lord Hanuman sang another melody in a different rhythm and pattern in Gundaki raga and the rock once again melted. Narada and Tumburu quickly retrieved their musical instruments.
In our bodies we have a built-in shruti/tone and pitch. We should be able to sing based on that.
This Gundaki raga is very tough to render. No one can dance to it, or do any Kathakali dance. No gamakas/particular emphases can be given. Because Hanumanta was Nada Brahma, he was able to sing it. It is difficult to recognize that raga. It encompasses all the 12 notes in a musical scale. It is a very remarkable musical scale. No musician can sing it. (Sri Swamiji demonstrates on the synthesizer, the sequence of the 12 notes). The voice box has to be specially equipped to be able to sing this raga.
Recent research has shown that eons ago, it is parrots which have taught man to sing music. I have a newspaper cutting of the announcement publishing the result of the research conducted by a university. Now a couple of scientists from Hyderabad are doing research here at Shuka Vana. There is no admission for the public to go into the research center here. Very sophisticated equipment is here. How the sounds emerge from the throats of parrots is being studied. It is a very difficult type of research.
We have a few parrots here which reproduce sounds that humans cannot make. They have the memory to repeat Maha Mantras. Whatever mantra is heard, the parrots at once repeat them. They hear the Hanuman Chaleesa being sung here all the time. They have learnt the first line Jaya Hanuman Jnanaguna Sagara. They have begun to learn the second line now. Jaya Kapeesa tihu loka ujagara.
Only some parrots, some birds can sing. Not all parrots can sing. A parrolet is a very small parrot. It can be kept in the pocket. It is so small. The day before Ekadasi, it breathed its last in Swamiji’s hands. It received Mantropadesa. Om namo Narayana. It got liberated. Such a holy soul. A video was suddenly taken of this occurrence. The photographer happened to be present. He quickly turned the camera towards the bird.
I was telling the bird to leave its body quickly. I wanted some good soul to be born from it. It was on the point of liberation. I began wrapping its body in a piece of cloth. Sadguru himself wrapped it in a piece of cloth. Even humans do not get such a great chance to give up their life in such a special manner. It opened its eyes and looked up. It heard the mantra. I said: Leave quickly and get reborn right here.
And within minutes news came that an egg laid by this bird had just hatched. Is this a miracle? Is this a drama? Am I making it up? Am a crazy? How can such a thing happen? Is this mesmerism? As I was speaking about it, the new soul arrived in this same Shuka Vana. The moment the egg hatches, the fifth prana/life force comes to the being. It is born with four pranas and the fifth aspect joined the four pranas. Exact same shape and form. The same individual was reborn here.
For death, some cause must be there. It is wrong to attribute wrong causes for death. It is a great sin. If death is destined to occur, it will occur. But for that, some cause must be created. No one should ever find fault with the cause of death.
This small parrolet speaks so clearly, so well. Why do these birds come to me? Why do they die in my hands? Why do they die in my presence? They take their last bite from me. They certainly get liberation. Some past life’s friendship, relationship, or karma debt exists between us. That is why they come to me and Swamiji clears theirs path of all dangers. These are not my words. Lord Hanuman is speaking these words.
Every action is performed by Him. You behave before me as if I am a human being. It is not good. Please be careful. Exercise some caution. It is good both for me and for you. You are only seeing my superficial form. You must delve deeper and try to understand. You should understand from a deeper, mental level, not just the physical level.
What is our relationship with Sadguru? Why is he looking at us? Why is he speaking with us? Why is he touching us? Why should we be touching him? Why should we come to him and seek his company? Just close your eyes and open the inner eye and take a look. An entire universe lies right within us. Do not see with the physical external eyes. See with the inner eye.
Ponder internally. Listen to your breath. Then you can sleep peacefully. Go to sleep listening to the sound of your breathing. Your anxieties will subside. The sound of breathing is Omkara. It will grant us all kinds of peace and calmness. Those who go to sleep without listening to the sound of their breath, those who do not place their faith on the sound of breath, will forever remain miserable, suffering from all kinds of troubles. They will keep suffering from bad karma, and diseases. Their minds will be fickle and unsteady. Their minds will be troubled and disturbed. Listen to the inner sounds and rejoice. The entire fourteen worlds are inside us, inside our breath.
Why has Swamiji come here? Has he no other place to live? He could be living anywhere. The Himalayas are there. I have a debt to repay. Ours is a bondage of some past debt, some past karma. That is why I am here. If there is mutual respect, love, and affection, it will be better for us. Otherwise, it is trouble both for you and for me.
Give up excessive and strange and inconsistent thoughts. Give up excessive calculations. Let your calculations be based on calmness. Whatever he makes us do, in our homes, in our family lives, let him direct our actions. I pray to Hanuman to give the strength to bear whatever troubles may come along the way.
Many people are very worried and concerned about operations. Is this your body? You have to leave it and go some day. While it lasts, try to maintain it in good health. You cannot just ignore the body’s condition and neglect it. But losing peace over physical problems, and giving up prayers and not chanting God’s names is not right.
I feel that a bird’s life is better than a human’s life. Do not go crazy with your excessive thinking. Leave everything in the hands of Hanuman and remain at peace. Everybody should be well.
One couple came today for performing Tulabhara. They were saying that Swamiji had rescued their son from a great calamity, a terrible accident. He saved their son’s life. At the same time they received the bad news about the accident, they also received news that the son had been named the President of his organization. Both types of news came at the same time. What is this illusion?
Had we said to people that the accident happened while we were on our way to see Sadguru, then people would blame Guru. That will give us great sin. We tell people that we were going to the market when it happened.
That couple might have left. They were here this morning. It is very important to preserve that Guru Bhakti, devotion and loyalty towards Guru to prevent any bad reputation for Guru. One should wholeheartedly surrender to Guru. Mentally surrender to Guru. Then, Guru will chase away all your mental unsteadiness.
Look, today, I never thought I would be singing bhajans. I was going around to different parts of the ashram, moving about. Neela came and asked me: Will there be bhajans today? Somebody wants to know. I said: May be there will be bhajans. May be not. Neela said: What should I tell them? Swamiji said: Just tell them what I said. Let those who wish to wait, wait. Let those who wish to leave, leave.
All the musicians were relaxing in different places, drinking tea and coffee, thinking that there is no bhajan today. It was announced as such. When I decided to just sing by myself, with just the shruthi, they all came running. Is that not correct? The boss has come, let us go quickly, and they all ran and got here, as if accompanying a Haridas with the harmonium. Suddenly I decided to come and sing, and see what nice bhajans we heard. Such great ragas like Gundaki raga we heard.
Kayena vacha …
Sri Guru Datta
Compiled by Smt Hira Duvvuri