Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – May 5, 2016 – Japan
Compiled by Archana Penukonda
Harihi Om Tatsat
You listened to Yoko Kanno play the piano. That was the daily Ashrama prayer in Sanskrit she played. The prayer says “Tameka devam saranam vrajamah”. There are so many Gods and so many forms, different angels, different religions, different Dharmas, different rituals, different prayers, different temples, architectures etc. Temples of today have a different architecture from ancient temples. It all looks like a wonder. Temples are all a wonder. Ancient temples are a wonder. Their own different rituals are also a wonder. Different flowers of different colors are used in worship. There are different languages. India has 150 registered languages and 600 total that are spoken in the country. Even a single language has different accents. The prayer says, “Tameka devam saranam vrajamah”. God is one. Lord Krishna, Lord Rama, Jesus, Allah, Buddha, Shinto, whatever religion it is, God is one. That is the prayer Yoko played very nicely.
There are five elements – pancha bhootas. One is like breath – we are all breathing air. We are all using air. You can’t say, “I’m a big man, I don’t want this air”, or “I’m a small man, I don’t want this air”. Everyone breathes, everyone needs air. Same with water. You drink water, I drink water. It may be filtered water or regular water. But, water is the same. Light from the sun is the same. There isn’t a different sun in Japan and a different sun in India. There’s only one sun. There’s only one light. We are all feeling the one air, the one light, one water and the sound of akasa/ether – the cosmic energy. So, pancha bhootas or the five elements of Nature are the same for everyone. You may belong to a different Dharma, but you use the pancha bhootas. No one can say, “You are an ordinary man, don’t touch my air, don’t drink my water, don’t sit on this earth, don’t touch my light”. We all use the same things. Yogis or not, we all use the same things. The pancha bhootas are the same. God is one. Dharma is great. Truth is great.
God is also great. Only God knows this creation. Who creates these flowers? Did you create? Can science create these flowers? Science can change some colors and some attributes, but God alone is capable of creating natural colorful, fragrant flowers. You are all sitting here with different minds and different thoughts. Some are thinking they want to go back home, some are thinking they want to sleep. There are different thoughts and different vibrations. Last night, my experience was very different. The system, the cosmic powers, the different powers were coming to my mind. And I was distributing these different cosmic powers to people. Cosmic power is same, but I’m giving different powers to people. You have different creations, different experiences and different thoughts. Who gave you all that? God alone is capable. Some people say they will show God through yoga or through something else. No one can show God. Understand that. It’s only an experience. It’s a fulfilling experience. It’s happiness. That is God. If God has a form, we can’t believe it because the form will vanish one day. God is invisible and without form. He is capable of taking on any form. God is always formless, but when he takes on a form, the form disappears one day. Lord Krishna, Lord Rama, Buddha have all disappeared because they had a body. When God takes form, the form disappears one day. So many people say they will show you God. I think that is not good. You can only show good path to people. God is in truth, love, affection, in helping each other. God is very kind. If you improve your habits, that is yoga. We need to control our mind, we need to control our body.
Hatha yoga and pranayama are necessary, but that is not the ultimate goal. There is something beyond that. Some people see God in different things around them. God is everywhere. No doubt. You are also God, I’m also God.
Everything is God. But everyone has his/her own karma. Each one’s karma is different. Each has his/her own experience. So many animals such as cats, dogs etc., are also eating. The cats, dogs, horses etc., also seem busy. The animals too suffer karma at their own level. Humans are like that too. But, we need to correct ourselves in buddhi/intellect and karma/actions. That is the first step in Yoga. So my friendly advice to you is to follow your own Dharma, but respect other Dharmas/faiths and codes of good conduct. Find out about other Dharmas, research them because God’s leela/miracle is different. God’s leela is a gigantic book that has no end. It’s like a ball that has no beginning and no end. We must suffer our karma happily. Fight this karma and learn about your own Dharma and your own God. Each one’s own happiness, karma and satisfaction is God. You have husband, wife, friends with good understanding. Respect yourself, respect your land, respect other Dharmas. Believe in yourself, be confident in yourself. Don’t be depressed or disappointed. Don’t blame God. Correct yourself. Some people are only blaming God. That is only a waste of time. God is a good friend. Another form of God is Nada – sound. Listen to soothing Nada before going to bed and you will slowly understand for yourself. So, in conclusion, I am very happy.
I was thinking about Japan 15 years ago. About 35 years ago, someone gave Swamiji a synthesizer made in Japan. I corresponded with the scientist who made that Roland Synthesizer. We exchanged two or three mails. I wanted to meet the scientist. Anyway, unfortunately, God’s will, he passed away. So, I thought I’d go to Japan sometime later. We need this music in Japan at this time with so many calamities. Not just Japan, but the entire world is suffering.
There are so many droughts. India is a relatively poor country and it too has droughts. But I want to come and hear the Nada. I will share my happiness, my experiences through Nada, through the sounds. Once again, I pray, I bless.
I am very happy. My wish is fulfilled. Yoko came and slowly this program developed as her friends came and they formed a group together to make this program successful. I am also very happy about yesterday’s program. I played a tune yesterday that I got 45 years ago. It’s a very wonderful and very powerful tune – Hamsanandi raga. I fully experienced yesterday’s Nada. I am very happy. I cannot forget. 200 people had to go back because there were no seats. Next time, if you get together and get a bigger hall, may be I will come and do this (concert). This is not a concert, this is only with my friends. You are all my friends and relatives and brothers and sisters. We are all one family. We are all in one big boat, one ship. Next time, we can experience. You can come to Mysore, it’s your house. You will feel like it’s your house. India is a beautiful country. Come and experience. Japan is a very beautiful country. I experience the discipline. The people are also very humble. I am very happy about this.
Q&A with audience:
Question:
We sometimes lose peace of mind, we are confused. How can we control our minds or senses?
Answer:
That is why I said, everyone – the whole world – wants peace of mind. Everyone wants to control the mind. Everyone has same question. That is a common question, that is why I give only one answer. People get upset and sometimes over small things. You are upset about yourselves and also about your friends. When you are upset, you automatically ask to be left alone. People normally ask to be left alone for 5-10 minutes. They want their alone time, they want the peace, they want to meditate. After 15 minutes, they are okay. That is why Swamji’s advice is to listen to music. Nada is the best solution. You can practice sitting and listening to Nada for 1-2 hours or at least 40 minutes each day. Not only my music, but any soothing music. Even listening to a soothing single note for 40 minutes daily is good. Then, you can control your sense organs. That’s my experience. My students are always practicing the same way last 40 years. Swamiji gives simple advice. You can practice then and you will understand for yourself.
Question:
Would You teach us the proper way of breathing?
Answer:
You are asking for Pranayama lessons. We have one course called Kriya Yoga. We also have Mauna in Kriya Yoga. Mauna means silence. We have many courses going on now in Kriya Yoga. Students are learning how to breathe, how to control, how many times to inhale and exhale, how long to hold etc. Those are lessons that cannot be taught in one minute. Sit down and breathe normally. Listen to some soothing music or look for a vision/light in the middle of your eyebrows. Clean your nose and breathe normally. Clean your nose first. If you have a cold, don’t do any breathing exercise until you recover. After the cold is gone, wash your nose and sit for Pranayama early in the morning – 5:45 or 6 am. In the beginning, do normal breathing for 20 minutes. If there are unwanted sounds around you, put some cotton plugs in your ears and sit. That’s the beginner lesson. Next, comes the course. If there is time next time around, I can do Pranayama classes for a couple days, and perhaps also Hatha Yoga classes.
Question:
Sometimes, we are emotional, sometimes angry and therefore we sometimes hurt somebody…
Answer:
That is why I said in the beginning, any problem, any confusion, any weeping, any laughing – good or bad, practice good breathing daily with good sounds/music for 40 minutes. Sudden upsets, sudden weeping and sudden emotions are controlled. 45 years I was traveling and teaching Datta Kriya Yoga. We are a silent group. We don’t want big noisy groups. We want very silent, very family like travel. That is why I’m calling you my family. Datta family. Datta means giving. Giving is God. Datta family experience is a good experience throughout the world. You can also join. This is not for preaching a particular God. This is for health and for good understanding in your mind. You can practice normal breathing with good sound. It controls your feelings.
Question:
It seems to me that there are many people who are lost and can’t find their own mission. Why we are born, how should we live? There have been many natural disasters all over the world. In Japan, there was a big earthquake recently. I’m wondering why these kinds of things happen so often?
Answer:
Calamities happen. We have no right to ask about creation and dissolution. It’s His Dharma, His power. When the old is finished, the new comes into the world. I will give a small example. If you have small children, you may take them to the beach. The husband and wife may be discussing something. The child begin building sand castles. The castle is elaborate with streets, alleys and so many things. After 2 hours, the father calls them to take them home. What does the child do? He kicks everything down and walks away with dad. We are all small children. We are all toys. He is the creator and the destroyer. He also gives way to new creation. No asking questions, “Why calamity?”, “Why tsunami?” It’s in His control. It’s not in your control or the government’s control or science’s control. We are all very tiny puppets. He is the puppeteer. That’s my belief. We will accept whatever is in His leela/miracle and will adjust ourselves accordingly. In Mysore and Bangalore, I have not seen 45-50 degree heat in the last 70 years. This year, they had 50 degree heat. I’ve always seen Mysore and Bangalore at 22-30 degrees, but now it’s 45 degrees. Which God should I complain to? Which government? That is all in His hands. We will experience. I suffered for 10 days, after the 11th day, I adjusted myself. You go to a cold place. You adjust. You go to a hot place. You adjust. You eat a lot or you eat a little and adjust. It’s in our Dharma to adjust, obey and follow His will. No rights to complain. No one takes your complaint. Pray for good strength. “Please give me strength to fight. I will adjust”. He is our master. He is like a mother and a father. We can only obey. He will give strength.
Question:
I am a member of this holy group. I have been studying/practicing Sri Padavallabha Guru Chartira. Will you tell me any other practice?
Answer:
That is enough (practice). Hanuman is like vayu, He is invisible. Our breath, our Kriya Yoga is Hanuman. Hanuman is Kriya Yoga. Ganapati is first letter, Om. That is why in Datta tradition, Ganapati who is Omkara sound represents the five elements. Hanuman is vayu, he is the invisible Prana. Hanuman is everywhere. The air we are breathing is Hanuman. Our Prana is Hanuman. Since we need a figure to worship, we keep a form (for Hanuman). Vayu took the form of Hanuman, so we respect the form. Sound took form of Ganapati, so we respect that form. Sound is Ganapati and Vayu is Hanuman – that is Datta sampradayat/tradition. You can follow Datta sampradaya, you will know more and more. I am very happy you are following Datta sampradaya.
Sri Guru Datta