Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – January 26, 2017 – Kadapa
Compiled by: Smt Hira Duvvuri
Sri Maha Ganapataye Namaha
Sri Saraswatyai Namaha
Sripada Vallabha Narasimha Saraswati
Sri Guru Dattatreyaya Namaha
Jai Pavanasuta Veera Hanuman ki Jai.
God’s name is uttered in three ways, loudly, merely moving the lips, and silently and mentally. Sri Hare Krishna, Govinda, Mukunda, Achyuta, Ananta, Madhava, Upendra, Hare Krishna, Narayana.
The way a child calls its mother when it is hungry, Mother,
Hanumanta, Om namo Hanumate namaha. Om Ayim Hreem Sivarama Anagha Dattaya Namaha.
Chant all the prayers you know every day, mentally, silently.
Now loudly say Jaya Guru Datta, Sri Guru Datta.
Whoever has smart phones, raise your hands. Draw the attention of the volunteers and get SGS Posts installed. Girls will succeed in doing this, because they are cute. They will sweetly say, Uncle, give me your phone. Learn how to do the free download. Shall I do it for you myself? Kriya Yoga Master will teach the children how to install. Android and IPhones only. Not compatible with windows.
Every month Ganapati Homa is conducted here. The proceeds go to the temple. I am gifted some ankle bells. I will wear them. In high school I did Harikatha, in Kandukur and Gondireddipalli near Penna river. I would skip school and bathe in the river. Those days, the river had plenty of water. I then went to Proddatur and studied there for some time, then Bengaluru, and then to Mysuru. From Bommeparti, I went to Kandukur to another grandfather’s home to study there. Then I was learning lessons. Now I am teaching lessons.
See how much Swamiji was traveling even then. I still travel. Never stay in one place. Now Swamiji is 75. At least for one year I wish to remain in Mysuru ashrama for a whole year without traveling. All ashrama people have agreed. From this year’s Guru Purnima till the Guru Purnima next year. I will go once to Mekedatu to bathe in the River Kaveri. I will also visit my Mother’s Adhishthanam. All 365 days, there will be festivities. Venkataramana Swami has come down from Tirupati to Mysuru Ashrama. Now Kala Bhairava also has come. He removes all difficulties and drives away evil spirits. He removes all types of fears and childhood problems. 8 of them have come, eight Bhairavas have come. How many of you have visited the Bhairava Temple underground? There is a closed tunnel there leading to Chamundi Hill. It is a 300-400 year old temple now renovated. Many great souls used to come to the ashram in earlier times through that tunnel. On the hill they used to move about in the sky. That is why Swamiji has selected that particular place for his ashrama. Many people ask why Swamiji has not found a larger acreage. Even in this location we are able to accommodate 50 thousand people. About a thousand people live there. I do not invite anyone. I am merely informing you and giving you the address. There is a beautiful garden with all types of trees. Recently a 3 day Bonsai conference was held, where many came from different countries, who are experts at the bonsai art. If you come, you can enjoy the beautiful premises.
Many of you have not come, although it is so near. You had to go to the movies, quarrel, lie down with a headache, your daughter delivered a child – all these are your excuses. Do come before time runs out, and visit the ashrama. There is a Shuka Vana where thousands come to visit, including people of other religions. 450 different species of parrots are there. There are school children visiting daily as annual excursion. With these physical eyes, see the parrots. Each parrot is a deity. Do visit.
Many inferior mobile phones do not support the SGS Posts. They are not useful. Get good phones. Keep the old ones on the worship altar. Swamiji is posting daily Bhagavatam episodes. It comes with English translation.
You need at least two hours to see Shuka Vana. The fantastic colors of the parrots are a wonder to see. It is a marvel of God’s creation.
Subscribe to Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji page on facebook. 50 lakh members are there for that page. You also join by clicking on Subscribe. Kadapa devotees also must join. Now daily Sundara Kanda is posted. Hand-drawn paintings personally colored by Swamiji, are posted there. Do you have it on your mobile? It is a facebook page. All of you need liberation. You need this.
Bengaluru devotees are having a big celebration for the 5 million Likes of Swamiji page. In five minutes a post get 70 thousand Likes. It is a spiritual page, that is unsurpassed in popularity.
Parrots are granted such fantastic colors. We cannot create such combinations. Once Rama wondered if anyone in Kali Yuga chants the name of Rama. He heard Hanuman chanting Rama Rama. So, Rama took the form of a parrot and landed on Hanuman’s shoulder to listen to his chanting.
It is highly meritorious to take care of parrots, to feed them fruits and seed, give them water, to make them talk and say Rama, they repeat what you say.
On January 2, Modi came to the ashram. The parrot says, Bharata Mata ki Jai. It was so nice. Parrots understand what to say when. During Hanuman Chalisa Maha Yajna, a parrot sings Jaya Hanuman Jnana Guna Sagara. You can watch on Youtube videos. During Navaratri, a parrot perches on my shoulder and chants, Om ayim Hreem shreem along with me for hours. Human beings do not say like that for so long. They get restless. They want to walk around or go home. When you come to Mysuru, see the parrots.
Earlier there were many parrots, but now there are only 400 parrots in the whole world of certain species. Such parrots are preserved and protected in Shuka Vana. Many species have already become extinct. While they are still existing, come to Mysuru, for Birthday, Navaratri, SDVT Brahmotsavam, plan on attending Sivaratri, and Datta Jayanti. These are most important festivals. You must come and participate. Stay overnight. Or stay all day. Kadapa is close by. Only overnight travel.
How did Bhagavatam come to us? Who gifted it to us? Brahma told Narada. Narada told Vyasa and Vyasa told his son Shuka. Shuka narrated to Parikshit. From Shuka, Shounaka and other rishis heard the story and it came to us. Vyasa wrote all the Puranas and wrote commentaries on the Upanishads also. He codified the scriptures and made it easy for our study.
Vyasa was very sad despite composing all these works. Narada approached and asked the reason for his sorrow. Brahma gave you the divine vision to know everything so you could write it down. Ganapati was Vyasa’s scribe. He wrote down as fast as Vyasa could dictate. Such great books you have written. Why are you feeling despondent?
Listen attentively. Swamiji is explaining the birth of Bhagavatam. You can listen to this story any number of times.
Vyasa could not explain the reason for his dejection. When Narada asked, Vyasa listed all the works he had done. Narada said, you have written everything about spiritual knowledge and detachment. But there is a work yet to be written that deals with devotion, spiritual wisdom, and dispassion. It explains the principle about God, and gives the stories of the incarnations of God. You should write the story of Krishna. You should write all of this as Bhagavatam.
Another story we will recollect. Mother Goddess Parvati asked Sadasiva to teach her the God principle including the concepts of devotion, knowledge, and dispassion. Please give the Bhagavatam upadesam. Then our Father, the Yoga Guru said, it is highly secretive. I will tell you.
Secret here does not mean it should not be shared with others. It is a puzzle that cannot be easily solved. Such is this secret. No one can decipher its inner meaning. Only the eligible can listen to it. If it is told to someone who is unqualified, they will only make fun of it. That should not happen. The ineligible will not understand its value.
Siva asked for a place where it is completely isolated for the upadesam to take place. Parvati found a deep, deserted cave for the purpose. As Siva was giving her the instruction they heard the sound of something falling to the ground. It was a baby bird that just hatched. Siva got angry that someone was eavesdropping. Parvati did not wish for Siva’s burning gaze to kill the parrot, and so told the bird to quickly fly way from there. That parrot flew and reached Vyasa who was generating fire for a yajna by rubbing two pieces of special wood. They create friction by churning the two pieces of wood together. People laugh at the idea of churning to generate fire. People churn to make buttermilk. That fire that generates is used for performing the sacred fire ritual. They do not use man-made match sticks. They do not use cigarette lighters or camphor, or any other lamp. For ordinary homas they may use the above.
While the yajna was commencing the parrot fell there and almost died. Vyasa revived it and it transformed itself into Shuka brahma. The name was given to him because he was born a Jnani, an enlightened being because he heard the upadesam from Lord Siva himself. Later Vyasa again taught him the Bhagavatam.
Shuka Brahma never stays in one place. He remains in one place only for the short duration it takes to milk from the udder of a cow once, just one squeeze. He keeps moving. He followed that austerity. Even to this day he is roaming about. Today he is here in Kadapa. He taught the Bhagavatam to Parikshit in seven days. He is here today. Parikshit was succeeded by his son Janamejaya.
Due to the influence of Kali Yuga, Parikshit temporarily lost his discretion and insulted a rishi and incurred a curse from his son that he would die in seven days from snake bite, from the snake Takshaka.
Kali took the form of a human and was seen kicking with his legs a cow and a bull. The cow lost three of its legs. Parikshit saw this action and scolded him. How can the cow get up when it has only one leg left? It is weeping. Kali said, hereafter, in Kali Yuga, Dharma will run only on one leg. Kali announced that whoever comes under his influence will turn into a wicked and idiotic fellow. He boasted of his power. Parikshit was about to kill Kali. Kali said, you are the king. I have to find a place to live in your kingdom. Please provide me some refuge. Parikshit granted him certain places where he could remain: places where theft, falsehood, deceit, gambling, drinking, and prostitution take place. Let such people who engage in such acts become bankrupt, and wretched. Kali said whoever engages in such acts, I will occupy their homes. Kali asked for one other place of residence. Parikshit said he may live in gold. That is why gold creates so many problems. Gold attracts deceivers, thieves, murderers, and greedy people. It is because Kali resides in gold. Some give away gold in charity because they do not want to come under the influence of Kali.
One day Parikshit went hunting alone, wearing a new gold crown. Because he touched gold, Kali got into him and influenced him. Parikshit’s mind lost its balance. When Parikshit entered a hermitage thirsty for water, a sage was found lost in meditation. He was not aware of the king’s presence and failed to offer hospitality. Angered by the neglect shown towards him, Parikshit got angry and insulted Sage Shameeka, by dropping a dead snake around his neck. His arrogance made him behave very badly. Arjuna’s own grandson, A great king, who was Krishna’s own kin, who had performed many highly meritorious deeds, behaved abominably due to the influence of Kali. It was because he wore gold on his head. Gold brings all kinds of problems.
Shameeka’s son saw the dead snake around the father’s neck and got furious. He cursed that whoever insulted his father would die of snakebite within seven days. When Shameeka regained awareness, he found out what happened. He at once scolded his son that he was misguided in cursing the king under whose benevolent protection the sages are able to conduct their penance. For such a small misdemeanor, the son had flung such a huge curse upon a great king.
For a small mistake, only a small punishment should be given. For a huge mistake, a huge punishment should be given. He sent his son to give word to the king at once of the curse upon his life.
Parikshit, when he heard the news, renounced everything. He gave up his kingdom, wore robes of bark and got ready for his death. He intended to jump into the Ganga. Then all the sages in Naimisharanya got together and advised the king to listen to the Bhagavatam in seven days from the great sage Shuka. They assured him that this penance would grant him Liberation.
Shuka was born somewhere. And see where he arrived now. He came to Parikshit and narrated to him the Bhagavatam. All the saints from the forest also heard the story. All of you also listen. Listen over and over again. The first time, you may not understand the message. Now all those who have downloaded SGS Posts will have the Bhagavatam episodes in your pockets. You may listen to them any time you wish.
This Guru Nilayam here took ten years to build. Now it has been inaugurated. Many build in ten days or ten months. What a palace they built in ten years. Had people helped earlier, it would have been built much faster. It went at snail’s place. The old Guru Nilayam also needs repairs. Now the donors may come and receive prasadam. Then the Pradhana Homa sponsors. After that, everyone may come and have Paduka darshan. If you make noise, I will go inside and you will not see me again. From inside I will depart on my tour.
Sri Guru Datta