Speech of HH Sri Datta Vijayananda Teertha Swamiji – September 7, 2017 – Bangalore
Compiled by Shruthi Jagadish
Sri Ganeshaya Namaha
Sri Saraswatyai Namaha
Sri Padavallabha Narasimha Saraswati
Sri Guru Dattatreyaya Namaha
Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Sadgurubhyo Namo Namaha
Tvamasmin Karya Niryoge Pramanam Hari Sattama
Hanuman Yatnamaastaaya Dukhakshaya Karo Bhava
Om Namo Hanumate Namaha
Jai Bolo Karyasiddhi Anjaneya Swami Ki JAI
Jai Bolo Sadgurunath Maharaj Ki JAI.
Today is Thursday. We have all performed the Sadguru Paduka Puja with devotion. Chaturmasya Vrata Deeksha was completed and we visited Mekedatu as part of the Vishwaroopa Vijaya Yatra to mark Seemollanghana (crossing the border of the town indicating the conclusion of the Chaturmasya Vrata). There is a rule in the Shastra that on the day of Seemollanghana, which falls on a Poornima, the 11th Chapter of Bhagavat Gita (Vishwaroopa Sandarshana Yoga) is to be chanted. We all participated in the Parayana. The secret message in the 11th Chapter is to attempt to visualize the universal form of the Lord. We prayed to this form of the Lord.
Medical camp and Annadana was arranged in Mekedatu. We also performed Archana to Sangameshwara. After all these events, we have now come to Karya Siddhi Anjaneya Swami Kshetra in Bangalore. I’m very happy to have Hanuman’s darshan and see you all in Karya Siddhi Mantapa. I pray that you are all blessed with the phala/benefit of the Chaturmasya Vrata.
Many social, spiritual and religious programs were conducted as part of this 14th Chaturmasya Vrata in Mysore Ashrama. Pujya Sri Swamiji’s presence in Mysore for a greater span of time during the Chaturmasya brought us all great joy and happiness! This is probably the longest Sri Swamiji has spent in Mysore during Chaturmasya. We wonder how so many programs were conducted and the time elapsed so quickly!
Any small noble task or austerity undertaken during the Chaturmasya gives immense benefits as said in the Vedas, as indicated by Mahatmas and Sadguru. Everyone must observe Chaturmasya. During this period, some restrictions in the food are to be followed. This benefits our health and also enables us to undertake spiritual practices by granting us Aasana Siddhi (the ability to sit with concentration for long periods without difficulty). It also grants us Mantra Siddhi. Chaturmasya is observed during the Hindu calendar months of Ashada and Shravana up till the full moon in Bhadrapada.
In Ashada, particularly in Karnataka, Chamundi Mata’s birthday is celebrated. It is specially celebrated in Mysore.
You are all aware of the many festivals in Shravana. I was very happy to hear that during the Shravana Masa in our Karya Siddhi Hanuman Sannidhi here, even if grains of sand were dropped, it would not reach the ground!! Such is the crowd visiting the temple! A single pradakshina would take 30 minutes to complete! That is how Hanuman is attracting devotees! Why do devotees throng the temple? Because Swami is answering their prayers and removing their problems. Sometimes Swami may think that if the work gets done with the first Poornaphala samarpana, the devotee may not return and hence he sometimes takes longer to complete the tasks to bring his devotees closer to him, so he can see them again. People are tying coconut multiple times, they are tying coconut even after their wishes are fulfilled. They desire to have Hanuman’s darshana. If you stand in the temple and pray for a few minutes, if feels like being in a different world. We may feel like we are in Ayodhya or Anjanadri. That is the Shakti Sri Swamiji has installed in the Hanuman consecrated here.
In Mysore, thousands of people visit Sri Datta Venkateshwara temple during Shravan Masa. All Vratas were observed. This year, a special Cancer Screening camp was held at Mysore Ashrama.
About 200 children from America learnt by heart and chanted all the 700 shlokas of Bhagavat Gita! It was an amazing event! Devotee groups from various centers rendered Bhajana Seva during Sri Chakra Puja throughout Chaturmasya Vrata.
In Bhadrapada masa, we celebrated Gauri-Ganesha festival. This was celebrated as Ganapati Navaratri for 9 days. Pushya Navaratri, Vasanta Navaratri, Ganesha/Ganapati Navaratri and Devi Navaratri are very special Navaratri. We believe that those who ardently worship Lord Ganapati during this Navaratri are blessed abundantly by the Lord. The intent of the Chaturmasya is to carry the fruits of all these noble activities performed in the 2 months and spread it all around the world to benefit all the noble people around the world.
“Sarve Cha Sukhinah Santu,
Sarve Santu Niraamayaah,
Sarve Bhadraani Pashyantu,
Maakaschit Duhkha Bhagbhavet”
We pray that let there be no sorrow, may all be happy and the benefits of the Vrata is distributed to the world in the Vishwa Roopa Vijaya Yatra Seemollanghana. I’m very happy that Bangalore is also part of this program.
“Kaale Varshatu Parjanyaha
Prithivi Sasya Shaalinee
Deshoyam Kshobha Rahitaha
Sajjanaah Santu Nirbhayah”
We must pray for timely rains. We pray for rains in May and then feel sad that it did not rain! May is summer. You have to experience the heat in that season. It started raining in Shravana Masa. I do not have to tell the people of Bangalore about rains! I heard that many are now owning a boat along with car and also learning to row! Our infrastructure is such! There is no passage for the rain water to flow out. That does not imply that we pray that it should not rain! We need timely rains for crops to grow. This is the Nature’s law. It had been so many years since we witnessed Arkavati River flowing in all her glory! Today we saw in Mekedatu, the river had swelled! Where did all this water come from? May be from Bangalore rains! If the rives are bountiful, the crops along its course are benefited. This is a cycle in nature. Nobody can deny this. It is our duty to pray for timely rains.
I come across something written very beautifully today. Our ancestors talked of ‘water’. The generations that came next talked of ‘rivers’. Further down the line, people talked of water with reference to water in ‘wells’. Now we see are seeing water in bottles. In future, there will only be ‘water drop’ to seek. We are struggling for every drop of water.
Each devotee always seeks his own well-being. But we must also pray that others should live a happy life. One who prays this way is a noble person is truly blessed.
We fear war these days. China was on the verge of a war with India. But by God’s grace, it was stalled. We are very happy that a major disaster was averted. We must congratulate the government that handled the situation well.
Now Korea and America are at loggerheads. I wonder why Korea is moving in such a direction! We do not want wars anywhere in the world. It causes great harm. All must pray for world peace, but everyone is engaged in their own world – their job, family. One is mostly praying that his task gets done, his health is good, he gets a promotion and his family and children do well. Hence the responsibility of praying for the world lies with people like me. So we pray not just for ourselves, but for universal welfare during Chaturmasya. This is a very important purpose of Chaturmasya. The merit accrued by all the noble activities done during this period is distributed to the entire world, seeking the happiness of all beings.
We have now completed this Chaturmasya Vrata. I’m very happy to be here in Karya Siddhi Mantapa. Tomorrow we are travelling to Kanipakam for Brahmotsavam rituals of Lord Ganapati. From there, we proceed to Tirupathi. There is also an ashram at Tirupati. After the darshan of Lord Venkateshwara, we will be travelling to Bhadrachalam and from there to Nadupalani and then to Mysore.
This year is very special as it is Kaveri Pushkara. It starts on the 12th of Sep and lasts for 12 days. Taking a holy dip in Kaveri River during these 12 days is immensely beneficial. You must take bath in the river and try to perform some austerity there – such as mantra japa. The merit gained is immense. It hardly takes 2 hours to travel to Srirangapatna from here. You can take a holy dip and return the same day. It is also a very auspicious time to perform Pitrkarma (rituals for the departed). Arrangements are being made from Ashrama to facilitate these activities. A Kalyana Mantapa is booked for this purpose. Performing these rituals during Pushkara relieves one of Pitru Dosha, Matru dosha and the sins accrued from mistakes committed knowingly or unknowingly. We may be undergoing many difficulties due to these sins that we have accumulated. Conducting these rituals at this time will help us overcome all the ill-effects due to these sins. You can go any one of these 12 days. Some suggest that it is special to visit the place on the day that matches theirs birth star. There is no such thing. You can visit on any day.
However, if you wish to perform the Pirtukarma, it must be done on the appropriate day (Tithi) on the banks of this river. May Lord bless you all with good devotion.
Our devotion must be steady. Our devotion is like the clapper of the bell. The bell must ring constantly at all times. We only strike the clapper at times of difficulty. The bell rings only once. This must not be the case. One must be devoted even in times of happiness. This keeps difficulties away. We need this kind of steady devotion with constant remembrance of the Lord. The lord is pleased just with remembrance – Smarthri gaami, Smriti Maatra Santushtaya. We pray to Lord Dhanvantari who has blessed us with the science of Ayurveda. Dharvantari is praised in Bhagavat Gita as
“Dhanvantarir Dairgatamaha
Ayurveda Pravartakaha
Yajnabhuk Vaasudevamshaha
Smritimaatraarthi Naashanam”
Dhavantari is the son of Dairgatama. He has given us the knowledge of medicines that increases our longevity, the offering made to Lord Vishnu during sacrifices are accepted by Him. He removes our difficulties just be remembering him. He takes away our sorrows if we constantly remember him. We must pray for this kind of steady devotion and a mind that is fixed on God. There should never be a moment where the mind forgets the Lord. We must pray for this state. He showers his grace upon such devotees. Our devotion must be such that we are able to visualize him in all being, at all times, irrespective of the chores we are engaged in. Developing this kind of devotion is itself the Vishwa Roopa Sandarshana Yoga!
Kaveri Pushkara will be celebrated for 12 days. Normally Pushkara is celebrated for Godavari, Krishna etc where lakhs of people gather. It is a blessing that as a practice, in Karnataka, this is a small festivity and not as many people will gather! It becomes very difficult if so many people gather at a place at one time! We were at Rajamundry for Godavari pushkara. There was such a huge crowd that even breathing was very difficult! About 3 crore people had gathered in a place that could accommodate only 3-4 lakh people! Can you imagine the crowd?? There was no air around! Kaveri, on the other hand, will be very pleasant and joyous. Don’t miss taking a holy dip in Kaveri River. You can bring the water home and sprinkle the holy water on all. The pushkara will overlap with 2 days of Navaratri. You can go during that time as well. I pray that you are all blessed by the Lord and the rest of the Yatra starting tomorrow completes without any obstacles!
Bolo Sadgurunath Maharaj Ki JAI!