Message of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – Navaratri day 5 – September 25, 2017
Courtesy: FB Page Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji
Sri Mātre namah
Jaya devi Viśālākṣi jaya sarvāntarara-sthithe
Mānye pūjye jagaddhātri sarvamangala mangale
The Supreme Mother illumines beyond name and form. That Divine Mother, who inherently is devoid of form, can be worshipped in any form. She, who inherently is beyond name, can be worshipped through any name. For this reason, Mother Goddess is glorified as -Oṃ nāṃarūpa vivarjitāyai namaḥ.
Manduka-upanishad states that just as rivers gives up their form and identity to merge into the ocean, all living entities give up their name and form to merge into the Almighty. Likewise, every person who ardently worships any form of the Lord, ultimately merges into the Supreme Mother. In this period of Kali, people who worship Mother Goddess are bestowed with instantaneous results (sadhya-phala). It implies that afflictions of Kali-yuga will not torment them.
Rice cooked in jaggery (gudanna) is very dear to Mother Goddess. Accepting this dish offered by her devotees, this Mother fulfils their desires.
Sumati was an ardent devotee of Mother Goddess. Seated in a temple, one morning, he was listening to the Devi-purāna (the sacred text pertaining to Mother Goddess) wherein it was said, ‘Oṃ guḍānna-prīta mānasāyai namaḥ’- which means, rice cooked in jaggery (gudanna) is very dear to Mother Goddess.
Sumati was impressed and he developed deep liking towards this sweet-rice. Every morning he would prepare sweet-rice and, after offering to Mother Goddess, would consume the whole preparation without sharing it with others.
Days passed. Mother Goddess was pleased with Sumati’s devotion but thought it essential to correct this small mistake. That morning Sumati offered sweet-rice to Mother Goddess and when he went out on some errand, 9 small girls, all of whom were eight years of age, entered his home and, holding the vessel containing sweet-rice, escaped from there.
Sumati who was returning home saw these girls and began chasing them screaming, “O girls, please return that prasadam vessel. In exchange I will offer you some other item”. These 9 girls, all of whom were manifestations of the single Supreme Mother, said, “We are very hungry. We want only this sweet-rice. We are not going to return this to you.”
Sumati chased them for a long time but failed to trace them. Exhausted, he slept beneath a tree. While he was in deep sleep, he was suddenly awakened by the leader of dacoits. Seeing the dacoit-leader before him Sumati was agitated. Nevertheless, the dacoit-leader tapped him pleasantly and said, “I have heard of the tasty sweet-rice you prepare. For a long time, I have been waiting to meet you. Such opportunity has arrived today. A few minutes ago I saw some girls take a vessel containing sweet-rice and running away.
We are aware that you consume sweet-rice without sharing with others. We, the dacoits, love people who hoard without sharing. This is because we too hoard the wealth we steal. Pleased with you, I am appointing you as our cook. Unable to cope with cooking chores, all members of my group are struggling for food. You will be rewarded with a share in our loot provided you cook for us daily”.
While the gang of dacoits were celebrating that they had found a good cook, Sumati was lost in thought, “Aha! Mother Goddess has taught me an apt lesson. Greediness and selfishness are unacceptable in matters concerning prasadam (sanctified food). Prasadam is meant to be distributed. Filled with greed, I was consuming the entire preparation all alone. In order to destroy my selfishness, Divine Mother has punished me. I will go through this punishment as repentance for my sin”.
Having concluded thus, Sumati carried their bag of loot and walked behind them. After they had walked for some time, the tired dacoits rested under a tree. When they dozed off, Sumati kept the bag of loot beside him and drifted into deep sleep.
Exactly at that time, the king’s soldiers arrived there. Seeing them, the dacoits fled. The soldiers caught Sumati, who was in deep sleep and pleased that they had caught at least one dacoit, they began to drag him to the king.
As they were about to proceed, a married lady accompanied by nine girls suddenly accosted them and screamed, “Stop”. Then addressing the soldiers, she asked, “Why are you dragging this man?” To this, the soldiers replied that he was a dacoit whom they had caught.
The lady chastised, “Aha! Do you all have any sense? Do have possess any discrimination and wisdom? Unable to arrest real dacoits you arrest a meek, helpless fellow. Are your actions justifiable? Will any thief sleep peacefully with a bag of loot beside him? Can’t you observe the calmness in his face? Do you see any traces of pretentiousness in it? Have you observed whether his hands are rough due to engaging in criminal deeds? Does he appear cruel? Learn to recognize true dacoits. The dacoits have escaped in that direction. Release this man and catch them instead”.
The soldiers released Sumati and went in search of the real dacoits. With a pleasant smile, the married lady vanished from there together with the nine girls. By the time Sumati recovered from this shock, a vessel containing hot sweet-rice appeared in his hands. Pleased that the Mother Goddess had protected him and also taught him a very important lesson, Sumati was soaked in devotion.
From that day, he developed compassion towards all living entities and distributed the daily prasadam to others. He remained satisfied with whatever was left after such distribution. Through this deed, he was uplifted. One morning, the Divine Mother herself descended and ate the prasadam offered to Her and taking Sumati along, She returned to Her abode.
Divine Mother shows unending compassion towards devotees who have placed implicit faith in Her. Considering the insignificant worship offered by any person in accordance to his/her principles and traditions to be as huge as a mountain, She showers abundant blessings upon him/her.
May the grace of Mother Goddess cause good sense to prevail in all living entities who are living in the boundary called ‘this world’!
Jay Jagadamba