Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – Kriya Yoga conference day 1- February 16, 2018 – Mysore
Compiled by: Archana Penukonda
Sri Maha Ganapataye Namaha.
Sri Saraswatyai Namaha
Sri Padavallabha Narasimha Saraswati
Sri Guru Dattatreyaya Namaha
I am very happy to inaugurate this year’s KRIYA YOGA conference. You know what KRIYA YOGA is. I have explained so many times. Simply listening to lectures is not good. I do not like it. It is okay in the beginning. Swamiji speaks and many other people come and give lectures. But these are not lectures. It is only advice. What is important is that we practice. We have only been hearing speeches for so many years. But you must practice. What is the use of giving lectures again and again? I speak and you listen with interest. But what is important is practice. Only when we practice will it give some meaning to what we hear. Otherwise, all our time is spent in lectures. I do not understand it.
You are told that Swamiji will speak for an hour, or that Bala Swamiji will speak for two hours or that Kuppa Venkata Krishna Murthy will speak for three hours or that Dr. Phanishree will speak for 30 minutes. What is the use? That is only for pastime. No doubt, the lectures are good. But all those lectures are in the books – in Patanjali Yoga Sutras, in Tantra Shastra, Yoga Vidya Taranga etc. There are so many different kinds of books. Even Vedas talk about Yoga, albeit a little differently. Bhagavad Gita also talks about Yoga. Different spiritual practices (Sadhanas) are referred to as Yoga. I agree, we need to talk, we need such lectures. But at the same time, you must practice. It is not enough to listen to lectures and read books. Some brilliant people read books and start delivering lectures. Nice. But what about you? You must practice. What is the use of eminent scholars giving lectures? Sure, you can learn something and it is not a complete waste. But it is not 100% beneficial. It is only a pastime. You may not feel that way, but that is how I feel. What we should seek is practical experience. We should spend most of our time seeking that practical experience. Practice. Do Sadhana.
We have a lot of content in the KRIYA YOGA books. There is content matter for 100 years in the KRIYA YOGA books. We also published some other translations. There are so many books. But we are not practicing what is in the books. We are only storing those books in the bookshelves. We are expanding our library at home – our private bookshop. But what about you? We are getting more and more books and more lectures. Our private collection is increasing, that is all. Not one book do you ever read. Neither do you have the time, nor do you understand the book. You want to keep collecting books at home. The one who truly experiences needs no collection. Two or three important books for reference are enough. But we first need to practice in order to even put the references to use. You are using the books only to decorate the shelf. You are not referring to the books, because you are not practicing. You must practice and use the reference books as teachers.
There is no doubt I like the idea of collecting books, but you must put those books to use. You must keep referring to them. Many do not even dust the books. Cockroaches infest the books. You get more shelves to accommodate new books. Most of it is for ostentation – to show off that you are collecting all these books for your children. If your children do not care for you, how will they care for the books? The books are guides and friends. Refer to Srimad Bhagavatam and Bhagavad Gita shlokas. Learn the meaning and refer to them when in doubt. Refer to the Yoga books for Asanas. They are your private teachers. If you do not use the books, it will be relegated to just a collection. We will just have to keep buying new book shelves to store the new books. The children also get confused about the books.
There is nothing wrong in collecting books – those books may not be available in the future. You must collect every book needed. You must. If you do not, that would be wrong. The books are like teachers, friends and guides. Use them often – daily, weekly or monthly. Pick a subject for the day and refer to the respective books, whether it is Bhagavad Gita or Srimad Bhagavatam or Kriya Yoga or something else. Some people only collect books for fashion, just as some attend Kriya Yoga classes for fashion. Some register for Kriya Yoga classes as a pastime. Some people are sitting here in the Kriya Yoga conference to see what dramas go on here. They are testing classes and testing Swamiji. No use. Your money is a waste. You are eating food worth Rs. 1000, so the remaining Rs. 1000 that you offer as fee is like giving money to beggars. There is no use. You must not come to class just to test things out or to pass time. This is also like collecting wasteful books. You join because it is inexpensive to join the class. Some have no intention of practicing at all. They just show up to class, perhaps out of love and respect for Swamiji.
Neither are you using the books, nor are you using these lessons. Those who heard the announcement about this Kriya Yoga conference in large gatherings did not even show up. During Hanuman Chalisa in Vizag, we made an announcement about this Kriya Yoga conference. How many of you are here after hearing about it in Vizag for the first time? Did you not know about it last year? Was that the first time you heard about it? Did you not see it on the website? Did you not hear about it from friends? How many of you heard about it first on that day of Hanuman Chalisa in Vizag and showed up here? Nobody. The organizers had wanted me to announce this program in Vizag. People know through the various media you are announcing on already. But, what is the use of announcing at large gatherings if people do not show up. In the same way, what is the use of collecting the books if you do not ever use them? Books should also be put to good use. Similarly, the lessons you learn at this Datta Kriya Yoga conference should also be put to good use. That is the point I am making.
We must benefit from our actions. Our power and energy should not go to waste. I always calculate that. Either the people, or the Ashram or I should benefit. If there is money coming from a program, it can benefit the Ashram. If I give a particular message, it gives a purpose to this incarnation. Third, if the people can benefit, the activity is worth doing. If neither of these three happens, what is the use? If the members of the household are not uplifted because of my house visit, if there is no offering of donation (Dakshina), and if they will not help the Ashram in the future, what is the use of my house visit? No one – neither you nor I – is benefitting. At least if you offered Dakshina, it would benefit the Ashrama. Some people offer a meagre amount like Rs. 101. That will not even cover the bus fare. I calculate like that. I am very miserly. I do not waste money or my energy. There is a reason behind everything I am doing. Either Swamiji, or the person or the organization should benefit from the actions. If neither of those are there, I refuse to do a house visit. If no one benefits, why bother? Why should I even live? My mind goes that far.
I do not visit some places because there is no use. I want some purpose. I calculate a lot. If you have no use for it, why collect the book? You think you will find use in the future. You must find use today or tomorrow. That is the way to use the power of Kriya Yoga. Some come to class just paying a nominal amount. I let them be because there is some money coming from them. I calculate a lot. God also does his calculations carefully. Try to understand the essence of what I am saying. Do not take this literally. God is not miserly, nor am I. Swamiji is here to benefit you all. At least some people should get benefited. Swamiji hopes that even those who are here casually will get transformed. I keep showing a lot of compassion towards those who are not devoted because I am hopeful that they will eventually get uplifted. That is my way. Even though it is a waste of time, I think about them.
So, what did you all do? You all wasted. What did you waste? You heard a lot of lectures from Sri Kuppa Venkata Krishna Murthy, from Sri Bala Swamiji and from Sri Swamiji. Can one of you stand up and tell me one page worth of our messages? I will walk up to you now and prostrate to you if you did. What is the use if you cannot even remember what is being taught? You want lectures this year too. No use. This is just pastime. I forgive only because someone may be benefiting from these lectures. The organization benefits. You are not benefiting. You are just listening with your ears. What I am saying may sound harsh, but it has a purpose. Does it not? You are very happy listening to the lectures. It goes into one ear and out the other. You see so many movies, do you remember them all?
Like friendships on a train, we make friends with people around us. We even exchange food, money, addresses etc. with those we meet on a train. People even get married. But once the train reaches the station, the passenger has to get off. All that love ends in a year or two. For some people, the love ends in a couple days. You must not make it a passenger friendship with Datta Kriya Yoga. This is not temporary friendship. These are strong lessons with DATTA KRIYA YOGA. This time is precious. It is very difficult to get this experience again. When the speakers are speaking, make a note in your heart and practice (what you are hearing). Otherwise, it is a waste. It is like friendships made on the bus or train. The friendships become very strong for two or three hours and then each goes his/her own way. This is not bus/train travel. This is not temporary friendship. This friendship with DATTA KRIYA YOGA is not only life-long, it goes into next life as well.
The relationship with DATTA KRIYA YOGA is very strong and precious. Do not waste it. Some people attend classes, but do not practice. Why attend? You must benefit yourself. At least practice two or three Pranayamas and small exercises daily. Practice Hatha Yoga and easy Asanas. Even those that have had knee or back surgeries can practice. There are various kinds of easy Asanas for you. KRIYA YOGA is an Upanishad. You must follow and practice. Otherwise, my lecture is a waste. You listen, get happy, applaud and walk way. I should also be happy after speaking. I am however, not like that. Unless someone benefits, I will not speak. When I sing Bhajans, someone must benefit or at the very least, it must make me happy. It is not important to sing just for the sake of it. I sing even if I have a bad throat, because it is good for me. First, I want to be satisfied with my words, my music, my spiritual practices (Sadhana) and worship (Puja). Then, automatically everyone is happy. First, you should be happy about the good things you are doing. Then, others are automatically happy. The mic is very useful, but it does not experience happiness. You must not be like the mic. It is conveying the sounds, but it has no soul. If it had a soul, it would walk away in bliss. It heard so many nectar-like speeches, music and songs. It is man-made, therefore, it has no soul. If it were God made, it would have had a soul. So, He is happy if you are happy. Brahma is very happy if you are happy and everyone is happy.
You must practice Yoga. Then, if you give lectures to other people, they will automatically benefit and experience the happiness. First, you must understand KRIYA YOGA and practice diligently. You must understand Yoga Asanas. Practice whether you have 10 minutes or 15 minutes or 40 minutes. You must experience it for yourself. Then, you can share with other people also. If we have no contentment, how can we give others contentment? If the cook is satisfied, imagine how good the food will be? A good cook can tell the taste from just the aroma. They do not need to taste the food. Like that, we must be satisfied first. Otherwise, we should not embark on it. If you spend your life just eating and sleeping, you are a waste. Your life is a waste. That must not happen. Your Sadhana must be useful to you and to others as well.
My lectures, Bhajans etc. are all for the benefit of others. Otherwise, why should I work so hard facing the harsh lights of the camera? Will I survive only if I do music or teach yoga or give speeches? I can survive regardless. I am not doing it for survival. I do it for happiness – my happiness and others’ happiness. I want you all to become like me. I can go on describing happiness to you, but when you truly experience happiness is when I am happy. I am giving my experience and happiness to you. You must also practice. Please practice. I am giving my experience and happiness to you in the form of books and in the form of teachers. The teachers do not have their own experience either. They are like wooden dolls. I have them propagate DATTA KRIYA YOGA. All teachers are like wooden dolls to me. The tape recorder plays sound, but what benefit does it get? You (teachers) must not become like tape recorders. Listening to them however, someone will get uplifted. Seeing others uplifted is when these teachers will understand. I could not find blissful people to come and teach. If I did, they would not teach. They would remain silent. These teachers are here to seek/learn. They share what they know. If you ask them for more, they may not be able to give. They can only tell you what they learned. You are all teachers. But you must not become like wooden dolls. I am blessing all teachers. Please gain experience. Please experience bliss in KRIYA YOGA. Then, if you teach one person, even if you teach a tree, the tree will start walking. KRIYA YOGA has so much power. It will make a mute person speak. You are sharing what Swamiji taught. Those who listen to those words will definitely gain the spiritual experience. The words of Swamiji are such. You (teachers) will be surprised then.
There was once a Hari Katha performer (Hari Katha is an artistic rendering of divine stories through poetry, narration, dance and drama). He gave an example story during his discourse. In that example, he said that if one chanted the name of Lord Sri Hari, one could easily walk on water. At that exact time, a lady from Nanda Gokulam who sold milk and curds for a living, heard the story. She lost a lot of business because she was unable to cross the river due to the heavy rains. She now felt that she could cross the river chanting the Lord’s name. Chanting the Lord’s name, she walked over water and was able to sell milk and curds. She began doing that every day. When the story teller finished the story at the end of 40 days and was about to leave, the lady wanted to offer him milk and curds. The man was puzzled. She told him about how she began crossing river Yamuna every day to sell milk and curds after she heard his discourse. The man was surprised. The next day, with his ego puffed up about how he delivered a great story, the man decided to do the same. He tried to walk on water, but drowned. Like that, the teachers are like the Hari Katha performers. You (teachers) must not be that way. You must become part of the story.
Because there are some participants who are new, the teachers will go through some fundamentals. Everyone must listen. Do not ignore the fundamentals thinking you already know these things. Do it again. It is like eating daily or listening to Ramayana again and again. You need to eat and drink water every day. Every day, you must learn Kriya Yoga like it is new. If you do, Mother Yoga will bless you. If you ignore thinking you already know it, Mother Yoga will get angry. If you think of the Yoga Asana as a deity, it will bless you.
When you wake up in the morning, you wake up seeing both hands. Because you did it yesterday, you should not forgo the act today. KRIYA YOGA is always new. Any Pranayama or Asana is new. You must practice every day. Do not say that you already know these Asanas. Even though you know them, practice them every day. Practice is very important. If someone shows you some Pranayama, practice it. You must do Pranayama every day. Consider it as new whenever it is taught. Until it is firmly established in the mind, it is new. All these books are very good. They are like teachers in our hands. The book on Asanas has very easy Asanas. Practice daily. Every day, practice Asanas like they are new. I will attend the sessions if possible. I will sit and see what you are doing. I want to see what the teachers are saying. I want to see what you practice. I want to physically witness it. It is like watching over little children.