Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – Sookti – September 18, 2021 – Mysore
Compiled by Archana Penukonda
Jaya Guru Datta
ati dānāt balirbaddhaḥ cātimānāt suyodhanaḥ |
rāvaṇastvati laulyācca ati sarvatra varjayet ||
Nothing should be done in excess. Emperor Bali was bound by Lord Vishnu due to his excessive charities. Emperor Bali had excessive wealth and therefore began doing excessive charities. One should give charities to those in need, not to everyone passing by the street. Suyodhana got destroyed due to excessive pride. Due to excessive desire for women, Ravana Brahma perished. Therefore excess always leads to destruction.
Further, excessive eating leads to ill health, excessive sleeping leads to laziness and excessive talking leads to loss of respect. Therefore, excess of anything is never good. Everyone knows that nothing should done in excess, but this Sookti tells us about Purnanic stories of the lives of three well known personalities who experienced loss due to excesses.
When an object that belongs to you, is in the possession of and belongs to another the next second, that is defined as Charity according to grammar. Many believe that one needs great wealth to do charity. That is no truth to that. One only needs a charitable nature. Donation of food and sharing of knowledge are considered the greatest charities. Karna was known to be charitable, but he did not donate much food. It was revealed in the Mahabharata itself that Karna had to experience suffering due to that. Bali was even more charitable than Karna. Sri Maha Vishnu came to the Yagashala as Vamana. Emperor Bali’s guru Shukracharya cautioned Bali that the Lord came to take away his life, yet Bali did not back off from his charities. He was ready to lay down his life but did not want to lie. Therefore, due to excessive charities, Bali lost his emperorship of the demon kingdom, but became the monarch of the nether worlds (Patala loka) forever. He attained eternal fame and became one of the supreme devotees of Lord Srimannarayana. He finally attained immortality.
Second, Duryodhana. He had excessive pride. Everyone needs to have some amount of pride, but due to Duryodhana’s excess pride, he encountered wholesale destruction. Because his brothers’ wife laughed at him in the assembly, he grew vengeful against them. He was the cause for the fierce battle of Kurukshetra in which he perished. He could have summoned the Pandavas, and chided them and sent them away, but his pride did not let him do that.
He stealthily hid in a lake at the end of the battle to save his life. Bhima provoked him with many censuring words. As Bhima began reeling off Duryodhana’s sins, Duryodhana emerged from the lake unable to bear the provocation. Pounded by Bhishma’s powerful blows, Duryodhana fell to the ground lifeless. Take note of the devastation caused by Duryodhana’s pride.
Third, demon Ravana. He was born in the lineage of Prajapatis. He was knower of Vedas and Vedangas and a strict follower of Vedic rituals. With the power of his ecstatic unwavering devotion, he lifted Lord Shiva’s abode of Kailasa with his 20 arms. He pleased Shiva by even extracting his own intestines and playing Rudra Veena with them. Such a powerful Ravana wavered due to his desire for women and met with utter destruction along with family, friends and relatives. Therefore, whatever the matter be, when it is in the needed amount, it brings beauty and happiness to human life. Excess is always dangerous.
Be safe. Always wear a mask. Wash your hands frequently. I wear a mask too as soon as I am done with the recording. It is very hot when we wear the mask, but it does not matter. I use 2-3 new masks daily. What is the use of a mask that does not cover your nose and mouth? If you do not cover your nose and mouth, that will certainly give you Covid. The mask will become loose, wear fresh ones. You must either dispose off or wash the mask at the end of 3 days at least. This problem will last a few months. Be safe.