Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji on Gita Jayanti, Sampoorna Bhagavad Gita Parayana – December 23, 2023 – Mysore
Jaya Guru Datta!
(HH is getting cotton wads dabbed in Eucalyptus oil distributed for sniffing now and then, as a preventive measure against cold-caugh-fever symptoms)
Corona is starting again. So keep smelling these cotton wads dabbed in Eucalyptus oil from time to time. Do not try to eat it. All of you make sure to wear a mask at all times. Now that Parayana is done, you can all wear your masks. You can put a drop of Eucalyptus oil on your mask too. But do not try to put your nose to others’ masks and smell it. Even if they are your friends and you wish to show your dearness, don’t do it. Also, do not place the cotton wad inside your mask, the smell will be too strong. This cotton is only for your personal use, do not share with friends and family. As much as possible, drink boiled and cooled water. Lukewarm water is also good. Be careful when you go to crowded public places. Always wear a mask, otherwise you’ll contract corona. Even when someone in the family has symptoms, please maintain distance and immediately see a doctor for necessary medication. Do not write it off as common cold that comes during winter. Have it checked.
In this Kaliyuga, the sins have increased, as people are eating everything, relationships have diluted and are messed up, people are without fear of sin and its repercussions. Lord punishes all sinners but even the good and innocent people are getting punished along with sinners in the world due to this Corona. It is as per Lord’s will.
Avoid eating oily food and street food. Especially, avoid unhygienic food like Pani Puri in which the water is highly contaminated with the hawkers’ sweat and what not. If you’re so tempted to eat Pani Puri, make it at home and eat happily. It is possible but seems like we are so used to tasting the saltiness of the hawkers’ sweat, so we prefer that! Devotees dearly miss their pickles when they visit Ashram. So we are serving pickle now. People get restless when coffee or tea is not available. That’s why we arranged for herbal tea.
I was happy, at the same time, a bit sad too, to note that 300 memorisers have come to chant the Bhagavadgita. I wished there were more. There are so many chanters who are still fluent readers, and yet to go forward to become memorisers. They have been fluent readers for 5 years now, don’t know how long will they go on like this! They are thinking we are getting the opportunity to sit along with Swamiji and chant, so what is the need to memorise. You never know, Swamiji might stop this program any time. Utilise this opportunity available now and memorise the Bhagavadgita. Hyderabad is going to have Dwisahasragala (2000 memorisers chanting in unison) in May. This opportunity is given only for memorisers.
Dattapeettam has gained a reputation at the centres where Bhagavadgita exams are taken. They think Bhagavadgita chanters trained here are excellent. Why not proudly say you are from Dattapeettam wherever you chant? We must slowly spread Bhagavadgita to various other regions like the North India and so on. There are many South Indians living in the North, catch hold of them! Take it up as a mission and visit schools and spread it as much as you can. Make a resolution to teach Bhagavadgita to many kids. If you aim for training just 10 kids, then you will end up getting just a couple of children. So, make a bigger resolution in heart to teach 1000 kids. Do not have a lower target, then result will be even lower. Imagine the happiness you would experience when your student gets a Gold Medal from Appaji. You will feel that joy for 10 days at least.
You must be patient while teaching Bhagavadgita online. You must give the struggling students a good boost. Take private classes to help them if needed. Do not discourage them with harsh words like, “It won’t come to you! You won’t be able to memorise it! Even your father or grandfather can not memorise it!” Never do that! The students do not know how to memorise it and that’s why they have joined your class.
Once in a while, come together and arrange for a Bhagavadgita Pārāyana at home. 10-20 people can come together and do Pārāyana. Arrange for food or snacks or coffee/tea. If you have Pārāyana in this manner, all troubles at home will be dispelled. All your desires will be fulfilled. Any dark forces latching on to your surroundings will be driven away. If you are chanting Bhagavadgita that means you have no evil forces on you. Bhagavadgita has the power to dispel all such forces. If a chanter is saying he is plagued with these evil spirits, he is just being lazy and giving an excuse. Nothing can possess him. No negative force or bad spirits can touch us when we chant Bhagavadgita. If someone is complaining about it, they are just taking the family members for a ride.
A lot of stories related to Bhagavadgita were narrated by Swamiji so far. During Birthday celebrations, I said that one chapter must be chanted everyday. How many of you are doing it, raise you hands? Each one of you must chant at least one chapter everyday at home. If you have the time, chant more. Chant while doing household chores.
How many of you have the 3 volume set of Bhagavadgita commentary – Gita Swara Prastāram? It seems the book is currently out of print. You must lap it up when such precious books are released. Jump and grab it like grabbing a pizza or bajji. The cost of that book is mere Rs. 2000/- which is like two cab rides in a city. English translation of it is also going to be released by next Birthday celebrations. The smaller English book of Bhagavadgita meaning might be released sooner – rush and grab it. Wouldn’t you all be grabbing a piece for yourself if Pizza is being distributed around? Even if it has passed you, you will call the bearer to stop and grab a couple of pieces more, wouldn’t you? Buy more copies of the book – you might need it later. When you read that commentary on Bhagavadgita, our innate nature reflects in it. Appaji has written it in that manner — it contains logic and science too. Those who haven’t bought the smaller Bhagavadgita meanings book in Telugu, buy it right away.
Dwadashi is coming at 12 noon today. So Ekadashi is done and we all can happily eat food. Lord knows His devotees are lazy, they cannot stand hunger, so He gave us Ekadashi only for a few hours today. We are merely saying the words Ekadashi and fasting, but we are popping couple of idlis on the side. We keep lamenting that appetite is reduced and digestion is affected and yet we ask our daughters and daughters-in-law to make 10-20 idlis for dinner.
There is a slightly elaborate version than this smaller Bhagavadgita meanings book (Telugu and English) which is going to be released for Sankranti.
When you feel distressed or desperate in life, you must read this book for peace. Some people who did not have any idea about Bhagavadgita, has written to Swamiji that now they cannot be without reading the commentary on Gita. This book is such a good friend, it removes all afflictions, and makes you feel as if Swamiji is with you. You must read it and relate it to your life so that you will find solutions to your problems and live peacefully. It would benefit greatly to have that book.
Vaikuntha Ekadashi & Gita Jayanti came together today; and tomorrow is Hanumath Jayanti; followed by Datta Jayanti. All of these auspicious days came together. Wherever Gita is present, Hanuman is always close by. He heard the Gita first hand. And Datta is present where Hanuman and Gita are there, hence Datta Jayanti is close by. Hanuman Jayanti is celebrated on 6 different days around the country as per their local tradition.
Sri Swamiji has recited a verse from Guru Gita ‘Hamsābhyām parivrtta hārda kamale…’ This Shloka is equivalent to reading entire Guru Gita.
To have the effect of reading entire Bhāgavatam, chant this shloka:
ādau devakidevigarbhajananaṃ gopīgṛhe vardhanam māyāpūtanajīvitāpaharaṇaṃ govardhanoddhāraṇam।
kaṃsacchedanakauravādihananaṃ kuntīsutāṃ pālanam etadbhāgavataṃ purāṇakathitaṃ śrīkṛṣṇalīlāmṛtam||
Lord Sri Krishna is incarnated Paramatma. He was born in Devaki’s womb and was raised among the cow herds and cowgirls (gopis). He had slain the demoness Putana. She represents the stubbornness demon within us. Stubbornness is different from determination. Lord had slain Kamsa and the Kauravas, protected and guided the son of Kunti.
This Shloka covers entire Leela of Sri Krishna. So, it represents Bhāgavatam. Sri Krishna is Jagadguru – He is Guru for entire Humanity, not just Indians. It is just that we practice His teachings in this country. Lord intended the upadesha to be Bhagavadgita – that is song of the Lord for all humanity. Anyone born as human must read it. It tells us how to lead our life at various stages and ages. How to behave in childhood, adulthood, and then concepts of renunciation are also discussed. Renunciation doesn’t mean wearing saffron robes and leaving the family. If you leave the habit of drinking coffee, it is renunciation of coffee. We need a little bit of detachment to succeed in life. All the Bhagavadgita teachers work proactively in spreading of Bhagavadgita. Those who have come from the US come up on to the stage and offer salutations.
Swamiji is going to take the memorisers to Kurukshetra if the entire family gets Gold medal in memorising Bhagavadgita. Family: Wife & Husband + Children – all of them should have memorised the Gita. If they have older parents, they can come along. It is better if they also have memorised. If it a is single parent, then the parent and kids should be gold medal memorisers. US folks are already registering for this, so hurry and do it fast.
(At Vaikuntha Ekadashi Dharshan, devotees were wondering which goddess’ murthi was kept for darshan. Lord Venkateswara seemed like a Goddess. HH explained later:) Lord Venkateshwara is adorned in Mohini alankāra, that is why He has a small parrot. Lord has various alankāras, today we have selected this for the Lord.