Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji during Divya Nama Sankeertana – July 7, 2024 – Karya Siddhi Hanuman Temple, Frisco, TX, USA
A small story in Mahabharata comes to mind. It’s a story about charity. When you wish to do charity, you must do it immediately. Do not postpone it to tomorrow, or the next month. Whatever you have to donate, whether it is clothes, or food, or knowledge, you must give it immediately.
There is a small story about this. Dharmaraja’s story. One day, a poor Brahmin approaches Dharmaraja and asks for some charity saying: “O King, I have to get my daughter married. All the arrangements are made. I need some monetary help. I also need your blessings”.
Dharmaraja had some rules. He said: “I am very happy to help you. It is my good fortune. I have a rule to do charity to at least one Brahmin each day. You have come today, I am happy. But, I have a condition for charity. Now, it is the time of sunset, during which I do not do charity. if I do, it will be a sin. One should not blame others during sunset. I cannot give you the donation at this time. Come early in the morning at the time of sunrise, I will give you as much money as you ask”.
The Brahmin was very sad. The auspicious moment for the wedding was prior to sunrise. He did not have much time. The Brahmin said: I have to give the money early in the morning, so it will put me in a difficult situation. The King insisted it was his rule to not do charity during sunset. The man said it was his Dharma to get her married off early morning. The King did not want to give up his Dharma. The man said: Okay O King, you can keep your Dharma, but I have to get my daughter married early morning. Many relatives have arrived for the wedding. If I do not get the money, I will have to give up my life. Since I cannot let go of my Dharma, I will give up my life.
The two were discussing in this manner when Bhima arrived. Bhima heard everything. He was overjoyed, his head was spinning. He went running into the palace and came out wearing the battle armor and carrying special weapons. He carried his mace and the sacred sword too. This sword was to be touched only during war time, not otherwise. The sword was normally kept at the shrine.
Dharmaraja was puzzled, he asked if Bhima was out of his mind. He questioned Bhima as to why he would wear battle armor and carry the weapon that is always placed in worship except during war time. Bhima said he was there to shout slogans of victory to Dharmaraja. Dharmaraja asked hm why he was doing that now.
Bhima said: “My brother, the King, is going to be surely alive till tomorrow morning. Therefore, victory to the King. I am very happy that my brother is sure he will live till tomorrow. My brother has won. My brother has promised that he has no right to do charity during sunset, so he asked the recipient to come back at sunrise. That means, you are sure you are alive till tomorrow. No one knows how long they will be alive. But you are an all-knowing King. You are going to be alive till tomorrow. So, we have won”.
Dharmaraja fell into thought. He then sought forgiveness from the man and said charity must be done immediately as we do not know if we will be alive the next moment. He got ready to give charity immediately. It is Dharma to come to another’s aid. If Dharmaraja had not done charity then, not only the Brahmin but his entire family would have given up their life. Dharmaraja realized his folly and said: “Bhima is my younger brother, but he taught me a lesson, therefore is my Guru in this matter”.
The Brahmin was very happy. He blessed Dharmaraja. But it was not a Brahmin, it was Indra in disguise. Some people are rigid about their Dharma. But sometimes you have to be flexible in times of crisis. There is a rule in Hindu Dharma. During evenings, one should not bathe in the river or touch the river. But if a child were drowning in the river, a fool, ignorant of Dharma, would just watch to see if the child is able to swim. He would protect his Dharma by not touching the river but while watching the child drown. That is a sin.
When we think of doing a good deed, we must do it immediately. Do not postpone the good deed from today to tomorrow. Do the good deed immediately. When someone’s life is in danger, you must help them no matter what situation you are in. Some doctors will run to treat the patient even in the middle of the night. So, we should know what dharma to follow at various times. Mahabharata teaches this very nicely.
We miss opportunities sometimes…”Oh it is a new moon day, so we cannot let the Guru enter the house – that’s foolish. If your breath smells foul, you do not stich up your nose permanently. If you do that, you will become one with the stink. If someone farts, you will cover up your nose and dodge the smell somehow. You will blame the fart on the person wearing old ragged clothes rather than the well-dressed one who might have overeaten. Do we put Fevicol, (glue), on our nose and block it so we do not have to take in the bad smell? Farting is their Dharma, closing our nose and walking away is ours! This is just a humorous example to make the kids laugh.
Bhima wielded the sword of victory even though it was inauspicious to do so during peacetime. I am telling you this story because in today’s schedule, it is said there are Bhajans this evening. So, I came here to follow my Dharma and sing Bhajans.
Bhajan ID 80
https://bhajanmala.com/nodes/80
So many Devi Bhajans were composed during Devi Navaratris. Of all the Bhajans in the app, most of them are Devi Bhajans. For each day, and each Avarana in the day during Navaratri, Bhajans were composed. The mantras of Nava Avarana were all composed as Bhajans. It is very difficult for everyone to do Nava Avarana Puja. That is why Swamiji gave Bhajans for each Avarana for each day. If you memorize or study these Bhajans, it is at par with doing Sri Chakra Puja. Each Navaratri, each day, each Avarana, there was Bhajan all these years. This happened continuously from ’67, ’68. Many have not even been published. There are Bhagavad Gita Bhajans too that are ready for recording.
Kannada, Sanskrit, Telugu, Hindi, translated Tamil Bhajan are all there.
Bhajan ID 559
https://bhajanmala.com/nodes/559
śrīpura śrīpura śrīsati honalina prākāra
This bhajan has beautiful meaning. Kannada people will be very happy singing this Bhajans. Singing this Bhajan once will give the merit of chanting Lalita Sahasranama 1 crore times! This mantra is so powerful.
Bhajan ID 1052
https://bhajanmala.com/nodes/1052
Hanuman is always protecting you. Just chanting His name is enough, He will remove our troubles. During difficulties, we forget to call out to Him. We keep dwelling on the grief. We should practice always remembering God. Forget the difficulty and chant God’s name. Or at least, cry “Hanumantaaaa…!” Why do we pray to Shiva? Not only to uplift us, but to uplift the world. Since we are a part of this world, it will also uplift us. So, O Lord, please uplift this world, all the beings. I always prostrate to you so you can uplift this entire world. Please help us understand your Tattva. Please give us good Jnana. We pray to Shiva for Jnana and for destroying sins. Rama is pleased when we pray to Shiva. Hanuman is even more pleased because Hanumanta is Shiva Himself.
Shiva is formless. The sky is always full, it’s the form of Shiva. Wherever you look at the sky from, it looks round, it’s never flat. Shiva is all-pervading, He pervades the entire sky. Rama also meditates on Shiva. Shiva meditates on Rama. Those who die in Kasi are given the Rama mantra Upadesha by Shiva. Many go to Kasi to breathe their last there.
Bhajan ID 1201
https://bhajanmala.com/nodes/1201
To please Shiva, we will chant Omkara. There is no sin whatsoever in chanting Omkara in the Guru’s presence at this temple. This is Prana Nada
Bhajan ID 2225
https://bhajanmala.com/nodes/2225
Today, the Ratha Yatra of Puri Jagannatha took place. Some people died under the chariot wheels, they are fortunate. The family members think they are fortunate. That is the beauty of Sanatana Dharma.
When eating meals, mixing everything – hot, sweet, curries, dal, rice everything together, pleases Jagannatha. It is also good for health. Naivedya for the Lord in Puri is also made this way. Millets are also mixed into this. You will not know one taste from another. This is good for sugar patients too. We only need the stomach to be filled, taste is secondary. A few people died under the chariot wheels, it happens almost every year. That is why we need discipline. That is the reason why with devotees coming to Sri Swamiji too, we insist on discipline.