Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji during Swagata Sabha – September 15, 2023 – Vijayawada
śrī mahā ganapate namaḥ
śrī sarasvatyai namaḥ
śrī padavallabha nrsimha sarasvati
śrī guru dattātreyāya namaḥ
I am here again for Vinayaka Chaviti solely by the grace of Vinayaka, it is not human effort. Kshipra Ganapati Yantra is established here, we must all make use of it by praying near it. If you see the form of Ganapati here, you’ll behold the Sadguru. When we first did Pratishtha here, many interesting incidents took place. Some devotees have passed and their grandchildren and great grandchildren are serving here as devotees. This Ashrama, this Kshetra, this Peetha has the special benediction of Lord Ganapati and Mother Goddess Raja Rajeshvari. I wanted to see Lord Ganapati here and offer worship. Wherever I am, I wish to come see the Lord here. Whether you invite Swamiji or not, whether you come here or not, I wish to see Lord Ganapati here.
Offer Puja and other sevas dear to Lord Ganapati, like undralla seva, sahasra modaka seva, decorations/alankara seva, Annadana seva. The more you serve the Lord, the greater the good for you. Do not count your difficulties, set them aside. We invite difficulties with our actions, some come to us due to karma. Diseases are the same. We invite some and some come to us due to karma.
The sins we commit manifest as diseases in us. We must experience them. Then there are diseases that we bring upon ourselves. By overly engaging with things, by overeating, talking too much, the body is affected. The mind must be kept healthy. For the body to be healthy, the mind should not be mired in worries. If you worry constantly, it will only affect you, but the problem will not go away.
Look at the Europeans and the Japanese. At 90 years of age, they can chew hard food and climb mountains; of course they even eat cockroaches, snakes, scorpions etc. Yet they are very healthy because they do not give into worry and stress. As humans they have problems with body, money etc. But unlike us, they will not wail and cry all night and drown in misery. When you drown in worry, you will suffer while spending more money for medicines and treatment. But they do not get stressed whether the spouse leaves them or whether they lose money. The money we lend does not come back. What is the point of worrying? You will get into depression and spend more money to treat it. They know this and will not get into depression. Is it not wonderful? They have families and children too, but they are happy. Whatever they earn, they spend well, they travel and enjoy. They work hard for 5 days a week and the next two days, they spend the money and enjoy themselves without worrying about the next week. Then they go back to earn again the following week.
One or both spouses work. If either one does not have a job, he/she will not lament that. The one staying at home will cook and care for the house. Their home is like Nanda Gokula. The children get education; and then they grow up and go clubbing and partying. Of course, they may not all have our samskaras. I researched a bit to see who among them has samskaras. I found that those who visited India did. We should pick up samskaras, but we like to pick up dancing, clubbing, drinking etc. Many at home sit and drink. As they age, their liver is damaged and they die.
Many in Datta family got saved because they followed Swamiji spiritually. By following Swamiji, you got a life line, you got some courage. You experience lesser grief after you start following Swamiji. You develop a little more charitable, you have a little more love, you are more aware of Dharma since you started following Swamiji. Lakhs of Datta devotees are like this, they are very happy. A real Datta devotee will not cry within, he will only cry outwardly, but be peaceful within knowing Swamiji is with him. He cries only so his family is pacified.
You have no hankering for a second home, or an additional car. You are happy with the children’s education and wedding. Just basic needs. Because the children also come to Swamiji, they are also following the spiritual path.
I have seen in America and Europe, they have so much faith and love for Swamiji. That is why Swamiji has established temples in those countries. Why did Swamiji consecrate the various deities? To remove our karma and to keep us mentally busy. It is our right and our duty to serve. Our Guru has established these temples and kshetras for us. We should make use of this. We should not provoke others to serve, we should ourselves serve. That is why we are all volunteers. If each of us does our duty, everything will flow well. Swamiji is sitting in your heart and making you all do the work, that is why it flows so seamlessly. It is good that you work hard so you can please Swamiji. You must vie to do seva. What will you do with the hoarded money? Your possessions such as car, TV, dress etc will not come with you. The good and bad deeds you do alone will come with you.
If you have a sadist nature and are happy when others are sad, you must fix that habit. Treat it quickly. Get away from the disease. Jealousy also should be removed. Be happy for others. The happiness you express then will also enter your home. But if you are jealous, the jealousy will enter your home.
Do not be jealous because your son is not doing as well as your neighbor’s son. Be happy for their son instead of being jealous. Do not be jealous that you cannot enjoy some delicacy because of your health condition. The patient should not be jealous of healthy people. Just be happy you are watching them enjoy the delicacy. So, get rid of jealousy. We have a pile high of these vices. We talk unnecessarily. Why chatter about others? Each one’s fate is his own. If you want to be happy, change your mind. Make yourself charitable, get rid of jealousy. You must be eager to do charity and must teach children the same. When you learn a charitable nature, money comes searching for you. But if you are miserly and do not want to spend, Lakshmi Devi goes away and you become poor.
The happiness you gain in giving is far greater than in receiving. Our hand should always be facing down (as if giving) and not up. But when giving to elders, you must have your hands facing up so the elders can pick up with hands facing down. That is why great souls sometimes ask you to set in front of them what you want to offer them. They do not want you to incur the sin of giving something with your hands facing down.
Many get addicted to the phone. Be careful about that. Do not get addicted. If you start watching YouTube videos, you will watch them endlessly. That is bad for your eyes and you become less like a human and more like a zombie. Do not give phones to kids, especially to those who are still studying. You bend your head down to look at the phone. The phone always makes you bend your head. On the other hand, the book says, “when you read me, I’ll have you raise your chin and live proud”. The phone says that it will keep your head lowered for the rest of your life. Even the old who cannot see well are constantly looking at the phone. The phone destroys you. Be careful. Use it sparingly only as needed.
Read good literature. It improves jnana, knowledge and memory. Have children read good books. I am not talking about reading fictional novels. Fiction from 15-20 years ago used to educate us, but such novels are not published these days. People are not even reading such books these days. We get everything on the Internet. We should avoid the things we do not need in order to lead a good life.
Swamiji will be here for 2-3 days. You know I am very fond of Vijayawada. Everyone should get the SGS Posts app and read the messages. There are English translations of every message. There are beautiful sayings. You will feel that the message is written just for you. When you look at Youtube all the time, you will leave the world intubated. You can write this down for a fact and remember me when this happens. At that time, do not pray for getting rid of the tube. I will not get it removed. If you pray to me, I will put an additional tube and leave. Atleast now, wake up and do not use the phone too much. I do not like it. You should not do what I do not like.
I wanted to see what was so attractive about YouTube. I spent a week watching YouTube videos. Once you start watching, you will keep watching for hours on end. It is like cancer. I know who among you watches YouTube a lot. A lot of you do. You do not need YouTube, just see SGS Posts. You all love Appaji so much. Why cling to the stupid phone so obsessively?
Swamiji was very happy seeing the names of people who come here regularly even when Swamiji was not visiting. I saw the names of people doing Chandi Yaga here regularly. The Poornaphala in Bengaluru and Kerala is very popular. The temples make coconut sweet with the coconuts after their duration is complete and they are donating the proceeds from such sales to Mysuru.
In Bengaluru, devotees keep tying Poornaphala over and over because they have experienced the miracles of Hanuman. You must tie the poornaphala to gain the experience. Whether you want higher studies, or marriage, or want to travel abroad…offer Poornaphala.
Always offer big healthy coconuts for Poornaphala. If you tie a good coconut, the Lord gives you good result. If you give an anemic coconut, he gives you weak results.
Whatever food you give others, give good and tasty food, never stale or insipid food. If you want to offer flowers, buy or pick from your own trees, never steal from other’s trees. If you pick flowers from others’ trees, you’ll be tainted with stealing and thieves will be born to you. If you have no flowers, offer the lotus of namaskara with your hand. We offer ashtanga namaskara with the 8 limbs that include our heart, limbs etc. If you cannot buy many flowers, buy just Rs. 5 worth of flowers. If you want to give a sari to Mother Goddess, give a good sari. Do not give a mosquito net like sari.
Panhandlers these days reject Rs. 1 you give them. They demand Rs. 10 or 100. They too have their associations and leaders. Even when giving to such people, give something decent. Otherwise, ask them to come back the next day.
When offering namaskara to God or Guru, offer without any embarrassment or shyness. We should never be shy about offering Puja. Never be stingy or jealous while offering Puja. Pray for strength to face difficulties rather than for removal of difficulties. Chant ashotottara or Soundarya Lahiri, or Khadgamala, or Hanuman Chalisa or Vishnu/Lalita Sahasra Nama, or chant divine names whenever you feel you are submerged in difficulties. Examine your mind after chanting for some time. When you lose money, or have a fight at home, the mind is troubled. Then, sit near Swamiji’s photo and do one of these things. During the 11th minute, examine your mind. You will have tears of joy and the courage to face things as they come. If that does not happen, do not become negative, you will lose the fruit of whatever you have done.
The day after tomorrow, we will do Gauri Puja. We will also do Arka Ganapati Puja on Vinayaka Chaviti day. Swamij will give prasadam with His hands on the day.
In 1967, the business community offered Swamiji 108 golden moortis of Ganapati. It’s good to behold all 108 at the same time. We brought them for your Darshana. You will see them on Ganapati festival day.
Do not wait to be asked for Annadana support. You must vie to support Annadana. It will make the Annadana volunteers happy they have support.