Speeches of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – Sampoorna Bhagavad Gita Parayana – Kurukshetra, Haryana
– December 25, 2024
Speech before Parayana
Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum!
Datta families from around the world are present here. You are all Bhagavad Gita families. I am very happy. If we do Parayana here, we will attain Jeevan Mukti.
Yesterday, someone asked why Swamiji chose this place. Because Brahma Sarovara is Moksha Sarovara. If you chant the Gita or even one or half shloka here, you attain Brahma Loka.
On this earth, Brahma chose this place. That is why the Kurukshetra battle happened here. So many died during the battle then, and they all attained Moksha due to Brahma Sarovara. Krishna did injustice to no one. He sent everyone to Brahma Loka.
Also, there is a link between you and the battle. We were all on the Pandava side, that is why we are all here. After some punya is exhausted, we come back and take birth. That is why we are all here and remembering those times.
The war is still happening. It is happening in every household. There is medical war, money war, war for progress of children, war between spouses, etc. To fix those wars, Swamiji arranged the chanting here. Definitely Krishna will bless.
Today, our governor (of the Indian state of Haryana that Kurukshetra is located in) is here. He has been associated with Swamiji spiritually for many years. Bala Swamiji likes him very much. Several times, he tried to come to Parayana in the past, but due to some unfortunate circumstances, he could not. Now, he is here as the governor of this state. He has that good fortune. He came to inaugurate this Parayana.
More importantly, Mani Shankar made this Bhagavad Gita video in English with Swamiji. He stayed with Me for one week and persuaded Swamiji to do this even when Swamiji was not feeling very well. I do not get trapped in afflictions. Children like to hear the Gita in English from Swamiji. Everyone must get their own pen drive.
This pen drive (with the Bhagavad Gita video) is like a medicine for you. Everyone get one.
Today is a very auspicious day. We are doing Parayana with our family. Srikanth Challa worked very hard with great devotion for this event.
The reason I am happy is that you all listen to him and do what he says. I feel Appaji’s energy is in him. You all do whatever he asks you to. Sometimes I wonder if he has taken all My energy. He has been very devoted to Swamiji since childhood. He got trained at Chinmaya Mission per My guidance. He asked Me what he was to do next. I told him his program started then. Now, he is doing the Gita the world over.
We also created a trust called SGS GIFT (Gita International Foundation). Someone asked if we would have a Peetham branch here. It would be nice if we had a small place where we can do Sadhu Bhandara (feed the saints) as well as have a Guru Nilayam.
Let’s see how it works out.
Speech after Parayana
nārāyaṇaṁ namaskr̥tya naraṁ caiva narōttamam
dēvīṁ sarasvatīṁ vyāsaṁ tatō jayamudīrayēt॥
All of you supreme devotees have surrendered your lives to Krishna. You are delighting in memorizing the Gita.
Kurukshetra is this abode of Sri Krishna, it is where He showed His cosmic form. We are all here near Brahma Sarovar.
We do not know how many akshauhinis were there, how many crores of people were there, but they all attained Moksha. Such is the greatness of Kurukshetra.
When Sri Krishna gave the Gita, many great sages and the five elements also heard the Upadesha. Dhritharashtra too, though seemingly a sinner, was also fortunate for hearing the Gita. Gita is full of Vedanta. Krishna gave us the Gita as a bridge to reach Him. You are all very fortunate.
Do not forget; every day, chant at least one chapter at home. If one family member misses, the other must chant. Do not link your difficulties with your sadhana, and the sadness of the former with the joy of the latter. That difficulty is different; this joy is different.
We are still breathing despite all difficulties or ailments or hunger or dishonor or fights. We are breathing and we are eating. We do not stop breathing or eating because we need to protect our lives.
This spiritual tattva is integrated into the five elements. We mistake the body for the Atman. We cry over death as if everything is over. There is no need to grieve at all. Atman has no death. Atman merges into God.
We should take something with us and go to some Lokas and then come back. We will not get Jeevan Mukti (salvation) easily. We will keep wandering around various Lokas. Jeevan Mukti will not happen in this life but maybe in a future life. Have the faith that it will certainly happen in a future life.
You have the good fortune of doing such tapas in this lifetime. Do not expect to get Moksha in this birth. Coming to this Tapo Bhoomi (the land of great penance), remembering the Gita that the great Sri Krishna bestowed on us here, is our great fortune. He is listening to our chanting; He is very happy. All of us are His children. Krishna is in Ananda. Krishna is Parabrahma.
We have read many books, sung many bhajans, and done many Parayanas. Keep teaching Gita to new people. If you teach Gita to one person, it is at par with doing a great Yajna. That Yajna is so great, it is not limited by a name to it! You will get great punya. You must all be very happy and must bring others into the Gita program. You must negotiate and fight and persuade them into the Gita program. If you turn one person’s mind towards Gita, your Swamiji will be so happy. Krishna will be so happy.
We cannot see Parabrahama’s happiness; at least we see Swamiji’s happiness.
Swamiji wishes to conduct Gita Parayana with 1 lakh voices. We did Gita chanting with 10,000 people this year, but I am not satisfied. Swamiji’s spiritual thirst is increasing.
Because, there are bad things that are going to happen in Kaliyuga. Before that, we should do as much good as possible. Children are doing Gita at a young age because they studied Gita in their past lives. Every day at home, chant at least one chapter. If you keep doing it, you will even see Me at home. If you do not, you will feel guilty.
If you are crying, chant the Gita still, there is no relationship between your grief and the chanting. Do whatever you need to do now. Despite all difficulties, troubles, ailments, chant, or listen to the Gita.
If you are unable to chant the Gita, ask children lovingly to chant the Gita for you. If you do this, there will be a nice exchange of spiritual lessons. You can tell the child at home that your stomach pain will subside if the child chants the Gita. You will see the pain really vanish. Of course, do not deliberately bring the pain on yourself!
If you cannot chant, listen to the Gita, go to bed while listening to the Gita. Watch the Gita recording that is available on pen drive. Gift it to friends, let children listen to it. Children are very happy, hearing Tataji speak in English. You can watch movies, you can have fun, but also chant the Bhagavad Gita.
Bhagavad Gita is Prana. You are all so fortunate. I know all your conflicts and frictions and how you managed to pass the Gita exams. I know how many utensils in the house were thrown around in frustration, I know how many phones were shattered during arguments. Some even ruined the idli/dosa batter to blackmail the family member into learning the Gita.
Help each other. You have come together as a couple, you have children, take care of each other. America may have difficulties, do not be afraid.
The children from Batch 1, 2 are all following Swamiji. They are grown up now.
May Krishna bless you all. Swamiji is very very happy.