Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji on the occasion of Puttugam’s 3rd birthday – Mysore – March 10, 2013
Sri Maha Ganapataye Namah. Sri Saraswatyai Namaha. Sripada vallabha Narasimha Saraswati Sri Guru Dattatreyaya Namaha. Om Namah Shivaya. Om Namo Hanumate Namaha!
Happy birthday Puttugam. I am very happy about Puttugam birthday today. Puttugam is a good experience to devotees. So many devotees are supporting, participating in it and are having good experience. They are observing all advices and have developed a very near connection with Swamiji. So many people experience- ‘Oh, this advice is for me, this advice is for me’. At times some devotees are very disappointed and depressed. That same day Puttugam sends a good advice through MMS. They feel good. They feel as if Swamiji is talking to them. This is such a powerful media.
So many Americans with so many busy schedules. But now daily they read the MMS, they are observing and following. So many people write their own experience and comments.
In the beginning I wanted to write my comments to help people on the right path. I told so many people, like Hira aunty, you write comments and send to me. I will post. I will post. Three months continuously I posted my comments through other devotees. After that I have seen the different types of comments in plenty in Vimeo and a bit in Youtube and Facebook. I am very happy.
In this Nandana MMS now only 3 months are left. There is a big test after this. It is a lively, very friendly test. You must all participate. Not difficult test. There are 20 questions out of which 10 questions you have to answer. Then after that we will take lottery. There are 3 prizes. In the first prize I will give to you a small site near the ashrama. I do not know who is the lucky person. Then after that there are 6 smaller consolation prizes. There is an application with which you can easily refer to the MMS and then answer. All the answers should be in English. Even if you attempt in Telugu, you have to translate it into English for the convenience of the judges.
This Puttugam logo got created in a mysterious way. In Russia, I was thinking of something and sleeping. Swamiji normally goes to sleep around 11 PM. By the time He falls asleep it will be 12 or 1 AM. He wakes up around 3 AM. In between if in case He gets disturbed, He gets up and continues some small work or the other. Different persons would have submitted various different materials/ documents. Swamiji will map one document against the other, select portions that tally and sew them up together to create a proper logical document. His work is akin to that of a tailor. He will take a portion from here, add it there, take another portion from that pile and add it elsewhere and so on. After all, Brahma also performs the same job. Taking something from here, adding it there, taking material from there and adding it elsewhere. Map this karma to that karma, select another karma and map it to yet another karma and the like. In this manner He will be performing Vikarma and brings karmas to a nivrutti (cessation) state. Brahma does not undertake any independent task. He takes the old karmas of the beings and ties them up together. That’s all.
Watching Swamiji tying knots around the swetarka raksha, people assume that it is his addictive habit due to idleness. Swamiji has only one addictive habit and it is to eternally think (smaran) about that Lord. That’s all.
Quite a few people have bad/ addictive habits. Some persons continuously keep scratching some part of the body or the other. Some pick their nose at all times for no apparent reason. Some others curl their hair with their fingers and then uncurl it. They repeat it endlessly. There are some who, every couple of minutes, take the money out of their pocket, count and return it back to their pocket. How could the amount have changed within this short time period? There is yet another class of people who look at their wrist watch every other minute. What is the need for them to keep a minute track of time, they themselves do not know. It is just their habit. Some others stretch their body at all hours. Like this we continuously display funny actions. We have no idea as to why we indulge in them.
Swamiji does not know to write much. In response to messages from devotees, He will merely write ‘JGD, SGD or OK.” That’s all. Devotees are immensely pleased to receive this reply. There are some who get upset upon not receiving this reply although it consists of just one word. The devotee would have written to me about a grave problem that he is facing. In response, I will reply. “OK”. That’s it. No solution. But the devotee will be thrilled to receive this reply. “Oh, at least Swamiji has seen the message” he will think. The underlying message behind that single word ‘OK’ is known only to the devotee and to Swamiji. It’s between them.
Swamiji’s messages are very strange. Through MMS He is directly sending good and appropriate messages to the people. For Swamiji, proceeding on the right path is itself his addictive habit. He ensures that no one is hurt in the process. Even if it hurts them, it is only for their good.
Many a times Swamiji says, “Your good karma is to me, my bad karma. To rescue you was my bad karma. To be rescued by me was your good karma.”
Now, there are some people who think they are doing me a favour. There are many who think that by offering an obeisance (namskar) to Swamiji they have done Him a favour.
If someone were to tell Swamiji, “I did not offer obeisance to you” then heart of heart I will be very happy. Because for every namaskara that is offered, Swamiji has to give one blessing in return to that person. Swamiji’s blessing is not some casual statement, “May you live long happily with your children and grandchildren.” These are the ordinary blessings that elders, parents and ordinary Gurus of the world shower upon us. But Swamiji’s blessings (ashirvada) that He showers will be totally different. It will be a deep blessing of immense significance. You have no idea of the blessings that He gives. Such is the significance behind offering obeisance (namaskara) to Him.
At times, this is why, Swamiji announces, “do not offer namaskara to Swamiji now.” This is because Swamiji is too busy at that minute to accept your namaskaras. You may think, “What is this? Why is He saying that I should not offer my obeisance to Him? I will go to some corner and offer my obeisance.” But it is easier said than done in this case. It is not so easy to offer obeisance to Him. Offering obeisance may seem easy to you, but in my eyes it is not so simple.
For one namaskara that you offer, Swamiji has to take on one additional responsibility of yours. He has to resolve one question/ problem of yours. Devotees, at times, watch people seated next to them and think, “What is this, he/ she has not even offered one namaskar to Swamiji till now.” What is your problem? Just keep quiet. Why are you bothered? If he/she offers namaskar, I have to take on one more responsibility of theirs. If he does not offer namaskar, then I do not have to take their responsibility upon myself. I am happy. It ends with it.
If out of pride/ego (durahamkar) a person refuses to offer namaskar, then his question will remain as it is forever. It will never get resolved in this birth. On the other hand, if the person surrenders completely (Atmaarpana, self-surrender), then undoubtedly his question will get resolved. This is undeniable.
One should never self- surrender (Atmaarpana) to God, with pride/ego (ahamkara). Yet, at the same time, such self-surrender should never be done out of ignorance (ajnana). It should not be done out of coercion (force) of others, or as a pretence. In these above situations and in the case where the person does not surrender due to pride, the doubts entertained by them will remain eternally with them, unresolved. Self-surrender should be done with intellect/ wisdom (buddhi). It is then that the doubts will get resolved in entirety. Hence one should observe great caution in this matter.
Reading these MMS helps in understanding all this clearly. Some devotees had compiled and drawn out assorted important sayings from the various books such as Neetimala, God word, Life history, so many stories that had been earlier told by Swamiji and from his various other discourses and saptahas. Swamiji has personally gone through these collections, read and re-read them and handpicked selected MMS sayings that are being sent out daily.
Swamiji does not know proper English. That little which I speak is childlike-English. Sitting in the studio, for your sake, I have with difficulty learnt English. To get the right pronunciation and the right accent, I take the help of Hira aunty. She repeats each sentence 4-5 times. If needed, I ask her to repeat once more.
When I was small, my mother taught me all knowledge barring English. Now I think that She has come in the form of Hira aunty to teach me English. Jayalakshmi Mata refrained from teaching me English in order to avoid arguments with my aunt. My aunt would threaten to punish us harshly if we dared to speak in English. Even if the English words ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ were used, we were asked to go and rinse our mouth. Such was her hatred towards this language. This poor lady had suffered a lot during the rule of the British. The British had caused enough trouble to her husband. Hers is a long story. Anyway, the net result was that English was banned at home. 4 ladles would eternally be kept ready in the burning fire. If any child dared to speak in English, she would get the red-hot ladle and burn their skin with it as a punishment. This punishment was meted out to all children irrespective of age. Twice or thrice I have faced this punishment from her.
Due to this training received from my aunt, I was against this English language. I could not even read one word in English. You may wonder how I cleared my 10th grade examinations at this rate? I simply wrote out verbatim whatever I had seen in the text. My teacher of those days, Sitaram, is no more. It was he who ensured that I passed. He was the headmaster in my school. He also was a trustee in this ashram. Now he is in some other plane. You have to go and approach him there to get accurate details as to how I passed. Anyway, he would often state that I had written my paper quite well. But then I do not agree.
Although Swamiji hated English as a child, by the time He was about 21 years old, he managed to develop acceptance towards English. Gradually with difficulty he learnt to read a bit of English and thereafter he even learnt to speak a little. But I do not know how to write. I only know to write ‘JGD and OK’. Nowhere you will find documentation of my English handwriting.
Now at the age of 70, for your sake, I am taking lessons under Hira aunty and learning to speak proper English. Do you think that I have any personal gains in this? Do I need it? I am deeply saddened at your careless attitude displayed towards MMS. My heart wrenches in pain. Like a small child I sit in the studio and take English lessons so that I can record my voice for the MMS. I am undertaking all this effort for the benefit of the present younger generation. For all the trouble that I take, people who know about it and who are my devotees have no time to even see it. This causes me a lot of pain. (Swamiji’s voice reflected deep pain). I am really, really saddened.
This MMS is a treasure. It is a pearl, a gem, and a coral. It is of such high significance. How can you afford to be peaceful even when you have missed watching MMS for last many days? How are you able to sleep peacefully even after having missed it? I fail to understand what relationship you want to have with Swamiji.
Sometimes I think how unlucky you people are. When Swamiji is giving you something valuable, you are simply kicking away the knowledge (Saraswati) with your leg. You are truly unfortunate. This is lamentable. To be frank, at times, I even feel insulted due to your careless attitude towards MMS. What! For the past one-week you have not read the MMS that Swamiji has sent? You have the best modern phones, computers and all the comforts that are required for viewing it. Your children are all highly qualified and are either M Tech, doctorates (Phd) etc. Your wife, brother etc. are all available to help you. Yet, you claim to have no time to watch even one MMS? To top it all, you are my devotee. Yet you are behaving in this manner?
Being a devotee you behave in this manner. Persons from the Middle East, whom I have never even seen, and who have no idea about me, have read this MMS. I have with me the complete statistics. So many Chinese, Japanese, Koreans- both from South and North Korea are viewing these MMS and are liking it. There are many non-devotees who are taking down daily notes and maintaining a diary of MMS. These include many Christians, Muslims, and Chinese. You, on the other hand, claim to be an ardent devotee of Swamiji and declare that Swamiji is everything to you. You claim that you cannot live without Swamiji. You all are great actors. If Swamiji gets even a trivial upset and angry with you, you cannot bear it. Yet you do not bother to read/ watch the MMS. Who can help you people? Where will your sin disappear? It can go nowhere.
How far can I help a person who is desirous of climbing a tree? I can hold him and push him as far as my hand goes. Thereafter he needs to climb up on his own.
Birds, that know nothing, can be taught. Hira aunty tells the bird to say ‘I love you Swamiji’ 5 times and it repeats exactly 5 times. It follows the count of our fingers. Do not assume that it has received 2-3 years of training. With just a couple of days training this could be achieved.
Donkeys, pigs, birds, hens and other beings are moved by the MMS that is being sent out. How is it that you have still remained unmoved? How is that you still seek to remain thus?
Those who claim that Appaji is everything to them, have, I believe no time to go through these MMS. I believe that there is shortage of electric supply to their house; the phone is under repair and what not. It seems they will download all the MMS on one single day and go through them at one shot. They say that they already know this knowledge. It is not new. They have seen all this before it seems.
If you speak thus, then what can I do? Appaji will not say anything. He will not hurt you. In front of you, He will say, “OH, is it so? Ok, OK.” But in reality, you are the loser. You are the one who will be cheated in life. My incarnation will go away. After this incarnation I will move away. I will go away to another planet to help the beings there. I will incarnate there. Tell me, what is the connection between you and me? Only if you keep the connection going, like a hook if you hold on, then again in another incarnation of mine, in another birth, you will be benefited. However, none of you seem to share such feelings. Some may have the feelings, but they lack the seriousness required for it. Such seriousness/ earnestness should be developed.
There is so much to be learnt from this MMS. I am not preaching in this MMS that you should give up food in entirety, give up everything in life and to remain in silence at all hours. You continue with your samsara and life as usual. This MMS is Kali Yuga Bhagavad Gita. What is contained in that vast book is being passed on to you in the form of small short sentences. One vast text is compiled into one short sentence. As you keep focusing on that sentence, it is enough.
Swamiji has got all this written through us. We have created it. We have created all the pictures and the background. We are downloading it. We have created it and we are those fools who have not bothered to smell its essence. We have turned into lifeless ladles and we are unashamed about it. We fail to absorb what we have created. Swamiji has just given the instructions but it was created with your personal effort.
The sambar is so tasty. So is the Kheer (sweet milk pudding). Nevertheless, the ladle that helped in its preparation fails to enjoy its essence and taste. You are akin to that. What is the use of turning into a ladle? You will fail to absorb even the slightest taste. You will neither acquire merit nor sin. You are worse than that ladle. To a ladle at least a drop of kheer will stick and the ants that are attracted towards this, enjoy it. You do not even have that luck. At this rate you will remain like the stone within the River Ganga. What is the use?
We are born in this ashram, we have been raised here but of what use is it? Like pigs we are eating and sleeping and thus are spending day after day. Why did I have to use such a word (pig)? Its usage is essential for fools. Also, you were born in that form in some earlier birth. Hence I had to use that word.
‘Oh, is there so much significance hidden within the MMS? Oh, is Appaji grieving so deeply at our mistake? If so, why didn’t he make it known to us earlier?’ You may think in this manner. The truth is that He should not say it and hence He did not make it known earlier. Now you will question ‘If so, then why is He saying all this today’? Today is the birthday of Puttugam. Puttugam is grieving. So I had to tell you all. It is not your Appaji who is feeling bad. Both Jayalakshmi Mata and Ganapati are very upset.
There is a very vast story hidden behind the ‘Ganapati’ in Ganapati Sacchidananda. Once in Ukraine I was staying in a house that was constructed upon a lake. Midnight I woke up and my eyes fell upon a photo. It was an ancient Chinese photo. The hosts had kept it as a decoration in Appaji’s room. The hosts had never met Swamiji earlier and were not at all familiar to us. They do not know even English. Our Vishnu datta who lives in Russia too did not come to Ukraine as it was far away and because he did not get a formal invite. Why does anyone need a formal invite? Wherever Swamiji stays, it is to us, our house; it is our Swamiji’s house. We should seek to be wherever He is. I advertise all my programs prominently on facebook. So how can you say that you don’t know?
Those who do not watch MMS give lame excuses that there was a power failure at home, the phone was under repair or that there was an examination the next day and the like. Do you mean to say that you could not read a one-line MMS due to an examination on the following day? You had the time to listen to your favourite music and sing along with it. You had the time to relax and enjoy every bite of your meal. You had the time to sleep. You had the time for face makeup, spraying perfumes and thereafter to appreciate your looks in the mirror. But you did not have the time to spend one minute for MMS?
Ok, lets agree that on that day or during that week it was not possible. Can you not sit down and read the entire week’s MMS at the end of the week? Can you not reflect about its meaning in Telugu? Can you not approach your children and find out the meaning in Telugu? For example the word ‘Om’ is just one short alphabet. How long does it take to read it? Does one need to drink two bowls of nectar? Just a drop of it will suffice. The mantras in totality merge into Omkaara. It is sufficient to just perform japa of Omkara. It is enough to just say ‘Namah Shivaya’. In fact it is enough to just state ‘Jaya Guru Datta’. Why go that far? With love, it is enough if one calls out ‘Appaji’. All mantras merge into it.
A bird can recite mantras easily. But you are incapable of even reciting it. I will post a video about the birds. Then you witness it for yourself. I am a person who will definitely achieve what I seek to achieve. I struggled but yet emerged successful in the matter of rearing these birds. A few canaries died. Yet I never lost hope. I involved these canaries in the recording of the new CD ‘Birds Zodiac’. Sitting amidst them I recorded their sounds. Then I asked Jaitra to mix them. I don’t give up so easily. I don’t declare that I have failed. Similarly can you not be a little determined? Even a little of such determination is sufficient. Will Paramatma excuse you if you merely praise Appaji and yet choose to remain as you are?
Is it enough to declare ‘Oh I am a mere human. I have many limitations. I am incapable. I am a donkey, an ass. What can I achieve?’ Do I have such useless devotees? Do you think that I am shameless to take on such person as my devotees?
Having procured the association/ relationship of a Sadguru you are now on your journey into transforming to a Devata. I saw some great traits in you. I noticed that you had in you those supreme traits that were essential to lead you to the top. I was confident that you would fall into the line. That is why I pulled you closer to me. Do you not value it? Do you not value my friendship? Can you not scale up? Do you choose to remain as you are? Is this the result that I get for all my efforts? Why should I agonize for you? Why?
All that I speak today are not some casual words that are coming from my throat/ lips. These deep words are originating from my stomach.
At least hereinafter, for having secured Swamiji’s friendship, for being a part of this ashram, for having spent time with Swamiji, let us desire to understand a little of the nature of that Paramatma. Let us seek to understand the morals (neeti) and fall its path.
Please do not slide down/ fall from your existing location. You should not fall down from your present level. Be careful. All of you are very good and supreme souls. You are Devatas. All of you are elevated beings (jeevatma). Due to the various meritorious deeds that you have performed across various births, you have had this chance of being associated with me.
It is possible that you will say, “Until now He called us pigs and donkeys. Now He is addressing us a Devatas? What is it?” Let me clarify. I seek to remind you of your original state. Originally you were elevated beings and hence you could develop friendship with me. But now, in this world you are sliding down and behaving like animals. Now you have to get back to your track. You were born with good traits. Neither was I scolding you nor am I praising you. I am showing to you the truth as seen in a mirror. Do not misuse this valuable association. I am telling you not to slip from your present location. You have with you a great sat sampradaya (good traditions).
What is sat sampradaya? Taking shelter under a Sadguru is itself sat sampradaya. That’s all. The traditions that were passed down by our elders are said to be the sat sampradaya. Yes. The traditions etc. adhered by your forefathers supported you in gaining this state. You should have the firm belief that what you are following presently is the sat sampradaya.
My dear good devotees (sat bhaktas) this MMS is like an operation without the necessity of an anesthesia. If you truly want to rid yourselves of all your bad karmas follow this MMS. So far I was weeding out your infections without your knowledge. But now I am weeding it out while you are fully conscious about it. Hence it may hurt/burn a little. The first drop of medicine that is administered into the eye of a patient suffering from eye infection causes some burning sensation. The subsequent drop does not cause burning. It cools. This is because the germs would have got killed with the first drop. If you believe that the eye drop should not cause burning at all, then it cannot be administered. In which case the eye will get damaged. To protect the eye, this drop is necessary.
A thorn can be removed only with the aid of another thorn. If you plead with the thorn “Oh thorn, I love you. Please come out. If I use another thorn to pull you out it will hurt you. So I plan to use a hammer”. What will happen if you use a hammer and hit it?
I spoke all this as it was Puttugam’s birthday. It was not me who spoke. It was Puttugam. This entire earth (bhu mandala) is contained within Puttugam. I do not know if Puttugam wrote these MMS or got them written, created them or got them created. It is immaterial to us. As far as we are concerned this MMS is a Prasada that we are receiving from our Guru. All of you, at least from now on, please read it and derive blessedness out of it.
Jaya Guru Datta.
Compiled by: Parimala Eshwarla