Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji after special birdshow – May 25, 2013 – Jesus Datta Retreat Center, West Sunbury PA, USA
From the ancient times birds have important role to play in our lives. Understanding the body language of birds is very difficult. Although they could be 40, 60 or 80 year old, they behave in the same way as a 2 year or a 3 year old child. In our ancient times, all our Angels took incarnations in bird forms. First incarnated as birds, and next as humans. I have explained about these incarnations many times. First was fish, second transition was to an animal, third was to birds, and the fourth was to a human being. Human being is very interesting, very intelligent.
In Mysore Ashrama, within a week, they learn a different language. As Swamiji speaks, they also speak. It is very difficult to teach or control these extra-ordinary powers of birds. One is speaking Tamil, one is speaking Hindi, one is speaking English, one is speaking Telugu, Kannada, etc. When they are together, they translate and understand one another. Some of them are let free, but they again came back for my friendship.
Some birds I am looking for, are for some different purpose, for singing purpose. We use the sounds. We already recorded a good experiment for healing purpose. If you go through Bhagavata, Sukha Brahma is like a bird. Sukha is Lord Shiva Himself, son of Lord Vyasa. Sukha brahma gives King Pariksit Bhavagavata initiation in 7 days. There is a beautiful story of this bird. Swamiji will get a good book to you all about birds next month.
How to control these birds, what is the connection between each of these birds and humans, what is the influence of birds to health system, and also to vibration system and to Angels. Each different bird with different colours, and shapes is related to different Angel and Zodiac signs. We have already researched on birds on 31 days of a month. All parrots. Very difficult collections. Some parrots were found in critical conditions, and so we paid to get them from their owner, medically treated them, and after which we wanted to let them back to sky. But they came back for Swamiji’s friendship. We have a big plan for such birds. We want to build an aviator for these birds to fly freely.Some of them had cut wings, and we are helping them to fly. We have 4 doctors, each of them is of a different kind. We paid some money also.
One bird is trained to recite Samaveda. Not much training is required for them. This Macaw gives training to me on how to fly and how to play, like a small dog, believe or not. Running, walking, flying. It’s a good affection.
300 Birds we already have let free. But some are still surrounding in Ashrama. We pay to buy the parrots and other birds, rehabilitate them and let them back to the sky. Most fly away. Some others that cannot fly because of clipped wings by previous owners, or because of broken legs are let to stay back with me. Believe it or not, the one that has a broken leg always hides behind my beard. It never poops on me though. It only poops when let on the floor, but never on me.
Ramayana had its origin from birds. When the bow hunter hunted one of the two birds in the couple, the uncaught lady bird jumped to suicide to be caught by the hunter. The female bird got discarded by the hunter, which got spotted by Valmiki. Valmiki realized that Rama (Atma=Inner Self) and Sita (Budhi=Intellect), like the birds, are inseparable, and began to write the epic Ramayana.
Taitriya Upanishad came from Birds. Talking ability of humans descended from birds. Talking clearly came from Parrots.
This relationship I have with birds is deep. But some are concerned that keeping birds too close gives way to allergies (bird flu, etc). This cannot be true. The allergies get passed on only when something gets consumed from the bird. Some birds have their feathers come out in a specific season. I put a mask around my nose then.
There is a lot to understand about birds. The presentation that we had this morning is just a small entertainment show for Swamiji on his Birthday. We saw two types of Macaws this morning. Macaw is also kind of parrot. African-Grey, another one we saw, is the best in parrots. Amazon Macaw (not shown this morning) is the next in its cousins. Believe it or not, we have a small parrotlet in Mysore. I always call it my pet mother. It loves to sit on Swamiji. I feed it a small apple daily. It completely eats all of it. One day after feeding it, I said I was hungry and wanted to go to eat. The little one came flying and put all it ate in my mouth.
HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji asks Prasad to explain another incident with a parrot and His doctor
Jai guru Datta!
Swamiji was saying how different birds in Mysore ashram speak different languages. There is a bird from Chennai region. It was bred and raised in Chennai region. Swamiji named it “Ranga”. Six month prior when Appaji was supposed to leave on another world tour, the doctors in ashram wanted Swamiji to undergo a battery of medical checkups before His next tour. Swamiji agreed. The last doctor in the list was an endocrinologist. HH Sri Swamiji went through blood sugar levels, and other metrics, and commented that Swamiji was in perfect health condition, nothing to worry.
Swamiji insisted that the doctor would meet Ranga before he left, and asked for Ranga to be brought to Him immediately. The worry that this doctor also expressed, same as the rest of Ashramites was that Swamiji was too close with the birds. That there might be some allergy and flue that Swamiji could contract. Swamiji was with the birds 18/7 if not 24/7 then, continuous and with constant touch with birds. With that close proximity, what could happen to Sri Swamiji, that fear was always lurking in our (his and other Ashrmites) hearts. This doctor went on advising Swamiji that being that close to birds was fine, but Swamiji should do His meals regularly, and be careful from the dust that comes from the birds. Swamiji was smiling at him. Then Ranga was brought to the room. It is a green parrot. Swamiji said to Ranga, ‘Ranga, this is my doctor here.’ Ranga looked at the doctor and asked “Sapata acha”. In Tamil it means, “Did you have your food”? The doctor was stunned to silence, and said, ‘Swamiji, whatever keeps You happy, please keep doing that, that’s important.’
From the age of 16, Swamiji has been in public life. At 71, Sri Swamiji has the wish to spend some time with the birds. As His children, it is our responsibility to keep our father happy in the way He wants.
After the deeksha period of Agni puja for such a long time, Swamiji wanted to take a break and went away to Haridwar for a Shivaratri Festival. He could not perform that Agni puja there. And with that, Agni puja stopped. During His 60th Birthday, Swamiji was saying that He would reduce His touring, and spend more time in Mysore. Somehow, that did not happen. From 70th Birthday, Swamiji’s attachment with birds started, and this may ensure Swamiji spending more time at Mysore Ashrama.
Many of the birds videos are posted on http://www.sgsbirds.com and Youtube channel. You may go out there to watch some of His videos.
Swamiji went to Samadhi state last Sunday, about 6 days ago. For the newcomers to the ashrama, it is a very terrifying experience. Swamiji was not responding to medical parlance. Pulse could not be felt, Swamiji was not breathing for almost 17 minutes. For those in medical field, it is a heart stopping experience. For those who have seen Swamiji for the last 40 years, we knew Swamiji goes into Samadhi state, especially during Devi Navaratri festival days. For those who know, the instructions are to keep fanning Swamiji until Swamiji comes out. This time when Swamiji was in Samadhi in Yoga Narasimha posture for 17 minutes and when Swamiji was not responding, one of the things we said was “Bittu (bird’s name) is waiting”. Two birds were brought, and they were also calling out Swamiji in their voice. One of the birds jumped into water – and at that time Swamiji woke out of the Samadhi state, and asked for getting the bird out of the water immediately and be brought to Him.
Birds have a special role in Swamij’s life. To answer everybody’s questions on birds, Swamiji is writing a book on birds, and it will be released at Birthday celebrations on the 19th of June. It should be available during Swamiji’s summer tour when He travels to Dallas, Detrot, Baton Rouge. That book will probably be the most comprehensive source of spirituality and birds. We must have collected about 700 books on birds from various parts of the world. When Swamiji’s interest on birds started, devotees started gifting books about birds. All types of things connected with birds, from a foot mat to DVD about birds have been given. Of all the 800 books received, almost all of them talked about how birds should be bred, how they should be taken care of. Swamiji’s interest in this new book was more about the spirituality of the birds and on why birds are important to Swamiji, and why at this advanced stage of His life. Swamiji has given a wonderful explanation on it. This will give answers to many of our questions.
Swamiji insists that devotees go to http://www.sgsbirds.com for updates on His bird videos. Many philosophical explanations about birds are also put on the website. Seeing Swamiji’s interest, the Houston DYC has extended its support to Parrot rescue foundation in Houston recently. Appaji also rescues birds that have broken limbs, and tries in His own humble way to give them a normal life.
Compiled by: Sai Shyam Srinivas