Summary of speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – February 10, 2014 – Nellore
Jaya Guru Datta
Sri Maha Ganapataye namaha
Sri Saraswatyai namah
Sripada vallabha
Narasimha Saraswati
Sri Guru Dattatreyaya namaha
Today it is Bheeshma Ekadasi. It is a very significant day. The story of this Siva is very special. Extraordinary. I am very happy about today’s abhishekam. For 5 years I had wanted to come to do this. With great enthusiasm this Siva was brought from Kasi. It was strange (Maya) how He was found. Here there are two things. It will be explained by Sri Rani Subbayya Deekshitulu.
The sun’s rays fall directly on Siva and the base. That is also very special and significant. This Lord Siva, decorated with a serpent has been consecrated here. He destroys all sins. All the deities are here at this great center of worship.
The more you improve your devotion and this center of worship, the better for you all. Today it also happens to be Bheeshma Ekadasi. For every Bheeshma Ekadasi, Swamiji is in a different place. Today we are fortunate to be celebrating it in Nellore. I urge all of you to increase your faith and devotion towards Lord Siva. It gives me great happiness to perform Siva abhishekam today. Not only on Monday, but on any day, if you have the darshan of Lord Siva, all sins will get destroyed.
Those who remain here, celebrate Siva Ratri here on a grand scale. Those who plan to come to Mysore, please join us in the wonderful celebrations there. Jaya Guru Datta Sri Guru Datta.
Sri Rani Subbayya Deekshitulu’s narration: Last evening Appaji has declared that of all devotees, he is most happy with the devotees of Nellore. That has been proved one more time now.
Normally it is said in the scriptures that those who personally witness the consecration ceremony at a temple will not have any future births. Here, especially, the history of this Siva shrine began with the divine play of Lord Siva.
The original name of Nellore is: Vikrama simhapuri. Nellore is a recent name. Since ancient times this has been a place of great religious rituals and sacrificial rites/yajnas and yagas. It has been reputed to be a place of deep devotion and self-surrender to God. Even Tikkana Somayaji is said to have conducted great rituals here.
To worship God who is formless, we usually keep a Siva Lingam as our deity. It was decided that a Siva Lingam was required here. Sadguru Sri Swamiji also had concurred with that decision. A Siva Lingam is not carved. It is found naturally in the waters of the river Narmada, formed by friction into that shape. Swamiji since then has been eagerly searching for such a Siva Lingam. He was receiving vibrations that the Siva Lingam that He is seeking exists somewhere. But its whereabouts were unknown.
Once, when Swamiji was visiting the holy place of Kasi, He kept getting vibrations about the existence of the Siva Linga that he was looking for. Swamiji kept searching. Where Swamiji was going, no one could guess. The entourage was following him. Finally Swamiji stopped at a bhandara that sells Siva Lingas.
The shop owner, as soon as he saw Swamiji, felt that it was his great fortune, and told Swamiji, “I offer you all that is here. Please take whatever you wish. I offer all that is here at your lotus feet.” Swamiji asked him if he would really give Him everything. The shopkeeper said, “Yes”. Swamiji then said, “All I want is just one item. What I want to have, is upstairs.” The shop keeper said, “There is nothing upstairs. Whatever stock I have is all here, downstairs.” Upon Swamiji’s insistence they went upstairs to search for what Swamiji was looking for. Upon searching carefully amidst all the miscellaneous items that were stashed away there, they found a Siva Lingam. The shop keeper was very surprised, since he had forgotten all about this Siva Lingam. He asked Swamiji how he knew that it was there. In his usual manner, Swamiji simply smiled.
This Nagesa Siva Lingam is a naturally formed Lingam, along with the serpent. It is not one that has been deliberately carved. The serpent represents Kriya Yoga. That is why Swamiji is always urging everyone to learn and practice Kriya Yoga. Kriya Yoga cleanses the Nadis. The power to naturally cleanse the Nadis, is ingrained in this Nageswara Siva Lingam. Such a Siva Lingam has received Abhishekam from Lord Siva Himself on this auspicious Bheeshma Ekadasi day. Those who have witnessed this rare event will have no future births.
Jaya Guru Datta