Speeches of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji on day 8/9 of Sri Devi Navaratri Celebrations – October 2, 2014 – Mysore
Speech after Kalyana Utsavam of Sri Jayalakshmi Mata and Sri Gandluru Narasimha Sastry
Jaya Guru Datta
Like the Kalyanam/marriage of Sita-Rama, Parvati-Parameswara, and Lakshmi-Narayana, the marriage of Sri Jayalakshmi Mata and Sri Narasimha Sastry took place at Mekedatu, at the Sangama Kshetra. How it took place there was described by the elders. In those days, mother was given a saree worth 16 rupees, valued now at 16 thousand rupees. Only people from 4-5 villages like Sogala etc. attended. Everyone went to Mekedatu. A big feast was held.
Asked if she would marry this man, mother readily said yes. When Savitramma said a bridegroom would arrive that night, Linganna, Jayalakshmi’s father did not believe her. Overnight, the brother and sister arrived, stranded since the bus had left while they were meditating at Sangama. They saw a small lamp far away, after it got dark.
The place was famous for elephants and wild animals that roamed in the wild jungle. They arrived at Linganna’s home seeking shelter for the night. Overnight the situation changed. The man was mentally disturbed. If married, he may get well, said his sister Venkamma. He had been widowed and gave away his only son for adoption to the boy’s grandparents. That is Nanjundayya, that small boy.
A small boy told the brother and sister at Bangalore bus stand, to go to Mekedatu. Ganapati was his name. They had darshan of Siva/Sangameswara. The father of the girl was very stubborn. He was an atheist. No belief in tradition or scriptures. I will give my daughter in marriage, he said; let us see if his mental insanity will go away. Suddenly the marriage got fixed. Many people came to attend. Linganna was never steady, with ajji/grandmother he went here and there; poor grandmother had to adjust to his ways. Such a person offered his daughter, a beauty, a golden doll to this man. What to say about his good looks? He was middle aged. Everyone made fun of her bridegroom. Jayalakshmi defended him fiercely if anyone ridiculed him.
That today we are performing this Kalyanam is our good fortune. It was a strange wedding. If you read Swamiji’s life history you will know.
I wanted to share with you the details about the incident of the marriage. Venkamma and Narasimha Sastry went to the house of Linganna at night. They started conversing. Atheist Linganna challenged the theory that marriage will cure insanity. He sacrificed his own daughter. It happened because of divine will. Oh, will he become sane if he gets married? He fought with his wife and with Venkamma that he was not mad in making this offer.
One of my relatives on my mother’s side, who lived for 102 years, gave the bride a 16 rupee saree for the wedding. All the villagers were astonished and talked about it as a wonder. They made her wear that saree and took her in a procession so that people of the village would see the expensive saree. Now her son throws expensive sarees recklessly here and there.
That man who gave the saree, himself narrated the incident here in the Nada Mantapam a few years ago. Here, we give 1008 sarees to Mother Goddess as offering in worship.
Mother required no ornaments to make her appear beautiful. No need to mention about my father. He was always treated by me like a friend. Now he is god. He never gave pain to anyone. All he needed was a couple of Rava laddus and two cups of coffee to make him happy. He was easily pleased. I did not speak with him for a long time. I will not disclose the reason why. These two souls never gave pain to anyone ever. All their earnings they gave away to the needy. She donated all her jewels also. Today they look grand. (Addressing his parents Swamiji said) I looked upon you like this even when you were alive.
We must honor parents while they are alive. Never give them pain. I treated them well when they were alive. I obeyed my father to the last word, to the best of my ability. I never refused him anything. All my devotees helped me.
Making framed pictures, statues and doing puja after death of parents is not important. Treat them well while they are alive.
Father lived a simple life, always contented. He took other people’s karma upon himself.
Today we did the Kalyanam here. On Dec. 14, Kalyanam will take place in Jayalakshmipuram. All of you are invited, since the date has been decided by the young and the old.
Sri Guru Datta
Speech after Purnahuti of Chandi Homa/Yajna
Today is a great day. This type of ritual as conducted here is extraordinary; the procedures are taken from all Puranas, Devi Purana, and other undisclosed procedures also are included in this Chandi Homa. There is a connection between the Chandi Homa and all the devotees who are participating in it.
When sharing troubles with Swamiji, I ask them, are you coming to Chandi Homa? Participate in it. When you speak about children, business, and job problems, I give a clue in answer to the tough questions you have in your lives: Do this Chandi Homa. At least take darshan if you cannot afford. Both get the same benefit. Today’s Chandi Yajna is a Deeksha. Only brahmacharis/celibates who have taken Mantra deeksha have conducted this. They have done great upasana, mantra deeksha. That both 8-9 days/Ashtami and Navami came together today is our good fortune.
Rajarajeswari, and the form of Chandi as Jwala Devi/fiery form have merged today. Swamiji recently witnessed Mother Goddess in the volcano. I had darshan of Mother Goddess there with the leaping flames and the flowing lava. I saw it only as a Homa fire-pit. I had along with me some Karma jeevis/souls, 4 of them, including the pilot 5. That is why it has brought me back here. Otherwise, I would have merged with that Mother Goddess who was glowing there like gold. I had to come back for you. From water it is easy to emerge, but not from fire.
In Swamiji’s penance, 80% of your troubles vanish with this Chandi Yajna. Mother herself will handle. Swamiji is not troubled. The other 20% you take care of with your devotion. I do not take on your troubles. I am only a serving spoon. You should use me properly and not allow me to get bent out of shape with misuse. Then I will not be useful. The ladle has no life. There is a treasure, a gem-studded pot of sacred substances. It is maintained well. All divine images and vessels are handled very tenderly here, whatever is used in Swamiji’s altar. I tell the children Mother is there, handle tenderly. That is how puja should be performed. You do not just toss flowers and kumkum mechanically or carelessly. You are all the time concerned about your problems. I am not making fun.
Their way is different. My way is different. What we do should be as per dharma. Adharma brings lots of problems. A cow gives milk if you treat it well. If you force the cow, it will kick. You feed it well, treat it well. It will yield well. If you do proper Seva to Guru, the results will automatically come to you.
You do not give anything. For a tree also, to derive benefit from it, you must water, fertilize, and protect. If you keep stripping the leaves, flowers, fruits, and later chop off the branches, the tree will simply die and will not yield any benefit later. Sadguru is a tree, a Kalpavriksha/wish-yielding tree. You must learn how to treat Guru gently, how to derive benefit. If you strip and do not nourish, this tree will perish. Sadguru is a goose that lays golden eggs. A divine image is not a statue, no.
When you dig the ground, do it gently, how to dig a hole? Mother earth, should not be given pain. For water, gems, minerals, you dig mercilessly, selfishly. You spit on the ground, stomp on it, dump your wastes and all the trash. I am not inviting arguments. Do your dharma with proper ethics. Yes. Dig, irrigate, harvest. Yes, our dead body also goes there. But do all you do with devotion, concern, care, and love. Do not do with a reckless attitude. If you do, you then invite earthquakes. How we build homes to withstand earthquakes, like that you protect the earth, and yourselves. Put some care and thought into your actions.
When offering puja, do not give pain to Mother Goddess. This year Mother Chandi is appearing before you in a peaceful manner giving gentle advice, giving blessings, destroying all troubles and sins.
May all devotees learn to treat Sadguru properly without ever giving him pain. I am not selfish. I am speaking from my heart. My voice is an instrument of my heart. My heart is absolutely pure. It is always kept pure, like a vessel. I keep vessels always clean and ready to cook the next meal. The way a wife is always ready to serve the husband, because she and the children also get fed when she cooks for him. If you neglect the husband, he will move to the hotel and will befriend other women who will treat him well. Mother, please teach my daughters and daughters-in-law how to treat their husbands well.
Jaya Guru Datta.
Now it is my duty to give prasadam. All of you wearing the deeksha cloth tied to the head, come in a line to receive prasadam. All that you give is returned to you. I do not keep anything for myself. Everything is returned to you as annadanam.
Those who have to leave in a hurry may leave. Those who can afford to stay, please stay and see the final harati before departing.
Speech during bhajan evening
Jaya Guru Datta
Harihi Om Tatsat
Om Ayim Hreem Shreem Lalita Parameswaryai Namaha
You also please repeat.
In marriages, the priest chants a long mantra and the bridegroom from America will say just the last two syllables.
8th and 9th days’ pujas we have completed. This year the celebration is completed very quickly. As per the almanac, both days came together today.
During this Navaratri, the more we remember and worship Mother, the better it is for us. When we keep dwelling on her glories, our sins get destroyed.
Parasurama was taught the essential knowledge about Devi by Lord Dattatreya.
Who is Mahishasura? Who is Chamunda? Who is Chamundeswari? Who is Kolhapura Mahalakshmi? On the way to Jwalamukhi, there is a Chamundi and the deity there is Chamundeswari. 3 incarnations Mahishasura took. 3 times he was killed. Why did that happen? And How? In Tripura Rahasya, the story is explained. There are several Jyotirlingas. We do not argue about it. This is not the real Chamundi shrine. This Chamundi Hill is not the actual place where Mahishasura was killed.
Long ago, the Mysore Maharajas had darshan of Mother Goddess here and therefore they have established the temple here.
If you say ‘RadheShyam’ the flame leaps higher at Jwalamukhi. That is the real Mother Goddess shrine. There are lots of important shrines. Nobody asks me for details, and so I do not tell. I have no time also to explain to you. There are two locations for Vaishno Devi also. Not duplicate. Both incarnations took place. In Krita Yuga Jwalamukhi incarnation took place. On the way to it is Chamundi. Mookambika is the same way, there is also another location for Kollur.
Kolhapur Mahalakshmi is one. Mookambika is one. Chamundi is one. Thus 3 incarnations of Mother Goddess took place to kill the incarnations of Mahishasura.
Let us today discuss how Mother Goddess incarnated as Mahalakshmi to kill the demon Mahishasura. Once, while Indra was the king of the celestials, Mahishasura was the king of the demons. On one occasion, a conflict arose between the demons and the celestials. It got aggravated and became a major issue. Mahishasura usurped the throne of Indra, and arrogantly occupied it. Indra ran away along with the celestials and sought the help of Brahma.
Once, before the killing of Tarakasura, the gods turned into birds and flew away to escape from his harassment. Similarly here also they flew away as birds. The different types of bird forms they took, and went to Brahma.
Peacock, swan, dove, crow, parrot, eagles, and so on. That is why birds are given so much importance.
Following his directive, Indra went along with Brahma to Siva and Vishnu. All together they offered their prayers thus: “O mighty gods, all the people of the worlds are being tormented by Mahishasura. We are all unable to withstand the onslaught. We pray that by whatever means this demon should be destroyed.”
The radiance from the Trinity and the gods emerged and became one. It filled all the three worlds with effulgence and assumed the form of a woman. The radiance emitted by Siva’s face became her face. Yama’s radiance turned into her hair. Vishnu’s radiance took the shape of her two shoulders. Vishnu created another disc from his Chakra; Siva created another trident from his trident, and the various gods also manifested from their individual weapons, the corresponding weapons and offered them all to Mother Goddess. Himavan offered her a lion as her vehicle. All her ornaments, clothing, her throne, weapons, every single item for her use was supplied by all the gods. All the combined energies made her supremely powerful. Mother, who thus assumed a mighty cosmic form, gave a thunderous roar. The sound of it made the heart of Mahishasura tremble with fright. Accompanied by his army he arrived at the battlefield.
Single-handed, Mother Goddess fought against demons like Chikshura, Chaamara, Udagra, Mahaamaha, Asiloma, Baashkala, Parivaarita, Bidaala, and Kaala. They had magical powers of reproducing themselves from their drops of blood that fell. Seeing Mother Goddess’s ferocity, the lion also got excited and it ran amok on the battlefield crushing the demons. Sri Mata manifested her entourage. Some amongst them began to render tuneful songs. Nada is extremely important in the worship of Mother Goddess for that reason. That is why even Dikshitar and others composed during Navaratri, the Navavarana songs. Listening to those, Mother Goddess became more energized and slaughtered hundreds of demons. Strangely, the headless trunks of the demons began rising and carrying on the fight. Then, Mother Goddess, swelling with fury, fought in a manner that would give goose bumps. The celestials witnessing this awe-inspiring battle, showered flowers upon Mother Goddess.
When Chikshura tried to attack Mother Goddess, she threw her spear at him and split him into a hundred pieces making it convenient for the vultures to consume. Witnessing that, Chamara rose in fury to attack Mother. Her vehicle, the lion, smashed him with its powerful paw and rendered him lifeless. Mother Goddess then resolved to put an end to all the evil forces. She rained boulders and trees upon Udagra and crushed him to pulp and made him merge with dirt. She snuffed out the life of Karaala with her teeth and fatal punches. Today is the anniversary of his death. She ground to dust Uddhata with blows from her mace. Using the weapon Bhindipaala, she took the life of Baashkala. She slayed the demons Taamra, Andhaka, Ugraasya, Ugraveerya, and Mahaahanu with arrows and other weapons. She sliced Bidaala with her sword and shot arrows at Durdhara and Durmukha to pierce them to death. She annihilated Kaalaasura with her staff called Kaala. She had to use different weapons at different times to kill these demons. They were all protected by certain boons. Mother Goddess had to use specific energies of specific deities to kill each specific demon. Using her dagger, she stabbed to death Ugradarsana, and Asiloma. She first destroyed all the random demons.
Witnessing such colossal destruction of the demon force, unable to contain himself further, Mahisha assumed his original form of a buffalo and struck fear into the hearts of the army of Mother Goddess. He scattered them in different directions. Mahisha had the boon of assuming any shape and form at will. When Mother Goddess tried to lasso him with her rope, he quickly transformed himself into a lion. The moment Mother Goddess raised her sword to kill him, he turned himself into a man. When Mother Goddess began tormenting him with her dagger and weapons made with skin, Mahisha ignored those and turning into an elephant, began harassing the lion with his trunk. When Mother Goddess cut off his trunk, he again turned into a buffalo and began causing disturbances in all the three worlds.
Mother of the Universe, Chandika, then paused for a bit and suddenly rose to action again. She flew into the sky and assuming a most divine form, she crushed Mahisha under her feet. The other demons did not deserve to be touched by her feet. When both her feet touched him, Mahisha lost his verve.
It is very wrong to ask Sadguru to place his feet on your head. The lotus of the Sahasrara Chakra must be placed on the feet of Sadguru. But not the other way around. If that is done, if you wear a hair piece, then your wig will fall off. Your head lice and dandruff get on the soles of my feet. Your bald head will scratch me. Do not underestimate the power of Guru’s feet. You are not ripe enough to obtain all the final rewards. You have just now become devotees. You cannot expect too much. Many ask that Sadguru should touch their heads with his hands. It is wrong to ask like that. You demand to touch Sadguru’s beard, thighs, and so on. You should not ask for such things. You place flowers only on Sadguru’s feet and up to the knee level. Never should you place a flower on Guru’s head. Chanting the Purusha Sooktam, with permission you may place a Tulasi leaf or a Bilva leaf. It is wrong to do it without Guru’s permission. Only at Maha Samadhi it is done. You will lose your radiance if you make Sadguru place his feet on your head. Are you the worst demon like Mahishasura to deserve it? Listen to this explanation again and again. Try and understand this thoroughly. Never inconvenience Sadguru with your improper demands.
Mahishasura’s face turned pale. Solidly crushing him under her two powerful feet, disabling him from rising again, raising her trident, Mother Goddess pierced his throat. Thus, she put an end to Mahishasura. All the sages and gods praised Mother Goddess.
Om Ayim Hreem Shree Lalita Tripurasundaryai Namaha.
Demons like Mahisha exist in this world. They have evil powers. They have a wicked nature. They employ illusory tricks on others. They do not realize that none is greater than Mother Goddess. All such beings who display their arrogance like Mahisha will suffer the same fate as he did. Therefore, we must strive to earn the compassion of Mother Goddess. We must make every effort to see that Mother’s grace is directed towards us. We must strive to win her love and attention. Those who are blessed by Mother Goddess enjoy esteem in this world. They become prosperous. They will earn fame. Their families will remain happy and comfortable. Their lives get fulfilled.
O Mother, you offer protection to all those who remember you when they are faced with danger. You remove their fear. Those who contemplate upon you when things are going well are granted a good intellect by you. You are ever most compassionate and ready to offer your help. There is none other than you to remove poverty, distress, and fear. Those who worship Mother will gain compassion, courage, and kindness.
We have learned in brief the story of Mother Goddess. We are also going to offer service to her with music.
Mother Jayalakshmi gave me a small flute when I was a small boy. Now I will play only some meditation music on flute. I am not giving a performance. Three favorite ragas of mother I would like to play. Italy produces crystal flutes. It is difficult to play on those. But I will play for my mother some tunes as only meditation music. If I miss the pitch or beat, treat it as a new raga.
Swamiji has practiced in 6 shrutis. It is a different system. San-khara-Thodi-Kal-Hari-Natha is the Sutra. According to that Sutra I play. San is Sankarabharanam. Then follow Kharaharapriya, Kalyani, Hari Kambhoji, and Natha Bhairavi. It is a musical theorem. Flautists usually follow only one system. Now I first play five shrutis. Even cinema people do not use all of them. I wish to play for Jayalakshmi Mata all the five shrutis.
Sthapita bhaavita song – I will play only the first line with emphasis given only to the melody/the raga alapana. Mother is tune and Father is rhythm. I will try to abide by the rhythm. This is not a flute concert. It is only Swamiji offering seva to his parents. I offer the musical notes to mother.
Now I change the shruti. You guess what bhajan it is. Don’t laugh at my flute playing. This is just a child playing. Now shruti 6 I have taken. Vishala lochane ..
I am not stopping. I am going to play some more. Like a lollipop now I will place the Italian flute in my mouth. Everything has to be tasted. This is a third shruti. Chocolate. Meditate with closed eyes. Once in a while open the eyes to see if I am still playing. This is a glass flute. It requires complete concentration on breath alone.
Many cannot sleep. If focus is on the breath, you can sleep. Forget pain, forget tomorrow’s events, and forget fear. Laugh a lot before going to sleep. Then forget to think of sleep. Only focus on breath. When breath is focused on, God will be realized. In a glass flute, the notes are extremely precise. Concentration on Shruti and Prana will make you sleep. Even the player will sleep.
Some flutes are very long. Even by the time you play the note Sa, you will fall asleep. An American devotee gave me a symphony flute. It is extremely heavy, a wooden flute. The children went to Singapore and brought it. Like a child looking for lollipop, I opened it. Amazing shruti. I need more practice. I am a beginner. I have no teacher. Jayalakshmi Mata is my teacher. This is also meditation music. The last shruti for today. This is a different flute.
Harati song was played by Swamiji on the flute
As parents praise their own children, you are all praising my flute playing.
Sri Bala Swamiji spoke: I had always wanted to see Sri Krishna, Sri Krishna playing the flute. Our wish has come true. We have to use the largest pumpkin to remove the evil eye. This is true Devi Navaratri. Krishna is considered to be an incarnation of Mother Goddess. We cannot ask for more. No greater birthday gift can be offered to Sri Jayalakshmi Mata on her birthday.
Prasad spoke: This parrot is Varam/boon. It receives prostrations from the entire staff of Shuka Vana. Why? What boon does it give? We will watch a video tomorrow which will explain that.
Sri Guru Datta
Sri Guru Datta