Sri Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Swamiji – speech on Day 7 of Navaratri Celebrations – October 14, 2010 – Mysore
Jaya Guru Datta
“Now the pens that Sri Swamiji worshipped Mother Saraswati with will be distributed one per person to everyone, children and also adults. Please make sure that you remain where you are and they will be brought to you. Make sure that you get all the parts, the pen, the cap, and the filler and that in the commotion they do not get all separated. Let us see what you all write with the pen.
If you want to get into the inner circle of Sri Swamiji, if you want to get closer to Mother, become a friend of Puttu Gam on Facebook. Tomorrow it is Sri Jayalakshmi Mata’s Happy Birthday. My grandmother used to celebrate her birthday on Ashtami day during Navaratri. True, it is Sri Swamiji’s tradition to conduct it on Shankara Jayanti. But since that is also the day when she left her body, we cannot happily celebrate her birthday on that date. She is not an ordinary person. She is none other than Jnana Saraswati Herself. Because of a curse she was born here.
When you become a friend of Puttu Gam, messages should be sent very sparingly, only on very special occasions, or for some very special topics. When you become a member on Facebook, do NOT make friends with all types of people. This should be kept as a very pure forum. No trashy topics should be posted by Datta devotees on film stars, trivial parties, silly chats, and so on. There may be scholars posting on subjects like planets, astrology, Vaastu and other topics. Some readers will get alarmed and confused by these writings. For you, who have Sri Swamiji, He is everything. Respect the scholars. But do not add confusion to your lives. Do not quarrel with them. Just give them honor and set aside.
Puttu Gam has told me that many youngsters are joining, 15-16 yr. olds. I am concerned about their wellbeing and future. You may watch television, cinemas, and sports. I do not say no. We have to be very careful about what we post on Facebook. Two people, who were due for a promotion, had written on Facebook some nonsense many years ago, when they were still in college. They lost their promotions because of that. Seeing this America’s President Obama has cautioned all young people to be very selective in what they post on Facebook.
Some elders are under the impression that Facebook is not good. That it stinks. But Sri Swamiji is trying to clean it up. Puttu Gam is making it Gham Gham, fragrant. Datta Peetham has now made it beautiful for Datta devotees. In your interests do not write, ‘men’, ‘women’ and such things. You may write about your education, studies, that is not a problem. Be pure and clean in what you post. Remember that there are children reading this. Puttu Gam is also educating children with riddles, mathematical tricks and such. Other people who spoil it also will be handled in course of time, step by step. Health issues are also discussed to help everyone. You must become friends with Datta Peetham if you want to keep up constantly with Sri Swamiji’s movements. Puttu Gam gives knowledge.
Keep friendship with only close friends. Do not disclose your email IDs and telephone numbers to strangers. You do not know who true Datta devotees are and who are false devotees. I know. But you do not. If someone with Datta vastram approaches and pesters you for personal information, give them a wrong address. donkey.com or chicken.com. Post a clear, recent photograph of yourself alone. Do not put photos with spouse, pet, children, or dolls. Couples can have two separate accounts. Post your family photographs in your albums. Puttu Gam will see them there and inform Swamiji. He will be aware of it.
You may think the Sri Swamiji is playing with His IPad. That is not correct. If Swamiji is illusory, may be Puttu Gam is also illusory.
Those who are on Facebook with Puttu Gam are very lucky, very fortunate. Those who are not, are very unfortunate.
Go to the booking counters set up here to register. Sri Swamiji has authorized 3 or 4 persons to collect the information only for these 4 days. Then that will stop. Give your personal email ID and telephone number only to those persons.
I am not responsible if you face problems later by that may arise by your negligence in following these instructions of mine. This is Kali Yuga. It is very dangerous. You have to be very careful. “
Sri Guru Datta
Speech during bhajan session
Jaya Guru Datta
Prayers were offered by Sri Swamiji to Lord Ganapati, Mother Saraswati and to the Parambrahman, the Sadguru.
“Saraswati represents unfragmented, unified, limitless, infinite Knowledge. In a worldly sense, students, teachers and seekers of truth should worship her today without fail. She is the powerful energy that permeates all fields of knowledge, all the fine arts, and all spiritual paths. All yogis, saints, and spiritual practitioners must remember Her this evening, especially in the presence of the Sadguru. She removes all ignorance and delusion when she is praised and worshipped. There is none in the world to equal the person who has obtained Her grace. His knowledge charms and attracts everyone in the world, be they worldly or spiritual. He is worshipped by all. The Saraswati mantra is as powerful as the Savitri mantra. It is so mentioned in the Vedas several times. Sri Rani Subbayya Deekshitulu and Swami Manasa Datta have told us many episodes about the Mother Goddess from the scriptures. The 1000 names of Lalita describe Her as “Saraswatee Shastramayee Guhaambaa Guhyaroopinee”. We must meditate upon Her in that invisible aspect of Her being the repository of all Knowledge. She bestows all types of knowledge.
Song: Sakala Vidyaaprade
Do not ever say that you cannot remember things. It is enough if Mother Saraswati is merely remembered. The darkness of ignorance vanishes at once and like a flash of lightning, knowledge pervades the mind with effulgence. All knowledge comes from the radiance of Saraswati. The ever flowing knowledge and consciousness are Her form. The Sun and the Moon shine by Her power. The Life Energy and Consciousness that constantly flow inside of us from head to toe is Goddess Saraswati Herself. Our Prana or life force is evident in our breath – our inhalation and exhalation. It is evident in our speech, in sound. Undergoing various transformations, these eventually give us Brahmananda, Supreme Bliss. Nada the divine sound is the same as Prana our Life Energy which is the same as our breath, which is the same as the Universal Consciousness of Mother Saraswati which ultimately gives Brahmaananda. That is what the Vedas say.
All knowledge, anything to do with the mind, the intellect, or speech is because of Her. For doing anything we need Her grace. To earn and preserve money, to become and remain wealthy one needs a good intellect. Some people earn a lot but squander it all on movies, on lottery, or unwisely giving to a so-called friend. Everything gets lost, only a begging bowl remains. If by spending Rs.10/- in a lottery they win Rs.1000/- they are not satisfied. They continue to gamble and lose everything including their bus fare. One should develop contentment.
Vibheeshana, Ravana, and Kumbhakarna were three brothers who all performed severe penance to earn boons from Brahma. I wonder why he is called Raavana and not Raabhana. The other two names have ‘bh’. The three were of three predominant gunas respectively, Satva, Rajas, and Tamas. When Brahma appeared, Ravana had his long list of wishes ready. He quickly read them out. Brahma already had a secret plan in his mind as to how to destroy his evil. He followed the path of dharma. Since Ravana had some Satva guna also, Brahma granted him all his wishes. He said ‘Tathaastu” (So be it) to every request. The plan was to make him powerful with knowledge and then when his ego built up, to prick it and destroy it.
Kumbhakarna was watching all this. He assumed that he would also be automatically granted all that he wished for. That was a bad thing. One should not give boons or treatment in front of others. Then the other person demands the same thing. It happens with patients fighting with the doctor to be given an injection even if they do not require it, because the other patient was given one. Brahma realized the evil intention of Kumbhakarna who had been practicing his line carefully to ask for ‘Indra padavi’, the status of Lord Indra, the ruler of Heaven. Alarmed at the situation Brahma at once remembered Saraswati. She came immediately. She knew what to do. She stood on Kumbhakarna’s tongue. Suddenly he forgot everything. He became drowsy. Now in his sleepy state, he uttered ‘Nidra padavi’, the state of deep sleep. While still speaking Kumbhakarna fell asleep before Brahma could even say ‘Yes’.
Some people begin to chant the 1000 names of Lalita and by the time they get to the third name they begin yawning. Why does it happen? It happens because we concentrate. When we fall asleep we give up all thoughts and focus on sleeping. The same thing happens when you are listening to the Sadguru. You fall asleep. One devotee told me when I asked him why he sleeps while I speak, ‘I relax. Your voice is so musical, regardless of in what language you speak. The same thing occurs while listening to Healing Music. It is so soothing.’
(Swami Manasa Datta narrated an incident that occurred in Malaysia during the Healing Music Concert. He had brought an important Swami to the concert, impressing him with descriptions of how great the music was going to be, and seated him in the front row. By the time Pranava Swaroopam song concluded and the second raga was about to commence, the Swami was loudly snoring and sliding off from his chair. Swami Manasa Datta said that Sri Swamiji’s music provides automatic sedation. Sri Swamiji thanked Swami Manasa Datta for at least staying awake during one concert to notice that his neighbor was sleeping).
The gods are always waiting to say, ‘so be it’. We have to be very careful about what we speak. We should not get into the bad habit of saying bad things or using bad words. ‘Think before you talk’. Do not be a chatterbox. ‘Mounam kalaham naasti’ – silence prevents quarrels. ‘Silence is golden’. But sometimes you must speak. The mouth needs to be aired, ventilated. Otherwise you get bad breath. Some devotees practice silence before coming to Sri Swamiji and when they open their mouth to speak, I faint because of the bad breath. With the bhajan singers that problem does not exist because their mouths get lots of fresh air. Those who are tight lipped with anger and rage when they do finally burst out, the odor explodes especially if they had earlier eaten onion or garlic. The effect is indescribable.
When it was Vibheeshana’s turn to ask for a boon, knowing of his Satva guna, Mother Saraswati made him pray for an attitude of surrender.
Man turns into a rock when his intellect becomes dull. When we speak we have to be very alert. Mother Saraswati sits on the tip of our tongue. Whatever we say comes true. We should always say positive things. ‘I will get a chance to speak with Sri Swamiji’. Then you will get a chance to speak with Him. If you say negative things, ‘He will not see me’, He will not see you. When you say negative things you are abusing Mother Saraswati. Some people always sigh and complain. It is a disease. Their mind and their tongue are always complaining. They are always dissatisfied even after consuming 4 sweet chapatis, 4 kg of dosas, idlis, and upma and drinking 4 litres of coffee. They are still depressed. They complain of minor aches and pains. Their eyes are open. But they do not see good things. Their thoughts are elsewhere. They go to write exams. They forget everything. But they remember every detail about television serials and cinemas. Such people do not have the grace of Saraswati. Poverty and misery await them. There is no gentleness in their speech. They always have a frown on their faces. They are irritable and speak rudely to everyone as if they were talking to pigs and dogs. I challenge. If you speak politely and sweetly and request saying ‘please’, even the most stubborn person will co-operate. You must talk nicely, in a sweet and pleasing tone of voice. Do not start a quarrel. If your speech is sweet you will win this world. Please make a habit of only speaking the truth. That itself is worship of Mother Saraswati. Your speech should be like a string of pearls and not hot chillies. You should smile.
If our sense of direction in life should be good, if our understanding should be sharp, clear and subtle, if we desire fame and recognition in society, if we wish for true knowledge, if we want our minds to blossom, we must offer prayers to Mother Saraswati.
Song: Lalita Trishati – refrain: ‘Lam lam Lalite’
This is not a shloka. We have joined the 300 names of Mother Goddess together in a tune for easy understanding.
Song: Vande vande Vaaneem
Those who know nothing also chant Sri Vishnu Sahasranama and Sri Lalita Sahasranama. I will have the Europeans chant the Ganapati Kavacham sometime. They are able to do it by Saraswati’s grace and their strong devotion to Sri Swamiji. What does Sri Swamiji’s composition say?
Song: Palukinchavamma Sri Lakshmi Kodala
New Song: Chaduvula thalli Saraswati Maa madi malli manaswati
The phrases for the new song came to me just as I was walking back after offering purnahuti to Mother Goddess this morning. Since Sri Bala Swamiji was walking alongside, I told him all the phrases and requested him to put the song together since I had absolutely no time to do it. The credit for the final composition of the song goes to Sri Bala Swamiji who used so beautifully all the phrases given by me.”
Sri Guru Datta
Courtesy: Smt. Hira Duvvuri