Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji in the evening during bhajan session – January 1, 2015 – Vijayawada
Jaya Guru Datta
Stavams, Bhajans: Bhadram karnai, Sthapita bhavita, Datta Megham, Jeevacha jeevan, Divyanama keertanam, Vitthala, Sivam bhaje
For the present occasion, Swamiji has sung bhajans unexpectedly, even though it was not in the program. Today, you have all been introduced to the secret work of Parashara, called the Vanara Gita. Great warriors and great souls surrounding Lord Hanuman, had sung His praises. All their pains and problem got dispelled by the singing of these praises of Hanuman.
Rama took the form of a parrot to perch on Hanuman’s shoulder to hear him chant the name of Rama. That is why the parrot is called ‘Rama chiluka (parrot)’. All the 333 crore celestials (divine energies) took the form of parrots and surrounding Hanuman sang the Vanara Gita. Such a great work has been introduced to you.
To me, everyone of you appears like a parrot. This gathering of devotees appears to be like a huge flock of devout birds. As intelligent human beings, you may consider yourselves, and some of you may consider yourselves as great beings as well, but in my consideration, you are all like parrots, repeating the divine names of God after me, very sweetly. I see you as young parrots, old parrots, infant parrots, educated parrots, naughty parrots, running parrots, and speaking parrots repeating Vithala Vithala after me. My parrots in Mysore call out Happy Birthday Appaji every morning. The boys laugh, how can everyday be Happy Birthday to Appaji. But I told them that the parrots are right. They understand the significance of the words. Every morning we begin life afresh, we come back alive once again after a night of sleep. So, it is quite all right to say Happy Birthday every single day. The moment of sunrise they greet Good morning. Only after sunset they say Good night. They never say Good night during the day. You see the double yellow-headed Amazon. It speaks fluently. It perches on my shoulder and says Rama Rama. I feel like I am Hanuman carrying Rama on my shoulder.
The nine planets are represented by these nine parrots. They surround me as if the nine planets are going around the Sun. I don’t know where they came from. In the duration of one year, for so many parrots to congregate in one place is no trivial matter. It is not child’s play. It is not an easy occurrence. It is no joke. It has deep significance. All the visitors feel like they have entered a different world when they enter Shuka Vana. Shuka Brahma, as a parrot, has gifted to the world the Bhagavatam. It is because of Shuka that we are all alive today in the Kali Yuga, that we have all taken birth, that I am here singing for you in this Patamata Ashrama. Daily Bhagavata scriptural reading takes places at Shuka Vana for all the parrots to listen to. Shuka Brahma is never referred to as the son of Vyasa. Although Vyasa is truly great, Vyasa is addresses as the father of Shuka. Shuka listened to the private dialog that took place between Siva and Parvati. That is why it is of great merit to feed some seeds to birds, to parrots, pigeons, owls, eagles, or any birds, for that matter.
It is a great sin to kill chickens. They also belong to the bird family, parrot family. It is wrong to slit their throats and to eat them. It is wrong to eat their meat. It is wrong to eat eggs. Even synthetic eggs should not be eaten. There are many great souls living on earth who follow these strict diet rules. It is because of them that the world survives. You must stop consuming products with eggs. Again and again you will have to be born in this world if you commit that sin. If you torment the lives of other creatures, your future lives will be full of torment. This life journey is very long. It does not end in a day or with one lifetime. Do you know in how many multitudes of wombs you have transited? How many different forms you have passed through, and even as humans how many times you have been reborn? How many countless times you have been born as different animals? Now, finally you have come to me. You are now receiving a passport. You must use it only to go forward, and not backward. Take an oath today that you will never again touch chicken or eggs.
It wrings my heart with pain when I see the chickens being sold in stores. It is because you consume, that they kill and sell meat. I feel so tormented to hear the creatures crying out trying to preserve their lives. I feel so wretched to see the sinful people eating those innocent creatures. That is why the people keep taking rebirth with so many difficulties. They are born with diseases. They suffer from untold problems. They kill and eat the meat of goats. Do we kill our own children and eat them? Are the goats and chickens not like our own children? Have your hearts no feelings of love at all in them? You raise a chicken and you raise a goat and then you kill to eat them. Have you no mercy or kindness? Have you no fear of sin? Why would the butchers kill if people refuse to eat meat?
How can you revere one bird and slaughter another bird? A chicken is also a bird, a walking bird. It is also a living creature. A true human being with any humanity in him should not eat the meat or flesh or chickens, goats, sheep, cows, bulls, or any creature. It is forbidden. An elephant is a vegetarian. How strong it is! Is it not surviving without eating flesh? It only eats grass and vegetation.
It is the nature of a tiger to kill and eat. But even a tiger does not kill, once its hunger is satisfied.
But the human beings are not like that. They chop up meat and store in their refrigerator. Are you not ashamed of your actions? Does it not stink? How can you invite Swamiji into your homes when you behave like that? Have you no shame? You consume meat in your homes. At least from the day Swamiji is invited into your home, you must give up altogether eating eggs and meat. This is not nice. There is so much strength in Satvic food. Vegetables are perishable. They are meant for consumption. But chickens, goats, and cows are here to survive on this earth and increase their numbers. Are they not like your own children? Would you keep quiet if someone chopped to bits your own children?
You have to have the qualification, the eligibility to invite Swamiji to your homes. How can you touch Swamiji with hands that have touched meat and liquor? You have to maintain a Satvic lifestyle, Satvic thinking, and Satvic actions. Then you may even sit on Swamiji’s lap.
People complain that Swamiji does not allow them to touch him. There is so much of energy transmission happening through Swamiji’s touch, his glances, and his speech. Regardless of how sinful you are, Swamiji has now made you chant the names of God, like Vithala Vithala. At least from now on, all those who wish to approach Swamiji must vow to never eat meat, never consume alcohol, and never smoke cigarettes. It will do you good. If you do so, you will have good hearts, good families, and good lives.
It is sinful to even keep up friendship with those who eat meat. Remember that. It is forbidden. Birds get epidemics. By eating birds, you will contract diseases like bird flu and so on. You eat pig meat, cow meat, bull meat. are you not ashamed? You make attractive dishes with those and do not even realize what you are consuming.
That is why, when someone gives me a packet of biscuits, I read and re-read for half an hour, the list of ingredients to make sure that no eggs are there. I would prefer to simply drink a glass of water and go to bed, rather than eat anything containing eggs or meat. What if we die of lack of food? It is better than to kill another creature to feed ourselves. There is no need to eat these things to maintain our lives. We are anyway consuming so much of rice, and so many idlis. Why do we need those items? We should not do that.
Bhakta chataka pakshula dandu pranamu nilichenu lendu – the lives of the birds are saved, the birds in the form of devotees – a (part of a Telugu bhajan composed and sung by Swamiji – Datta Megham Varshinchindi).
If you preserve the lives of birds, the lives of your family members will be preserved. Just don’t touch that stuff. Slowly become transformed. Near Los Angeles there is a town near Malibu. I visited it. I paid obeisance to every single household there. I swear. In every home, and every restaurant, they eat nothing but vegan food, not even milk products, because they wish to avoid hurting other creatures. Try to observe such an austerity.
You do not want rebirth. You want liberation. But you consume omlettes and come to the ashram to see Swamiji. So I know that anyway you will not get liberation, so I make you pay at least 150 rupees to sponsor something with which I can at least feed a hungry person. At least that merit I help you to earn. In this lifetime you will not get liberation. I ask you to light an incense stick for God and you light up a cigarette instead. How will you get liberation? I ask you to receive teertham. Instead, you drink beer as teertham. How will you get liberation? It is impossible. Absolutely impossible.
You wonder why Swamiji is speaking like this. What can I do? Because my devotees are like that, I am forced to speak like this. I will also speak like blabber, with incorrect enunciation like some of you.
You see that depiction of the Universal Form of God? We must merge into that. Such a beautiful banner they have used as a backdrop here.
I visited an elaborately built Shinto Temple in Japan. You must all visit Japan. How courteous and mutually respectful people are in that country. Even amongst family members, they bow to one another.
People are under the impression that in Japan and China they eat snakes, scorpions, frogs and such creatures. There is a group of people there which consumes those, no doubt. But there are also many who are strict vegetarians. It is a beautiful street where they live and shop. I have visited it.
I visited the grand Shinto Temple and went into the sanctum sanctorum. I looked around to see the deity. They just had a tree, a container of water and a lamp. They worship the five elements as God. It was very beautiful. I felt very very happy. Go to Japan and learn some good habits. Learn to respect each other.
Why am I scolding on the first of January? Why should I care how you behave? Behave as you please.
Every single Datta devotee must wear a dot on the forehead starting today. I have made available specially prepared liquid that can be used for that purpose, without the use of any harmful chemicals. People become targets of evil eye. If you wear a dot on the forehead, it will absorb the negative vibrations that are cast upon you by people. Many people get a headache, fever, nausea or congestion suddenly as a result of someone casting an evil eye. This dot will protect you from that. It will remove the evil effect. You may also wear a mark with sacred ash/vibhooti. In Nepal and in Tamil Nadu, you see people, even IAS officers wearing proudly the marks on the forehead. Even police officers wear a small dot. Our people are ashamed to wear it. When they do wear it, the moment they step out, they use their saliva to wipe it off. Are you not ashamed to do it? People of other religions wear a prominent cross around their neck, or wear a cap on their crown. Why are you so ashamed to show that you are a proud Hindu? I scold everyone. I scold you also.
I only sing the bhajans that were requested earlier by devotees. Some bhajans I sang because they are my favorites. Unless you send in your requests ahead of time, I will not sing. Do not assume that I will sing your requested bhajans regardless. I will not.
Bhajan: Anjaneya
shloka: Vande vanara ..
Shloka: Tvamasmin ..
Victory to Veera Hanuman.
This is how you should pray:
Please forgive all of our past mistakes. Please prevent us from making mistakes in the future. All are good. Please see that we do not give pain to anyone. Please bless everyone with good health, a good mind, good devotion, and goodness of heart. Please remove our ego. Please correct us. Please teach us the subtleties of Dharma. You alone are our refuge, O Lord Hanuman. Please guide my thoughts. I will not hurt anyone in the future. I will not desire what belongs to others. Please grant me freedom from envy. Please make me respect my parents. Allow me to fulfill the purpose of my birth by ever serving my Sadguru. Always inspire me to do good things. Let my mind not waver. Whatever bad things I have heard, against my Guru, and my parents, may I be forgiven for that, and for all other bad things which I have done in the past.
I begin the New Year with remorse and regret for all past mistakes. I begin with a fervent prayer to you to forgive me and to increase my devotion.
Swamiji is traveling to New Zealand tomorrow. Sankranti festival will be celebrated in New Zealand. Swamiji feels at home anywhere and everywhere.
All of you must come for Shivaratri and Birthday Celebrations. After that is Chaturmasya and other programs will follow.
Sri Guru Datta
Compiled by Smt Hira Duvvuri