Sri Guru Datta Vaibhavam
Day 2, August 2
Jaya Guru Datta
Yesterday Sri Guru Datta Vaibhavam was begun. Today we will try to learn somethings about Sadguru. Lets pray to Lord Ganapathi first before proceeding with the discourse. Morning we spoke that Sadguru is the only True friend. Friendship is essential. Without friends life is not complete. Everyone should have atleast one good friend. And if that friend is Sadguru, thats the best thing.
Dattatreya aatreya putra, aravinda gatra aapada mitra !
Aapada mitra – one who is with us during difficult times. Yesterday, BDL Raju wanted to come to ashram, but on the way, the car lights went off. But they did not want to miss and conitnued the journey. But then they found some spark and fire near the engine. Within seconds there was smoke. Usually, when the car is filled with smoke, itseems the doors doesn’t open. Sadguru’s grace, the doors opened. They stopped the vehicle and got out. In a few minutes, the entire car burned and turned to ashes!!! It is Sadguru who protects us. We keep listening to so many such accidents.with very undesirous outcomes. In such times of calamity, the one who protects us is our Sadguru. This is called Aapada mitra. If the doors had not opened at that time, the situation would have been disastrous. The smoke would have built in the car and choked them. Sadguru gave them the thought to stop the car, and get out of it. You cant be worried about the car at such times. Life is more important. It is necessary to let go at such times. Sadguru gives us the thought to not fall into such traps. This sacrifice we learn through sadguru. With the good association, such satsangha, we learn detachment. We must cultivate the habit of making satsangha to our children. Not just sit and watch TV or movies. We should watch good programs. Movies are of no use in life. The power of Satsangha is immense. Vishwamithra asked Adisesha as to how he was able to carry Earth. Adisesha replied that with the power of one minute of Satsangha given to him by Maharshis, he was able to carry the entire Earth on him. If Adisesha was able to carry the burden of the entire Earth, can’t we do it for our family ? We can face all difficulties and lead a happy life with the power of satsangha. Who ever are not in satsangha, even a small problem will become unbearable for them. We get the courage by the power of satsangha and sadguru’s grace.
In Yoga Vasishta, 4 things are mentioned as very important.
Shamo vicharaha Santhoshaha chaturdhaha Sadhu Sangamaha !
Shama – Peace
Have some peace of mind. One should be at peace. Don’t get tensed for everything. During the main muhurtham time in Kalyanotsavam and other important times in the rituals, priests loudly warn
Manas samadheeyatham
to keep the mind focused and calm, not to look here and there, not to talk unneccessary topics. Why ? If the mind is focused at such times, you will have peace of mind. If there is no peace of mind, having everything else also is of no use.
Vicharaha – Sad vicharaha – Thinking about good things.
Listening to good things, thinking about good things – all these comes through satsangha. Afterall, life is for good things. Our birth is for enquiring good things. It should provoke new questions and important matters. Once you start such enquiry, you will be answered by Sadguru in some form or the other.
Santoshaha – Happiness
Be happy always. Dont be like a lost person. If any one enquires, say you are doing well. It does not help in any way to say you are not doing well. Be positive.
Sadhu Sangama – association with the good. Santsangha.
Manushyatvam, Mumukshatvam Mahapurusha Samshrayaha – obtaining these three are very difficult. Human birth is very difficult to obtain. In human birth we must pray for these.
Atleast once a day, once a week, once a month or once a year, or at the very least, once in a lifetime, you must engage in Satsangha. Once you experience the happiness of Satsangha, you will automatically want to be part of it always.
Shama, vichara,santosha and sadhu sangama are 4 gatekeepers. if we do not do the first three, atleast get engaged in Sadhu Sangama, we will obtain the other 3.
It is said that while taking birth, you have no choice to choose your parents, sibilings and family. But friend is the one whom you can choose. If you choose Sadguru as your friend, nothing is a greater blessing!
Never say there is nobody to listen to your difficulties. Always keep chanting Jaya Guru Datta. This chanting, you do not know how and when it will protect us like an armour! It is a protection that cannot be seen by the physical eye. But it is always protecting us. no matter what you do, keep chanting Datta naama always, constantly. It is an ever protective shield.
The whole world depends on the 2 letter ‘Datta’ You experience a lot of love with the beautiful word ‘Datta’. Today we chant Datta nama, see sadguru in the form of Lord Datta, and believe in this strongly, Datta swamy will always reside in your homes. On Vyasa Poornima, why do we worship Guru ? This is a form of showing respect. It should be done with devotion. If you take all the beautiful flowers from a tree but offer it without any devotion, it is useless. All you have done is just harming the tree. But if the same is done with devotion and respect, then even the tree gets salvation.
What is respecting Guru ? Putting His teachings into practice is true respect. Following His words, walking in the path shown by Him is the real puja. Sadguru feels happy for this. There is a beautiful story about this puja.
vara bhayakaram devam
gunatheetha swarupinam
dattatreyam gurum vande
sachchidananda rupinam
We prostrate to lord Datta, who is in the form of Sachchidananda. Lord Datta is born to Sage Atri who is beyond the 3 qualities, Mother Anasuya whose is beyond jealousy. Lord Datta’s brother is Durvasa – it means one who has worn torn clothes. It implies that one who has over come all Vasanas – tendencies. His younger brother is Chandra representing the Mind. And Lord Datta here represents the Atma – Self. Lord Datta must be worshipped and adored as Sadguru! He is like divine light! He is the light called Guru. He is of the form of mother and father as well. In some instances, even children become a Guru to the parents. Sometimes our friends or enemies or people we have no connection with us become our Guru. In Eluru, there was a person called Pratap. He got a Yantra which had Krishna mantra.
Krishnaya vasudevaya haraye paramatmane
pranata klesa nashaya govindaya namo namaha
This shloka was in the yantra and he started chanting it. One day he heard this mantra from Sri swamiji on TV and Sri Swamiji told that any one can chant this mantra as if Guru has given the upadesha. That person felt very blessed that Sri Swamiji gave him upadesha in that form.
We say we went to Sadguru. No, it is He who has come after us. in some birth, we chanted Datta and He has been following us to since thenprotect us. Knowingly or unknowingly we chant Datta naama and Guru follows us always to protect us. Hiranyakashipu, was very harsh with his own son. Anyone who chanted the name of Narayana was punished. Then, how did he get mukti? He once went to do penance, with the intention of pleasing Brahma deva. There was a bird that kept saying Narayana. He shoeod it away many times but it kept coming back and chanting Narayana. the entire day passed like this. He decided that the time he started the penance was not right. So he will start the next day and went back home. He was very angry and was irritated in the house. His wife tried to enquire what happened. He then narrated the story about the bird.He only mentioned that a bird was bothering him. It kept saying something. But, his wife kept insiting what exactly the bird said. He detested Narayana so much that he wouldnt take that nama. she kept on asking her husband to repeat what the bird said pretending to not being able to listen. She managed to get him to say Narayana 108 times that entire night. It is said that this caused him to get mukti. Even if you chant unintentionally, it grants immense benefit. Narayana likes chanting very much. Datta signifies gift, he has given himself away to devotees. Always, the disciples would go to the Guru. But with Lord Datta, He comes to devotees.This practice started only with Lord Datta. Datta comes in the form of Guru. Anybody who shows us the spiritual way, who gives us knowledge, they should be worshipped.
Normally in the outside world, no one can tell you about spirituality or guide you in that path. People will think you are insane and call the doctor. These days many people ask why you follow Guru. We can cross this life if we follow the path shown by Him.
Today we will see the benefits of following Guru, listening to His words. In dattatreya mahatmya, the fruits of worshipiing Guru is detailed. Hemakundala is the person in that story. Kundala means a type of ear ring worn by people who does Yagna. He had 2 children – Sri Kundala, Vikundala. He brought them up well. In his final days, he gave away his wealth to the 2 children. The children were doing well as long as their parents were around. Its important to give children freedom and bring them up to be well at all times. They behave like Rama Lakshmana in front of parents, but when they are not around, they behave like Vali Sugreeva. God has given us complete freedom. Whether we are devoted or not is our choice. If we are not devoted, the loss is ours, it does us no good. God has nothing to gain or lose. He has given us the freedom to either improve our lives or spoil it. Be free, but stay in the right track. Sri Swamiji also tells us the same. Sri Swamiji also gives us complete freedom. Until He is outside, we are all very quite. Once he goes inside we make so much noise. If we listen to him, grasp the meaning and follow it, we are benefitted.
These 2 children got into all the bad company, developed all bad habits and lost all wealth. They even stole wealth and killed people for wealth. Money is very dangerous. We forget everything. There is a lot of Maya associated with money. They started torturing people. The king put them both in a fierce forest as a punishment. Once they realized they are in the forest, they felt very hungry. They started killing animals in the forest to quench their hunger and were stealing from travellers who were crossing the forest.
Both these brothers happened to die on the same day and were taken to Yama dharmaraja in the hell. His accountant, Chitragupta, gave an account of all that these two had commited. Yama called chitragupta and told him to send Vikundala to Heaven and asked Srikundala to be sent to hell and give all the special treatment of hell. In that world, another body where that misery is to undergone is obtained. Now the younger brother asked the dhoota why Yama gave this judgement ? We are both equally guilty. Both of us should have got the same punishment. I will not go to heaven, until my brother is sent here, he said.
They decide to go back to Yama and ask him for justification. Yama says, you only know of this birth. But I look at previous births too. In your previoous birth, you followed Sadguru’s words and respected Him even without your knowledge. You invited Him to your house and worshipped Him. But, you did not follow His words. Thus you got this birth of Vikundala. So, that was your punishment – Said Yama.
If this story was told by a normal person, we need not bother. But, this was told by Vyasa Maharshi himself. So, we need to understand that there is some deep meaning to it.
Vikundala says I want to take my brother also to heaven. Yama says if you can share a portion of your merit with your brother, then you can both spend some time in the heaven and then go back to earth. It is possibel to share your merit with your family. Thats why it is said that even if one person in the family is devoted, the whole family gets benefited. If they allow you to go to Sadguru, they also get the merit. That will protect the whole family. recently, there was a bus accident, but all people were saved. Someone there quoted that there must be some one in the bus who was chanting the names of Lord. We must always take the good in everything. This story of Srikundala and Vikundala explains the benefit of Guru seva in Brahmanda Purana.This is Lord Datta’s Vaibhava.
You must say your name and prostrate before Sadguru. You should hold your ears and introduce yourself. Ammavodi is the very home the temple of Amma.
What do you get by praying to Sadguru ?
Ayuh vidya yasho balam
You gain lengthy life, knowledge, fame and strength, both mental and physical strength. This is the benefot for Guru Bhakthi – devotion to Sadguru. Datta Raksha homa is going on. Chant hanuman chalisa and Guru mantra japa.
Jai Bolo Sadgurunatha maharaj ki Jai