Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji during Nada Prasara Tour – August 18, 2004 – Geseke, Germany
Courtesy: Avadhoota Dattapeetham
After Sri Chakra Puja, Sri Swamiji inaugurated the Kriya Yoga Course, Ayurveda course and Homa Course. Sri Swamiji spoke shortly about the course and introduced the teachers. Sri Gopalakrishna – Kriya Yoga, Dr. Swarna Prasad – Ayurveda and Swami Manasa – Homa.
In the evening Sri Swamiji sang Bhajans and spoke thus
Jaya Guru Datta
We have AYURVEDA COURSE, HOMA COURSE AND KRIYA YOGA COURSE. NOW WE HAVE MUSIC THERAPY, BHAJANS.
Normally Bhajans is like medicine. Seven thousand years ago it was treated so. We have proof in India. They have stones. Later music has been converted in to a path of Bhakti, Devotion. Again, music is making its foray in to health system. Sound waves make their own energy field. Body reacts to sound waves. Different sounds react on different system of body. Some music may be harsh. Some music brings sleep. Everyone likes music. Even Cows, birds, plants, children and oceans react to sound waves. I am sure you all have heard about the names of Mozart, Thyagaraja, etc., I think that they are doctors. They have composed wonderful music. Different energies. That is why I am choosing music. You all know about Sri Swamiji’s Bhajans. Very senior devotees are sitting here. Because each composition is very powerful. Each melody has energy, the meaning has energy, when you sing, and you get energy. And those who hear get energy. Swamiji has composed in several Indian languages. One devotee has taken PhD from a university doing research on Swamiji’s music. She is from Andhra Pradesh state. She has written several theories on Swamiji’s music. One other person has taken a doctoral thesis on Swamiji’s life history. Why not you do it? Germans too can do it. I know that you all are attracted with Swamiji’s music. You all sing good Bhajans. Some devotees are practicing singing of Swamiji’s Bhajans. My extra Blessings to them. Learn more and more. Also learn the meaning. May be sometimes Indian God names may be difficult to chant. Don’t worry. Indian Gods are the one and the same as Universal God. I am attracted to German devotees since 20 years. You hypnotize me. I don’t know my relation with Germany. Antje asked me why I came to Germany. I said – “Don’t ask. There is no answer. I have Karma. I am here. Because you love me, I love you.”
Sri Swamiji sings” Paalaya Gananaatha”
I want to sing Bhajans, which regular Satsang goers want.
One great Sanskrit Pundit wrote commentary on Swamiji’s Navaratri Bhajans. It is a scholarly work and it is worthy of a serious reading. He has discussed only 9 Bhajans of Swamiji sung on Mother Goddess. These Bhajans are composed during Sri Swamiji’s Nava Avarana Puja during Navaratri. It is not Hinduism or Christianity or any ISM or ITY. It is only Jnanaism – Knowledge Path – Path of Atma Jnana. How to contact God? How to journey to God? How to worship Sri Chakra? Sri Chakra is not God. It is the ultimate. The Para Brahma. It is the diagram of the entire creation. The Bindu – is the invisible planet. That is the main switch. It is like a sub atomic particle. It has no attributes of feeling, color, sex, etc., The AKASHA is endless. It goes on and on.
Who made this creation? You made? I made? God Made? No. Creation is by itself.
God is the most mysterious thing on earth. That is why we bow down to that aspect. It is the real magic.
What is the difference between Bhajan and Kirtan?
Bhajan praises and glorifies God. Like Krishnam Vishnum Sridharam.
Kirtans on the other hand are more complex in their composition and they generally are packed with more knowledge and information. Like Palaya Govinda etc.,
Sri Swamiji sings “Shambho Mahadeva”
Sri Swamiji sings “Kayena Vacha”
Bhajan group sings the Kakadarati song.
19th August 2004 – Thursday
Sri Swamiji performed Sri Chakra Puja. Many devotees received Indian Names and Guru Mantra from Sri Swamiji. The keenness to get Guru Mantra was quite strong. In the afternoon, Sri Swamiji visited a national monument near Geseke which is considered to be a prehistoric era monument called EXTERSTEINE. From among the hundreds of square miles of green forest, there raises high in to the sky, two giant stone rock pillars measuring about 40 meters high. On one side of a rock is great inscription with mystical diagrams which is said to depict Christ’s descent from Cross. Sri Swamiji then climbed one of the stone hills and viewed the breathtaking vista all around. The Panoramic 360 degree view silenced the exhaustion of climbing. He looked all around and said “It is very Beautiful”. Sri Swamiji pointed to a small rock getting out of the top of the mountain and said that it was a special rock and central part of the place. It is said that prehistoric nomads worshipped in this area. Sri Swamiji sat at the base for some time.
The highlight of the day was in the evening. Sri Swamiji’s extra energetic Bhajan singing left one with the feeling that it should never end. From among the thousands of popular Bhajans, Sri Swamiji sing “Gam Gam Ganapati (with extensive improvisational singing), Datta Digambara Jaya Jaya Datta, Jaya Jaya Bhagavati Mangala Murte, Om Iti Brahma, Manasa Mandira, Jai Jai Kapeesha, Raghuvara Shubhakara Shri Rama, Ehi Srinivasa, Kalikam Kalikam (this was requested by a 4 year old boy – Datta, son of Narendra Fricke). Probably this is the youngest person to request Sri Swamiji for a special Bhajan to be sung. In the end of the Bhajan, Sri Swamiji started to make rhythmic noises and Swami Manasa continued the same and the familiarity of the inimitable style of late Sri Immadiset Venkateswarulu appeared. After the Bhajan, Sri Swamiji remembered Akividu devotee Late Sri Venkateswarulu and the fondness he had for singing Bhajans. So, here was Sri Swamiji catering to the childish request of Datta, four year old and the heavenly request from Sri Venkateswarulu – with singing only one Bhajan. Great indeed.
The Bhajan fiesta continued with Sri Swamiji singing even more Bhajans – till around 10 PM.
20th August 2004 – Friday
After the Sri Chakra Puja, Sri Swamiji practiced music in the morning. In the evening, Sri Swamiji visited the class rooms.
In the evening, valedictory function of the different seminars were held. Sri Swamiji Blessed the teachers. Participants of the seminars spoke gloriously about the benefits of having attended the seminars. Sri Swamiji then Blessed all the participants individually.
In the ensuing Bhajan session, Swami Manasa sang the Namashivaya Nama Sankirtana. His energetic singing re-created the Maha Shivaratri scene. Those who have seen Agni Puja of Sri Swamiji in Shivaratri know the mood Swami Manasa creates with his Namah Shivaya singing. This evening was one such very special musical occasion.
21 August 2004
Sri Swamiji walked in the morning. He visited the donkeys and gave some dried sunflowers to eat. While walking message came from India about the demise of Sri Chandrashekaraiah, a devotee of Sri Swamiji who served as Puja assistant to Swamiji from 1964 till 1986. He was the first ever Puja assistant to formally serve Sri Swamiji. In those days, Puja was a stricter one with cleanliness and austerity taking high priority. Sri Chandrashekhariah’s inimitable style of decorating the Puja place with vegetables and fruits was great. The young Brahmacharis and Veda students in Ashrama of those days coveted his place. He was an idol to many indeed. Later in the day another news of passing away came – that of Sri Gangadhar, the famous artist whose paintings have adorned the Nada Mantapam. He was honored with the title “Datta Peetha Asthana Chitrakara”.
Late morning, Sri Swamiji traveled to Düsseldorf city and visited the house of Krishna Joe Stick, a musician devotee since mid eighties. His musical seva has seen the production of the famous CELESTIAL MESSAGE, NADA HIMALAYA, CONCERT IN EUROPE, and NADA PRASARA and AMBA BHAVANI albums.
In the evening, Music for Meditation and healing was held in the Robert Shuman Saal, a wonderful neo modern concert hall in the town center.
Sri Swamiji extensively played Hemavati Raga and Dvijavanti Ragas. It was a feast to hear the sonorous and mysterious Dvijavanti Raga get a lengthy attention from Sri Swamiji. The concert hall was full and Sri Swamiji musically engaged the energetic audience for over 2 hours. After the concert, Sri Swamiji said that His love for Düsseldorf was unparalleled since it was this town that has the distinction of getting the maximum number of concerts from the time first concerts were given by Sri Swamiji in 1986. Before the concert commenced, the culture secretary of the city lit the inaugural lamp. Sri Swamiji was very pleased with the arrangements. After the concert was over Sri Swamiji mentioned that his fingers were not under his control when he developed the Hemavati Raga. In the night Sri Swamiji returned to Geseke.
22 August 2004
Last day in Germany of this tour. After the Sri Chakra Puja, the Datta Yoga Center members thanked Sri Swamiji for the visit. Sri Swamiji spoke and retraced His relation with Germany since 1976 when He first traveled to the west. Sri Swamiji remembered, in a grateful tone, those who arranged the first visit although they had never met Sri Swamiji. It may be remembered that in Sri Swamiji’s Suprabhata, penned by the inimitable Late Bala Ganapati Bhat, Germany is the only country mentioned by name. It is said that Sri Swamiji wanted the name to be included in the Suprabhata. Then Sri Swamiji spoke about the proposed DATTA YOGA RETREAT CENTER and said that future travels of Swamiji will not be as extensive as it is now and he would like to visit only one or two centers in Europe.
Sri Swamiji gave away Prasadam to all those who had participated in Puja. Coming out of the hall, Sri Swamiji offered Purnahuti to Maha Ganapati Homa and spent some time chatting with devotees and children. It was a moving sight to see the divine come down to the mundane plane to interact with people.
Sri Swamiji traveled to Düsseldorf airport at 2.30 PM and emplaned to Zurich from there.