Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji at the Inauguration of Unity Hall – July 17, 2005 – Datta Retreat Center in West Sunbury town, Pennsylvania USA
Hari Om Tat Sat.
Sri Maha Ganapataye namah
Sri Saraswatye namah
Sri Padavallabah Narasimha Saraswati
Sri Guru Dattatreyaya Namah
Today I am extremely happy that the Unity Prayer Hall has been inaugurated for your benefit. So many miracles here. So many Datta devotees—my relatives—are doing miracles, not only Swamiji. I am very happy.
Donation is not important. The work, the physical service, is very important. In Vedanta, this is tanu mana dhana—to do something in service. Tanu means a physical body doing work, doing service to mankind. If you have money, it means that you can give to charities. If you have no money and are unable to do physical service, then you can choose mana (mind) or buddhi (intellect) and follow the devotional path by performing prayers. Whatever you want: bodily seva (service), donations or silent prayers. Don’t worry if you don’t have money. Don’t feel shame inside—it is not good. Take it easy. If He gives money (Swamiji points upwards), then you will give a donation. No problem. You have rights to practice and follow the Guru. It’s not about the money; but if you have good facilities given to you by God, then you can give some money back.
For 20 years, Swamiji has been observing here. There have been so many devotees wanting to plan for a big building here, but I always refused because of the maintenance and responsibility. To be always begging money is not good. It is not my job. That is why I’m always refusing. “We’ll see next time. We’ll see next year.” The last three or four visits, I think I felt bad here—tense, very cold, very difficult to sit. No bathrooms, no facilities. We could handle 100 people okay with the small hall, but the last three visits had huge crowds with many difficulties. We adjusted ourselves. I’m thinking, at least we can build a small pandal (hall). We planned with my architect and he said one million dollars! Oh, it is not good this much money! I don’t want to beg people. Our devotees are only middle class, with only two or three people higher. They have their own problems always, but they respect Swamiji. We have some millionaires, but no billionaires. How can we raise so much money? So we made a “middle” plan, since Swamiji is only visiting here 20 days or one month each year. I am not staying for 6 or 7 months. My responsibility is India, where I have 45 to 50 temples and millions of people following. So many are sick. That’s why Swamiji’s presence is needed in India.
This day we are very lucky because Swamiji is here now. So many devotees ask me to promise that I will come again to their house. How can I promise? If you have good luck, I will come back. If you continue with good devotion—real devotion—definitely your wishes will be fulfilled. I will come, no problem. But you are always emotional. “Oooh, oooh, Swamiji! Ahhh, Swamiji!” It is not good. I am afraid of those people. That’s why I’m giving training to slowly, slowly build Guru bhakti (devotion). Filled with emotional devotion, many want to write checks and empty their checkbooks and give presents. But it is only temporary and after three or four days, pssssss (Swamiji hisses)…like air from a balloon. I don’t want “balloon” devotion. I want rock devotion. Solid ROCK. Balloon devotion is very dangerous. That’s why I’m calling my balloon devotees “patients.” My patients are a test for my patience! Swamiji is slowly giving understanding: What is the Guru? What is the spirituality? What is the connection? What is the relation with Swamiji? How many births to our relationship? Slowly I am building, with teachings, with actions, with karma. First, I am slowly using karma theory—meditation, puja, etc. Second, I am slowly using yoga. And also slowly using lectures, advice, Vedanta classes, and slowly music. Music is not religion, so no confusion.
Yesterday night was very beautiful music. I especially liked the Chakravakra Raga. New instruments, new experiences. Last night I was listening to a recording of the concert, until 2 or 2:30, and this morning I missed my walking yoga with Kaliji. Kaliji is coming to all the places in America where I am. While she takes me walking,I’m giving her some Vedanta classes. People think Swamiji is doing the music, but Swamiji is not doing. Narayana is doing, Lord Shiva is doing, Lord Jesus is doing, not Swamiji. Invisible shakti is doing. He’s the healer. Narayana is a healer. Lord Shiva is a healer. Jesus is healer—not Swamiji. My body is like a computer, like a machine. The microphone is not talking; I am talking through the microphone. Like that, I am the microphone and He is talking through Swamiji. I am not healing; He is healing through me. He’s talking through my body. The microphone is not Swamiji; it is Bilva’s property. Through it, Swamiji is talking. Swamiji’s body is my devotees’ property, and He is talking through me. The microphone has no feeling, no sin, no confusion. Like that, I have no feelings, no confusion.
People are surprised, “What? Swamiji has no feelings?” But I feel, I experience with people. My feeling is always happiness. I also feel my devotees’ problems. I am feeling “their” pain—not my pain. My feeling is always happy. Of course, I feel the sorrow of my devotees. I am also crying with people. If devotees feel sad, I feel their sorrow. If a happy couple comes, I feel their happiness. Swamiji’s actions are very difficult to act. BIG ACTOR. I share 2 seconds of sadness, 2 seconds of happiness, 2 seconds of Vedanta, 2 seconds of children. I am like Wal-Mart with so many different sections! Devotees feel my moral support. I am mixed with their feelings; but for Swamiji, there really is no happy, no sorrow. Like the microphone. Does a tape recorder get moksha from playing bhajans? No, I am like that tape recorder—no punya (merit). But I feel and experience with devotees. If somebody comes in sick, I take their pain. If they have pain from sitting on the floor, I feel their pain and I say, “Go and sit in chair.” I am like a crystal or a mirror. I am a reflection for your problems, for your happiness. You people think Swamiji is tired. Tired means only the body. Of course, ownership of this body is yours. But that energy is not your ownership—it’s universal ownership. Swamiji’s energy, that ownership, is universal. Not Bilva’s, not yours. Swamiji is Sadguru. Sadguru also feels. Agni has feelings, water has feelings, the five elements all have different feelings. We can’t understand, and it’s very difficult to explain about those feelings. It’s not human feelings. Human feelings are a different experience. Human feelings are a different experience with breath, with mind, with society, but the five elements’ feelings are different. So like that, Sadguru’s feelings are also different feelings. I can’t explain what that feeling is—it is only reflection. If Agni (fire) comes, I have Agni feelings; if water comes, I have water feelings. I am just like prakriti (nature). If you come before Swamiji, I reflect your ideas only. Anyway, you get a little bit of shanti (peace) with Swamiji. We can’t explain. That is why we all running. We run, run, run. We can’t explain affection or energy or karma yoga.
You are all following, and Swamiji is indirectly giving you teachings all the time. How many years now has Swamiji been coming here? From 1976? Yes, 29 years. If you think about other swami’s or gurus that visit some place only 3 or 4 times, and they quickly build big buildings for big groups and spend so much money. It took us 29 years to build this building! Swamiji doesn’t want fast. We have also been slowly building the Mysore ashram with the help of my poor and middle class devotees. My Mysore ashram is like Vaikunta. If you come to the Mysore ashram, 200 people are working all over performing service. They don’t care about attending puja or bhajans. The workers in the kitchen or cleaning the bathrooms are very happy. If you ask, they will say, “We are very happy here! Swamiji is not invisible here. He is visible. He is right here in this roti…see His face?”
So I am very happy in this Unity Prayer Hall. After Sri Chakra puja, someone asked, “What is the idol here in this place?” I said, “No idols.” I have a plan. It is a painting of the universe and all the planets, including small symbols of our dharmas—omkara, the cross, etc. In the middle, there is a globe, a big globe and a small light. That’s only our god here. I have given Prasadi a drawing. I would like a gold painted picture and somebody to help with my project of one globe and one light…the universal light. One point, that’s enough. The small temple we have here is enough. This place is only a hall—a yoga hall, a music hall, a meditation hall. I am very happy that showers are coming. (Here Swamiji recognizes major contributors to the construction of Unity Hall.) I am very happy with your service, your seva. I have seen the list of all the people that helped build this hall. They are not donors—it is good service, a good chance.
I am very happy. If you look inwards, I think you feel it. I once again bless you. Later I will give you a discourse. My advice to you is to please develop your faith and good devotion. Real devotion. If you hear something or read something negative, don’t get upset. It is only Datta leela. I am doing this only. Record only the good things in your mind, and give me the bad things by tearing up and throwing in the trash. The clouds are always coming and are only temporary. Then the sunshine comes. So like that, this is all clouds—bad clouds and good clouds. Learn to know what is good and what is bad. You are all my devotees, my relatives, my friends. I am happy with all your service.
Jai Guru Datta.