Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – August 6, 2011 – Trinidad
Jaya Guru Datta
“Sri Maha Ganapataye Namaha
Sri Sarsawatyai Namaha
Sri Pada Vallabha Narasimha Saraswati
Sri Guru Dattatreyaya Namaha
Krishnam vande jagadgurum. Om namo narayanaya!
Sri Mannarayana Swaroopa Narahari Teertha Swami ki Jai. We bow down and take his blessings today. Very powerful. Very silent. Very very happy life, Narahari Teertha Swami’s. He is a big pundit and also a big Vedanta scholar. He is also a beautiful composer. He liked to teach the Ramayana and the Mahabharata to the villagers. It is a wonderful story, about Narahari Teertha Swami. If you go read the Life History (of SGS), then you will understand how Narahari Teertha Swami’s association with the devotees was. Today, Swami Brahmadev has given a gist of the Bhagavatam – only little small, small, small things. If you want, you can listen for 7 days, this Bhagavatam, this Bhagavata Purana. It is a rare occasion in Kaliyuga (modern day world). No one to say or explain the Bhagavatam. Very rare nowadays. No youngsters are practicing. May be after 10 to 12 years, this kind of an explanation of Bhagavata Purana may vanish. So, you MUST listen! If you have any interest, after retirement, in retired life you also can give explanation to some small, small, small gatherings in your house, at least. It doesn’t matter, female, or male. Everyone is allowed to listen to such Bhagavatam.
So, we want to preserve for younger generation. We want to change our adhyatmik (spiritual) way. Nowadays, Europeans, Germans, especially German people, they practice this Bhagavatam. We wonder about that! I’ve seen inEurope. In our devotees,Hollanddevotees and the Europeans, pure Europeans, I don’t say Christians, I don’t say any Hindus, pure Europeans! They have learned by heart (memorized) all the kavachas, without seeing books, without script. Prasad, that day, he also attended that program. Prasad had tears coming out. He said “It is wonderful, these people! We are ashamed sometimes”. These English people, they don’t know how to pronounce Sanskrit. They closed eyes, they are chanting, all kavachas, how wonderful! Such people Europeans, we have. So, we all Trinidadians, your forefathers’ forefathers, they are very traditional, adhyatmik forefathers. So, your duty is to maintain such a program, you maintain, and you also listen. You first listen to the Bhagavatam. Listening, Sravanam, is a big tapas, penance. Sravanam is a big penance. Later on you can go ahead and read that book. In the beginning if you see the book, you may be afraid about the book. “Oh this is a big book, Oh! Something about these letters, different letters!” That is why in English also it is translated. Same slokas (verses), have an English version. First you go to the meaning, then, you learn by heart that sloka. Nowadays so many CDs also have come, about Bhagavatam. So, don’t miss. You must try at least. At least you try. There are 3 kinds of devotees in the world. Three kinds of devotees. Bhaktas. Three kinds of human beings in this world.
One is doing sadhana, tough sadhana, with worldly life also. They are leading a worldly life. I am not telling anyone, “You can give up everything and to go take sanyasa!” No. They are leading a worldly life, their own Grihasthashrama dharma, Grihasta dharma (duty of a householder), children and work. But on the side, they follow Bhagavata, Puranas, and Bhagavadgita. They learn by heart, they are listening all the time, every day, 24 hours they are listening. It is our duty, you must learn by heart, at least you must listen. Hearing is very important. Sravanam. Some people don’t want to hear also. They get irritated. Sita Ram, Jaya Jaya Ram, Sita Ram. “What is this?! Sita Ram, Jaya Jaya Ram”. Some people just close their ears. Rakshasas (demons)! They are of rakshasa category. They want to attend the program. But they don’t want to concentrate on that program. If any Swami gives anything, Bhagavatam, they don’t want to attend, they don’t want to listen. It is not good. But, you want to be in Swamiji’s presence. Your importance, your presence at this place you want to be noticed. But you don’t want to listen. No, it is not good. That is a sin. You are making a mistake, a sin. Deliberately, you are welcoming your sin. So, please come and sit and listen at least. Today Brahmadev, he gave so many different kinds of examples, small, small examples. Different meanings.
There are 3 kinds of devotees, people.
The first one, anyway if any struggle comes, any problems come, they continuously perform their own rituals, their own social activities. That is the first kind.
The second one, they are starting with mantra, they are starting with Bhagavatam, they are starting with temple, they are starting Guru Seva and then they are going back. ‘”Oh, this is very tough, we don’t want!” Like a hill, big Venkataramana Swami hill. Some people want to climb the steps, 1000 steps. Anyway they are capable to climb. ”This is not good, our back is not good”, but anyway they climb. They wanted it! They are successful. But some people, half way, “Oh, Oh, I can’t, I die. I want to go back!” They’ll climb back down the hill.
The third kind, the last people, they don’t want to even try.
So, I need, I want, the first category people, I want. Third category, I don’t want to talk, I don’t want to talk about those actions also. Because they don’t want anything spiritual. “Oh you know that Guru, you know that, you know that man, you know, you know?” I know…I know, I know, I know. You are looking back at their background. Rishi moola (moola = source/origin), nadi (river) moola. Don’t investigate the background. If you go toGangaRiver, theGanges, you can go simply and take a dip and get the merit, punya. But, if you go to search, “Where is thisGanga, which branch of water?” You go, go, go, go, go, go (going along the course of the water to find its source). “This small branch is coming from, oh, that is dirty water from somebody’s house! Some factory water!” So many factories. Factory water, dirty water. Then what happened to your mind? We don’t want to dip in thisGanga. Why are you looking like that? You come and enjoy Datta, enjoy Hanumanta. “How much is this, how many rupees? How much? Who made? What is this?” Don’t ask. You come and look, do namaskaram. So, you must try this. Don’t worry about the book (Bhagavatam). First, try to complete. Then, slowly automatically the second time also. Then, slowly, third time we understand some meaning. The fourth time you want to learn by heart. That interest is coming. The fifth time you begin dreaming, dreaming about Bhagavatam. This is my devotees’ experience. Go ahead, see, and try.
Today is Tulasidas’ birthday. Bolo Sadguru Tulasidas Maharaj ki…Jai!!
He has given a very easy method – the Bhagavatam. Tulasidas. You go to that story of Tulasidas, you will understand about what is devotion. Kaliyuga, Kaliyuga Narada, Kaliyuga Hanuman – Tulasidas. And also today is Narahari Teertha Aradhana Utsava also. Bolo Sadguru Narahari Teertha Swami ki…Jai! And also I am very happy about that news. One dollar program. We need such involvement. We need. InAmerica, I started one dollar program. In the beginning, all members also said “Oh, no no no no Swamiji it’s not good. One dollar is not sufficient,” like that. “Let’s go with $5 per day”. (I said) No. You can go only $1 a day. Beginning only 100 people registered. Now thousands, thousands registered. You believe or not believe, don’t worry. We are very happy, we cleared all loans. Free! AndCanadapeople also started now. They are also very happy. Now they started only 15 days back. And ashrama,Mysoreashrama, we stared Rs. 5 a day. That also in the beginning, they don’t want to, real members. “What is this Swamiji, Rs 5? How can we maintain, how can we do seva, how can we do with this computer, how can we give this receipt, how can we send messages?” “Don’t talk”, I said, “don’t talk!” (If) You are not doing, get out. You must agree, that is the only thing I need. Only do guru seva. Don’t talk rubbish, I told. Then we have 5-6 groups, with thousand, thousand, thousand members in each.
You believe or not believe. We have given to so many flood relief funds and education because of that involvement. Every day, Swamiji is sending emails. Everyday prasadam is coming from Swamiji in your computer. So many people have computer. The computer is sleeping. Very busy looking at bad sites. You are going to bad sites, some people, some youngsters. Nowadays, they are learning computer iPad, how to maintain. My amma (mother, one of the devotees present) also, doctor amma also she wants to learn now. She wants to learn. Already she has started learning. Am I right (looking at the devotee)? She got the iPad 3 days back. They brought from America, somebody, daughter or somebody gave her an iPad. Now, she is looking (at her IPad). Okay.
You believe, Swamiji’s devotees 85, 86 year old people. They started learning computers. Because they want Swamiji’s messages. That figure, that photo, that message. They want to read (Swamiji’s) messages. IPad is very easy to read, bigger letters. Not necessary to wear glasses. So anyway, this Kaliyuga. So many people running IT. That is why it is Swamiji’s idea, I am also running and catching up. About Facebook also, so many people now support Facebook. Swamiji giving so many words of advice. 6 months back, Obama also had given good advice to people, I have that video. I am sending that often, often. So many people I am giving advice to, on how to maintain, how to use.
I am very happy because, I want to go today, to Narahari Teertha’s special puja.
So today evening, we have a special program. Swami Narahari Teertha, I dedicated to Narahari Teertha, so that is Narahari Raga Sagara. Very soothing, no galattas (commotion/chaos). Sleeping. So, need not sleep this afternoon. Come back and sleep here. Narayana, Narayana, Narayana, Narayana, Narayana.”
Sri Guru Datta
Courtesy: Smt. Hira Duvvuri
Note: Thanks to Archana for typing the script.