Recorded New Year speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda as posted on facebook – January 3, 2011 – Kerala.
Sri Ganeshaya namah
Sri Saraswatyai namah
Sri Pada Vallabha
Narasimha Saraswati
Sri Guru Dattatreyaya namah
I wanted to wish you all a Happy New Year. But this is not our Ugadi, not our Happy New Year. This is the English Happy New Year. In reality the New Year begins when you first meet your spiritual guru. The day that you first saw your guru, the one who removes your ignorance, the one who gives you the light of spiritual knowledge, that day is the New Year’s Day for you. That is your actual birthday. Who is a guru? Where to find him? What is a guru? To learn the answers study the Guru Gita. It clearly explains about guru and disciple and how to behave with a guru.
Everybody is surprised. Swamiji should have been inVijayawada. For 30 years it had been a tradition that he gives darshan there on Jan. 1st. 50,000-60,000 devotees attend the celebration there. People come fromHyderabad, fromVijayawada, and all over Andhra for the occasion. Why has Swamiji changed his plan? Why did he go to Kerala? Why did he choose the Purna river area? Why Aluva? Why this Datta Kshetra, this famousKaryaSiddhiAnjaneyaTemple? Not too many people are there. Why is Swamiji celebrating the New Year’s Day there? People have so many questions, so many doubts.
How can you question Swamiji’s movements, where he goes, what he does, who he speaks with, what he says? It is his decision. You must never criticize or find fault. He knows who deserves to touch his feet and who does not. Never be jealous. “Oh I waited for so long. He did not speak to me. He spoke to that new person. He did not take my gift but he took the gifts offered by that person”. Stop being envious. You must improve. What is improvement? You think improvement is getting richer, adding more floors to your house, or getting a visa to go toUSA. These are blessings, but not spiritual progress. Improvement is the removal of ignorance. Some ignorant people still ask Swamiji for a salary raise.
The day Rama returned to Ayodhya is New Year’s Day. The dayKrishnacame back to Dwaraka is New Year’s Day. The true birthday is the day you met your guru. That is what you should understand and tell people. Your relatives may think you are crazy if you give that date as your birthdate. They do not know. What do they know? You know. Your regular birth date is only for official records. You should understand this clearly.
Swamiji knows where he should be and when. It is his decision to be here near Purna river to celebrate 1st of January. It is likeItalyinIndia. Swamiji went for a boat ride on Jan. 2. You might have seen on the Internet, Swamiji riding on a boat. Vamshi has posted the video and the news. Prasad or Pramod would have done it. Now Vamshi has done it. Swamiji is recording this message just for you standing inside the Hanuman temple. He had planned a trip to visit two temples today. But the trip was cancelled due to traffic problems. At once the news has reached you on facebook. Such is the facility available to us.
We must use modern technology for our benefit along with traditional methods. Many people say they do not know how to operate a computer. No, I am not talking about operations. That happens in life all the time. You must learn to use technology. Swamiji is now with Hanuman. Happy New Year!
Numbers are very important. Our lives are based on that. You say May 2nd is birthday. As per the Indian calendar we mention the Indian month, star and so on only for writing horoscopes. But most other times only the English calendar is used. It is not practical to mention dates as per the Indian calendar. 1st Jan. is known to everyone. Some scientists from European countries along with the Pope had determined this system of 2010 years. As per Indian calendar it is now 5104 years but it is difficult to follow. We still observe and celebrate Ugadi.
Kerala devotees and members are very lucky. You are also very lucky. I am recording this message just for you. Never before have I recorded a message like this.
2011 – the numbers add up to 4. As per the Saankhya Shastra, it is not considered a good number. 5 is better. But one should always consider only the good aspects, not the negative aspects. Brahma has 4 faces. There are 4 Vedas. There are 4 directions. Mother Cow has 4 legs. 4 is auspicious. There are so many that have 4 as the feature. Overall it is very good. We should be happy and satisfied.
Vijayawada,Hyderabad, and other Andhra people would have come to have darshan. Please do not feel bad. What if I had been in a foreign country? Then you would have accepted it and said, “Oh Swamiji is everywhere”. Do not keep saying that you are unlucky. Whatever you get, be happy with it. Swamiji wishes all good things for you. Happy New Year!
Become members on facebook. Use technology. Datta Peetham membership is now closed, unless they remove some incomplete pages without photographs and take in new members. You get instant news on facebook. There is a new page called Telugu Puttu Gam. All Telugu people please take membership. English Puttu Gam is also there. Spiritual messages are given regularly, for moral support. You do not read Bhakti Mala. Please read Bhakti Mala. Join Datta Seva, for Rs.5/- per day. You will receive daily emails. It is such a good seva.
During holidays, visit your local ashram. Go on pilgrimages to visit the 16DattaTemples, or the 9 Navanatha temples. Just because it is a holiday do not sleep till 9 or 10 in the morning and be lazy. Do not spend your time in hotels and restaurants, get into quarrels, and waste time. Be with your guru or be in a temple. Use your time properly.
See how beautiful Anjaneya is! He says to me, “I am the only God in this world. Do not go elsewhere to see other deities.” So I came back. I also have other work to attend to. Vamshi has requested a message from me. So I have given it.
Jaya Guru Datta
Sri Guru Datta