Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji at KSHT – July 1, 2011 – Dallas TX USA
Jaya Guru Datta
Sri Maha Ganapataye namah
Sri Saraswatyai namah
Sripada Vallabha
Narasimha Saraswati
Sri Guru Dattatreyaya namah
So many new people. Not for me. New for the temple. Very happy. How many Telugu people? ( The majority raised their hands). So many! Telugu is a musical language. Not tough. Very near Sanskrit. Telugu is like crystal clear water (Telugu Theta). Telugu is very precise. No inner or double meaning. Other languages give different meanings. It is difficult to understand. Mother tongue, you must speak with your children. You must teach. Kannada, Marathi, Hindi, talk to your children in your mother tongue. Do not treat it like a second language. You must not forget your mother tongue. It is your first language. Second language is English. It is ‘Vritti Bhasha’, language for your profession, for your livelihood, for this lifestyle. Mother tongue is very important. Express your feelings only in your mother tongue. Exact translation into English is very difficult. Many times there are no exact words to convey the meaning, from Kannada, Telugu, and Hindi. But overall, it is easy to translate. It is not tough. Swamiji uses easy English deliberately. I search for simple, easy, small words nowadays. Don’t criticize. Say, “Thanks”. No matter how much you thank, it is not enough. Why use big words?
Such simple bhajans we have. Different bhajans. Different feelings. They give spiritual knowledge. My English is not good. No discussion. Any missing words, you fill in the gaps. Even as a bhajan is being born, it is born amenable for easy translation into other languages. Swamiji is Creator, he said (referring to Dr. Prakasa Rao’s welcome address). Creation of spiritual thoughts and feelings is important. What is permanent is important. What is temporary is not important. Swamiji’s bhajans are easy to translate into Marathi, Gujarati, Hindi, even German and Russian. Hira aunty, only translation duty 24/7. Always guru seva. What more to do for children? Has done whatever was needed. Gave away their house. They pay rent also. There are a few other devotees like that. I have no permission to mention their names. I feel proud. Slow, steady devotion. With focus and concentration. In Guru Gita it is explained how to serve Guru. One cannot feel shame. Understand how to serve Guru. You must practice the teaching of Guru Gita. Go to meaning. Not only chanting. That Gurudeva, Shiva taught everything to Mother Goddess.
Mind is very fickle. Like a monkey. Always saying, ‘no time, no time’. This you will not get again. The mind is very restless, going ‘jigijigijigijigi’ all the time. Keep it quiet. Silent. Concentrate. Make it firm. You worry about what others will think. You worry about what others got. What is it? I did not get it. They got it. That is not Guru Seva. Only Raakshasa Seva (demonic service). Don’t be jealous. Why only archaka should give harati? Why not I give harati? Rules are set up. You should not take liberties. Only a wheel can do a wheel’s job. Only then the car will move. There are limitations in the body. Hands, feet, they have their fixed duties. You cannot exceed the limitations. That will be Guru Aparaadha (sin against the Guru).
Jealousy and envy are forbidden in Guru Seva. Have a happy mind. Think of only yourself and your guru. Think of Swamiji’s feelings. Without giving pain to anyone, do Guru seva. It is like holding a newborn baby. The first day, second day, third day, you handle the baby very gently, very carefully, like a delicate flower. After one year, after two years, you become more rough. After three years, you start beating, slapping. With Guru, from the first day till the last day, lifelong, you must maintain the same delicate and tender approach as with a newborn baby. In speaking, in looking, in every word and action, be very cautious not to hurt, not to cause him pain. There is arrogance and craziness joined together in you. There is this monkey. It is crazy. It is drunk. It is then stung by a scorpion. That is the condition of the human mind. Not just you. All humans. Including me.
Do not have Discontentment. Depression. Disappointment. What happened? You say, “I don’t know”. You have eaten. You have slept. You have money. Yet you keep a sad face. You have the expression as if you just drank castor oil. The eyes should be happy. Smile. If you see others smiling, your heart burns. Your stomach burns. You feel jealous. You show irritation, and scream, “Get out!” Chee chee chee chee (expression of disgust). Why is there no happiness? For a very small reason you get completely upset. Quarrel. Argument. Crying. Taking medicine. What is this body? Not a lump of mud. Don’t spoil this body. It is God’s gift. Control this buddhi (mind/intellect). This heart is like a flower. Don’t spoil it. Tears of joy are like nectar. Offer them to God. God is pleased with it, as spoken in the Bhagavad Gita. You know all the shlokas (verses of Bhagavad Gita). But you don’t practice.
You must change. Be happy. Be contented. Today if you have to pack up and go back to India, be ready. Have faith in the guru. Don’t talk about suicide. Debts. Loans. Be courageous. What will they do? Without courage you cannot live in this world. Let the problems go. God will take care. He took care till now. Have that firm faith. Always we are in doubt and we are jealous. You want God to carry you in His arms. God is Agni, Fire. Siva has serpents all over Him. It is not possible for you to be carried.
You want Swamiji to come to your house. How inconsiderate and foolish! It is sinful to trouble him. Is this not our house? There is a big parking lot here. This is a very big house. That house is only to shelter your body. This is the real house, this heart is the house. What is the use of my coming to your house? After 4 or 5 years you will leave me. Today you flatter, ‘Oh you are Chandra, you are Indra!’ Now things are going well for you. When the situation changes, you leave Swamiji. That is not nice. You must keep strong faith. Develop it. Be at peace. Be calm. Surrender to Hanumanta. He is the future Brahma. Datta is same as Hanuman. Hanuman is same as Datta. Jai means Datta. Say, “Jai Hanuman”. Because it is Swamiji’s sankalpa , it is a huge yajna, that a big temple has to be constructed here. You should all make a determination to help fulfill Swamiji’s sankalpa (resolve). But all you want is Pada Puja.
Keep chanting, “Om Namo Hanumate Namah”. Keep repeating the prayer,
Tvamasmin kaarya niryoge pramaanam harisatthama
Hanuman yatnamaasthaaya duhkha kshaya karo bhava
Jai pavanasuta veera Hanuman ki – “Jai”
Jaya Guru Datta
Sri Guru Datta