Speeches of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji at KSHT on Guru Purnima – July 15, 2011 – Dallas TX USA
Morning
Jaya Guru Datta
“Sri Guru Hanuman ki Jai. Sri Maha Ganapataye namah. Sri Saraswatyai namah. Sripada Vallabha Narasimha Saraswati Sri Guru Dattatreyaya namah.
All guru bhaktas, sadhakas, guru upasakas, those who know about guru, those who do meditation every day,
In our tradition, humanity tradition, not Hindu or any different religion, I am calling it always Maanava Vishwa Dharma (the Universal Human Religion); we are all sitting in one boat. We are going on a journey to different places, each to their own destiny. This destiny, we call Karma. The boat is our own body. The ocean is Samsara. It means, our relatives, our work, our husband, wife, and our associations also, all our service. That is the ocean. It is a big ocean. It is a Maya ocean, illusion. Some passengers, they don’t know how to get tickets, they have no tickets, no passport. But anyway they are sitting in the boat. Special tickets. They don’t know their own destination. No identity.
What are you meditating on? ‘I don’t know.’ Do you believe in God? ‘I don’t know.’ Do you believe in your husband? ‘I don’t know.’ Do you believe in your wife? ‘I don’t know.’ At least do you believe in money? ‘I don’t know.’ At least do you believe in your body, your boat? ‘I don’t know.’ But still, you are on this journey.
Still, this human maya is a chakra that is a circle it is going non-stop. This is a wheel. This is the Kaala Chakra (wheel of Time). This automatically turns. Nobody gives any gas. No supply of any electricity. No one holds the handle. The wheel keeps going. Kala Chakra. No one can stop it. Who is the driver? You don’t know. Who are you? ‘I don’t know.” What is your next journey? I don’t know. What is your past journey? What is your past address? ‘I don’t know.’ But still you are working, you are eating, you are sleeping, you are crying, you are happy; you are doing everything, working, quarreling, all actions, happiness, and all friends. Everything. But for the question, the answer is always, “I don’t know.”
Then somebody says, you are such and such, and this is your job. Then suddenly this man asks, this human being asks, “WHY?”
It is very difficult, that friendship. “What?” Again and again. Why? So, who will give advice? Even the one who gives lectures gets fed up with your repeated question, ‘Why?’ He asks himself, why am I giving these lectures? Always he is asking ‘Why?’ ‘Why?’ ‘Why?’ ‘Why?’ Because this is a contamination disease. Asking why why why. If you ask anything about God, dharma, anything about religion, anything about puja, some people are automatically asking ‘Why?’ Who will explain to this fellow? Automatically he will start working for the mental hospital. Then he also is automatically asking, ‘Why?’ Yes. Why? What is this? Finished. This why disease is going on always. This contamination. That why must come under control. It can be controlled only by the Guru. He gets fed up. He gives good answers. He must fight with the jeeva, with the disciple, with the student. Fight. Why are you asking always, why why why why? You know why you are asking why? He gives a good answer. Sometimes very angry, sometimes very loving, sometimes very affectionate, he explains through so many different stories, giving different, different examples. It is between you, the disciple, and the guru. That is the guru’s specialty.
If you ask any human friend this question, why? Yes, it is an interesting question, he says`. Yes. Yes. I have learnt only these lessons. I want to go search in my books for an answer, he will say. I want to ask somebody. He will not ask anyone. Then slowly slowly slowly he also starts asking questions, why why why. That is not good. Then you must leave to seek a guru. That would be better. But people do not do that. They do not go to a guru. You get your ego. You want to correct that person. You want to give some information. You want to give some answers. Then you are contaminated yourself. You are also asking why why why. That is why be careful in giving advice to people. Take the guru’s name and the guru’s word and examples. Then you can do it. Share your experiences. Do it in front of the guru. Without the guru, if you tell others, ‘This is my experience. This is my experience,’ you are definitely going to be in trouble. Don’t do that. That person also will be in trouble. Now two people are in trouble, contaminated. Then three, four people will be in trouble. So better to know that everything is only the Guru, in our sampradaya, in our custom. Only the Guru knows.
In the beginning, at the time of Creation, if you go to Guru Gita, or Datta Darshanam, then you will understand about the guru. I want to take seven or eight or even ten days to explain only the meaning of the two letters, the two syllables, Gu and Ru.
What does Gu mean? The gukaara shabda means andhakaara, darkness. What does Ru mean? One who removes the darkness and gives liberation, salvation. That is the Guru. The guru is most important in our system. In the beginning of Creation, Parabrahman also has a guru, a formless guru. He is capable of giving form. He is capable of remaining formless.
Today we all are very lucky. It is a long tradition. We did short prayers. Short puja, using only yellow rice and some water. If you have facility, you use flowers. Even the vastram (the cloth that is offered) can be only in our bhavana, our imagination, and our feelings. Guru Puja is very interesting. It does not require money and a lot of material objects. No. Without sadhanas (material implements), without vessels, without decorations, we are using only yellow rice and a little water. Even those are not necessary. Only chant mantras, bhavana (feelings), maanasa puja (mental worship). Take bath, only manasa, only bhavana, only mentally go and do Ganga snana (bath in holy Ganga river), only mentally, in your soul. That is real Pada Puja, real Guru Puja. Everyday, early morning, we need to do Guru Puja. That is what Swamiji is recommending. Guru puja is very necessary. Guru Gita is very important. In our old tradition, in India, any caste, any religion, they by heart (memorize) Guru Gita. I have seen. It is a very powerful mantra, this Guru Gita. You can put it daily to listen, any recording, any CD. Guru Gita. Once in the morning or evening, at any time. And also you must try to know the meaning. That is why Swamiji has given the explanation, in so many languages, in so many varieties, in so many voices.
Anyway today this Karya Siddhi Hanuman Temple is a very very lucky, lucky, lucky place. Simple temple. Avery simple temple. I have seen in America, so many temples. Very rich temples, like a museum. Thanks. Very good. No problem. Concentration is very important for the main deity. I told today also. We are decorating so many murtis, so many deities. Anyway the main deity here is Hanuman. Hanuman means prana (life energy). We need such a Hanuman’s protection in our body, for good health, we need for good buddhi (intellect), we need for good sense organs, for a good soul, we need at least till death. A small boon from Swamiji we ask a small wish, for wealth, at least until death. 85 years, 89 years, 100 years, 102 years. Sit. Sit. Sit. Then it is for exhibition. Museum. Somebody is coming to take photographs, giving $1 for admission. Interviews. But no memory. No hearing, no vision. I am your big son. “Aaaa??”
That is why you must learn now. You are a very energetic personality now. Do good meditation, good friendship. Good guru, good association, good service, good temples. Do something. Do something. Do something. Do something. Do something. Do something. Don’t lose time. Don’t lose time. Don’t lose time. Don’t lose time. Don’t lose time. Very short time. As much as possible, do service. However much you want to give, go ahead. Mental service, physical service, no ego, no importance. No attention. You are all Hanumanta’s servants. No categories, no big and small. You are all Hanumanta’s servants. Including your sadguru also. He is also serving Hanumanta. It is a gigantic energy. Good energy. You feel. Come and simply sit at any time. Meditate. Come and sit. Listen to Hanuman Chaleesa and some bhajans. Even for five minutes, Saturday or Sunday. You will understand how you feel. So many Swamis who are visiting this temple, they write to Swamiji, ‘O it is such a temple, such a temple. Such a vibration.’ It is not a temple also.
So anyway, it is up to your inclination. Don’t say that you are not given importance here. If you say, you gave two hundred, five hundred, two thousand, five thousand, the moment you say that you have given, Hanumanta will eat it all up. You will not have, to give again. It should be a secret donation. Don’t say. Keep quiet. It is a sin. That money is His money. You are only a cash box. A small box. It is not yours. Give more and more service. We need a small temple here. A big temple. Hanuman Temple.
My special blessing to you all today. Guru Purnima. You have witnessed the Pratyaksha Pada Puja. I remember Vyasa, and his father, and his father and his father, and his father, and his father. I am nothing. Only akasa (space/sky). Okay.
I give my special guru blessings to all of you. Swamiji has given Guru Blessings to you all. You have attended Guru Pada Puja. I am very happy. This is a small hall. But that does not matter. It is hot here. Surya the Sun God is also happy. He is Hanumanta’s guru. So He is present. In a few minutes everyone will line up to quickly offer flowers and receive pada puja flowers (as prasadam).
Tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow there are so many different programs. Big hall. Good air-conditioning. No problem. It is His grace. One day here also we will have good air conditioning.
I have seen the paintings. Very wonderful paintings. I have selected many paintings. So many people have already reserved. How much money you want to offer you put down, and also you can mention your address and phone number also. “
Sri Guru Datta
Evening during bhajan program
Jaya Guru Datta
“Sri Maha Ganapataye namah. Sri Saraswatyai namah. Sripada Vallabha Narasimha Saraswati Sri Guru Dattatreyaya namah.
Listening to or singing Nada (good music), in any language is very important. Do not give importance to the religious aspect. Music is beyond religion. Bhajans (devotional music) give immense spiritual strength. I am very happy with this Hanuman Temple project. I wish to see the garbhaalayam (the sanctum sanctorum) built very soon.
It is important to know how to behave in front of children. Please do not quarrel in the presence of children less than 10 years old. Do not forget your mother tongue. Encourage your children to speak the mother tongue. It gives good energy. Telugu, Kannada, Sanskrit, Hindi, these are all very musical languages. Sanskrit is very powerful. English, the children will automatically learn. It is the language of the environment. You must speak with your children only in your mother tongue. This is the small advice that I give to all Datta and Hanuman devotees. You must learn and practice good behavior with husband, wife, and children.
Bhajan: Palaya Gananatha
In our tradition, after Ganapati, we pray to the Goddess of Knowledge, Saraswati. She is the beautiful angel-lady holding the veena, a string instrument, the spiritual background of the human body representing the backbone and the head. The strings are like our nerves. The notes Sa, Pa, and Sa are the Ida, Pingala, and the Sushumna or Brahma nadis. The bottom little strings (on the side) are like nerves also. There are 32-34 frets to give different sounds. Different vibrations are going on in our bodies also, in the Chakras, from the Mooladhara to the Sahasraara. Different nerves react to different sounds. There are 14 very important nerves (naadis) in the human body, out of a total of 74,000nerves. Each sound reacts with the different nerves. We are attracted to sounds. Even if we don’t understand the lyrics, don’t bother. Bother only about the sound. Concentrate only on sounds. If there is any problem ( in the body or mind), the sound will go and attack. That time a person with a yogic concentration will get healed. Particular sounds attack particular nerves to heal. Horror sounds automatically churn in the stomach. We react to motor sounds, air conditioning sounds. Irritating sounds. So why not to music that heals? Nowadays humans react to artificial radiation spreading from Japan. Ten years ago from Russia the radiation spread. Rockets create sound pollution. There are subtle sounds. Man-made radiation. Harmful. We are very happy with telephones. But the radiation is not good. Sun’s rays give radiation. That is natural. Ocean sounds are natural. They purify. But it is necessary for us to heal from man-made radiation.
This is an innocent body. Unknowingly it is getting spoilt. It is very important to sing and listen to bhajans. It doesn’t matter, Hanuman, Buddha, Jesus, Ganapati, or whatever religion, or subject, or language. Sounds are important.
Bhajan: Sharade Varade Maa
In Delhi School children sing this Mother Goddess song. It has beautiful meaning about knowledge.
Bhajan: Raamam Shyaamala
Bhajan: Shambhum Kinkara
Bhajan: Sri Jayalakshmi Mata’s composition, very special lyrics, composed with a special technique. It is in Kannada language. Each letter is important. A very good bhajan about Vishnu.
Bhajan: Vada mala
It is so hot here today, if you put batter on me, it will turn into a vada! The bhajans are nice. But the heat is unbearable. The vada looks like a bagel. A vada garland is offered to Hanuman.
Bhajan: Vadevela endru nee vanangidu maname
Subrahmany is very famous. Indians like him. Snake God. Vinayaka’s brother. Lord Siva’s pet son.
Harati song: Koti Surya Teja Maruti – the final offering.
Prasad is explaining about Dhwaja Seva. Don’t lose the opportunity. You may participate any time throughout the year. It is like a family membership. You may sponsor in any family member’s name. The sponsor becomes a founding member of the Temple, a Dharma Karta for the Temple. The flag will be hoisted in your name for one year. Your name will be in the permanent records as a seed contributor. You may renew also each year.
Sri Guru Datta
Courtesy: Smt. Hira Duvvuri