Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji at Dr. Pepper Center during Guru Purnima morning – July 16, 2011 – Dallas TX USA
Jaya Guru Datta
“Sri Maha Ganapataye namah. Sri Saraswatyai namah. Sripada Vallabha Narasimha Saraswati Sri Guru Dattatreyaya namah.
Happy Guru Purnima! Happy Guru Day!
The day when you concentrate on your Guru is Guru Day. The day when you begin your spiritual journey is your real Birthday.
(Mr. Raman of Chicago introduced the renowned photographer Mr. Jeff Mitchum to the audience. Mr. Jeff Mitchum addressed the Datta devotees and spoke about his experiences as a photographer and about his meeting with Sri Swamiji).
There is a connection between Jeff Mitchum’s photography and Swamiji. Swamiji loves photography. I have seen so many National Geographic magazines. I make comments, ‘This photo is very good. This is not good. The lighting in this could be better,’ and so on, I discuss.
If you go to the Himalayas, or any pilgrimage center, and look up at the clouds, you will see that the clouds take different shapes. Whatever is in your mind, any form of God, or any animal, the cloud assumes that shape for a few seconds. Then it disappears. With the wind the shapes get changed. When you sleep under the open sky, and look at the different stars, when you forget your pains and problems, you will see so many different shapes coming into your head. So many people do not know this concept. Even the full moon. Many people have no experience of this. They only have experience of television and movies. In India they calculate a person’s age by how many full moons the person has viewed. There is a lot of energy there in the full moon. Also in the half moon. Dark moon also. For half an hour if you fully concentrate, you will completely forget all your problems. There is energy in star light, in moon light. If you think of Anjaneya, for 2 seconds, you will see the shape of Anjaneya. It comes and disappears. It can be Ganapati, or different deities, different figures, different animals. Whatever you think, the shape comes out. The inside energy takes shape outside. Swaroopa (form) comes from niroopa (no form). It has to be experienced. It cannot be explained.
There are so many photographers; iPhone photographers, pen photographers, hidden pocket photographers. It is only play. It is for remembrance only. Pilgrimages, honeymoon, remembrance photos. Photography is such an art. Viswakarma is a great engineer, an architect, in Indra’s court. There are so many stories about Viswakarma. Interesting stories. He gives blessings to all serious photographers. And also to artists. You have to calculate timings. You need lots of patience. Photographers remain standing, sitting, or lying down for hours together, still, like a stone, with very small movements. They follow different techniques.
Your Swamiji very much likes photos. Small children’s drawings also. He says they are very nice. He gives encouragement to art. A little bit of encouragement makes a child very happy. A child shows Swamiji a painting, saying it is a peacock. Swamiji says, ‘Okay. Peacock is very good. When it comes to your house it becomes a crow. The child calls it a peacock. But it is really a crow. But you cannot disappoint the child. Say it nicely, slowly discuss. The child will understand. The child will recognize the difference. I say, ‘Today my eyes are not good.’ Slowly the child improves. Never discourage. God gives different talents to different people.
Telugu is a beautiful language. Very musical. Hindi also. Each person likes his or her own mother tongue. All are related.
When I went to a museum in Las Vegas, Swamiji was thinking of Hanuman stories. Why did he go to Las Vegas? No, not for casinos. Only for seeing scenery. The Sky Walk. The glass beads. When that program was finished, Swamiji asked what is the next program? Raman, who arranged the tour, suggested the Circus. No. We are already circus people. Next? Mesmerism show? No. I don’t like. I do that all the time. Photography Museum? I went. Good day. Good vibrations day. I was thinking about chapter 32, Sundara Kanda. A powerful, beautiful chapter. Lots of energy. Spiritual power. The Mainaka Mountain which always lies hidden in the ocean came up by Indra’s command to disturb Hanuman. There was an argument. Mainaka surrendered. That was the finishing part.
When Swamiji is riding in a car, sitting, talking, whatever he may be doing, chapters are going on inside, like a tape recorder. Story chapters keep going on inside. People think I am upset. No. Not upset. No moods. No crying. Then I switch off. Then I switch on devotees track. Emails, interviews, accident, operation, problems, visa, job, I think about these. There is a workshop in my mind. A big workshop. Sometimes I switch this off. I go to pictures, sending email messages.
I came for Sri Chakra Puja. I gave so many instructions. The colors are not matching. I get very irritated. Even with my clothes. If everything is not right, I get unhappy. My beard is a different gray. My hair is a different color. My skin is a different color. My clothes are different. It has to be simple. But it has to match. No demands for big sarees. No. Only simple. I will adjust. One is good. One is not good. People think Swamiji always ties his hair in the back. When he does it means something. Sometimes he lets his hair loose. That means something else. Each movement of Swamiji has a serious reason. We think Swamiji is crazy sometimes. Sometimes very simple. Sometimes lots of decorations. You don’t know the answers. You are not serious about knowing the answers. If you are serious, then Swamiji will tell you. You make fun. Teasing. Not good. Criticism is not good.
Can you recognize Hanuman in this photograph (pointing to Jeff Mitchum’s photograph of Mt. Ranier)? Mainaka? You must concentrate when you look. It improves energy. Heals problems. Mainaka surrenders. Give the crown to Hanuman. An imaginary crown. Here is Hanuman. Why is Swamiji explaining this picture? I am sending 25,000 people daily messages in different languages, Telugu, Kannada, Hindi, Gujarati, Malayalam, Marathi, English, and Tamil. Swamiji is improving messages through these photographs. We are purchasing pictures. 30 members in the team. They purchase from Dream Times, downloading photos. Swamiji controls the pictures, the proverbs.
I spend personal money to purchase photos. You don’t see the messages. You give excuses such as ‘I have no Internet, no Wi-Fi, no current, and no charge in the battery, I am not yet a member, or the message has not come’. You do not give me good feedback. If you give a good response, then Swamiji will give different different matter. Instead, immediately you say, “No. I did not get.” You don’t say, “I will get membership at once. I will at once start watching.” You say,” I never knew till now. “
Shame on you! I get so angry. Senior devotees say, “O I know Swamiji.” But they do not know what Swamiji does. Only when you help Swamiji, you will improve. You must help in every way. In small, small ways.
This is Swamiji’s favorite subject. Join Dollar Seva, one dollar a day. Datta Seva, Rs. 5 per day. Swamiji is giving to flood victims. All together when we join, we can do so much. Individually you cannot do much. There are not even proper bathrooms in India. You all study there. You come here and enjoy. You dump all your dollars on one village. You do not follow up. Give to your guru. He will distribute properly. Other devotees have that confidence in the guru. The Telugu devotees do not have.
You should take this book. The bookings have started. All Swamiji’s saying. I send sayings from the Vedas. He has used them. Only 1000 copies are ordered. Please book quickly. The profits go to Hanuman Temple. Give to your children. They will enjoy. Anyway the Telugu devotees will give. I have given away the secret.”
(The book that is being referred to contains 92 photographs taken by Jeff Mitchum with each picture accompanied by a saying selected by Sri Swamiji. To book your copy, send an email to: dycchicago@gmail.com. Only a limited number of copies are available).
Sri Guru Datta
Courtesy: Smt. Hira Duvvuri