Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji at KSHT – July 4, 2011 – Dallas TX USA
Jaya Guru Datta
Sri Maha Ganapataye namah
Sri Saraswatyai namah
Sripada Vallabha
Narasimha Saraswati
Sri Guru Dattatreyaya namah
I did not plan on singing bhajans today. But today is American Independence Day. The only way I know to celebrate a function is to sing bhajans. This Telugu bhajan has famous lyrics. It gives a description of Mother Goddess and about Navaratri. So many of our births, we do not know. We do not know our last birth or the next birth. Tomorrow what will happen, we don’t know. Today what is happening next, we don’t know. Yesterday what happened, we forget. Today also sometimes, we don’t understand. We pray to Mother Goddess to please give that kind of knowledge, and also knowledge about Creation. O Mother, you are Saraswati, Lakshmi, and Adi Shakti. So many people think that Lakshmi is money. Lakshmi is progress, for my future. Shakti is Energy.
Bhajan: O Jananee, nee padame naa shirasunanu
Bhajan: Naav chal padee Datta naav chal padee
Bhajan: Oda beda muddu Krishna
Sri Jayalakshmi Mata’s bhajan, in small small small stanzas, she has given the essence of the entire Bhagavatam.
Bhajan: Jagannatha Jagadeesha Jaya Jaya Govinda
It is a ‘torabandha’ bhajan composed by Sri Jayalakshmi Mata. It makes my hair stand on end. It is so beautiful and powerful.
Bhajan: Rama naam ki madhur malaayi
Bhajan: Aruna Kirana kaanti maaruti
I am just showing you this book with DVD which contains three years of personal effort of Swamiji, containing paintings and verses with explanation. It is very precious. It will be released on Guru Purnima. It is a collector’s item. It contains Hanuman Chaleesa, Shata Shloki Ramayana and other works. A very great, but unknown artist, a college professor has done the line drawings out of devotion to Swamiji. He refused to accept payment. On computer it took 4 hours to complete each picture. The printer also is a devotee of Swamiji. This will not be reprinted for 24 years. Only a limited number have been printed. This is needed for our children. Please contact dallashanuman.org and book your copies.
Tomorrow Swamiji travels to Jesus Datta Retreat Center. Why has it been renamed as ‘Jesus’ Datta Retreat Center? The devotees who have donated for DRC are mostly Christians. The temple has been built entirely by Christians. The members and neighbors are mostly Christians. It is situated in a Christian state. They are all very loyal and faithful devotees of Swamiji. They like Swamiji’s music. We have a special meditation center there. All religions are represented there in pictures. There is a Shiva Temple in the Prayer Hall. Why? Shiva represents Light. Jyoti. He is the first Guru. A Point. Bindu. Crystal. All-in-one. Even now, although poor, many Christian devotees help a lot there. The President is John Laird. The Secretary is Phyllis Turk. They are all great devotees. They mix freely with everyone. They are saturated with Swamiji. They are always praying. They support this Hanuman Temple.
We are going to celebrate the Silver Jubilee this coming weekend, of DYC USA. 25 years ago a strange event occurred. It was the inauguration of Datta Yoga Center, USA. Everyone is invited. Please come and attend if possible.
Sri Guru Datta