Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji during Global Gita Conference – Birmingham – September 15, 2012
Sri Maha Ganapataye Namaha
Sri Saraswatyai Namaha
Sripada Vallabha
Narasimha Saraswati
Sri Guru Dattatreyaya Namaha
Many Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, and Hindi people are here. But English language is the language of communication; we will agree and compromise. I am not a lecturer or a speaker. I am only a student, a listener, a worshiper. Today the 10th Bhagavadgita conference begins. You know the significance of the number 10. What is one? What is zero? Where to begin? Sukhabodhananda gives us the explanation.
The teaching of the Bhagavadgita is not only to benefit the ones who speak about it. The one who speaks about it has the enthusiasm to somehow know this subject. He must practice it. That inspiration should be born in the heart. A lecturer must inspire in the listeners the desire to learn it. Sometimes we forget what is being said, when some people are speaking. The mind and the intellect must be together. That is seen in the dialog between Krishna and Arjuna. Krishna taught that only when the ‘I’ is given up, you will understand the teaching of the Bhagavadgita. When you become ‘I’, then you will understand. Then the ‘I’ in you does not exist. You then understand the world; that everything that you see is ‘I’, that It is my own aspect. There is much that is not seen by the eye. Whatever in the world is seen, is all ‘I’. All this is my play. Even the invisible is ‘I’. Whoever understands this will understand God.
People are always thinking that all this is permanent; that all the facilities are permanent. What is invisible and what is visible, what is permanent and what is not permanent, is all confusion. Ramana Maharshi has told us to inquire into, “Who am I?” The Bhagavadgita also says that. Then you will understand. Krishna said, “After understanding, you can do what you want. Now you have listened. Think about it and then do as you wish. I have become you, but it is difficult for you become the ‘I’.
One guru was teaching. He asked the disciples, “Have you understood?” One disciple stood up and said, “No”. Then the guru thought, ‘I have to teach in a way that he can follow’. He revised his method of teaching. Again he asked. Again the same disciple said, “No”. Then he taught in another different way that was easy to understand. Again he asked. Again he received the same answer. The guru then understood that the disciple’s mind was elsewhere, and that was the reason why he was failing to understand. ‘I have understood what I am teaching you’.
All that we see is ‘I’, the Paramatma. That attitude one must develop. Whatever is unseen is much. Whether there is much or less it is difficult to say. Develop and practice the belief that all that you see is yourself. We are all eager to learn this today. What is needed and what is not needed is not clear to many. Everything that is in the Upanishads is in the Bhagavadgita. God himself has given us this teaching. Vibhooti yoga is going to be discussed today. Bhagavadgita yields its lessons lifelong. During our entire life Bhagavadgita is our teacher. We are always students. Whoever takes a certificate and thinks that he has mastered the subject is mistaken. Only to appreciate the student’s eagerness and enthusiasm, prizes may be given. Only God satisfies our hunger. For temporary encouragement we can give awards and rewards to students. All the time we should contemplate on God.
This conference is meant for that. I pray to Datta that this two day conference is successful. I hope that next year this conference will take place at the Mysore ashrama.
Sri Guru Datta