Speeches by HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – December 14, 2013 – Mysore
Speech after Gna Na Bha lecture in the morning – UPH
Jaya Guru Datta
Thus far you have heard a speech rendered in Hindi, English, and Sanskrit. A scholarly discourse was given and we feel like students learning new topics. He explained many Upanishads in detail. All this knowledge we will condense into our daily one-line quotations. Evolution is an illusion is what he has concluded, in summary. That is very nice. We will include that as a new quotation. There are many great Vedanta scholars and scientists present here today who are like burning coals covered in ash.
An eminent scholar went to the court of King Kartaveeryarjuna. He had a problem, he was greedy for honor and felicitation. In the olden days felicitation meant gifting precious gems and much wealth. These days we barely give a 150 rupee shawl or nothing at all. Felicitation requires that at least that day’s food or a month’s worth of food should be given, plus the travel expenditure to and fro. That is the protocol. You know that King Kartaveeryarjuna is a devotee of Lord Dattatreya. He started out with deformed arms and earned one thousand powerful arms as a boon. He could travel anywhere as he pleased. He knew what each person in his kingdom had in his possession. He possessed immense powers by the grace of Lord Dattatreya, his guru. This scholar was received respectfully and was offered a gift as a felicitation. He kicked the gift. King Kartaveeryarjuna asked him what made him so upset. The pundit said, only after I defeat you in a debate on Brahma Vidya, the topic about the Supreme Truth, I will accept any gift. Otherwise I do not accept, he declared boastfully. I am not a priest. I am a scholar. At once King Kartaveeryarjuna prostrated to him and said, there is a saying that a Brahmin gets angry when he is hungry. You are very irritable. I request that you first accept some food. The pundit said, okay; after I take my meal do you agree to engage in a debate with me? King Kartaveeryarjuna said yes. The pundit was convinced that a debate against the king would not exceed even five minutes. He proceeded to the kitchen to get some food.
The chef was surprised to see him and questioned his purpose. The scholar explained the situation. The chef thought, how dare he wish for a debate again King Kartaveeryarjuna who is a disciple of none other than Lord Dattatreya! It is so difficult for us to even get the king’s audience. He declared to the scholar, I too have a stipulation. I need to engage in a debate with a person before I feed him. The scholar was furious, you fool, idiot, do you know whom you are addressing? The chef was unperturbed. I don’t care if you call me names. But I am adamant about my principle. I have to engage you in a debate. The scholar said, okay, so be it. What will you do if you lose? The cook said, if I lose, that very instant, I will even shed my clothes and will proceed straight to the river Ganga and I will drown. If you lose, I will brand you on your buttock with a red hot iron ladle. Do you accept? The scholar agreed nonchalantly.
The way milk boils over, like an unstoppable flow of nectar, spiritual knowledge bubbled up from within the chef. The scholar got defeated, prostrated to the chef in shame and was about to take leave. The chef reminded him of the agreement. The scholar said, no, please spare me, like you, I will go jump in the river at once. Fire God himself appeared there and scolded the scholar for kicking the gift offered by the king and for his arrogant behavior. He said, you must correct your arrogant behavior.
All those who serve a guru with diligence, will be fortunate enough to acquire Brahma Jnana, said today’s speaker. He gave that blessing. All those who served King Kartaveeryarjuna received spiritual awakening. When Guru is served with devotion, diligence, surrender, and patience, the disciple acquires all the glorious qualities of the guru. But where laziness, boredom, irritation, and jealousy are present, such persons will suffer a downfall. Swamiji has not spoken with me yet, is a complaint that reveals such an envious attitude.
I came to perform the puja myself today, because I wanted to hear this speaker. I also have some free time now because I have finished recording a year’s worth of episodes for ETV – the Guru Gita episodes with parrots present in each session. At the end of the year, there will be contest with grand prizes. The questions will be on which parrot was shown during the explanation of which verse and during which story. So you have to watch every single episode intently and make notes. On Datta Jayanti day the series begins to be televised.
Parrots are Gandharvas, deities. There are a total of 84,000 species in Creation. We were all born as each one of them during the process of our evolution. Day and night these birds here chant the names of God, Rama, Datta and so on. Don’t say that I am obsessed with parrots. That is a sin to speak like that. I will cut your tongue. Is that all you have understood of me? I have no attachments and no obsessions. Your tongue means the tongue of ego that you are afflicted with, that is what I will cut. A person who likes dates does not swallow the stone. He spits it out. I like you but I dislike the ego inside you. I accept your good qualities and reject the bad qualities. It is the same with parrots. I take the good qualities and leave out the negative qualities.
Tonight voting/rating for the best parrot of the top ten will take place. You must rate each parrot and place them in a numerical sequence. You all must participate. You cannot say they are all good. I have this body with several parts. Can you say that every part is equal? Some parts are less perfect than others.
The foot is not equal to the head. The head is not the same as the eyes. Each part is different. The eye is the eye. If you say that my eye looks like my sandal, people will say that you have a problem with your brain. The soul is the same. That every being is different is also true. Everything is different. Brahman is everywhere. Brahman is only One. Both statements are true. Some of you say, why should we speak about differences when all is one? To speak like that, you should be qualified by being an enlightened soul. Until you reach that stage by personal experience, you must see the differences and acknowledge them. Truth is truth, whether you experience it or not. Truth does not change. You must experience the oneness. Only then you will know that it is the Truth.
Take a clear crystal. Place a colored crystal next to it. The clear crystal takes on the color. Any color you place next to it, even if it is a ball it will reflect that color. Both the clear and the colored crystals are from the same quarry. Brahman, the Supreme Soul is one. It is always there but is kept out of public view. It is hidden until your ignorance is removed. Your ignorance hides it. Precious stones are kept in a treasure chest and are locked up. A precious diamond is not put out callously for public access. It is kept inside a safe. Unless you unlock the chest and take it out, the diamond is not seen. It is not in captivity. It is in safekeeping. You have to be qualified to look at it, you have to earn enough money to pay for it, get permission, get the key, and following procedure, you must get it out of the safe chest to view it. Then you experience the feel and the beautiful dazzling appearance of the diamond. You then know what it is. This is my way of teaching Brahma Tattva, the Supreme principle of Truth.
Sri Guru Datta
Gems about Bonsai during special bird program – Nada Mantapa – evening
Jaya Guru Datta
Bonsai trees and birds are my two eyes. Nada is my tongue, my nose is Veda. These days trees are cut down everywhere to make place for roads and buildings. So many trees are getting felled. We can show our children certain species of trees only in pictures or on television. Many trees have become rare. They are not available for viewing in nature. There are some trees that survive for one or two thousand years. Replicas of such trees are the bonsai trees. Since Rama’s times we have had bonsai trees in our country. Kishkindha Moolika Vana was safeguarded by Dadhimukha, the uncle of Sugreeva.
Swamiji had an experience in childhood. His father Narasimha Sastry prepared rat poison and smeared it with honey. The child Satyanarayana swallowed not one but nine of those pellets. He turned blue like Neelakantha Siva (Siva who swallowed poison) and was throwing up. Father was a physician. He sent a man to the forest to bring a leaf from a tree. Ordinarily leaves are not plucked from a tree at night. But because this was a life threatening situation, he brought the leaves. The juice was administered to the child and his life was saved. After this incident, father threw away all his medicines and gave up practicing medicine.
Once, when he was a little older, Swamiji asked his father why he gave up the practice of medicine. He told me this episode and told me about kubja (midget) trees. He used to grow them in small pots for medicinal purposes. After I was 20-30 years old my interest in bonsai trees was revived.
When news was received that Sita was found, Sugreeva, Angada and other vanaras destroyed the bonsai garden of Dadhimukha, which had numerous short fruit trees snuggled in between two hills in a cramped space. It is not true that bonsai originated in China. India has had this tradition since Treta Yuga. The practice originated here and was carried to China where the technique was further developed. The original implements for creating bonsai were from India. The year Swamiji was born, Sri Jayalakshmi Mata planted a tree in the Sangameswara (Siva) temple precincts. It is all twisted because it was entwined by snakes, the Naga devatas. During the recent renovation of the temple 4-5 years ago, some devotees spotted this tree and brought it here and placed it in the Bonsai garden. You may see that tree now in the bonsai garden here. Every tree has a history behind it.
Forests have to be protected. Forest fires are destroying trees. Without trees we will have no rains. Without trees we have no medicines. From the moon light trees absorb medicinal qualities. Trees provide us medicines. Mrita Sanjeevini (the herb that revives the dead) is also a bonsai tree. Trees are mentioned in our Puranas in great detail and their significance is disclosed. Swamiji goes to each tree and listens to its raga or the sounds it makes. A tree can predict an earthquake. A tree changes its color when some natural disturbance is about to occur. Birds quiver in fright and warn us of impending calamities. Swamiji brought many trees from different countries. Early in the morning when you go near a tree and stand, you will experience a magnetic attraction with the tree. Our bad vibrations dissolve. The weakness in our bones goes away. Under a Vata (or Aswattha) tree one gets spiritually awakened. Mother Goddess resides in the Neem tree. From Calcutta Swamiji got a bonsai Neem tree. In the Aswattha tree resides Lord Vishnu. In the Audumbara (medi) tree the trimurty roopa Datta Swami resides. Our Puranas narrate innumerable stories pertaining to trees. You get attracted to trees if you go stand near them and look at them. Each tree is an angel to a specific person. It can reveal your horoscope and the histories of your ancestors whom it would have seen. They have great information, talent, and power in them. How to grow a bonsai in each home where people live in homes where no soil is seen, how different species of trees can be grown, will be described in the book that is being prepared. Mini plant has become money plant. People grow it with the wish that money will grow on the plant.
Sri Jayalakshmi Mata’s plant is like a cobra, all coiled up. Just looking at Sri Jayalakshmi Mata’s tree, seeing its leaves, standing under its shade, and taking a photograph of it and keeping it at home, are sufficient to give you immense benefit. Please do not pluck the leaves. When your particular deity tree is kept in your home in a bonsai form, all evil spirits and negative forces will run away. They will vanish. At every function when you come here, as a rule you must visit the bonsai garden. Just as Lord Datta Venkateswara grants boons and gives health, the bonsai trees will also give you great boons. The birthday pillars do the same. Bonsai garden has 12 units one for each month. Each unit has 30-31 trees, one for each date. The specific vibration for each individual is revealed. Like a meter the trees tell Swamiji what is going to happen in the future. I am still waiting for a few more missing trees. It is a feast for the eyes to see these bonsai trees. Just as it is impossible to see these rare birds elsewhere, it is equally difficult to find these trees elsewhere to even glance at. Such wonderful trees we have here. Today I have begun to share the greatness of these trees with you. This is like a prelude.
As and when I can recollect I will record my experiences with the bonsai trees. A booklet is already there. It will be expanded with more information added. What you give for entry ticket does not even pay for electricity or water. Make it a point to visit the Bonsai garden every day. It is for your benefit. It does not help me. It is only to help you that this park has been created. You don’t need interviews. Visit the museum which is going through an extension and improvement, the Bonsai garden, and Shuka Vana. These will fulfill all your wishes. 20-30 volunteers work day and night to serve Swamiji at these venues. They do not wish to attend any rituals or programs. Remarkable powers and value are in each tree. One cannot adequately describe the glory of the trees. One chapter can be written for each tree just as one chapter of commentary can be written for each sloka of the Bhagavad Gita. To get a good future birth, you must follow Guru’s instruction. Upanishads, Vedas, are all giving you direct darshan here at the ashram in the form of birds, parrots, and sacred artifacts. You are not just listening to speeches here. Swamiji deliberately creates difficulties for you and makes you come here for interviews. Then he gives you liberation. He uses so many tricks to get you to come here. He does not cover everyone with this illusion to make them come here. Swamiji allows only good souls to come here, who have performed good karma in the past, to strengthen them further. There are billions of people in this world. Only very few people are given the permission to enter this ashram. Doubting, negative thinking people are not qualified to enter these premises.
The way a mother makes different tasty delicacies to make a child eat nutritious food Swamiji also comes up with different tactics to make you come here. There are also many people who do not care about taste or quality. They only want a large quantity of food to fill their stomachs.
Sri Guru Datta