Speeches of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – September 11 , 2013 – Eluru
Morning after puja
Every one who guides us is our Guru, even if they have taught us just one word. Lord Datta taught Lord Subrahmanya Swamy just the ‘Om’ mantra; yet Subrahmanya Swami considers Datta as His guru. When visiting unknown lands where they speak an unfamiliar language, without a guide we will be in left in a quandary. We will be unable to visit any place or accomplish any task. Even such a guide can be considered a Guru. We should believe that our Sadguru has come in that form to guide and to teach us and with such feelings we should give them the due respect. It is wrong to look down upon them.
Here today in Helapuri ashram, all of us are seated peacefully, with no worries or tensions of any form. This is because we have sought shelter in our Sadguru. This is a form of protection. We can be safe in the precincts of the Guru. One that protects us from all forms of calamities is the temple of the Sadguru. We can fearlessly remain there. Although in the initial days, there may be plenty of obstacles, it can confidently be said that ultimately only dharma will reign supreme.
These days, selfishness, desires and excessive greed have increased significantly among people. In order to obtain/ retain name, fame, power and position, people recklessly inflict great harm upon the other innocent people. Everyone is selfish. The desire that his demands should be met quickly exists within every person. Every one seeks that he should be able to bypass the queue and complete his task at the earliest. ‘At least my task should get completed, al least let me get the ticket for the function’, everyone desires. In this Kali Yuga, this is the unique creation of that Paramatma.
Listening/ abiding by the teachings of the Sadguru is the only way to escape from this strange creation. Only through His teachings, a change can be brought about in the mind. His teachings are unique- they will be in the form of repeated hammering, beating, burning, scolding etc. Where the person is able to withstand these harsh lessons, then the net outcome will be the creation of beautiful jewel/ personality. A stone has to undergo a great deal of chiseling before a beautiful idol is created from it. The net outcome, the idol, is so sacred that we bow down and revere it. Gold has to be put into fire and hammered; only after it undergoes this treatment, a beautiful precious ornament can be created. It is impossible otherwise. Its value then increases tremendously. We pay a fortune to acquire it, and then treasure and preserve it carefully. Akin to this, Sadguru is the goldsmith who chisels and creates goodness within us. He is the farmer who sows the seeds, stands in the muddy water and plucks out the weeds and finally ensures that a good harvest is reaped. Guru therefore acts as a cook, washerman, farmer, blacksmith, goldsmith etc. Sadguru’s leelas are unique.
For this reason, people of every religion, province, language and tradition predominantly respect and revere the guru. What should be the qualifications to be a guru? What should be his knowledge? How should He dress and how should He speak? The text that deals with all these questions is the Guru Gita. It explains how the mind can identify the guru, how the Guru communicates, how we can have His vision etc. To understand all this, one should read the Guru Gita together with its meaning several times. When read for the first time, one meaning will emerge. When the same text is read for the second time, a new perspective can be understood. In this manner when read for 100 times, 100 different meanings will be understood by the mind. It is the same Guru Gita and the meaning given there will remain the same. Yet multi dimensional perspectives will emerge from it. This is Guru’s teaching (Guru bodhana). Guru Gita is an akshaya patra; no matter how much is taken out from it, much more will remain to be understood.
Having a Guru therefore is a very critical pre-requisite in life. Be it in seeking the success of any endeavor, in uplifting the masses, in uniting the people, in bringing about the welfare of the citizens, the necessity of a Guru is felt. That is why even great kings of ancient past such as Harishchandra, Nala and even in the recent history kings such as Hakka- Bukka consulted their guru at every step. Not just amongst Indians, but also amongst Arabians, Romans, Spanish and in every other region, this concept of Guru existed. Guru is an embodiment of dharma. Therefore every critical decision in the kingdom was put up to Him and was executed purely per His direction.
Even the worst atheists (naastiks) follow some ‘leader’ and abide by his directions. While we call our guide as ‘Guru’ they call him as their ‘leader’. That’s all.
These are days when chaos is reigning everywhere. Innocents are being harmed. You may question- Swamiji what are we to do in such circumstances? Selfishness and cheating appear to be the way of life for many. There is no electricity, no water. What is our fate? What is the fate of our kids in this hostile environment? How be their life be? Will their future be as gloomy as in the present days? Swamiji- in these days when humans have descended to animal levels in behaviour, how are we to distinguish humans from animals? Who is our protector and guide? Does God approve of all this crime, animal behaviour and fighting? Is He causing it all? Who is our refuge now? Will that God not punish those people who are behaving in this manner? Will they ever get proper discriminative capacity and wisdom? Added to this is a constant fear of natural and manmade disasters such as bombing, earthquakes etc. We are not able to eat or sleep peacefully at home; the future appears gloomy and worrisome.
Do not assume that such turbulent situations are a speciality of Kali Yuga. Such situations existed in all the 3 earlier eons too. In Dwapara Yuga the period was even worse than it is now. Around the time of the Pandava Kourava war, people suffered endlessly. Even in Treta Yuga, when Rama left for the forests, people did not eat for 12 years, grieving for him. Krishna is considered a Poorna avatara (complete incarnation), yet during his time the terrible war took place. Both Rama and Krishna were born amidst difficulties.
When the being takes on a form, difficulties tag along automatically. These are natural troubles that come with life. Therefore we should look up to our ancestors or friends, witness the hardships that they have faced and draw courage from it to tide over our present difficulties. We should console ourselves in the following ways- ‘I lost only rupees 10, whereas my friend has lost Rs. 100. Its ok’. Or ‘I am able to eat at least once a day. Look at that person. He cannot eat at all because of cancer’. “Thank God, I have at least one eye. I am better than those who are totally blind. God is so considerate towards me”. ‘I spend sleepless nights. Yet, the kind God ensures that I get at least 2 hours of sleep every day”. Learn to thank God and feel His compassion at every step!
The one who practices these methods is the ‘real human being’!
We should pray, “O Lord Datta, why I am being apprehensive? You take away my thoughts. You dispel my fears and give me your Abhaya”. Praying this way to Datta is the only way to tide over the hardships of life. There is no other way.
Lazy people will believe that some great soul will be born who will reform everything at one go.
Criticizing and finding faults with everyone, with the government and municipality at every step is wrong. After all like you they too are humans beings. Why can’t you pick that garbage and throw it? Why do you expect the municipality to solely handle this? Scolding and finding faults with the mother at home is also wrong. Why can’t you do the dishes? Why can’t you clean the house? All of you are sitting in a disciplined manner here in the ashram. The moment you go home, you will throw your slippers in two different directions and demand that you be fed instantly. Even children behave in the same manner at home. You should all learn to be disciplined at all times. Learning and practising what is being told will make your life fruitful.
You listen to the news on TV or read about it in the newspapers and then spend hours discussing the same amongst yourselves. What have you achieved with this? Has any government offered you some money for having spent time on it day after day? Listening to news is only to know what is happening in the world. That’s all. If you go deeply into it and fill your mind completely with it, then your puja etc. will not truly attach to you.
Lemons that have been offered to Mother Goddess have been distributed today. Keeping them in house/ factories is auspicious. In case it rots, then put it beneath a tree. Even if it dries up, let it remain at home, it is auspicious.
Amongst the crores of birds in this universe, only a select few could come to the ashram. These birds are all great Maharishis/ Devatas. Parrots recite the name of Datta even during sleep. Humans however prefer to snore.
Of the millions of people, how is it that only a few of you could come to Swamiji? This is because of a connection with him. Guru does not need anything from you. It is you who needs something from Him. We are approaching him for Jnana. To go to Him is our responsibility. We should think- ‘My Guru has come here to protect me; to dispel my ignorance. Hence I am going to see him. Wherever my Guru resides, that place becomes His. I am going to His place. I am after all his sister, daughter, son / relative. I am going to see my relative. Therefore for me it is imperative to have His darshan’.
Everybody demands that a super hospital should be constructed for sick people. Everywhere there are hospitals yet they are falling short. There are homeopathic clinics, ayurvedic and naturopathy clinics and to top it all there are hospitals at every nook and corner and yet all of them are falling short for this growing population. To add to it people run behind all the mantras, yantras etc. looking for a cure. Why do you worry at all times? What are you gaining by it? I will tell you something- ask God to give you the energy to withstand the suffering. That’s all. Only God who has blessed you with life can take it away. Boldly accept the hardships that come your way. Pray to the Lord, “Let me see what you can do to me. At the most you will give some more troubles. I will face them all. You already made me spend all my money. Thereafter you made me lose my credibility amongst all my friends and relatives. Ok, fine”. Praying to Him this way is called ninda stuti.
Please do not sign as a financial guarantor for any loan, however close the borrower may be to you. Tomorrow if he were to default, then you will be in trouble. At that time do not approach me for a solution. Quite often people fix up the alliance, fix the date for the wedding, book the wedding hall and then approach me seeking my approval to go ahead with the alliance. I too am very wary of such people. What approval should I give after everything has already been fixed and decided? I too very tactfully deal with such situation. Because if some differences crop up between the couple in future, they will shift the blame totally upon me. They will state, “Swamiji you approved of this alliance. Hence we went ahead with it”. All of you also should be very careful in suggesting bride/ groom. Because these days, the moment the marriage fails, they will put a court case upon the owner of the wedding hall, the cook who cooked for the wedding, the person who suggested the alliance and every one who was connected with it. I often advise Bala Swamiji not to get stuck with all these matters. ‘You are good in giving discourses, preaching Upanishads etc. you stick to it. Escape tactfully from such situations.’ I tell him.
In this Kali Yuga, girls are over-smart. In this Yuga, boys are complaining that they are unable to get brides as all the girls are overly qualified. What should I do? I tell the boys- Ok, you too acquire more degrees.
Those who have true faith in Appaji, the intuition (sphurana) will come by itself. The Hanuman in this temple will fulfill all desires. Why do you go searching elsewhere, when Hanuman is here, the ashram itself at Helapuri, to take care? Shiva here performs dance of tandava at time of Shivaratri.
On Jan 1st Swamiji is planning to go to the south pole. He will be travelling in ship for 12 days, walk on ice and then install a Shiva linga so that the entire earth should be safe. I am doing the best I can for the welfare of this universe.
Compiled by Parimala Eshwarla
Evening at bhajan session (summary)
Sri Bala Swamiji said – Veda says, This day when we have Sadguru Darshan is a good day, a good time, to see Him, to speak with Him, to listen to Him, to sing along with Him, we are immensely blessed. We pray for Him to begin singing of the glories of God.
Sri Maha Ganapataye namaha
For generations, the easiest method of worship was started by Lord Hanuman. It is singing god’s names and descriptions. this is concentration, penance, cleansing of sins like sacred Ganga water. It protects Dharma. Silent prayer is also there. Without the thundering of God’s name, there is no Creation, no existence. The OM sound is heard everywhere. Wherever and whenever we hear it, it does something in our stomach. The sound pressure makes us feel as if we are floating in air. It feels nice and ligt while traveling by car or bus. By air, when we rise, we feel heavy. While doing the Pranayama, while retention of breath, we feel the Creation is within us. When held outside, we feel as part of Creation. The fire pump keeps our life force in tact. When it stops life bird flies away. Then we cry that the body is left. For the life energy there is nothing like leaving relationships. Only while living we are as Siva. Once life goes, we become like a stick, a corpse, a Sava. While alive, we must gather good things and concepts. But we gossip and dwell on bad things. The conscience watches and warns. But you do not listen even if cautions by giving pain and disease. Where it goes away in desperation, you do not know. Where it will be reborn, we do not know.
We crave for relations. We decorate the body. Once dead, it will stink, no matter how well you decorate it. This body is no one’s property. The five elements claim their different parts from the body. That is what causes the stink, that process. When wounded, healing starts immediately, naturally. A layer forms at once to protect. While cells and dark cells make it water proof. We apply medicine after cleaning to expedite the healing. But when the soul gets disgusted and wants to leave, there is nothing we can do. We must not lead to that level. The sense organs we spoil. Whether the life leaves from eye or ear, where it tries to hide, when mind is spoiled it departs. From any hero, rich man, scholar, or strong man, from any fine city, it will leave. You spoiled the home, the temple where the soul God lives, no food, no repair, no maintenance, no new paint. In such a dilapidated home, the supreme soul refused to live. Intellect is spoiled by needless affairs, thoughts, relationships, desires, you make yourself rotten. You are ashamed to confess to God or Guru.
The only food that will protect this temple, this soul is Nama Sankeertan, remembering and praising God. No son, or daughter will give their longevity to you. Never give your longevity while ill, that is like giving rotten food that even a dog will refuse in disgust. You give to others only what is pure and good. Not a life that is ill, dirty, filled with debts, you must never give. Your life that is pure, clean should be given. You must never transfer your karma. You have not right to do that. Only crystal clean thread you can give, not rotten and unclean. Only with prayer we get cleansed. We must engage in that always.
Either applaud loudly or not all. The hesitant applause is irritating. The applause is not for me, I don’t need it. I have had enough. You applaud yourselves that you are alive, you are sitting in front of Sadguru and you are singing God’s names. It is for you, to congratulate yourselves. Why Jai for Swamiji? Guru is always victorious. When He wins, you win. You go to a lawyer and pay Him, and beg Him to somehow make the case win. You pray that He should win. But victory is for you. Jai to Guru is victory to yourselves. You surrender your troubles to Guru’s feet, all your planetary negative influences. That is why, you wish your Guru to fight against them and make you win. I don’t grow horns because you said Jai. My work increases by your Jai. So I also say Jai, because I pass on the responsibility to God. I don’t keep it on my shoulders.