Speeches of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji (highlights) on Vinayaka chaturthi – September 9 , 2013 – Vijayawada
Speech after abhishekam in morning to Lord Ganapati
Jaya Guru Datta. Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha. Kadiri group’s pipe music rendering is excellent. (Swamiji speaks about the songs the band played )…. I asked Swami, Why won’t you give me darshan, O Lord, the composer begs the Lord. They also played Gam Ganapathy song also. Special Ganapati blessings to all devotees of all deities for strenth and blessing to you and to your families. This is a very famous temple in Vijayawada. This idol has a different energy, a dancing murti. I like very much. Today’s milk abhishekam is very special. Tera teeyagaraadaa? Won’t you please remove the curtain? Chalamelaraa O Raghava, in Marga Hindola, Podagantimayaa in Mohana, Then they also played Mokshamu galada in Saramati is another song (Saint Tyagaraja’s). Ganapati is our favorite deity who fulfills desires and removes difficulties.
Many people are filled with anxiety. Please don’t worry. My party is tea party, food party. May all be well fed, happy, virtuous, and healthy. Swamiji always prays for the welfare of all everywhere in the world. Please strengthen their faith and devotion, I pray. Please protect everyone, even those whose faith is wavering and fickle. All are selfish even as they pray to God. No world, no human being without selfishness. It is natural and is a fact, to survive and prosper along with family and progeny. In ancient times people prayed for the well-being of cattle. Now you pray for good dairy and good petrol/gasoline. Also for food, for timely rain and pure air and water and balance in Nature.
Without me my family won’t run, my partners won’t function well, and so on. So much debt we have. We have to save our merit. We do not have enough saved. We must save more merit in our spiritual bank balance. Only when Dharma is protected, Nature flourishes and all will be well. Nature must be protected. My neighbors, my community, and my country should be well, should be your prayers. If I get, that is enough, is a wrong attitude. Give new persons a chance to experience your comfort and bliss, your blessings. God and Guru will give your strength to bear the difficulties, guaranteed. Whether or not He removes difficulties is not guaranteed. Help your friends and introduce them to Guru. Never blame your friends that your sorrows have not gone in spite of seeing upon the recommendation of the friend. All herbal leaves were used for worship of Lord Ganapati. Also a type of grass. All have medicinal value. We must worship as per procedure.
Ganapati always has had only a small car. Now, with parking problems, we are also switching to a smaller automobile. Ganapati rides a mouse that smells food as it moves, and travels on ground and water as well. Garuda vehicle is like a car that grows wings and flies in the air. Different species of birds are there. All people wish to fly also. We sit in vehicles that fly. Only Siva rides a bull. Subrahmanya rides a bird. Our intellect is slow and dull. When Siva sits on it, it becomes alert and quick. Nandi, the bull has grown strong and has killed scores of enemies. We must pray for God to reside on our intellect. All vehicles of deities are not play dolls or frivolous concepts. All this is science. Ganapati is a great scientist and seer.
May all turbulence subside. Even in previous Yugas there were troubles. God has saved all situations. Om Maha Ganapataye Namaha. Today is Ganesh Chaturthi. It is a great celebration all over the world. His form itself is of spiritual significance. We worship Nature and wish for the protection of the farmer. We offer him sugarcane and sweet desserts. We pray for protection for our families and countries. Every country worships Ganapati. He receives the first worship. He is Pranava, the first syllable OM. The story describes the beautiful form of Ganapati created by Parvati. We receive peace of mind, strength of mind, and a good mind by the worship of Lord Ganapati.
Noble souls forget in a moment their different moods of anger and so on. Only lowly souls always harbor grudges. Average people forget their anger once they sleep over it. O Lord, please forgive us. We are ignorant and are only witnesses of quarrels of other people. Please protect us from getting hurt in the fights of others. Now an elaborate decoration is taking place for Lord Ganapati. May the future be bright for everyone. All are good people. I am also good. My family is all good. My wife and children are all good. Drinking pure water, all are good individuals.
Sri Guru Datta
Speech in evening during bhajan session
Worship rituals are all scientific, the abhishekam, all procedures, the puja with the 21 leaves with the medicinal aroma that heals many ailments, the grass used in worship that cures skin diseases – every year this is done. Ganapati removes all obstacles when worshiped with OM Gam Ganapataye namaha or the 21 names or hold your right ear and with focus do japa for 108. He also improves concentration. Chant so that you can hear the words softly. Then your focus is maintained. 3 times sipping water is like sipping nectar. 12 mudras hand gestures signify the mandalam, every 12 year cycle brings changes in the body, mind, home, and family, the change may be good, bad, or a mixture of both. 12 times 12 it continues. By 60 years, one cycle completes and it is as if one lifetime is completed. If one has the wife living, a second marriage ceremony is also performed. After 60 it is considered a second birth. 60 years is a full lifetime. Past 60 is time for spiritual sadhana, pursuit. Instead many spend most of their time after 60 on greedily earning more money, indulging more on desires and anger. One should visit pilgrimage centers and taked sacred baths every 12 years. One must revive friendships and relationships every 12 years. One who has received Guru Mantra should at least remain in the company of Guru.
Mother Jayalakshmi initiated Swamiji with 12 statements or instructions. Whether you believe in astrology or not, the cycles of zodiac exert their influence upon you. Whether you acknowledge it or not, you do breathe only through your nose, not through eyes or ears. Your eyelashes continue to safeguard your eyes although you cannot see them, except in a mirror. A sadguru protects you whether or not you acknowledge His protection.
At ages 36, 48, and 60 changes occur in family or home, perhaps a change of venue also. At 60 a man remarries, no, not to a different girl, with the same wife. 12 and 60 are very important numbers in numerology. The planetary movement certainly affects human life every 12 years whether one is aware of it and accepts or not. Ganapati’s form, the large ears, the curved elephant’ s trunk, the sweet dessert, the small eyes are all very significant. The one tusk is very special, keeps our anger, greed and such in our control. He is in control of the life force. You all know the story of the curse on the moon. You are not supposed to view the moon on the 4th lunar day of Bhadrapada month. Generally, seeing the moon gives you medicinal benefit. The moon rays are highly beneficial to us. But, due to curse of moon on Ganesh Chaturdhi day, it should not be seen. But we neglect to view the moon altogether.
Bhajan: Modamodalu vandanamu: meaning summary – My first worship is offered to you O Lord Ganapati. Please accept the first prostrations O remover of obstacles. You lead the Pramatha Ganas, (the supreme celestial energies that run the creation). You are the older brother of Lord Subrahmanya. You have tied a serpent around your belly. You ride on a mouse, O Sri Gananatha. You are the son of Siva and Parvati. You are the enemy of hurdles. You are Sachchidananda’s friend. You favor good people and grant them blessings.
New bhajan: Shrotaswani raga: We offer this new bhajan to the Lord. Jayamu Ganapati Deva: meaning summary – Victory to Lord Ganapati with the huge ears. He grants successes. He is filled with compassion. He is the lord of all energies. He does not allow obstacles to deter us. He is the very pure and perfect son of Parvati. When prayed to for help during difficulties, He comes to our aid very quickly. He is the son of Siva, the foremost God. He is the friend of those who seek His refuge. He removes all ailments of body, mind, and soul. He is worshiped by the celestial beings. He awakens the Kundalini in the path of Yoga. OMKARA is His form. HE awakenS spiritual knowledge. As He is Himself Sat, Chit, Ananda, He shows the way.
Yesterday’s bhajan we will recollect once again. Sri Ganapati Kshipra Ganapati Nikhila Jagamulakadhipati – meaning summary – Lord Kshipra Ganapati is the Lord of all the worlds. You are the lord of intellect and accomplishment. You are the goal of noble and good persons. You are pleased by the first worship. Modaka sweets are your favorite treat. Garika grass satisfies you when it is offered with devotion. On the 4th lunar day when you are offered worship you grant all auspiciousness. Like a shadow you follow us and protect us from being victims of false accusations. When you are adored as the form of OM, the Pranava, you become our light of spiritual knowledge.
This is a Maha mantra of Ganapati set to lyrics as a song. Gowree suta – meaning summary – Son of Gowri, worshiped by the pious, please grant us good minds with grace. O Lord of Ganas, the divine energies. (This is in pure Sanskrit language. I am not competent to translate, I am sorry). Speech, hearing all you control. You are filled with great powerful syllables, mantras, please protect me. You are Chintamani Ganapati. You are the Lord of the Mooladhara Chakra. Please protect me. You encompass all three types of divine energy. You are the lord of obstacles. You are not different from Sachchidananda. We have shown like a shadow mixed a little bit with Ganga water that becomes Ganga itself.
Bhajan: Vande Prasna Ganeswaram – Prostrations to Prasna Ganapati (Swamiji’s special deity blessed by Sri Jayalakshmi Mata) – Destroyer of sins, praised by Brahma, dweller in the lap of Lord Siva. Son of Parvati, the radiant one. The brother of Subrahmanya who is married to Valli, you grant the benefit of Yoga. Radiant as countless Suns, an ocean of knowledge, you grant Sat, Chit, Ananda.
Bhajan: Elukanekkina ekadantuda: meaning summary –
O one-tusked Lord, riding on a mouse, please pay attention to our prayers. Please listen to our complaints. O pot=bellied lord of dwarfish form, you remove obstacles, O giver of instant boons. Please show compassion and draw us close to you and reach us to the shore , O giver of boons. That mother made a ball of paste (bath paste) and poured life into it. You gave her great pleasure with your childish pranks. You blocked Siva’s entry at the doorway. He got furious and cut off your head. Mother cried uncontrollably and all the three worlds became topsy turvy. To console her all the three divinities (Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva) made you whole again. Angels, humans, and ascetics prayed to Siva. You were given lordship over obstacles. When cleverly Subrahmanya sped off on his peacock, with ingenuity you won the race. All the worlds shout slogans of victory to you. You became too full with the treat of the tasty white balls, Undrallu. While you were prostrating to your mother and father, going down on your knees, your potbelly broke. The moon decorating Siva’s crown laughed at you in ridicule. Your stomach tore up at his evil eye. Parvati cursed the moon that one should never look at the moon. She cried a lot. Brahma and others again revived. The Lord of Serpents tied your belly up firmly again. Mother Parvati withdrew her curse and modified it. On the 4th lunar day of Bhadrapada month in the waxing phase, people were to avoid seeing the moon. People were careful, but Krishna saw the reflection of the moon in a pail of milk. He incurred the result of the curse and got falsely accused of stealing the Syamantaka Gem. Prasena wore the gem and went hunting. A lion killed him and took it away. A bear killed the lion and took the gem into its cave and tied it as a toy for its daughter. Krishna went to look for the gem to clear his reputation. He followed the footprints into the cave, fought the bear to retrieve the gem. The exhausted bear fell at his feet. The bear saw Krishna as Rama of His previous incarnation. Jambavan recognized his lord and offered the gem and his daughter Jambavati to Krishna. Krishna returned the gem to Satrajit, the owner. King Satrajit lamented his mistaken accusation of Krishna and offered his daughter Satyabhama in marriage to Krishna. When people perform your worship on this specified day, you bless them and grant them Sat-Chit-Ananda – Absolute Truth, Pure Consciousness, and Eternal Bliss. Victory to Lord Ganesh. Please Protect us O Lord Ganapati.
We offer everything we perform with our mind, hands, and speech at your lotus feet O Lord. May all be happy, healthy, safe, and joyous. Victory to Sadgurudeva, the manifestation of all divinities. Victory to Sri Jayalakshmi Mata. Sri Guru Datta with loving, grateful, and reverential prostrations.