Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – April 26, 2014 – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Hunger makes a creature kill another creature to satisfy the hunger. Chicken, cows, goats, fish, eggs are all eaten by people. They are all living creatures. They all have parents, siblings, relatives, and children. You kill them, eat the meat, flesh, and come before Swamiji to offer prostrations. What is the use? You eat chicken and omelet as if they are vegetables. You eat omelet, take a bath, apply sacred ash lines on the forehead and come here appearing very pious and chanting the name of Muruga, Lord Subrahmanya. What kind of devotion is this? How will such persons attain liberation? It is a puzzle for me. Like a child I ask. Why do you do it? You say, I did not kill. Someone else killed. So I eat. They kill because you will eat. Because you purchase, the shops sell it.
Americans, nowadays many have become pure vegetarians, in a town near Los Angeles, especially. Many from China, UK, and other countries also live there. They eat only Satvic food. No eggs, no fish, even in restaurants, it is all vegetarian food, no liquor is served. The entire town is like that. They are healthy and living. Many people claim that for protein they need meat and eggs. Otherwise they think they will die. But you are causing the death of other living beings. Vegetables contain all types of protein. Vegetables exist for feeding others. When they are eaten, they get a promotion to a higher state of being. When humans eat the vegetables, the greens get transformed into reproductive energy. The food that we eat, the cells get merged and become the sperm cells and are born as humans. The plants die for feeding other creatures. It is their dharma. But we must not kill other living creatures. To kill or cause the death of a hundred fish daily, and then to come and offer worship to Lord Hanuman, what is the use?
At one time, when people were unaware of the skill of growing vegetables, and when there was no other food available, they killed and ate food. But now, so much of Satvic food is readily available. An elephant does not eat chicken or fish or any type of meat. Yet, it is so strong. Where is the need to eat meat? It is so big. Is it eating a lot of cheese? Is it building muscles with exercise? It is eating only vegetarian food.
It is all psychological. You think you will die if you do not eat flesh. Poor chicken cries in terror when it is being killed. Mercilessly its head gets chopped. It is like your child, the chicken or the goat. You slaughter, add masala and eat. What if your child was slaughtered and eaten with masala? Why don’t you do it? It is also flesh. How pitifully these creatures run for their lives and scream in terror. Fish frantically try to swim away. These living creatures are precious. It is not fair to take their lives and eat them. They are not like a green salad. They are not like rice. Annam is God. Food is sacred. 120 years people live a strong healthy life, eating rice. Now people are gaining awareness about the advantages of eating vegetarian food. Before praying to God, you cannot consume other living beings, it is unnatural. You should be pure in body and mind before coming to the temple. You don’t come to the temple because you have eaten chicken. But if you are caught in an accident, God should still come to protect you even if you have eaten eggs? Even if you are unclean? I will say, I will not protect you because you are unclean; you have eaten eggs and meat. By the time you get clean after 40 days, you would have lost your life.
Please do not eat non-vegetarian food. I request my Datta devotees. You come here, listen to Swamiji’s words, then go home and eat the stinking meat dishes and fish curries right next to Swamiji’s photo. Are you not ashamed? Are you not distressed to do that? You then light incense sticks to get rid of the stink. How long will you live by eating meat? You incur more and more sin and go through so many lifetimes to exhaust the sin of killing so many creatures.
Regardless of how many temples you visited, and how many bhajans you sang, how many rituals you performed, the fish that you have consumed will take their revenge against you. It is guaranteed. Be aware. You now have a Guru. You are now well informed. Make use of this knowledge and awareness to correct your eating habits. You are knowingly committing great sins. Don’t do it. You will not die because of stopping to eat meat. Do not wish to live by killing other living beings. There is strict calculation about all your sins of slaughter. There are medicines, and there are vegetables, to help you live a healthy life. Many Chinese are vegetarians. There are many centenarians there. Very healthy.
The purpose of performing the Rudra Homa is to pray for forgiveness for all serious sins committed in the past. Unknowingly you have committed many sins. Now, knowingly do not commit further sins. Sins committed unknowingly, without awareness, will be forgiven by such rituals. But now, after Guru has commanded you, if you do not follow, you incur great sin. Those who follow Guru’s words and give up for the rest of this lifetime non-vegetarian food are true devotees. Such devotees trust Swamiji to be their only savior and protector.
Some will make promises here, but will go home and eat fish masala with delight, to come back and tell lies here. You think Swamiji is not present there, and hence, He will not know. Swamiji is far away in Mysore. How will He know what I have eaten? It is very wrong thinking.
Hanuman is a pure vegetarian. He only ate leaves and bananas. Fruits and vegetables only, not even sambar or masala dosa. Ask him. Have you eaten masa dosa ever, Hanuman? He said, No. He never ate fish curry. Our Swami is like that. So, we should be like that. He is our Lord, Master, king, and protector. We have to follow his example. He is our leader, father, grandfather, and ancestor. Our Guru is like that. We have to be like him. Gandhari closed her eyes permanently because her husband could not see. Many wives give up sugar if the husband is diagnosed with diabetes.
My lord and master is my husband. I will not betray his trust in me. That is true friendship. I cannot feed him sugarless food and consume rich sweet desserts behind locked doors, such as sugary ice creams. That is how a loyal spouse thinks. He is my protector and master. When he is deprived, I must also give up. I must give him support. I must share in his misfortune. How happy he will feel to have such a wife. But the wife who says, I don’t care about your plight, is she a true friend and a loyal wife and life’s partner? No. Only the person who says she is there for him in his trouble is the true friend.
A true friend shares in your suffering.
Okay. Unknowingly a mistake has occurred. Now during Rudra Homa you prayed for forgiveness of all sins. Don’t listen to friends and eat meat at a party because they encouraged you. It is wrong. Are these friends going to support you in difficulties? No. The family supports in sickness and problems. Listen to your well-wishers and protectors. You have to take responsibility for your actions. You cannot transfer it to others. It is not fair. Be it husband or the wife, each must take responsibility. If the spouse gets angry and insists on eating eggs, I cannot do anything about it. But if the family heeds Guru’s advice happily, I give double thanks. Hereafter Swamiji will not come to your house if you eat meat. Don’t say, I will not eat meat at home, but eat in restaurants. You are eating sin. If I gather you close or if I come to your house and accept food there, I would be sharing your sin. Why should I do that? I am innocent. Why should I absorb your sin? For some small gift that you offer, or even if you offer your lives, I cannot get rid of your sins that fall upon me. You must follow Swamiji with a pure heart. If you remain pure, I will carry you on my shoulders. No problem. I will sleep on your floor. Don’t quote that earlier you were a great devotee of Swamiji’s. It is wrong. Correct all your wrongs. You are very fickle-minded. Any trouble you encounter, you blame Swamiji. It is wrong. What have I done? Many eat meat and tell lies. They drink, they cheat. They have no self-respect. They are jealous. First, drive out all these faults. Become pure. These are not Swamiji’s words. These are the words of advice given in Vanara Gita. I take no responsibility. These are Hanuman’s opinions, not mine. What I have read, I have shared with you.
You are good boys.
Jaya Guru Datta.
All of you come to Mysore ashrama. You are my devotees, my Datta family. You must participate. Bring bird seeds and medicines. Not small, tiny packets. Bring big packets. You have seen how much the Macaws eat. We have big birds there. They eat well. Don’t say that Swamiji never told you. Swamiji is doing Annadanam. It is Malaysian devotees’ duty to bring bird seeds, powders, and medicines. Bring several packets each. Even big parcels you can bring or send. They will be consumed in a day. Every time you come, without fail you must bring. For Lorikeets, the powders, and Cerelac cereal powder. Like the bird show here, we will also have a bird show. Someone should sponsor it. It is a great opportunity. Room sponsors are needed for bird rooms. Your names will be inscribed on the stone plaques. Your photos and names will be on the website. Instead of Pada Puja, it is now changed to this. This is for your benefit. You have no idea about the importance of birds. Parrots are Suka Brahma. He gave us Bhagavatam. (Without Bhagavatam there is no liberation). Suka’s upadesam, His Upanishat is Bhagavatam. Krishna’s story we learn only because of Suka Brahma. Otherwise we would never have known about Lord Krishna. It is because of birds that Ramayana came into existence. Sage Valmiki saw the bird couple (and the tragedy that occurred). Automatically poetry sprang from his mouth. The bird was the cause. Garuda is the energy of Vishnu. Meenakshi has the parrot that destroys all sins. Those who feed birds will be rid of sins. It is as if you are offering food to God Himself. Macaw also is a parrot. These are not ordinary parrots. There are small parrots and big parrots. You saw both sizes today.
You are so curious. Someone is going to turn a switch off and you stop looking at me while I speak and turn towards him. Your minds are so unsteady. Not even for a second does it remain stable. Someone opens a purse, and you see how much money is being taken out and start counting the bills. You look this way, that way, gossip, within half hour, with such big monkey minds you act. So restless and loud you are. You must listen to Swamiji. Why should I even speak? I can comfortably sit in my air-conditioned room and happily play the flute. Why should I bother? You will cry and go back. You must not lose great opportunities to receive Swamiji’s advice by getting easily distracted. You are busy watching other people. What is so important about watching someone turn a switch? Is he taking it home? No. Like dogs at home that keep watching you while you eat. Have you ever noticed? They look up and they look down, following your hand and mouth. You are like that. You need focus and concentration. You should not be so restless and moving about. That is penance. That is yoga. Even if you sing one bhajan sitting still, with full concentration, do you know how much energy you get? You have not experienced it. You have no eligibility to write any exam. When will you study, when will you finish the course? You have not even begun kindergarten. How can you expect to get a promotion to 8th grade? You must learn to sit still, quietly and listen carefully to Swamiji’s speech. You keep chattering so loudly. That is bad attitude shared by Tamil and Telugu people. You are so loud. You must learn to be disciplined. Swamiji’s words are precious gems, their taste is indescribable. It is like Rama’s name chanting. His words are extremely valuable. Guru’s presence is priceless. You must not waste. Guru’s company is supremely beneficial and grants the greatest boons.
Without any effort on your part, you will be granted bliss. His energy is so powerful and is transmitted to devotees. You do not realize the value. You think He is a body and you are following it. You do not realize that He is Supreme Energy. You must realize how greatly fortunate you are to see Swamiji, to listen to Him, to mingle in His company, to witness His puja, to be in His presence during rituals. You treat it all so lightly. You don’t learn. But I don’t give up even if I lose my self-respect. O Bearded Swamiji, O Bala Swamiji, why do you work so hard? It is useless. But how to ignore the children? How to leave them? Mother told me to take care of devotees. What can I do? I have no choice. What happened to Rama? Rama Himself lost faith in human beings and their ability to rise higher. When He gave up hope, what to say about me? I am so small.
Be happy. Eat prasadam. Meal is being served. Is there sambar? Sit down meal or buffet? What is the menu? Idli? Sing a new song, not idli always. I canceled a program today because of you. I have reserved it for my next visit. What is tomorrow’s program? If I come back frequently, it will inconvenience you, your weekends will be wasted, you will have a lot of work, your excursion plans will be upset because you have to give up your meat eating. Only a few people, only a small percentage will suffer, having to give up parties and party food with fish and meat. They will change, no problem. If you change, if you gain a promotion, my children, I will happily return to see the change in you. I will be proud of you. You must give up all worldly concerns and complaints about children, money, job, business problems, troubles, and so on. You must show that you have benefited from the company of Guru. My ears hurt to listen to your complaints. It is your karma. You have to experience. I give the energy to endure. My purpose is different. I have come to lead you on a righteous path. I am not here to solve your problems, predict your future, and collect money for it. I am not a sorcerer. You should have better sense than that. You are all great scientists and intelligent people. I have given good answers to your unasked questions.
Jaya Guru Datta.
I chose this kind of speech for today. Why should I always speak about scriptures?
Sri Guru Datta