Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – April 27, 2014 – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Jaya Guru Datta
Om Namassivaya
Jaya Guru Datta
Today is Maasa Sivaratri. Lord Siva is worshiped today with the chanting of His name, Abhishekam, Homa, and Puja. Devotees should meditate upon Lord Siva and chant His name. Rudra Homa is taking place. It is a happy event for all devotees and all devotees in Malaysia. The same energy of Maha Sivaratri is felt during Masa (monthly) Sivaratri also. This particular day now is most powerful. That is why we are conducting this Rudra Homa today here in Malaysia. Many are suffering great grief with troubles of all kinds, ill health, lack of peace at home, and financial difficulties. At a time like this if we offer worship to Lord Siva, the difficulties of this lifetime will be overcome. Worship of Siva is worship of Karyasiddhi Hanuman. When Hanuman is worshiped, Mother Goddess is pleased. Hanuman and Maha Kali give darshan to one another. In another form Mother has given darshan to Lord Hanuman. Mother Maha Kali has a temple here. Her true form is never seen by us. There is no photograph or painting of Maha Kali’s true form for us to know Her form.
Her form is huge. She knows what it looks like. It encompasses the entire Creation. All the planets, countless spheres, and the countless creatures who reside on all those planets are within Her. Similarly, Maha Rudra as Lord Hanuman showed His Universal Form to Mother Sita. We offer him worship. That form was seen only by Mother Sita, and no one else.
While on the way to Gandhamadana Mountain, Hanuman spoke about this, that the vision of Mother Goddess is unforgettable, recollecting the past events, and Lakshmana overheard the secret. Mother Sita and Lord Hanuman were conversing about it, after the Ramayana story was completed.
Sage Narada and through him, Sage Vyasa learned about it. Thus the lineage of Gurus knew about it. Through visualization or Moha Nidra they perceived it. No one else saw and no one took a photograph.
Now, even if someone sneezes or burps, or farts, at once, a photograph is taken, without discrimination. For everything there is now a video, a photograph. Same thing with babies, in all poses, 24 hours, photos are taken. A camera is fixed to take pictures night and day. Such is the obsession with children.
You raise children with great effort. Children, especially to raise girls, parents suffer a lot; send to different colleges; what does she do? She elopes with her lover and marriage is performed, which ends in a divorce. She applies namam (makes parents bankrupt) to her mother and goes away with her lover. The parents would be still clearing the debt for her education.
What is the mistake? No one knows. There is no proper discipline at home. Swamiji’s darshan the children miss, because of ‘special tuition, and they should not be disturbed’, the parents say. But what is going on behind their back is special love, not special tuition. College love affairs and boy friends who keep changing. Don’t you require variety and change in life? The value of life is not realized. There is no respect, no seriousness. Just drifting through life, finished. Is this the way to live? I don’t know.
Photo at every juncture or a painting? Narada in meditation visualized the different forms of God. He informed others. He conveyed the information about that form. Shlokas in the Bhagavatam convey the taste of that vision of Hanuman. Hanuman and Maha Kali did not pose for any pictures. Hanuman never disclosed the secret. He never posed for a picture with a hand mudra, and thanking the photographer.
Now, to take a picture, you need to seek permission. The energy at the occasion and the proper angle should be considered. To proliferate small pictures indiscriminately that are improperly taken, spread negative energy. Each and every one takes a picture with mobile phones, without permission. The energy of the picture-taker gets adversely affected. You feel thrilled that you have caught a pose. Without permission when you do that, what you are taking home with you is the negative energy of Sani (Saturn). The light of the Moon is affected by the influence of other planets, like Mars or Rahu. The flash of the camera captures their negative energy. That is what you take home with you. I feel very sorry about it. No one listens to my warning. Only the authorized persons should click pictures. They are protected. Otherwise, it is like the negative influence of Saturn that spreads. I feel very sad when people do this. You must take permission from Swamiji first. You do not respect my caution. You can take pictures of nature, no problem, a tree, a running pig, the whole world is there for you to photograph. But without permission, if you take Swamiji’s photograph, it is disastrous for you. I will explain the concept of what can go wrong.
Energy transfer occurs through light rays; very subtle form of rays gets transferred. You do not realize it. When the rays travel, the moon’s rays sometimes get interrupted by Rahu and when you experience those rays through the camera light, it affects you adversely. The moment Rahu’s influence hits you and the light of the flash, when you see the photograph, it is like the adverse effect of eclipse time radiation. Many times Swamiji cautions, “Do not take photographs”. When the rays are traveling, what planets are exerting their influence, you do not know. Science has created these cameras by the evil influence of the planets, to cause the destruction of the world, I feel. Children, and even important people, callously take pictures of Swamiji. I have posted signs that say, No photography allowed. But you ignore. You feel hurt if I tell you not to take pictures. It has become a bad habit. You have the uncontrollable itch to take pictures. Like an itchy skin infection. The pose is not good, the time and light rays are not good. It is bad for you.
The energy of the Moon’s rays that affected the forms of Hanuman and Mother Goddess, Sage Narada at once saw in a mental picture and illustrated it and described it in song. At once Lord Ganapati wrote it down in shorthand. That was the description used for making images of God in this world. Otherwise how would we know what Rama looked like, or Krishna looked like? Who took their photographs? What eon was that? Did they have photography then? Who is the witness? How did they know the forms, and how to depict those forms? Ganapati was the first to record it. He is the artist who created the pictures. That is how the creation of God’s images began and through the generations it continued. The drawings keep changing. The form does not remain the same. It keeps changing.
Ganapati’s form is there. In different countries, the shapes are different, in Malaysia, in Thailand, in Bali, Karnataka, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, America, in Tamil Nadu. Same Ganapati. The dress may change, that is permitted. But how can the shape change? The shape of the trunk and its angle, and size are all different; the belly is sometimes very big, and sometimes not so big. The shape of Omkara is sometimes shown. Is that the real shape of Ganapati? How to determine? The shape of the syllable Om, or shape of a lamp light. All forms are encompassed in them. Entire creation and all beauty is seen in light and OM. That is the respectable form. That is Harihi Om Tatsat. The ultimate mantra. All Mantras, Yantras, and Tantras are in it.
My speech is controversial. Many big assemblies do not invite Swamiji to speak. Because they never will know what he will speak about. I am happy about it. It gives me good rest. Only those who genuinely want to learn, invite me. Swamiji may suddenly scold, or object to various things. They are afraid of my way of speaking. So they do not invite Swamiji. I am very outspoken. If I am invited in Karnataka, it is only to light a lamp and at once depart. They will not allow me a chance to speak. In that short time, they will commit some major mistake, accidentally. They are afraid and nervous. Swamiji may suddenly comment. I cannot keep quiet. Even the Rudra Mantra chanting here is full of mistakes. But if I comment, they will make more mistakes in their confusion. I would prefer to stay inside and come out only for Purnahuti. I never comment to the driver of the vehicle, because he will get perturbed and make an accident. Small mistakes, I say, Don’t worry. Many ask, Did you like the ride Swamiji? I say, Yes. First Class. After coming home, I will speak the truth. Just reach me home safely.
They buy something for me to eat. Ask, How is it Swamiji? If I say Good, more will be served. Trouble for me.
If you cheat me, I will cheat you. If you show trust, I will trust you. If you are devout and truthful, I will be truthful with you. If you try to trick me, I will also trick you. If you lie to me, I will lie to you. I want pure love. How you treat and serve me is how I also reciprocate. That is what Lord Krishna said. These are not my words. The Bhagavad Gita says this.
I will now go. Lord Fire is here present amidst us. Maha Rudra, Ati Rudra are all different forms of worship. Any mistakes in Mantra, Devotion, or Procedure, O Lord, please forgive. Please overlook all errors. Please remove all obstacles.
I offer prayers to Maha Rudra, the Yajna Purusha to bless me and all my devotees (especially the participants in the homa with the head band), my followers, and their families, with all auspiciousness. I now proceed to offer the Purnahuti. Om Namassivaya.
Sri Guru Datta