Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji after installation of Jayalakshmi Mata idol in Annapoorna Mandiram – August 3, 2014 – Mysore
Jaya Guru Datta
91 years since Mother’s birth. Many years have passed and many celebrations we have witnessed. Many very intimate relatives amma has acquired. She has many relatives who are not connected by blood but are more close to her. She appears in so many people’s dreams. She is a guide and a torchbearer for us. She solves many domestic problems and rescues from many dangers in a very remarkable way. Every one experiences grief because of living in a karma body. We fall into illusion. But Mother gives solace. We are not baby fish to fall into a fisherman’s net. We spin our own webs. We tie our own knots very tight and struggle to untie them to free ourselves. Brahmamudi it is called. We create our own sorrows and only God can free us. With lust, greed and anger we commit many sins and bind ourselves. Even such bondages are released by Amma/Mother. No matter what we offer to Her in return, it is not sufficient. She is the Mother of the Universe born just to save us. We are immensely fortunate. She feeds us through Nitya Annadana. Even during difficult times she provides food for hundreds of devotees. At SDVT/Sri Datta Venkateswara Temple on full moon days she feeds as Mother Annapurna thousands of devotees in a very quiet and private way without any huge publicity. For even small charities, there are many who give big publicity.
These days even many saffron robed people are not maintaining their dignity and reputation. We have to be careful in our judgment. Our Mother is our protector. We need to raise our hands in prayer of gratitude to her. Many people ask me. Why have you not installed a good murti of Mother yet? I respond: Do you not see her in the rice, in the food, in the intellect, in the form of everything that you see around you? Sri Jayalakshmi Mata is Adi Parasakti and Durga Mata. Even they took human forms earlier to protect devotees. Here she has appeared in this form. Many people approach Sri Jayalakshmi Mata if they cannot have darshan of Swamiji. At once, Swamiji gives them darshan because they come to me with her recommendation.
Happy Friendship Day. Those who get a Raksha/Friendship Band here have the opportunity to tie it on Swamiji’s arm. This is like the rakhi at Rakhi Bandhan. Children, adults, men, women, and aged people, everyone can tie the Raksha on Swamiji’s arm.
2000 rupees was the initial amount to sponsor Annadana/Feeding the Hungry here. These days that amount has become insignificant. Here a minimum of 300 persons are fed at every meal. Even the workers are welcome here at every meal time. Now we will begin another round of membership/sponsorship for rupees 3000. Don’t ask what happened to the old membership dues that you had paid? We have eaten it all up. It has all been consumed.
During Navaratri also we celebrated Mother’s Birthday on Ashtami day. Now I have publicly disclosed it as her real birthday. We have hitherto combined birthday and the day of her leaving the body, to make just event. It also saved us money. But this year on Amma’s birthday during Navaratri, I want everyone to get involved and take membership for Annadana. We must constantly be giving food to others. It is equivalent to feeding ourselves. Many people have given for Saswata Annadanam – perpetual free feeding. Don’t dwell on past contributions. It has all been spent. So we now begin anew with a fresh Membership Scheme. Give only to my account. I begin collecting today. Please come forward. It is for your own benefit.
Ordinarily, during Kumbhabhishekam we have a big event with great expense. Now we have spent 9 lakhs for this, which is a small fraction of such big expense. Please participate and help us to clear this loan.
Sri Guru Datta