Speeches of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – February 14, 2014 – Pithapuram
Speech in morning
Jaya Guru Datta
You are all very busy. You are conversing. My talk is always available. You are very busy with your friends and relatives that you are meeting after a long time. I do not wish to disturb your socializing. But they want me to speak. I say, I will only scold. Now, they are all with their relatives and friends, with whom they have much news to exchange. If you wish to listen to Swamiji, then keep quiet and listen. It is rarely that Swamiji comes. This chariot does not easily move. During the days when the chariot moved frequently, you ignored.
This is the most sacred Sripada Vallabha Anagha Datta kshetram. Anagha Devi was only noticed and recognized by yogis. Kartaveeryarjuna alone recognized her. Anagha Mata is Yoga Mata. She is Saraswati, Lakshmi, and Durga, all in one. She is all encompassing and every one of every faith and community is eligible to worship her. The lord Himself came as priest and had King Kartaveeryarjuna perform this powerful ritual of Anagha Vratam.
Every person has duties to perform. We have to perform our karma. Otherwise, the job is left undone. When a baby is born, the cord is cut, it is kept upside down, cleansed, and some tribal people have the custom of dipping the child in water and quickly taking it out. There is great spiritual significance behind these acts. Even after life leaves the body, some rites have to be performed.
If you try to drink a hot drink with a straw, the tongue will be burned. Thereafter, for a while, nothing will be tasted. When you question and challenge these traditions out of ridicule, you will simply be burning your tongue. That is what the elders say. It means all that what you see thereafter will appear as ridiculous and dark, because of your ignorant attitude. There are different ways of asking questions, out of interest, and out of ridicule. Only those who are curious ask. An idiot does not care to know. He will go only for food wherever food is offered. He is ready to get dressed and go to attend any party. The woman will wear a silk saree and they both will go to appear as important people in society. They are misers and liars.
We must acquire some good benefit wherever we go. We go to a place of grief, not for food, but to share the sorrow and to know about the departed soul. All these acts deal with detachment. You brahmins are very dirty and messy, a man said, when I first visited the USA. Your people eat food served on a leaf, around which you sprinkle water and eat with fingers. See how sophisticated we are, we use spoon, fork, and knife to cut and eat our food. Rather than use teeth, they use the tines of the fork to cut their food. The man disapproved of our ways. But he truly asked out of interest. I explained to him. You people eat at tables. We sit on the floor to eat. Many conveniences are there with table meals. But the tradition of eating sitting on the floor, while it is a little inconvenient, especially for those who have to bend and serve, it is good for health. The body bends and straightens up repeatedly. The Hindus eat several items at their meals. To prevent ants from entering the leaf where the food is served, we put water around the leaf, like a fortress, to protect it. We keep five morsels of food on the floor so that the ants can share the food with us. In 1976, in California, this conversation took place. He asked about the mantras that we chant. What are the five elements, what is the significance of the water? The ancestors come in the form of the five elements. They are offered the food, so that they may consume it. We leave a little bit of food so that insects and animals also get a share of our food. Some people greedily even lick the leaf without leaving even a speck of food for any other creature.
One minister used to bag the valuable pot used in Purna Kumbha to welcome him to events. It is only gold in color, not real gold. He soon realized that it is worthless to collect plastic pots and said, I do not want such welcome hereafter. Some beggars pick a fight if they are given ten rupees. They demand a hundred rupees.
Our traditions and customs are full of meaning and are very educational. Harati, kumkum, akshatas/yellow rice, the incense, everything is accompanied by seed letter mantras. All actions performed, from the time one wakes up, till one sleeps, are significant. Dressing up, riding a motor bike and mingling with friends is not the purpose of life.
Our dharma is most precious. Many are destroying and abusing our habits. They deserve no benefit. Cows, birds and animals eat and excrete. That is all they do. That is creation. As a human, you must understand who you are. You must find answers to questions such as, “What is the purpose of my existence? Am I the soul, the intellect, or am I the sense organs? But I leave my senses and go. If I am not my sense organs, I still feel pain. Why? What is atma/soul?”
Instead of simply feeding us a good meal and letting us go, Swamiji is now talking needlessly about soul and things that do not concern us, is what you are thinking. Prasadam will now get delayed. That is okay. Hotels are there. Food is available always. But this teaching you will not get always.
I have a pain in this leg. Whose leg is this? Is it the neighbors? No, it is yours till you die. Yes. Then after death? Is it not yours then? No. How can it still be mine? So you lose it then. If it is truly yours, it should always belong to you. I have pain. Where? Doctor, the pain is not mine; you find the pain and treat it. Swamiji told me that these limbs and organs are not mine. If the doctor treats your hand when your pain is in the leg, then the pain remains. You will be considered as being insane. You leave your spectacles, wallet, and jewelry. You give up your tali/marriage necklace also, when the husband leaves, although you are reluctant to let it go since he tied it with so much love. Who is the owner of these? Your experiences of hunger and sleep are due to karma. They are attracted by you, by your intellect. Always your attention is on them. If you are able to avoid paying attention, the pain will automatically go away.
Kusumakka, who cooks and feeds me like a mother, accompanied me on the trip to the Antarctica, by ship. They provided us with a special kitchen for our exclusive use. I never saw Kusumakka. Why? I asked. The boat kept rocking wildly 24 hours a day for about three days. If she comes, she cannot return. Everyone is vomiting all the time. People are losing balance and falling down all the time. Some 25 devotees accompanied Swamiji, but they were afraid of falling and giving trouble to Swamiji. They just held on to some support for three days till the situation improved.
On New Year’s Day, I gave them an instruction. Not a yantra or mantra. All I said is, control your mind. You lose balance when the ship rocks. The blood circulation is brisk. If you firmly determine in your mind, you can go to your destination without having to hold on for support. Kusumakka was the first one to try this method. Others were afraid that they would fall, and if they fall, if they get hurt, the problem will be on Swamiji’s shoulders. Thereafter, when they followed my advice, they all walked comfortably without needing any support. The captain was surprised at this trick taught by Swamjii. I said to them, tell yourself firmly, I must now go to the engine room, or to the bath room, and you balance and reach there without losing balance.
This pain is not mine. I must take care of this. But I must endure this pain. Once you determine like that, God, Datta helps you. Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva, all are united in Datta to eliminate any mental conflict. He created and so He protects. You should think, my karma brought me here to Pithapuram. If I can gather some benefit, I will gain. Why betel leaves, why naivedyam? You ask so many questions. Why do you eat? Why do you take so long to eat? Why do you eat spicy food, why sweets? Why coffee? My God is my child. I give Him a bath. I decorate Him. I sing to Him. I sing Him lullabies. You chant mantras. So what? Those who are always obsessed about earning, are only concerned with their political strategies. We are asleep when we elect worthless leaders. It is our fault. They gather together when they have common interests to discuss, doctors, sanyasis, scholars, politicians, ladies, like that. It is our karma that we join likeminded persons.
We are born into this faith. We must adhere to it. Our wavering mentality must go. There is only one God who takes many forms. Swamiji has told you a lot about karma with many examples.
Sripada Vallabha and Narasimha Saraswati Yateeswara, the incarnations of Datta, have abundantly served the world.
Datta entered into Sripada Vallabha and has protected the worlds. We are very fortunate. Big or small, we have done our best here. I wish to gift something special on this occasion of the 12th anniversary. This building should be constructed to keep it cool, along with 4 rooms with proper pillars for support. Build a pond. Complete that project which was left half done. The arch and pond are left incomplete. The arch is not an expensive item. Paint touch up is required.
All this will remain here. I will not take any of this back to Mysore with me. It is all yours to keep. During the Akka Bukka samrajya/empire, everyone participated in auspicious activities. Emperors, who did things on their own, did not survive long. One person cannot attempt to do major projects. All must get together and do something as a remembrance for this occasion. Chaturmasya Deeksha might happen here. I am getting into advanced years. For the Anagha Datta here, something must be done. You are building beautiful homes for yourselves. You are wearing beautiful, rich clothes. You must do something for Datta.
You may send to Datta Peetham either publicly or privately. I will take care of the construction. Whatever you can afford, please come forward with your donations. The arch is not an expensive project to complete. It has been left half done. I feel very happy when Datta devotees come forward. Please honor your pledges.
I had assured you before, and here it is. Your meal is prepared. Laddoo, potato curry, sambar, sweet pongal, and other items.
Give me an account of how much you collect. I will match the funds. I will take it out of your own funds to give for this construction.
On this 12th anniversary I must do something significant here. This is a flying visit. Next time I wish to come for a longer stay. I was about to cancel this trip. But I came here upon Ramana Murthy’s insistent prayer.
Take good photographs to put on Facebook. Today is full moon. You are fortunate. What a great day. Write your cheques for this trust. What you intend for Shuka Vana, you now give for this trust. My share is with my devotee in USA. I will ring up and claim it. You cannot ask for it. I have to now go for darshan and do the Kumbhabhishekam. Express your wishes, not in public, but in your heart. This place is as important for me as Mekedatu. I do not wish to come here so infrequently, as has happened now, after several years. I would like to visit frequently.
Sri Guru Datta
Speech during evening bhajan session
That is why here for every Datta devotee, the eight siddhis are waiting to be granted. Our desires go up in space as waves. People keep telling God that this is their last wish, every time they make a wish. Even Brahma found out that people are all liars.
A man wished to be Brahma for just one instant, so that he could satisfy all his desires of helping his children. Brahma granted his wish. Until he climbed the throne, the man remembered what he wished to do for his children. But the moment he sat on the throne of Brahma, everyone in the worlds appeared as if he were his child. His own children could not be recognized amongst the multitudes.
For Swamiji, it is the same experience. What He gives to one, He wishes to give everyone. Blessings are bestowed upon everyone. That is why I concluded the bird sponsorship program and came here to sing at least a few bhajans on this auspicious day of Kumbhabhishekam. Every 12 years the cycle changes. A major change occurs in everyone’s life once every 12 years. Many changes occur in life. Life goes in 12 year cycles. Getting close to Guru, getting away from Guru, ill health, fine health, good expenditures, losses, winning a lottery, getting a windfall, getting a new job, losing a job, building a new home, or remodeling a home, changing homes, such things happen. It is the wheel of time. Once 60 years are completed, a man is supposed to have lived a full life. Past age 60, it is all bonus years. We do not take anything with us. We must follow a smooth path, not a thorny path. We should travel comfortably and return. We have further lifetimes. We began as aquatic creatures, like fish in water. Mother’s womb is the ocean in which we begin swimming. We live a total of 84 lakhs of times like that. We then live as four-legged animals. We are blessed by not having the memory of our past lives. Otherwise, some animal we see, we will recognize as our uncle in past life. He will simply wag his tail and go away as you keep chasing after him. What a wonder. Later, we live as avian creatures, from sparrows, hawks, vultures, and swans, another 84 lakhs of times. Again as humans, we live 8400.000 lifetimes. We forget our past births. We do not even remember what we ate 3 days ago. Our memory is very poor. We do not remember how many steps there are in the stairs at home. Many events of this life we forget. Swamiji’s words spoken this morning, we forget. Only scolding is remembered. Only bad things are recollected. The reason is that such things get stuck in the heart. That is why great souls scold and instruct, so that the message gets stuck in memory. It is a good way to learn Guru’s teaching. When we are injured, the doctor cleans and applies tincture that burns. Otherwise it will get infected. Our bad habits are like injuries. They do not go away with pampering and pleading. They need to be punished and slapped hard. They need to experience the pain of being struck hard. If you are kind to bad habits, and pamper them, they will increase. Good habits, we do not accept and imbibe easily.
One thousand praises from Guru or good events you forget. Once if you are scolded, you keep recollecting and feeling bad. It is like a disease. Swamiji is taking away your sins by his scolding. Just as a wound requires some burning tincture for quick healing, bad attitudes need some pain to be removed. The doctor does not pour honey on a wound. The flies will land on it then. He does not apply laddoo and other sweet desserts. Guru punctures your wounds and digs out your infection to destroy it. You have to remain patient while Guru does that. Sometimes Guru insults and puts you down. That is the only way for Guru to bless you. You must endure that pain.
This is the 12th anniversary. This is the Sripada Vallabha Kshetram. This day will never return. I don’t know how many of you have had the darshan of the 8 sons of Anagha Swami and Anagha Mata made of ruby. You will not see this anywhere else in the world. You may think that this is a small thing. This is a very rare and precious temple. It is world famous. We must recognize and acknowledge this. Our difficulties and fickle-mindedness must go away. Our health must be restored. Our ailments should get cured. Our doubts and troubles must disappear. We must pray for strength to serve Guru with more vigor. We must all help to make this center flourish. Let us pray to attain all these.
If you complete expediently the projects as underlined this morning, Swamiji will have the chance to witness the progress. It is true that invisibly he will be present here in his divine aspect. But physically he would like to witness the events. It will be futile if you delay the work.
Many humanitarian activities should take place here. You must quickly complete the construction of the hall with a stage so that you can feed the hungry, perform marriages for the poor, and serve the needy. In the blink of an eye, things change. We must do at once whatever we have resolved to do.
Swamiji wishes to come back often and witness wonderful events here.
Tomorrow is not in our control. We must do our duty quickly. Tomorrow I will not have a chance to sing bhajans here. Today, on the day of the Kumbhabhishekam, I decided that I have to sing here.
Bhajan: Gam Gam Ganapati
Anagha Mata may be addressed as Saraswati, Gowri, or Lakshmi. Mother Goddess Puruhutika Devi is here as mother Gowri.
Bhajan: Gowramma talli
The entire Vedanta is contained in this bhajan. How we benefit by worshiping Mother Goddess is all explained in this. We require this. Hindus are so great because, they pray, Bless me, my family, my town, my country, and the beings in the entire world. We are not self-centered. We do not pray for only personal benefit. Our Hindu dharma always is all-inclusive. It is a very great noble concept. Prasadam we share with everyone. Hiding the prasadam and keeping it just for yourself will burden you with sin. You first give to others and then you enjoy. The mother in the home first feeds the guests and sometimes sacrifices her own meal. She does not light the stove again to cook just for herself, because she does not wish to cause inconvenience to others. She goes to bed hungry, very quietly. Hindus follow this principle of first sharing with others. They consider it a sin to keep for their own enjoyment whatever is in their possession. Feeding the hungry is our duty.
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Some people complain that Guru did not see them, greet them, or did not speak with them. That is abuse of Guru. One cannot predict how Guru behaves. God also requires some time to rest. In Tirupati, silence is maintained for an hour to allow the deity to rest.
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It was a happy event. The entire city of Mysore was present there. The divine power was felt.
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People make themselves ugly with too much makeover. Some women are unrecognizable. If they remain as they normally decorate themselves, it would be better.
A man was praying for protection as he was falling. God had promised him that we would be rescued in one form or another. He had got up on a tree to escape from a tiger in a forest. Several passers-by asked him what was wrong and offered to help. He haughtily replied to them that their help was not required and the God will take care of him, and remained there. Finally he fell down and the tiger got him. He got angry and questioned God why He broke His promise. God said I came in four different forms and offered you protection. But you refused my help.
We never know what form God will assume when. How he will protect us, how he will test us, we do not know. We think arrogantly that we know everything. But we are ignorant of the ways of God.
Bhajan: Dattude daivam janulara
The next bhajan is in Kannada language. It describes the glory of Pithapuram. From here I was traveling directly to Ganagapura. The devotees in Ganagapura complained that I always sing only Telugu bhajans. They requested a Kannada bhajan. So, while I was here, I composed a Kannada bhajan to sing for them. I went prepared. In Ganagapura I spread knowledge about Sripada Vallabha Swami. Here I sang about the greatness of Ganagapura.
Bhajan: Datta guru avatara Sripada Vallabhanu
All Kriya Yoga students clothed in white should walk in front of the stage to receive blessings. Kriya Yoga is our tradition.
When Datta, along with his consort Anagha Mata, will bring me here again, I do not know.
Kayena vacha …
Sri Guru Datta