Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – February 9, 2014 – Nellore
Jaya Guru Datta
Sri Maha Ganapataye Namaha
Sri Saraswatyai Namaha
Sripadavallabha
Narasimha Saraswati
Sri Guru Dattatreyaya Namaha
Today at Nellore we see all the deities in their full splendor. Even Lord Siva, Lord Hanuman, the nine planets, and the Serpent gods are all here. This started out as a shrine for Lord Krishna, with Gita and Bhagavatam discourses. To promote concentration, we have consecrated Lord Krishna here, as per the wish of the original donors. Thereafter, the devotees of Nellore, who are like the five Pandavas, are running this chariot. To further improve the system Pramilamma has put in efforts with great devotion, despite many troubles health-wise and family-wise. Sarathi’s contribution must be recognized. The devotees are conducting all programs as directed, very splendidly. Although for 4-5 years, Swamiji has not visited here, the accounts and the reports are regularly received. Goddess Lakshmi, who removes poverty, is very famous here. You are all very devout and charitable. You are running the organization ignoring and absorbing all differences.
Swamiji has planted this tree. We have to protect and help this tree to grow. There are monkeys and birds on the tree, using it and contaminating it. There are people resting in its shade, and also trying to cut off its limbs. There are those who converse with the tree, and wisely utilize each and every part of the tree to their benefit, without harming the tree. There are some who urinate under it, without offering it water. These are people with envy, jealousy and divisive feelings.
Each one that is born must die. We must not run towards death. We must proceed towards progress. Each day is sacred. Some of the people we see today, we will not see tomorrow. Lord of Death Yama holds many secrets. Time does not spare anyone, young or old. During the short lifespan, one must perform good deeds, rather than insulting or heckling one another, changing one’s religion, and shifting from place to place like cattle. Some cows are always tempted to find greener pastures, and go home without filling their stomachs, grazing a bit here and a bit there, always only nibbling. Whatever religion God has made us take birth into, that alone we should follow and honor. We should not seek beliefs that are foreign to us. Respect the beliefs of others but never give up your own beliefs. You will always be referred to as a convert, as an untouchable. Remember that. You will never fully belong to the religion that you adopt. You will always be a Hindu deep inside. Any temple you see, in fear you offer prostration. Our religion is ingrained in us. Other religions also use Namaha and offer harathi to God. They originally did not have such practices, including the chanting of the 108 names. It appears as if these are being ridiculed. Our God has placed us in this home. We must die at this very sacred place. We are all descendants of great seers.
Once upon a time Bharatha Varsha, Bharata Khanda, was a huge land mass. Such was our great country, including Africa, Asia, North Pole, and the Antarctica. Only two other continents were separate. I did not draw this map. Kartaveeryarjuna ruled the entire mass of land as its emperor. You do not know how the earth was at one time. How the land mass once existed, in the times of Rama and other great emperors. It was not all broken into pieces as you see it now. In the Krita Yuga and Treta Yuga it was like that. I have not talked about this great subject in Delhi or Hyderabad. I speak about it here because you must understand the sanctity of our land and our culture. It all began with God whose children we all are through the lineage of great seers. He decided where each has to be born, in which family of Hindus. He made us be born as Hindu. You must not leave your religion. Respect other religions. When guests arrive, you offer them a room. You do not leave with the whole family, your entire home, and stay on the street. It is wrong to do so. Today our situation has become that. We are getting kicked out of our own homes. As if we are being very generous, we have given away our place to people of other religions in the country. We are becoming the minority here. We may be given reservations in the future. People marry Christians and Muslims and increase the population of other religions. True Hindus are going away and getting settled in USA and building temples there. These days if a foreigner wishes to visit Tirupati temple, he is required to sign a statement that he has faith in Lord Venkateswara. I have visited so many countries, Christian and Islamic. They all respect me but they have not come chasing after me. When some of them tried to chase after me, I drove them away. I said, if you want, see your God in me. But do not change your religion. I tell them, follow your own religion; be a good Christian; be a good Muslim. Just for some bread, some free schooling, and other bribes, do not change your religion.
No mother tongue these days. English medium. People shamelessly announce that their son speaks only English. Are you not ashamed of yourselves? You must teach your mother tongue. My children do not know their mother tongue, people say. Such people are devils. They are rakshasas. They are idiots. I know so many languages. Have I given up my mother tongue? One must never give up the mother tongue. We must never forget our mother, father, and our religious beliefs.
Some say, God is in my heart. Do you know what it means? You just hear some Vedanta and make such declarations. Why do you eat then, if God is in your heart? Show me God inside your heart. God is ever contented. Why do you need to eat then? To protect your body and organs, you have to eat because you have obtained a body due to karma.
You need Guru. Without Guru your life is without any aim. If you teach yourself, you will do it all wrong. You copy someone else and claim it as your own. That is foolishness. You abuse copyright rules. Such bad fellows are there in this world. If you got inspiration, even that came from God. Even to learn ABC’s you need a teacher. Even to learn mechanics or driving, you need a teacher. One who trains you in a profession is also a guru. Even if you have learned something on your own, you have to get it corrected by a guru. Otherwise your knowledge will be flawed. You will not absorb proper knowledge without a teacher or a Guru.
All pious persons, you must visit the temple every day. This temple is a kalpavriksha that yields all boons. It is such a great shrine. Never say you have no time or that you have already visited. Come regularly, offer services. Tie a purna phala. Nellore has a history of being a very pious city. Many religious discourses have taken place here. True. Many have migrated from other places such as Chennai. True natives are less in number. It is true of all places. People keep migrating. In Chennai and Vijayawada also you see the same migration. It happens everywhere in this vast country. There is nothing wrong in it. Wherever we find food and means for a living we have to go. It is one’s duty. It is not wrong. Go ahead and move and earn your living. But do not give up your beliefs. Regardless of plastic surgery and switching noses, and losing fat by surgery, you are still your own self. Your fat will come back. Your nature must be respected. Do not lose your natural beauty by spending two hours in doing makeup. Just take a look at your face and do a minor touch up. That is all. Otherwise, when you cry or sweat you will turn into a frightful Maha Kali.
Sometimes while traveling in an aircraft, some movie stars are my co-travelers. Indubala, a good devotee once asked a co-passenger if she was really the famous Bollywood star, a former Miss World who looked so charming in the movies. I was overhearing the conversation, and wondering if it is going to lead to some quarrel, turned to look. Truly, the former Miss World looked like a devil. Small children get scared to see the real features of a mother, when they had always seen her under full make up. The real becomes fake and fake becomes real. By going against nature, you acquire demonic qualities. We have a system given to us by God. We must not swim against the flow. It leads to demonism. Do not do wrong.
I wanted to come and stay in Nellore. I did not want to simply pass through. So many beautiful Datta ashrams are there. Why were they created? We try our best to instill the Datta principle in different places. How much can we travel? Even Bala Swamiji is not finding enough time. It is by sheer inner strength that I travel so much. I eat so little and I sleep so little. You will be surprised. You will wonder if this is a human being. Regardless of how much I strain it, I still have to respect the limitations of the body. It cannot be strained beyond its limits.
Some old people receive complaints that they scream too much. They cannot get up or walk or do things, but their voice is strong. All their energy is concentrated in the voice. Some are blind, or have a physical handicap but God compensates by giving extra energy to a different part of the body. They show extraordinary strength and talents.
All that I have spoken so far is nothing but Siva Puranam. I offer all my words spoken thus far, to Lord Siva. My Lord Siva has heard me. If He resides in your heart, then He has listened to my words. If you have not listened, because Siva is not in your hearts, then I will only be sorry. It is your karma. A microphone does not care whether the audience has heard the sounds that it has conveyed or not. Finally it stops. It has no sorrow that no one has listened. It is not happy that many have listened. I am also like that.
Tomorrow between 6:45 and 7 AM abhishekam to Lord Siva will be performed. The Archana and Sri Chakra Puja will be performed at the Siva Temple. Tomorrow I have no time to see anyone individually. So today, please come one by one and have darshan quietly. Please offer food packets that are available, for the birds. Please do not speak to me. What you say in your hearts, I will listen. If you speak aloud, I will pretend not to hear. Also the noise from others will drown your voice. If I answer one question, you will re-word it and ask the same thing again. For that reason, I try to avoid listening to you. When you make noise, when it is your turn, you will suffer the same fate that your question will not be heard. Your voice also gets drowned in the noise.
Sri Guru Datta