Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji during welcome function after 128th foreign tour – July 28, 2014 – Mysore
Jaya Guru Datta
Sri Guru Datta
Sri Maha Ganapataye Namaha
Sri Saraswatyai Namaha
Sripada Vallabha
Narasimha Saraswati
Sri Guru Dattatreyaya Namaha
Life is like a dried up desert. A desert is always dry. How can you say that it has dried up? Some thorny shrubs live in the desert. How do they survive? They store water from rain and live on it until the next rain shower. Some snakes and frogs also manage to live in the dry desert. Like that, the lives of people have become. Lives are sometimes happy and healthy and sometimes depressed, unhealthy, with negligence from relatives, and unpleasant working conditions. When someone says, be happy, the tears will burst the dams and gush forth for such people. They will express their grief. That expression gives them some relief.
In this age no one listens, no one offers solace. We live with greed and anger. We live, marry, have children and earn. But life is unhappy and unhealthy. For all beings like, the Bhagavatam is very beneficial. Taking examples from the Bhagavatam Swamiji has given solace during this 128th foreign tour.
Very happy. But despite Swamiji’s efforts, most people are still living dried up lives. They acknowledge that Swamiji has saved their lives, had given children, and given promotions, visas, and luxurious lives. No one says that Swamiji has given them spiritual knowledge. Swamiji has gone this time to caution such persons. Swamiji saves lives and makes lives comfortable for devotees so that the devotees may serve selflessly and gain spiritual knowledge, not to spend their lives in selfish enjoyments and fun. They are misusing the blessings of Sadguru. Continuous blessings will be there from Guru only if the devotees follow Guru’s instructions.
That is how the devotees abroad are living. Through many words, stories, and jokes, Swamiji was conveying messages to them from the Bhagavatam in this 128th tour. I am advancing in age and yet, I still give the same messages as I gave in my youth. Even in a desert, a tree can survive and bear fruit if it utilizes its resources properly. Otherwise it remains as a thorny shrub. You have come into this world to progress spiritually and to continue the spiritual ascent even in future lives. But you misuse. To deserve the entry of Guru into your life you have done good deeds in the past. Having obtained him now as a result of past merits, you have now given up all the good practices or rituals, scriptural reading, and austerities.
I sometimes feel disheartened and stop giving advice. Before a concert these days, instead of a discourse with advice, I give a brief introduction for five minutes about music therapy and that is all. Only to protect devotees I went on this tour.
I have to protect and maintain the ashramas that have already been established. I give advice to Bala Swamiji not to attempt to start any new ashramas. I tell him only to maintain the homes that I have already built. I say the same thing to devotees, elders, and neighbors. Maintain the tree and protect it from pests, animals, and abusive people. Simply utilize the products of the tree in a wise manner. Do not attempt to plant new trees. Do not do Guru droham/abuse of Guru’s intention.
Because of past merit you have come here. Now do not become ambitious and become a laughing stock in the eyes of the world. I tell the same thing to Bala Swamiji and to you also. You save only 10 rupees now whereas you were able to save 100 rupees earlier. Now take care to see that you do not go below this level of at least saving 10 rupees. Do not attempt now to save 101 rupees.
I have learned one lesson. To see culture, discipline, adherence to truth, and devotion, you must visit Japan. Otherwise your life is a waste. I have not visited a country as great as that. I have gone into the depths of their hearts and explored the contents. They are so respectful to one another. They bow to each other every time. You kick the people who bow before you. If you bend down for others, even your grandchildren cannot straighten your back after that.
Go at least to clean the toilets in Japan. You will return brave and disciplined as a soldier. Such discipline and lack of greed as seen there are remarkable. Other immigrants are there, like the people from the Philippines. But the native Japanese are like deities. Their temples are so huge, with bonsai trees, two bird statues, an empty wall like Chidambara rahasyam/the secret at the Temple in Chidambaram, an incense stick, and that is all. No mantras. They worship Nature. One dog says ‘aa’. Another says ‘um’. That is Shinto faith. Any time you get an opportunity to visit Japan, do not lose it. Even if it is to clean a bathroom, you must go and visit that country.
Jaya Guru Datta
Sri Guru Datta