Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji during Birthday Celebration – June 8, 2014 – New Jersey, USA
Jaya Guru Datta
US Capitol hoisted the US Flag in honor of Sadgurudeva’s 72nd Birthday Celebration in the US, according to the Hindu calendar
Sri Maha Ganapataye Namaha
Sri Saraswatyai Namaha
Sripada Vallabha
Narasimha Saraswati
Sri Guru Dattatreyaya Namaha
Whenever we entered this creation as per our karma, that was our birthday. We keep taking repeated births because of our endless desires and accumulated karma. That is the pattern created by Brahma, the Creator.
Devotees become disciples and then intimate relatives. God has given us a boon that we forget our past lives. Otherwise we will go mad seeing dogs and donkeys as our relatives from past lifetimes. Nothing is erased. Everything is stored in memory. It is like a computer cell. Only a few people remember and recognize the relationship continuing over many lifetimes, with Guru. We take repeated births. We keep progressing. The tape recorder, the computer memory is hidden, but it can be retrieved at any time. Suddenly remembrance occurs. Suddenly memory fades and friends become enemies. All types of love and affection get forgotten. Suddenly the records get erased of past relationship and bondage.
Sadguru’s birthday is every day. How many lifetimes you have experienced! The memory of all of those is hidden in the memory. One should be joyful and happy in the presence of Sadguru, their relative from previous lifetimes. Guru and disciple relationship is rare and special. It continues over so many births. Liberation is the end. Then the memory is merged in Guru. No more births occur afterwards. In Kannada in a devotional song it says, regardless of however many times I take birth, I ever remain your servant. The pain that has been suffered throughout is enormous. Taking birth is itself painful.
In lust and passion newly wedded couples declare that forever after they should be together. But the future is unknown and relationships do not last. With Guru also, the relationship should slowly develop. Initial exuberance does not normally last. Understand His words. See if His advice solves your problems. Gradually you must learn. All at once, in a day all your problems will not get solved. A bank manager will receive you with great honor and offer you beverages and will act very courteously. But will he part with his personal money for you? No, and even to grant you a loan he may hesitate after asking you several probing questions.
Today is a very special day. Every day is my birthday. The soul’s birth is unknown. Only the emergence of the body is known and by calendar date you say it is the birthday. But soul came into being when Creation began. Everything is in relation to one another. When you look for an address, you look at landmarks in relation to it. When were you born? When you identify yourself with the body, you talk about birthdays. Until you get liberated, you will keep having happy birthdays.
What Swamiji desires is to keep you all happy. You wish to make Guru happy as per the instructions given in Guru Gita. Most joys are transient. We get tired, we forget the day’s joys and we sleep. What happened yesterday appears like a dream. We begin to dream about tomorrow. All yesterdays were once tomorrows that were eagerly anticipated. Once a task is completed, do not feel great about it. Sadguru does not make it easy for the disciple. 13 crores for each syllable of a Rama mantra is suggested as japa austerity. But devotees do not declare to the Guru that they have completed, because they would be afraid that He may tell them to stop. They do not wish to stop. 1,74,000 lakh people have viewed the Shatashloki Ramayana that Swamiji had put on the Internet. The viewing still continues.
Sri Rama rescued Swamiji when the boat tilted in Sarayu River at Ayodhya after the completion of the Yajna. The boatman, who kept chanting Rama’s name, suddenly gave in to ego that he had been a boatman for 48 years. He said that it was Sri Swamiji’s privilege to be riding in his boat. He boasted about his capability. Instantaneously he lost his balance and fell into the water. Cold water. He was unable to face the strong current. He deliberately took me into the middle of the river out of arrogance, in spite of my protests. He was elderly, about 60 years old. He was unable to swim. Others were all laughing and chanting Rama’s name. Bala Swamiji was watching without knowing what had actually happened. No one else heard the conversation between me and the boatman. Prasad was interested in taking photographs. They were all amused to see Swamiji take up the oars and rowing the boat. No one knew exactly what had happened. So many other boats were there with devotees. Many were watching from the riverbank. The boatman lost hope. He thought he would die. I signaled to another boatman to rescue the drowning man. He was rescued. He realized his mistake and apologized to Swamiji. “I spoke to you with terrible pride. Rama is here in my presence. I realize now. I spoke proudly as if someone toppled me due to my ego.”
I wrote an email to many devotees to stop listening to the Shatashloki Ramayana now that the yajna is completed. But they are now so used to listening to the verses, without it, they cannot sleep.
I have seen your happiness. I walked, rode an auto rickshaw, a bicycle, a plane, a ship, one horse, or 14 horses to my birthday events in the past. It is all the same to me. I am happy to see your happiness. Many ask why in my photos I am always smiling. I tell them I smile out of amusement at your ignorance. You should feel my bliss in your hearts. Why do you feel miserable and take ownership of your troubles? You have earned your circumstances. Do not waste your opportunities to redeem yourselves.
This happy birthday is mutual. It is for both of us. I just now mentioned to Prakasa Rao. So many people ask about birds and Swamiji. I have had relationship with birds always. You were all birds once, before taking birth as humans. It is all a drama about building a bird hospital. Birds can speak clearly. The wisdom they have, humans lack. Tittiri birds ate up the Vedas that spilled from the mouth of Sage Yajnavalkya.
I ask Shanmukha Sharma to explain that story. One thousand birds Swamiji has. They all speak with Him. Dogs and cats and of course people have hospitals, even cattle, goats and other creatures. But no hospital for birds in India.
Injured birds fall in the ashram. We take care of such birds. Taking care of 1000 birds is not easy. I cannot explain the greatness of parrots in a day or month or a year. Parrot is our Guru. Bhagavatam is taught by Parrot. Ramayana was inspired by the bird couple in misery, witnessed by Sage Valmiki.
Everything spiritual in the world, our ability for communication, was inspired by birds. When pigeons were released today, I asked whether they will return safely. I do not wish them to get in trouble unable to protect themselves. I cannot speak enough about birds. But, this is not the occasion.
The New Jersey devotees were feeling bad that I keep going to Chicago. So this time I decided to give them the opportunity to celebrate the birthday by Hindu calendar. Bala Datta is doing well here. I wish to give them encouragement. Even elders are Bala Datta students. Everyone on the stage here is very privileged. In Mysore ashrama Chaitanyarchana is performed where dignitaries are invited on the stage for felicitation.
Today like devatas I was surrounded by Karma Yogis who are like celestials, experts in their fields. I give my blessings and birthday happiness to all of you. Kali is here, a parrot that can answer all questions. What it does at my window is to repeat all the mantras after me. On May 26th it called out Happy Birthday Swamiji. Kali, the parrot says, Appaji, come come come. The sound that it brings out from the bottom of its being, churns my heart. I have to respond to it at once. Another Hahn’s Macaw pair speaks Tamil language. Are you well? Have you eaten? Until I answer, they keep asking. Then they switch to Kannada. I sought permission from them to leave the country on this foreign tour. They kept quiet for a long time. Finally, after I begged for an answer, angrily they said, Go, Go. After I pacified them they said, Okay, go. I have no attachment to them. I have no one to call mine. I adjust everywhere. I tell everyone that it is hard for me to leave you and go. What each one deserves, I give them. Each time you have an opportunity, keep offering prostrations.
The children are all dressed up in costumes with crowns. I do not want to disappoint them by delaying their program. I do not want their crowns to fall off. Let us go ahead with further programs.
Sri Guru Datta