Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji in the evening – March 15, 2014 – Bengaluru
Jaya Guru Datta
To wrestle with air is not possible. Good happens. Bad happens. The results of both have to be faced. You cannot become depressed, cannot distance your children, Guru, doctors, and friends. You cannot gamble your money away carelessly. People try to avoid bad situations. You must take precautions. Time plays with people like puppets. 12 year cycles Time uses. Every 12 years, some major change occurs. From the start of a business, from the day you meet your Guru, the day of a birth, marriage, graduation, start of a job, building a house, and so on, every 12 years a change occurs. Guru must be regarded as your best family friend, guide, philosopher, and mentor. You must remember the day you obtained your Guru. After 12 years you must be careful not to lose Him regardless of any problems you may face. The pace of Time is more powerful than the wheel of the zodiac and the planetary influences. This 12 cycle is most significant. That is why in temples special rituals are conducted; repairs, renovations, and charities such as annadanam are taken up. Especially with religious and spiritual activities, the 12 year cycle must be kept in mind. It must be recorded and calculated. Note down the date and keep remembering. That is the real birthday when you obtain a Guru. The day you received initiation is also important. But the day you saw your Guru is most important. Sri Bala Swamiji came first to inaugurate these 12 year cycle festivities here. Now I have come. This is a good phenomenon that is very serious. Time leads humanity. Every 12 years be careful in spiritual life, marriage, house, children, and work place. Some change takes place every 12 years, whether you believe in it or not. In God’s handling of Time, it is significant. This is reality. Any problems or wavering that might occur in your mind, be careful. The planets try to mislead you. Every 12 years a turning point occurs.
The Bengaluru ashrama also went through changes every 12 years. We calculated. Every 12 years a major uplift has occurred. Sometimes people suffer also, have marital quarrels, or bereavement, or bad memories. Be careful every 12 years. Dattatreya installation is being performed with new murtis (idols). Tomorrow we will witness the consecration. I am very happy. Swamiji is busy at Mysore ashrama. Only sitting. Time to time I practice music, or I spend time with birds. I do not want to share any sorrow or happiness with any devotees through interviews. Simply I sit in meditation to protect my devotees. I am very busy in my mind. I am in samadhi. My body is only sitting or sleeping. But very busy without passport or ticket, I am traveling the whole world. What calamities or problems that occur, political or different kinds, I am thinking and calculating. Why does Swamiji not talk in interview? Why is Swamiji simply sitting quietly? You are only one person. In those few minutes, I protect 5000 people. You will not change in a few minutes anyway. I do not wish to waste my time with you. I go to those who listen to my words. I do not have to fight and argue and try to change your mind. It is your karma. Do as you wish. If you wish to change and follow me, fine. Otherwise, I will not be concerned. If you do not have faith in the doctor, why would he give you medicine? He will only prescribe for money. If you show faith, he will diagnose properly and give you the proper treatment.
There are two schools being run by the ashrama. The third school is Vagdevi School here in Bengaluru. 20 years ago there were 3000 children at the SGS Schools in Mysore receiving free education. Swamiji is supporting them with Pada puja money and homa money, along with some help from the government. From Nada Prasara tour, I gave the proceeds to build a beautiful school, as a remembrance. I had no funds. No acres of land for cultivation. I only cultivate my devotees. Unknowingly some donations came and I diverted them to the school. Suddenly an announcement came. Kannada medium of instruction has become unpopular. People do not like their own mother tongue. People dislike their own mother. They like only hotel mother. After SSLC you can go for English medium of instruction. In the beginning it was easy to run the school. Slowly things have changed. Govt. has changed rules. Free education, free meals, and free uniforms are given, but no education. People are rushing to private schools giving 2-3 lakhs donation. The area of the school is a poor neighborhood. The strength has come down. May be next year the school will close. I do not want to ask for money. I have no billionaire devotees. I have one belly and one mind; those are like a billionaire and a millionaire. My actions, my face, my ashrama appear like I am a walking Lakshmi. I am capable of blessing your head, but not my own head. Today I get 10,000, or I lakh, it is gone in a minute. Now 6-8 months I leave the ashram. Only vibhuti and kumkuma. No secret. We have running funds Fixed Deposits for annadana, Temple, and so on. Earlier, the banks gave 11-12 % interest. Now it is reduced to 7%. We had to plan accordingly. My trustees are not listening. I warned them to budget for 5% only. I will be the one to suffer later. That school is my child. Before I go I do not want it to close. I do not want to sell food. Food should be served free, no token system. Education should always be free. Small hospital we have, but it is free. I have no big hospital. Do not charge 2 lakhs, only 20,000 for poor patients, I tell them. My staff listens. We go from village to village with medical campaigns. From different ashramas this service is rendered. Doctors and medicines are free. Some donations are received to support this. My aim is to give free food. After the British, we needed good schools. Now so many donation schools have come. My SGS School, my child, is dying in front of my eyes. Since this past year I am suffering inside. I feel miserable to keep asking for funds. I said I would build a hospital for birds. That project is getting completed. But this school needs to be saved. If a 2.5 crore FD is placed, the school will become self-sufficient. We will introduce English medium. We will charge a nominal fee. Krishnappa is getting old but is energetic and committed. He is very dedicated and determined. The other day I announced when only a few devotees were there in the ashram, only 40 members. I collected 20 lakhs. Everyone came forward in spite of being poor people. Now Bhakti Mala, Veda School, Venkateswara Temple, Nada Mantapam, Birds Hospital, all have become self-sufficient. I would feel most grieved if my SGS School closes in front of my eyes. I do not like to receive from one person because it will build up ego. I cannot bear that insult. I cannot instigate that for satisfying my cause. In Swamiji’s mind there is a big project. Tomorrow is a good day of Kumbhabhishekam. You are all children and my relatives in my projects. Without my asking, you are offering donations for supporting the birds. I am very happy. In the beginning, I had to struggle, offering photographs with me.
Last night Bala Swamiji found a tiny bird and gave it to me. It would not eat any food. I was worried. In the morning we took it out of the basket. Its parents flew in and began feeding it and tried to make it fly. It is a very tiny bird. They were not finches. They are small enough to be hidden behind a leaf. I did not want the tiny bird to die because it refused to eat when we tried to feed it. The parents fed it. Then we safeguarded it in a basket again. Because of this tiny bird, my departure from Mysore got delayed.
I asked, why were you born as a bird? It is good. You have come to my hand. It was found lying helpless. Now the bird hospital is set. But the school is truly ailing. I have passed the ball to you. It is up to you. Two types of memberships are there to support this school. This is the first time that I am making this public appeal. Had I announced in Rameswaram, the Telugu devotees would have given up food to give to Swamiji, or taken loans to give me. I know that Kannada devotees have as much love for me as the Telugu devotees. You, who are witnessing on Yoga Sangeeta, please support SGS School. It should not close in front of my eyes. This is my message for this occasion of Kumbhabhishekam. Give education to your children and grandchildren by helping this school. Enjoy good health by giving to charity. You give for so many other projects. You spend on medical treatments. You spend a fortune sending your children to the most expensive schools. If you spend less on those, you will be able to support your Swamiji’s child, this school. Please help support this cause. I have asked you openly, setting aside my shame. Give to this cause and be spared from ill health. If you give 10 rupees, you will receive 100 rupees. You will feel very good for doing this good deed.
The astrologers frighten you by telling you about all the evil effects of planets. You get alarmed and strip yourselves of all your jewels and assets. The astrologer himself is the evil planet, Rahu, Ketu, and Sani. We give to him readily. That is your karma. You prefer to do that, rather than help this cause.
Sri Guru Datta