Speeches of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – November 23, 2014 – Carapichaima , Trinidad
Speech in the morning after homa
Jaya Guru Datta
Harihi Om Tatsat
So many miracles. Rare homa. Many times only committee members and acharyas are performing homa. We want everyone to participate. Whole of Trinidad and the whole Caribbean country should get peace and Shanti. I have made a resolve. People should be calm. I want everyone to benefit. I pray for good government, good knowledge, good health, and respect for the scriptures. So many rituals are being conducted for one year.
Finally we decided on the projects to complete. One is repairs and one is Lord Hanumanta’s glossy color painting. Light of Sun should reflect from Hanumanta into our eyes. That is our blessing. Windows should be changed. Water is coming inside.
Ram Parivar temple on one side and on another side should be Satyanarayana Temple. When one has everything but peace, Satyanarayana Swami gives peace. We have so many problems with children, job, health, money, and so on. Sri Satyanarayana Swami will solve them.
Repairs and painting Kushal family has agreed to take up the project.
I am not giving any promises. I am very happy to be present here for this program.
We have another plan for 7 days of musical program. Good music programs.
…(break in live webcast)
For the second part, Vishnudev Narayan has taken responsibility.
Third is Annadana program. Ramesh Pragg has taken the responsibility. Your group can pay for any donations.
Rajiv is here. Sthapati also came. He has no invitation. He is doing work in Dallas. He came for darshan. He has work here also.
Musicians – Sherwin Seenath took responsibility.
Sivamani, the drummer is famous, a fusion artist. He is very famous in India and America, and Australia. Before two years you have to book. A good devotee. Trinidad devotees like drumming very much. He does different kinds of drumming. Very nice and very soothing. One hour soothing. One hour very harsh. patapatapatapata.
We want to put a big tent near the car parking area. Good program, good food, good color for Swami. Maybe 7-10 days. I don’t know.
I remember Kushal’s house where Shatashloki Ramayana katha was done in Appaji’s broken English. On Vimeo and YouTube there are 150 million views of Shatashloki Ramayana. You must watch fully. Only then one view count will come. The company has set it like that. Our devotees view it so many times, in America and India, the whole Ramayana is sung by children. Pampa river ashrama, that is where the same Ramayana chanting took place. It was as per Bala Swamiji’s ambition, his request. I want a small river I said. I have not seen. But we will go search for the river. The small river Pampa we found.
In Karnataka, it is the same shape river. This is Hanumanta’s river. I cannot forget that Ramayana experience. I want to again do that katha.
Now we are performing homa.
One is the music program.
Two is the most precious seva. Serious. The two temples. You may form a group or do it individually. The temples will be small. Below Hanuman padas (feet). A little below the feet. A low temple. Someone come forward. Ram Parivar and Satyanarayana temple with marble stone inside.
We have decorated Krishna and Lakshmi Narayana. Same God.
Like this, the temple, same like this, but very small. 150,000 dollars each is the estimated cost given by Sthapati, the architect who is here. We will give chance to new devotees, some Satyanarayana devotees.
Bhajan group will take responsibility for one musician.
Tomorrow morning at 6:30 Swamiji will do the Bhoomi Puja for the temples for Ram Parivar and Satyanarayan Swami.
First time saw the mention of the river in Brahmanda and Narada Puranas. We did research on all kind of rivers and oceans. There was a mention in Kalidasa’s kavya (literary work) of Sararipu and Aryaripu river. So many research centers searched, where is this river? Before the calamity how the land was shaped, it was all only one land mass. Then so many pralayas came and 6 separate continents formed. That time before the land separated, Trinidad and India were one.
Naidu, a brilliant devotee said, you will get a dream tonight and we will go together. We went to Miami and decided to come to Trinidad. One doctor Chandul wanted Swamiji to go to his house. He said Aripo is very near. I wanted to go take a bath. We went into the forest, suddenly vibrations came. Maybe this is Aripo. Very nice.
Somebody has a problem in the body, it will be cured. At Sivaratri and during the Kartika month go take a bath or do samprokshana in the holy river. Every year I wanted to visit. This year it is very rainy and the road is slippery. Aripo is Trinidad Ganga. Next year we will do abhishekam with Aripo water.
Swamiji when he was only five years old and his father, went all over India looking for the Aripo river.
Sri Guru Datta
Speech in the morning after puja
Jaya Guru Datta
Sri Maha Ganapataye Namaha
Sri Saraswatyai Namaha
Sripada Vallabha
Narasimha Saraswati
Sri Guru Dattatreyaya Namaha
Our tabla Hanumanta got married today. I am very happy. He always looks like Hanumanta. Our bhajan party has one more samsara/family. If you want bhajans this evening, then this session I will quickly close. If you don’t want bhajans, you sit and I will sit for one hour.
Please raise your hands, only homa sponsors. Please stand. I have seen the first line. Sit down. Ground seat I have seen. Sit down. Business class I have seen. Sit down. First class also I have seen. Sit down. Swamiji always sees the persons sitting in the last row. Because my first vision goes to the last person. Last vision comes to the first row. People are always thinking the opposite. That is not correct.
Very nice bhajans this morning. Very nice violin also. I want to stay. But there is a little bit of special puja I have to do inside.
Every day, if possible, please come and sing here. This 12th year, every Saturday and Sunday come and sing bhajans here and chant Hanuman Chalisa for a 100 times and also on special occasions. Learn new bhajans. Sit and sing bhajans either here or at Hanumanta’s place. Give to Hanumanta, our Guru’s Guru, our Parama Guru like Jayalakshmi Mata. It goes step by step. Hanumanta is parampara Guru. He is Kali Yuga Brahma. He is our only savior and protector. He is powerful for our karmas. He sanctions good boons what you wish for. He is giving good health and good knowledge. He is very happy if he is praised. If you shout victory to Hanuman, he is very happy. The ancient rishis cursed him in his childhood, because he was a very mischievous boy, that he should forget his powers. Brahma gave the boon that when someone praises Hanumanta, he will remember his strength and he will bless. None of the other deities get jaikara (victory slogans) like Hanumanta. He is the first to get Jai Jai Jai. Only afterwards Jai Guru Datta. Jai Veera Hanuman. Jai Bajaranga Bali ki jai. Without Jai he will grant very slowly. Because 24 hours he is thinking of Rama. He is singing Rama rama rama rama. If you say Jai, he will become alert, O I am very strong. I have to give help to this person. We are facing many obstacles in our lives birth to death. So many problems with this body. If the body is good, then the mind is not good. If the mind and body are good, then the heart or feeling is not good. And if all three of them are good, some other problem comes. That is why chant all the time Jai veera hanuman or Om namo hanumate namaha. You can practice to synchronize the chants or the mantra with your breathing. Om namo hanumate namaha, the 9 letters mantra is very powerful. So many millions of times we heard on Vimeo also this Hanuman mantra video. So many people wrote the mantra in books also. Now, you can write also in many books, this mantra Om namo hanumate namaha, this coming year. And also you can count how many times you chant, and how many times you write. Count also how many times you chant the Hanuman Chalisa, daily how many times, at least weekly hundred times. Swamiji made Hanuman Chalisa in Kannada, Telugu and Tamil languages, with very simple, easy words. Hindi also it is there Tulasi Das composition of Hanuman Chalisa. Now so many people want in English also. Download from ITunes and listen. Then you will understand. The tough languages Swamiji has made easy to pronounce. He has not selected any tough words. What grammar, what dictionary, your mind will be distracted if Swamiji uses tough words.
If you lose even one day, you are losing precious time in your life. Don’t sit on the sofa watching cinemas. So many people are watching 3-4 cinemas. Your mind becomes spoiled and diseased. Too much TV is not good. No use. How many cinemas you have watched! How many stories can you tell me? Only one or two historical cinemas you remember.
But you are watching hundreds of cinemas. No use. Dum dum dus tus teeem. No use. Don’t remember. Money and time is lost. That is a bad habit like drinking and smoking. TV watching is a bad habit. Half an hour is okay for watching news or something funny before going to bed. Laughing gives you more oxygen. Watch funny shows and sleep. Then you get good sleep and good dreams. Indian custom now is to watch horrible cinemas in the night after 10:30 or 11 PM. Very horrible documentaries. Your sleep and your dreams are very bad. If you get up early morning, you feel very lazy. You want to sleep some more. You feel that you slept less.
Before sunrise you must wake up and do your duties. At least go to bed by ten O’clock. Enough. That is the latest. 9:30 is good. Sometimes when Swamiji comes here and it is late, it is not a waste of time. 1-2 hours of good bhajans or good speeches is good. As much as possible manage your time well.
God also is calculating your activities. Chitragupta calculates what you like, what bad things you say. In this world you may escape from mother, father, or society. But upstairs there is somebody there, watching, always witnessing all your actions, all your doings, all your words. Not this upstairs. Here there are repairs. What good things or bad things you do, he is always calculating. Wonderful computer up there. Each of your words, your steps, every rice grain you eat, each inhalation and exhalation everything is calculated. How many millions of rice grains you have eaten, how many millions of rotis you have eaten, how many chillies you have eaten, is all calculated. They calculate and give your own health condition. Human beings are self-propelled machines.
If you have a satellite, there is only programming, no battery. Automatically with solar energy, the machines work. Automatic walking machines God has made into human beings. Our own karma dictates. If you do something, he says it is your own karma. God says: I have given you good and bad. But you chose this miserable thing. What can I do? You know what is good and what is bad. You have chosen the bad. That is your karma. I already showed you what gives good and bad results. Buddhi follows karma. What is the previous janma, what is the future birth, already is programmed. A tiny chip is inside. If something happens to that tiny chip, the doctors ask first thing: any head injury? No. Then, they say, out of danger, no problem. If some damage occurs to that tiny chip, your life is finished. That is why God has given this big automatic helmet. Takkataka takkataka. In India you have to wear an extra helmet. Otherwise you are fined. A very tiny chip controls memory, Karma buddhi, programming. How many times programming? Not hundred years, but so many many births. Everything is calculated. The inside chip programs itself. Nobody operates it.
Today I am very happy. Next year’s programs, so many upcoming wonderful events, we have discussed. So, come time to time. Saturdays take up Hanuman Chalisa, bhajans, Pradakshina, and participate in all the programs. Swamiji gave chance to some people but as Ramesh Maharaj said, with at least one dollar you must participate. It brings good fortune in your life. Programs will not stop. They will all take place whether you participate or not. But what about your contributions, your seva, your participation? You must be aware and take part. Annadana or any matter. Because, we need 3 day music program. It is a tough program. If you help and serve for the three days program I am very happy. I want good musicians to do seva here in the presence of Hanuman.
Now I am leaving because in the evening I want to sing bhajans.
Your offerings, you bring in the evening. Not now.
Jaya Guru Datta
Sri Guru Datta
Speech in the evening
Jaya Guru Datta
Harihi Om Tatsat
Sri Maha Ganapataye Namaha
Sri Saraswatyai Namaha
Sripada Vallabha
Narasimha Saraswati
Sri Guru Dattatreyaya Namaha
May be I was a three years old small kid. That time Jayalakshmi Mata was singing, singing. She and her mother were good singers. For hours together they were singing about Ramayana and Bhagavatam. Mostly about Bhagavatam. Grandma would go to the Kaveri river to bring drinking water. Pure water. She would hold a water pot on one side and on the other side the small kid. There was something wrong with the shruthi (tone) and the child was crying. When she walked, the child is crying. When she stopped, the baby stopped crying. Mother found the reason for the baby’s crying. The pot which was not full made a lot of ‘lotuk lotuk’ sound and made the baby cry. The full pot made no noise.
A fully knowledgeable man does not talk anything. The half-knowledge man is always talking and quarreling. Then I learnt. That time mother was singing only Krishna bhajans in the local Kannada lyrical language. Very nice bhajans. One or two of those songs I will sing today. It is called Sri Krishna Jaya. Maybe she composed a thousand bhajans. Small songs. The villagers would sing and dance the stick dance like the Gujarati Gharba dance. Here do you sing and dance like this? No. Hours together throughout the night, during Navaratri festival the Gujaratis dance. On the 9th day evening it is Kala Ratri day. In Calcutta they sing and dance. In Karnataka, in Mekedatu they sing the story of Mother Goddess and the story of Lord Krishna. Mostly about Lord Krishna from the Bhagavatam. Some were one hour long songs. They memorized the entire story of Mother Goddess.
Please do not use flash cameras. I could not sleep at night. It hurts my eyes. It is your seva that throughout the night I cannot sleep. There is bright light here, like studio light, cinema light. Do not use flash here.
Now the Karntaka and Tamil Nadu people, the radio and TV people also are using these bhajans in concerts also. Famous musicians also are using these bhajans. Very easy tunes. Traditional ragas. Not film tunes. Not tough tunes. Very light tunes. Some keertanas have three stages, pallavi (refrain), anupallavi, and charana (stanza). Most have only two stages, pallavi and samishti charana. Very attractive music. Indians like this.
The new system, a new way is coming now. A thousand people sitting and singing in Chennai last month. Last year 3000 voices singing together in Hyderabad. Next, 5000 people will be singing together. Different groups, villagers, small children, college students, old people, and film people also. For hours they sing. Famous musicians also. Our traditional ragas (tunes). We mixed some carnatic, hindustani, and abhang tunes. Beautiful songs with meaning. Not only names praising God.
Second type is story of God. Third type is Vedantic way Q & As. You will understand later about questioning in your heart who I am, what is this? What is this maya? God’s story only from Ramayana, Bhagavatam, history of Siva and Mother Goddess from Saptashati, Devi Bhagavatam, and Siva Puranam. Some are called bhajans. Some are keerthanas .
Keerthanas are tough. Bhajans are easy to sing. Beejaksharas are there in some bhajans. Some you have to carefully learn. 5-8 types of rhythms we have. Mostly we use Adi tala, misra, tisra, and khanda (8, 7, 3, or 5 beats). Two other talas are there, sometimes Swamiji sings for abhangs. It is for Kaali. In Hindustani they say Saaki style.
You know only to sing with devotion. Swamiji says sing, you sing. Krishnam vishnum, Ramam, Amba bhavani.
There are two tough compositions. One is Manipravala. One is calculation Pravala. We don’t know this. Manipravala and Tora Bhajans. They are also very tough. Ten years back in the newspapers, the famous newspapers, they were giving some wordings – different words and a big story is coming from them. Good knowledge for English learners.
Bhajans also, eight lines are there. The beginning letters of all even number lines make one phrase. The beginning letters of all odd number lines make one phrase. Like a mango leaves garland we use for the entry way in homes which indicates good fortune for the house. Also it repels mosquitoes.
Always there is meaning in our old customs. They are not meaningless. It looks funny, what is this? But it is very powerful. Daily cow dung mixed with water is placed in front of the house. Then snakes do not come into the house.
Pujas, bell ringing in the beginning to invite the deities also. The sound of the bell will drive away bad evils. They run away with the sound. Camphor burning is our ego burning. Namaskara is also good exercise. Our eight angas (limbs) we offer to God. Only for males. Females do only half namaskara. Sashtanga namaskara is for males. When you see Guru, without any hesitation or shame you must do namaskara. During puja also. Some people only do in a token manner. Then Swamiji also gives token blessings. Only when Swamiji is in a hurry, you do just folding hands. After you first do the namaskaram, rest of the day keep your head bent before Guru.
In Japan, the customs are wonderful. To each other, including to family members and servants, they bow down to one another. People are very helpful. If you ask for any directions, they accompany you till your destination. Here we show irritation. We are help-less, and hopeless. It is not good. Swamiji visited a Shinto temple. They gave an invitation. Before that, I went to a big Bonsai garden. I am very much interested in Bonsai, trees, Nature. It is my Mother Goddess. I saw 600-1000 years old bonsai trees. They gave the history of those trees. A big temple, big decoration. I entered the shrine. No idol, only 5 bonsai trees. Some water, some mud, some empty space, it represents the Pancha Bhutas. The Shinto people’s God is only the five elements. We must give respect to them every day. We cannot live without earth, air, water, fire, trees. Swamiji has given advice to you.
If you have no place in your house, keep at least 3-4 potted plants with trees and flower plants. If you see any tree, the shape itself is Mother Goddess. See in Creation. Very important to have trees. Nowadays, Indian people are cutting so many trees to lay big 6-7 lane roads. The government gave an order and in front of the Ashram all the big trees are cut. Swamiji was away somewhere. Swamiji was crying when he saw that. When you hurt Mother Nature, sometimes you get drought, no rains. Ups and downs. Imbalance. Now they say global warming. We are causing so much trouble due to gas burning.
Now Swamiji is propagating. One day in a month or year, do not use vehicle. One day once in a week, do not eat,. Fast and give to poor people. Share your food day. So many people have taken a vow. One day we do not use cars. We will sit at home with the family. So many signed up on the website. The group is growing now. I request and order you people also. Take oath, once a month or once a year, we do not use car, TV, or electric power. The electric rays give bad effect to children. Without electricity we cannot manage. Electricity is good. In India there is plenty of poverty for gasoline fuel, electricity, and food. We say we do not want to use car one day.
Here gasoline price is less. So many cars here. Less people. Earlier there were no traffic jams. Now, you have no money but have 2-3 big cars. No place on the roads. They build flyovers. Very difficult to walk. If you start bhajans at six O’clock, you have to start at 3 PM. Once, do not use the car. Spend the time with the family. You work for 8-10 hours a day. When you return, the child is sleeping. You can spend time with children, play, give stories, and discuss Sanatana Dharma. Sing with children. Then the children are very happy. At the same time we are not using cars. For half a day do not use electricity.
European devotees, our relatives, are doing one day a month Mouna (vow of silence). It controls ups and downs, kama krodha (inner enemies of greed, anger etc.), meditation and longevity improves. It extends your life by a month. Last month 600 people signed up. With Swamiji, for 8-10 hours for 3 days they sat, even children. In yogasangeeta on live TV they showed. You can feel the energy flow in your body. Europeans come for Navaratri for 10 days to Mysore. 8-10 hours Swamiji is doing puja in Nada Mantapa, talking, walking. That energy is surrounding them. They are not concerned about the lectures of Swamiji. We want to sit with Swamiji only, they say.
Last year in Switzerland, and this year in Germany, we had classes. In a forest. What is Mouna? What is Dhyana? What is silence? What is Meditation? Yoga is different. Swamiji combined the three for the European devotees. I gave promise to come and do it again. They have already booked.
Mouna Dhyana Yoga Kendra.
I think Indian people and West Indies people cannot sit. It is necessary for you. You need mouna dhyana. You always have too much tension, too much eating, too much sleeping, too much talking, and too much anger. We need Mouna/silence.
In Mysore we have a different chair for Swamiji for bhajans. We want the same chair here also.
I will sing two more Jayalakshmi Mata’s Tora/garland bhajans.
Bhajans: Sumukha Ganapathi, Sakaladhara roopini, Dattanama ka karate sumiran, Hari Om Tatsat, Jaya jaya rama
From Sri Krishna Jaya, one song of Jayalakshmi Mata. Lord Krishna is very small. Many useful mischiefs came from him. Our children are also mischievous. It is a wonder about Krishna Leela/divine play. Krishna killed Kaliya, the huge serpent, and so many rakshasas. Mother Yasoda was worried. Some yantra, may be Hanuman yantra we must keep for his protection, she thought. In your country I don’t know if they remove the evil eye ( Nazar). So many different ways to remove nazar with colored water, coconut, lemon, salt and mirchi. Like that, Yasoda removed the evil eye that fell on Krishna. Mother sang this song. Internet has meaning for this song. Or ask Hira aunty for meaning. These words are like Vedanta words. How people get nazar.
Bhajan: Drishti tegiyiramma
This is only six lines. The entire story is there with hidden meaning. Like a folk song for village people. It is not a bhajan. It is not a keerthan.
Jayalakshmi Mata composed short and sweet bhajans on Krishna and sang for Swamiji as a child in the forest area in Mekedatu. This song says how Krishna did so many grand things in childhood and his mother was afraid of people giving him the evil eye.
O ladies, remove the evil eye on Krishna. He is the father and protector of this world. People are in wonder as to his miracles. Yasoda did not see her child as God. Child Krishna subdued the huge serpent with his foot. He lifted the big Govardhana mountain with his little finger to give shelter to the people of the village from the unbearable thunderstorm. In Vachaspati raga this song teaches us to sing ‘Victory to Krishna’, victory to Swamiji. Jayalakshmi Mata’s ancestor was Sri Venkatamakhi, a musical genius.
Swamiji has composed the lyrics of bhajans in multiple languages, he composes, sets tunes, sings, and makes other people sing, across the globe, in cities, and in small villages.
Mother Jayalakshmi is carrying her son and going around, along with her mother. All villagers have great respect for Mother Jayalakshmi. At Sogala, her birthplace, a building is coming up in her honor.
I conclude with a song. It says, come on, let us go house to house to sing Lord Krishna’s name. Only chant Krishna’s one hundred names. We want no pay or food. Hidden Vedanta is in this song. Another folk song. She herself went walking village to village with hundreds of thousands of people following her as she walked.
Bhajan: Mane manege hoguve
This song gives me goose bumps. This body is very happy. She goes to every house and says, Please say Krishna Krishna again and again.
We forgot our past life. Our future birth we do not know. In birth and death, Krishna is our only refuge. Krishna is our father, mother, relative, and friend. He occupies our mind and body. Let us offer salutations to Krishna and sing His praises.
Without fail, without hesitation or shame, sing Krishna, Krishna. If someone is unhappy in the village, they would call my mother. I am the witness to this that when she only sings Krishna Krishna loudly, the unhappiness goes away.
(Dolotsavam and Cake cutting ceremony)
Sri Guru Datta