Speeches of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji on Ekadasi – October 4, 2014 – Mysore
Speech in the morning
Jaya Guru Datta
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Today it is Ekadasi, a day for fasting. When you are hungry, you will be able to concentrate on God better. Some Ekadasi days are more important, when you do not eat chillies, salt, onions, garlic, and other foods that promote Tamasic attitudes. We have to be very careful in avoiding the Tamasa Guna. We have to develop Satva guna.
Kuppa Krishnamurthy’s son is a good speaker. I am posing some questions. I want him to give his answers.
What will give enlightenment? Will scholarship, the study of sciences or scriptures give enlightenment?
What should one do to drive away darkness? What should one do to capture the light that enters the room? Does knowledge require detainment? No. It should be left free. Who are eligible to study the Sastras? What is the benefit? Why should they be studied? People ask crazy questions. How to answer them? Are strict procedures essential for worship? What is the benefit of following the sounds prescribed in the books? Should one worship knowing the meaning of the words, or just follow blindly because the elders have told us to do it. Why should one follow or be in awe of Guru? What makes us be afraid of Guru? Is it the intellect? What is the benefit of fearing Guru?
Now Viswanatha Sastry will answer these questions as per his limitation. You now tell us how much you have understood. Later I will also explain. I need to know how far my grandson has grown after receiving so much of training. A mother decorates her baby and admires the beauty. That is how I feel that at least some of my children have been properly trained to spread spiritual knowledge. I feel proud of them. When Bala Swamiji speaks, I feel that it is my tongue that is speaking through him. When he sings too loudly I send word that he should not strain his voice.
Kuppa Krishnamurthy used to edit the lyrics of some bhajans. Now Bala Swamiji does that job. I give him one refrain and two stanzas and have him complete the song. It is a challenge for them. I tell someone to give an episode from the Ramayana and put it on the prompter. I correct and modify the text as required.
Initially the scholars used to comment and criticize Swamiji’s songs and their different versions. Now they agree that all the versions have proper meaning. Now I correct the errors so as to fit the rules of language.
Devotees must sit towards the center of the auditorium where they can see the big screens. Otherwise you will miss a lot. You see the distorted face of Swamiji. You people missed the parrot videos last night. I will also lose interest in singing bhajans here. I should not have to turn my head sideways to see everyone. Otherwise it strains my body to have to turn to see you. When other people perform on this stage, you have the permission to even sit on the trees scattered far away. But when Appaji is here, you have to sit in the middle. That is why I ask the camera people to show me the audience also so that I know who are present. I am telling the volunteers to keep the floor wet on the sides so that people will not sit at the edges of the auditorium.
Viswanatha Sastry spoke
One, who knows the answer is asking me to answer the question. He is challenging me to answer. I am confident that whatever I say will be accepted, because, as a father accepts the baby talk of his child, Appaji will accept my answers.
1. There is no such thing as leaving ignorance to be free. Ignorance is freely prevalent. Ignorance is more like semi-darkness, rather than total darkness. In total darkness, there is no awareness at all. Semi-darkness misleads us. Its influence is dangerous. Studies show that on the roads there are more accidents just before dawn when there is semi-darkness. Ignorance is very similar to that. Who am I? I do not know. I do some things. But who am I? I have no clue.
2. About knowledge, there is nothing to say. The knowers have no need to speak of it. The ignorant cannot speak of it.
3. Should Guru’s words be followed literally? Yes. I heard the story told by Sadguru yesterday of Dunnapotaya namaha. If we understand the meaning of what He said, we certainly will follow what He says.
4. We must make the effort to gain knowledge. We must place trust in Guru. Guru will drive the vehicle for us. We can peacefully sleep.
5. Guru gives instruction as per the eligibility of the disciple, the way a doctor gives medicines based on his diagnoses. Each will understand as per his need.
Sri Swamiji spoke:
It is good. He came close. With some more effort the answer will be comprehensive. The answer is good as it is. It could have been slightly better.
Many are not concerned about how to gain the light of knowledge. They are worried about how to get rid of their darkness of ignorance. The crow thought of a way to bring the water level up in the pot by adding pebbles. That story has a great significance.
Between a candle and a light bulb, which is more effective? What about between a flame with smoke and without smoke? Getting rid of the smoke will be an additional problem. What comes with knowledge, like smoke, is ego. The ego keeps rising with knowledge. They have to safeguard themselves from acquiring ego. Praise will breed pride. A beginning singer should be encouraged but should not be harmed with too much praise which will make the person arrogant. With flattery, one can be misled. People do not encourage others. They flatter and sidestep also.
Gurus and elders who are trusted should be careful on how they comment. Disciples should not flaunt their knowledge before Guru. They should not act clever. They should humbly ask for more knowledge. They should not argue or challenge based on their knowledge. Knowledge coupled with ego is ignorance. The truly knowledgeable ones will not discuss it. They will remain silent.
In dreams, one sees scenes never before seen in the real world. One may hear words of advice. They wonder if such dreams have any basis or if they may be trusted. One who trusts his dreams will be made fun of by a person who has no belief in dreams.
Yesterday one great and famous scholar came, a doctor. She and her son are very famous. She speaks very expertly and authoritatively on television. She is against blind beliefs, dreams, and superstitions. She needed clarification and came to ask Swamiji. She was confused by something that she had experienced herself. She sought an answer because what she spoke against all her life, came to be experienced by her.
What do we understand from all this? When you gather Punya/merit, why do you have to go again from knowledge to karma? Karma is never pure. Karma is performed only to become mature. There is no such thing as completed karma. No creature is spared from the performance of karma until life departs.
Complete merit or knowledge will occur only when karma is completed. But Swamiji says karma is never completed. When one gets enlightened, karma is completed. Whatever karma is done afterwards will not contaminate the experience of Truth. When the person does karma thereafter, be they good or bad actions, using the intellect, such karma will affect the person. The effects of karma stick only to the body. The enlightened person’s knowledge of Truth is not outwardly visible. The actions performed by the person are outwardly visible. The effects of such karma are also physically visible. In karma, there are actions which lead one to higher states of existence. We keep growing with good karma until we reach the highest limit. But unless, along with it, Jnana is acquired, the person will fall down again. Therefore, it is very essential that alongside the performance of good karma, spiritual knowledge also should be acquired. This is what I tell everyone.
In addition to performing karma, knowledge also should be gained. This is my advice to all scholars. Bhakti and Jnana must go together. Only then your logic and reasoning will get transformed into knowledge. Do karma that does not carry consequences. See the supreme soul in your logic. This is a very big topic.
When Telugu scholars are here I keep listening to them with great interest. I do not open my mouth. I keep quietly sitting like a Siva Lingam, merely listening, telling myself that I still have much to learn in this world, giving others the impression that I know nothing. At least, they do not think of me as one who talks too much. They do not quite consider me as an ignorant person also. Many people, who consider themselves as scholars, exhibit their ignorance when they open their mouths to speak. Many sit in silence avoiding the display of their ignorance.
The more you draw from knowledge, the more you gain. The source of knowledge keeps yielding endlessly. The more you sing, the sweeter the melody. Bharadwaja took so many births to gain knowledge of all the Vedas. Brahma kept increasing his lifespan. Sanaka and others sang the praises of Paramatman till they could not sing anymore. If one thinks that one knows, it is a sign of pride.
We are tested more and more.
I cannot leave you. I test you to make you eligible, not to give you pain. Guru is concentrating on you. There is nothing more to gain than to gain the attention of Guru. He is not looking for your faults. He is teaching you more. Devotees when they pray in their homes, with or without devotion, whatever they do, they are being watched by Guru. Never feel that Guru is too busy to pay attention to you. Regardless of how busy he may be, Guru is still looking at you. You may neglect your children or your health. But Guru never neglects a devotee. We breathe even in sleep, in joy, in sorrow, in dreams. It is natural, till we die, we breathe. Automatically, effortlessly we breathe. Breath is doing its countdown without respite. No matter whether you are doing good things or bad things, wasting time watching cinemas, thinking bad thoughts, blaming others, your life is doing its countdown with each breath. Guru equals or is the same as your life force/Prana. That is the meaning. The way your own life force is ever watching you, Guru likewise, is ever watching you, without a moment’s break. This is the small message on this Ekadasi day for you.
If we are eligible, we will again perform Navaratri together next year. If we have the yoga/good fortune, then you will perform again for us, for our good fortune, you will certainly do – should be your trust.
You must earn the merit to experience this type of Guru’s grace by doing more and more service and sadhana. MMS are sent to every home. Only a few words contain the essence of all the Upanishads. All the sayings are taken from Swamiji’s speeches. MMS – go there and enter your email address on Puttu Gam website, puttugam.org.
Pramod will explain the procedure as to how to register for MMS and receive them daily in your email. No cost, no need to ask anyone. What is the arrangement here? Search on google.com. You will know. Search for Puttu Gam. Pramod will explain. How to access Swamiji’s birds and bhajans? How do we access? It is all free. We are just now learning to use the computer. Please learn now from this demonstration.
Most of you know. Actual Vedanta is this that comes to your homes. Whatever Swamiji has spoken thus far, you study, instead of asking to be given more advice. Become a free member of SGS Quotes. That is another website. Daily you will read a quote from Swamiji. Hundreds of Americans read them every day. Every day they feel that Swamiji is speaking directly to them. I was in great despair. I got the correct answer. I went to the temple and I received the correct answer. I went to work very worried. Everything worked out beautifully. I lost some important item. I was distressed. Correct MMS I received. The messages also come in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil and Kannada. How to view them? Many people still do not know.
First you must subscribe. How to subscribe? Use your email ID. How to get email ID? Ask any 5th grade/class student. Or ask some old people who are devotees of Swamiji. They see Swamiji’s messages daily before going to bed. After becoming Swamiji’s devotees they have all learned how to use the computer. Skip watching one cinema. In that time you can learn how to use the computer. People of any age from childhood to old age can learn to use the computer. Even old people now look at their computer first thing in the morning. Smart phone users are many. Never say, why do I need this at my age? That is a huge mistake to think like that. For gaining knowledge, for spiritual pursuit, age does not matter.
Many old, toothless people, who cannot eat crispy snacks, grind them and eat them still. Old people without teeth greedily accept, grind it to a paste, and eat the Jantikalu.
In the olden days, the aged on the deathbed, used to be surrounded with aromatic foods, and crispy snacks and with that experience they take their last breath. They feel sad that they are leaving all these good things. They do not think about God. Inquire in your homes if such practices were done. Don’t take away their jewelry while their life is still around. Then, they will suddenly get up from their death bed to protect their jewelry. Wait till they are completely dead; otherwise they will haunt you as ghosts. Sometimes after they are dead, you grab their bangles and the goldsmith says they are fake. Ask while they are still alive, and they will refuse to give, saying I am not going to die anytime soon.
We are so greedy about food, gold, and land. No one is greedy about God. People fight for property. They live for lust, greed, and anger.Many people wish only to die in their own homes. Yet, they die on the street or in a cinema theater. This whole world is our home. This earth is a temporary home for us. You try to reach your permanent abode. One road accident, one earthquake, and you lose your life. Why such love for cement? Where will you take it? Why be enamored of dirt/land and gold? To a small degree you earn. Do not do it to excess. Be neutral about possessions. Why waste such effort? These days, no relationships count. Only wealth counts. No sentiments are respected.
We have nothing. Develop devotion. Devotion is permanent. That empire called devotion to God, others cannot grab from you. The wicked people do not deserve that treasure. Pray that others who harm us be blessed with a good heart. You get disillusioned that you did so much for your siblings/brothers but they do not care about you. Do not think badly about others. God will determine what is just and fair. That is your karma. You worry about steadying yourself. Someone asked in an interview about property issues that they are not getting what is theirs by law. Finally they left with peace of mind. They took photos with parrots. All the time do not worry about property. Be engaged in prayer and spirituality. Thus far you trusted in God. Do not give that up. The merit earned by prayer will last. Your past karma made you lose your property. Now you are doing good things. All are different accounts. Do not try to equate the two. Thus far my nose breathed for me. It has served me so well. So can you take your nose with you to the next life or to Kailasa? No. People do not ask for cutting the nose for you to take with you. You leave the entire body. How can the nose alone go with you just because it breathed for you all your life?
Demonstration: Go to Puttu Gam website. puttugam.com. Today’s MMS is shown.
There is a place on the right side where you can enter your email ID and click on sign up. Then you will receive the MMS messages. In vimeo.com daily SGS MMS are shown. These are short videos with Appaji’s music in the background.
As long as Appaji lives, He intends to send these messages. You will gain a great position by studying these over a few years. Do not deprive yourselves of this great opportunity.
Those who have no telephones, laptops, we have the Bhakti Mala monthly magazine. It will be mailed to your homes. You can read it.
You will gain a lot from viewing and reading these. Those who can afford to travel may come to attend the Dubai concert.
This evening two French boys, who have memorized the entire Shatashloki Ramayana, will give a program. Many Europeans have memorized the Kavachas, Lalita Sahasranama and other prayers. You also have learned some. Now Annapurna Mandiram is calling everyone. We have to show our respect to by visiting Mother Annapurna/Mother who gives us food.
Sri Guru Datta
Speech in the evening
Jaya Guru Datta
Ramayana should be chanted daily, listened to daily. At least on Saturdays and Sundays you must listen and chant. Those who are very close to Swamiji have forgotten the Shatashloki Ramayana.
Foreigners are learning and chanting daily or at least weekly during their weekend Satsang. The tree that is in your own backyard, you do not realize the value. Apple, and her children, Kusa and Lava, who do not know our culture, have learned the entire Shatashloki Ramayana. The mother has given great training to her children with great devotion, in this limited time. I am very happy. We also should teach our children to chant the Ramayana, the Lalita Sahasranama, and other prayers. Make a determination today, take a vow that you, along with your children will regularly listen and learn. All of us should keep listening to the Shatashloki Ramayana on our phones, our laptops and computers. All the flaws in us, all our troubles, all our problems will vanish. With personal experience, Swamiji has given you this great treasure. We must revive the presence of Shatashloki Ramayana in our lives.
Why do they call her Apple? When she was a child, if someone would throw an apple even from two storeys high, she would catch it and eat it. I am very happy with this sadhana. Please continue your sadhana. Learn Guru Gita also. Learn the stories behind the prayers. Try to understand the meanings, and so many things about Appaji’s methods. Ask someone to explain to you the meaning. Keep on studying the daily MMS, Puttu Gam, Facebook posts, and learn. Gain some good knowledge.
India people do not seem to have the time for them. They have time only for watching cinemas.
I will come and visit you again. Those who are far away do so much sadhana and learn so much. That is why Swamiji travels abroad so frequently. Those who have close access to Swamiji neglect to do these things. You take it easy and waste your time. Datta has 24 gurus. Today I am very proud of these boys Lava and Kusa. The set up on the stage is very nice. How beautifully they have made the stage setting. How beautifully the family did this ballet. Apple knows that Swamiji loves parrots. They created a forest background with lots of birds and presented the play. Today is a very auspicious day.
These huge screens on the stage are wonderful. You are all very fortunate. You have enjoyed these all the nine days. I am enjoying them today for the first time. Those who witness puja are more fortunate than the one performing it. Those who eat the food are luckier than the one who prepares it. The one who drinks Amrita is luckier than the one who churns it. The one who wears the shirt is luckier than the one who stitches it. The one who drinks honey is more fortunate than the honey bee. The bee does not enjoy the honey.
Hare Rama hare Rama rama rama hare hare
Hare Krishna hare Krishna Krishna Krishna hare hare
Sri rama jaya rama jaya jaya rama
Om namo hanumate namaha
Now, the next cinema.
Sri Guru Datta