Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – morning – August 20, 2015 – Baton Rouge, LA USA
Jai Veera Hanuman ki Jai
Sri Ganesaya Namaha
Sri Saraswatyai Namaha
Sripada Vallabha Narasimha Saraswati
Sri Guru Dattareyaya Namaha
Each human being took birth on earth with a different purpose. Each soul has some goal, some serious work, and some serious project already decided by Brahma. It is all computerized. Some people do not understand their work. All confusion. What is my purpose? What is my work? They are searching. They are asking. Confusion. They choose one line. Then they switch to another line of work, another field. All confusion. Mess. All work is half done. They do business. Half. Something loss. Half. They take a job. Not good. Half. Marriage. Some people break. Children. Also suffer. Some children are not good. Guru also, if they choose Guru, something in the bad mind. No work, no business, but still they are eating. Sleeping. Dressing. Going to cinema. Hotel. Kama/lust. What is this? They keep asking. Till old age they keep asking, what is my purpose? Why this kind of sickness, curse in this Janma/birth? How to find a good path? How to know?
First, think of yourself. Control your thinking, control your eating. Control your behavior. Control your Kama/lustful desires, and worldly desires. First perfect yourself in this birth. Give training to yourself. Think about yourself, think about your body, think about mind, and think about soul. Then slowly, slowly, you can go to the Dharma in which you took birth. The Dharma (religion and traditional beliefs) of your parents, and your forefathers. What did they believe? How did they live for a hundred or hundred twenty years? Search in your heart, in your mind, and in your body. Ask yourself, what is the purpose for which I came? In Vedanta, it says you Atma is your first Guru. A very near Guru is your Atma/Soul. Extra you can take teaching from Sadguru. You can listen to your Guru.
Physical first guru is mother. The second guru is father. Then the teacher, who gives you training, the teacher who teaches you driving, and other things, is also guru. Classroom teacher also is a guru.
Who is Sadguru? You must search for Sadguru. If you get Sadguru, then don’t leave. Don’t lose. Don’t use your bad mind. You can think of yourself first, listen to your Atma guru. Then, listen to what mother says. Go to father, and teachers who have given you professional training. Then you go to your dharma.
For every human being, the first Dharma is Truth/Satyam. Then it is cleanliness/Soucham. Sama-Dama/mental and physical restraint and control. Behavior should be clean. Inside and outside. Thinking one thing, saying another thing, and doing something else, is not good. Be truthful in word/Vacha, thought/Chinta, and deed/Kriya. All should be perfect, thinking, speaking, and acting. Correct yourself in all three. That is God. Very simple. Our Dharma.
Then automatically you go towards understanding the Atma/Soul.
Who is Atma? What is the purpose of our birth?
After age 12, one will have a strong mind. Prahlada and Dhruva are exceptions, who at ages 8 or 5 they were like that. Their previous Samskara helped them to talk to God. They automatically attained Jnana. They are only examples. Even at 30 years, or 50 years, or even at an advanced age also, it does not matter, you must begin your search to find out who I am?
Ramakrishna got Hindu birth. That is decided as God’s purpose. First follow the human dharma. Behave like a human being. Be kind. True. Control your food intake. Do not keep eating so many times. Control your eating. Control your speech. Always dirty talk about somebody. Less talk. No dirty talk. Simple dharma. Do not criticize other people or other Dharmas. It is very important. Practice less sleep. Daytime sleeping should be avoided, mid-morning nap, afternoon nap, morning sleeping, not good. Sitting and sleeping also for some people. It is a sickness. Reduce your going around. Always going about here and there. Not pilgrimages. They do not want to go to Kshetras, sacred places. They do not want to see the beauty of Nature, God’s creation. Simply spending time and money on traveling here and there. Be strict in your personal discipline. So many people thinking, thinking nonsense things. Less nonsense thinking. Do not think negative, bad thoughts.
Control all the above. Then, when you follow all the above rules, automatically, the question, “Who are you?” and the purpose of your birth, will be answered.
Follow your lineage, and the beliefs of your forefathers. Do not jump. Simply follow the rules and regulations of your forefathers.
My words are very tough. If you follow, they are very nice, very tasty. Only taste is tough. Good knowledge.
I took birth in India. It is God’s grace. My duty is to protect myself and my dharma. He gave me Janma in India and already the message came that this is my work. So I follow. I don’t go against my parents in my mind, or in following my dharma.
So many people ask, “What is my purpose in life? What is my aim?”
This year I give some advice. Next year, they ask again. I ask them, what about the advice I gave you last year. Year after year you ask. You have no taste to follow. If you keep asking, I will say that you need to go to a mental hospital. You must listen. I am also a doctor. I am also Guru. Follow this. He will then give you longevity. He will automatically give you Jnana.
Bhagavad Gita says, you follow your dharma. Do not speak ill of other Dharmas. To all you give respect. Do not talk bad. Human dharma you follow.
Mandana Misra, he took Buddha dharma. He wanted to learn about that belief system. He then understood that it was not good. After learning thoroughly, he decided and came back. The Buddhist leaders wanted to kill him. Is that dharma to kill one who came to learn about your Dharma? They should forgive and let him go, and not kill him. They pushed him down a cliff. They said he betrayed their Dharma.
Read the argument between Adi Sankara and Mandana Misra. The history of Adi Sankara fully. Complete Vedanta Siddhanta is there.
All Puranas have birds.
Swamiji’s final advice to you is, No confusion. All that you follow, follow without confusion. You follow your Atman. Go in the path or tradition that belongs to you, then all will be good. This is my last personal advice to you.
When you have my personal friendship, then I will give you good advice. In public, I give mass advice. So many people are there, who do not want to follow. It is like general medicine. If you seek personal approach, it is different. If you are prepared to follow, it is like individual diagnosis and customized treatment. Datta Tatva is like that.
Since 15 days I have been feeling guilty. I wanted to see my Datta Bhagavan. I am very happy today. Baton Rouge temple has lot of history. Cannot forget this miracle. How they built the temple in an industrial area. Daulat followed Swamiji’s instructions. He is my chela/friend. The priest is very nice. Datta wanted him. By His sankalpam he came.
Some families are here who never hurt Swamiji. None left Swamiji. May they follow Swamiji until death, I bless.
If you have time, come visit Dallas. Only 8 hrs. drive. Weekend. Come. Spend a night. Another 10 days Swamiji is there.
3 days discourse on Hanuman’s miracles. Come listen. Good opportunity. Very difficult to come to Mysore. Try to come to Dallas. That is also your house.
Sri Guru Datta
Compiled by Smt Hira Duvvuri