Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – evening – August 24, 2015 – KSHT Frisco, TX USA
Jai Veera Hanuman ki Jai
Keep the mind busy without engaging in needless talk.
What is the new message posted today on app ji? I want some new members to tell me. Get up and tell me loud and clear. Telugu and English. (A truly rich man is he, who is always contented). English will be the common language for all messages sent in other languages as well. Small sentences. Spiritual teachings, social activities, how to respect trees, the value of trees, how to grow trees, importance of all living beings, how to treat parents with respect, child rearing, how to give good training to children, and how to remove bad influences, how to practice Kriya Yoga – all these topics will be covered. The project SGS Posts will be launched in a week’s time. Mostly one liners only. The very long messages will be not more than 3 lines. Once a week, longer messages may be sent. One lakh people will receive these messages. The two way App ji patrons are supporting this project. If ten people change by the influence of these messages, that merit will be distributed among all the supporters of this project. It is a very good seva. If any balance of funding remains, it will be used for expenses for Wi Fi and to support the writers and pay for miscellaneous charges. All of you should download the messages.
For Navaratri do a grand celebration here. A week after Navaratri, a Gujarati drama will be conducted, with tickets. Sponsor the program. Tell your friends about it. No connection between Temple darshan and cultural programs. Free temple darshan. Tickets for drama. A big program is planned in Gujarati. I now said you have to pay. But if they announce later that it is free, the audience will come walking upside down. In the future also, two or three times some grand events will be conducted, dance, drama, and music. Everyone should pay by purchasing a ticket and support. At the Sydney Opera house, I also bought a ticket. Musicians also bought tickets. Whoever entered the auditorium had to purchase a ticket. If Hanuman wants to come, he too must buy a ticket. Hanuman is sitting here somewhere now, in some form. Do not squeeze the jaws of anyone to test if he is Hanuman. Then you will become Hanuman (with a slapped jaw).
Take profit from the sales. Do not use up the produce or your stock freely as it sometimes happens in a small grocery store. People use up the merchandize for personal use and the business fails. Many businesses fail because the store owners help themselves to the merchandize, be it clothes or other stock, for free, or share with family and friends without making payment. Even with friends one must be business like for a business to succeed. If there is a canteen, if free coffee is served to the cook, and ten cups to each of the servers and helpers and their friends, the canteen will go broke. No. Pay from your pocket and then consume.
I paid for the Thoram which I tied yesterday. I could have tied a thousand Thorams for free. Who will question me? No one. But no benefit will accrue to me if I do that. Nothing comes for free. We owe a debt to God, Guru, and our ancestors. Pay something. If you cannot afford to pay a large amount, at least pay what you can afford. Do not take anything for free. Each time do not demand and take free bananas, other fruits, tamarind rice, sweet pudding, and so on from the priest after the puja is concluded. You do not know what the priest had intended to do with them. It is a sin to demand free prasadam like that. Do not demand from the priest free prasadam. Pay something. Otherwise, givers and takers both get sin. Kumkuma, vibhooti, betel leaves, and the paste applied on the forehead, they are free. Anyway, the betel leaves after puja will be discarded.
Viswamitra and Vasishtha always quarreled in the beginning.
Before one bows and surrenders, no blessing should be given by great souls. It is a sin. If such blessings are given hastily and inappropriately, disaster will result. The Japanese have an excellent tradition of always bowing to one another to show respect. I have not seen such a great culture anywhere else. In India that tradition has been lost unfortunately. We do not need to go down to prostrate. At least bow down. We do not do that. It is a pity.
Viswamitra came to King Dasaratha’s court. Before Dasaratha could approach the sage and bow down before him, Viswamitra gave his blessing, “May you live long”. Vasishtha was at once troubled by this gesture, because it bodes ill. He feared some misfortune would befall. The king must not show his authority before a sage. He had to set aside his crown and prepare to offer proper worship to the sage. If he bends down hastily, the crown will fall off. Before the king could do his obeisance, the sage announced his hasty blessing.
Many police officers known to Swamiji, come to the ashram accompanying some dignitaries. They do not offer prostrations to Swamiji. It is not proper for them to prostrate while they are wearing their police uniform. If Swamiji suddenly appears before them, out of a lack of another option, they offer a salute. They go home, bathe and then come back with family members to prostrate to Sadguru. A certain protocol has to be followed. If they do not fall at Swamiji’s feet while they are on duty, it is not an indication that they are atheists or non-believers.
Viswamitra did the hasty gesture. Vasishtha foresaw the temporary setback that would occur in the kingdom because of this. Eventually, it gave a good result. But people see the immediate bad result which occurred for king Dasaratha. Viswamitra’s action seemed as if done with a bad intention in the current situation. Hasty actions always lead to misunderstanding. People do not think things through. They do not listen properly. One should always read a letter fully. Or else, there will be trouble. A letter for instance from the wife. Even before reading it through, the husband erupts with anger, and jumps to conclusions, furious that she is asking for a divorce, before looking at the justifiable reasons and solutions stated systematically.
Arjuna reacted the same way in the Bhagavad Gita. He asked Krishna, why do you always say I, I? Krishna then explains. He was not referring to himself as a person when he said ‘I’. Arjuna was hasty in asking his questions. Understand. Ask to repeat, if the matter is not clear. The same thing happens when Swamiji speaks.
Vasishtha was worried that a bad situation might arise because of Viswamitra’s action. You know the story. Dasaratha was unwilling to send his child Rama to fight against the terrible demons. He wept. The sage got angry. Finally he had to part with his dear Rama. His disease began then, when he sent Rama away, who was still a child. Later, that same illness worsened. Dasaratha did not live much longer after that.
Only if a devotee personally approaches and surrenders at the feet, blessing is given by Sadguru. Parents cannot demand that Sadguru should bless their children. Unless they come to Him and surrender, He will not give full blessings. They should become devotees, good devotees. They must bow down humbly. Sadguru may say: may they be well. Do not pin Him down and say, You have already blessed. Only when they surrender, Sadguru will touch the head to give Jnana, or touch the shoulder to give strength and devotion for rendering good service.
It is wrong to demand that Guru should touch the head. Many people from the north do that. They make a demand. It is bad. Hair color sticks to the hand. Grease sticks to the hand. Guru has to wash His hands. Do not ask to be touched on hands and feet or ask for an embrace.
Everything has a special meaning. Subtle significance is there even for actions like sitting with folded knees, clapping hands, touching, and so on. When the proper rules are followed, it will promote and preserve Dharma and health. Maintain dharma. Slowly come close. It will not happen overnight. This is just the Preface only. Now I have to go for a meeting.
Tomorrow there will be a special Durga Puja in the evening, performed by Swamiji.
Sri Guru Datta
Compiled by Smt Hira Duvvuri