Q & A session with HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – November 22, 2015 – Mysore
Compiled by Smt Hira Duvvuri
Question :
About Saligramas. Siva and Vishnu are said to be the same. Both reside on the Himalayas. In Nepal, after a tough trek, in a lake devotees bathe and have darshan of the Lord in a temple in a remote area. The Gandaki River flows nearby. The river itself is said to be sacred. Round or oval stones are found in the dark waters there. Flow of water is very rapid. Yogis go in Knee deep and get the Saligramas, both living and nonliving/Sajeeva and nirjeeva. When worshiped with faith, the family thrives. Negligence causes misfortune. Please explain the significance of Saligramas.
Answer :
Saligramas, rudrakshas, crystals, Banas (from Narmada River) are all of different shapes, round, oval, flat, and so on. They are used in worship. He is a retired Tahasildar. He knows a lot. The answer is in the question itself. Old Bhakti Mala magazine issues give lots of answers to such questions, why Saligramas are special, why they are worshiped, and so on. Kuppa Krishnamurthy and Appaji have striven to give answers to many such questions. Now Bala Swamiji is doing it. All of you must read Bhakti Mala. Get membership. Renew your subscriptions.
There is an intimate relationship between the Gandaki Devi and Saligramas. Vishnu gave a boon to the Gandaki River that in its womb He would be born as its son. It is a long story. Vishnu was pleased with Gandaki’s performance of an intense austerity. He also remains in the Tulasi plant. The two remain together. Worshiping these is like directly worshiping Vishnu. These Saligramas are kept in Krishna Tulasi, together with it. Vratas are performed. Insects which are extremely long-living (not for Yugas) create these Saligramas. They do Vishnu Smarana/contemplation inside with seed letters of Jheemkara and Omkara. Vishnu Himself turns into that insect. He resides there and creates Vishnu Loka inside the Saligrama. In Bhuloka it is worshiped and kept along with Tulasi. That is why Tulasi Puja is performed. Saligramas are worshiped with Tulasi leaves. Vishnu worshipers benefit by it.
Siva likes Saligrama worship. Some sinners and idiots even today differentiate between Siva and Vishnu. They say that Siva and Vishnu do not get along. It is very wrong to think and speak like that. Their sin is negatively affecting the world. Formless Siva loves and worships Vishnu. Siva likes Bilva with the three—leaf form. Vishnu likes Tulasi. There are different Vishnu Saligramas such as Ananta Padmanabha, Vishnu, Kesava, Chakra, Etc. A tiny piece of gold will also be inside the Saligrama. The way wood gets petrified (turns into stone) or things get fossilized after a long time, even a part of this stone turns into gold with long-term worship. The insect-Vishnu himself leaves His body and gets liberated eventually. Goes to Vishnu Loka. Some great souls keep a very tiny Saligrama constantly in their mouth and drink the Teertham from it. It is said to be highly medicinal. Sri Raghavendra Swamy’s history speaks of it.
Tell me which issue of Bhakti Mala gives this information and I will give you a Tulasi leaf.
Swamiji daily worships Saligramas. Some say that one may keep only a certain number of Saligramas. E.g. family persons may keep only one, but not two. If Guru gives, you may keep three. Only odd numbers, and so on, certain beliefs are there. No problem. You may keep any number.
I found my Narasimha Saligrama again three days ago. I was very happy. It was a big Saligrama that I had with me for a long time and I did not know where it had gone. I had one, but not the other. It was kept with a priest in Ganagapura. He returned it. I have now kept it inside.
The glory of Saligramas is indescribable. Just thinking of them is enough to give benefit. Take Teertha from their worship. He is Vishnu himself. He blesses profusely. In homes people used to keep and offer their Saligramas devout worship and gain much benefit. Many people these days give them away to temples. They only keep a photograph of it for remembrance. They have no faith, and no time to pray or worship. We cook and eat meals but do not offer food to God. Only when disease strikes, people panic and express regret. Then they ask, where is God? Not a single day do they sit and pray. A Saligrama should be treated as a family member. One should offer food to God before eating. He is our friend and protector. You do not have to prepare anything special for Him. Just place before him the food, before you eat. Elders used to do these things. Now the practice is being given up. Light lamps daily. Even if power goes out, there will be some light. Burn incense daily at least in the evening. Mosquitoes will reduce. Good fragrance and will give prosperity. No bad smell of evening time will be there. The mind will feel fresh. There will be discipline. The home will prosper.
Those who worship a Saligrama daily are said to obtain residence in Vishnu Loka. Such is its glory. It cannot be described. Vishnu Himself was born in the womb of Gandaki. I have given a brief summary. Saligrama Mahima/Glory – Book is available in many languages. You may read.
Question :
As children we learned valuable principles, growing up associated with the ashram, and from our elders. After growing up we have to do both good and bad things while engaged in a professional job. How to handle this issue?
Answer :
Avoid doing bad things. There is no excuse whatsoever for doing what you know is wrong. You must avoid committing wrong deeds. If knowingly if you do bad things, it is wrong. You must cut off with determination or get ready and prepare to be reborn to suffer the consequences. There is no redemption. You cannot continue committing sin. For the sake of job, or for the sake of children, doing bad things has no excuse. It is out of lustful activity that you have brought children into the world. Now for their sake you wish to commit sin. There is no forgiveness. You must protect the children. Once you become a householder, you will have to support and protect the family. But there is no excuse for doing wrong while engaging in this duty. You cannot escape punishment.
Question :
I am not mind, senses, or body. This I am learning from Sri Bala Swamiji’s lectures. Can one experience oneness with Paramatma while living in the body? How?
Answer :
Yes. It is possible.
Jeevatma/individual soul is friends with the body, and the sense organs. Do good things with all of those. Then Paramatma will grant you oneness with Him, release, or Moksha/Liberation. Paramatma only witnesses. Only the Jeevatma with body can do things. Use the body for a good purpose. Work with the body. Sadguru’s words will lead you to that experience of oneness with Paramatma. Experience of doing only good things with the sense organs and the body is not Karma. It is the only way to get release eventually.
Question :
How to differentiate between the mind and heart?
Answer :
Does your mind tell you things or does the heart tell you things? In coma what happens? Brain is dead. But the person lives. Physical heart beats. Before tubes are inserted for artificial respiration. Even unconscious, they live. They breathe. But they cannot do anything. Intellect goes with the senses for doing karma. Till karma is exhausted, a person lives. Days are counted, he remains brain dead, and when his karma is exhausted, and he dies. Artificial tubes for extending life, the wise do not wish. They write a declaration not to extend their life artificially. Relatives commit sin by extending the life of a loved one selfishly and greedily. That person has no wish to live longer. One cannot bear the pain of seeing the tubes. But they are selfish and force the person to live despite all the organs failing. Until selfish desire leaves, the body struggles to survive. Mind and intellect are connected to the sense organs. There is Paramatma and there is Jeevatma. One is a witness only. You can easily distinguish the two. Knowingly all that you do is mind. Unconsciously what you do is different, at an unaware level. As one’s conscience, it warns. Satsang helps you to develop it. Doing, listening, and thinking good things, you begin to recognize the difference between the two. Only by experience you achieve it. Not by listening to lectures.
Question :
Gravity and spiritual and spatial dimension I became familiar with, from watching the movie shown in the Nada Mantapam. Understood a little. More such movies to be shown please.
Bhajana Mala has 3000 plus bhajans. But we do not know the tunes for all. Repeating line after line is easy. Mostly girls are singing bhajans in prayer hall. Why not boys? Why is a microphone given to them sometimes? They sound as if they are screeching.
Bala Swamiji’s bhajans also should be recorded and released as CDs. More CDs should be produced of Swamiji’s bhajans.
Answer :
Bala Swamiji has composed bhajans only on Guru/Swamiji and made one album. Microphone is given occasionally so that the children get confidence and lose their stage fear. Now mostly girls are singing. I announced only yesterday that more boys should sing. I wish to hear clearly how they are singing, to make corrections. They will be the future musicians. Their shruti/pitch is different, lower than Swamiji’s shruti. To match Swamiji’s shruti they force their voices and screech. It is done during bhajan lessons. It is not so during bhajan sessions.
Now there is a big group. No need for mic. Appaji should not get misled with wrong tune being played on an instrument, to follow the wrong tune sung by the singer. That is why microphone is placed so that now Swamiji can listen and guide them to sing it the right way.
Male singers come gallantly like great musicians or VIPs like Madurai Somasundaram, only on weekends. Some want to come only when Appaji comes. It is a wrong attitude. I give mic only to test how they sing. It is only a temporary measure.
Each bhajans should be sung in a certain way. They have to follow the sequence. I encourage the boys also to sing.
My hand writing is very strange. Even doctors in the hospitals will faint if they see my handwriting. I give the subject and my feeling and Bala Swamiji corrects and sets the lyrics. My feeling about certain bhajans, how to compose, I would have a discussion with Kuppa Krishnamurthy for two hours over the telephone. I would give all the specifications about the content and the language. Sanskrit bhajans he used to organize for Swamiji. The language had to be simple and clear. Kannada bhajans, I used to ask Swarna to check. Hindi also I consult others only for language correction. These are all bhajans with mantras and seed letters. Swamiji’s bhajans are all Upadesa.
Bala Swamiji is not composing his own bhajans.
Phanishree is not composing. If they sing their own bhajans, people will get up and go away.
Bhajans are a channel through which dharma is spread. A few old composers’ bhajans such as Namadev’s, and Thyagaraja’s I have sung on occasion in the past. Highly selective.
ITunes India has for download, most of Swamiji’s bhajans, about 90%. They are affordable. Smartphones and internet everyone has these days. CDs are not being produced much. They are more expensive. They cannot be distributed worldwide. They will be only available locally. They go out of stock quickly.
ITunes downloads are available worldwide.
Recent bhajans will be published soon. Good questions.
Question :
You have shown by example how to worship the different deities. But how to worship Guru?
Answer :
Best way is to do Manasika puja/Mental worship. Details: (Performing the Shodasa Upachara Puja with Ashtottara Satanama – 16 services along with the chanting of the 108 names or with mantra japa, done mentally – is one method – this is what I had taught Swami Datta Padarenu). Guru given mantra one should chant crores of times. This is another strategy.
How to achieve this? The mind should become dual. How is it done? You have to turn into two individuals. How can we do it? Are we superhuman spirits? You are not spirits. You are gods.
Wake up in the morning. Get ready by completing all the morning ablutions, and bathe. Get things ready mentally, flowers and other materials required for puja and for chanting the 108 names. Perform the Puja. Do the mangala harati. Offer prostrations. Then place a Tulasi leaf/dala or Tulasi Teertham in the mouth which was offered to God as Naivedya.
Physical Puja one can complete in half an hour. Mental Puja if done correctly takes six hours.
What about those people who are employed? You may do it in 3 hours, 1 hour, or ½ hour. Mental worship is most important. Whatever worship is done physically, that you must do mentally.
Sometimes you may physically get up, bathe, and get ready and sit for puja. That does not count. You are required to do those. But you must once again visualize waking up. You imagine that you get up from the bed. You offer prostrations to your chosen deity after you give the deity a bath. You sit on the bed and do Dhyana. But all this visualization you should do only after you take a bath and get ready, not before. Once you practice this to perfection, you will feel that you are doing this puja in reality.
Remember God even as you get up. Do in reality all the required activities of the morning.
Make the bed as soon as getting up. Never leave it as it is till the evening. In some homes you see it like that. It is not good. If spouse or servants are there to do it, have them do it. Some will leave it as is. It is very wrong. Devils will lie in your bed. It will bring poverty to your home. You will experience the negative results. Roll up the mat or mattress if you are sleeping on the floor. Fold the sheets.
Get physically cleansed. Read at least a few slokas from the Bhagavad Gita. Mentally also do all these, including making the bed, even if physically you had finished doing it.
Walk to a nearby lake, walk to the Kaveri River, or to the Saptarshi sarovara. You must not go by car. If these are not nearby, then walk to your own bathroom to get ready and take a bath. Begin japa as you wake up. Do it for the duration it takes to get ready, about an hour.
Develop a dual bhavana/feeling as if you are two persons, one who is sitting and visualizing and the other who is doing the actual Puja.
Your physical self does the daily activities and chores as normally required. The mental self is separated which engages in the detailed and elaborate puja to Guru, along with constant Mantra Japa. This is the modified Guru Manasika Puja. Keep doing the japa for the duration it takes to go to the lake and return from the lake or river. That person gets tired who walked to the river. His feet will be muddy and his legs will hurt. That person is different. The person just sitting and visualizing is different.
This method is a great preparation to go into Samadhi. There is no greater path than this. Do you know how beneficial it is! This is Swamiji’s secret.
You bring back two pots full of water with you. One potful of water you use for the Tulasi and Bilva plants you have growing near your residence. Imagine them. Water those plants with one potful of water. Feel the pot, and the water that is being poured. The other potful of water is for you to wash the Saligramas and your most beloved Guru Padukas. And get ready for Puja. Feel the experience of doing the puja the way your Guru does the Puja. Offer a couple of fruits as Naivedyam. Pluck fruits and flowers from the imaginary garden, while doing japa. Those who have no work can do this. This is their best occupation. Those who do only physical work can do this for a few hours or for one hour, mentally, with eyes closed.
You will actually see the plants, the mud, the pots, the pouring of the water. Everything will be experienced as if it is all really happening. Everything is experienced as if physically the Padukas are there, or the image of Guru is present. The padukas you can actually see and touch. Your imagination must be so vivid. Swamiji will really appear before you. If you are unable to see him, that means you are not doing it right. If you perform Guru Puja like this, Swamiji will see all your actions. He will speak to you. This is the easiest sadhana for a worldly person. Take a cold water bath mentally, even if in reality you are unable to do so and you need warm water in the cold season. You may not know swimming to dive into the waters of a lake. In mental worship, you can dive into the lake and swim. Feel the wetness on your body. Tulasi water you sip. It controls your hunger. Prepare mentally the naivedyam/food you wish to offer to Guru.
When the puja is concluded, you get up and eat your breakfast. Take care of your physical body. It has to work for you. It has to live and be healthy. You cannot just drink coffee mentally and be satisfied. It does not work. Do not try to act like an Avadhoota. What you have to do mentally, you do those things. This is the easiest sadhana for people living in the world. Remember this.
This practice is not for publicity. This is Upadesa from Guru which you have received. Never share this secret with others disclosing to them that you are doing this type of Manasika puja. It is for your own personal experience. You should not tell others that you are doing this. They will think you are crazy. Others will not understand. This is a secret method of Guru Puja revealed to you today.
Sri Guru Datta
Compiled by Smt Hira Duvvuri