Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – day 3 Navaratri – Durgi Lakshmi – October 15, 2015 – Mysore
Sri Maha Ganapataye Namaha
Sri Saraswatyai Namaha
Sripada Vallabha Narasimha Saraswati
Sri Guru Dattatreyaya Namaha
Already three days of Navaratri celebrations are over. We must utilize our time well. Great souls and sages never wasted their time. They counted every minute. A minute wasted, they compensated by doing penance for double the time.
Sage Nimi is the source for the word nimisha. Minute. All the planets rotate around themselves and go around the sun at different speeds. Some planets have longer and some have shorter years. Planets are all different. Some have only air, and some have only water. Some have nothing but dust. On some, there is only darkness. Only on earth we have a treasure of all of these things. That is why the gods favor the earth. Are there other planets similar to the earth? There are. But we cannot even imagine where they are because they are unimaginably far away. We cannot reach there. Only by penance we can reach there. Concentrating upon God is penance. That gives mind speed. With that speed Sages traveled with mind’s intensity.
Sage Atri performed penance for 100, 1000, and 10,000 years, it is said. When he performed such intense penance he had Atma Darshan, enlightenment. He had it right where he was. God did not come from somewhere else to give him darshan. It happened internally. Soon, science will announce this. Then you will understand. While he remained seated, his mind traveled immense distances in meditation.
Where is Paramatma? Search. In one lifetime it is not possible to experience Him. One has to start the mind-ship’s journey. Mind is a like a chariot. Dhoomaketu. Mind’s intense contemplation upon God is this journey. God Himself has to turn the ignition key of this mind-vehicle which should travel in His direction. One must travel. It will not happen in one, ten, or twenty years. One may return also. A person engaged in penance may fall sick, or get eaten by wild animals like lions and tigers. During penance impediments may occur. Cold and hot and such dualities cause interference in the mind’s travel towards enlightenment.
Demanding Guru for enlightenment is futile. You cannot just approach Swamiji in your retired life and ask for enlightenment. It does not come that easily. Is that your father’s inheritance left for you? No. It is not possible. Guru only gives suggestions. Do this yoga, that penance, and so on. It is not easy to get Self-Realization. One lifestyle is to simply lead a life of comfort and forget about enlightenment. Another lifestyle is to sacrifice comforts, and dedicate life entirely for the pursuit of merging in God. You cannot do both. You have to choose one or the other. In old age live contentedly. Wait to continue the penance in the next lifetime. It is not possible for ordinary people to get Liberation in one lifetime. How can they travel to far away planets mentally, when they cannot even have a smooth travel by train to Kasi? The train may get stuck midway, there may be an accident, you may fall sick, or you may get robbed.
Devi Bhagavata explains about Self=Realization. This story explains about planets. Ramayana studied merely as a story is not useful. Go for learning the inner meaning.
You should think deeply why you have come to Swamiji. You yourselves are not clear about your aim. There is some yearning going on inside. That is why you come here. You have come here unknowingly. Penance is traveling at mind speed to other worlds. Mind is like a ship. Using it at mind-speed one should travel. This 24/7 travel is penance. In the Kali Yuga it is not possible.
In the first 10 years of life the sense organs learn to get addicted to senses pleasures in a very short time. By age 10 it is too late to start penance. Before ages 8-9 a child must learn to do penance. But it is difficult to find a Guru to guide at such an early age. Now in your old age, you may wish intensely. But you will not reach your goal. Live life well now, by doing service, sharing your wealth with others, helping others, and be virtuous. Then in your next life, may be you will get an early start into spirituality.
As I said, planets are different. Some have only fire and some have only ice. Goloka is a place that requires 100 mind ships to travel and it is beyond one crore suns. We cannot even reach one sun. How can we hope to travel that far? You cannot even look at the midday sun. You will go blind. We are like small insects. What is it we can do?
I cannot speak much today. I just give a brief introduction. That is all. How to obtain Self-Realization is explained in Devi Bhagavatam.
Slokam: Sarvasvaroope
Mother Durga removes fear. In the journey of life, fear is a big hurdle. Everyone succumbs to fear at one time or another. Fear pulls one back. But one should not yield to it.
Mother Durga protected the celestials from Durgamasura and removed their fear. That is why she got the name Durga. During certain difficult times, both body and intellect become frozen and will not function. At such times if prayers are offered to Mother Durga, that she alone is your refuge, then Mother will destroy your troubles. Otherwise, your condition will weaken and it will completely disrupt your life. Just to destroy the weakness called ‘Fear’, Mother Goddess incarnated as Durga.
One must recollect her name by realizing that just the remembrance of the name ‘Durga’ is an antidote for fear. Durga should be worshiped. Not only during ordinary travel, but even during the travel through this journey called life, the remembrance of Durga will serve as a protective companion.
People have the question who are Durgi and Lakshmi and what is their relationship?
Bhajan: Durgi Lakshmi Devi Savitri
Slokam: durge smritaa
One should offer prayers as follows:
O Mother, when they remember you, you dispel the fear of those who are in a bad situation. You grant a sharp intellect to those who remember you with a calm mind. You also remove poverty, sorrow, and fear. But for you, who else is there, whose heart is ever filled with the desire to help others? Who else is there but you, to protect us?
‘Navavarshaa bhaveddurgaa’ is a scriptural saying that suggests that Durga should always be envisioned as a nine year old girl and offered worship. Mother Goddess Durga, who is without a beginning or end, is eternally nine years old.
Subahu, the king of Kasi had her darshan. He prayed that she should ever reside in Kasi under the names, ‘Sadasivaa Durgaa’. Mother obliged his request and residing in Kasi, satisfied his desire.
Those who contemplate on Durga Devi will be freed from sin, anger, greed, delusion, and so on.
Once, there existed a demon called Durgama. The celestials could not withstand the onslaught of his valor and aggression. They were filled with fear. They became helpless. At that time, when they sought shelter from Durga, she killed Durgamasura and earned the title Durga.
Durgama is the combined form of all bad tendencies, sinful deeds, wicked ideas, and evil activities. Mother Durga rooted out all such traits and freed the gods from all types of fear.
Durga Devi incarnated in the Saktipeetha called Bheemarathee and is protecting devotees. There is a relationship between Durga Devi and Lakshmi Devi.
Once upon a time, people on earth attained a state of being free from all desires. How nice! Only if there are desires, even if they are for liberation, there are rituals performed. Therefore, they stopped performing any religious and fire rituals (Yajnas and Yagas). That meant the deities received no offerings of food. It is not that gods eat regular food. A subtle state has to be attained to reach God. With absolutely no desire, there will be no ship to travel towards God. Upon the advice of Brahma, they collectively prayed to Lakshmi Devi, who manifested Kama to help them. Kama is desire.
At that time the earth was ruled by a great soul called Veeravrata. Kama failed in his attempts to deceive his subjects. Veeravrata, who detected Kama’s mischief, acquired the trident by impressing Siva with his penance, and killed Kama in battle. Hearing of this, Lakshmi Devi felt grieved and prayed to Tripura Devi to revive Kama, her son. Tripura Devi brought Kama back to life. Kama developed hatred towards Siva. Despite Lakshmi Devi’s conciliatory words, Kama refused to change his mindset. At that time Gowri Devi appeared there and admonished Kama that his attitude was wrong. Kama still would not budge. She then cursed Kama that he would be turned to ashes by Siva. Lakshmi Devi got angry at this and cursed Gowri Devi that she too would turn to ashes as a result of hearing verbal abuse of her husband. Thus what began as a verbal argument between Gowri and Lakshmi eventually led to a battle. Brahma intervened and stopped the war by calming down both of them. Thereafter, Kama did penance addressing Tripura Devi and obtained arrows which could defeat Siva. He employed the arrows on Siva to disturb his mental composure and ended up getting burnt to ashes. We know that story. Later, by the prayers offered by the gods, he became formless (Ananga). Ananga is desire which is invisible. It cannot be seen. It is an obsessive wish. Bad desires which possess an individual.
In this manner, Lakshmi’s curse eventually led to the birth of Lord Subrahmanya. This is the association between Durgi and Lakshmi. The mutual curses exchanged by these two Mothers led to the wellbeing of the world. Therefore, let us remember them together and offer them praises.
Today, the third incarnation of Nava Durgas is that of Chandraghantika Devi. She is white as the moon and holds a bronze bell. It gives great happiness to worship her. She kills her enemies by the mere sound of her bell. She drives away all inner enemies. In the Tripura Rahasyam, this Devi is referred to as Lakshmi Devi.
Bhajan: Chandraghantikaa
I bless that by the grace of Durgi Lakshmi who is of the form of Chandraghantikaa, may the treasure of spiritual knowledge increase by leaps and bounds.
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All of you be careful. Drink only hot water. Take warm water baths. Avoid sitting next to sick persons. Inhale Eucalyptus oil to prevent catching respiratory infections. Go to the hospital at once if you are ill.
This type of Navavarana Puja will continue only for two more years. After that it will be different. Not the same.
Take membership in Shuka Vana. There are five different categories – Life Member, Chief Patron, Patron, Sponsor, and Annual member. All members get to vote for the top ten contest for Shuka Vana Parrots.
Harati song.
Jaya Guru Datta
Compiled by Smt Hira Duvvuri