Speech and message of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji for Krishna Pushkaram – August 21, 2016 – Vijayawada
Speech
Compiled by Archana Penukonda
Instead of expecting to do various Pujas during the Pushkaras, I do this one Puja. Whatever bad thing you do, you must give it up. From this point on, you must make a firm resolution to never let it come back near you. Even if your relatives ask you, tell them, you have given up those bad things. That is it. What will they do? Let us see what they do. They will ask you not to come. Say goodbye and leave. What will they say? “Why are you giving up these things? You are becoming like this due to your association with Swamiji”. Say, “Yes, I have become like this. Will you protect me when I have problems or become sick tomorrow? You do not even show up in the hospital. You refuse to give even Rs. 10,000 towards donations”. When you ask them for the donation, they will just mumble something. Tell them you are happy with what you have. Why are you afraid?
I am starting this new kind of discourse everywhere. Now, you heard it too. I am doing this everywhere. The confusions will be cleared and you will get answers. You will understand slowly. Tomorrow, we will look at the Ghat. The donor Raghuram Gattem who donated the land for the Ghat (area near the river) insisted that the place be named after Swamiji. After he said that, I couldn’t do anything, I told him it was up to him. It is called SGS Datta Ghat. SGS is short for Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda. If it is called Datta Ghat, everyone will know.
Jaggayyapeta devotees come here often. There are many devotees of Appaji there. All devotees from Jaggayyapeta please stand up. There are many devotees. They wanted to do something for Swamiji and this opportunity presented itself. I wanted this Ghat to be done well, like the Jaya Durga Ghat. There, I want to build a Datta Vishnu temple.
Vishnu Datta is our Lord Datta. It is the place where Dattatreya wandered. I told you once before. He wandered all over this place. Vasudevananda Saraswati, the pontiff who preached the message of Datta wandered there, he was right in that place. He is the great soul who wrote the Datta Stavam. Secondly, Datta came walking form Sahyadri and bathed in the “Koti Linga” area. That is the place Appaji got now. The other side of the river is a hill that relates to Swamiji’s lineage. It relates to Swamiji. It is called the Bharadwaja mountain. Sage Bharadwaja is there. It is said that, that is where he threw a feast for Sri Rama. So, we got such a place now. We want to have a Datta Temple, a Guru Nilayam and 10-12 small rooms for people visiting to be able to take showers. It will be good if people from Jaggayyapeta and Muktyala Peta come forward. The Ghat needs to be built well, the area needs to be leveled and the wall needs to be built. We really got the Datta Kshetra. We thought of Lord Datta here, but we have Patamata in the name of Lord Ganapathy; Mother Goddess is famous here. Anjaneya Swamy also has a temple here, so Datta had to go into a corner, but now he has emerged in a big form there (near the Ghat). Datta will not let go.
He has the aspect of Vishnu, He has the aspect of Venkata Ramana Swamy. He will not let go. He is getting my service. I do not know how many years he will have me serve him. Join me and fulfill this sankalpa. You all come to the 75th birthday. Do not miss it. You will not get it again. You will only get 76 after, you will not get 75.
If you see Guru’s peace during the 75th birthday, you will get peace for 7 births. So, do not let go of this opportunity. The Yajna will take place for 10-12 days in Mysore Ashrama. Everyone should come. Everyone is invited. Serve with whatever you can. There are many expenses and many charities. There is Annadanam/food donation. If you saw the queue in the Venkata Ramana Swamy temple yesterday, you would be scared. The Annadanam that started in the morning continued till midnight. People kept eating and taking food home. People come from all over. They are not even poor people. There’s separate line for poor people, after which the line for others starts. These are people that have money. You may wonder why they eat there. If they eat there, their illnesses are cured. Venkata Ramana Swamy has gained that reputation. If they take Prasadam there, good things happen to them. The traffic there gets backed up with buses and cars. Traffic police have so much work, they wonder, “Swamiji, where did such an Ashram come from!” They have so much work to do. There is so much police help and so much crowd. The roads are all backed up. It’s very crowded on Saturdays and Sundays.
We have the Shuka Vana now. In the beginning, people used to be happy thinking Shuka Vana was nice. Now they are lamenting because there is no space left for car parking. There are heavy crowds. Today is Sunday and yesterday, Saturday, there were very heavy crowds. There is so much crowd for Venkata Ramana Swamy temple and Shuka Vana. There was never that much crowd in the Ashram. It used to be peaceful. Of course, the other side of the Ashram is always quiet. I made sure it was that way.
So, everyone participate and support the Ghat. As Chandromohan announced, pay for the Ghat and get a receipt. You can get a room constructed in your name. The room will always be there, you would’ve donated it to Swamiji. He can use it as he wishes. Because we are building a temple, support the temple, support the Ghat construction, support the leveling of the place. If you have influence, please use it. There is no need to tell me. Support as much as you can. Even if you do not support, things will happen. Once the Yajna is announced, it will happen. But we must participate. You must become lucky, not unlucky. You cannot say, “If Swamiji asks, will I not give?” That time is gone. Now, the time is “If you give I will take. Why did you not give?”. The time for the other is gone.
Sri Guru Datta
Message for Krishna Pushkaram: Give up Non vegetarian food
Courtesy: Avadhoota Dattapeetham
Today we have performed Ganapati Vratam. The temple was very famous for Vaahana (vehicle) Puja. Ganapati started the Ashrama. Datta, Devi, Shiva and Hanuman followed.
This is the 4th Pushkaram Swamiji visiting the region. Kanya Rashi the Virgo is the zodiac sign with which Bruhaspati (Jupiter) is transiting. Hence Krishna Pushkaram is observed.
Hundreds of Thousands of people have bathed in the river.
Bruhaspati is Guru. Guru is Datta. Hence this period is special for Datta Devotees. Krishna river is very important for Datta. Starting from Sahyadri Mountains, the river has given us many centres of pilgrimage.
Pushkaram has been a place to congregate all the sections and communities.
It is imperative for all the Hindus to mingle and develop brotherly attitude. Otherwise we will be fragmented and the society will become brittle. Awake now.
Andhra Pradesh has to be more diligent. Many vices are increasing. Your food habits are important. Non Vegetarian food should be avoided. Respect the life of other creatures. Intoxication and alcohol consumption is increasing.
Unless you correct your life style, you will have more troubles. Though your devoted, your habits are hindrance for me to come to your home.
Even if you don’t eat eggs, fish or animals you will survive. Don’t worry. When you cull chicken, why don’t you remember your children? I am cautioning you again. I am past my prime and age is catching up. I may not be available to guide you.
Stop consuming non vegetarian food. Your anger will recede. Don’t hurt other animals. When there was no other source available, people used to eat other animals. That was not a sin. But when you have all the sources available to you, if you still kill other animals, is it good?
Pulses such as black grams, corn, millets etc provide all the protein and nutrients required for the body. Vegan movement is picking up in foreign countries. But our people of Indian descent are developing new habits. Followers of Sri Swamiji should treat this word as the final.
Stop Non Vegetarian and Alcohol. New diseases will start from animal food. It will be very late when you realise the problem.
I am pained for the death of 4 devotees in Guyana who had died due to animal food. Though I have warned them to stop that, they continued.
Caribbean devotees prepare pepper Roti together with vegetables. It gives all the energy needed for the body. It is equal to consume two lambs. Many devotees in the west have given up non vegetarian food. Why can’t you give up?
Make a promise today.
The animals that are killed for your food curse those who are the reason for their death. Don’t neglect that aspect.
You can visit Trinidad some time soon. Thousands of devotees have recited Hanuman Chalisa. Households have transformed. They don’t know my language. No engagement. They just enjoy my presence. It seems easier on schedule in the western countries. Your children who are working there realise that they have missed something when Sri Swamiji was available in India.
Don’t get hurt when I insist on giving up non vegetarian food. It is customary to make a vow to give up a favourite fruit, vegetable or grain on the occasion of a pilgrimage to Gaya or Kashi. Therefore today I want you to shun non vegetarian good on this occasion of Krishna Pushkaram.
Even if your deceased parents or ancestors consumed meat, they would also be delighted that you got such a Guru. And the Pitru Devatas will be happy that you have stopped eating meat.
Leaving bad habits is the most important aspect of any festival. Remember this occasion, whenever you are tempted to eat meat or poultry. Pressure from relatives and friends should be resisted.
Jaya Guru Datta