Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – August 28, 2016 – Mysore
Compiled by Smt Hira Duvvuri
We must do something in every household, to preserve nature. I have told many people, even people with big and spacious houses to plant trees, or at least to grow plants in pots. You do not have to call them bonsai. Just grow some common useful plants, and once a year, you cut down the size of the roots, to keep them as potted plants. You will have a needed tree in your premises. People did not pay heed to my words. I did not fail, but I did not succeed to the extent that I wished. Since 8-10 years I have been propagating this idea of growing more plants and trees, at least as potted plants.
Calamities have occurred. It gives me great pain. What I tried to achieve (prevent), I could not. Only five per cent success was there for my intention and plan. Not more than that. I satisfied myself with that. But what I did not anticipate, has happened. I had a premonition that something bad would happen in the future. I told one person that your city will get flooded. He disregarded my words and denied my prediction. He said, never heard of such a possibility, and asserted that their town never gets flooded. Now that person’s own home got flooded.
Sometimes it is frightening. In a place with cold climate, someone dies from a sunstroke. In Baton Rouge, and in an area near it, in Texas, where normally there is never any ice or snow, there was snowfall and ice. It only gets chilly there, that is all. In areas which are normally hot, in Texas and California, it is getting very cold. In a desert in rained. When I was in Dubai one day, to everyone’s surprise it rained. I went up to the terrace and watched with wonder. The reason for all this, is human beings. Humans are born like demons. Factory people are pouring all their polluted waste water in the Ganga river. They could have dug a pond on their own premises and contained it there and the sun would have evaporated the water. Only the solid waste would have remained. But the factory people do not bother to take such steps. They just dump their waste water into public canals and other places. Drainage water and sewer material are to be separated.
People have no faith in God. I accept that. But at least you can remain clean. You do not even do that. You end up getting lots of diseases. You do not maintain cleanliness. That is what I always say. No problem if there is no devotion. But cleanliness is very important for health, in our country, and in our family. Only some people listen, and follow Swamiji’s words. Others do not want to. They say, what is this? They do not listen to anything. They do not follow. While I speak, they think they should do it, and it is really their duty. But the moment they get up, they brush it all off, as if dusting off their clothes. It is as if telling me, keep your advice to yourself.
People listen to a religious discourse, and at the end, they get up, show their backside to the scholarly or saintly speaker, and brush everything off, as they shake off the dust from the seat of their pants, or rear side, and go away, as if saying, keep all the merit to yourself, we do not want any. They are only interested in receiving the tamarind rice Prasadam, the free food offering. That is why these days the religious speakers have dwindled in numbers drastically. Somehow they can earn a living. But their interest is in helping people with good counsel. They have faith in their hearts. They want to share it with others and give them good advice. But people are disinterested, and so such pious speakers get frustrated. So they give up that worthy occupation, get a degree in computer science, and live a life of comfort. Even their own children do not listen to them. People are satisfied if occasionally there is a religious program on TV or the radio.
People are changing. They have lost respect for Dharma. They have no respect for guru or elders. They have no fear of sin. They spit where they should not. If anyone objects, they retort rudely, who are you to ask? Such mentality is prevalent now. Whoever gives good advice is considered to be a bad person. Those who give them bad advice become their friends at once. This is nothing but demonic nature. One of those demonic traits is to cut down trees. What a sinful act it is! Why do people insist on causing harm to trees of all things on earth? If a tree is overgrown and encroaching upon the house, it is okay to trim the branches. That I have seen. But why remove the entire tree? I have seen such atrocities.
That is why Swamiji has set up the Kishkindha Bonsai Garden. It follows the model of the garden from the time of the Ramayana. Here at least you can point out to the children the different species of trees, this is such and such, and so on. Swamiji has turned into bonsai trees lots of species not hitherto used for bonsai.
Generally, bonsai artists only prefer the Ficus species. It is amenable for training in different styles, shapes, and sizes, in various beautiful models. So many different styles and contests and prizes are there, for housewives who have nothing better to do, except keep trimming their bonsai trees. Each individual develops his or her own bonsai style. Nothing wrong with that. Go ahead and do it. But grow species of trees that you can proudly show to your children. Plant such trees which are useful and the children ought to know about. That is the revolution I want. People, the famous bonsai experts, laugh when they see in bonsai form here, tamarind trees. That is foolish.
Modern day children have no chance of seeing a real tamarind tree, ever. In other countries, they would have never seen one. Whereas, when you come to this Bonsai garden here, you can see tamarind trees, banyan trees, and all other types of tree species. You can volunteer your services at the Bonsai garden. It is so beautiful. Two eyes are not enough to drink in its beauty. This year we are hosting a World Bonsai Conference here. We are doing this to make people aware. Let people come here first, and then we will grab their attention. It will cost 2-3 crores of rupees. Many people are supporting this project. This bonsai concept should become world famous. Everyone should become familiar with it.
Off and on Prasad says, in this day and age, you have to purchase truth by paying money. It used to be, in the olden days, you had to buy falsehood by bribing. For getting people to lie, or give false witness, you had to pay. But today, Dharma and Truth, you have to pay and purchase. What kind of a situation is this! I don’t understand what this is. You have to pay a person money to have him speak the truth! He would have seen what has actually occurred. But to make him acknowledge it, you have to pay him. Please say it, you have to beg him, as if you were trying to make him tell a lie for your benefit. Only if you pay, he will speak the truth. Whereas, people are readily willing to speak lies. Such false witnesses are a plenty. How a judgment takes place, only the judge must know. These days you cannot tell what is truth and what is untruth.
Narada declared this ages ago, that in this Kali Yuga, truth will be accepted as falsehood and lies will be accepted as truth. Not one such person is born, but the whole world is born like that. Very quickly you believe a lie. At once it is trusted. Whereas if truth is spoken, it is dismissed as untrue. One should hear such wondrous true tales over and over again and feel happy. No. People simply disbelieve and dismiss the truth. I do not get angry when I see such people. I swear. I feel surprised. Is this a human being, or demon? Who is this pig-face? Or is he a pig? How can people believe a lie so readily? How can they be so blind to the truth and be insistent on rejecting it? They only believe those who lie.
Trust my words today. History will prove my words to be true. We are organizing a Bonsai Conference on a Global scale. It is no child’s play. Such an event has never taken place before in India. It is not only local people who are participating, as is commonly done. We are now sponsoring visits by world-famous bonsai masters from all over, paying their travel expenses. Now our ashrama will be hosting this event one week after Datta Jayanti. This whole place will be a green heaven. You can see it with your own eyes. Those who can afford, please take membership for Rs. 5000. Enlist your family members also as members. Show your receipt and get the entry card.
We are printing a souvenir. You can sponsor a page, half page or quarter page with your felicitations or greetings or best compliments, with your family’s photo or Swamiji’s photo. In each page there will be 20 or so small columns also. There are different denominations available. Please participate. You may write a small message or experience or a slogan to promote vegetation. You must sponsor. Otherwise, we will not leave you. I will not keep making these announcements. Only now, at Navaratri, and again at Datta Jayanti. That is all. I forget, because so many different programs are happening here all the time. You pay, go in, and take a look. You may visit a hundred times also.
Twenty rupees for admission is negligible. Money is spent so easily on so many things, like coffee and face powder. You drink coffee and do not rinse your mouth with water afterwards, or even drink a sip of water. You must do it. People are afraid of losing the coffee taste in the mouth. After tea or coffee, you must wash your mouth. Then your teeth will remain white and the mouth will not smell. Do not drink any other beverages. I have experience. That is why I speak. I recommend that you do not drink coffee at all. I don’t know about tea. Okay. That is good. I spoke of many things.
Jaya Guru Datta.
Now Tulabharam program is commencing. Krishna was weighed by Rukmini with a Tulasi leaf. Here they are placing rice. It does not matter. If there is devotion that is sufficient. Yesterday one person placed only a Tulasi leaf. I questioned why he was doing that. He said, I have also placed two sacks full of rice. I said, I don’t see them. He said, whoever has devotion will see them. I raised my eyebrows. It was like some Maharaja’s story. I wondered. It was like a story in a movie.
A master told his servant, buy me two bananas for one rupee. He gave him one rupee. The person bought two bananas, but was hungry, so ate one of them happily. He placed one banana in front of his master. The master asked, where is the second banana? The servant said, there. Where? There. Where? Right there. This went on. The master got crazy. How much money did I give you? One rupee. You got two bananas? Yes. So, where is the second banana? There. Where? There. The master went completely nuts. So, place only rice on the scales.
Sri Guru Datta