Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – December 17, 2016 – Mysore
Compiled by Archana Penukonda
Sri Maha Ganapataye Namaha
Divya Nama Sankeertana (singing the divine names) is very important. We can chant the divine names anywhere and at any time. We can chant any Nama of our choosing. The penance of the Nama (divine names) should go on day and night, with every breath (ajapa japa). We can easily chant the divine names at all times of the day. If you have received initiation of mantra, that is even more powerful, but even if you did not, you can chant. You can pick any Nama, for any deity of your choosing. You must not keep changing the Nama. You must chant that same Nama until you get Mantra Siddhi (perfection/fulfillment in that Mantra). You can change the mantra once in a while for a day or two, but what you must chant all the time is what you have initiation for. You must chant constantly. Chanting the divine name is very easy to do. During all actions and activities, you can chant the divine names. That is why Sankara Bhagavadpada finally said to chant the divine name of “Govinda” in his song “Bhaja Govindam”. “Why are you unnecessarily struggling, just chant the name of Govinda with concentration and devotion”.
Chanting the divine names is the easy way of worshiping in this Kaliyuga. Any divine name is okay. You should always sing or chant your favorite deity’s name. Then you will get Mantra Siddhi and then Karya Siddhi (accomplishment in tasks). So, in order to get Karya Siddhi, we should constantly chant the mantra we are given. That is the power of the chanting the divine names.
These kids (kids from Chennai sang bhajans) knowingly or unknowingly are singing the divine names. It will be great if they continue. They came here from Chennai and sang. Such is their devotion. They have been thinking all the time about going to Mysore Ashrama and singing in the presence of Swamiji. This is a nice picnic for them. Otherwise, they are singing in their Ashrama all the time. But going far away to Karnataka and singing in the presence of Swamiji is a nice change of scene. It is satisfying. You (children) got that good fortune.
We also feel happiness singing divine names by oneself in faraway places perhaps looking at a mountain, watching the ocean or while watching Nature. We are always mired in Samsara. We must try to be happy. God’s creation is huge and magnificent. He made so much for us in creation. We should make use of it. There is a way to make use of the oceans, the seas, the mountains etc. There is a way of thinking. You must do your sadhana/spiritual practice, you must chant mantra. Bhajans means singing the divine names, it is a penance. That is very powerful penance. Singing bhajans is not like singing ordinary songs. Bhajans are very energizing. They give good energy to the body and the environment. You must learn to sing Bhajans. Learn to do Divya Nama Sankeertana. God has created so many things, in so many different ways. You must use this creation. We do not have the good fortune to use it. Only if you use it will you find happiness. Everyone must make good use of it. If you use it in the wrong manner, you will lose it, you will not get it.
Many came to Shuka Vana today and participated in the feeding. I am very happy. You must continue to come voluntarily, like you did. You will have a nice change (from your routine) and the birds will have a nice change (in their routine) too. You will have, with your own hands, done Annadana (feeding/food donation) to the birds. When you feed the birds directly with your hands, it is so satisfying. Rather than have someone else serve food, it is very satisfying to serve food ourselves and watch others eat. You can watch them eat with contentment. So, you participated happily today.
Whenever I can, I go (to Shuka Vana). I cannot go every day. You must make use of the opportunity you have on any given day. Swamiji may not go Shuka Vana again, you never know. That is why, when you have the opportunity to go with Swamiji, you must immediately go. When someone relishes the food we serve, we are very happy. The one who cooks such food is so happy, they want to serve more varieties. When someone’s stomach is full, they are happy. Nothing can satisfy a person like food can. You can give people clothes and other things, and they may want more. But when you serve food, they will be full and will not want more. The way they will look at you with contentment is so fulfilling. When the birds look at you with contentment, it is so satisfying. The birds to look at you with gratitude, you do not realize. I am watching them. The birds look at you directly. They look at the new people feeding them. We need to clear out debts – either the birds clear what they owe us or we clear what we owe them. Very beautiful feeding today. We must use the opportunity to feed the birds every day, if possible. Swamiji cannot go to Shuka Vana every day. It is rare opportunity, a rare service you have to sponsor food for the birds. Annadanam is a very important service.
We do Annadanam for human beings too. What is the opinion of those human beings? I don’t know, you can ask and find out. But, birds have only one opinion. They are very grateful and very happy for the Annadanam they receive. They show so much gratitude towards you with their eyes. Man does not show any. He may show at the time he is eating, but once he washes his hands, his mind already changes. “The food is very good today but there was no Papad”. This is how human beings are. If you feed animals, they do not know Papad, they do not know anything. They only know that their stomach is full. The show so much gratitude and happiness with their eyes. When you feed a cow, it is so happy. It does not ask for pickles or laddu (sweets). Humans ask. Humans say that the meal was nice, but pickles would have made the meal even better. “A little Gongura pickle would have made the meal so great”. “A little onion would have made this meal so wonderful”. Humans are never satisfied. You can feed them to their fill and they will say the food was enough, but they will have the feeling that they missed one item they liked. They will even have considered carrying some pickle with them in the pocket for the meal next time. You always think of food. No fasting, no vratas/vows, no pilgrimages? You keep eating three times a day. You think of eating all the time. You eat everything and then say that it would have been so nice to have lemon pickle or Papad.
This is human behavior. There is never contentment. I have been seeing this over 70 years – ever since I became aware of the world around me. Not one person is content. I made a note to myself that man can never be content. Our duty is to just serve. I told the folks in the kitchen not to worry about the taste of the food and to just serve whatever they cook. “Do not struggle. They will never be satisfied. Even the tastiest of food will not satisfy them. Why should you struggle? Just something to fill the stomach at the appropriate should be good. Why bother?”
You are responsible for making me do this. Once upon a time, I used to serve very tasty food. Many even complained about it. “Why serve such tasty food Swamiji? We get arrogant eating such food”. People that were eating were themselves complaining, “We will forget Swamiji. Please serve less tasty food and people will value the Ashram more. We will think of home and leave the third day”. That is exactly what I am doing. But when it comes to the birds, we can serve with happiness. They eat very little, their stomach is very small. Even though they are so small, their food alone costs Rs. 40,000 to Rs. 40,000 every day. Take up sponsorships for birds, give them food – sponsor food or fruits – there are many different sponsorships available in the bird park. You must enquire and participate in all the sponsorships possible. Go ahead and do it – in your interest and in my interest. So, Jaya Guru Datta.
Today is Shani Pushyami – Saturday with Pushyami being the star of the day. It is a very powerful day today. After Prasadam, have Swamiji’s Darshan one by one and then go to Bhairava temple. It is very special to have Darshan of Bhairava temple today. There may be Bhajans this evening.
Sri Guru Datta