Speeches of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – January 10, 2017 – Srikakulam
Speech in the afternoon at Chim Dattanatha Kshetram
Compiled by: Bala Aati
Sri Maha Ganapathaye Namaha
Sri Saraswathyai Namaha
Sri Pada Vallabha, Narasimha Saraswathi
Sri Guru Dattatreyaya Namaha
In this tour so far, Swamiji is first asking to raise hands who ever has a smart phone. I started a new type of discourse now. A new type of spiritual propagation. Who ever do not have a smart phone, take one. You definetely need one. Government compels you for that. Going forward, smart phone is mandatory. May be one or two years you may survive without it, but future demands it. You must learn to operate it else it will be difficult for you. You need it after 4 5 years. Don’t feel that you are aged and you don’t need it. You are providing convent education to your children spending so much of money. You even put them in hostel and visit only after ten years. You would have forgotten their face also. You are educating them so much. Learn from them. So, don’t say that you do not know to operate a smart phone. Say everyone knows. You must know. You must learn. Swamiji’s Bhagavatam comes in phone itself. You don’t even need a TV for that. You don’t need to read too. You can listen to it in your phone daily. We are working on posting Ramayana, Bhagavata, Upanishads everything in phone. Ramayana will be in your pocket. Bhagavadgita will be in your pocket. Bhagavata will be in your pocket. Now Bhagavata is being posted. Bhaktimala also will be in your pocket. You will get in the language you need. What more do you want ? You can even enlarge the font in your small phones. Those with visual problems also can read. You can ask your children to read it for you. If you have it, you can do anything. So all of you take it.
Who ever installed SGS Posts in their phones, raise your hand. Who ever installed it today, raise your hand. Who ever did not install it so far, please do it immediately. It is good for you. If you need Swamiji’s blessings, install it. If you dont need my blessings, then forget it. If you need Swamiji’s blessings on your family, you must install SGS Posts App and Bhaktimala. Ask someone to help you. It is a free App. You will have it in your phone. You can see it whenever you can just by pressing a button. Prime Minister Modi ji is now encouraging mobile transactions. He is persistently doing it. This is the future. You need to learn these 4-5 steps in your phone. It is not just meant for hello hello. You must learn to do these transactions also. You may think why Swamiji is talking so much about smart phones in Srikakulam. Because this is the place to talk about it. This is the place of business. Both villagers and city people are here. These days everyone is taking modern education. If you can’t operate a smart phone, it is an insult for you. So, you must learn. Bhagavadgita will be with you in the phone. Bhaktimala will be with you. SGS Posts will be there in the language you want. There is a 30 member team doing this for Swamiji. You may think Swamiji will be free at Mysore. No. 24 hours is insufficient for me. Swamiji is doing spiritual seva everywhere. You do not know. Hanuman Chalisa was chanted for 1135 crores. It is impossible without the help of technology and internet. Swamiji’s Hanuman Chalisa was put up on Sound Cloud and it goes on continously. You can just login and start playing. The count goes on your name. You can keep listening to it. See, how easy it was made for you. It is because of this, 1135 crores of chant was possible. It has to continue. All of you work towards it.
You ask Swamiji to speak few words. First try to digest what was told. I have come here for so many years. I spoke so many words. Sang so many bhajans. Do you remember anything ? Is it always speaking ? You should take it also. The more you take, the more I feel like saying. Else, I feel it is waste of my energy. You must absorb what you have heard. Then you must recollect ( mananam) and then ponder over it. (Mathanam) You must also listen. (Sravanam). Actually you must read (patanam). But its ok. You listen. You dont have time to read. Vision problem. Books have small font. You love Swamiji. You have great devotion. You believe Swamiji. You have great expectations on Swamiji. Then listen to His words. Do what ever He says. Hundred things are being told. Follow atleast one or two. That will be so nice. If you listen all hundred from one ear and leave it out from the other ear, what is the use ? How much can Guru also speak ? A mother can take care of her son only to a certain extent. If another child is born, she will take care of the new born. Similarly I’m also attracted towards new devotees. Hence you must follow Guru. When you follow my words, you will draw my attention. A teacher likes a student who responds to his teachings. Hence, he will be motivated to teach new lessons. If you dont respond to atleast one lesson, teacher doesn’t feel like teaching at all. So, he too will spend time with his phone, play video games and leave. He wont teach. Reason, we don’t respond to him. You must follow Guru’s words. When you follow what you heard, then you will get new teachings. That is the technique with Sadguru. Many devotees here have come to Mysore. Many are planning to come. Some have already planned and have not come to Mysore so far. They have become aged now and are sick too. They cannot move now. Atleast you dont make that mistake. Come to Mysore when you still have energy to move. Who all came to Mysore, raise your hand. See, many have come. Its a great experience. I’m happy to see your faces. How many of you are planning to come ? Raise your hands. Why did Swamiji raise His hand ? Because, I too want to go to Mysore. It is Vaikunta. Yesterday, during Vaikunta Ekadasi, there were 100,000 people to see Lord Datta Venkateshwara and Dattatreya. The queue went on till 11 pm. Both the roads were closed due to rush. Entire Mysore came to ashrama. Mysore people likes Swamiji so much. They love Him. They will do anything for Swamiji. There are poor and rich people too. They do anything for Swamiji. I dont need to come here at all. I didn’t come for money. I came to see you all. It is a loss for me if I come here for money. It is better to stay there. If you feel I have come here for money, let me tell you, it is a loss for me. More over, I incur additional expenditure for coming here. I shed my energy too. I dont need your money. It comes to my feet even if I refuse. I dont care for money. I need you. A relationship is established between us due to karma from previous births. You are indebted to Guru. Clear it. I promised you in some birth which I am fulfilling it now. Something happened in between. Either you left me or I lost my way. So, we met now again. You are not leaving me . You caught hold of me again reminding me of my promise. So at least now, alert yourelf and learn knowledge.
Lot of Hanuman Chalisa parayana happened here. Very happy. Many devotees are performing Anagha vratham here regularly. Many established a relationship with Hanuman here in Srikakulam ashram. Poeple come running to see Hanuman. They can’t live without seeing Hanuman. If you feel like coming to ashram, don’t postpone. Come immediately. Have darshan of Gayathri devi and Chim Dattanatha Swamy. Installation of Yantra is important. Another important installation of Yantra is for Hanuman. Pray to Him and chant Hanuman Chalisa. He is future Brahma. He fulfills all our wishes. He fulfills some of our wishes and stps having further desires. We have peculiar wishes. Those cannot happen. Such peculiar they are. How is it possible for a 99 year old man to go to Manasa Sarovar by walk ? He cannot even get up from his bed and walk till bathroom. Thats a wrong desire. Isn’t it ? Wish for a smooth departure (of body). That will happen.
Have a wish per your eligibility. Dont wish haphazardly. How can a small head carry 100 kilos weight of basket on its top ? It comes by practice and we haven’t done it. Even a person with 100 kilos weight cannot lift it. May be he can carry 20-30 kilos. That also is difficult. If you do that, someone has to lift you till hospital. Similarly, you should not wish for impossible things. Someone wished to eat fire as breakfast. Is that possible ? No crazy man also will ask for it. Even a person in coma will react to fire. So, you must wish per your eligibility. Even eating food also has to be in similar fashion. If you continously eat junk, oil food, fried snacks, you will have blockages and failure of kidneys. So, they say control in food. Food intake should be moderate. Similarly control in Vihara. Do not run here and there where ever mind takes you. Then control in thoughts. Speak only what is required. Two people sit and gossip about the third person. Istn’t that wrong ? Do you both gossip about each other ? No. If you do that, you land in trouble. So you both gossip about the third person and feel extremely happy. Is that a topic to talk ? Why is that your neighbour a topic for your discussion. You say, see, she has come and sat in front of Swamiji. Let her sit. Why are you bothered ? She is not sitting in your lap. These are the kind of useless topics you talk about. You must stop them. Think before you talk. Do not talk as you like. When you follow such rules, you become disciplined. Discipline leads to understanding of all the upanishads and lessons told by Sadguru. Else, we cannot understand. Even a simple story you cannot understand. You are just coming and going. What is the use ? What are you gaining out of it ? It is like climbing Tirupathi hill, eating Laddu and coming back. What have you gained out of it ? Only waste of money and energy. Is your mind transformed except a satisfaction of going to the hill ? Nothing else.
Are you waiting to have food if Swamiji leaves you soon ? I’m not the one to leave you so soon. We must not wait for food. Food must wait for us. You should not run for it. Where will it go ? At the least it becomes cold. No problem. Eat it.
So, by following your dharma and your principles, you will prosper. So, like I told you, everyone install SGS Posts App. Is someone doing it here ? Take the help of children. Youngsters go to them and help them. Young girls go to them, say uncle, please give your phone, grab it and install it for them. If it is a boy, they grumble at them, People like girls. So, girls go and do it. Smart phone is meant for that. After having the App in your phone, you will realise its value. You will feel happy. Americans are crazy for this App. They ask for it. We are planning to reach out to lakhs of people. Everyone should know Bhagavata is Swamiji’s Sankalpa. Everyone should listen to it. Those sounds should go into your ears. It comes with English translation also. It is made very simple. Appaji speaks as though He is speaking with you. Devotees who are close to me should be able to tell me that day’s episode. Is there someone who can tell that now ? Listen one more time before evening. Swamiji made it very beautifully. It goes to 10 lakh people at a time world wide. It should reach out to 10 lakh people is my sankalpa. Every word is translated to English since English speaking people are more. You and your children will improve on your English skills. You wll be able to speak in English also.
I told you so much. Inspite of all this, if you have not installed SGS Posts App, throw your phone in drainage. If you dont install this App, your phone will be damaged. Put it under a train or under a Volvo bus. I become so angry if you don’t install it. Then come and tell me that you have put your phone under a bus. I will be happy and will give you a new phone. Even then, I wont leave you. I will give you a new phone. Now all of you meditate for 10 mins.
Speech in the evening
Compiled by: Archana Penukonda
There is a tradition of writing songs in Swamiji’s family. Now Bala Swamiji also writes. If Swamiji gives the Pallavi (the thematic line of the song), Bala Swamiji writes the Charanas (stanzas). Swamiji has given Bala Swamiji such great energy. Occasionally we debate about what is written and Swamiji gives (Pujya Bala Swamiji) suggestions on what to write. There are so many of those Bhajans. Swamiji sometimes sings those bhajans. They are very nice. Also, Kuppa Krishna Murthy, a great scholar in Hyderabad who keeps coming to Mysore Ashrama writes bhajans. Swamiji tells him the essence/meaning of the Sanskrit Bhajan in the form of a Pallavi and has him write the Bhajans. There are thousands of those Bhajans too. Sometimes, Swamiji sits by himself and writes or corrects those Bhajans. When I combine all of them, there will be a total of 74,000 Bhajans as opposed to the 6,000 that are known today. They have not been printed. They have just been kept aside. We pull out a Bhajan on occasion and translate to Tamil or to Hindi. Swamiji gives them to two or three devotees who speak Hindi, who happen to have M.D. degrees. He tells them the Pallavi and has them write the Bhajans. Sri Phanishree also writes. There is a great deal of work going on all the time. Whenever Swamiji has time he even records the Bhajans. So, I get some people to write by giving them the meaning, I get some others to write by giving them the Pallavi. Some I get written based on the subject of a discourse or based on Saptahas (week-long discourse on a particular topic). Those have not been publicized. You cannot sing them just anywhere. They are good in the context of the divine discourse – they are conversations between the characters. They may not all be suited for general Bhajan singing.
The song you sang “Kali Kali” is such a wonderful song. You sang a Hindi song before that. Well done! I did not think you would sing that well. If the violin had more pickup, it would have been very nice. You can also have a harmonium, that will help fix your mistakes. You (the teacher who taught them the bhajans) got them trained well. I am very happy. The violin did not have enough (sound) pick up. The violin did not have a microphone. If it did, it would have been nicer. Get them ready (to sing more bhajans). Download the Bhajans. Swamiji has more music on iTunes than other musicians and Swamis. He has plenty of albums on iTunes. If you just search for “Swamiji” you will see his music. Download some from there. Give more training. Teach music in two groups. The voice is a little off, but the children are making up for it quite well. Develop a second group as well. What is your name? [Ishwar] Come to Mysore Ashrama.
Since Swamiji will not travel for a year, they will have to come to the Ashram and sing, since they cannot stay away from Swamiji for very long. Get some new Bhajans ready in the meanwhile. Very good.
Another thing is that, every time I come to Srikakulam, I get a little annoyed. I noticed I did not get annoyed this time. I have affection as well as annoyance for Srikakulam. But this time, I had only affection, no annoyance. I wondered why. Your stage arrangements were not right previously. Those who sat on the floor could not see me. That was one problem. Second, real devotees would struggle sitting on the floor. And on either side would be seated the important people who were too noisy. It would feel like a cinema hall, I would get annoyed and go away. But this time, good thinking prevailed and you arranged the stage quite well. We can arrange the permanent stage here and also arrange for sheets overhead so it’ll be convenient when we have bhajans or Pujas or other events. I talk as if I will keep coming back often, but I do not know. Whatever I say can get me in trouble. I am getting old, who knows. I am even wearing glasses now. You do not think these are glasses? Okay, I thought I would lie to you, but you found out that they are just anti-glare glasses.
This time I feel very calm. There is one more reason for it. Can you guess? [Devotees said they were disciplined]. Everyone is disciplined, but that is not the reason. People from four villages did not come. Why? [Devotees replied that Swamiji visited them already]. That is why it is not chaotic this time. If they were here, they would have stepped all over you. They have a lot of devotion, what to do? Our Ashram is too small to accommodate everyone. That is why I am sitting here longer. If they were here, I would not be sitting this long. I do not know why. They make too much noise. They try to come closer.
Another thing I am very happy about is that you installed SGS Posts on 235 phones instead of on the 150 planned. I cannot believe it. [To those volunteers who helped install SGS Posts on devotees’ phones] Did you really do that many? Did you write down their names? Did you note down their phone numbers? That is okay then. I can look up the computer to see if those phone numbers have SGS Posts. Those who helped download SGS Posts come for Pada Namaskara [the volunteers got to touch Swamiji’s feet]. We want everyone to bring 25 people each to SGS Posts. You must get your friends to download SGS Posts. People in India don’t listen when you tell them, just grab their phones and download SGS Posts. You installed SGS Posts for everyone that came to this event in Srikakulam. It sounds so beautiful even to hear. It is as if Swamiji is telling a story.
Many of you swiped your cards here too. It is for small amounts, but it is wonderful money of love. That money goes directly to Swamiji. For example, Swamiji does not use trust funds for Guru Nilayam expenses. He uses his own money. Even vegetables – devotees bring vegetables, but I also order them sometimes – are paid for with Swamiji’s money. There is some work to be done in Guru Nilayam. I do not give the bill for that work to the trust. I pay with my own money. Even electricity bill, I pay with my own money. We made it separate from other accounts. Swamiji’s driver, Swamiji’s gardener are all paid with Swamiji’s own money. Swamiji’s medical expenses are also covered with these funds. You may wonder if Swamiji gets medical treatments too. Whenever I go to Singapore, they do free checkup at a big hospital. Access to that place is highly restricted. Swamiji’s stay is arranged at a big house for a few days while he goes through all the checkups. But Swamiji has to pay for travel. That has to come from Swamiji’s account. When I go to Singapore or to the US, the trust will not pay for that. The rules do not allow it. It has to go only from Swamiji’s account. This money also helps pay the caretaker of Swamiji’s animals, pay for Swamiji’s cow’s food etc. So, it goes for the most noble tasks. No one knows all this. Very few secretly used to write checks to Swamiji for his personal use. I used to immediately use it for Swamiji’s funds. Now, I cannot take the money that way. It has to go into the account first. Thanks to Mr. Modi(Prime Minister of India). It has to go through the account and the taxes have to be paid accordingly. I will use whatever is left after paying taxes. But some of you even paid the tax while donating. You felt Swamiji would have to pay Rs. 300 as tax on the Rs. 1000 I donated, so only Rs. 700 would go to his account. So I’ll pay the Rs. 300 tax as well so the full Rs. 1000 can go to the account. You did not want to have Swamiji bother about paying the taxes.
I am telling you one more thing in this context. Coming to Srikakulam during this Andhra tour is a big miracle. I wanted to come here before, but it was not going to happen. There are 2 important people that were to come to Mysuru. I would have gone from Eluru to Mysuru on a special flight. This (trip to Srikakulam) was not in the plan. I was to go to Mysuru. Because you are fortunate, they changed their mind. They said, “We do not want to ever disturb Swamiji from his programs, we will come another time”. They returned from Bengaluru. They are very important leaders of the country. That is why I came to Srikakulam.
Hanuman is wonderful. Worship this Hanuman. Come here and do Hanuman Chalisa Parayana occasionally. Do Anagha Vratam. Swamiji loves Bhajans. Listen to those who are singing Bhajans. Listening is also meritorious. Like that, arrange for good programs.
I like Annadanam (food donation) a lot. It should happen everywhere. Just feed those who come here. Sometimes, there may not be many others, so you can take it as Prasadam. But definitely serve the poor people as well. That is real Annadanam. If you alone eat and call it Annadanam, that does not count. You say, “Annadanam went on very well. We fed 3000 people”. I ask, “How did you do that?” You say, “We ate everything”. How is that Annadanam? You must feed those who are hungry. [The devotees mentioned that they feed the poor every Sunday].
You must send the photos to “Share Your Food”. If you send, those photos will get posted to the “Share Your Food” Facebook account. Srikakulam photos will keep appearing in that account. Keep doing the Annadanam on Sundays. Annadanam is very important. People cannot stand hunger. Among charities, Annadanam first and then Pranadanam (Prana=life, danam=donation) are very important. Offering Pranadanam (immediate help as necessary) and then Annadanam are good. Hold on to these first, then you can do other charities as possible. If God gives us, we can give others. God will be very happy with that.
In Bhagavatam they say that an individual who donated food once was given a king’s position. I will tell you one more story. I do not know if you heard these old stories. In Vaikuntha, Karna was living in great royal luxury. But he was very unhappy. Many gods lined to up to see him. All 333 crore Gods had lined up, not just 1-2 committee members. Indra was also there. But Karna was very sad. He was also crying. “You are resting on a bed of swan feathers. You are in great luxury. Even Lord Vishnu does not get these luxuries. Why are you sad?”, asked Indra. Narada who was nearby said, “I will tell you listen, he cannot tell you. He made many charities, he gave away his karna kundalas (special earrings he was born with) and even gave away his body to Lord Vishnu. He did many charities, but he did not do Annadanam. That is why in Vaikuntha, he is getting all luxuries, but is not getting food.
That is why donate food to other beings. Whichever world you go to after – Brahma Loka or Vaikuntha or any other world, you will get food there. If you feed one person, the Lord feeds seven generations of ancestors.
We have a bowl here where you can place a fistful of rice. How many of you will donate, raise your hand? Okay, many of you will. You can collect all this and send to Mysore Ashrama to feed the poor. Or, you can use it for Annadanam here as well. You cook at home anyway. Set aside a fistful of rice each day. Consider it as Bhiksha (offering of food to divine souls) for the Lord when setting it aside. Whenever you come to the temple, put that rice here in the bowl. Sometimes, you might forget setting aside that rice due to our travels or for other reasons. Calculate how much rice you would need to set aside for those days and bring that rice. Pour that rice in the Datta Bhiksha pot. [Devotees said they were doing this already]. How many are doing this, raise your hand? Very few. How many can do it in the future? Do not raise our hand just because you have one. You are taking an oath in the presence of Swamiji. If you personally offer the rice, that is good for you. But if you cannot personally come to the temple, have a volunteer or other Matru Mandali members bring that rice. Use this only for the poor. You should not eat this. Make other arrangements, but do not touch that rice. Do not make tamarind rice from that and eat. Bring your own food that day to eat. [Devotees said they were donating that rice to charitable organizations]. Send me a photo each week.
Not just here, you can follow practice “Share Your Food” anywhere. Feed a dog, feed any being. Share the photo. Feed the stray dog, not your pet dog. Feed a cow or a crow. Feed birds. When they eat, we feel so happy. You must experience that. It is so moving to see the dogs eat so eagerly from that extreme hunger. I feel so much compassion when I see them eat. I do not look around during my road trips. I cannot at all bear to see those stray animals. I cannot bear to see the stray cows eat paper. I have stopped countless times to feed them. How many times can I stop? People should think about it. We should not just ignore them. We should feed them. Give them some fruits. It is good for you. Try it once and see how much peace of mind it gives you.
Appaji’s devotees in Mumbai feel bad when they have to travel. They ask their neighbors to feed the birds in their absence. When they go to see Swamiji, they entrust the duty to their neighbors. The crows, the sparrows, the eagles do not belong to anyone. The people in Mumbai give them water. It is hard to find water in Mumbai even in the winter. There are thousands of Marathi devotees in Mumbai, they offer grains and water to the birds. They entrust the job of feeding the birds to their neighbors when they travel. If you feed those birds one or two days, they will come back the third day at the exact same time. You must experience this. Will you do this? You must. Same thing with the cow. If you feed it on two days, it will come back on the third day. Give it a little rice. I hope you will do this.
Jaya Guru Datta.
Pray that I come back soon.
May good things happen to you.