Speeches of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – January 28, 2017 – Chennai
Compiled by: Smt Hira Duvvuri and Archana Penukonda
Speech in the morning
Give a big chocolate for installing SGS Posts. Why only a small chocolate? All of you youngsters help others to download the posts. Swamiji has given discourses on the Bhagavatam. The episodes are posted on SGS Posts. SGS Posts is in 6 languages. All of them have English translation. Everybody should get the app. It is supported on android and iOS. So, everyone who has a smart phone, get the SGS Posts app. When you see the messages anytime, not necessarily in the morning, there are some nice suggestions in Swamiji’s words. If there are kids at home, let them read the English, it will improve their English and will improve their memory. Nice English translations are there. They give you strength, those messages. Two volunteer kids are coming to you. Give them your phone and they will install the app for you. Those who have the app, thanks. If you have phones that are not supported, I can’t help it. Get a phone that will support these.
Peethapuram is a village that is quite poor. There were 1000-2000 people there. Swamiji kept announcing about SGS Posts. The people went the next morning – you won’t believe it, they are quite poor – they bought new phones, about 100 of them. I had tears in my eyes. I told them it was hard for them for acquire them. They said they needed phones anyway, since Modi’s programs needed it. We had kids at home who bought it for us, no problem, they said. They got SGS Posts on the phone. The kids activated the phone and installed SGS Posts. That is how much dedication they had. They want to follow Swamiji’s words. They want to be connected to Swamiji. If you do that, God will surely help you. Swamiji will give you darshan certainly. You all get SGS Posts. Tell your friends about it. From Android Play Store, just type in SGS Posts, and you can download easily. There are Tamil messages too. You will get a missed call. Give your email ID and you will get it. Everyone must install it. There will be Tamil lectures too in the future. Now here are Telugu videos on Bhagavatam. Edited old discourses also will be posted.
Maybe I should do Bhagavatam in this Ashram. Once, I gave a 7-day discourse on Bhagavatam here. Perhaps you remember. Then, you can hear it live again and afterwards have it on SGS Posts also. Swamiji’s style is different. It won’t be what you are used to. Swamiji’s style and meaning are unique. The story is the same. Krishna and Yashoda are the same. I don’t change the name to Mr. Krishnan or Madam Yashoda. The names don’t change, just the language. Swamiji’s language is child’s language. I don’t use big words. I speak in a language that everybody can understand. It is child’s language. In pure, Crystal clear language. Pure Tamil. It is heart-to-heart language. Whatever Swamiji speaks, goes straight to the heart. There is no need to look out for special meaning. No need for special explanation or commentary. Swamiji will put a lot more content into SGS Posts. Right now, Bhagavatam is posted for the Telugu audience, since there are many Telugu subscribers. There are many Telugu devotees. You will understand the Telugu language or you can read the English translation under the video. We can understand the bhavam or meaning very clearly. The videos are about 10 minutes long. Do not miss it. Once you get the app, you can watch the videos whenever you have time. Give it importance. At your leisure, you can listen or view the messages.
Everybody must get the app. How many of you are Telugu people? Oh, many of you. How many can understand Telugu? No problem then. Telugu is a simple, musical language. Tamil is a grammar language. It is like a second Sanskrit, a second daiva bhasha, divine language. Sage Agastya gave us this language. It is the language of Siva. First Sanskrit, then Tamil is the second language. Sanskrit is the first language. Later Hindi and then Telugu and then Kannada came. After Tamil, came Malayalam. Malayalam has a lot of Sanskrit. The Malayalam people understand Sanskrit. Telugu people can understand Tamil. If you look at our history, there are many Telugu poets and people lived in Tamil Nadu and many Tamil people in Telugu regions. Almost half the population was like that. So, they are like brothers. Tamil and Telugu are like Balarama and Krishna. Same even today. The film industry is also like that. Tamil and Telugu states were the same, back then. One time, both Telugu and Tamil people shared the same state. It’s a pure, crystal clear language. If you go to Salem, Tanjavur, and Madurai, the language changes a little. Those who don’t know that variation in dialect, think a little before they speak. Tamil Nadu is like a small America. It has a mix of different culture.
Tamil Nadu is like a separate India. Tamil Nadu is like Bharata Mata. Everybody is fed here, all cultures. Each does something, some occupation, just like in Mumbai. People come for business or profession. Even among all people, Chennai is first. People come her to get rest as well. It is the laziest state, great language state, state that gives life and food. Millionaires and billionaires are also in this state. Very poor people are also here. Scholars are there, big cinema actors, big Swamis are also here. This is such a mix. It’s like a small America. Such a Tamil Nadu is a melting pot. We welcome everyone with idli, vada, and sambar. Sometimes, with frustration, you might complain. There are no jobs, sometimes. But you all have good hearts. I don’t usually praise like this. I am always scolding. I am saying what is. I am speaking the truth. The language is very easy. It is easy to understand and speak. We can grasp the meaning quite easily. In between if I speak Malayalam, don’t mind.
Tamil Nadu is a good state. There are many educated people here. First Kerala, next Tamil Nadu, third AP, is what I said, for literacy. English studies, first Kerala, next Tamil Nadu, then Karnataka but first and second are important for me. Such knowledge is here. There is religion and faith in God, and there are atheists, both are here. There are some who come to Swamiji when there is nobody around. They don’t want the word to get out that they have come to visit. They don’t want their names in the newspaper. Everybody is a devotee of Sri Rama. But due to the politics, they don’t want their name to get out. They make statements as if they don’t believe in God. It is all a drama. Those who follow them are getting misguided. But those leaders are secretly coming to Swamiji. We follow different leaders who seem to be against each other. The leaders secretly meet and collaborate, and we are left fighting. If the leaders do this type of switching sides, why not us? We will also believe in God. If we want to live well, we have to have a firm mind. We should not waver in our convictions.
Your mind should not change. Don’t change the party. Do not change your nature. When you adhere to a philosophy, you should follow that. Tomorrow, we have a big event. That is Hanuman Chalisa. Tell your friends about the event. Invite them. Each person should bring a thousand people. Not just a list of names. Bring 100 people. If you can’t, bring 50 people. If you can’t, bring 10 people at least, each one of you individually. Tell everyone. Spread the word. It is only 2 hours long. It wil be peaceful and energizing. Group prayers are very powerful. As a reward for group prayers, great incarnations have come out of it. Krishna and Rama were an outcome of group prayers When we do that, it is very energizing. We cannot explain it. For forty years, that energy will remain. You are all sitting here.
If you chant a slogan of victory, like: Jai Veera Hanuman ki jai. This will last for 40 years. You must participate in this slogan of victory. Don’t sit mum. Don’t feel shy to shout slogans of victory or for chanting God’s name.
Jai Veera Hanuman ki Jai.
There are three types of chanting. Sri Ram Jai Ram, Hare Krishna, Narayana, Daya sagara, Om Namassivaya. It is a kind of penance.
You must wake up thinking of Lord Hanuman. You have been given life by God. I am alive. You must thank God for this life. When someone does a small favor, we thank them. If they help with your bag, you say thanks. They say no mention. For small things also, we must thank God. How much more should we thank God. He gave us this life, this breath. Today I am alive, thank you. You don’t thank the house owner, for leaving at peace so you can sleep well. Thank your owner – God. Then, you can look around the house and thank everyone in the family. You came to me as husband, as children, as brother, as daughter, give thanks to everyone. This is what we should say in the morning. We should look at each other with happiness and with a smile. Some look at each other with anger and rage, like demons. We start our morning cursing the milkman, the government, the water department, or the electricity department. We show anger on them, the one who is next to us, saying, “Seeing your face first thing in the morning, my day is ruined”. You fall and hurt yourself, you put the blame on others.
A small story comes to mind. A small king was there. Early in the morning, when the king woke up, there was a big garden. It was not a small yard like ours, where we are happy with the two trees we have. You even show Swamiji those trees, this flower plant, that tree, and so on, 5 at the most, small ones. Some have only two flowers, some flowers change colors. You even show those to Swamiji, who has traveled the whole world, as if these are wonders. Swamiji appreciates it and commends you, saying he never saw anything like that before. That makes you happy. Then you show more trees, like a coconut tree or an areca tree. There is a tree that doesn’t give even a single fruit. You show how the tree that goes over your terrace. When Swamiji appreciates, you are happy. Mango tree, doesn’t give a single fruit. You say the doctor said it will give a fruit later. You have doctors for trees. May be the big cities do. We have gardeners. We do not have tree doctors. Did you have the doctor give injection to the tree to give mangos? Yes Swamiji. Please come next year, I will give you mangos. Yes, I need to come to your house for mango and ask you for one.
This king had a big garden. Also had a Tulasi garden. He has a statue of Krishna. He moves the big screen and opens the window and looks out. One day, something strange happened. In the olden days, a barber, navitan, ambattan – come and trims the beard. These days every man is his own barber, shaving his own beard. All barber shops are closed. Upstairs, on the head, hair does not even grow. So, no need to worry.
On that day, the king saw a barber walking on the street. He saw him and the barber saw the king. Both their eyes met. He was coming to serve the king. As he moved back into the room, the king hit his head on the window frame. He got enraged and ordered that the head of the barber be cut off, because he brought him bad luck first thing in the morning. The guards caught the barber and brought him in. The king angrily said, Kill him right away. I saw your face and got a bump on my head. It is paining.
The poor barber was going on his way, minding his own business. The king asked the barber to make his last wish. It would be fulfilled if at all possible. The barber said, I was hungry, and looking for work. O king you saw me and I saw you. Seeing my face, you just got a bump on your head. You are suffering. But seeing your face, I am going to die, said the barber, spitting with disgust. Anyway, he was going to be hanged. Seeing my face, all you got was a bruise, not even bleeding. Your face is a wretched face which is taking my life itself. The king saw light and freed the barber.
Like that some people curse the people in their house for seeing their face. We should wake up and see a picture of God. Have a photo of the deity of your choosing, be it Siva, or Ayyappa, or Vishnu. Keep any photo you wish. Don’t keep my photo. I don’t want to see your face first thing in the morning and get any bad luck. Some telepathy may occur, and something may happen to me. I don’t want that. I have to protect myself. Keep any God. Offer prostrations to that Lord first thing in the morning. Rama, Krishna, Siva, Ambika, Guruvayurappa. Then, carry on with the rest of your morning activities, like brushing teeth and so on. Do not drink coffee before that. You must not drink coffee before you brush your teeth. Many people want bed coffee. The moment they open their eyes, they want coffee. You must remember God, before thinking about coffee. Without coffee, they can’t breathe. Without tea, they can’t breathe. Even now, Tanjavur filter coffee, Madras coffee, Madras tea, Kumbakonam coffee are all very popular. People are in heaven when they have their cup of coffee. Some people keep coffee powder next to them when the they go to bed. Some people keep Vicks if they have a cold. They inhale. Some announce in the night itself, to wife or daughter, or whoever serves them, what they want in the morning, the type of coffee they require. Filter coffee. They sit in the couch and first want coffee. Until then, nothing. Then they pick up the newspaper. They read from end to end, from the first syllable to the last. Then, they pick up the phone. This is the early morning routine – coffee, paper, TV. They pick up the remote and keep changing channels. No satisfaction. This is our Sunday routine. Early morning activities are done. After that, some have a shower, some do not.
After life goes, when we are aware of nothing, some other people come and give our body a bath. Even at birth, they give us a bath, and we do not know. The doctor or nurse does that. In between many people do not bathe. I have seen many such stinking people, using Paris scent. I have seen people who have not taken a shower for 2-3 months. They wear the same clothes over and over again. They fold the saree and wear it again the next day. Teri cotton clothes give bad odor. At least once in two days, you must change your clothes. When you wear clean clothes, your mind is clean. When you keep the body clean, you can experience the principle of God. You must keep your exteriors clean – your eyes, your nose, and your body. It is an exercise, which is a must. Cold water is better, warm water is also okay. Clean water. Some people go in the bathroom and empty the entire water before they come out. They use up all the hot water from the geyser. These days, cleverly they have made geysers which work only when the switch is turned on. Otherwise the next person in the queue will not have bath water.
Swamiji, is this also an Upanishad? Yes, it is. It is like the Bhagavad Gita. These are rules for daily life. You must be clean. You must be truthful. Your speech must be clear and clean. When they speak, others must benefit. When some speak, others run away. They speak non-stop about their problems. The listener goes crazy. Always speak minimally.
Eating. Many cannot stop eating. They drink a little water and then eat some more. We keep serving them food. They keep eating. Out of a craving, people lose restraint in eating. What will happen to your body, to your health? Think about your health. You must stop eating when you think you can eat a little more. Otherwise, you will burst for two days, being overfed. You will become obese. Why empty the dish into your stomach?
Same with travel. Travel minimally. We do everything in excess. We go overboard with things. Do not buy things that are not necessary. If it is on sale, you buy things you don’t even need. You do not use it even once. It is only for show. It will go bad. Only buy what you need. Why buy things you do not need?
How many sarees will you wear? 20-30? That is enough. After two years, buy a few more. Some have 50-60 or 100 sarees. They want all kinds of saris, sarees from a new movie. I don’t know the movie names, you know the names. You want the saree that you saw in that movie, worn by that character. You are so attracted to it. You miss sarees that you like, but don’t have. You won’t die if you do not get that saree. Be content with what you have. Until we wear that saree we like, we cannot sleep. The border is so nice. You speak so highly as if it is the Bhagavatam. You get obsessed. One hour lecture on the saree. We rave about the color and the design of the pallu. The color of the saree is so unique. We must go to the same shop and get that particular sari. We have a lot of inquiry about the saree.
Why is Swamiji saying all this? I will speak what I can. I can speak, so I do. I don’t know Tamil, but I speak somehow. If I am quiet, what is the use? I will not learn Tamil. I just go for it. I speak boldly. I speak happily. I say what there is to say. I don’t know if this is Veda or love stuff. I know nothing. But you have given me a title. Good. Thank you.
I just came from Andhra, the Telugu land. It will take a day for me to get adjusted to Tamil language. Whatever I say, Telugu comes out easily.
I am talking about our habits. When you wake up in the morning, think of God. Offer Namaskaram. Retrospect at bedtime, about your activities during the day. Think of what you did good, and what you did bad. Don’t say, I didn’t do anything wrong. Don’t say you are the younger brother of Satya Harishchandra. We have all done mistakes. You may have knowingly or unknowingly done something bad. You may have stepped on a little insect and killed it, inadvertently. So, whatever mistakes we have done, knowingly or unknowingly, ask for forgiveness. Then you will sleep well. Wash your feet and sleep. If you can’t, wipe them with a wet towel and sleep. Then you will sleep well, whenever you decide to go to bed, like me, whether it is at ten, nine, or even six O’clock. Sleep is a gift from God. I cannot sleep, I don’ know why, I thought. I saw the compass, and slept with the head in the right direction. Then I slept quickly. I told Bala Swamiji. We should not place our head towards north. It is not good. East or west is good.
These are small repairs we must do in life. If those details are taken care of, our Wi-Fi system will work very well. That means you must pay good attention to what I say. Tomorrow evening Hanuman Chalisa. Big program. All of you come. We should gather there. Whatever Tulasidas gave us, we’ll chant. We’ll decide, based on time. Once I sit on the Vyasa Peetha, whether we do 9 or 18 times, I will decide, not now, based on the vibration and the atmosphere there. Both are good, 9 times or 18 times. Even if it is just one time, it is great, if it is singing with Swamiji. Group prayers are great. God is immensely pleased by it.
If anyone has brought fruits or flowers, please offer them now.
Sri Guru Datta
Speech in the evening
Sri Maha Ganapataye Namaha
Sri Saraswatyai Namaha
Sripada Vallabha Narasimha Saraswati
Sri Guru Dattatreyaya Namaha
This morning many people came. Tomorrow is the big event. Hanuman Chalisa, Hanuman principle, Hanuman darshan we will have tomorrow. So many people when they gather in one place to chant together the Hanuman Chalisa it generates immense energy. It is indescribable. Bhajan singing also does the same. One Veda consists of 36 lakhs and 86 syllables. Each letter has a specific meaning. Two syllables together as a unit, has a certain meaning. When three syllables are joined, it gives a different meaning. Such greatness, the syllables of the Veda have. Holy names of God are similar. Bhagavatam is a treasure chest of devotion. One must study it any number of times, never complaining that there is no time.
King Parikshit had only seven days to live. Those days people used to live from 300 to 1000 years. Parikshit was perhaps 200 years old then. He was a young king. Raja, meaning king, indicates greatness. Guru Maharaj is what a Guru is referred to. It means he is very pure and exalted. Those qualities deserve the title of king.
Parikshit was cursed to die in seven days. The mistake he committed was minor. He put a dead snake on the neck of a sage who was in deep meditation. The sage’s son got angry and cursed the king for insulting his father. He said the king would die of a snake bite. That is the story. Shameeka, the sage came to his consciousness and found about the hasty and inappropriate action of his son, and sent word to the king informing him of the curse.
Shuka Brahma went to Parikshit and narrated to him the Bhagavatam in seven days. It is because of Sage Shuka that we now have the Bhagavatam. There are many great characters in the Bhagavatam. Of those who sang the praises of God, Prahlada is famous. He kept chanting Narayana Narayana …All the time. He was constantly chanting this Mantra and remembering God all the time. That is what granted him the vision and grace of God. Same thing occurred with Dhruva. In his story, we learn that he also had darshan of God similarly. Ajamila story is similar. In Gajendra Moksham also, as soon as he called out to Narayana, he was liberated. Draupadi also called out to Krishna and at once he came to her rescue. In all the stories in the Bhagavatam, we hear of the power and glory of singing the names of God.
Air is king. We are alive only as long as we are breathing. Life and breath are closely connected. When breathing stops, the body falls dead. Then the sense organs are powerless. Life is the master of the sense organs. Air is most important. Only when air circulation occurs, we are alive. There are five vital airs in the body, and each has another set of five subordinate types of air. We have the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and so forth. We have two eyes, two ears, one tongue, we have tissues inside the skin. All these organs function only because of our breathing and the inner vital airs. We can live for some time without water, but we cannot live without air. We find it impossible to live without sunlight. The nerve system in the body is affected by the vital airs.
It is only because of air that we are able to chant the names of God. It is no simple matter. Lamp is God. So we light a lamp and then sing the praises of God. Knowledge is God. God is radiance. Where there is radiance, God is there. Body has radiance. That is why God is there. If a stone shines, God is in it also. If water or air express God, there is light, there is fire, and it is called expression of light. The names of God express such radiance. Darkness is ignorance. When darkness is driven away, it means knowledge has awakened. Light is the name of God. Those who sing the name of God are great.
This morning I spoke about the three ways of chanting mantra or name of God. Out loud, with just lip movement and mumbling, or just silently, inwardly. For many people, while they eat, speak, walk, talk, and sleep, the mantra chanting goes on. It is mental penance. We must do all the three types. If we begin chanting loudly, the power of the name enters our system. That is one type of penance. Slowly the loud singing ceases and becomes softer and softer, and finally becomes quiet chanting. Inside it will continue. We must do all three types. That is what Bhagavatam teaches us. So many stories are there in it, teaching us different ways to attain liberation. Whoever follows those procedures, and contemplates upon God who resides within, they experience God. God who is within, wakes up when He is called. If He is called, Krishna, He responds. He is both inside and outside. Outside He is visible as this Creation. Inside He is invisible. Like Spider. He spins his web and withdraws it into himself. God spider is unseen. He casts out of Himself this Creation with its magnificent architecture and design. God is a big spider. So beautiful, so many good tastes. So many wonders, the ocean, the rivers, the well, what is all this! What a beautiful white flower! Wonderful and marvelous Creation. No one can imitate or replace Him, not even by impersonating by wielding a conch and a disc. That will be a secondary entity. He creates and remains invisible. As Vishnu he comes to sustain, nourish and protect it. As Siva he destroys it. Each living creature requires a different type of food and God provides the needful. Each has a different taste. No two birds eat the same food. No two men have the same taste for food. No two creatures eat the same food. No two noses are exactly alike. No two personalities are exactly alike. If there are five persons in a household, each has a different nature and a different taste. Each expresses individual preferences. Even the way they speak or sing is all different. Each wears different size clothes. In millions of ways this creation differs. That is what the Bhagavatam teaches.
Once Garuda asks in the Garuda Purana, O Lord, we have 18 Puranas. They are huge. How to study so many? Make some concession. Give some condensed version. Garuda is a great devotee. His appeal will not be rejected. Vishnu Purana, Garuda Purana and Bhagavatam alone you read. Garuda said, in Kali Yuga, people don’t have the time to read them all. Garuda Purana is important to study and listen to. Not only when someone dies. Vishnu Purana is very important. Then Bhagavatam. Garuda said not enough time. Then he was told to study only the Bhagavatam. God said no further exemptions. You may read only the tenth canto. It gives stories of many devotees.
Whenever I sing Bhajans, you also sing along with me. My voice is not clear because I have been travelling and talking extensively this past one month. What can I do? But because of your fervent requests, I will oblige. I cannot sing like the Madras children. Children who were born after me, are singing so beautifully. It puts me to shame. It also makes me happy. I cannot sing like them. After Andhra tour, I come to Chennai always and offer excuses. Okay, I have permission to sing at least two bhajans.
Sloka: vagisa
Bhajan: Vratapate
Sloka: Brahma Vishnu Sivaradhye
Bhajan: Maya rupa patu mam
Everyone close eyes.
Repeat what I say: But only silently, not aloud.
Narayana
Hare Krishna
Govinda
Datta
Achyuta Pradyumna,
Venkataramana
Datta
Siva
Datta
Om Namo Hanumate Namaha
Sloka: Vibhuti bhooshitam
Bhajan: Datta Datta solliduvom
Sloka: Sankara
Bhajan: Sambho sambho nadatano
You must keep big pictures of Hanuman and Mother Goddess. Worship rituals should be conducted here while the temple construction is progressing. Prepare two more Mantapas for the two deities. People should know that a temple is being built. Keep big pictures on the side and in the hall. When people sing concerts, the deities should not be behind them. Like Karyasiddhi Anjaneya, Bhakta Anjaneya. Keep a separate altar.
Sloka: Krishnaya vasudevaya
Bhajan: Govindudu sundarudu
Govinda Govinda
Sloka: hanuman iti me snanam
Bhajan: Jai Kapeesa
Bhajan: Vadivela
This is a studio. Even those who cannot sing, sing here. The sound is properly contained. The acoustics are good. Even someone like me can sing here. I am a child.
Hanuman Chalisa in Tamil
Sri Guru Datta