Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – July 8, 2017 – Hyderabad
Compiled by Smt Hira Duvvuri
Speech in the evening – Bhajan Session
Testing the sound system for echo and to make any required adjustments. We will have just a few bhajans.
Bhajan: saama hitaa
Even Yama (Lord of Death) is afraid of Guru. That is what this song explains. The only one who can withstand the blows of Yama and resist his ropes is a devotee of Guru. No one else. No deity has the power to resist the lashes from the whip of Yama. Only a devotee of Guru has that power and strength. Yama is afraid of a devotee of Guru.
Guru releases one from delusion. He ferries one across the river called illusion. Guru has the power to make one go up and climb down the mountain called infatuation. Guru can reform a man with a big ego. Guru destroys desire and fury. He purifies a disciple thus. Greed, lust, falsehood, tendency to thieve, fickle mindedness, arrogance, envy, all these are removed by Guru. Guru grants the power to transcend Maya/illusion.
Kabir Das has taught us this, that Guru can make a man without legs climb a tough mountain. Even one who cannot swim is enabled by Guru to cross over an ocean or cross a great river. Guru alone has the power to do all the above. He alone can show us the way.
Bhajan: Guru bina
Guru gives the resilience to tolerate an attack by Yama, only to a true devotee, not a fake devotee of Guru.
Bhajan: Sivaaya gurave
Bhajan: Karaaravindena
15 years ago, Swamiji spoke for 2 hours about this verse. Bala Swamiji remembered this and wondered if ever again in his life he would listen to such an exposition. It is an exceptional verse, from Sri Krishna Karnamrutam. Jayalakshmi Mata used to sing Gopi Geeta also along with this verse. Anganaam anganaam antare ..was a favorite verse of Mother Jayalakshmi.
She used to sing it while carrying me as a child. What penetrated the intellect of that child, I do know. Or if he himself is intellect incarnate, I do not know. As she sang, the child used to keep the beat. Jayalakshmi Mata used to always visualize Krishna and sing about him. Today in her memory let us sing a song.
Sloka: Karaaravindena
Bhajan: Hari hari
I will give you a taste of Omkara for five minutes. I will have you chant it because I got this thought. You should close your eyes and listen to the others. Before one Omkara ends by one group, another group should begin the Omkara. While one group takes a breath, another group will be chanting. Listen, and you will experience something wonderful. Not everyone should begin and end at the same time. The sound should be continuous. It may be a little haphazard at first. I will then make you begin again.
In this Nava Yuga, not Kali Yuga, because Hanuman is with us, Kali will run away. We are in Nava Yuga. Nava is new and also a name for Mother Goddess and refers to Krishna also.
Kali Purusha rides on your back. When you get into the ashram, he leaves. The moment you get back in the car, he will ride on you again. You can actually feel it. You feel light when you are coming to see Swamiji. If you sing Divyanama you will feel light. If you leave it, you feel the heaviness. If you chant during travel or at home, Kali Purusha will get off and sit beside you. But if you forget and get into falsehood, he will enter your nine apertures. If you play a CD of divine names, you must listen, not merely play the CD. Jaya Guru Datta Sri Guru Datta Hare Krishna, Appaji, Swamiji, you keep chanting. He will leave your alone. But if you forget or are absentminded, he will confidently ride on your shoulders. Why is Swamiji threatening us like this? Yes. Otherwise, you don’t listen to me. In an instant, you forget. You must not forget. If you forget, you will lie, you will cheat, you will steal.
Now we will keep chanting the name of God.
Now, for Omkara, I will give the cue for each group to begin. 10 or 20 in each group. Not everyone should stop at the same time or begin at the same time. The vibration will pervade the whole body and will destroy all contamination from within.
Take a deep inhalation and then begin aaa uuu mmm. OM is not wrong, but aaauuu mmm is better. While you are taking a breath, listen to the sound made by the others. Any number of cassettes cannot reproduce this same effect, as group singing or group chanting of Omkara. We rejoice both ways, by listening, and by chanting ourselves. Both actions happen here simultaneously.
Tomorrow is Guru Purnima. Paduka Pratishtha will take place early in the morning. Place is small. You all cannot witness. Later you may see.
Sloka: Namo Vanara veeraaya
Bhajan: Hanuma hanuma
One last bhajan. Then Mangalam. Listener’s choice in bhajans no longer exists. That director has been sent away. You listen to whatever we choose to sing.
You all should play Antyakshari game. You must practice. The group that wins will win a gold medal.
Sloka: Namaste
Bhajan: Kartikeya hara
Mangalam: Om mangalam yoga mangalam
During Datta Pratishtha in the 1970’s there was drought. Swamiji was singing bhajans. While he was singing, it rained. If I stopped, the rain stopped. The Mysuru devotees begged Swamiji to keep singing and not stop even after Swamiji had sung for two hours. Their wells had dried up and they did not want the rains to stop. R.K. Swami was harmonist. We had a Muslim Tabla player. No one knew music. No one followed rhythm. We used to sing so joyfully. Leg harmonium he played. Swamiji sang at 2.5 pitch. There was no recording equipment those days. Today someone posted on Facebook, a photo of Swamiji singing in 1974. Swamiji used to hold the cymbals, wear ankle bells and sing standing. He shook Karnataka with his bhajan singing. Now also I am willing to stand and sing for 6 hours. Hanuman will sing, not I. If my troupe is willing, I will sing.
Everyone must become a member of Ganapathy Sachchidananda page on facebook. If you are not members, you are unfortunate. Those who are not members must become members today itself. How many get SGS Posts? Good. Those who acknowledge that you do not get, download today itself. You have a stall. But what is the use if they don’t download. If there is a kitchen, pots and pans, and groceries, but no one to cook, you will not get spicy rice. One day I must give them all a taste of Karnataka Puliyogare. They are fed up eating Andhra Pulihara. Okay, one day I will get it served. Now, Swamiji will give a message to the Hindi TV channel. Everyone be quiet, and close your eyes.
Sri Guru Datta