Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – April 6, 2018 – Nepal
Compiled by Smt Hira Duvvuri
Very beautiful 3 days program. Siva and Keshava we took darshan. Bhakti Mala has a record of all of Sri Swamiji’s travels. It works like a website, like present day Face Book. People waited patiently for the magazine to arrive. Gandaki river bath 1984 with Krishnaswami, Savitri, and their two children, Manini and Nandini, and several other devotees. Savitri, not heeding warnings went too deep into the strong current and got washed away. How Swamiji was able to rescue her is a wonder. We saw the Himalayas during that trip also, from Naagarkoot. We went to Kala Pathar yesterday. Can remain for only 3 minutes. Not enough oxygen. Black rock where the helicopter landed. Only 2 out of 12 flights made it there due to bad weather. I encouraged the pilot to go ahead. With difficulty he took us there. I close my eyes and am in the Himalayas. To take the physical body, I had to go there. I came only from that region, Himalayas and Manasarovar. That is my address. The pilgrimage is to benefit the devotees.
Today we had darshan of Pashupatinath at the temple. All the devotees felt very happy. They left all responsibilities and came from all over the world, from Trinidad and USA also. Nepal is so close to India. In Sri Lanka a program had been arranged. But Swamiji’s divine play brought him to the northern tip, instead of going to the southern tip. Never know when any program may get canceled. No guarantees. This is just an opportunity to accompany Swamiji. People take a chance and make reservations. In three days so much was accomplished. At home, we would have sat on the sofa, watched TV, ate snacks, got fat, quarreled, wasted time on the telephone, and twiddled the thumbs, keeping extremely busy taking breaths. Many complain they have no time even to breathe. They speak like that to say how busy they are.
One must spend time for spiritual pursuit. For contemplation. We must change our lifestyle. It should not become mechanical. Machines have no minds. Humans have become like that. Mechanical lives. Living like robots. We have become like that deliberately. We invite diseases, confusions, and troubles. We have no time to meditate. No time to find solutions to our sorrows. Always in pain, always discontented. We die from overeating, while others are starving to death. We exercise no control. We stress ourselves to release ourselves from the mess we have got ourselves into. Problem for eating, problem for controlling diet. So many conflicts we create. We must go according to time. We are not independent. Always running throughout life. Eating tinned foods. No time to sit down and eat. We need tables. Eating sitting on the floor is healthier. Datta devotees still sit on the floor to eat, then they eat a limited quantity. Who eats millet? Raise your hands. Very nice food. Good pure, homemade ghee who eats? very nice. Who eats garden grown vegetables? Very good. Grow your own vegetables, green leafy vegetables. We do that. Mohan is growing vegetables. He is my farmer. He is a computer man with a job. Whatever Swamiji requires, he grows. We make our own ghee. We have organic milk and food. Now they put a seal that says Organic. Who knows? Is it China food?
How many have brought their own food? Some of you are eating all the time, peanuts or bubble gum, always chewing. Why do I look only at your face? Everybody chew bubblegum, and you will all lose all your teeth. One grandma had dentures. They became loose. Radhakrishna’s mother. She would adjust the dentures with her tongue. It looked as if she was making faces at me. She never got them repaired. She left the world like that. We must change our lifestyle. Today you came here readily with Swamiji. We did not give too much publicity for this trip. If Swamiji gives too much publicity and creates so much excitement, one must expect some kink in the program. How many are with Swamiji on a first foreign trip? This is a foreign country. Now you can boast that you have gone abroad. Don’t give details. Just evade. I am very happy that you have all come here with me. Mr. Jain has made nice arrangements. He had come to Mysuru to see Hanuman. Now I am inviting him again. He has said that he will arrange for a nice concert here. You can get ready for your second foreign trip to accompany Swamiji. Guhyesi Temple is there, go by cable car. Many have visited. Gone shopping. First have darshan of all the deities. Be with Swamiji. Then only shopping. Don’t even look at shops before pilgrimage and darshan are successfully completed. It is wrong to rush for shopping and taking back souvenirs for others. Don’t go for shopping for shawls as soon as you land here. Not canteen and dining hall first. First have the divine darshan. Nepal is in the Himalayas. Siva loves this area. Hindu ways were most prevalent here. Even now they are there. Many men had long hair when I came here thirty years ago. Women were very reserved. All men wore a forehead mark, even soldiers. Photography was not allowed then at temples.
We make a huge mistake when we go to beautiful places. We get preoccupied with taking photos before we even enjoy the scenery. We lose the experience of beauty. In temples, that is why photography is banned. Otherwise you block your face with your camera. First see the Lord and experience the joy. These small phones now have created a bad habit. Take a mental picture and preserve it. Close your eyes and make an internal imprint. We must thank the temple management for banning photography inside. Your eyes miss the divine darshan. You only see through camera lens and later see only the prints and screens. We are experts at losing our chances. We miss important events and scenes, absorbed with our photography.
During pilgrimages, do not spoil the excitement with such distractions. Even getting scolded by Swamiji is a blessing. If he curses, he is the one who will suffer for it, for removing it. Scolding is only to correct you. Swamiji is happy to have disciplined devotees around him, who behave nicely. Narayana Rao will curse you if you misbehave and do not obey the instructions. If you obey, you avoid getting scolded. In Singapore, over 400 devotees came from all over the world. They were so disciplined. The rules were enforced there. It should be like that everywhere. We must learn such proper behavior and practice it daily. I am very happy. Visit to Nepal and the Himalayas is like visiting all pilgrimage centers and all deities. May all your programs be successful. In May we have a major event. Sri Lanka trip will certainly take place. Do not miss it. We must see Sita Kund. Hanuman’s Padukas. Come there with Swamiji. After Navaratri, may be. Swamiji will be visiting Israel. Don’t plan on coming there. It is difficult.
One souvenir from Swamiji for each family as a remembrance. Prokshana also with water from Gandaki river.
Sri Guru Datta