Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji in the morning – July 12, 2018 – Toronto, Canada
Compiled by Archana Penukonda
Betel leaves are dear to Lord Hanumanta. They are powerful leaves with great energy and medicinal values. Keeping one betel leaf in the house will get rid of all obstacles. That is how the Ramayana describes it when Lord Hanumanta found this leaf in Ashoka Vana. It also acts as a protective Yantra. Eating one leaf can cure food poisoning. Lord Hanumanta gave such a great boon to this leaf.
I am very happy about this new Ashrama we inaugurated today. We already have one Ashrama in Toronto city. That Ashrama is like a small shop. We have public as well as private programs there with Satsangs, bhajans and other rituals. But we always had to watch out for government rules and regulations in that place. We finally got the permit to conduct worship there, but the place itself is very small and there is not enough parking. Programs had to be conducted only on weekends since weekday programs were difficult in that location. So, we needed a bigger place. We got a small place near Toronto, but there is no permission to conduct worship there. Here however, we have plenty of space and have the permit to conduct worship. I visited this place before. There used to be a school here, but I told my devotees that this place has good energy and is enough for our Ashrama activities. We will have an Ashram here like the one in Baton Rouge, USA.
In the Baton Rouge Ashrama, we have a big stage on which we placed all the deities – Ganapati, Datta, Anagha Devi, Shiva and the Navagrahas (nine planets). It is a beautiful place. The temple is very good. Malaysia also has a small temple inside the Ashram. London has one too. Even in Dallas, we worshiped in the small temple in a shed for about 8-10 years. We got the big temple only after. That small temple too had good energy. So, we go step by step. We are not planning a temple here. What we have now is enough. I will give you some ideas for modifying it a little. We will have a shrine for the deities. We will have Lord Datta and Anagha Devi on one side along with Lord Shiva and Ganapati. Lord Hanumanta will be in the center and Mata Durgi Parameshwari on the other side. We will also have Navagrahas like in Baton Rouge.
We do not need any marble for the shrine. That will delay us by a year or two. First, we want a simple temple built with cement and concrete. Canada and Sri Lanka devotees here can make small arrangements to build the shrine. We can place our deities in the shrine. Second, we have a small house like structure outside – that will be Guru Nilayam. We have so many projects including an extension we need to build to this structure. But first, we will focus on temple decoration. Later, we will take care of Guru Nilayam in the November timeframe. We can plan the extensions once Swamiji makes a couple visits here. We need funds. I am happy that this Ashram is debt free.
Many Telugu people are here because you love Swamiji. You all have Swamiji’s blessings. I like you all to come together to support the shrine. It will be a good opportunity for you. You can also support the Guru Nilayam. I do not want to take a loan. We should run the Canada programs without incurring debt. I do not know how much it will cost. It is mostly cement work. It will be like Baton Rouge. One person took care of Baton Rouge shrine construction. Houston and Dallas devotees also helped.
During Sri Chakra Puja today, many people chanted Vishnu Sahasra Nama. There were wonderful vibrations. Some have the prayer memorized and some referred to a book. That is okay. It is important to chant along. You will slowly memorize it, just as you memorized the Lalita Sahasra Nama. It is very easy to memorize.
Grandsire Bhishma chanted the Vishnu Sahasra Nama while on his death bed in the battle of Kurukshetra. He was very fond of the Pandavas who were in turn very fond of him. But he had to fight on behalf of the Kauravas owing to the vows he had made. There is a big story about their relationship. Bhishma knew fully well the divine glories of Lord Krishna. But Lord Krishna always acted human. He used to weep, laugh and display all 9 human emotions. The Kauravas felt that Krishna was human, not God. But the Pandavas knew just as Bhishma did, that Krishna was God. Bhishma had promised to protect the Kauravas. I am telling you about the situation during Vishnu Sahasra Nama. So, during that war while on his death bed, Bhishma saw the cosmic form of Lord Krishna. That form had the entire cosmos in it. Everything was in that one form – all planets, all living beings were in that form. All Kauravas, Pandavas, Bhishma and everyone else was also visible in that cosmic form. This was not a trick. This was the maya (illusion) displayed by Lord Krishna in his cosmic form. It was at that time that the saintly Bhishma chanted the Vishnu Sahasra Nama.
You can memorize Vishnu Sahasra Nama using a book or using Swamiji’s recording. Chant and listen every day. It is more powerful than Srimad Bhagavad Gita, the Bhagavatam and Lalita Sahasra Nama. No doubt there is great energy in Lalita Sahasra Nama, but the power of Vishnu Sahasra Nama is immense. Practice daily or listen to it. Use the book if you need. If you chant with concentration, two times a day, you will definitely memorize within 40 days. Challenge yourself. The words may look tough, but they are easy. You can practice like you did the Bhagavad Gita. My children used to think Bhagavad Gita was tough. “How can we memorize? We go to English medium schools. How can we chant the Bhagavad Gita with tough Sanskrit words?” But once Tataji asked them to do it, they took it on. Within a few months, they memorized all the 700 shlokas. Listen two times daily with concentration for 40 days. You will definitely win the challenge. You will memorize. Vishnu Sahasra Nama has such energy.
Sage Bhishma gave the Vishnu Sahasra Nama while in the divine presence of Lord Krishna. Lord Krishna was standing very near him while Bhishma was chanting. We only look at the book and chant, but who can be as fortunate as Bhishma who chanted in the very divine presence of Lord Krishna. What he did was like offering Pratyaksha Pada Puja. That is why it has so much power. I am very happy that someone selected Vishnu Sahasra Nama today for chanting during Sri Chakra Puja. It is my daily mantra. When I am in a car or on a flight, I do not waste time. I am always chanting Vishnu Sahasra Nama. Study the meanings to understand the glory of God.
Vishnu Sahasra Nama is very important for us to attain God. Vishnu Sahasra Nama alone is enough. We do not need anything else. If you always keep chanting Vishnu Sahasra Nama, the Lord will reside in your heart. All great souls will become your servants. It has such energy. You can practice daily. I like Vishnu Sahasra Nama very much.
Everyone memorize Vishnu Sahasra Nama. You will learn it in 40 days. You must not get distracted with other things while chanting. Do not stop chanting to talk to people or take care of cooking. That will not work. You must do it without interruption. Doing it with interruptions will not count. If you want the count, you will need to do it with concentration twice a day. Some people think of their sorrows while chanting. They are crying while chanting the mantra. Forget all your sorrows and problems. Free your mind. Concentrate.