Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – April 14, 2022 – SGS Ashrama BHEL, Hyderabad
Compilation by Hector from Avadhoota DattaPeetham Facebook livestream
Bhajan Om Namaste Ganapataye
We sometimes remind ourselves that we are suffering so much even in the first quarter of the Kaliyuga. How much we’ll need to suffer towards the end of Kaliyuga, the famine, the lack of dharma, the lack of order among planetary systems, the apparent feeling that God does not exist even will be there.
Today, when we suffer we feel as if God is not listening to our prayers or Guru is not happy with us, or our pilgrimage did not give fruit. We vent our anger in this manner and then find peace. It’s just as we yell at someone in the family and then calm down.
In the old days, family members used to yell near a stone and give vent to their anger. And then they would calm down and back into the house.
In London, there’s a park the Government allocated for people to take stand and use their full freedom of expression about anyone they wish. They can blame, criticize and say whatever they wish. Each person can get up to an hour. They can criticize heads of state, government etc.
So too, at home, in the old days, they would go out to the rock in the back of the house and yell at it to give vent to anger. The burden of the mind gets reduced a little. Otherwise, the anger simmering within will cause hypertension and other mental issues and the person may even die.
In this first quarter of Kaliyuga, we can atleast blame God. In the next quarters, there will be no Dharma. Whatever we see today will not exist then. There will be earthquakes, tsunamis, famines. People will eat people in the fourth quarter of Kaliyuga.
Those who sin with their words, their actions and their mind will be aplenty.
In this first and second quarter of Kaliyuga, the most important is Divya Nama Sankeertana. This will not be there in the third quarter onwards. So, we should train the mind now and teach the intellect.
Will we not take birth in the fourth quarter? We will, but will live a short while and die.
Then, Krta Yuga will start. All impurities will vanish. Dissolution will take place. Everything will be pure and fresh. These are the words from Bhagavatam.
Everything that is to happen in each Yuga is already described whether you believe it or not. That is why Divya Nama Sankeertana is the most important.
That is why Swamiji does Bhajans and also the scriptures such as Bhagavatam, Ramayana, Mahabharata etc. It’s enough to even keep chanting the name of God – Rama Rama Rama Rama or Shiva Shiva Shiva Shiva. Everyone learn Swamij’s bhajans necessarily
In the Panchamukha Anjaneya Swamy temple are arriving Anagha and Datta, as well as Chandramouleshwara; and then Ganapati who we always need. Importantly, I am happy that there is a shrine for Jayalakshmi Mata.
So far we used to consecrate Jayalakshmi Mata in a hall. But now since we are doing Anagha Vratam and other rituals, I don’t know what great fortune this land at BHEL earned, they have the shrine. Many ardent devotees of Swamiji are here. This place has a lot of energy. This land is your good fortune. This land will be here on earth for a very long time. Even in the fourth quarter of Kaliyuga, this temple will be here. You may ask what is the proof it will be. You can take birth then and find out for yourself.
When Satya Yuga starts, Hanuman is Brahma. Then, Hanuman will set aside all the good sadhakas. So, does He show partiality? Yes, each one has to get the merit per their actions. When the mother cooks food, each child eats differently per their ability and karma. God is compassionate, he protects everyone, but our karma influences our destiny.
Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Vibheeshana – all there prayed to Brahma. Brahma appeared and Ravana asked for a great state and earned the title Ravana Brahma. Kumbhakarna was sleepy and began yawning and said “nidra” instead of “indra”. He earned the boon of 6 months of sleep and 6 months of eating. Vibheeshana just asked for supreme devotion. That is why he is counted today amongst he supreme devotees of Lord Vishnu.
Even if we serve the devotees of the Lord, even if we just give them water, that also earns us merit.
It is also meritorious to distribute water to those doing bhajans, better yet distribute to those who have no water.
Therefore, even if there is no devotion, distributing water or food to those singing bhajans is akin to serving God.
If God appears, we ask for petty desires. Someone did austerities for 30 years and when God appeared, he also smelled the aroma of hot Dosa wafting from the neighbor’s home. So, he asked God for hot masala dosa. It’s all our karma at play.
So, we should carefully collect our karmic balance.
In our Ashram, some children chant Gayatri mantra and come to Swamiji and report their count.
Mantra Danam means chanting the mantra and donating them to the Guru. If you chant 1 lakh times, you can place a one rupee coin (or whatever fits your budget) and offer the count of your japa to Him. You will get multiples in return. You don’t need to place one lakh rupees (if you are not able to) because you chanted one lakh times
You have great love for Swamiji. All these bhajans are very powerful. Many bhajans have been composed during various special events. These are keertanas, they contain mantras.
Many accomplished musicians get a lot of applause when they sing bhajans more than when they sing other compositions. The musicians are realising that these days.
The bhajans have good tunes, they are easy to understand. Even children are able to sing the bhajans. Now, there’s the Bhajan Babies channel on YouTube. You will hear Swamiji’s voice in the bhajans, but see visuals that will attract children.
Youngsters in the US with their own money are working on Bhajan Babies videos. They are using their own money. Dattapeetham is not spending any money on it. This is great way to attract children. Even adults are watching it.
Do not put phones in the hands of children. This is a bad habit. Your children will develop eye problems and issues with nerves’ weakness. Their intellect will get corrupted, their hands will hurt. Show them the videos from a distance.
Children like pressing buttons on devices. Parents often put the devices in the hands of crying babies to pacify them. That is doing irreparable damage to the babies. They have tender hands and eyes and nerves. Do not put phones in their hands until they are atleast 8 years of age.
We’ll worship Hanuman who will always be there in Kaliyuga. The sculptor made a beautiful visual of Sri Rama’s coronation behind me. You can offer worship here during Sri Rama Navami.
Even now, when going on pilgrimages to places such as Kasi, Tirumala etc, there are rest places on the way where food, cool water and facilities to sleep are provided. There are noble souls who make such arrangements even today. That is why pilgrims walk miles on end to their pilgrimage destinations.
So we should do the service we can. When we do a housewarming ceremony for instance, we can invite the bhajan group home to sing a couple days later. Or, we can invite them to come and do Anagha Vratam.
Set up God’s photos at home, and remove all the useless photos. Wherever you turn, you should be reminded of God. Have photos of parents, of Guru, of those who have uplifted you in life. Have photos of those who have given you life or have transformed your life. Tell your children without hesitation about the people who transformed your life. Do not be hesitant.
When you buy 20 saris for a group, you must also buy one for Guru. When you consider Guru your family member and conduct yourself in that manner, Guru will certainly be at home.
If everyone thought that they didn’t have to offer any dakshina to Lord Venkataramana because others are doing it, the donation boxes would be empty. You must do it out of your own faith and devotion – that God/Guru is your family member. Sincerely offer food to Guru and then eat. Then, the food will be Sattvic. That household will be peaceful.
We talked about Lord Datta in this Hanuman temple, now we’ll talk about Lord Shiva.
We must follow rules for some more time. Don’t assume Covid is gone. Wear a mask.
When I was in the US last time, there were no mask mandates. But all devotees wore a mask because the announcement was made that if they wanted to have full Darshana of Swamiji, everyone had to wear a mask. If not, Appaji would wear a mask and devotees would not have the full Darshan of Appaji.
Covid is still lurking around. Any weakness in our body will make it easy for us to contract the virus. Keep washing your hands often. Use sanitizers. Donate masks liberally here.