Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji on Kartīka Somavāra – November 27, 2023 – Jayalakshmi Datta Yoga Center, Washington D.C., USA
The lunar month of Kartīka removes all sins and grants oneness with Lord Shiva. Of course all months are special. But those who worship without distinguishing Shiva from Vishnu will be special blessed, especially on the Monday/Somavara of this month of Kartīka. You are all very lucky to be here. Chanting ‘Namaha Shivaya’ even just once in this auspicious month is very meritorious. Chanting this mantra everyday bestows jñāna and self-realization. If you chant this mantra with devotion, you will receive the fruit thereof. Shiva is Guru. Shiva gives jñāna and burns all our sins. Meditation, worship, nama smarana of Lord Shiva in this lunar month of Kartīka is good. It is good to bathe in cold water because it grants good health. These days, people are unable to take a cold water bath. Many residents of Himalayas bathe in the cold Ganga water, they do not catch a cold. We can practice taking a cold water bath. The South Indians only pay lip service to this practice, they cannot actually bathe in cold water. Just the thought of cold water in this Kartīka Masa gives them shivers.
What is the reason to bathe in the cold Ganga water at 5am during this month? It is good for our health, but also the sins of various kinds from the the seven past and seven future births are removed when we shower in cold water during Brahma Muhurtam at 5am, the time at which various Devatas are dipping in the water. We get the merit of dipping in the rivers in Brahma Loka. In Kartīka Masa, all the rivers in Brahma Loka take on the form of women and come to earth and enter the water bodies here. All water bodies, even the man-made swimming pools, have those Devatas in them. If we bathe at that time, we get jñāna, which is very important, and we get rid of our sins. During such a sacred Kartīka Masa we are gathered here even while we did not plan this ahead. This morning too, this program was about to be cancelled. Swamiji’s programs are always like that. I was not sure I would be here until I set foot on this premises. No one knows when Datta gives Darshana, or when He showers His grace on them. In any case, this is all planned, but it is a hidden plan. Swamiji can suddenly change plans. Today, there was supposed to be a program in Australia, but we are here. Truly, the JDYC members are very fortunate. This is still a newborn baby. I came here to see the baby again. Slowly, one by one, things are progressing. That too is planned, we just do not know about it. We do not know what Swamiji might suddenly do. We must not calculate. We should only follow and chase after Swamiji. That is all we can do, we cannot do anything else.
Today, we witnessed Shiva Abhishekam and Puja. Shiva has no form, that is why He is in the form of a Bindu. Shiva is the invisible God. Some other Gods have forms. We are meditating on the Shiva that is in the form of a Bindu. The mantra has five letters – Na Ma Shi Va Ya. Jñāna, Bhakti, Vairagya and the connection with God and Atman are represented by the letters. In our heart too, the knots – Vishnu and Shiva granthi, exist. They are all Shiva’s blessings. This body is pervaded entirely by Shiva. He is in the form of the five elements, and indriyas, and makes the body work. He is seeing, hearing, talking, etc. He appears as the five elements, each letter of the mantra represents one indriya. All indriyas need to function well. Even if one indriya malfunctions, it makes life difficult. Hearing, seeing, talking, all these faculties must be good. None of these should be impaired. We can still live if they are impaired, but the quality of life is affected and we cannot understand the entirety of life. To keep the indriyas strong, meditate on Shiva, as He is the Lord who owns the property of our body. He is the one who finally destroys the body and gives us Moksha. He is the leader, He knows how to destroy the indriyas. He is the one who distributes the five elements. That is why, if we always meditate on Shiva, we will be well until we die. We will have the jñāna to worship our deity until we die if we pray to Lord Shiva.
In the final journey – Maha Prayana – if we are to have jñāna (not the jnana of fleeting relationships and samsara, but jñāna of God) we should worship Shiva. The moment of death is very frightening. Most people do not die happily, they die weeping and grieving about going away from loved ones and possessions. Desires fill us. These are not things we should remember, but we do because we are always thinking of these things – wife, husband, money, bank balance, car, etc. when we are alive. So, during death, these are what come to mind. This is bad training for our Buddhi/intellect. Everyday, we are training ourselves to think about money, bank balance, new job, etc. all the time. None of these come with us when we leave the planet. We leave everything behind. When we are leaving, we should think only about God. If you want to do this, meditate on Shiva. Those who criticize Shiva are relegated to the regions of terrible hell where the sinners who committed the five grave sins are. Some faiths keep the Lord in the 11th place. That is okay, but keep the Lord in your worship. Those who deny Shiva and those who defy Him and blame Him are bound for hell. One must never blame Shiva, else they will be relegated to eternal hell.
Sri Rama too meditates on Shiva, and Shiva on Sri Rama. It is only we who meditate on bank balance and money. Forget everything for sometime. Kartīka Masa is here, so at least now meditate on Shiva. Shiva is great, He will uplift us. Shiva is Guru, He is Guru to Mother Goddess too. Without Shiva there is no Bhāgavatam. The Lord gave the secret of the Bhāgavatam Upadesha to Mother in Kailasa. A little parrot heard this and later fell near Sage Vyasa. The sage gave it life and learned Bhāgavatam from it. Vishnu devotees have no choice but to follow Shiva because it is from Him that Bhagāvatam comes.
(Swamiji directs everyone present to chant ‘Om Namaha Shiva’ 11 times. Swamiji said that Rudram comes to everyone from constant hearing and it’s okay for everyone to chant Rudram. Swamiji reminds everyone to come to the Atma Shanti Raga Sagara concert even if there’s only the slightest opportunity for them to do so.
About 700 people couldn’t find a seat during the concert in Tokyo and stood outside. There are about 200 seats left at this concert. Instead of going out partying, you must come to the concert. You can party later if you wish, but you won’t get this concert again.)