Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – September 17, 2023 – Vijayawada
Today, after many years, we have all peacefully and blissfully celebrated Svarna Gowri Vratam. Once upon a time, Swarna Gauri Vratam was celebrated by bringing all the gold idols that Swamiji worships in the Peetha, including the ornaments that adorned the idols.
Thousands were given the gold pendants, and that same year, the price of gold skyrocketed. All the gold that was near Swamiji has been given away. Back in the day, people used to give away all the gold on them for Svarna Gauri vratam. These days, people wear Rolled-gold (Covering or >12K Gold plated). You must wear Rolled-gold too, when you go out, so robbers who snatch your jewelry only get the Rolled-gold. Also, wear it in a way so it’s easy to snatch, so that you can happily walk away after and not get entangled – leading to injury in the process. Nowadays, you get 1 gram of gold, where the jewelry is only coated in gold but is not made of gold. Just wear Rolled-gold bangles and necklaces, earrings, and nose rings. That way, you’ll be safe.
There are too many jewelry snatchers. Many have wept as their jewelry was snatched. They lament not having at least given that jewelry to Swamiji. I agree. And I think it suits them well that their jewelry was snatched. Also, do not wear expensive shoes. Wear old ones that you don’t mind losing. Be careful about these things. This is Kaliyuga. We should learn to live a simple life. Thieves are teaching us to live simply. The more simply we live, the happier our lives are. If not, we cannot sleep peacefully.
If you wear gold jewelry or some big expensive watch, you’ll have to keep guarding it. Instead, you must be free and place your mind on Paramatma. If the mind is free, the body is relaxed, and you’ll be able to put the mind on God. If not, the mind will run to your footwear. So, wear old shoes, fake gold jewelry, and a helmet when you are on two-wheelers (both driver and pillion rider should wear a helmet). Everyday, I hear of devotees falling from their bikes. You must tell others to wear a helmet. Drive carefully and slowly; don’t speed. Don’t overcrowd the vehicle because then you would lose balance.
Watch Bhajan Babies and SGS Posts. You can all participate in the SGS Posts effort as well. About 30 children are working on it. You will be sent the content for quotes. You don’t have to put your own quotes. You can learn Photoshop.
On Vijaya Dashami day, we are launching SGS Media where you will have a huge bank of Swamiji’s high-resolution photos. You can download whichever photo you like. There will be thousands of photos there. When you have time, you can browse through the photos one by one, and sometimes, you’ll find a photo talking to you. Many have written to Swamiji saying they found a photo talking to them, and I confirm that, if that’s the case.
From next year onward, I will remove AppJi. I have to spend two hours everyday on the messages. People open their heart and send their messages. I place the phone near my ear and listen to all messages. Sometimes, I just reply by saying Jaya Guru Datta, which means that I already know what the problem is.
There is another group called Tataji Sena where there are about 3000 people. There are children, from a small age to 22 years of age, in that group. They communicate directly with Swamiji. Once they pass 22 years of age, they are out of that group. This is a rare blessing. AppJi, too, is a rare blessing.
Gauri is the Mother of Ganapathi. Saraswati Mata is always playing her Nada near Ganapati. She grants Jnana. So, we pray to Saraswati Mata.
Bhajan ID 2262: sarasvatī saddayāvatī
For about 10 years, we sang only two songs on Marakatha Raja Rajeshwari. This bhajan was born on Friday. Now it’s fully baked. Gauri Parameshvari is Mother Goddess. She appeared as light to all the Gods. The 333 crore Gods could not behold her in Tripura Rahasyam. I do not know if you all heard the discourse. Everyone pleaded to see the form of Mother, just as you all wish to see Swamiji up close. Mother appeared to them, but as a light. That is why we say light is God. Saint Tyagaraja’s last composition was about the same topic. Jnana pervades everything. It pervades the entire space. It is in light and darkness; it’s with and without air. Mother appeared in Dahara Akasha, and it felt as if a million earthquakes hit at the same time. We cannot directly look at high-voltage light.
At one time, during healing concerts, Swamiji would have 5000 volt lights on his face to enable devotees to look at Swamiji’s eyes. Many would weep, worrying that they would affect Swamiji’s eyes. They saw Swamiji as their dear one, just as Yashoda saw Sri Krishna as her human son.
Yashoda’s motherly love made her look at Paramatma as her own son. Such an Immeasurable One was considered a son by Yashoda. She played with him and showered love on him like a mother would. Krishna was born to one mother and was brought up by another. What comforts did he have? He was born in the prison; there was not even a bed there, there were just rocks. As soon as he was born, he had to be stealthily moved in the rain. Krishna swallowed difficulties for our sake.
If we chant his names at all times – even while sitting and standing – our difficulties will be gone. When you wake up, when you are going to bed, chant ‘Krishna Krishna’. When you feed the little baby some morsels of food, see Krishna in the child until the child turns 3. Not afterwards, since he would have grown into something bigger!
We forget everything else when we have a child born in our house. We forget our grief when we see little children. We play like little children when we see them. Yashoda Mata played with Krishna. The Lord came with the indriyas and became uncle, grandfather, brother, brother-in-law, lover, thief, Paramatma, etc., to various people. The Paramatma appeared with Indriyas in Krishna’s incarnation. It is enough to think of the Lord. If we go to Mathura, we will see Krishna devotees rolling on the ground in the town just as the Europeans roll on the ground in Ayodhya.
The Lord lived 124 years. This was about 6033 years ago. The Lord was very beautiful to behold, even in his old age. The gopikas, who were actually Gosais, sported with him while he appeared with indriyas. The Gosais were all great saints during Rama’s incarnation. Lakhs of them sought the boon to embrace Sri Rama. That is all they wanted. Sri Rama said that would not be possible in that (Rama) incarnation. He embraced only Prana (Lord Hanuman), but did not even embrace Sita Mata. With just His glance alone, the children were born to Sita Mata. Sita Mata was Mother Goddess, what is the need to speak much to Sri Rama? Because the emperor should not look at twins and Sita Mata wanted to go to the forest and bring up her children in a saint’s hermitage, she was sent to the forest. She is not an ordinary woman. She is Durga Parameshwari.
So, the Lord said he could not embrace them (those great saints) in this birth but blessed them to be born as Gopikas he could embrace in his incarnation as Krishna. They were born as women.
All of us are women. Swamiji, too, is a woman as he wishes for your welfare. 18000 Gopikas/Gosais always surrounded the Lord. Just for the Lord’s sake, they got married to men. Those men then sought Lord Krishna themselves. Listening to Bhagavatam alone makes our life fulfilled.
The Lord is always Ananda, He is in the abode of Ananda. Many cry seeing Swamiji, who traveled far in the car and the heat for their sake. The Gopikas cried seeing him. One called him lover, and one called him thief. They developed unique relationships with him. Why not? He came with a form for our sake. Swamiji’s Krishna Bhajans are all Bhagavatam. All Rama Bhajans are Ramayana. Mother Goddess bhajans are all Tripura Rahasyam. Tattva Bhajans are all Upanishads. I left the Upanishads for Bala Swamiji to discourse on. I like to sing them as kīrtans.
Once we eat these savory snacks (of kīrtans composed by Swamiji), we don’t need the full meal. Once we have Prasadam in the Ashram, we don’t feel like eating a full meal at home either.
The Lord experienced grief and difficulties with his indriyas. He fought battles. He went through so much suffering.
We cannot directly look at bright light. So, all the Gods saw only a bright light when Mother Goddess appeared. Then, they beseeched Mother Goddess. Mother then showed them her Motherly form. Women have so much compassion. That is why, when a girl child is born, I am very happy. They have so much compassion. Many used to commit female feticide in the past, and now it’s hard to get a bride for your sons. It’s the daughters who care for their parents even if that daughter is married. But sons, more or less, get entangled in their own families.
It’s the girl child who knows the mother’s heart. But the men are always cantankerous. They look so glum, no smile. But girls are always smiling. They give other girls more space to sit next to them in a crowd. But men spread out, sitting on one chair and placing their arms on the chairs on either side, not letting anyone else sit. They have no joy. You may find that men die sooner than women. Women keep laughing and getting more oxygen. But men refuse to laugh as if it’s beneath them to laugh if Swamiji cracks a joke. You must laugh. We even have laughter therapy in Datta Kriya Yoga.
You must keep cracking jokes and laughing. No double meaning jokes. That is an offense. Just crack simple, clean jokes. Some men do not laugh at all. But women cannot even be quiet. They’ll cover their mouth and continue laughing. Did you ever see a man laugh like that? If you did, tell me, I’ll give you 10 Rupees. I don’t know why men do not laugh much. I don’t know what they are looking for. I think about how to make them laugh. I take it as a challenge and try to find a way to make them laugh. But they don’t. That is why, I laugh in front of them. I told a few of my children that I would break their teeth if they laughed so much. They can’t stop laughing. If you laugh well, you will get good oxygen, and your food gets digested. Read a good joke, and laugh heartily before you go to bed.
Mother then took on a form as Bala Tripura Sundari, as Nava Durgi, and as Marakatha Raja Rajeshwari, in response to the prayers of the Devatas.
Swamiji beheld the form of Marakatha Raja Rajeshwari, and these letters flowed from Him.
New Bhajan: marakta mānini madhura subhāshiṇi
Open your mouth and sing.
Everyone living on this street the Ashram is on, is fortunate. Once upon a time, truck drivers would all stop and listen to Swamiji’s bhajans. Now, they are all devotees.
Bhajan ID 1273: gaṅgamōsē svāmi
At 9 am tomorrow, Kshipra Ganapati Maha Abhishekam. And then the rest of the programs, including Sahasra Modaka Homa.
Swamiji says to let new people come and do Abhishekam. You have done it all these years. Don’t think I’m pleased when you push forward and come to do Abhishekam. You must graciously let other new people come in and do the seva and be benefited. You can ask them to go ahead in front of you and do it, and if they are not accepting your invitation even after hearing it for a second time, then you can move ahead and do yours.
Tomorrow, everyone worship only the mud Ganapathi. (Ganapathi idol made of mud)
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