Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – Ugadi & Rama Navami festivities – April 7, 2024 – Dundigal Ashrama, Hyderabad
(Transmission was interrupted quite a bit, so this summary includes only what was available on FB live)
Jaya Guru Datta.
Om Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Sadgurubhyo Namaha.
Sri Kuppa Krishnamurthy garu, per Swamiji’s direction, and based on Swamiji’s heartfelt conversations with him did incredible Akshara Seva (writing seva) for Swamiji.
You may not get these wonderful books (the condensed versions of Bhagavad Gita meanings in Telugu and English, and Sarasvati Upanishad) again after this round of prints. You all need the Sarasvati Upanishad. Children who are dull or lazy who read this book will be able to study well. Those desirous of jñāna, those who wish to learn the Gita and wish for auspiciousnes at home should also study this book. The photo on the cover appears to be of Jayalakshmi Mata. In fact, that picture itself is enough, we get divine jñāna just looking at it. This book grants jñāna siddhi at the end of our life. Study this book, you will understand it the second time you read it. This is not poetry, it is Upadesha. Upanishads are always Upadesha.
You all may wonder why Swamiji did not teach you Upanishads. Swamiji gave you Ganapati Atharvarsīrśopanishad which is at par with the Upanishads. Swamiji does Ganapati Homa everyday. Ganapati is in the five elements in our body. Without the five elements being in balance in our body, we cannot live. Get this book and the Sarasvati Upanishad too.
Many have bought the big Gita books (Gita Swara Prastāra). Some have read and experienced bliss, some others have no time. You have time to watch movies, but not to study this. Movies will always be there, you must study these books first. After some time, when we get old, taking care of this body will need our full attention. At that age, if the body gets ill once, it might be hard to recover sometimes. We must accept and adapt to the condition in the old age. How then can we gain jñāna? Therefore, when you are healthy and have an active mind, study this book. It’s a small book of Gita meanings – Laghu Vyakhya (Brief Commentary). It is the summary of those three large books. So, keep the large books and keep this book too.
Your grandchildren in the future will be happy you have these books at home. So everyone keep these books in their book shelfs or show cases. Study atleast one page when you have time, or have kids read it to you. You learned the Bhagavad Gita, you will find fulfillment by reading this. Many children cannot read Telugu, you must learn your language. Some Telugu words are non-translatables.
Swamiji can speak in English if he wished, but the feeling and meaning that comes through with Telugu will be missing.
Those who like the Bhagavad Gita should study this book. But whether you study or not, you must all carry a copy of this book in your hands today. I might ask you to open to a certain page, and the answer you need will be there. This was the case with Datta Darshanam as well as with the life history of Swamiji. We keep running out of prints.
Once, a devotee wanted the old version of Swamiji’s life history. Where can I get that book from? Some time later, the devotee found a street book seller selling this book. They probably found it from a burglar who stole from a collector, or from a house that got destroyed. The devotee’s family had a child couple years after they bought the book. They had wanted to get the old version of Swamiji’s life history for a while. They were so overjoyed at the find (of the book), that they paid the seller Rs.1000 when he had only asked for Rs. 150.
At another time, a few kids in the US went on an excursion. They went to a library and in the encyclopedia found an article about Swamiji. They were overjoyed because they were talking about Swamiji a little while before that.
Do not complain that Swamiji did not teach you a particular spiritual subject. Everything in the books is what Swamiji taught you. You are listening everyday to Sakshi TV, Bhakti TV, Aashtha TV etc. What else do you need to know? You have no time or mood to listen. When you are in the mood to listen, you say Swamiji is not teaching.Your mood must be in your control. How come you eat even when you have no mood to? Because you have hunger. You must have that hunger for jñāna too.
(FB live interrupted)
Many devotees passed away during Covid. Many passed even after. We will pass too. What do we take with us when we go? Not our relatives, cattle, sofas, clothes etc. We leave everything behind.
The sadhana of the previous birth comes with us. Swamiji likes children so much more, because of their previous life sadhana. Some children did not do sadhana, so they must start now. The real presentation that you can give to Swamiji is that jñāna that you teach the kids. We do not take any objects and possessions with us. We will even leave a gold pendant behind even if Swamiji gave us that pendant. It gave us joy then, but we don’t take it with us to the after life.
But the jñāna that Sadguru gives us is something we take with us. Those objects or Prasadam or saris that Swamiji gives us is the grace, it’s the blessing and protection. But you cannot take it with you beyond this birth. But if Swamiji says two words to you, that will always be with you.
Swamiji says the same things to you so it will stick to your mind. You might wonder why in the Gita Krishna repeats some things. The sugar in each sweet may feel different because the proportions of ingredients are different. The moral and the message of what Swamiji is saying is different even if they appear similar.
Datta will protect us, Mother goddess will protect us. Read these books, I will be happy. Swamiji likes these books very much. Swamiji’s messages are in these books.