Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji after Sri Chakra Puja – July 4, 2024 – Karya Siddhi Hanuman Temple, Frisco, TX, USA
Jai Veera Hanuman!
Today, we are getting close to Amāvasya – new moon day. The devotees practiced Sundarakanda for 2.5 years, and they chanted from this morning for about 6 hours. They just had an hour’s break while chanting.
This temple has not just Puja, Arati and Prasadam, but so many other activities. Chanting Bhagavad Gita, understanding the meaning of Bhagavad Gita, chanting Soundarya Lahari, chanting Sundarkanda, Guru Gita, Shatashloki, singing Divya Nama Sankeertana (Hanuman adores Nada, he is thrilled when he hears Rama Nāma) – all this takes place here in the temple. It is like Mahabharata which covers so many subjects.
If you understand Mahabharata, you understand the value of spiritual life. Mahabharata is our guide on how to lead this life well, how to meditate, how to keep body and mind healthy, how to attain Moksha. Swamiji gave such a scripture to the entire world, not just Hindus. The entire world likes these scriptures including Bhagavad Gita. Ramayana too is a daily requirement for humans. Such great activities go on this temple. It’s not just puja and arati and annadana. This temple voluntarily does service, gives donations etc. There are no billionaire donors here. WE are very happy in maintaining this temple.
Volunteers serve out of love for Swamiji. Swamiji is like a poojari/priest between devotees and Hanuman. The priest teaches how to have devotion, how to sit, how to do namaskaram etc. Swamiji is like the poojari. I am always happy to come to this Karya Siddhi Hanuman Temple.
This temple was built dollar by dollar, penny by penny, there are no billionaires here. Devotees who have lived here for 40 years or more have donated and helped build this temple. Third and fourth generation devotees also have come forward to support the temple. I am very proud of these devotees. They just need a word from Swamiji to even lay down their lives. I am sometimes afraid to ask them to do things, because they have no hesitation taking loans or doing whatever work is needed. That is why I think about it a lot and only slowly give them seva.
My devotees are paramapara devotees…that means they have been with Swamiji for 40-50 years. If you read the life history, you will understand. I used to visit one home to another on bicycle to give lectures, do some puja, give wisdom of Bhagavad Gita. I was about 18 years old.
After my mother passed, I was about 9 years old, Swamiji had so many devotees. Now, their 5th , 6th generation are devotees of Swamiji. There were many muslim devotees too then. My incarnation is about traveling everywhere to uplift good souls
intintiki tirigi tirigi..(bhajan).
Before this trip too, about 20 days back, we had Venkataramana Swamy festivities in a tent near the temple. Something happened…I think mosquitoes too wanted to drink my blood, like Prasadam. Then, after May 26th, I got Dengue fever. You know what happens when those with heart problem get Dengue fever. They suffer at lot, atleast for 2 months. But Swamiji had promised to make this trip. My main program is in Chicago. This year, we have 1000 participants taking the Gita exam. All children – my devotees, my relatives are going to chant at the big event in Chicago. I promised to be there. Dallas is my house. Devotees here have so much affection. I feel like this is my house, not just Karya Siddhi Hanuman Temple. I am very happy.
Swamiji is visiting Trinidad every year. The people there are very nice. Today, I saw Hanumanta surrounding this place due to the devotees who chanted Sundarakanda. May be there were all there during Ramayana. Otherwise, it is very difficult to chant this. They did this parayana out of love. They have good faith and interest. So, Hanumanta energy is flowing here. Each picture in this temple has Sundarkanda story. Famous artist Gangadhar Soma made these portraits. The artist’s family are ardent devotees. He made these portraits while chanting Sundarkanda. He gained good jñāna.
This temple is not ordinary. It is not a shop. You must experience to understand this temple energy. You are only looking at the construction and cement. This is like a UFO. It is like Pushpaka Vimana. You can see how many people fit here. 5000, 6000 people fit here, this is Pushpaka Vimana, no doubt. Annanda also takes place here. Our Canteen has such tasty food. Tomorrow you promised masala dosa, so tonight I am not going to eat anything. The food is so tasty. Hanuman is one energy, my canteen is another energy. So, once again, I give special blessings to you all. Sri Boggaram taught the devotees sundara kanda. I also bless the Annadana volunteers, car parking volunteers.
We are Hindus. In India, some are branding Hindus as violent. Hin-dus – are those who remove violence. (Himsa – dur = Hindus) Dur = distant. Many have turned vegetarian after meeting Swamiji. I did not tell them to, nor did I say I would visit them if they stopped eating meat. They transformed on their own. They understood that vegetables have good energy and nutrition.
Anyone that removes violence is Hindu regardless of religion. We are all following Hanuman, we are following Bhakti Yoga. We are all his servants. There are various volunteer teams. I give all teams my special blessings. I am very happy today with Sundarakanda chanting. I also went to the kitchen today. It is so nice.
All of you attend the concert. Do not think heard the music before. This is separate. We have a ticket for the concert because this is a serious activity. The concert will not be broadcast live.
Our older devotees want me to stay in India. They are happy to do any project Swamiji wants. In 1993, I did a Nada Prasara tour across the world for 7 months. At that time the then PM PV Narasimha Rao invited swamiji and did Pada Puja. He asked Swamiji about the foreign tour. Swamiji was about to build a school that was going to cost Rs. 8 million. He wrote a check, but I refused. I wanted to do concerts and raise money and build the school. He wept and pleaded with Swamiji to accept the check. He was a jnani and a good man. He was a good soul. We do not have a leader like that. R. Venkataraman is a good soul. Now, I am seeing Modi is a good soul. I refuse to see politics these days because of Hindus being branded violent. I would rather watch something funny. Today is July 4th, independence day in America.
We have a Scouts group here. We had a nice program this morning. We sang the national anthem. I am very happy. I bless America and this earth. We pray to Hanumanta for everyone. Many are suffering.
I came here only for the Chicago program. I do not know if I will travel again. I will be there, but I don’t know if I will travel. So, use me now.
Use me like a garbage can. Throw your sins and your fickleness into me. Become clean and pure.