Question & Answer session of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji during Darshana in the evening – June 30, 2024 – Hanuman Hindu Temple, London, UK
HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji is giving an opportunity for Spiritual Q&A.
Question:
Swamiji said to control Kama, Krodha, etc., and to understand that this life is an illusion. How do we make our Sadhana strong, and maintain this strength every day?
Answer:
You are allowing all kinds of good and bad things in your life. Your mind is very busy. That is why those vices enter. Don’t allow those things to enter your mind. Think about your duties and focus on them. Practice happiness. Stay busy, chanting mantra.
We have so many Upanishads and scriptures. Why not study them daily? Chant Bhagavad Gita, Lalita and Vishnu Sahasranamas. Time will pass with this and you will be engaged in spiritual activities. Practice Yoga. There are so many good things you can practice. You are not practicing good things that is why Kama Krodha enter and spoil us. We become more like Rakshasas.
Think about Sadguru and Lalita and Vishnu Sahasranamas, meanings of Shlokas, etc. One birth is not enough to learn all this. This will take 10-15 births.
Focus on your duties – job, family, show family members love and then do this. You are unnecessarily watching TV, browsing on your phone, eating, drinking, unnecessary parties, eating, etc. Automatically the vices will enter such a mind. You cannot control Kama Krodha (if you do not change your practices), despite many births. So, practice good things. Keep your mind busy with good deeds. Automatically, Kama Krodha, etc., will go away.
I am always chanting in my mind. If I am talking to someone for an hour and my heart races thinking I am wasting an hour. We have very little time in our lives. Wasting time invites Rakshasas because the mind is empty. They slowly build an abode in our mind. Kama Krodha automatically follow. That is why we want a Guru.
Nowadays, it’s fashionable to have a Guru. You claim you follow some spiritual organizations. You claim membership in some organizations. “I follow Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji”. What is the use? What does it mean to follow? You must listen to Swamiji and follow His words. It’s not just for fashion.
You claim your father did great charities in many organizations, or your forefathers wrote big books. What use is this for you? If you get busy with spirituality, you will automatically lose Kama Krodha.
Question:
How can I preserve my culture of my family without being carried away by the world I live in? I sometimes feel anxious about the future.
Answer:
What is culture? You don’t know what culture is. Explain what culture is!
Your habits are your culture. What you get trained is in your culture. Your parents and forefathers helped, but your good habits are your culture. You can practice. Your chanting, Mantra Japa, etc., is your culture. We just talk about culture, as in the exact dictionary translation, but there is nothing such as that.
Your practice creates your culture. You have a good Guru, use (Him) well. That makes your culture. You have the Guru in front of your eyes, you must use this opportunity. This is your culture.
Children will not automatically receive culture. You have to practice first, that will help some. The rest needs to come from within them.
Helping others is our nature. That is important.
Question:
What is the supreme purpose of our life?
Answer:
Kids are born out of your lust, not your dharma. Does eating anything give you permanent joy? No. Following God alone is our supreme dharma. Following Sadguru’s words is our supreme dharma. Do what the Guru says. If Guru doesn’t give mantra and asks you to sweep the floor or work in the kitchen, that is the way to Moksha.
Pingala Naga only used to wash clothes. He wondered – all these people are Jnanis, they come and learn and go. I have nothing. I am just like a washing machine. Then, as he carried the wet clothes on his head the water dripped on to him, he gained Jnana. He realized Sadguru Seva is the most supreme dharma.
If you only focus on Jnana, who will do this Sadguru Seva?
Pingala Naga used to wonder before: I am already 800 years old, I have no Jnana, what should I do? As he carried the washed clothes on his head and the dripping water gave him Jnana, he realized, if I get Jnana, I will only focus on that, who will do this work for Sadguru? This Seva is my Jnana, this is all I want. Sadguru Seva itself is Jnana.
Question:
Adi Sankara advocated Advaita. What exactly is Advaita? Is it about not seeing the difference between God and being? Is it about seeing God in all? If it is so, why did he write all that he wrote, so many different poems and texts? What should I have to follow? I am sorry but this is my doubt.
Answer:
You eat food, why eat Dal and Rasam and buttermilk, separately? Why eat the variety of dishes separately? Why do you not just put all the different kinds of dishes together, mix them all, gobble them up in big mouthfuls? It’s all going into the stomach anyway! But, can you do that daily?
Why should Adi Sankara compose so many works? So, you can read what you like and so you have variety just as you have with food. He gave us many chances/opportunities.
Question:
I am wondering if I am getting caught up in the form/photo and not thinking about Tattva.
Answer:
Learn the Shlokas of Adi Sankara. Focus on the form. You will automatically connect.
Question:
When I see Swamiji, I feel very good. When I see Swamiji do Puja, I wonder if I am getting closer to God if I don’t do that Puja!
Answer:
Do not worry about Sri Chakra Puja and Homa. Swamiji is doing that for universal welfare. Swamiji is doing on your behalf. You do not have to do that. You can chant Swamiji mantra and develop more love for Swamiji. We do not need to do such Sri Chakra Pujas and Homas like Swamiji. You can chant Swamiji’s mantra and keep looking up to Him. Swamiji will take care of everything.
You can love your mother and she will take care of your food and other needs. This is similar.
How can we do Puja like Swamiji does? Do not worry about that. Just follow Swamiji with love and affection. Swamiji will take care of everything. You love mother and mother gives you food (only). Why are you bothered about how to prepare food? You can learn a little, that is okay. So too, with Swamiji, you can learn to do your karma and follow Swamiji, Swamiji is doing the rest.
Question:
To be away from the vices, we should chant the name of God. In this country, wearing shoes is very necessary, wherever we go. Is it okay to chant and do these things while wearing shoes?
Answer:
We should follow the practices of the place. At church, you’ll need to wear shoes. When you go home, leave your shoes outside. When someone comes to your house, they have to follow the practices of the house. They will need to sit on the sofa and wait for you, and take what you offer them; drinks or snacks, etc. They are not supposed to open the cupboards and closets and the fridge.
In churches they want you to wear the shoes. Here, we do not need shoes in this temple. You must follow the practices and traditions of the place.
You may be traveling on a train with shoes, it is okay to chant divine names at that time, still wearing your shoes. When you are constipated, and when you are in the lavatory, you may be in pain and you may be crying out “Rama!” “Krishna!” You maybe chanting divine names in pain but right in the lavatory. Is it okay to chant then? Yes, chant God’s names at all times. You must, of course, follow physical practices whenever needed. We are always wallowing in eating, sleeping, kama, krodha. These are human duties it seems like.
Question:
Our life is getting over. As we grow old, we wonder how we can reel in the vices and work toward Moksha. I am worried about my next birth.
Answer:
Your practices, chanting, following God are all Moksha. Just focus on this, why bother about next birth? You go buy the ticket, sit on the train; the next station will automatically come for you to get off. Only worry about this birth, not the future births.
Question:
I am getting worried about wars taking place around the globe! How can we protect our Earth? Will our prayers help?
Answer:
You first practice being peaceful yourself before you worry about world peace. If you want to go political, you can do that; worry about the wars, etc. If you are in that line, okay go worry about all those things. But you are in the spiritual line. First, you are spiritual. So, Pray. Your family and your Sadguru are your world. Line up with your family, your children, relatives, Sadguru, etc. First, sort this out and then worry about the other stuff. First,
correct your world. Try to be at Peace. Peace!
Question:
I was always wondering who the Guru of Hanuman is. In the beginning there was Surya and then came Rama?
Answer:
Those stories are not necessary! Who is your Guru? (Questioner says, “Swamiji!”) You bother only about your Guru and how to listen to His Words, etc. Instead of that you are trying to find who is the guru to who, etc. Look, there is no answer to those stories, just bother about your own story. That is all a big
problem. You first take care of your own problem!
Who is the guru of who, who is the uncle of who, who is the aunt of who, etc, etc. Why worry about all these? Why did Sita marry Rama, was it love marriage or arranged marriage? Why bother about things like this? Just do your duty! When you are hungry, eat first. Don’t bother about who made the bread, or the Dosa,
who got it, where it was made, what are in the ingredients, etc. Eat if you wish, if not leave it.
Time is always going running. There is no waiting, no compromise. Yama has no compassion. No influence works there. He will not stop even for a bit. He is doing his duty. Surya deva, Time, Yama, are all doing their duty. No kindness or influence works there. They simply do their duty.
Question:
Is it possible for everyone to memorize the Gita? But, everyone’s brain is different! Human brains are different for different people.
Answer:
So many people have done it. So many have memorized it. Everyone can do it, you should try doing it.
(Questioner says, “But, each one’s brain is different!”) No! God has given everyone the same brain. But you are not using it. You are eating and sleeping. Instead of that, always give exercise to the brain. There is no age limit. Do not disappoint yourself. Be confident that your mind and your memory power are good. You must make Sankalpa to do at least 10 shlokas. Then, when you find that you could do that, you will get happy and do the 11th shloka. Give the brain as much exercise as possible. Like that, give the body as much exercise as possible. This learning process is like water and mineral for the flower of the brain.
Question:
Some religions do not believe in reincarnation like Hinduism does. What is the truth?
Answer:
You are a Hindu and you believe this, then just follow it. You must correct your mind. Just have a strong mind about your beliefs. Why are you thinking about others’ beliefs? You correct yourself. Their beliefs are their own. If you want, you can jump to their beliefs. Or, you can stick with this belief. If you stick with this belief, do not think about other beliefs. It’s like eating your meal and thinking about your neighbor’s meal. You will spoil your own food and appetite. Your mind smells the aroma around (Swamiji mimics a puppy sniffing) and wonder what the neighbors are cooking. Why do you care? Do not
worry about that, first remove your odors.
Question:
How can we strike a balance between spiritual and day-to-day lives?
Answer:
It’s definitely possible. Try. If you try, you can do it. You are a small boy now, next year try and tell me. Do not mix things up, plan out and follow. Do not worry. Swamiji asks the questioner why he trusts Swamiji.
The questioner says he implicitly trusts Swamiji.
Swamiji says: I like France. It is beautiful. I had a big Ashrama back then, but I refused it. The South of France is very beautiful. I want to visit Disneyland. I have a child’s mind. I am always happy. I see God everywhere. Even in the Ferris Wheel, I see God. l am happy, I am always chanting, and thinking of my devotees.
Swamiji asks all to close their eyes and sit in meditation for 10 minutes.
London is beautiful. I will come again and again. You weren’t supposed to clap; you were supposed to meditate. I deliberately disturbed you, and you got disturbed! God always tests you.