Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – Guru Vandana Program – Darshanam TV – November 16, 2024
The moon is continuing its journey. Datta is very pleased with todays’ Guru Vandana program. The organizers have been coming to Ashrama repeatedly in the last 4-5 years pleading with Swamiji to grace this event. Every second of Swamiji’s time is precious. We have crores of hamsas (one hamsa= one inhale+exhale). The more we breathe, the more we expend our balance. We get a fixed number of hamsas.Until those are exhausted, we suffer from disease, afflictions etc. To get relief we try yantra, mantra, tantra, medical treatments, surgeries.
Despite all that, the number of hamsas will not change. We only live as long as the number of hamsas we have. Only when Sadguru wills, the hamsas can be extended. The Guru does so only when the person’s life is going to be useful to others. But after getting the extension, if one falls into bad ways and abandons family and is of no use to others and then dies. that is not good.
Naga Phani Sharma sang a beautiful lullaby today for Swamiji. I asked Prasadi to include that in the lullabies for Swammiji. Listeners can enjoy some peaceful sleep. Many think Yoga Nidra is about death. That is not correct. When the Devatas asked Brahma: You are making so much creation. Are you doing this for your pleasure? The stardust is coming down as jeevis. It is wonderful you created these jeevis. But as soon as they touch the earth, they fall into Maya. Rama also pretended to be in the sway of Maya (since he touched the earth).
Bhu loka (earth) is the most special for all incarnations.To do our karma, to get away from our karma, earth is most important. That is why Rakshasas, Devatas and all living beings including man take birth on earth. Devatas said: You have given them delusion, attachment. They are unable to escape it. When they cannot escape it, they keep sinning and endlessly get caught in the cycle of samsara. You did this with us once and are now doing it with star dust. Brahma said: I am giving them the solution first. Nectar is born along with poison, day is born when night is. I already gave the cure.
I am bringing in the Guru. That is Dattatreya who is moola Guru. Those who seek refuge in Guru will not fall into delusion. They will get rid of their karma. So, first Guru Datta was born. Brahma, Vishnu, Maheshvara were first visible to Atri and Anasuya as a result of their penance. The couple were frightened. Then, he took birth as an infant in their ashram. He filled all space. Everthing was Him. He had the Vedas around him. He had the kalpvrksha by him. Many have sought refuge with him..some for worldly gains, some for liberation.
He has countless miracles. He hid in the lake for 1000 years. Many went away after waiting, Some cursed him for going away so long. But he came out with a half naked body and a damsel. Some cursed him and stormed away. Only a few remained steadfast. The Guru always tests. Datta Darshanam teaches us to never leave the Guru no matter what. We also learn this from our experience. Swamiji has toured the world including several Muslim countries 170 times. Now, Muslims are also studying and translating the Bhagavad Gita. You may wonder how? No mesmerism. They just need to see Swamiji.
A king once wondered: Did you see God, where is he, what is he doing now? No one could answer this question. Many poured over scriptures, but could not find the answer. Finally the king said: I really want to know the answer. No one is able to answer. I will ask the old scholar who has been here for generations. The king warned that the scholar would be beheaded if he could not answer. The scholar was very sad and went home. The animal keeper at his house wondered and asked him why he seemed so despondent. The scholar told him the reason why. The boy said he could help the scholar. He would go to the king’s court the next day, and he would not go in disguise.
The next day, the boy went to the king. The king just wanted the answer and did not care that it was an animal keeper in unkept clothes that who was ready with the answers. The boy ordered for a bowl of milk. He then asked the king to give him butter mmediately. The king said it would take time to extract butter from that bowl of milk. So too, sadhana has to be done to see God. The king was satisfied
Second question: What is God looking at now? The boy ordered a lamp be brought. The light from the lamp spread all directions. Just like the lamp, God was looking in all directions.
Third question: What is God doing now? The boy said this was a great question, and to answer, the king had to descend the throne and the boy had to take his place. The courtiers rejected the idea…but the king, desperate for answer agreed. He folded his hands and sat on the ground as directed by the boy. The boy in his dirty clothes, stained with dung and stinking, sat on the throne.
The boy said: Five minutes ago, you were on the throne and I was on the floor. Now, we switched. This is what God does. He takes one higher and one lower and vice versa.
You said you would behead your Guru if he did not answer. He is your Guru, how can you say that! Now that I am on the king’s throne, I wish to behead you!
The king sought forgiveness and realized his folly. So, we should not blame the Guru just because you did not get the right answer from the Guru. Guru gives to those who need and deserve. The doctor does not give the same injection to all. You must be patient. Today, many scholars, many devotees, many seekers are here.
It is not easy to run a magazine publication. You are damned if you speak the truth, damned if you do not. So, the truth is spoken indirectly. It is very hard to run such a publication in this digital age.
I saw the latest edition, it is wonderful. It is full of Swamiji. Keep a copy with you.
Ramanachary is coming to mind a lot today. He was wondering what name to give the concerts. I told him Sri Venkateshwara Swamy would give him the answer that night. Next morning, he came back with the name “Raga Sagara”. So, we use that name now in every concert. I always think of him.
You all know that I normally do not sit for this long. I am sitting only because your devotion has tied me down. I only sit like this when I am doing music. I gave that time only to Raga Sagara. I came here out of happiness that you are worshiping Datta. You are here out of love for Swamiji.
Today is an auspicious day; it is Kartika Masa, Saturday.
I am going to Vietnam. They found a Shiva linga from thousands of years ago. I will do abhishekam there. I keep going wherever the Lord beckons me to do these programs.
Hindus are very complacent. They even threw away the Vedas. The Germans took them and translated them and made use of them. When others attack or fight, Hindus are complacent too.
It is only now, they are slowly beginning to wake up. The Indian diaspora miss India a lot and when they see Swamiji, they feel like India has come to them. My biggest group is the army of children. They are called Tataji sena. When I see them, I ask them about their Gita gold medal.
Believe it or not, many households have stopped watching TV. They only want to chant Gita and know the meanings.
Some parents come to Swamiji and force their children to bow to Swamiji. You must do it first so your family follows. I said this to many including the president of the country. When you offer salutations to Guru, you are saluting yourself. Guru is a science. You have to understand it. Why do we ring the bell during arati. It draws our attention to vigilance. Camphor is used for arati to let your heart melt in God’s contemplation.
The bottu protects lambika nadi so it protects our life span, health and prosperity. Many wear a very small bottu, I ask them to make it a little bigger. This is science. Even the tuft of hair of Brahmins is also science. God is science.
To all of you, to all the elders and youngsters who came to Guru Vandanam, to the YouTube channel, to those striving to protect Dharma, I bless you.
Every year, in the outskirts of Mysuru, there is a lot of religious conversion taking place. Those came to Swamiji and said they were getting converted. Swamiji built 20 temples for them to date and even trained them to do priestly duties. That has kept thousands in the fold of Sanatana Dharma. We should wake up and follow our Dharma.
May you all be blessed with good health and prosperity.