Speech of HH Sri Datta Vijayananda Teertha Swamiji after returning from Kasi – November 8, 2009 – UPH Mysore
Jaya Guru Datta !
The trip was extremely good and Appaji is immensely happy with the arrangements made by Hyderabad volunteers. Volunteers have worked hard to keep all the devotees happy and specially the food and accomodation arrangements were massive despite the huge crowd. We just thought some 500 people will come, but 5000 people came. We dont know from where these many people came. All devotees were so deep in devotion.
There were 2 humourous incidents. In the temple there is a custom of giving flowers in a cover to be offered to lord Shiva. Devotees after entering the temple had darshan of Pujya Swamiji and Lord Vishweswara together and out of joy one lady took the flowers out threw them in the dustbin aside and had put the cover on Shiva. Another old man who carried a small pot of milk for abhishekam expected a huge Shiva linga in the temple as big as our Sachchidanandeswara. In that eagerness to have darshan, he saw one shiny bald headed man, thought it is siva linga and poured milk on that head. And when priest saw the pot and asked him to pour milk on the actual siva linga, he throwed pot on the linga. Datta devotees are such devoted. I’m not saying this for humour. These are actual incidents happened there. This shows how excited they are to be in Kasi in this auspicious month, that too with pujya Appaji.
There is Ganga, there is Vishweswara, there is Appaji, there is Appaji’s melodious voice narrating Kasi Khanda and singing bhajans and there is hot hot prasadam…. ahhhh… what else one need ?
Those who could not come to Kasi for various reasons, dont feel bad. Swamiji is bringing Punya of Kasi to mysore for all of you. Our Sachchidanandeswara is Vishweswara for us and the water that comes in the room tap – the Kaveri is Ganga and our body is Kasi Kshetra. They say, those who have darshan of the one who visited Kasi itself is meritorius punya. Appaji had prayed for the well being of the datta devotees and also on behalf of all of you who could not come. People who came there leaving their work are thinking about their work but people who are here doing seva are thinking about Kasi. This is real seva. Now I will do prokshana for all of you with the Ganga water which is mixed with Rudra homa water too.
Jaya Guru Datta !
Compiled by Bala Aati