Speech of HH Sri Datta Vijayananda Teertha Swamiji when leading bhajan session during Navaratri – October 4, 2011 – Mysore
Jaya Guru Datta
“I am doing my dharma. I am following my Guru’s instructions. He told me that I should sing bhajans today. So I am here to sing bhajans. Dharma is always to follow the Guru.
One should use all parts of the body to praise Mother Goddess. The mind is there to contemplate upon her. The hands are there to offer worship and service. The tongue is there to sing Her glories. The ears are there to listen to Her stories and merits. This chariot with all its parts is to be used for Mother’s service only. Today is a special day. It is a very special day; Sri Jayalakshmi Mata’s Birthday. Happy Birthday to Sri Jayalakshmi Mata! She has blessed us all with Her beloved child (muddu bidda).
(She has also blessed us with Her muddula manavadu – beloved and sweet grandson, Sri Bala Swamiji! – HD)
Saraswati Pooja is very important. It was yesterday, under Moola nakshatra (star). Moola means sources. She is the source of all knowledge. Today is Durga ashtami (the eight day in the lunar phase). Mother Durga destroys all sins and fills us with courage and virtue. Tomorrow is Navami (the ninth day). Nava also means new; we get filled with new thoughts in our minds and intellect; thought about God. We begin our journey on the new path, the path shown by our Guru; the spiritual path. We should always be praying to the Mother Goddess because She is always very eager to protect us because of Her compassion towards us.
Today is Puttu Gam’s Birthday. Because Puttu Gam is Sri Jayalakshmi Mata!
Bhajan: Jayalakshmi tallee Jananee Mahamaye
We sang, ‘aradhana chesi’. Aradhana is a very great word. Radha means respect, love, devotion all mingled. Mother is looked upon like that; with love and affectionate devotion. Worship offered with love is Aradhana. There is a difference between faith and firm faith. We sing, ‘nijamuga nammiti’. Is it not enough to say, ‘I believe’? Why do we need to say, ‘I truly believe’? Many times we simply say words that we do not wholeheartedly mean. Kumarila Bhattu once was pushed down from a cliff. As he fell, he vowed, “If the Vedas are indeed Truth, then I will not be harmed”. He was unharmed except that he lost one eye. He asked his Guru what had gone wrong. Why did he lose his eye? The Guru replied that when he made the vow he began with an ‘If’. That means that he did not have complete faith in the Vedas. He only somewhat believed. That is why the result was such. To know about complete faith, we should look at the examples of Prahlada and Dhruva. We should pray for that kind of total, unquestioning faith. That is why we sing, ‘nijamuga nammiti’ – I truly believe. You should have the faith that wherever you may be, you will get food. Do not speak of faith for show or for decorating your words. Speak them wholeheartedly. One’s conscience should be pure. Then words are not even required. Fear should be abandoned. Jayalakshmi Mata gives ‘abhaya’ – fearlessness.
A king finds it hard to sleep even after the battle has ended. He is worried that there may an enemy still lurking somewhere. He has no faith.
Mother Jayalakshmi is Parashakti. She is Supreme Energy. Energy is there in everyone and everything, young, old, everyone. It is this Energy that holds together the entire Creation. The Datta world is different from the outside world. Those who have not experienced this faith will not understand our feelings. This world of ours is totally different; the world of faith.
Mother’s Energy is Supreme. There is none to excel Her. Bhima is strong. But Anjaneya is stronger. Bhima could not even move his tail. Rama is even stronger than Anjaneya. The Guru is always greater than the disciple. With Rama’s name Hanuman is very happy. With Guru’s name, Krishna is very happy. Ever chanting the Guru’s name or the name given by the Guru is real sadhana. Vayu or wind blows out of fear. It is his duty to spread everywhere and distribut air to all living beings. That is why he blows. The Earth spins. How? Why? It is doing its Dharma, fulfilling its responsibility. Energy is created and maintained; it is in all of us. Navaratri is when one realizes its true nature in the Guru‘s presence.
With one’s own mother, one is able to demand for food, for affection and protection. Our attachment with the divine Mother should be like that. Our love and faith should be pure and total. Then we can demand. We must believe totally.
Bhajan: Dum Dum Durga
We sing Dum Dum, the seed letter for Mother Goddess. We get high. We reach the Sahasrara chakra at the top of the head. But we cannot always remain there. We have to come down again. That is why we sing Lam Lam Lalita. Lam is for Mooladhara, the base chakra. We have to come down to earth. Lam represents the Earth element. Vasanas or smells or tendencies have to be removed. That is why we offer sandal paste to remove the bad odors. Our bodies are filled with odors. They are easier to remove than the smells that fill our minds. We must cleanse our minds and get rid of all the bad smells.
The Guru cleans us with the same gentleness as the mother who bathes her days old infant. She places the baby on her outstretched legs and tests the temperature and purity of the water repeatedly before gently washing the child. Lalitha means gentleness. Without giving any pain or discomfort, the Guru also washes us. Even without our knowledge he removes our vasanas. Krishna’s gait is gentle. Rama’s words are gentle. The Guru’s grace is gentle. The Guru makes us walk in the right path. Just try. Keep trying. The Angels sang so well today. If you try and fail, then it is not a mistake. My teacher, Sri Rani used to always say, ‘If you try, you will succeed.’
He transforms us. See, he makes even one who is as illiterate as me, compose poetry! That is Guru’s grace. I am here as an example. If you have to make fun, never make fun of others. Do not laugh at other people’s weaknesses. Look at yourselves. See your own flaws and make fun of yourselves. That is how it should always be.
Bhajan: Amba Bhavani Sharade
This is everyone’s favorite bhajan. It is a Sanskrit bhajan. Most of the words are easy to understand. But one line some devotees had a problem with. They asked me, what ‘pulla lochani’ meant. I told them that it is not ‘pulla lochani’ but ‘phulla lochani’, meaning that Her eyes are fully open like a fully blossomed flower. But to satisfy them, since in Telugu pulla means stick, I explained that with sticks Mother Goddess forcibly keeps her eyes open in order to protect the devotees. Even if sometimes we understand the meaning wrongly, still it does no harm, if our love is pure and our faith is firm.
What does Goddess mean? It means God? Yes! Mother makes even non-believers believe in God forcibly. Always say ‘Yes’ to Guru and God.
Today we are disappointed that Swamiji did not sing bhajans. But we must never compel him or question him. We should always be prepared to accept his will and convenience. We should obey and follow whatever he says. Although close to 70 he is acting more as if he is seventeen. Let us pray to him, and allow him the freedom to do as he likes, and not as we like. He was saying earlier today that he is tired. Still, out of compassion he sat for so long, distributing prasadam to all the devotees. He has to show respect to his body and give it some needed rest. He may scold us if we suggest to him that he needs rest. We should be prepared such scolding also. In the Puranas we read stories where some Gurus disappear and remain out of sight for long durations. Our Guru is not doing that. We have to be contented. Of course, in the relationship with the Guru, there is never any satisfaction. We want more and more and we demand more and more. But we must draw some limits. It is our real duty to accede to his requests. Let us pray that Sri Swamiji should get some good rest. May he sleep well. In his sleep, who knows where he travels to, America may be, or Europe? Let us sing for him a lullaby.
Bhajan: Andolaye Rajeshwareem”
The program concluded with a vibrant dance by tribal children from Mekedatu that exhilarated the entire audience and especially Sri Bala Swamiji who had two small boys dressed as Hanuman jumping with unbounded gusto and joy right next to him on the stage.
Sri Guru Datta
Courtesy: Smt. Hira Duvvuri