Speech of HH Sri Datta Vijayananda Teertha Swamiji after Anagha Vratam – September 15, 2012
Jai Guru Datta
Sri Guru Datta
Avadhoota chintana Sri Gurudeva Datta
Jai bolo Sadgurunath mahraj ki jai
Today is a very happy day. I am very happy. Rangarao memorial school children, Government school children came here today and performed Anaghasthami vrata in universal prayer hall. I’m very happy. May Datta bless the organizers, you kids, your parents and teachers. By his grace may you fulfill all your dreams. May you be blessed. During every chaturmasya, it is a tradition to have children perform Anagha vratam. These children are special. I don’t like to call you blind children. God gave you eyes in your heart. You see with your heart, understand with experience, from the heart. Manjula organizes Anagha vratam every year during chaturmasya. This year it wasn’t done until now so the incompleteness was showing but then Bhaskar and Manjula finally got around organizing it now. May they be blessed. Swamiji is proud of devotees like them. We have to help others, only then we will fulfill our life. Your children should do it too.
You are all educated. Swamiji has made it a point to publish books in Braille script for you. There are more than 30 Braille script books in the ashram today. We will send them to your schools as well. In Warangal, Swamiji started a dedicated press for printing in Braille. Anaghasthami vrata is a very wonderful practice. It is hard to explain its effects. We can get everything from it, it has such power. Datta Himself taught this. You heard Karthaviryarjuna’s story. He had no hands, but then he was the heir to the throne. He felt bad about his situation. Then Sage Garga, his guru, asks him to go to Lord Datta. He goes to sahyadri mountains where Lord Datta lives and prays to the lord for thousands of years. One fine day he calls Lord Datta by the name “Anagha”. Lord Datta is very happy with this name. He asks Karthaviryarjuna “who told you I have this name?” and Karthavirya answers “My guru Sage Garga did”. Impressed, He gave Karthviryarjuna a 1000 hands. Later on, Karthaviryarjuna became a great king. In the later yugas, Lord Krishna made King Yudhishtir perform this vrata. In the sands of time this tradition was lost. After then, Swamiji reminded us of this and now Anaghasthami vrata is performed in every devotee’s house.
During Nuzivid chaturmasya, we performed Anagha Vrata with kids who came from Hyderabad school. Then we decided to take children to the beach in Machilipatnam. Before going to the beach, the kids asked what we really get from Anagha Vrata. I said “I don’t have time for this now. You go to beach. By the time you go back to Hyderabad, you will know it yourself.” Then they went to Machlipatnam, visited the beach, and went back to Hyderabad. Then they returned to school next day only to hear some good news – their school had to expand but then the land beside the school was too expensive for them to buy. During their tour to Nuzivid, they were told, that the owner of the land approached the school authorities offered it for less than half the price! They called me when I was in Nuzivid and told me, I was surprised too. Devotees from Nuzivid helped with buying that land too.
Swamiji built a blind school in Guntur named Sachidananda bhavana, kinds study there too. Today,you prayed with concentration. They say lord has to be in your heart. For you kids, the lord is in your heart. When we go to temple, we close our eyes so we can see Him in the heart. You don’t even have to do that because the Lord is already in your heart. Don’t forget this. Datta Sri talked about Bhagavad Gita. I heard, it was very good. The kids dance and singing is also great. Your children have talent.
In Machlipatnam, I met a blind orchestra. I planned 30 min program but it ended up a 2 hour program and I didn’t move until they were done. All the devotees there asked them to play once more. They were that good. Each one of you has talents inside. You need to recognize that. Some might want to sing, some might want to play music, and some might want to dance. You need to recognize that and tell your teachers and learn that and practice. Then you will get fame. May your life be happy, and devoid of any obstacles. Also, when you grow up, help children like you.
Subhash who runs the blind school in Guntur is also blind but then he teaches to a 1000 kids. You are Ashrama’s kids. You came here with Guru’s grace. I ask parents to keep bringing them here frequently. It is good for them. Use the Ashrama. May Swamiji bless you.
Avadhoota chintana Sri Gurudeva Datta
Jai bolo Anagha Swamiki Jai
Jai bolo Anaghamba mata ki Jai
Jai Guru Datta
I will come to you and give prasadam. Have lunch here, play here, and then go home happily.