Discourse of HH Sri Datta Vijayananda Teertha Swamiji during Sunday evening session – UPH Mysore – January 20, 2013
Sri Ganeshaya Namah! Sri Saraswatyai Namah Sri Pada Vallabha Narasimha Saraswati Sri Guru Dattatreyaya Namah.Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Sadgurubhyo Namo Namah ! Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya ! Pujya Sri Swamiji chanted the Mantra , “Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya” and made the devotees repeat which is a great event in most of the Bhajan sessions.
Each keertana is one seva. The ancestors of today’s singers have all been Datta devotees. Now their children have taken up the seva of doing Namasankeertana. This is the true Parampara. Like Guru Parampara, there is also Sishya [disciple] Parampara and Parampara of devotees. This gives Sadguru a true happiness.
Today morning we listened to a new way of Namasankeertana by the devotees from Chennai. This is a very ancient method of singing the glory of the Lord. But of late, we are observing it in our Ashrama too. Pujya Sri Swamiji invited them in 1970 itself and arranged for this Namasankeertana programme. The parents and grandparents of today’s singers are all in this Parampara of offering Namsankeertana to Sadguru. Now the children are carrying forward the tradition of Namasankeertana, not because it is their bread and butter but they do it as a hobby. We should not call it a hobby. We call it a very good hobby. The one which gives us happiness and joy is treated as a hobby and we adopt it. That hobby should not only give happiness but should be useful to people around us atleast to ten members making them happy too. For today’s batch of devotees that performed Namasankeertana, singing Bhajan itself is a hobby. They seek pleasure and happiness from Namasankeertana itself. In this group, there are Doctors, Bank Managers and the remaining are also very highly placed in their respective professions. But they never feel shyness or a feeling of insult or feel conscious of others watching them while singing. They sang very happily. They enjoy singing bhajans. They were dancing too while singing.
As the saying in ancient times goes:
If you lie down and sing the glory of the lord, God sits and listens to
You.
If you sit and sing, God stands to listens.
If you stand and sing, God listens, dancing to your song.
If you yourself dance while singing, the Lord remains in your heart, making it His Temple. The power of Namsankeertana is ultimate and is second to none in its power. Singing Bhajans is not for mere singing or rendering a lyric. It should be followed by chanting of Mantra.
That is the power of Namasankeertana. Namasankeertana has ultimate power and it is second to none. Singing of Bhajan is not merely for singing or rendering a lyric. It should be followed by chanting of Mantra. We have to utter the Name of God. God has given us this body to serve Him. Ability to speak is given to speak good words. The body is given to do service. Tongue is given to speak out good words. What are good words? How can we define and make a list of good words? If we make only a list of good words, it becomes a dictionary. We should not utter bad words. It is difficult to make a list of bad words too. We should not make an attempt also. If we utter good words mostly, there is no scope for bad words. While bringing the children up, if we follow these methods, the children will not get a chance to listen to bad words at all. As God has blessed us with the ability to speak, we have to sing the glory of the Lord and chant the Mantra. Since we are blessed with a completely functioning body, we have to render services to the Lord and be blessed.
Paramatma declared “Among all the forms of Yagna, I am the Mouna/ silent Yagna [Penance of Silence]. We feel whether Silence and Chanting can be considered as Penance. As per our knowledge, penance is to sit and chant the Mantra. Silence is the most difficult Penance. Anyway, we can’t practice silent penance, Mouna Yagna as we get a feeling of scolding the person who disturbs us or annoys us. Scolding in the mind also is not good and we fail in Mouna Yagna. To attain that stage and not scold even in mind, it is very difficult. But atleast we have to control speech. “Vagniyama”[vaak Niyama] is to speak in a balanced way. This is very important and that is a penance.
To practice this, we have to start practicing the way we do it while climbing a mountain. If we climb the steps very fast at the beginning itself, we get tired soon. If we make the start at a low pace, we reach the peak sooner. Nothing is impossible with proper practice. If people say it is difficult, it does not mean that it is impossible but it means that it will be possible with great difficulty. One among the most difficult attempts in the path of penance is “ control of speech”. The “word” is highly powerful and energetic. Everybody wants to be friends with God. Friends are very essential in life. Rama was also advised to choose a friend. Not having a friend led him to face difficulties. Rama had a good younger brother but not a good friend. All the secrets required for a good life are taught in the Ramayana.