Speech of HH Sri Datta Vijayananda Teertha Swamiji in the morning – February 26, 2016 – KSHT Dallas, USA
Compiled by Bala Aati
Sri Ganesaya Namaha
Sri Saraswatyai Namaha
Sripada Vallabha Narasimha Saraswati
Sri Guru Dattatreyaya Namaha
Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Sadgurubhyo Namo Namaha.
Om Namo Hanumate Namah
Om Namo Hanumate Namah
Om Namo Hanumate Namah
Jai bolo Pavanasuta Hanuman ki Jai
Sri Ramachandra Prabhu ki Jai
Sadgurunatha Maharaja ki Jai
Today is a very special day. It is Friday. We may see many Fridays, and we are going to see many Fridays, so what is so very special on this Friday? You may ask. Because we are in Karya Siddhi Hanuman Mandir. That’s why today is very special.
Try to make every day special. Find reasons to make this day, this moment special. Today is very special, because I am seeing you. We are all having the darshan of Karya Siddhi Hanuman. That is the reason today is a very special day.
As Prakash Rao garu said, we have to always recollect our elders, who sacrificed their lives to protect our dharma. What we are doing for our dharma, we should ask ourselves. We are making many contributions, but practicing is protecting. If you practice your dharma, it means that you are protecting your dharma. Talking is easy, but practicing is very difficult. That is why Sadguru makes us to practice. That is the reason we love our Sadguru. Because showing His love, He makes us to practice our dharma.
Today we had wonderful bhajan session. I am very happy. If Swamiji is not there, if He is not forcing them to sing bhajans, who will sing? They will sing cinema songs. If today we are singing bhajans instead of film songs, it is due to our Sadguru who is making us to do sadhana. We always have to think about Sadguru and our Rishis who sacrificed their lives to protect our dharma. You all must have heard about Savarkar. He was the one who started the practice of Ganapathi festival in pandals. I am very happy that Prakash Rao garu remembered him today. We all should pray for his soul and for our dharma, sanatana dharma which helps the Universe. It is not for one, for one country or one culture. It is for everyone. It is to protect the whole world.
Today we have witnessed abhishekam of Durga parameshwari. Friday is a very special day. Rahukala during Friday will be between 10:30 am to 12 noon. We planned to do abhishekam at 10.00 am but it so happened that we started at exactly at 10.30 and finished at 12.00 noon. Mother Goddess is very happy here. She is protecting you. She is blessing you. Sadguru likes Friday very much. Friday is mother Goddess’s day. Friday is mother’s day. Sadguru is mother to everyone. We see our Sadguru as our mother. After that we see Him as father. First He is mother to us. That is why we are all attracted to Him. We can experience that love from Sadguru. We can share everything. We can share our secrets with mother. Some secrets, some deeds we cannot share with everyone. But with mother we can share everything. Nowadays they hide everything from mother. But we have to share. Because mother is there to take everything. She knows you. She loved you. When? Even before she could see you, even before the baby was born, even before she could know if the baby is a boy or a girl, she loved you even when you were in her womb itself. She never bothered how you would be after growing up. She just loved you.
That is the love from mother. She didn’t expect anything from you, but she loved you. That is why we give a special place to mother. That’s what we see in Sadguru. He never expects anything from you. He wants you, that’s it. Who are you? What are you doing? What is your religion? No, He is not bothered about that. He wants you. That’s it.
Come to Him. Go to Him. Surrender. Follow His words. Following Guru’s words is very important. We follow Sadguru. What does it mean? It means, we follow Sadguru’s words. We say ‘Guru Pada Seva’. What does this mean ? Is it holding to His feet and pressing His feet ? What happens if so many thousands of people press His feet? Guru runs away. This is not Pada Seva. Pada Seva means obeying His words. Follow the Master.
Paada and Pada both gives same meaning. Paada means foot and Pada means word. Sadguru Seva means Paada Seva and Paada Seva means Following Sadguru. Never forget this. Follow His words. His upadesha is different for each and everyone. But many times He does public upadesha. Like do Hanuman Chalisa, that is public upadesha. Everybody has to follow this. Sometimes, there would be individual upadesha. That has to be followed without fail. Never forget that. The mantra that is initiated by Sadguru, you should never forget. Not only mantra, His every word is also mantra. Not only Draam Dattaaya Namah, Lam Lalithaambhikayai Namah, Om Namo Hanumate Namah. These are the mantras, but His word is also mantra. Take His word as mantra and follow His words. That will help you. If Swamiji says ‘Do Friday Puja, it is good for you’, Yes, it is good for you. Don’t look for reasons to escape or not to follow. Try to follow His words.
Friday is called as Shukravaramu. It is a very important day. How ? Shukra gives us wealth. He develops family relationships. Shukra is 6th planet. We call it Venus. When platelets or blood cells count in our body drops, they say we must pray to Venus. People who suffer with this must perform Abhishekam on a Friday. Since we have seen the Abhishekam today, it is good for our health.
Today we need to pray for our health and wealth. If you observe Muslims, when they thank you, they say Shukriya or Shukar Gujar hu. Where did this come from? This is from Shukhra. Friday is a very special day for them. Friday is also very special for Christians, like Good Friday. Muslims do special prayers on Friday. They do Namaz. Namaz came from Namaha (prostration). On Fridays, they do it very specially. Shukriya comes from Shukhra. Shukhra gives you wealth. Sukhra gives you money. And He increases the relationship. That is why in Tirumala there is only one abhishekam in a week. They do for Lakshmi, not for Venkateshwara. Lakshmi is placed in the heart of Venkateshwara. That is why they do the abhishekam on Friday. Friday Abhisheka darshana is very special. All the devotees believe in it and go and have darshan.
Friday is a very good day. Friday is not Fry day. I am happy that we are all here and witnessed abhishekam of Durga parameshwari. If you keenly observe, there is no Abhaya mudra or Varada Mudra of Mother Goddess RajaRajeshwari. In one hand she is holding panchabana and in another hand Paasha. In the third hand – Ankusha. In the other hand she holds the bow. There is no abhaya or varada mudra. A great poet says: ‘O mother Goddess, You don’t need to show us that mudra of abhaya or varada. To get your blessings. Your holy feet is enough. If we have the darshan of Your holy feet, that is enough. That is everything.’ That is also Paada seva. Always remember Guru Paadas. Everything is based on Guru Paada, and on Guru’s word. Guru paada means Guru’s words.
If we observe Ranganatha Swami, He also does not have Abhaya or Varada Mudra. What is He doing ? He is always sleeping. That is yoga nidra. No abhaya or varada mudra. Shiva linga has no form at all. Shiva is in dhyana. Holding trishula and dhamaruka. He is in Dhyana Mudra. Not in abhaya or varada mudra. Venkateshwara Swami is in varada mudra. Not in abhaya mudra. He is holding His hand downwards, showing His feet. ‘Look at my feet, come to my feet.’ Follow my words. That is paada seva. That is what He is teaching us. All the deities in this special posture, we pray to them on this Friday.
Yesterday during question and answer session, a boy asked if there are many deities or only one. There is only one. But to realize that there is only one God, it is difficult. If there is only one step, can you climb the mountain? It is not easy. If there are many steps, and you keep on climbing, one day you will reach. All the steps lead to mountain. Without those steps it is difficult to climb. To make us to climb, the One Almighty took many forms. He is in Ganapathi form, in Hanuman form, in Durga form, in Shiva form, Subrahmanya. These are all the forms of His.
It is like small sparks that emanate from fire. It appears differently but comes from one fire. Similarly, from One Paramatma, all these forms came. Why Sri Swamiji made Karya Siddhi Hanuman Mandir ?
We ask, if there are so many Gods, why we say that there is only one God? Supreme God ! It is very difficult to understand that stage. It is difficult to reach that stage. It is bhakti Marga and Upasana Marga. We are in Upasana Marga or Bhakti Marga. One day, we will definitely reach that stage. Or if you don’t reach in this life, you will reach in next life. So keep praying, keep doing mantra, keep following Guru’s words. It will help you. It is good for your health, wealth, for your life.
Teach children how to follow Sadguru and how to protect our dharma. At least 10 minutes we have to sacrifice for our dharma. Why did God otherwise send us here? To do something for our dharma. Else we are not doing justice to our life and we will be reborn. Datta devotees are very lucky. Not just 10 mins, whole day they think of God. Swamiji has given us such opportunity. If not daily, at least during weekends, do it. I’m happy that you all are utilising it.
This evening, we will talk of Hanumad Guru Tatva. What is Hanuad GuruTatva ? Is Hanuman Guru or is Guru Hanuman ? Do they have two different tatvas or is it the same tattva they have ? We shall talk about this in the evening.
Karya Siddhi Hanuman Mandir is like Mysore Ashram. I feel I am in Mysore Ashram. We feel as if we are sitting in the Universal Prayer Hall in Mysore ashram. It is Swamiji’s blessing to all. At 6.30 PM we will gather to talk about Hanumad Guru Tattva. We will listen about Hanuman, and Guru. What is their relation? Are they both same ? If yes, how are they the same? We will discuss about this in the evening. Now, let us all chant Hanuman Chalisa once.
Jai Guru Datta
Sri Guru Datta
Pavana Suta Hanuman ki Jai
Siya Vara Ramachandra ki Jai