Speech of HH Sri Datta Vijayananda Teertha Swamiji on His Birthday – Makara Sankranti – January 14, 2017 – Visakhapatnam
Compiled by Smt Hira Duvvuri
Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Sadgurubhyo Namaha.
Sri Swamiji is giving us direct darshan, showering blessings upon us on this auspicious Sankranti Day. On behalf of all of us, I offer deep prostrations at His divine lotus feet.
Everyone please repeat:
āpāda mauḷi paryantam gurūṇām ākr̥tim smarēt
tēna vighnāḥ praṇaśyanti siddhyanti ca manōrathāḥ
This sloka is from the Guru Gita. Everyone is familiar with it. It contains a great scientific truth, and a spiritual teaching, given to us through Sage Vyasa in the Skanda Purana.
We suffer from many problems and difficulties. We are troubled because we face many impediments and our tasks remain unfinished. Despite our best efforts, sometimes we fail to achieve our goals, which makes us sad. There is no need to feel bad. Those who take an earnest look at the form of Guru from His feet to His crown, and recollect it in their minds as a bounden duty, by doing so, overcome their hurdles and will fulfill their wishes.
Just now we heard about the lineage of Guru, and His glory. This sloka tells us that by contemplating on the form of Guru, we achieve success. To help us in this spiritual practice, Swamiji has made available to us His life-size portraits, depicting His form from His toenails to the top of His head. Every ashrama, and the home of every devotee must have such a photograph of Guru. The reason is that since many cannot visualize His form without such an aid, Swamiji has given us this photo so that we see it daily and imprint it on the mind-screen, recollecting which our wishes are fulfilled.
Today is Makara Sankranti. We chant the Aditya Hridayam. We offer worship to the Sun god. Sage Agastya has taught us the practice of worshiping the Sun god, through his instruction to Sri Rama. In the Uttara Kanda of the Ramayana, it is mentioned that after his coronation, Rama invites Sage Agastya to the kingdom and offers his grateful worship. The commentators say that Sri Rama, by this gesture, is teaching us the importance of expressing gratitude. One must earn Guru’s grace and build a virtuous character.
One of the greatest virtues is gratitude. One must never forget the favors received. One must always be grateful to one who has given food for survival, given education, has rendered help in difficulties, and so on. To atone for the sin of forgetting to show gratitude, one must especially remember every single day, Guru who has initiated us into the path of spirituality. By remembering Guru, all sins get destroyed. Such is the power of the virtue called gratitude to Guru.
This body was granted to me on this day, January 14, by Sadguru’s grace. I offer Him my prayers. I pray to Sri Swamiji to shower His blessings on all of us.
In the Ramayana, there is an incident mentioned, which we must remember today. The army that went in search of Mother Sita reached the cave of Svayamprabha. It was pitch dark inside. They did not know how to get out of the cave. A yogini appeared before them, gave them food and water and told them to close their eyes, after she sufficiently energized them. She then brought the entire group out of the cave and left them.
Angada, the leader of the troupe suggests that since they had failed in finding Sita, it is best that they all give up their lives voluntarily. Angada remembers Jatayu, who, despite being a bird, was a noble soul. (Swamiji has built the Shuka Vana in Mysuru, to honor the entire bird species.) Jatayu sacrificed his very life in trying to save Sita from abduction by Ravana. Angada laments aloud to the Vanara army that this group has not even been blessed with such a privilege of helping Sri Rama, as Jatayu. Sampati, the older brother of Jatayu overheard these words of Angada. He was grieved to hear of the death of his brother, but elated that Jatayu died while rendering service to Sri Rama.
Till then Sampati had been gleefully contemplating having the Vanara army for his hearty meal, since he was old, weak, and unable to forage for food. But now, learning of their noble mission, he regretted his intention. By remembering Jatayu, and speaking of Jatayu with a sense of gratitude and admiration, as one who offered his help to Rama, the Vanaras gave Sampati immense joy. Therefore, he felt very grateful towards them, and decided to offer them help in return.
He mentioned to the Vanaras that he knew the whereabouts of Ravana, whose travel was witnessed by his son. He was seen carrying away a woman, who, he assumed was Sita.
Sampati said: My divinely precise vision enables me to see things hidden anywhere on earth. I can tell you with certainty that It was Ravana who stole Sita. You proceed in this particular direction and you will definitely find Sita. Sri Rama will soon kill Ravana.
Sampati offered this valuable advice out of gratitude. Sampati appreciated the sense of gratitude felt by the Vanaras for the assistance given by his brother Jatayu, whom they remembered now. Because the name of Jatayu was mentioned, Sampati gave his help.
Sadguru gives us a new spiritual birth and leads us on a glorious path. In what way is it possible for us to repay the debt we owe him? It is a debt that is impossible to repay. On this special Sankranti day, we are seeing him as the manifestation of all great rishis/sages, like Agastya, and Vasishtha. We see Him as Lord Dattatreya, as the Sun god, and as our chosen deity.
May this Sankranti festival bestow peace, happiness, health, and prosperity on all. May all the worlds be blessed. May everyone be blessed with timely meals, good health, professional success, and devotion. In this great temple of Sri Chintamani Ganapati, we are blessed to have the divine darshan of our Sadgurudeva. Wherever you are seated, visualize in your minds that you are physically touching Guru’s sacred feet, and offer to Him your grateful prostrations. I pray to Sri Swamiji that we should be blessed with countless such auspicious events in the presence of our Sadguru. I pray on behalf of all the devotees that Sri Swamiji should now bless us with His benedictory address.
Victory to Sadgurudeva Sri Swamiji!
Sri Guru Datta