Speech of HH Sri Datta Vijayananda Teertha Swamiji – Kriya Yoga Conference, day 1 – February 16, 2018 – Mysore
Compiled by Parimala Eshwarla
Jaya Guru Datta
Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Sadgurubyo Namo Namah
Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Sadgurubyo Namo Namah
Yogājyotissamudīptam jayalakshmī nŗsimhayoḥ
Advayam sachchidānandam sadguruṃ tam namāmyaham
Yogavidyā chitrabhānum chitrabhānu śaradbhavam
Jnānadam sachchidānandam sadguruṃ tam namāmyaham
Yogena chittasya padena vācām Malam śareerasya ca Vaidya kena
Yopā karottam prabaram muneenām patanjalim prānjalir rānatosmi
Asato ma sadgamayā tamaso mā jyotir gamaya
Mŗityormaamritam gamaya Om shanti shanti shantih
Offering my pranams at the Holy Feet of Parama Puyja Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji.
We are all very much blessed to be in the great presence of our Sadguru Puyja Sri Swamiji. We are all here to listen to Puyja Sri Swamiji’s golden words – Upadesha – and learn and practice Kriya Yoga.
Why Swamiji conducts Kriya Yoga classes and why Swamiji always orders all the devotees to practice Kriya Yoga, is that our Sadguru Puyja Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji always wants to see His disciples, all His devotees healthy. Mentally as well as physically. That is the only wish of Puyja Sri Swamiji.
To keep ourselves healthy, mentally and physically, Kriya Yoga helps a lot.
I remember an incident that took place in 1995. That was my first abroad trip with Puyja Sri Swamiji. Swamiji was there in Trinidad to conduct Vishwa Shanti Maha Yaga. As we all know, Swamiji made the devotees to chant the mantra Om Aim Hreem Shreem Shiva Rama Anagha Dattaya Namaha for thousands of Lakhs times. They all did with great devotion.
Puyja Sri Swamiji visited Trinidad to perform a Yaga, called Vishwa Shanti Maha Yaga. It was a Maha Yaga for world peace.
As I remember we travelled for about 19 hours with Puyja Sri Swamiji from Bangalore to London and from London to Trinidad. It was a 19 hours flight. That was my first trip and it was very difficult for me to sit in the flight for so many hours. I thought after this long journey that Swamiji would take rest for at least 2 days. Keeping this in mind, I thought I also had an opportunity to take rest for 2 days, but it became 7 days as I was suffering from jet-lag, so I could not speak well for 7 days.
I picked up Swamiji’s luggage and I went into the room of Puyja Sri Swamiji. With what I saw, I was very surprised. I saw Puyja Sri Swamiji doing Kriya Yoga exercises. I saw Puyja Appaji doing treadmill and Kriya Yoga, Pranayama. I was very much surprised and amazed by Puyja Sri Swamiji’s gesture. How can Swamiji do this? This was in 1995, that means 23 years ago. I was very much surprised and asked Puyja Appaji: “Appaji, how can You do this? After sitting for 19 hours, You must be very tired. You should take rest Appaji.” Do you know what Appaji said that time? Appaji said: “If I think I should rest for 1 day, I will rest for 7 days. So I don’t encourage my body to rest. For 2 days I could not perform Kriya Yoga, I could not do exercise, so today I have to do Kriya Yoga.” This is what Appaji said and He was practicing Kriya Yoga.
This was a big upadesham (lesson) for me. We should learn this from Puyja Sri Swamiji. Swamiji not only teaches us, but by His actions abd by His gesture He shows us how to practice. We should follow Sadguru. Following Sadguru is to listen to Sadguru’s words and be in the path shown by Puyja Sadguru. That is following Sadguru. Only then we can become good followers.
So today all the Kriya Yoga students (sadhaka bhodaka’s) should make the firm determination (sankalpa) of following our Sadguru Puyja Sri Swamiji.
Why did Appaji want to conduct kriya yoga classes after Shivaratri? It is because Appaji wants all of us to be in good health. Today our Ashram is filled with Kriya Yoga. Even Appaji’s Avatara (form) is different today. We are seeing Appaji in Shiva form. And even Karya Siddhi Hanuman was also wearing a Kriya Yoga dress. I am very happy with that.
During this diamond jubilee celebrations of Puyja Sri Swamiji, we are all with Puyja Sri Swamiji. It’s a very rare occasion and opportunity for us.
There are so many names to Lord Hanuman. One very important and famous name is: Vajrānga. In Brij language this translates to Bajarangi which means: His body, His physic is as powerful as a diamond. As we all know diamond is very strong, very powerful. I thought Puyja Sri Swamiji wants to make all of us as strong as diamond, that is why Appaji is conducting Kriya Yoga conference during these diamond jubilee celebrations.
Keep yourself healthy, mentally and physically. Yes, we are practicing and exercise Kriya Yoga regularly. Some people ask: “We are ill, we feel ill. What should we do?” There is a saying in English: if you remove I from ill and add WE with LL, then ill will become WELL. So remove I and join WE, then you will become well. Illness goes and wellness comes! That is the reason Appaji joined all of us.
Doing practice individually is very important and we should all gather like this in the presence of Puyja Sadguru and practice. That is Guru’s sannidhi Kriya Yoga. We are all gathered here to witness Puyja Sri Swamiji doing Kriya Yoga and listen to His teachings.
This Kriya Yoga conference, Appaji wanted to increase the funds in Kriya Yoga. We have so many expenses. Many people have no idea of this. We have 140 teachers and they go around the world to teach what Appaji has been teaching to them. We bear all the expenses from Kriya Yoga Avadhoota Dattapeetham trust. We need funds to match the expenses in Kriya Yoga trust. Tanu Mana Dhana seva. It is said in Tulsi Ramayana. We have to do service to Guru. Tanu is physically, mana is mentally and Dhana is by donating what we have.
During Appaji’s birthday, May 26, we Kriya Yoga teachers decided to propagate Kriya Yoga to 75.000 people. Appaji’s blessings are always amazing. They determined to teach 75,000 people and they were able to teach Kriya Yoga to 150,000 people. They did wonderful seva to Kriya Yoga, to Puyja Sadgurudeva.
I pray Puyja Sri Swamiji to bless all the teachers and students who have gathered here with a good mental status to practice Kriya Yoga regularly and the strength and energy to propagate Kriya Yoga. With this I conclude and I pray Puyja Sri Swamiji to bless all the teachers and students of Kriya Yoga.
Jaya Guru Datta
Sri Guru Datta
Kriya Yogo vivardhatām