Speeches of HH Sri Datta Vijayananda Teertha Swamiji at the commencement of the 21st Chaturmasya Vrata Deeksha – July 21, 2022 – Mysore
Speech in the morning
Guru Purnima is a very important festival for us. May Guru’s grace and compassion always be upon us all. Our greatest goal is to go back to the Source from whence we have come. Those who have Bhakti and Shraddha shall earn the Guru’s Grace.
Paramatma has taken various forms – Hayagrīva Swami and Sri Dakshinamurti Swami – as the embodiment of Guru – to bless us all. There is no one greater than Guru in this world.
Sage Veda Vyasa’s is a very important Avatara. If not for him, there would be no gnyana in this world – without which life is of no use. A child is very happy, deriving joy by playing with toys. Gnyana comes to us from the Guru Himself.
Sri Vyasa Purnima is celebrated as Guru Purnima. Everybody needs Gnyana. Sri Krishna Paramatma is Jagadguru – the Universal Guru. Hence we invoke Sri Krishna Panchakam during the Guru Parampara Puja. Sri Krishna’s is a Gnyana Avatara, who blessed us with the Bhagavad Gita.
Last evening, all the way in Chicago, 8000 people – comprising children and adults chanted the Bhagavad Gita. Everyone chanted perfectly without mistakes; their faces exuding bliss. If we are able to witness this during Kaliyuga, it is only Guru’s Grace.
Two slokas from the Yoga Vasishta were chanted today during the Guru Parampara Puja. This is Atma Nivedana – the flowers, the rice grains, the lemons, the puja items, the sandalwood paste on the lemons, those chanting the mantras, those listening to the mantras and the one performing the puja are all Paramatma. There is nothing other than Paramatma.
No matter who you are, where you are, what you do; without Gnyana, you cannot attain Paramatma. All the rivers flow into the ocean and all the water becomes salty. Can any drop of water say it is separate and that it has come from a specific river? Thus, like the rivers, we too have only one path to attain and merge in Paramatma – the Ocean. That path is Gnyana mārga.
Man can only be uplifted through Vedanta and Vairagya, nothing else! Without Adi Shankaracharya, we would not be able to understand the Bhagavad Gita. Sri Shankarbhagavadpadacharya’s commentary on the Bhagavad Gita shone light on this great scripture.
Pujya Appaji’s ‘Gita Swara Prasthaara’ in Telugu is a great text and commentary on the Bhagavad Gita. Sri Kuppa Krishnamurty ji offered Akshara seva by writing this great commentary. Soon an abridged version of this text shall be published in Kannada.
We must introspect. Great and noble beings are very content and therefore in a state of bliss. When we are happy, what makes us happy is the fulfilment of wishes. Are we in the state of contentment and bliss enjoyed by the Masters? If not, what should we do to attain that state? Increase your sadhana, spend more time in Satsang. When you can indulge in 4 idlis instead of 2 idlis simply because they’re delicious; can you now sit down where you are and offer a bhajan or chant chapter 12 of the Bhagavad Gita? Spend more time doing sadhana which you enjoy. Even just chanting “Datta Datta Datta” is enough to earn His Grace and bless us with Gnyana.
When the Hanuman Chalisa Maha Yagnya was being conducted the world over, people would report how they would even hear the chants in their dreams. How special is this! Most people see movie scenes in their dreams. To hear and dream you are chanting verses from the Hanuman Chalisa in your dream is only Guru’s Grace.
Follow the Āhāra niyamās this Chaturmasya; keep chanting mantra and learn Kannada this Chaturmasya. Since we are in Mysore, in the heartland of Karnataka; we must learn Kannada.
We must pray and beg the Sadguru to bless us with Gnyana. Pujya Sri Swamiji conveyed His blessings to everyone in Mysore and said His Heart is here with all of us.
This evening, we shall have the Guru Gita parayana followed by the Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Prashasti award which will be conferred upon a scholar.
Jaya Guru Datta. Sri Guru Datta.
Speech in the evening
Gurur Brahma Gurur Vishnuhu
Gurur Devo Maheshwaraha
Guru Saakshaat Parambrahma
Tasmayi Shri Gurave Namaha
Sri Ganapathy Sacchidananda Sadgurubhyo Namaha
On the occasion of Guru Purnima, we have offered Guru Parampara Puja and Chaitanya Archana this morning. This evening, as Sri Chakra puja was performed, all of you sang Guru Gita very well.
Guru Gita has great powers. If children chant 4-5 slokas everyday, qualifying in tough exams like the IIT entrance test will become very easy.
Pujya Appaji has instituted many awards such as Veda Nidhi, Nāda Nidhi, Datta Bandhu, Sasya Bandhu. It came to mind to institute an award in Pujya Appaji’s name and conduct Chaitanya Archana on Guru Purnima day. The first Ganapathy Sacchidananda Prashasti award was conferred upon Sri Kuppa Krishnamurti Garu. Many scholars have since been recognised for their work.
When Sri Anumandla Bhoomayya’s name was suggested, Pujya Appaji said, “yes, his work to the Peetham would be invaluable!”
Guru grants all 3 – Pariksha, Deeksha and Raksha. Pariksha is the test set by the Guru to ensure we have the right training to walk the right path (Deeksha) and then the Guru Himself protects the devotee (Raksha).
Sri Anumandla Bhoomayya wrote a great text “Neetimala Shatakam” and later an Asheti on Pujya Appaji’s Sahasra Chandra Darshana milestone. He has been offering literary seva in some form or the other for many years now. He does not care to speak much about his health issues; but instead prefers discussing Vedanta topics. This is a quality in him which I greatly appreciate.
He writes poetry on certain characters in the Ramayana and other texts from a Vedanta point of view. When I began the discourse on Yoga Vasishtam, my beard was black; it has become white now – but we are still discoursing on this text! Each chapter has the name “Upākhyānam” as suffix, but the story is barely one or two lines; the rest of the text is all Vedanta aspects. Only Sadguru can make things happen through Pariksha- Deeksha – Raksha.
Sri Bhoomayya came up with a book of poems known as “Aparoksha Anubhava” – experiences of That (Paramatma) which cannot be seen but exists. These poems have been set to music and released as an album today by Pavan Kumar Datta.
All the publications published at Datta Peetham must be read. Each one of them is like a thread in the fabric which bestows Gnyana.
I pray that this 21st Chaturmasya Vrata which has begun today bestows peace and welfare upon the world at large.
Jaya Guru Datta. Sri Guru Datta.