Q & A session with HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji in the evening – August 16, 2015 – Frisco, TX USA
Jaya Guru Datta
Sri Maha Ganapataye Namaha
Sri Saraswatyai Namaha
Sripada Vallabha Narasimha Saraswati
Sri Guru Dattareyaya Namaha
1. Why were these particular deities selected for this Frisco temple?
You eat a snack or, a meal, lunch, dinner, or breakfast. Why do you drink water in between? You may drink beer also. Such a question they are asking All Murtis are okay. Not only these Murtis.
To solve particular problems, for a particular fulfillment, particular medicines are given.
For each human problem, to solve there is only Ganapati, Subrahmanya Swami, Durga Parameswari, Sri Rama, Datta, Iswara, and Hanumanta. This is only general medicine. If you pray, they will look after, and they will give good strength to you. That is why Swamiji has chosen these Murtis. Why Hanuman Murti, why Marakata Murti? It works on the parts or nerves with problems. The deities’ influence will work on Nadis and nerves.
Marakata Murti was available. Bad vibrations and bad thoughts go away by worshiping or seeing the Marakata Murti and receiving Prasadam. Good vibration and good thoughts come. I liked to do this at Frisco. So I did.
In Kali Yuga we need Hanuman. Such a Murti was easily available. If you look at Marakata it gives good energy and bad energy goes out, if you take some Prasadam. The medicinal value of that emerald is required in Frisco.
There is one old story. An important story where Hanuman took Marakata form and gave darshan to a devotee and the devotee got fulfillment and Jnana. In Frisco, especially in Kali Yuga we need this energy now. Because Swamiji likes it, he installed it.
2. How to raise kids in a spiritual way without putting restrictions on them?
If parents do daily spiritual practices, children will follow automatically. Not necessary to put pressure or restrictions.
3. Can women do Guru Charitra Parayana?
Definitely. In India, spider, elephant, snake also do Puja. Ladies, especially must practice. Why not? Ladies are like mother.
4. How to help the sick?
Without inconveniencing yourself, you help the sick. Otherwise, you will need help from others. Give food, assistance, clothes, whatever they need, help them to get in the car, and such small ways of assistance. First, take care of your health and necessities. Helping the needy is essential.
5. What is karma? How to get rid of it? How long will it take?
Karma is impossible to get rid of. It is a part and parcel of our life. Practice good karma. Two ways of Karmas are there, good or bad. You can choose good Karma. Human birth occurs only because of karma. Hunger, sleep are also Karma. Early morning prayers are also Karma, it is good Karma.
Your attitudes, your daily life, what you choose to do is your Karma. In all lifetimes it will be there. After many hundreds of Janmas only you get liberation. Not now. Only then Karma is finished. Come after 99 births for getting Liberation.
6. Every morning we do, Panchamrita Abhisheka, all the pujas. We take all the idols, and Guru Padukas when we travel even for a day. When we travel, should we keep the gods at home, and only do Vishnu Sahasranama and such other Stotras?
At home, if you have facility, do them. If you are staying for more days at another place, take a few gods only. It is psychological. If you have time, do detailed puja. If there is not enough time, Guru will do it all for you. Remember Guru. Chant Guru Mantra. In car, one day, two days, while you are eating something, you are sleeping, remember Guru while doing body Karma. Include puja also as daily Karma. One or two minutes you do. Chant Sadguru’s name. That is enough. No need to take the entire box, like a sanyasi, with elephants, horses, dogs, and foxes, where the whole Peetham goes with them. They do camping, they have facilities, vehicles, and servants to carry everything and to pack. We have to do everything ourselves, bath, cooking, driving, etc. Simply pray. That is enough. Not necessary to carry so many Puja vessels. Not good also. No room.
7. In life many problems come and get resolved. How to overcome, if without reason they recur over and over, for over ten years?
Facing them is your penance. If you fight, that is your Guru Puja. Turn it into Guru Puja.
8. Can an ordinary person like me get Moksha in this life itself? Is Atma Vichara (Self Enquiry) a suitable method for me? I do not want ten or hundred lives. Do you guarantee you will be there as my Guru for all my lives?
Sadguru wishes hundred lives for you, it is his wish. What is Moksha? If you guarantee you will be my devotee, yes. Swamiji is there with you for hundreds of lifetimes. Staying with Guru is itself Moksha. Who needs Moksha if Guru is not with you? That is Bhakti/devotion.
You go to a restaurant. You eat first. You do not get the bill until after you eat. They trust you. If you cannot pay, you do work for three days.
9. What is the basis for our next life? Is it the way how I live my life daily? Or only the last moment chanting of God’s name?
How you live daily is the correct answer. Daily you can tell Rama Rama. If possible, you do it. That determines.
10. What is your message to young adults born and raised in the US who are marrying Muslims and Christians? Is it accepted in the Vedas?
In your daily life, in attitudes, you practice being a Hindu, then it is a problem. If the spouse changes to your dharma, it is okay. If each stays in different dharma, it is a problem. Follow our dharma only.
11. How parents can develop detachment from their children gradually?
It is their responsibility to get detached. You first learn about Sanatana Dharma, and Karma. Swamiji daily gives a little bit of teaching about dharma. What you learn from Swamiji, same way, the same things you teach your children. Then you get detachment.
12. Is the Aripo River in Trinidad comparable to Indian rivers? Can it replace?
Can we do Pushkara for Aripo?
Why not use the Pushkara we already have for other rivers? Do not add. Funny idea. Thank you. One made a Ganapathy. One said I will make His dad, and made a Siva Linga. There they do because it is a powerful tradition. Why not do Pushkara for your swimming pool? When the water runs out, it will do Pushkara.
John Babu from Peddapuram, in 1994 he did decoration for Swamiji’s Guru Nilayam. The Wrestler’s Association in Mysore, impressed with his work, requested this man to prepare for them a statue of a Wrestler to represent their leader. This man accepted a deposit of one thousand rupees and made the statue. They never came to claim the statue. When they were contacted, they said they could not raise the balance due amount of nine thousand rupees and so gave up their claim to the statue. John Babu added a puffed jaw and a tail to the statue and offered the statue to the ashrama as a gift. Swamiji kept it in the Nakshatra Vana at the entrance. The Wrestler Leader for the lack of 9000 rupees became transformed into Lord Hanuman. The people from the organization came later and were surprised to find that the statue now had a tail and the face of Hanuman.
13. What is the location of Jyotisha Nadi in the body? How best to activate it? Does it have another name?
I have never heard the name before. This is new to me. Perhaps I have to begin learning something new. Give me time
14. What sadhana is required to learn Jyotisha?
Jyotisha is only one type of knowledge or art. Astrology is one course. It is not Jnana or Moksha.
15. Lambika Yoga, Tilaka, Bindu, protecting the Ajna Chakra – Swamiji has spoken about recently. In Swamiji’s Life History Aunt Venkamma did a powerful procedure involving the Lambika Nadi. Can you elaborate?
No. That is only for yoga sessions. Not here. Good question. One day in a yoga class I will explain for one or two hours. Not in 1-2 minutes.
16. What is the best way to end life? At the time of death, to think Guru Mantra, think of Appaji, or chant Om?
May be ask doctors. So many pipes into your body. Concentrate on breath. Hanuman is breath, like Siva, like Brahma. Not on your life, elder daughter, younger daughter, new sofa, new video, television, not those things, or your bank balance. Focus on breath only. That is why daily practice of pranayama Swamiji insists upon. It will help in the last days.
17. How to think of Sadguru in one’s breath?
How can you do it? Carbon dioxide and Oxygen, do not mix me in that. It will be difficult for me to escape from it, the smell of onions you would have eaten, and bad air. This is not the correct answer.
When you do pranayama, include God’s name. Japa continues as I speak. Hamsas are your bank balance. Some millions are there in your account. At all times include Japa, Nama given by Guru. Last day also it automatically comes, that name.
18. By past actions Manas/Mind gets Avidya/Ignorance. How did Avidya emerge in the first place?
Bhagavatam in the beginning explains it. I gave in the ETV Moola/Original Bhagavatam discourses, the elaborate answer. Very tough subject. 1000 per cent tough. Listen repeatedly to later understand. Answer is in Swamiji’s Bhagavatam discourses. Creation, Suddha Chaitanya, bad Chaitanya, Pancheekarana, all the calculations relating to it, all this is explained. Very difficult to understand. People will say Guru Gita is enough for us. The beginning of Bhagavatam is very tough to understand. Most people are happy with reading Dasama Skandha with Krishna’s stories.
Slokas are tough to pronounce. It explains about Atma. Creation, Lokas, what makes it all work. All science is in the Bhagavatam. Many eons ago they explained. Lava, volcano, tsunami, future of the earth, birth of the earth, creation, Indra, and other gods, deities of the directions, their origin, etc.. Head will break if you read. In one or two days you cannot understand. Bhagavatam daily you must listen. One day you understand. That is Moksha. Telephone to me and tell me. I will say thanks.
19. When wrongly accused, should I ignore or take revenge?
You have to give up one or the other. Want to have the cake and eat it too? Want to keep the rice and also feed the relatives? If you have the power to retort, do so. Or else, ignore. How long will they accuse? If you have enough time to fight them, do so. Karma will end sooner or later, if you decide to be quiet.
20. How can you say that God is not there where there is jealousy?
God is in the form of punishment. Do you want protection God or punishment God? If you are in Adharma, then punishment God will be there, as result.
21. Who creates desires? Why are bad desires stronger than good desires? Why do we get attracted to bad desires?
Easy ones are bad desires. Bhagavatam holds no attraction. Easy happiness we search for. Adharma is easy. Tough practices we don’t want. Practice. Even if it is tough.
22. What is mental peace? How to achieve it? How to become a Sthitaprajna?
Having mental peace is being a Sthitaprajna.
Do what is needed for mental peace. Don’t be afraid. Search without doubting. That is being a Sthitaprajna. Follow what gives you peace.
23. Please tell us the divine intention of Rama in sending Sita to the forest while she was pregnant. You said a King should not see twin sons.
Many reasons. Lava and Kusa were Ayonijas/not born in the natural way. Sita is Agni Putri/daughter of Fire. Such a one cannot give birth to children. An emperor should not see twin sons. That is why. The children wanted to learn from Valmiki. Preparation for Sitas departure was another reason of many reasons.
23. My daughter has type 1 diabetes. Perhaps has to be on insulin for life. Why did God change my life forever?
Personal karma must be experienced by people. No rule that diabetes should not come. Parents leave that heritage. You want wealth, but not diabetes as an inheritance. Accept calmly and endure.
These were the questions received before midnight as stipulated.
Questions must come naturally. Do not sit and search for questions to ask.
Vishnu Datta had no desires. When asked to ask for a boon, he and his wife had to search for desires.
If no question troubles the mind, do not ask simply, why my mouth is crooked? Your ancestors had crooked mouths, so you have one. Brahma had 4 heads. I don’t know why. Monkey questions come if you deliberately seek questions.
If you have no questions, be at peace. Don’t worry if there are no questions.
Do not engage Swamiji in small talk. Do not treat Swamiji like an ordinary person. They show no respect when Swamiji is invited to their homes. They show me their puppy. You invite for spiritual benefit. That is why Swamiji does not stay for more than a few minutes. You begin to speak of politics, or gossip. Swamiji cannot tolerate. Do not reduce Guru to that level. Be happy he came. He hides in the room that is why, or leaves. They want him to see their achievements and admire their walls, bathroom, and renovation. Dirty. Should I lick the walls? Your heart should be the home for Guru. You go to Guru. Do not trouble Guru to come to your home. Once in a life do Pada Puja. Be satisfied. Do not trouble Guru. Do not complain that he left very soon. If he lingers, then, with useless talk and worthless questions you waste his time. Each day is so precious. Will August 15, yesterday, come back? Will July 23, 2015 come back again in this lifetime? Yesterday Swamiji did Bhajans. It will not repeat. Tomorrow this talk will not repeat. We must not lose even a second with Sadguru. Cannot get again. That is Upasana to realize that. With life span you spend all events. Merge in the ocean of time. Present moment only is Moksha, Amrita, peace, and solace. Wait for tomorrow. Do not lose any opportunity. When you get Appaji, do not lose your chance. Many examples Swamiji has given you.
Thanks for your questions. Many had questions. Do not deliberately create questions. Those who have no questions get liberated. If a question bothers you, then get it answered. Get rid of the burden, whether or not an answer is received, by asking. Answers are usually not obtained. Many only ask but are not interested in receiving an answer. My condition I place. You must listen to the answer. Long answers I have to give for a short question. Such people keep asking more and more questions. Until I finish my answer, do not ask.
Krishna keeps saying I, I, I. One should listen to the whole Bhagavad Gita. Arjuna became impatient and asked a question, why do you say ‘I’?
This is not what ‘I’ am saying. This knowledge has always existed, since ancient times. The ‘I’ mentioned here is not I, explained Krishna.
Amara Jyoti Vastrams are left. Those who wish, may come and get more. Handicapped children have made these. Come in a line and get them, whoever wants. Get extra and give to friends. I wish to help the disabled children.
Jaya Guru Datta
Sri Guru Datta