Sri Swamiji in Datta Kshetra Yatra, Satsang in Nellore, 30 Jan 2003
Sri Swamijis Satsang speech Nellore Ashrama 30 January 2003
In this trip we are doing many diabetes camps. Many are not aware that they are diabetic. One day it suddenly manifests when you find yourself in heart, kidney, liver or some other problems. Datta devotees are many times beset with blind belief that Swamiji will take care of their health issues. When we realize that we have diabetes, we check the newspaper and go to a quack to get his medicine and we are given some Vibhooti or some herb. We take it and we feel good for two days and then it again returns. You get up in the middle of the night; fear, trembling and other such things still persist. India is especially having the problems with various healing systems which claim to do the best. It is nothing but cheating as they do not help you in any manner. Living in the land of Yoga, Indians are one of the last exercising people. They consume unhealthy food and are beset with many illogical beliefs. Beliefs like non-eating of egg is unhealthy and that abstaining from meat is not good. We also suffer from smoking and alcohol. We have to have control over Aahaara (food), Vihaara (Exercise) and Vichaara (thinking). Many expect the housemaid to do all physical works in their house. It includes even exercising for the house lady (the audience burst in to laughter). Our lifestyle is not healthy at all. We don’t brush our teeth in the morning. There is not exercise like sweeping of floor, washing clothes or utensils. The housemaid does everything. What do you do? Sit in the living room sofa and watch the unending serials (soap) in the TV. Many of your life systems and beliefs are driven by what you learn from these TV. Many doubt the integrity of husbands and children by watching excessive TV. This is wrong. We spend for most unwanted things. You worry about your nails and falling hair whereas you must be worried about the health of your organs. You expect the Rs.10 you spend for Ashtottara to the nearby Ganapati Temple to take care of all your health issues. No. This worship can never be an insurance policy. Your belief will bring in a hefty medicine bill later. Mentally too you are facing bankruptcy. You doubt your decisions. You compare Gurus as if they are cinema stars. Gurus too have self-pride. They cannot tolerate such belittlement from you all.
I request you all to develop healthy food habits. Give up deep fried food. Eat sprouts and green leaves. Eat vegetables. Say good-bye to blind beliefs. Say welcome to real life.
I am happy that the doctors today did a good health camp. It is a starting point. Go and get your health thoroughly checked once. I request you all one more thing. Pay for one poor person’s total health check up. You will be doing a great work. You will certainly reap the benefits of this charitable act.
Today 231 persons were screened. 5 persons were newly diagnosed to have diabeties. 4 had hypertension. 3 had Ischemic heart disease. 10 had uncontrolled diabetes. 11 had uncontrolled hypertension. ECG was taken for 80 persons. 8 persons were checked with urine sugar. 6 Echo Cardio grams were referred where it will be done free of cost. Medicines were distributed to all needed free of cost. I am happy.
6th February is a historic day. Swamiji will be installing a Marakatha (green stone like emerald) Raja Rajeshwari idol in a giant stone temple in Vijayawada Ashrama. It is an event I am looking forward to. Let me nee how many Nellore faces I will see there. Depending on how many come there I will fix my next visit to Nellore.
Sri Swamiji sings “Ajam Nirvikalpam”
Sri Swamiji sings “Devi Vande Sri Lalithe”
When we are Dharmic, Dharma protects us. Arjuna also means one who tries. Here he tries to get Jnana. Krishna opens our inner heart and pours Jnana. Krishna in his childhood used to steal the butter. Here we wish he stole our Chitta. The more we concentrate on meditation, the closer we get to achieve it. That is why our elders insist we hear the Ramayana and MahaBharata again and again. Because the more we hear it the closer we get to understand its inner and true meaning. Don’t you get more enjoyment when you listen to your favorite movie song over and over. Today after going home try to think over my speech. Think it over and over. This is called as Manana. You have to search for more messages from my lecture and inculcate it in your life. You have to assume all the relevant messages and merge in it. It is liking watching an engrossing movie. It moves us so much that we get involved in all its intellectual and emotional drama. We consider ourselves to be the hero or heroine. Many get overly engrossed and when a fighting scene comes, he starts moving his hands in the same style as hero’s thundering fight. If you can be so good in movies then why not in Puja? Why don’t you emotionally get involved and worship? You have to act like Prahlada and sing like Meera Bai. I don’t say you will get the same results yet. But at least start. If you start your worship in such high emotional manner one day it may get distilled and pure and yield results. Is God your servant to act as you want? No. He is the servant of a true devotee only. Do you think he easily succumbs to your two tiny almost rotten bananas, your smoky incense sticks? No. Never.
Once Narada went to Vaikuntha and shouted “NARAYANA NARAYANA”. His tone was like shouting. Many of you have this egoistic devotion. Have we entered into an agreement? You say “ We are humans and it is 'To err is human' and I have to pardon as I am divine”. When you expect me to pardon you, you should also be prepared for punishment. Who will suffer for your Karma? Your grandfather? You act as if your very labor of coming to see me was worth the trip to Himalayas 100 times. Ignoring you is an important lesson to bring down your ego levels. Swamiji’s reaction to you directly reflects your Karma of that day and the devotion of that day. No other person or devotee can comment on what you deserve. You are very lucky for having admitted into this organization. Who cares if you leave? If one person leaves, two others can take his or her place. Develop humility. Being humble is a great trait in a person. Never demand. You can expect an expensive cow to give milk only after you give good fodder. Without good food, it won’t even give you proper cow dung. Bringing just the cow will not help. It needs follow up action. Coming to me is like buying a cow. Humility is the fodder. Then you can expect milk. If not the volunteer will send you out.
Let us go back to the Narada story. Narada met Vishnu finally and Narada asks where he is going. Vishnu says “There is a small farmer who is praying for me and I have to go and help him protect his crop. Narada, I have a small work for you, I want you to carry this oil lamp on your head and go around the world once”. Narada is like Concorde flight. He returns soon. Vishnu asks what he was thinking while carrying the lamp? Narada replies that he was worried that the lamp would go off and was keenly praying that it would not go off. Vishnu then asks why he was not chanting the Narayana names? Narada sheepishly smiles and begs pardon and agrees that he was egoistic.
Imagine you. You have to get up and prepare the children, cook for the husband and electricity goes off and the husband eats idly without chutney and curses you. Your life goes on like this till afternoon and then you sit down for the TV watching. While the correct sequence is coming, power goes off again. Cursing the government, you call your friend in other part of town to find out what happened next in the TV. Then your husband returns and says Swamiji is in town and you should get ready to go and have Darshan. Unhappy that you have to miss the evening cinema on TV, you get ready. That is your life.
Work is worship. Doing it honestly and happily brings you great Blessings. Come to Mysore Ashrama. There are many staff members who have never seen a festival. They are so engrossed with what is given to them that they don’t even have time to come and see Puja or watch a concert. But they get the required Blessings. They deserve it. You always get what you deserve. Since we are in family life, we can have only limited time for devotion and spirituality. Your primary concern is to keep the family happy, Dharmic and humble. You are caught in the currents of Family River. You cling to a small straw called Puja and are praying that you are rescued. You attempt to get rid of this Karmic cycle with whatever little you know. Brahma created Guru to help the teeming masses to get guidance. Don’t worry. You will survive. You will get your food somehow. Even in the dire straits of Ethiopia, people are getting some food. Americans are helping them. A frog will be smacking its lips, looking at an insect blissfully ignorant that it is in the shade of a snake’s hood looking down on its dinner.
Be happy with what you have. You are blessed with a good family. Don’t crash your mind with constant list of “I want more”. Feel contended with what you have. Spend time with your family. Enjoy the company of the children. Don’t constantly think of their career and future. Whatever future holds in its womb will happen.
When a student gets a gold medal, some professors feel very happy. They are real Gurus. Some professors cry with jealousy. They are not real Gurus. Your devotion to the teachers, devotion to the parents, devotion to the country, devotion to your employers, devotion to those who depend on you will save you and protect you. It was this devotion and love to the people that made the great saint RamanujaCharya to pass the secret Mantra he got from his Guru. He climbed the tall tower and loudly shouted, “Chant with me – Om Namo Naraayanaaya”. Thousands of people who were around chanted with him. He went back to his Guru and pleaded for pardon. “I have sinned twice. I gave away your Guru Mantra and I have stood on the temple tower. Please punish me.” The Guru pardons him.
Let me sing one Bhajan and conclude today’s Satsang “Prasannaanjaneyam Praseeda Praseeda”
Jaya Guru Datta