Sri Swamiji in USA, Jackson, MS, 04 - 05 Aug 2008
Sri Swamiji visits Venkateshwara Temple at Jackson MS, 4th and 5th Aug 2008
His Holiness Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Swamiji reached Jackson, MS, on the evening of 4th Aug 2008 at 3 pm. Pujya Sri Swamiji was given a warm reception by DYC president, Dr. V. V. Prakasa Rao and family. Later, in the evening Sri Swamiji visited the Venkateshwara temple complex undergoing remodeling. Mr. Baldev Patel, Chairman Hindu Temple Society of Mississippi offered the garland to Sri Swamiji while the priests chanted Veda Mantras and welcomed His Holiness with Purnakumbha. Sri Swamiji offered Arati to Lord Venkateswara and performed Sri Chakra Puja at the temple.
Later, Sri Swamiji blessed the devotees with a message and said that everything happens as per the divine plan of the almighty. The delay in the temple renovation activity is also a part of this divine play and not due to any human error. Sri Swamiji announced that He would perform Ganapati Homa, Navagraha Homa and special Kalasha Puja to ward off the obstacles in the progress of the remodeling activities. Sri Swamiji also instructed one and all to participate in the temple renovation project. Dr. Prakasa Rao spoke about Guru Tatva and narrated a few experiences of devotees with His Holiness.
On the 5th of Aug at 12 noon, Pujya Sri Swamiji offered Poornahuti to the Homa and surveyed the interior and exterior of the temples in all the minutest details, spoke to the artisans, sculptors and the temple trustees and blessed them with a speedy progress. The evening program began with Sri Chakra Puja in the Antaralaya of the existing shrine. Kalasha Puja by Sri Swamiji followed this with sanctified ablutions to be used by the priests during the Kumbhabhishekam celebrations that would take place 4 months later. The Kalasha was handed over by Sri Swamiji to the Chief Priest of the temple.
This was followed by a scintillating Bhajan session by Sri Swamiji. Interspersed with the beautiful Bhajans His Holiness gave a divine message to the devotees. His Holiness first sang the Bhajan “Nayakam Vinayakam” in Raga Varali.
Sri Swamiji mentioned that in Shaiva Siddhanta, Lord Ganapati has a form, whereas according to the Vedanta, Ganapati is a formless entity and is the phenomenon of Sound (OMKARA). This Bhajan is the essence of Mudgala Purana, a beautiful scripture on the phenomenon of Ganapati. This Bhajan talks about self realization or Atma Gnana. Questions like, Who am I? What is eternal? You? Your family? Husband? House? Sofa? Swimming pool? Money? Name and Fame? Who is your family? What is your permanent address? What is the purpose of life? Why are you always disappointed and sorrowful? What is permanent happiness? Who gives you happiness? Many such questions arise in the minds of every human. Only questions arise. No answers. The only answer to all such questions is Atma Gnana (knowledge of self).
From a mosquito to a man, everything and everybody is busy. All the 80 and odd million species are busy. We claim we have no time to attend temple or meet Swamiji. We give lame excuses and try to escape Satsang. “My program is fixed. I cannot go. I have party etc.” How many days will you live? 90 years? 95 years? 100 years? 120 years? If so, you will become an exhibit in a museum, and a sought after celebrity for TV channels and Newspapers enquiring the secrets of your health and longevity. What is the justification you have done for your spiritual progress in this birth? How effectively have you used your birth? Practice divine names. Come to the temple. Have a noble friendship. Practice Satvik living. Teach yourself this discipline. Teach your children this discipline. We think we are giving freedom. We don’t advise our spouse. We don’t advise our children. You think this is American Society of freedom. We should not advice. If so, then why don’t you follow all the rules and regulations related to food, health and many other matters? If you do not teach yourself and your children the spiritual disciplines, you are going to be a great loser. One day you will realize its necessity, but by then you would have grown old and not much physical strength to pursue spiritual austerities. Your body would have become crippled and withered out. Nobody will come to help you then. Ultimately you will realize that you are a big loser. That’s why; while you are healthy and strong, spend time in spiritual activities. This merit will accrue in your divine account. All the time chant the divine names of the Lord. Instead of yelling and groaning in pain, call out the names of God. In fact you must chant His name with every breath.
Sri Swamiji sang “Gurujina Naam ni vo” a song in Gujarati. Swamiji says this Bhajan is like Upanishad. Each line displays Bhakti and Gnana. Hariharananda composed this Bhajan. Likewise, many saints have composed in Gujarati, Marathi, Kannada, Hindi, Telugu Tamil etc all of them in simple common man’s language and essentially comprising the essence of the Upanishads. We unfortunately don’t sing or listen to them. Swamiji has also composed many Bhajans, which reveal the secrets of great scriptures and tenets of spiritual wisdom in very simple words. It is very easy for us to say that we do not understand the Bhagavadgita and the Upanishads. Actually we are lazy even to attempt. That is why great saints have always chosen Nama Sankeertana method for spiritual elevation. Each of these songs is therefore a pathway to self-realization (Atma Gnana). Sri Swamiji sang “Muruga Muruga”, a Tamil Bhajan for all the artisans. This was followed by “Naman Karo” in Hindi, “Ehi Srinivasa”, “Govinda Jai Jai”, “Palaya Govinda”, and “Krishnam Vishnum”.
At the end of the program all the artisans and sponsors working in the temple were honored with Dattavastram and Prasadam. Sri Swamiji blessed them and announced that this temple would become very renowned in years to come.
