AvadhootaDatta Peetham

Aurora Temple, Chicago ~ 24 July 2011

Morning Discourse

"So, how many Telugu speaking people in this crowd? Raise your hand. I speak silent language, best language. In any language, Lord Rama's name is the same. So also, Venkata Ramana Swamy's name is the same in any language. The name is such. The name is associated with every language, not just one language. It's the name of God. Whatever changes, even if you change anything else, the name of God doesn't change. Language is not always necessary, it is heart-to-heart communication. The name of Lord Rama is the same in English, in Tamil, in Telugu. There may be a slight difference in pronunciation, but that's okay. Rama, Rama Rama, Rama, Krishna, Krishna, Krishna, Buddha, Buddha, Buddha, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, the same name in any language. How can it be different? It is not possible. It is the same God. 

"Ananta naamnaa parishobhitoyah, anata roopena viraajistascha
Ananta veeryaadi, guanaih prapoornaha, tameka devam sharanam vrajaamaha".

All Gods are in one. The names may be different, the forms may be different, but they are all the same. 
People, according to their own taste, their own karma, their taste, their own wish and desires, believe in different forms. No problem. He is capable of taking all forms. God is invisible and visible as well. God is nirguna (one without form or attributes) and guna (one with form and attributes). God is sthoola (gross form) and sookshma (subtle form). In talking about Sthoola, one can say "lingam akasa murtim". If you see the sky, it is like a lingam, it is a vast expanse, not round, not oval, no particular shape, but just big. If you stand on any edge of the earth, it is the same expanse. Lingam means Siva. Siva means nirguna. Nothing. Nothing itself is God. 

Why are there so many avataras (incarnations)? Such numerous avataras. Why? Because we are karma people. We have a physical body, we have feelings, we experience sukha (joy) and duhkha (sorrow), karma, kaama (desire), again death, again birth, that is why God is taking a form. Since we can't believe in nirguna easily, He takes a form. We can't all easily agree on nirguna. We can't comprehend and so cannot come to an agreement. But, if you go with guna, then you easily agree. If you go with a form, with decorations for Swami (God's idol), then you believe. Otherwise, God is Vedanta; God is Aakaasha (sky), but not Aakaasha. God is water, but not water. We say God is fire, but not fire. What is this? How can one believe this Vedanta vaakya (statement)? Ashtaavakra Gita says the same.

The Upanishad says this. What is this? We can't understand. So, there is a little bit of confusion. It doesn't matter. It is natural confusion. Because He is sarvaateetam, gunaateetam, ateetam, akhandam, adviteeyam paramatma (God is beyond everything in this world, beyond all attributes, characteristics and forms, beyond everything that exists, He has no form and is the only absolute reality). When we say "akhandam adviteeyam" it means there is no formation, no agni, no water. Fire is like God. Water is like God. We need explanation. That is why we are calling those elements God. Atman. Not God also.

When you can't understand, that is God. Someone may say, "What is all this?" Ask them, "You don't believe in God?" They'll say, "No, I don't believe all that supernatural power". Okay, that's correct! You are right! What you don't understand is God. If you go deep into Vedanta (i.e., if you think deep and analyze, do mathana, not just go to Vedanta classes), think deeply, then you will understand. Why people say there is no God. But, why do we believe in God? Those who don't believe in God don't understand karma theory. If we understand this karma theory, the body and the feelings, then you can't say there's no God. If you believe karma theory, no talk, "mounam sakalam sadhanam". Mounam (silence) is itself God. Silence is God. Slience is worship. Manasa (mental) puja. It is very important in our life. Since we have a body and we feel with this body, we need Ganga Snana, bath, Puja and such other things. Otherwise, we can't understand this body. We need to train this body ourselves. Atman doesn't need training. Atman is not female or male. Atman has no feelings. But buddhi (mind/intellect) has feelings. It is always feeling, my husband, my wife, my children, my bank account, my, my, my, my, mine, mine, mine, mine.

So we need to give training to this body. Go to the Gita, go to the Bible, go for japa, go for meditation, go do prayers, go see the different forms of God. Here, there are so many different forms like Venkata Ramana Swamy, Rama, Govinda, Krishna, Subrahmanya. It doesn't matter. The chaitanya (the divine consciousness), the blessings are all the same. We should concentrate on the main deity's form. In this temple, the primary deity is Venkata Ramana Swamy. When we concentrate on this deity, we should see only Venkata Ramana Swamy. All the other deities such as Krishna, Alvar, Bhagavati, Rama, Skanda – all are Venkata Ramana Swamy. To cultivate that mindset, that feeling, the temple is like a teacher, like a Guru, like a book, like a school. Because we otherwise don't understand, we need a temple. 

There is confusion about a temple. What is this puja? Why think too much? What is this? (shows the hand). What is this? (shows the nose). What is this? (shows the eyes). What is this? (shows the leg). We have various different body parts. All parts are important. Would you say, "Today onwards, I don't want two legs, I don't want nose"? Then, you will need to be in a mental hospital. You must use all body parts. Very important. It's like a stereo system - two hands stereo, two legs stereo, two eyes stereo, two ears stereo. Small intestine and large intestine, everything works together and automatically like a stereo system. We may not be able to understand. We understand violin, and mrudangam. We understand someone singing. If you use only one microphone, it is difficult for the stereo system to capture the sound correctly. It is then difficult to listen. Just as every part of the body is necessary, every form of the deity is important. Swami's avataras (God's incarnations) are like that. We want every form of God, like we need different parts of the body. That is why we pray, "Ananta naamnaa … (in endless forms, and names, I contemplate upon you and worship you). In this temple, Venkata Ramana Swamy is the main deity. Yet, we need Subrahmany, Siva, Mother Goddess, and the nine planets. All are needed.

Some places are death points in our body (pointing to head, temples, heart). If something happens to our legs or hands it is not fatal. That is why in an accident, you first look for head injury. No head injury, no problem. That's why, please wear a helmet. But, you don't want helmet. You only want omelette, prepared with eggs. In America, it is hot dog. So, why insist on a helmet? Because it gives protection and insurance. Similarly, in our life, insurance is like "adhyatmika chintana" (spiritual contemplation), satsanga (keeping good company or the company of Datta devotees), Sadguru, follow the master. Follow the master… Faith in God. Fight the Devil. Finish the Game. All this is insurance like the helmet is. Sadguru is like a helmet, like insurance. So, if you follow the Sadguru, follow the master and have faith in God, that's insurance. But, live happily. No crying business. Happy, happy, happy! Tell your buddhi (intellect) to cry if it wants to, but you don't cry. Be happy. Why should we cry? We made some mistakes, some bad things happen. But, don't cry. "Maanaabhimanamulu, maanaavamaanamulu annee neeve Parabrahma!" (all insults and all praises are by the grace of God). That is how much devotion you should have. Someone appreciates you, that is God's grace. Someone is scolding, that is also God's grace. Happiness and sorrow are the grace of God. Only with that mindset will man win. Definitely (with that mindset) you will win. Otherwise, it is very difficult to win in this samsara. 

Samsara is a big ocean. Doesn't matter, don't worry. Be firm in your determination, "I want to go see Swamiji today, I want to see the puja, I want to listen to the bhajans, I want to listen to the concert. I want to participate in any way I can - small or big. I want to simply sit and see him". That is enough. That's when we win. "Whatever it is, I'll participate". That's what we should cultivate. That's when we win. You say you have no time, don't have a driver, you have no money. So many hindrances! If you have good will, good wish, definitely you will see success. If you think positively, God will help you. Every time you imagine yourself defeated, you've sealed your fate. You picture bad things for yourselves. It is the sankalpa bala, the power of determination. You cry and lament when people speak ill of you. "My people said that! My relatives said this!" Be balanced. Be firm and resolute. What will happen? So what if they said something?! Let's see, what happens! 

Because we have this body, we have to respect this body, "deham devaalayam" (this body is the living temple of God). We are roaming with this body, this body is helping a lot, don't hate, don't hesitate. Give the body a little bit of comfort. Make some adjustments. Give some respect to the body. Don't throw it away. You are not an Avadhoota. An Avadhoota needs nothing - no clothes, no food, no body, nothing. He can live in a forest. But, we are all fighting - for food, for relations, fighting fighting fighting fighting. Some times we are talking about vairagya (detachment). Only lip service. You should also practice a little vairagya. We should practice. Only then we understand vairagya. Experience it. 
Some hari katha (those who render devotional stories of God with song and dance along with discourse) artists say "ekadasi is an important day for fasting; one must fast on this day; you will go to Vaikuntha (heaven) if you fast". Then they excuse themselves for 5 minutes during the hari katha discourse on ekadasi day. In those 5 minutes, they eat dosa and chapatis . Chanting Narayana, Narayana, they come back and continue, "fasting is very important, fasting is important". But you are taking chapatis, dosas, while you are saying fasting is important. If you practice and then give lectures to people, that is siddhi. I believe that is siddhi (effective). If you want to preach fasting, you should practice it first. You should fast. Then you can preach.

When Swamiji talks, try to understand the meaning. You make your own corrections for grammar. Swamiji's English is weak. You replace the bad words with the right words, like the computer application that automatically corrects your bad spelling. You all can understand what Swamiji is saying and what it means. I don't want to waste time doing corrections. You understand.

Very nice program today, I had been wanting to come here (to this temple) for 20 years. Venkata Ramana Swamy is here. I can't say there was no grace of God, and that is why I did not come here. Because then, you will all start saying that to me. "We didn't have your grace Swamiji, that is why we couldn't come to see you". Therefore, I can't say that. Raman has been asking me to come here for many years. God is always with me. But, I am here to see you all, at this sacred temple. Your yoga is strong now. That is why I am here. If you were like this 20 years ago, I would have come then. You were children then. Now you have grown up. You have strengthened your love for me. Keep it like that. Protect it. A small plant needs a fence for protection (in India) from animals like goats, cows and buffaloes from eating it up. After ten years when it becomes a tree, those same animals will not be able to harm it. They will simply rub their backs on it to relieve itching. That is okay. I will not say that God did not call me then. Now I like. So I came. Very clean. Very nice, this temple.

You've asked for a bhajan program this evening. If you want, I'll do it, if not no. Who all want bhajans? You want bhajans? Definitely? (Swamiji jokingly asks) So, are you saying that I should sing because you ask? Keep your devotion like this. I see some new people. Increase your devotion. Protect your devotion." 

Sri Guru Datta

Evening Discourse

"Harih Om Tatsat. Sri Maha Ganapataye namah. Sri Saraswatyai namah. Sripada Vallabha Narasimha Saraswati Sri Guru Dattatreyaya namah.
In America, if we lose our way, it is not easy to turn around, like in India. We have to go all around for miles. That happened to one car. The other car had a punctured tire (a flat tire). So we got delayed. Finally we made it.
Last night's concert is still ringing in my ears.

In Las Vegas, I went to see Jeff Mitchum's photography museum. Lots of people take photographs. People are always clicking. People take Swamiji's pictures. But not properly. The picture is not centered. The lighting is not okay. Makes me look bad. You must learn the basic technique of photography before taking pictures. The bad photographers obstruct the way for the good photographers, not giving them enough space. This is not good. You must exercise courtesy. What you do is not right. I don't tell you right then because I do not want to hurt your feelings. You must realize.

Photography is an art. It is like Nada, the music field. Each field is a sadhana (a spiritual practice).

People claim, "I know this. I know this. I know this." Only when you begin to practice, you will really know. Listening and performing are very different. You must practice daily to be able to sing well. Cinema songs you love to listen to, and enjoy. When you begin to sing them, people run away. Gandharvas, the celestial singers, Hanuman, Narada and other angels come to listen when you practice music, because it is Gandharva Vidya, a celestial science. If it sounds like a donkey braying, it is a torture to others. You think that your singing in the bathroom is great. You must properly learn and practice any art to be good at it. I encourage you. I am not disappointing or discouraging you. First learn.
Good photographers choose the angle carefully. They choose the appropriate lighting. Photography is very difficult. When we look at a photographer spending hours in a difficult posture to photograph even a mosquito, we think he is foolish. His thoughts and vibrations are different. First acquire a good camera. Then, slowly, slowly, slowly, you begin to take good photos. After taking one thousand photographers, the last picture may be good. The first 999 are a waste. He will teach himself. He will judge his own work very critically.

Everyone records Swamiji's bhajans. They keep their telephones next to the speakers. The battery charge will be low. Swamiji's songs will sound awful. You play them to your friends. What kind of an impression are you creating about your guru's bhajan singing? New people will say bad things about your Swamiji and his singing. Buy CDs from the book stall. The music has been properly recorded in a studio. Buy extra CDs to give to your friends. It is very difficult to explain (describe) Swamiji. But if they listen to his music, they will understand easily.

So much money you waste, on parking tickets, freeway tickets, cinemas. You lose a lot of money. Instead, buy good photographs, CDs. Tell your friends and relatives, "First listen to the CD. Then I will tell you about Swamiji." Give the CDs and photos as Birthday gifts, Graduation presents, New Home gifts, or even a new car gifts to the friend who just bought a BMW. Give a CD. After buying that new car, he will not have any money left to buy CDs to play in the car.

Help the children's fund. This is not a business. It is a wrong idea to think like that. The profit from each CD goes to help poor children, disadvantaged children, orphans. Swamiji gives to the school for deaf and dumb children. He runs an orphanage in Guntur. There are 3000 children attending school in Mysore who need help. There are children of police constables who need help. Last week Swamiji gave 1200,000 rupees collected from your $1 contributions and Rs. 5/- a day. Swamiji gave for flood victims in Andhra Pradesh, earth quake victims in Haiti, built homes for the poor in Kuppam in Tamil Nadu, and gave to the needy in Karnataka state. I don't print money. I am not capable of that. This is all from your help given in small ways.

So, all this money, even the one dollar placed at the Padukas, we calculate and we use for charity. We have Yogasangeeta and other organizations that need money to run. We do annadanam (food donation), vastradanam (donation of clothing). That is my archana (worship to God/offering). All my time I spend like this. One is, the early morning Srichakra Archana. The other is the Divya Nama Sankeertana (singing the glory of God) in the evening. The rest of the time is for service. Some time in the middle of the day is spent in your association – for speaking, conversation, relationship with you all, giving moral support, not giving any yantra or mantra, but giving only Dhairya Lakshmi (the Goddess of Courage). 'You can fight, no problem, don't worry'. There are all types of Lakshmi in India – (Goddesses who bestow power in the forms of food, progeny, wealth, knowledge, health, wellbeing of family, strength).

In America only, the currency notes say "In God we trust". We didn't do that in India. Why should we? We have Lakshmi everywhere. Why should we be printing separately again? It is all Lakshmi for us. We are all Mother Saraswati's children. We need knowledge. God is everywhere – omniscient, omnipotent. So, we didn't put it on currency notes. That is the only reason. Here (in America), Money is God. But, for us Everything is God. We have printed God in our hearts. This is my belief. Why should we remind ourselves again and again? Our body itself is God. 

Now, we have so many CDs and books and so many photographs. Last week, we inaugurated one book by Jeff Mitchum. I went to a museum in Las Vegas. I liked those photographs very much. Hanuman Chaleesa is always going on in my mind. Chaleesa is going on with my breath automatically and unknowingly. While you talk, while you are upset, while you eat, while you sleep, it is going on. Ajapa japa nirantaram (effortless and constant chanting of God's names). No second thought. Deliberately, I am sitting and inviting second thoughts. I do that only for two minutes and then it goes back to the japa. Since childhood I am practicing this. 
So, I went to the room, the museum, suddenly saw that photograph. Mount Mainaka (from the Ramayana) emerged from the sea and blocked Hanuman's path. Then he surrendered to Hanuman. The name of the photograph (Jeff Mitchum named it) was "King of the world". It is true! Hanuman is King of the world. He is the future Brahma, future God. There is good friendship with Jeff. He's a good artist. So, there is a book with his photographs and Swamiji's sayings. You must register and pre-order that book. The proceeds will go to Dallas Hanuman temple. Everybody should get this book. All Telugu people should get this book. Indirectly you are giving for the temple.

Raman:
Swamiji and Jeff Mitchum simultaneously expressed the desire to print a book with the pictures and Swamiji's sayings. Jeff came to Dallas and was totally taken with Swamiji. For the first time, Swamiji seemed taken with Jeff too and explained to Jeff how Swamiji was born in water while his mother was in meditation. Jeff is printing this book for us. It should be ready by Nov/Dec of this year. One side of the book has the photograph. The other side has Appaji's sayings. About 93 sayings for as many pictures. Swamiji has selected these pictures. It is going to be beautiful. Jeff's photographs usually sell for $4k to $1.2 million. He doesn't need our money. He's doing it out of love. We all know Appaji's love – every dollar is going to the Hanuman temple. We have only about 500 books left. If we sell them out, Swamiji will come back in Dec 2011 to release the book. Checks should be made out to dyc usa. Please send an email to dycchicago@gmail.com to pre-order.

Pujya Sri Swamiji:
In Kaliyuga, Divya Nama Sankeertana is very important. Bhakti Yoga is very important. So, we do bhajans. In the Ashrama, we do seva to Lord Datta, there is "upadesam", and "Anugraha Upanyasam" (benedictory speech/teaching). Divya Nama Sankeertana relates to all languages. In Kaliyuga, the easiest way to reach God is through Sankeertana. Sri Sankara Bhagavadpada also adopted this path of nama sankeertana. Madhva and Ramanujacharya also spoke about this path. Narada bhakti sutras and Sandilya bhakti sutras also recommend this path. Bhakti Yogam is very important. Our feelings that we give to our own God are important. There are different, different forms of God. It is easy to talk to God through Sankeertana (songs of devotion). It is communication, conversation with God. There is a lot of knowledge, there are so many different tattvas, (essence/meaning/principles) different meanings in the bhajans. But I have no time now to explain the bhajans. 
Bhajans put an end to the cycle of births. You will not have so many lifetimes. No more births. Bhajans lead to liberation, mukti. When we sing with devotion, the answers to questions, 'Who am I?' and 'Who are you?', are addressed and answered in these bhajans. Anyway, there is no time now to explain the meaning of the bhajans. We begin with a very famous beginning bhajan.
- Gajanana gajanana gauri tanaya
- Datta datta solliduvom
- Keertaya tripuramba
- Bhajaneya maaduva banni
- Gangai konda sivane, ganapathy pitane
- Yedukondala swami govinda, yeedu kaladaa neeku govinda
- Govinda kanna, gopala kanna
- Tvameva mama sharanam"

Sri Guru Datta

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