AvadhootaDatta Peetham

Speeches of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – February 10 and 11, 2011 - Ganagapuram

Jaya Guru Datta

Many times I do not remember names, even of people who are always around me. But whatever name I call, they all respond. They have learned to do so because they do not like to miss the chance to serve. I know everyone. But sometime suddenly I see them as they were in a previous lifetime. So I address the person using that old name which the person has forgotten. The long time devotee will be puzzled that I do not even remember his or her name. It is not lack of memory. It is only temporary preoccupation of the mind. It does not matter what name I use. You should respond. The name is not so important. If I have to pause to remember the correct name, I might forget in the meantime the seva opportunity that I intended to bless you with. So be alert and respond and jump at the chance to serve.

People are confused about the need for idols for worship. Yes. Buddha said, do not worship idols. But what has happened now? Thailand is filled with Buddha idols. If Buddha were to come back to life now, He will weep to see this. It is true that Sri Ramana Maharshi and Shirdi Saibaba also did not encourage idol worship and rituals. But their idols are being worshipped now. This is Kali yuga. People need an image for concentration. To reach the nirguna brahma, Paramatman without form, you need to begin by worshiping saguna brahma. We need a name and a form. It makes the path easier.

I am always doing ashtaavadhaana and sahasraavadhaana, doing numerous things simultaneously. MY avatara is like this. I have so many things to attend to.” Following this comment one devotee, Thippayya felt very troubled. He could not contain himself. He went up to Sri Swamiji and told Him “Swamiji, how can you bring yourself down like that? You are a Prapancha Avadhaani. You know everything that happens everywhere in the world at all times and you attend to every devotee everywhere. You are everywhere doing everything!”

Prasadi endorsed this statement by announcing that “In South Africa one morning when I went to Sri Swamiji to inform Him of the emails received the night before, about 200 of them, before I could speak, Swamiji Himself listed the names of devotees from different countries who had sent emails on different subjects. Swamiji knew everything before being told."

A devotee composed a beautiful song describing the glory of Sadgurudeva Sri Swamiji and rendered it in Sri Swamiji’s presence. It had nice rhyming words in Telugu like “ninduga” “panduga” and “danduga”. Another devotee composed a lullaby and sang it soothingly. Sri Swamiji enjoyed both songs and commented

There are different approaches taken by different devotees towards the Sadguru. It is wonderful to praise the Sadguru in His presence. It must be done. It pleases Him. Sadguru never sleeps. He is always busy because He has devotees everywhere in different time zones that He has to guide and protect. But it is nice to express loving sentiments about the Guru.

One should praise the wife in front of others, but not in her presence. One must never praise one’s son. But in America they praise their children to the skies and place them on their heads. In India we still try to follow the old tradition. It is important to develop humility in children.

The other day I asked someone what Kriya Yoga is. The answer that I received pained me very much. The wrong understanding that people have is that Kriya Yoga is just a few asanas, some breathing exercises, and some lectures for which they charge money. That is a very cheap notion that people have. This is a very profound science with priceless benefits. Please do not be influenced by such comments. Please understand the importance of properly learning and practicing Kriya Yoga. Do not listen to such people or be guided by people with half knowledge who talk down on anything spiritual.

Sri Swamiji soulfully sang the Marathi Abhang, “Lagoniya paaya” and explained the context of the song composed by Saint Thukaram.

Thukaram used to go from house to house offering to do house work. He would wash dirty clothes, clean dirty dishes, and he would prostrate to the householders who lived there. They would think of him as some destitute and offer him food. He would reject it to their surprise. They did not want remain obliged to him having received his services. When they begged to know how they could repay him, he would say, “I beg of you. Please sing the name of Vithala, the deity Panduranga Vithala of Pandaripur.” To please him, they began to sing the names of the lord. Soon it became a habit that they enjoyed. After this happened many times, the moment Thukaram was seen walking in the streets, the people would at once begin chanting the name of Vithala. He thus successfully developed intense devotion among the people of his town.

Sri Guru Datta



Speech Kriya Yoga Class

Jaya Guru Datta

Datta moves about here. Especially between noon and 1 PM at Bhiksha time Datta come to this Gandharva loka to receive his meal. Various celestial groups such as Gandharvas, Yakshas, Kinnaras, Kimpurushas and Siddhas live here. Gandharva Loka is the world of Sama Veda. Sama Veda is Nada, Music. Datta comes here to listen to it. He also accepts His bhiksha that is offered to Him here. He is not interested in eating. It is our opportunity to offer Him Bhiksha. In return He gives us Jnana Bhiksha – food of spiritual knowledge. Being mortals it is our duty to offer food to the celestials. We offerannamin gratitude for the gifts that we receive from them constantly. We should only give from what we have rightfully earned, not from what we have wrongfully robbed from others. In Kannada language there is a saying, which says that when a juggler donates a washerman’s donkey the salvation he receives in return is a good whipping. One should offer to God wholeheartedly and eat only his leftovers with gratitude and no expectation and calculation. You do not realize the power that such sanctified food contains. You hold the guru’s feet; you listen to the Guru’s discourse, always with an expectation of receiving something in return. Whoever calculates like this will lose not only their money and time, but also their effort is wasted. They will also incur sin in the form of forgetting whatever spiritual knowledge they had possessed.

Datta Darsanam gives the story of how Brahma forgot the Vedas. When the treasure of spiritual knowledge is lost, ajnana or ignorance completely takes over. It is like a drop of buttermilk that spoils a whole *** full of good milk.

In the USA the yogurt contains artificial culture. It becomes stringy like okra juice. You will not feel like eating buttermilk after tasting that. Many Datta devotees take yogurt culture fromIndia. There is great demand from friends for this culture. Now the entireNew Jerseystate enjoys tasty yogurt. One drop of ajnana will infect one’s entire knowledge.

You may ask, ‘Why Swamiji? Why does it happen like that? Jnana is like fire, agni. Insect fall into it and they die. You are saying the reverse.”

Only when Jnana is complete and mature, it is powerful like Fire. When you have half knowledge and are filled with doubts, criticism, suspicions, and questions, it means that you are a total ajnani, a completely ignorant person. You deserve to receive a “Daddamma” certificate, a certified idiot. But when confronted with a disciple like that, the guru does not argue. He says “Wonderful”. He will not quarrel with him. He will place him also on his head. Those who are around will be puzzled. Do not ever learn from another person with half knowledge. There are so many Gurus.

Parabrahman is the source. What comes from the source is complete. Purnam. It is fully sweet. Like the dessert, Purnaalu or Boorelu, and Andhra preparation. You do not mix hot chutney in it. The bland batter that covers it also becomes sweet from association. It is permeated with the sweet taste when you put the whole thing in your mouth. Some children eat only the middle filling. But adults eat it whole and enjoy it.

When you see a mountain, you say, “Beautiful!” There is flowing water. There are singing birds. It is even more beautiful in Spring time. The silver and golden rays of the sun decorate it. At noon time the cool shade under the trees is very refreshing. At different times of the day it gives different views. Our life is also like that.

The dawn and dusk of our lives are short. Most of our life is like noon time. Noon time is represented by restlessness, discontent, a feeling of incompleteness deep inside, and a sense of helplessness. When we see beautiful nature we forget ourselves and exclaim, “Aha!” We experience a moment of bliss.

People exclaim that on Shivaratri Swamiji is just like Shiva. What about the next day? Is he like a donkey? No. He is Datta, Siva, and Mother Goddess (amma varu) not only during the nine days of Navaratri. He is always like that. It is not a temporary “poonakam” or being under a spell. His condition is the same forever. It is only your mind that wavers and jumps with fleeting excitement. You have no enduring faith. Even an actor remains faithful to his role. But you keep changing channels. You expect something more exciting in the other channel, more information. Playing with your life like with a tv remote, you spoil yourself.

Paramatma is known as Jagannataka Sootradhari – the puppeteer of the drama called World. Like the Sun, he never stops. He does not reduce his rays because someone is having a wedding. He does not increase his radiance because somebody had a power outage. He does not suddenly appear in the night. That is Creation.

In this creation, Gandharvas, Yakshas, Kinnaras, Kimpurushas are all there. Shruti and Nada are there. They all would come here to this sacred place to sing and produce music. Datta would come here to listen and in return bless with jnana bhiksha. The spiritual seekers, the upasakas would give up all their inhibitions and beg for alms, in the form of jnana, enlightenment. They eat the sacred food left over by Datta. Only nirguna padukas are kept here at the old temple to represent the formlessness of Datta. Yet we make idols and sandals. We make purnaalu, the round sweet dessert and make offerings.

We must listen to Datta’s stories and epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata over and over again. It is never enough. We have created temples and hundis to earn more jnana. These are manmade, not God made. We have to go from guna to nirguna, from manifest to unmanifest, from objects to concepts. We have a body. We must do karma. Even those who have completely renounced everything still do their anushtanam. It is the support, as long as the body is there. As long as the awareness of the body is there it has to go on. Only when one merges in the Paramatman, this activity stops. Even a Yati has to maintain the proper attitude while consuming food. He will have the attitude that the body is not his. But he has the responsibility of protecting and maintaining it since it is serving him. By neglecting the body if one becomes a burden to others, he incurs sin in the form of lots of karma. Our attempt is to destroy our karma, by learning jnana at every possible opportunity.

Datta devotees are very fortunate. There are eighty per cent of people in this world who have no need for Datta. Ten per cent have no time. Five per cent only want Swamiji because of their total faith. Another five per cent are still a little unsteady. May they steadily strengthen their faith and receive complete jnana. Let there be no chanchala, wavering of the mind. It is never enough no matter how many times you read the story of the guru, the Guru Charitra.

Do not engage in gossip, rumors, and unnecessary telephone calls. In three days be ready for kumbhabhishekam. Today on Ratha Saptami day with the festivities we also paid homage to Poundareeka Surappa Yaji. We remembered him during the Sun worship. That is all that we can do. We join the palms and offer salutation. Jotha. What more can we do? Yatis will not even accept prostration sometimes because they will then be bound by Shishya Runa, obligation to disciples if they receive salutations from them.

Lakshmi thought up to this point she understood the speech. Now she is confused. What is this ending shot about Guru runam and shishya runam? We have understood that we can never adequately repay a Guru for His gifts. Now Swamiji says even Guru is under obligation!

This morning very chill weather. Lots of mosquitoes. Not enough of Sri Datta name writing. Nama Lekhana Yajna. Much more is needed.

Kriya yoga is an ocean. We have not even tasted one drop. We have not even taken a sip yet. We have not taken a dip. We have definitely not taken a bath. We are looking at the ocean. We have not reached the wave. This ocean is limitless.

Jaya Guru Datta Sri Guru Datta


Speech about His first visit to New York in 1976

Jaya Guru Datta.

‘Tumache namasankeertana’ Marathi bhajan was about to commence during the evening program.

I recollect this incident so many times. Still I feel it is not enough. Swami Atmananda had invited us. We all went. We had no money, only $100. A total of 11 of us got down at New York airport. He was supposed to pick us up. We looked around for him. He was not there. In New York at a different airport was the person who was supposed to receive us. Swami Atmananda had received news that someone close to him had died, and before leaving town he instructed a man to pick us up and make all the necessary arrangements. This man who went to the wrong airport picked up a different Swami from Maharashtra who had just arrived and took him home and provided him wonderful hospitality. The Swami took it as God’s compassion and happily went with his host accepting the welcome. Neither party asked any questions.

Here your poor Swamiji got down, a party of 11 like the Ekadasa Rudras, the eleven aspects of Lord Siva. There was no money. We all kept looking around not knowing what to do. Rajaram Naidu was our manager. What could he do? Everyone was confused. He said we could all sleep in one corner at the airport. We were all tired and hungry. It was 1 AM, an ungodly hour. That is when the flight arrived. We just went round the whole airport. Our visa papers were all in order. We could have gone out. But we did not leave the airport. We were scared. We did not know how to proceed.

John Laird, Ramana, an old yoga student of Swamiji was standing in a corner surprised and wondering why Swamiji was pacing up and down like that. Swamiji saw him and said, “Hey Ramana! What are you doing here?” It seems someone had told him that Swamiji was coming to the US. So he came to see Swamiji, all the way from Connec-ticut. Some ticut, may be bus ticket. We should tell him now to get a ticket to Gulbarga.

Swamiji, Sachchidananda now felt as if he was seeing not Atmananda but ‘Brahmananda’ (supreme bliss) in front of him. Ramana prostrated and in response to questions about Swami Atmananda, said he was very sorry for what had happened, and he would find out the details later. He said, “First of all you all come home with me.” Swamiji asked, “Do you have a home here?” He said, “No. Not my home. Please come to my friend’s place.” We all went to his friend’s apartment.  We were famished. He fed us all some bread, the way we give pieces of bread to dogs. Anyway everybody got some food. Swamiji was given one apple that he ate. By now we were not sleepy. Arokya Swami brought out his harmonium. Manasa Datta got his tablas out. The three of us started singing bhajans. An enthusiastic bhajan session was going on. The rest of the party was tired and went to sleep. It was 2:30 in the morning, the sleepiest time for all. Especially for Americans who stay up till midnight.

The neighbors came running from all the different floors of the building in the center of New York city and insisted that we stop the noise. They shouted, "What nonsense is this!" They started quarreling about the disturbance. “What! They don’t like bhajans!” we thought. We agreed to stop. One person remained after all the others had left. He said that Swamiji had a wonderful singing voice. Swamiji eagerly invited him in. He came in. Swamiji asked him, “What is your name?” He said, “Michael.” Swamiji asked again, “What is your name?” He said, “Michael.” Swamiji asked him again, “What is your name?” He said, “Michael.” That was the only sentence in English that Swamiji could speak then. He was not speaking much English those days. Michael asked Ramana, "Why? What is this? What is the matter? Do people in India have 108 names?" Ramana told him, “He is my guru. If he asks, you simply keep answering.”

Michael requested that we sing again. We said, the neighbors will complain. Then he asked about our plans. We had no plan. We had no money. We told him that. Michael was the manager of a radio station in New York city. He worked at a recording studio. At 3:30 in the morning he said, “Go with me to the radio station to sing. We will record Swamiji’s voice.” We had no bath. No hot water. No puja. No food. We all piled into one car to go with him to the radio station. In our joy and excitement we left all the musical instruments, tabla, harmonium, shruti box, tambura at home. We were at the studio. Manasa wanted to give an introduction about Swamiji. Michael asked where the musical instruments were. They searched in the car. They were not there. We forgot to take them with us. Michael said, “I do not know how you will manage it, but in exactly 25 minutes you have to be back here with the musical instruments.” The same car that brought us was taken back to the apartment. I think it was driven by Ramana. He raced, driving in the wrong lane, meant for traffic going the opposite way. You cannot do that in New York city. But nothing happened. It was as if they swam against the current. In exactly 25 minutes they returned. Manasa Datta came back with all the instruments. I can never forget Manasa Datta. The microphones were set up. We began recording with Pahi Pahi. Then Michael started insisting, “Sing the second song that you sang earlier at home.” We all had forgotten what we had sung. We said “What is the name of the song?” He did not know. We could not remember. No one remembered. Don’t think that Swamiji also forgot. He was simply acting. May be he wanted to hear from the others. Finally Michael blurted out, “Tuma Tuma, Tuma, Tuma that is how it goes. Tumachi, that is it, Tumachi.” That is what I am going to sing now.

Nama Sankeertana LP (Long playing record) was made. No editing. Nothing. Michael offered us $10,000. Can you believe that? In those days it was a huge amount. We told our manager to collect it.

When we came out of the studio a Rolls Royce car was waiting for us outside. There was a fleet of cars, one in front, and one behind. It was insisted that only Swamiji should ride in the Rolls Royce. By this time our whereabouts were discovered by our original host, the agent of Swami Atmananda. We were taken straight to film star/dancer Padmini’s house. You know Lalita, Padmini, Ragini, the three famous sisters, the dancers? the younger generation may not know. Others will remember. It was a big mansion. There were cooks, and each of us got a separate room. Manasa Datta had his own room. Thinking that he was being of great help, first thing in the morning he watered all the potted plants at their house. The carpets got soaked. Water was pouring down everywhere. The hostess was horrified. They were all plastic plants. Manasa did not know! They looked so real!

That LP sold like hot cakes. Not even one is available now, even if you offer a crore of rupees. Swamiji begged his devotees to purchase them. Only a few of them did. Many did not buy. The devotees from Palamaneru purchased hundreds of them. This song from Maharashtra was the highlight of that album. It explains beautifully the Paramatma Tattva, the principle about the Supreme Self.

That LP has changed our fate. Murali Babu is a witness. He was in our group. Here he is! He is still alive. He says he feels like he is back in the US. Even he received scolding that night from the neighbors. He escaped receiving blows. Do you have this LP with you?" Murali Babu said, “I have it converted as a CD.” "No, I want the original LP record. Who has it?” Swamiji asked the audience. Dr. Krishnakumari from Vijayawada spoke up and said she had the original album. Sri Swamiji requested, “Please allow me to have its darshan. I had recorded cassette tapes by then. But that was my first recording at a studio, my first LP record album. Prasadi says it belongs in the Vishwam museum. We will have a meeting and decide. It is a personal heirloom for some. It should be kept in a cool place. Otherwise it will warp.

Sri Guru Datta