Varahavatara
Day 3, July 26, Varahavatara
Today all of you have performed Sankashta hara chaturdhi vratham. I pray the Lord to remove all your difficulties. Today Pujya Swamiji has completed His America tour and would have reached Canada for a week long trip and will return to Mysore. Swamiji will come here during the Chaturmasya and will give darshan to you all. Sankashta hara Ganapathi removes all your debts. There is a Ganapathi called Runa Vimochana Ganapathi who removes all your financial debts. Today in the presence of our Ganapathi here, we all performed this vratha. Today is Friday also. We worshipped mother Goddess today.
We entered the 3rd day of Dashavatara tatva. We spoke about Matsya, Kurma Avataras and today we will be talking about Varaha Swami.
Yesterday while talking about Kurmavatara, we spoke that Laxmi prayer is to be done. Goddess Laxmi was born during Kurmavatara and married Lord Hari and attained a place in His chest forever. Who ever prays to Kurmavatara and has darshan of Kurma will be blessed with wealth.
In Nuzividu, during the discourse of Ashta Laxmi Mahatyam, we prayed to Gaja Laxmi with a stotram. Today we will sing that once again, complete Kurmavatara and proceed towards Varaha avatara.
Jai Bolo Jagat Janani Jayalaxmi mata ki... Jai....
Yesterday we spoke about the milky sea, Manthara mountain, Vasuki, Amrutha etc.
Who ever thinks about Vedanta, knowledge born out of such thoughts is Amrutha.
Matsya Narayana is called Veda Narayana and Kurma Narayana is called Yoga Narayana. Kurma Avatara teaches us Yoga. If we can have good memory power, that itself is true sadhana. Continuous remembrance is sadhana. When we talk about Kurma Narayana, we must remember Kurma Narayana temple in West Godavari district. Yesterday I was told that there is another Kurma temple of 400 years old near Peda Kapavaram village of Akiveedu. Here, Kurma Narayana is giving us darshan along with Rukmini, Satya Bhama and Venu Gopala Swamy. Let us pray for His blessings.
When we go to temples especially at Shiva temples, Vishnu temples and Devi temples, we find Kurma. We must touch it and then seek yoga. Kurma Swamy held the entire universe within Him.
As per Markandeya Purana, Kurma Narayana is spread all across Bharata varsha - Bhaarata desa - India. The present times India is just a part of Bharata Khanda. Earlier, Bharata Khanda was very vast. It was divided into many countries and now became very small from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. Beyond Kanya Kumari also, there used to be a small place called Kumari Khandam. It is said that Parashurama sent this area into the sea.
Kurma Narayana thus spread across Bharata khanda and all Devathas resided in His body in the form of tiny stars. Like how all Devathas reside in a Cow, Kurma Narayana also is in the form of Devathas. Agni, Pruthvi and Chandra (moon) resided in His abdomen area. Mesha, Mithuna and Vrishabha rasis (Aries, Gemini & Taurus) also resided in His abdomen area. Karkataka and Simha rasis are in his Eastern and Southern feet. Simaha, Kanya Tula are in His Kukshi sthana. Meena and Mesha are in His Western and Northern feet. In Maha Kurma, there are all the countries, stars of those countries and in stars all the moon signs and in these signs all the planets and in planets the entire universe is found. This is the description of Kurma Swami given in Markandeya Purana. May He protect us all. To remove all the famine difficulties in the country, Kurma Swamy is to be prayed, like how we pray Lord Shiva for rains.
A live incident happened recently. Swamiji always tells us, In Bommeparthy during His childhood, when there are no rains, a border is build with bricks around the Shiva linga and is filled with water till its rains. Within 40 days, it used to rain. Swamiji witnessed this many times. This is the merit of praying Shiva.
Recently, May 26th 2013, we celebrated Appaji's Birthday in Vijayawada ashram. We started on 23rd and surprisingly Vijayawada devotees said not to come due to scorching heat there which was almost 47 degrees celsius. I said, “doesn't matter I will come” and reached on 23rd. We performed abhishekam to Gangadhareshwara Shiva there. After one round of abhishekam, didn't feel like stopping it and continued for 11 rounds. I thought in mind, if the Dhara Patra (the vessel with holes used for Abhishekam) becomes full atleast once, there will be good rains. Exactly during the 11th round, while chanting Namah Somayacha Rudrayacha... it was full and Abhishekam water overflowed. I felt very happy. It started drizzling that day. We did Nagara Sankeertana. 23rd, 24th & 25th, those 3 days it was hot. From 26th, Appaji's birthday till today it was raining continuously. Maybe now, we should pray to Shiva that there are floods. This is the merit of Shivaraadhana. We have seen it live. There could be any reason but there is nothing wrong in having belief. You must never question that is it because of our Puja that it rained? Its very wrong. During our puja time it rained so we must feel that the lord is happy with our puja. Unless you have such belief, you can't proceed further in life and cannot have success. Like wise, we must take everything positive in life.
In the word Kurma, Ku means tides. The tides of difficulties that arise in our life are been removed with Kurma Swami. He removes shad urmis - six types of difficulties. What are shad urmis?
1) Hunger. Hunger is required. But too much of hunger obstructs our sadhana.
2) Thirst. If hunger and thirst are not there in this world, this world would become a Deva loka said Harischandra. He suffered a lot with hunger and thirst while working in the burial ground. These two makes the difference between Deva loka and Bhu loka - earth. They are required. Hunger, good digestion and good sleep - these three indicates good health of a man. These three should be balanced. Any change in any one of these means ill health. Each of these should happen in its stipulated time.
3) Greed - Who ever are tied with the rope called greed are surprisingly running and who are away from it are sitting still at one place. Usually who are tied should sit and those who are free must run. But here, those who are tied with greed are running for more and more. Aim is required. These days, they say aim big and dream big. We must say that too and encourage children. Else, they would just eat and sleep. Aim can be there. But greed should not be there.
4) Grief - Sundara Khanda explains wonderfully about grief. Don’t be sad even for petty things. This is wrong. Some people react alike for small and huge things even when they know it is small. This is also wrong. Bhagavad Gita started with the word grief.
Asochyan anvasochas tvam
It started with this verse and ended with
sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami ma suchah
It started with Asochay and ended with ma suchaha which means that you are crying for those which are not required. Ma suchaha - Do not cry. Gitaacharya (Lord Krishna) prevented us from crying and taught us how to be happy. In the presence of Sadguru first thing that we get is happiness. When you find happiness with someone, He is our Sadguru. The very presence and glance gives us happiness. He is Sadguru. You don't get happiness anywhere else. It is not sold in the market. We find it only in the presence of Sadguru.
5) Delusion - In Sharirika mimamsa shastra, moha - delusion is explained wonderfully. What is moha? Ignorance is delusion.
6) Death - Birth and death are not in anyone's hands. Everyone faces this. Before the death arrives, rectify your life and make use of this birth.
Who ever does sadhana beyond these 6 principles, the Lord blesses them with yoga as Kurma Murti.
Jai Bolo Kurma Narayana Swamiki Jai...
Now let us enter the third Avatara the Varaha avatara.
Namastasmai Varaahaaya
helayoddharatey mahim
khura madhya gatou yasya
meruhu khura khuraayate
helaya uddarate mahim - he lifted the earth very easily. Hela is Helapuri - Eluru.
Describing the Varaha, Adi Shankaracharya said, whoever is drowned in the sea of birth, for them, mother Goddess Herself turns into Yaga Varaha Swamy and uplifts them. The tusks of Varaha is brightening even the Patala loka. Among the seven lokas, patala is considered as the last of them under the earth. There are seven more lokas above earth. This brightness of the tusk of Maha Varaha is spread to the last of the worlds too. This is the external meaning.
When we discuss about the internal meaning, it means that He is the light of our invisible heart which is patala loka of the body.
Antar bahischa tat sarvam vyaapya narayanah sthithaha says Narayana Upanishad.
May the tusk of Varaha put us all in the path of dharma! Varaha Swami was born on Bhadrapada Shukla Truteeya the last fortnight of the Chaturmasya and a day before Ganapathi festival. He is called as Yagna Varaha. He is also called Laxmi Varaha and Swetha Varaha. We are now in the eon of Swetha Varaha Kalpa. He is the land donor for the lord of Kaliyuga, Sri Venkateshwara Swami. He donated Tirumala to Venkateshwara Swamy. Till then it was called Varahaadri. Later it became Venkatadri. In Hampi, the Vijayanagara kingdom has Varaha Dwaja - flag. Mysore kingdom also worships Varaha. There is Varaha Swamy temple in Mysore palace. Since we all are related to Dattapeetham which is in Mysore, and since we are all following Mysore Swamiji, Varaha Swami also is very important for all of us. In our Datta Venkateshwara temple, near Audumbara, Varaha Swami is giving us darshan as Bhoo Varaha Swamy.
What is Varaha? What is He doing with that form? He is not doing anything. Why?
Varaha means pig. It likes wet mud. When floods come, there will be mud. In Kedarnath, the army is cleaning the mud. Nothing can be replaced for their service. Those who serve in the army will get salvation. The salvation which a Yogi gets, the same an army soldier also will get.
It is said that those who die in Kasi attains salvation. But they will attain this after three days. But those who die in Kedarnath will get immediate salvation. Let us all pray for those souls. May the lord bestow strength to all those who lost everything in that incident. During August, after Appaji returns back from tour, DattaPeetham is planning to contribute to Kedar Flood Relief fund. All of you become part of it as much as you can. You can even donate your old clothes that you throw away. There are many people who feel happy about this. The wastage that you do while eating can maintain some families. Do not throw away food even if it is excess. Consume only what you can. Every particle of the food that we throw away is counted by deities of food. You will have to take birth for each of the particle that you throw away. So be careful. It is not morsel that is counted, it is each particle of the morsel that is counted and so many births you will have to take again. Food is Goddess Annapurna. Do not waste it. Distribute to the needy. All this is taught by Varaha Swamy.
The Maha Varaha, out of compassion towards us stayed still without moving, as His movement in mud will exhaust the entire earth. That is why He is not doing anything. There is lot of physics and science when we observe this creation. It is because of His energy, the earth is in balance state. Without anyone behind it, is it possible? No. Usually pigs dig the earth and eat that is available under the soil. But this Maha Varaha is not doing so, with the fear of destroying even Naga loka which is down beneath. This is how we must visualize the Varaha. Only then we get the merit of having darshan of Lord Venkateshwara.
Many people do not have Varaha darshana before going to have Venakteshwara darshan. Doing so, will not give the merit of having Venkateshwara darshana.
He is the land owner. He is the one who gave that site to Lord Venkateshwara. Swamiji always says, do not ignore land donors who contributed to construct temples. You must invite them. Even if they don’t come, you must invite. Not just to them, their next generations also are to be treated likewise. But the donors should not have ego that they donated the land. These two points are very important. Venkateshwara charita teaches us this.
Yagna Varaha is not even screaming with the fear that the entire universe may blast out of that sound. This universe is not the only one. There are many inside this. There are many galaxies. There is no limit to that.
Somehow, I have great respect for Varaha Swamy in my heart.
There is no movement in Him. He is just stand still. May such Yagna Varaha Swamy protect all. Who ever has land issues, who ever wants to own a house, who ever has difficulties in completing the construction of their house, they all must pray to Varaha Swamy.
Our shastras are so great. Our elders are very broad minded. We call it as pig but the word Varaha has a great meaning. It is Vara and Aha which means this day is good day. He is the bestower of Varas - boons. We hate pigs but Varaha is a great animal. Every animal has its own purpose. That is the reason, the Lord created animals and birds. But we cannot create and cannot even protect them. During summer, put some water outside the house. Birds will come and drink. Sprinkle few grains here and there. They come and eat. Since we are not even able to do this, Swamiji established a great Shuka Vana for birds. Birds have so much importance. The world is protected by birds. We just say busy busy and are not cultivating these habits in children. All these are taught in Bhakthi. Bhakthi is just not performing pujas. It is just not going to temples.
All these are paths of Bhakthi. The Lord will be pleased on with such activities. People keep killing mosquitoes non stop. They search for them and *** with electric equipment also. That is sin. Protect yourself from mosquitoes but don’t *** them. I'm not asking you to do penance sitting amidst mosquitoes. Lord Krishna mentioned in Gita where to sit for penance and how to sit also. It is said that one must sit at a high level ground, on a comfortable seat and where there is no harm of insects for meditating or penance. We must learn all this. Do not cultivate such cruel attitude in children. You ask your child how many mosquitoes he killed that day. He replied only 99 and you start encouraging him to *** one more which is near you. This is a very bad attitude. If you teach him this, today he kills mosquitoes, tomorrow he may *** somone else. Because, himsa - cruelty is one and the same in the case of anything. If you have Ahimsa – non cruelty in your mind, it remains the same in everything. Cruelty is not the one we teach children. Teach mercy, compassion. This is very important. If you notice, all these stories are connected with some animal or the other. Matsyavatara teaches us to protect water creatures. Same with Kurmavatara. Varaha is more closer to earth. To stay close to all of us, the Lord took this form and came amidst us.
How to protect earth is told by Lord Vishnu Himself. Vedas praise the earth as Vishnu Patni, Madhavi and Madhava priya. Earth bestows blessings to all those who worship fire. It absorbs sun rays and moon rays and is helping us with medicinal herbs. Such Bhumata - mother earth is with Sri Hari.
Sri Bhu sameta Sri venkateshwara Swamiki jai...
Sridevi and Bhudevi both are His wives. That is why He protects earth with utmost care. Entire earth is called Karma Bhumi, not just ours. She bestows merit for all according to their deeds. We cannot perform any sadhana without Her blessing.
Dhanurdharaayai vidmahe
sarva sidhdhyai cha dheemahi
Thanno dharaa prachodhayaath
Bhumata is the base for all siddhis. Vaikhanasa agama shastra describes the glory of mother earth.
Once Hiranyaksha and Hiranya Kasipa did penance and seeked great boons. Hiranya aksha means his target is on stealing gold and land. The lord incarnated to ends him.
Why are we talking about all these? What is the purpose? Why should we talk about this? Kabirdas says none can describe its merit. Tulasidas says even Adi sesha cannot describe its merit. But Satsanga gives its merit. During evenings, where ever such satsangs happen, we must go. These days Harikatha and programs of such satsangs have reduced. Evenings are spent in shopping and eating chats but no one is thinking of utilizing their time in proper way.
That's why there is communication gap increasing between parents and children. We need to imbibe our culture in our children. There is nothing wrong going for these activities once or twice in a week but not daily. However busy you are, evenings are to be spent in satsangs. It is must. No choice for you.
In this competition age, you are not bothered of his friendships, his schedule etc. All you see is his marks. They get good marks, but at the end of it, you are not in a position to handle him. What is the use if they are not useful for our culture ? They leave the country and go far away even leaving their parents. What is the use? This is very wrong. We should also cultivate these habits and also cultivate in them. Time teaches everything. We will slowly go back to olden days. Olden days is not going backwards. Development will be there and everything will be there in abundance. But Dharma should not be forgotten. Science and Technology has improved a lot. Swamiji also is using this technology and is sending messages in various languages to teach people of culture and tradition.
We must teach children of all these values. That is why we must do satsang. Listening is easy. I would also prefer to sit along with you if someone else speaks. While listening sitting together, we develop good relations. That is important. At such places, Lord gives darshan. Why should we remember the lord? This is explained in detail while narrating the word 'Narayana'. Every letter in this word has lot of energy. In the story of Ajamaya, at the end, he could not completely pronounce the work Narayana and just could say nara and left the mortal body. Still he got salvation. Bhakti takes us all to that level. It has such power.
Na - Nastikya hani nirtatvam
While describing Paramatma, it was said Neti Neti...which means is he this.. is he this... At the end of all those descriptions, what ever remained is only Atma and that Atma itself is Paramatma says Upanishads.
Na - Nastikya hani nirtatvam
Na in Narayana removes atheism in us and develops devotion and makes us as theist. Who is a theist ? Who ever believes in the Vedas are theist. Vedas are the basis for entire knowledge. There exists nothing with out Vedas. Veda and Deva are very important.
Who is an atheist? Veda Dhooshakaha - who ever abuses Veda is an atheist.
Ra - Ranjanam bhagavatyasu
Ra - Rashtraanaadhikam
Ra gives us happiness in His stories and leelas. It also teaches us what to like and what not to. Its utterance saves the country. It is Shabda shastra - the science of sound. There is a aura meter. We checked this in the ashram. It shows different kinds of reactions when good and bad words are spoken. We did this testing. When we said Narayana or Datta or some good word, there are 100% waves. When spoken bad words, there is not even 1% waves. This is proven.
We can do nama smarana silently, or by just lip movement or loudly. Which ever way you do, it does show some power and protects us.
Ya - Yogo udyoga phalanchashu
Ya in Narayana removes obstacles in yoga or udyoga - job.It also removes the evil of black magic.
Na - It gives good words.
All puranas described Varaha as Adi Varaha, Yagna Varaha and Swetha Varaha. Why did He incarnate?
Namastasmai Varaahaaya
lilayoddharatey mahim
khura madhya gatou yasya
meruhu khura khuraayate
He is incarnated to protect the earth. First Avatara is Gnana Avatara, born for knowledge protecting Vedas as Matsyavatara. In the second Avatara, as Kurma Avatara He protected Yoga. In Third, He is Bhu Varaha Swami, protecting earth and all the habitants of earth. So He is very close to us.
Hiranyaksha turned the entire earth into water with the ego of His boons and took to patala loka. What does this mean? For the sake of understanding, it is said that he rolled the entire earth like a mat and took it home. This is told for the sake of children to understand. But we are all elders and learners. We have degrees. So we need to know the secret. The secret is he made the entire earth into water and he has hidden himself underneath. To protect such earth, the lord incarnated as Yagna Varaha swamy.
In Trinidad, once Swamiji told me about Yagna Varaha Swamy in just 2-3 words. I still remember and hope to remember always. Since then I have lot of bhakti and a special place for Yagna Varaha Swamy.
The entire earth is filled with water. There is no earth to do good deeds. There is no sun, no sun rays. Earth is full of insects. To reduce the level of water, to evaporate, the Lord incarnated as Yagna Varaha and jumped into the sea. When He jumped, for that force, the earth came out of the sea. Then the entire creation started again. With this, Mahatmas again started performing yagnas. With this, the universe came to normal. That is how Yagna Varaha protected earth. This is the speciality of Yagna Varaha Swamy.
Some stories say that He is born from the breath of Brahma in the size of a thumb and then spread all across the earth. Those who are greedy of land, wealth are punished by Varaha Swamy.
Today we are seeing Datta as Varaha swamy.
Jai Bolo Datta Varaha Swami ki Jai.