Aug 15, Sivananda
Discourse on Sivananda Lahari
Day 18, August 15
Jaya Guru Datta
Sri Ganesaya Namaha
Sri Saraswatyai Namaha
Sripada Vallabha
Narasimha Saraswati
Sri Guru Dattatreyaya Namaha
Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Sadgurubhyo Namaha
Happy Independence Day to everyone.
Today is a very special day. Sri Swamiji is making house visits in Hyderabad. There also the Flag Hoisting ceremony took place. Here also we celebrated. Again today after all these years, since 1947, Aug. 15 has fallen on a Friday, which is a very auspicious day for all deities. I pray to Sadguru Dattatreya Swami to grant to India its previous glory.
Lahotiji, an ardent devotee from Hyderabad has come to conduct the Venkateswara Kalyanam in the Nada Mantapa tomorrow for universal welfare. Tomorrow 150 children will perform Anaghashtami Vratam in the Prayer Hall using a special yantra prepared for their use by Manjula. This is a very special annual event. These children will be given school supplies as gifts sponsored by BDL.
Bhajan: Pranavasvaroopam
It was described in the previous verse: O Lord Siva, your throat became blue/black because of your taking in the poison.
Verse 34:
Kim broo ma -stava sāhasam pasupathe kasyāsthi Shambho bhava-
Dhairyam chedrusam-atmanah stithi –riyam chānyaih katham labhyate
Braśyaddeva gaṇam trasan muṇi ganam nasyat prapancham layam
Pasyan nirbhaya eka eva viharathy ānanda sāndro bhāvan
Here in this next verse Siva’s courage and daring are described. These are the characteristics of Guru as declared by the Upanishads. How to describe your valor which strikes fear in our hearts? No one but you has this kind of determination and valor. No one else can even hope to acquire such strength of mind. The deities, sages and all others were trembling in fear seeing the impending annihilation of the entire Universe by the engulfing poisonous fumes. This final annihilation occurs after 71 Manvantaras are completed. It is the Maha Pralaya. It was not one of the intermediate Pralayas, like what occur at the end of the 4 Yogas or at the end of a Kalpa. You alone were untouched by this calamity. In that situation you were like an ocean of bliss. You are the manifestation of happiness and peace. Your steadiness as a rock is unimaginable.
When a building is on fire and the firemen daringly enter the building to save a child trapped inside, fills our hearts with wonder at their courage, even though they are wearing apparel to protect them from the fire and the heat.
This Pancheekarana creation made of the five elements dissolves back to the void where even the elements lose their individual characteristics. Brahma was given only four easy instructions in four shlokas for him to do the entire Creation.
When we speak of a deluge/total annihilation/Pralaya, what is it as per the scriptures? Lalita Sahasranama describes Mother Goddess as Maha Pralaya Sakshinee/witness to the Great Annihilation.
Rudra Tandava is danced by Siva prior to the final annihilation. Pralaya Tandava is danced at the time of complete destruction. Your dance is not the dance of a madman, O Siva. You are the Paramatma and because of you, Creation was born anew after it was completely obliterated. You preserved the seed, the cause of all causes. Because of you alone, the world has resumed its existence.
Ananda Tandava is performed when Siva expresses His immense joy. There are three types of dance performed by Siva.
You are that Supreme Energy that gives power, consciousness, and bliss to all. You have burned to ashes Manmatha/god of desire. Yet you revived him to exist in a subtle form. That is what keeps the world revolving.
Siva is the one who exists in all of us as peace and bliss during sleep. Be they children, prisoners, or ordinary people, you are moving about within everyone during the time of deep sleep. Because of your presence we are existing and living. In every one of our limbs and organs there are various deities as named in the Kesava etc. names of God, each of the 24 representing one part of the body.
You are our savior.
You must pray to God before going to sleep every day. Once we fall asleep fearlessly, where is the guarantee that we will wake up? In sleep the outside world totally disappears, as if non-existent.
The Maha Yogi leaves his body happily merging with Siva.
Fear makes one die every minute. Death is inevitable. Pralaya is the same as leaving the body.
You are within us as our eternal Soul. I prostrate to you. Please grant us freedom from fear.
Every night when we sleep, destruction is occurring without our knowledge. The outside world is disappearing.
You do the Tandava/Celestial Dance when Creation gets dissolved.
When we remember Siva we gain courage. Holding the Trident in His hand, Siva dances. Even the serpent Vasuki adorning His neck cannot cope with the pace of the Tandava dance and remains aside as a witness.
When we frighten others our own fear increases. Siva gives fearlessness to all.
You alone are our savior. At the time of this calamity of poison emerging from the Ocean of Milk, Narayana was nowhere to be found. He was lost in Yoga Nidra/Divine Slumber. To see you in that situation, saving all the worlds, I feel overwhelmed with joy.
Bhajan: Jyotirlingakara (Mahakaleswara)
While giving the description of the Jyotirlinga Kshetras/12 Energy Centers of Siva, Swamiji has given us this wonderful bhajan. There are special Kshetrams/Pilgrimage Centers, such as Kasi with the divine presence of Siva, Annapurna, Visalakshi, Ganapati, Bindumadhava Swami, and many other powerful deities; Sri Sailam, where there is Mallikarjuna with Bhramarambika; and Ujjaini with Maha Kala Swami along with Maha Kali. Ujjain means a place that grants us victory.
Maha Kala/Great Time is different from our limited time calculated by sunrise, sunset, days, weeks, years, and so on. O Lord Time, you transcend all calculations and limits. You are indivisible. We get frightened at the concept. Ujjain also is called Avantipura, which is one of the 7 Moksha Dvaras, gateways to liberation.
Although you are Maha Kala, you reside in a sacred place that assures us of protection and salvation. Avantipura is a wonderful pilgrimage center.
Verse 35:
Yoga Kshema-durandharasya sakalaaśhraya pradodh yoginah,
Drushtādrushta-matopadeśa krutino bāhyāntara vyāpinah,
Sarvagnasya dayākarasya bhavatah kim veditavyam maya
Shambho twam paramantaranga iti me chitte smarāmyanvaham
We get frightened to hear about Maha Pralaya, the great destruction. We cannot witness Siva’s Tandava performed at that time. Yuga, Kalpa, the lifespan of Brahma, all these unimaginable time concepts should not concern us. We were born. We give our date of birth. May be we will live for a hundred years maximum. We are only concerned about our welfare and protection. ‘Yoga’ is obtaining our needs. ‘Kshema’ is protecting what we have as requirements.
O Siva, you have taken the burden of our protection.
We need to learn about Maha Kala, no doubt. But what is more important for us to know and remember?
We all have our specific responsibilities. We eat and sleep. Or we think about what we should be doing. We need to have an occupation. Big or small, we have to be productive to help those who are around us. Some service should be performed. We should not simply sit still. Like that you also have a job, Lord Siva. Your job is the distribution of blessings.
In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna has promised our Yoga and Kshema. But he also exhorted: You must do your part. You must think of me alone, leaving off everything else.
You keep your hand open under the sky and say Om Namo Hanumate Namaha and expect a fruit to fall into your palm from the sky. The fruit does not fall. You chant a Ganapati Mantra 3 times, discarding your faith in Hanuman, and still, the fruit does not fall. You do not even sit under a fruit tree. No. That effort is not enough.
Krishna said: You must only think of me. Even if you worship other deities, see me in all of them. That is Buddhi Yogam. Krishna made it very tight and specific. There is no ambiguity there.
LIC/Life Insurance Company of India people have the same line as their slogan, while alive and after death they promise to give protection. They help the survivors in times of death of a family member.
Only if you keep your end of the deal, Krishna keeps His promise of giving Yoga and Kshema.
A boatman was plying a boat. A professor sits in the boat. He goes to the boatman and explains about the science of navigation. He questions the boatman whether he is using the proper equipment and procedures. The flow became rapid. The current increased. A storm was approaching. The boatman asked the professor if he knew swimming. If he did not, only God could help him. The boatman knows the ocean. He enters the deep ocean to earn his food.
Theoretical knowledge is of no use when danger strikes.
Even a frog under a rock gets its food. Every grain of rice has the name on it of its consumer. Lifespan is pre-determined. The nourishment of every creature is also guaranteed. God has ordained that his Creation will survive. Yes. We must work for our living no doubt. The scriptures say that. Do not challenge God by remaining idle and waiting to be fed. But remain fearless. Udyogam – Ut-Yogam - do good to others. For the little bit of good that we do, God rewards us a thousand-fold. One must be patient and not blame God hastily that the result is not immediately forthcoming. If results are delayed, it means that God has a better plan for us. That God is spending time in making plans for us shows how blessed and lucky we are. Krishna declares in the Bhagavad Gita: Whoever it may be, however small the good deed may be, the result is guaranteed that you will enjoy the reward.
O Siva, you are so capable, so compassionate, it is unthinkable that you will ever be indifferent towards us in our time of need.
We have the firm faith that Sadguru/or a certain invisible power is there always protecting us.
Those who lack faith in God/Guru have negative thoughts filling their minds out of fear. Someone buys a new vehicle. At once negative thoughts begin. What will you do if it breaks down? O you are going on a pilgrimage? Do you have insurance? O you are eating? Do you have good digestion? Some people are cursed with constant negative thinking. Do not fear such words from negative people. Yes. You must look ahead and weigh pros and cons. But never give in to needless fear.
While reading the newspaper one looks at the fan frequently fearing that it may fall on his head. He rides a bus and hears news of a bus accident and gets off in panic. He rides in an auto rickshaw and sees an accident, and same thing. He gets off and runs to his destination afraid of riding in a vehicle. Fear for everything. Why? God has taken the responsibility to keep us safe. Have that faith in God. We should be comfortable in this life. We should do well in our future life also.
As Guru you have given us guidance, Lord Siva. You are protecting us. You are giving us knowledge. You are within us and everywhere outside. You give rains. You have given us the Sun to dry up the wetness when it becomes too much. You have provided us food. We should learn from you how to organize and plan things. How long did it take you to plan and execute the creation of this universe?
God created all this with just HIs intention and the utterance of the syllable? Bhuh”.
In one instant you have created this magnificent world. I have the strong faith that you know how to take care of me.
O Lord Siva, you are all pervasive. You know everything. You know everyone’s life story - past, present and future.
A cat drinks milk with closed eyes, even if the owner is nearby. It thinks no one is watching. We should not be thinking like that. God is always watching. He knows everything and He is forgiving. If He does not overlook our mistakes with kindness, how can we ever survive?
A man asked for the boon from Guru that he should know everyone’s thoughts. Guru tried to discourage him. But the man insisted. Guru granted the wish. In the beginning, all the people he came across were praising this man in their minds. The man was overjoyed and wished that Guru should have this same boon also. He would enjoy having this new power, the man thought. Then he came across people who were speaking sweetly to his face and thinking evil thoughts about him. This continued for some time. He became miserable and begged Guru that the boon be rescinded.
Swamiji says, it is better that we do not know our past lives. Otherwise, we will see our relatives in the dog and cat that we see and we will follow them with renewed attachment. We forget what happened even yesterday. That is God’s immense grace.
Siva, you have taken the incarnation as Guru. Guru knows, based on our karma that keeps following us, what our thought process will be even in the future. You are full of compassion. Although you know all our flaws, you do not raise your trident against us. You give us the guidance to live a good life. You teach us how to earn, how to spend, how to lead life. You also teach us how to progress spiritually. You give us the knowledge of the divine intention. Whether we follow it or not, is up to us. God gives us the rules and regulations and then gives us the freedom to choose.
Siva, it is your job is to give us direction and guidance. The teachings of the Vedas you reveal to us. You are inside and outside us.
The one who is inside me is Siva. The one who is inside you is also Siva. Due to our ignorance we are unable to see Reality. God gives us knowledge to dispel our inborn ignorance.
You know everything.
This we must remember always.
You also know all that goes on in our minds, not only our past thoughts, present thoughts, but even the thoughts that will be born in us in the future. You are omniscient.
Dattatreya is an ocean of knowledge.
Siva you are an ocean of compassion. What else do I need to know about you? If I know this much, that is enough. You are everywhere. You are competent to do everything.
A farmer was there. An agriculturist went and lectured to him about the science of growing plants. The farmer said, I know that after it rains I have to put in the seeds. Plants grow. I know when it is time to harvest. That is sufficient for me. This complicated science is not helpful for me.
Lord Siva, when you are there to protect, what other knowledge do I require? How to understand your principle? You are the supreme friend. You are the only friend who matters. You have taken such a huge responsibility for my protection. I must listen to the words of my well-wisher. You are the true well-wisher. Guru never deceives. He speaks what is true. He speaks what will benefit me. You are Veda. Your form is Veda. All good advice is Veda. Whoever gives good advice is equal to God, even if he is an enemy. You are the closest, most intimate friend. You know everything. Without my having to say anything, you know everything about me. I think of you in these lines. Please always be with me as my best friend.
This verse teaches that we have no friends. Sadguru is our one and only closest, most intimate friend. He keeps our secrets. He removes our flaws. He is the Supreme Soul.
What more do we need to know about you, Lord Siva? You are an ocean of compassion. You give us all the benefits like a best friend. Our heart melts when we see an intimate friend. The juice of affection secretes in the heart. I wish to make you my most intimate friend. You are my best beloved.
It is not easy to develop this love for Guru/God. But slowly it must be developed, with consistent sadhana/spiritual practice. Have the confidence that all hurdles will be overcome. Do not succumb to panic. Instead, engage in prayer. It will give protection.
God has given us the promise in the Bhagavad Gira. A man was chanting this prayer daily and constantly.
Ananyaschintayanto mam ... from the Bhagavad Gita.
Despite his daily prayer, so many unsurmountable financial difficulties came his way. Finally in deep frustration and impatience, the man tore up the palm leaf on which the shloka/prayer verse was inscribed, that he kept at home, and went away.
A merchant came to the door a little later. He told the housewife that he came to pay back the man of the house a loan that was given to him a long time ago. He now brought the money with interest which amounted to a truckload of treasures and wealth. The housewife was surprised and overwhelmed. She offered the merchant her hospitality, by way of a meal, a beverage, or at least water. She felt very disappointed that he refused to accept anything. She asked him the reason why. He showed her his bleeding tongue. Someone has sliced off my tongue in anger, he said, and left.
The man of the house returned after some time. He was surprised to see the enormous wealth that made him an instant millionaire. Upon questioning, the wife said: Kittayya, to whom you had given a loan a long time ago, came to return the money with interest. The man eagerly asked her if she honored him with proper courtesy and hospitality. She said: I could not offer him any hospitality because he showed me his sliced and bleeding tongue. He left without even accepting a glass of water. The man remembered: I put one rupee in the hundi decades ago. Now Lord Krishna has come to repay me with interest. He deeply repented his hasty action. This is a true story that occurred in the state of Orissa.
Do not pester God for small favors. When you have the strength to deal with your troubles, do not call upon God unnecessarily. But when the difficulties are beyond your power to overcome, God will certainly come to your aid, as He did for Draupadi, when she surrendered to Him totally.
Bhajan: Sambho Sambho
Bhajan: Sakaladhara roopini tum
Victory to Mother Goddess!
Sri Guru Datta