Jan 26, 2015
Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji - Ratha Saptami - January 26, 2015 - Saptarshi Sarovara Teertha, Mysore
Jaya Guru Datta
Today is Ratha Saptami. The sun changes his direction by some degrees. Minor changes will occur now in all the elements and in all the planets. Transformation takes place in us physically, intellectually, and mentally. Changes take place in the five elements as well. This Creation is cyclical. After trillions and zillions of years, all that exists now will vanish and a new Creation will take place. Everything is created anew. We have to renounce everything and be created anew. Even the sun will disappear and a new sun will come into existence. Such is the divine play of God. The only Truth is Paramatman. He alone is eternal. He alone is imperishable All else perishes even though everything is a part of the Supreme Soul. When everything changes and perishes, we have to also give up not only our bodies, but our minds also. When even the five elements have to go through changes and modification, how can we possibly remain as we are? God Himself makes Himself disappear and disintegrate.
Although we are all in such a perishable state, still, today we worship the Sun God. We are very fortunate to celebrate this Ratha Saptami. There is no greater fortune than this. That is why every day three times a day, in the morning, noon, and dusk prostrate to the Sun God, wherever you may be, in the office or elsewhere, and whatever activity you may be engaged in. Just at least think of the Sun and look in his direction and offer a salutation, even if you do not chant 'Om Suryaya Namaha'. He eternally gives us light. Whether or not you pay the bill, this light never goes out, unlike our electricity bill, which if you do not pay, you cannot turn on the lights at home. The authorities will disconnect the electrical service. Whether you pay the bill or not, the Sun keeps giving us light. He never discontinues his service. Whether you believe in him or not, whether you pay obeisance or not, he keeps giving light and warmth. He treats everyone alike. In the end we will all go back to him, the golden *** that has given us birth. He is very compassionate towards us and recognizes our ignorance and our demonic nature. He is truly forgiving. His virtue is incomparable. He absorbs pure Ganga water and the sewer water.
The Paramatman swallows up everything in Creation, including what is inside the *** of the earth, the volcanoes, the oceans, and all the five elements, including you and I. We all have to merge into Him, without any exceptions, whether we are well or ill.
I am remembering today my forefather Surappa who worshiped the sun god. My forefathers' penance and austerities were totally free from any cruelty or violence. That pure blood runs in my father, grandfather, and the oldest ancestor. My forefathers worshiped the Sun god. I am very proud and have so much of self esteem because I am born in a race that has intensely worshipped the sun god. My ancestor had performed the Poundareeka ritual and earned an esteemed title.
At this Saptarshi Sarovara Teertha we are performing this ritual today. This pond has true spring water that flows into it, and is mingled with all the waters of all the sacred rivers. It may appear like an artificial pond but it has a natural spring that feeds it. Today that I am performing this worship right here beside this sacred pond is my great fortune and your great fortune. Earlier, several times I have had to simply offer my prayers standing on the terrace of buildings. I now share my good fortune with all of you. If I am well and healthy, all of you will be well. When a bulb is shining, the bulb alone does not light up. It lights up everything around it also. Likewise, the Sun god also, shines himself and also shares his light with all of us.
We are all so lucky today. This entire Creation began with the Sun and it ends with Him by His own will and resolve. We tend to preserve our old bottles and tins out of sentimental attachment, but He never keeps anything permanently. He always cleans up everything. He washes away all the dirt constantly or he burns it. Ganga's water, ocean water, sewer water everything gets absorbed into Him. Mountains and oceans, everything merges into him in course of millions and billions of years. His creation is countless and immeasurable. We keep being born over and over again. Everything is constantly recycled and reborn. We must preserve our faith through our repeated births.
In this lifetime we experience our pains and punishments due to some karma. If we do not take precautions now, in all future lifetimes also we will be forced to suffer similar pains and punishments. They will not go away. In all future lifetimes also these pains and sufferings will accompany us. What we have gone through in this lifetime is sufficient for us. At least in the future ensure that you are free from these sufferings. Whether you wish for it or not, a future birth will occur. Liberation does not come easily. By reading books you cannot attain it. By simply saying Narayana Govinda, you cannot attain it. It is not easy. Then why chant those names? Only if you keep chanting, your merit will keep adding up, like a bank balance.
The reason we follow Sadguru is not for help in the present day, but to take a step forward for a better future. This present step has already been taken. But to make sure that we take a step forward in the right direction, we must follow Guru and preserve faith in Him.
Even this Sun we now see will vanish one day and a new Sun will emerge. Anything and everything that is visible will certainly perish. We see the Sun. He is visible. Therefore, he too will perish. Only the Almighty, the Paramatma, the Supreme Soul is eternal. That is why He is invisible. He alone is the Truth. No other entity is comparable to Him, no deity, no mountain, or anything else in existence. Whatever is visible, gets absorbed into the Almighty. Although everything that is visible is also He, still, His visible manifestation as the Universe will dissolve as per His resolve. He will withdraw it all into Himself. Even if the intellect affirms the existence of what is seen, and affirms the existence of you and I, still, all has to dissolve and merge in the Paramatman one day, without fail. We are all a part of such a Creation.
My ancestors performed very rigorous yajnas. They were persecuted by others and criticized. They withstood all types of rejection and continued with their penance successfully. I remember my forefather today with great pride.
You must develop very stubborn devotion towards Guru. Wherever He takes you, you go with Him. Or, wherever He sends you, you should be willing to go. *** is also His domain. This earth, populated by humans is also His, higher worlds are also His. All the worlds are His.
If others want to become chapatis, and follow a wrong path, do not care, but be ready to become an even tougher Parota.
You must continue your daily worship at home without any interruption. If you say you do not need it anymore, then you will exhaust your bank balance, your reserve, and you will begin to vacillate again. You become degraded because you have left your discipline and became vulnerable. The demon has got hold of you. Why should Guru free you from your demons? He watched you when you were free from the demonic influence. And He is watching you now when you are under the evil influence. It is up to you, to free yourself from the wicked influences. You have to struggle to regain your meritorious state. You did good worship and you acquired Sadguru. Now you have lost your hold. It is up to you to revive your meritorious practices. If you maintain your bank balance, then it will stay with your permanently. You must not let it go. What is the use of losing it all?
You had the stamina to run alongside the moving train. You were lucky enough to jump in and get into the train. After you got in, if you become arrogant that you can do it again, if you jump off from the train, can you catch up with the speed again and get in? No. The train has picked up speed and you cannot catch up then. The train will go away. You will lose it.
Since we all have to merge back into the Supreme Entity, since He alone is true and eternal, and we are all impermanent, it is important for us to maintain our momentum. My ancestor Surappa Poundarika Yaji also has merged into the Almighty. He is not amidst us now. Lord Rama and Lord Krishna also have merged back in the Almighty. Why? Because they had taken visible forms, they had to get merged back again. Rama took a visible form and so after 11,000 years He had to give up His form and merge back.
That does not mean that you should become disinterested and say, since anyway you are going to be gone soon, why bother to engage in spiritual practices? If you continue to behave like a beast, you will further disintegrate and deteriorate in your status. From a mule, you will descend to being a donkey, a pig, and so on.
We have to be careful. We have to save up for tomorrow. For our future journey we have to prepare and conserve energy. We eat now so that afterwards we can walk and go forward. Do not say, why bother? I am full now. I have just eaten a full meal. I do not need to worry about what happens later. Even as we finish eating, you must think about the next meal.
The husband says when he is full right after lunch, that he does not require anything for dinner, when the wife asks him what he would like to eat at dinner. But when dinner time comes, he is hungry and gets impatient. The wife did not cook because he said that he did not require any dinner. She got busy watching TV serials. Had she asked him about food a few hours after lunch, when he is not so full, then he would have expressed his wishes for dosas and vadas. Because the husband said he will not eat anything at night, the wife simply relaxed, reading stories in a magazine or sobbing with the characters on television serials, and now faces trouble. The husband eats whatever junk food he finds in the kitchen or else goes away to eat out. The wife should ask what to cook about one hour before mealtime. She should keep all the ingredients ready and then ask what to prepare. A man who is hungry will be thinking about food. The wife should then understand that he is hungry if he begins to talk about food. A fellow with a full stomach will not remember about food.
Like such a man, we must not neglect our duties just because we are full. We must continue to do our spiritual practices. Just because you now have Swamiji, you cannot relax. Wherever you are, keep reading the scriptures. Even if you are with Sadguru, and live in the ashram, still, you must read the Bhagavatam, the Bhagavad Gita or listen to the Guru Gita, do Satsang, and keep remembering God and Sadguru every moment, as you wake up, as you work, and as you go to sleep. Just because you are feeling full now that you have nice darshan and company of Sadguru, and you declare that Swamiji is Rama and Swamiji is Krishna, you cannot be negligent of your daily prayers and scriptural study. You must maintain the constant remembrance. You must have stubbornness in your devotion.
We were at Manasarovar. No food was available.
I had fever and my boys arranged for a cot for me and spread a sheet on it. and I slept on the cot for three hours. When I felt better, I noticed bones and skulls under the cot and came out running and refused to sleep there. When I needed the rest, I used the cot. But when I got well, I refused to sleep on it. I came out.
In joy and sorrow, keep your trust in Sadguru.
This is my Ratha Saptami message to all of you.
May these families be blessed. Only over the phone arrangements for the marriage were made. They got married here and now have several children.
From now on have several children. Do not restrict the number of children. We need to have more Hindu children. Other religions are growing in numbers. I command you. Even if you are middle-aged, keep having children. You may give the children to me. I will look after them. I will even clean their bottoms. Bachelors have to get married and have children. I never prevent anyone from getting married. Sun God is my witness. O Sun, I bless you also to have more children because you will also die out after 60,000 years or so. All Datta families will produce good children in the future. Please keep having kids.We need to increase our numbers.
These days many school children are visiting Suka Vana. It is causing a lot of disturbance to Swamiji. They leave their footwear near the Dharma Dhwaja, which is the wrong place. They disturb the parrots kept in the Guru Nilayam, Swamiji is not able to do His activities in peace. There is a lot of noise. They are all good children and good natured visitors, no doubt, but due to increased numbers, it is spoiling the peaceful atmosphere there.
I am planning to construct another access to Suka Vana from the opposite side. That way Swamiji will not be disturbed. Those who wish to only see Datta will come around the other way. Otherwise, they will come this way to visit the Bonsai Garden, Sri Datta Venkateswara Temple, and Suka Vana. Those who want to visit the Nada Mantapa and other places will leave their footwear at the Chappal stand and enter the ashram by the old route.
You can purchase a pass to enter for 1000 rupees. Now it will cost a lot of money to build a new road and install a gate. It is a small amount that I am asking, two trips to Bangalore, one or two sarees and two trips to a restaurant will cost you that much. Only 4 cinemas. Even a beggar demands a 100 rupees these days because even that has no value.
I wish to give special prasadam to Murali.
After flag hoisting for Republic Day
Jai Hind. Jaya Guru Datta. Sri Guru Datta. Victory to India. Jai Bharat Bhoomi ki Jai. Vande Mataram. May everyone thrive and succeed and be happy.
Sri Guru Datta