January 4, 2015
Speech by HH Sri Datta Vijayananda Teertha Swamiji during Birthday and Sankranti Celebrations in advance - January 4, 2015 - UPH, Mysore
Jaya Guru Datta
I should have been at the studio to complete the audio recording of Aranya Kanda of Srimad Valmiki Ramayanam.
This morning the Matru Mandali has made me captive by their insistent and affectionate invitation to be present here at this celebration.
Aranya Kanda is being recorded. The main recording of all the shlokas is done. No one has the time to really read the entire script of the original Ramayana. Only audio books are used these days. I hope that devotees will at least listen to the enire Ramayana in the original. The rendering of the Shatashloki Ramayan by Sri Swamiji has inspired me to make the whole Ramayana accessible as an audio version, with meaning in Telugu. Now I found a bit of time. 25 Sargas of meaning also were completed.
Matru Mandali said today we will celebrate Sankranti. They said: You will not be here nor Sri Swamiji, on January 14th, so today we will celebrate. We are happy. So we will celebrate. Sankramana is a very sacred day. Prepare pongal. It does not mean just prepare and eat it. Offer it as naivedyam and take it as prasadam. Set aside pizza and other things. It is cold at this time. Add lots of cashew nuts. It is nutritious food. It generates heat in the body. Black pepper is added for balance. This preparation is connected with the Sun. They also wanted to get a cake cut. I said: Do not associate cake with pongal. Why do you want cake? But it is your birthday, they said. What is birth and death? I started to think along those lines, by why now all this philosophy? Eating sweet is for eternal bliss. Earlier they were cutting mysore pak. Now you cut cake.
Do cake cutting more for distributing and sharing with others your happiness, and not because it is my birthday.
Iccha sakti is represented by Sri Swamiji, said Sri Swami Manasa Datta. Sadguru sankalpa will change everything. It has the power to do so. There is nothing greater or more powerful than that. It is His sankalpa that I am here before you now. I never wished to speak. I always prefer to listen. But sometimes it is difficult to listen to some, who speak without ever ending.
I listen well. That is what makes me speak. Listen until the information overflows.
God's grace gives Iccha sakti. Jnana sakti is by Guru's grace. You must develop Kriya sakti. Get filled with service-mindedness. There is nothing greater than that. More you serve, the sweeter the fruit you receive. Serving is Sankranti. Place your foot forward into service.
Cake and other things are only a token of happiness. Anything you give will give pleasure because it is given with love and faith. Keep faith and loyalty to this ashram. Never betray trust. Always pray that it should never occur. The ashram trusts you. Maintain reciprocity. I am very happy that you have created an occasion for us all to get together. You insisted that I come and address you all.
Sri Swamiji could not visit all the ashrams in Andhra Pradesh. Only Vijayawada He visited. So I have to make this tour starting from Bangalore. From Srikakulam all the way to Tirupati, I will be traveling. Recently I finished the tour of places in Telangana.
I do not wish to interrupt the Yoga Vasishtha discourses. I am addicted to it.
Sri Swamiji returns on January 22. In Singapore He gave darshana. Now He proceeds to New Zealand. I return on January 23. All the children should celebrate Sankranti. Have satsang daily by singing bhajans. On Jan. 1 for Vaikuntha Ekadasi, the Mysore citizens supported by visiting the Sri Datta Venkateshwara Temple in very large numbers. Many will come for Sankranti also. The volunteers did great seva.
I can now smell the cake.
Jaya Guru Datta
Sri Guru Datta