May 18, 2015
Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji - May 18, 2015 - UPH, Mysore
I am very happy that our school SGS vidhya samsthe has secured 95% pass mark in the class 10 board examinations. It is a joyous day.
The school is badly in need of funds. For close to 12 years I was hopeful that few devotees may come forward with huge contributions and help in school renovation and fund building. But my hopes have been dashed. All of you are stingy, really stingy. You will not spend money for education purposes. You do not contribute for helping other students. If at all you plan to spend, then it is only for prasadam, so that you can get a share of it. It is sad. Not one person came forward in so many years. This is a totally free school where we offer free education to the children of the lower income group of the society. Some of our past students are now in the position of judges. Many are in the police department. Some are pursuing medicine.
In 1993 Swamiji went on a foreign tour solely with the intention of raising funds for constructing a new school building. The then Prime Minister, Mr. PV Narasimha Rao dissuaded me. He called Swamiji to his house for pada puja and said “Swamiji tell me how much you need for renovating that school building. I will issue a cheque right now for that amount” he said. Swamiji refused. “I will conduct music concerts and earn the money for my school” I said. Prasad was with me at that time. In Germany another person also tried to dissuade me. “How much do you need for that school renovation” he asked. We said it would cost 80 lakh rupees. He said, “After all how much can you get through music concerts. I will contribute that amount”. Yet Swamiji refused. He travelled along with his music troupe for 7 months through various cities in foreign countries conducting meditation and healing concerts. L. Subramaniam also accompanied me on that tour. We worked hard. After 7 tiring months we returned to Mysore. The building construction was in full swing. “How much do we have to pay the contractors?” I asked. Eighty lakhs, they said. “OK, how much did we get in this trip?” I asked. “Swamiji we got 80 lakhs” was the reply. Exact amount we got. We gave it entirely for construction of new school building.
Now many decades have passed. The school is badly in need of funds. But we are facing paucity of funds. None of you are forthcoming with contributions. It is very pitiable (daridra) on your part. I wanted to create a corpus fund so that the school can run with those funds in future. But it is not happening. From now on I want you to set aside minimum 1 Rupee per day for the school. This is the minimum contribution. Will you set aside this amount or not? Will you pledge to save this school? Please tell me. If not, I will go begging. I do not hesitate to beg. I will go to the streets and beg. If you will not help, this is my plan. Now you decide. Will you save the school?
Whenever you buy garlands/ vastram etc for offering to Swamiji, along with that you contribute 1 Re towards school fund.
(Appaji called Telephone Gayatri and asked her to go around the prayer hall and collect 1 rupee from everyone present). 1 rupee per day every person can set aside. You can collect and give this amount to Gayatri or in Accounts dept. This is your school. Those who contribute to this school are fortunate. Their children, grandchildren and their lineage will be blessed with good education. I have realized that no one will come forward with huge contributions. There is no point in waiting. So let us start with 1 rupee/ per day/ per person. Let us hope that at least this amount people will contribute. If you find it difficult to set aside 1 rupee every day, then at least on days when you visit ashram, you contribute. One rupee is the minimum amount. Any amount higher than that is also acceptable. That’s all.
Today is an auspicious day. I am extremely happy that school secured 95% pass mark in 10th examinations. So begin collections today itself. Although there are not many people in prayer hall today, I am making this announcement today.
Compiled by Parimala Eshwarla