July 22, 2015
Speeches of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji - July 22, 2015 - Frisco, TX USA
Speech in the morning
Sri Maha Ganapataye Namaha
Sri Saraswatyai Namaha
Sripada Vallabha
Narasimha Saraswati
Sri Guru Dattatreyaya Namaha
Jai Veer Hanuman ki JAI
Video recording of Hanuman Chalisa by individuals is going on as planned. Each country and many villages in India are also contributing. Fast production. You also can help. The first restriction of having to follow only Swamiji's tune has been relaxed. Look at the script and sing boldly. Try your best. Raise your hands all those amongst you who have memorized the Hanuman Chalisa. 6 centers/classrooms are set up where recording is being done. Register your names. You may sing in the tune of your choice. Sing confidently.
For the Hanuman Temple consecration, the countdown has begun. Once it is done, our prayers will be heard. Even now they are heard, no doubt. No need to have a temple for prayers to be offered and heard by ***. But, Yantra, Mantra, and Agama amplify the energy on the premises of the temple. The energy in the stone murti also helps a great deal.
How does the rock come into being in the first place? Hardened lava juice produces rock. Agni/fire is the cause. Rasa or fluidity is in its nature. Air helps in the formation of the rocks. This process occurs on earth. The sky gives the impetus. All the five elements combine to form rocks. That is why images of deities are carved in stone or wood. Some are painted on canvas. Gold, silver, brass, bronze, or even clay are used for images of *** for worship, based on affordability. If none of these are affordable, one uses paper prints. One who goes beyond all of these physical aids, and has no need for them, worships in the mind itself. It is then called Manasa Puja/mental worship.
What is mind? It is an aspect of ***. Jeevatma/individual soul and paramatma/Supreme Soul are not different. But they appear to be so. Mercury when spilled in dirt remains separate from the soil. A Royal Swan or Raja Hamsa separates water and milk. It is called Hamsa Ksheera Nyayamu.
It is a misconception that man has, that he is separate from ***. I am separate. Me and mine. Me and my family. My spouse, my children. My possessions. My vehicle. My bank balance. That is how man feels. Who is the I? What you don't know is invisible. Guru alone can clear all such doubts. Churning in the mind must occur. First listen to Guru's teachings. Listen. Ponder. Know. Then there is only silence. One who talks, does not know. One who knows, does not speak about what he has experienced. It is not good to boast about oneself and one's experiences.
Swamiji just now has given an outline of the Upanishads. You cannot easily understand. Karma yoga is one part. Follow karma yoga first. Then only you may enter into Jnana yoga. Otherwise, it is of no use.
We worship all the five elements. We worship or invite sleep as Nidra Devi. We worship the fire of hunger. With our inhalation and exhalation we worship air.
Atheists also unknowingly believe in ***. One who has experienced the highest Truth may also say that there is no such separate entity as ***. An atheist says it easily and loosely from ignorance. It shows his lack of knowledge. One who knows, will not make such rash declarations. Lifelong, questions remain in the mind, and pondering and churning have to continue.
Man likes to separate himself from his karma. He is reluctant to accept the responsibility. Why me? He asks, when things do not go according to his wish. Why not? Why are you special? What makes you out of the ordinary? All forefathers and ancestors also have experienced the results of their karma.
A knower is at peace. Neighbors often needle and create trouble in the minds of those who have realized Truth to some extent and are reconciled and contented. With the help of Swamiji's teaching, one who has developed some amount of vairagya, has to sometimes pretend, to please others, when they exaggerate the effects of misfortunes.
Others show outward sympathy and feel sorry for your misfortune. You may be quite calm inside. But you cannot tell them that. They will not understand. Never ask for a reward for the performance of your duty. Do your work only as a duty. Know your karma and keep doing it.
It is important to know Karma Kanda. Devotion is required to do justice. Practice silence. Have no desires. Do not question. Only then, only after Karma Yoga, you enter Bhakti Yoga. Peace, calmness of mind, and self restraint are required. Do not praise yourself. Do not dump your troubles on others. They will only partially listen. They they will tell you that their own troubles are far worse than yours.
Do not disclose your troubles to others. Tell your troubles only to ***. That is why we have temples. *** listens patiently, unlike human beings. Always keep a small temple at home. Others show no sympathy. *** listens always.
When you pray to Yama/*** of Death, for a long life, he listens. But he takes away your life when the time comes. He shows no mercy. He will not wait for your last child's marriage to be performed. Balance. Justice. Time. Yama decides these. We have no control.
From Karma to Bhakti you make a transition. Much sorrow is there in life. For most questions you do not get answers, no matter what. It is how it is. It is Lord Siva's command. Leave it. Let it go. That is the answer. No gain for you even after many years of questioning. Simply give up. Let go.
Problems must be faced. Guru, temple, festivals - we need all of these for our peace of mind. Doing service at the temple feels good. Getting recognition for service feels good. In life there is too much discontentment. All satisfactions are momentary. Fleeting. Keep pursuing Guru. Keep going to the temple. Continue your services. Prevent discontentment from filling the mind. Maintain calmness and contentment in the mind. How? Create and engage in good activities. Study the Bhagavad Gita. Sing or listen to good music. Perform Vratas like the Anagha Vratam or the Satyanarayana Vratam. You must keep your mind and body busy. Busy with virtuous activities. Not busy watching cinemas. Not busy quarrelling with the spouse. Not busy indulging in bad moods and angry outbursts. These are ways to destruction. You must do things to spiritually keep busy. You can then forget your problems.
An old Iyengar couple came to the ashram recently. They were over eighty years old. They could not walk. A volunteer helped them. He brought them there. They came to Swamiji after 40 years. The wife was very keen on offering many things to Swamiji which she had collected over many years. The husband asked if the wife was satisfied with all the things that she had brought and offered to Swamiji, such as ornaments, saree, and so on. The wife made her Samarpana/gift to Swamiji with the words:
You may give these to Homa (fire ***) or feed them to the cows. It does not matter. I have only one desire.
What is your desire?
My husband should go before me.
I was surprised. I knew her wish even before she asked. I asked her why she made such a wish.
I serve him while I live. After me, no one will serve him. He is very short tempered.
Many people ask the other way, that the wife should go first, with turmeric and kumkum, as a married woman. This is a strange request.
The old lady remembered the days forty years ago in Vijayawada, where she had listened to Swamiji's discourses where he explained the merit of a married woman leaving before the husband. It is considered very auspicious. She recollected the traffic jam that occurred in the streets when Swamiji began singing the bhajan: Amba Bhavani Sarade. She continued:
I do not want pasupu-kunkuma. This man is a very stubborn man. He won't go to a hospital. For 15 days I want to stay here at the ashram. Ekadasi comes by then. It is an auspicious day. He will probably go before then. I will pay the rent for our room. I am going to Chennai. You cannot stay here that long, Swamiji told her.
Is her attitude one of merit or sin? Does it speak of Bhakti/devotion or an excessive attachment to her husband? You decide.
Unless there is sorrow, there is no enjoyment in life. Sorrow complements joy. We put curry leaves in Charu/Rasam/Spicy soup for flavor and good health. We throw the leaves away after the meal, during which, we keep them to a side. We do not eat the leaves. Sorrows are like the curry leaves we discard. We add a pinch of Hing and a few curry leaves to add taste to the Rasam. Generally people do not eat the leaves. Some people eat them because they are rich in iron. But eating the leaves during the meal spoils the taste of the Rasam. If they are not added, the Rasam does not taste as good or flavorful.
Sorrow helps in developing detachment. Pleasure gives ego and destroys you. In sweet desserts kesari/saffron acts the same way. It gives a rich flavor. some may eat it. Some set it aside. Saffron is used in treats made during good times for added taste and richness. Evening time you throw a party. Serve treats like vadas. Talk of sorrows and then discard the topic of sorrows and enjoy the food and the good company.
Guru Upadesa/teaching, Mantra, temple activities, Nama sankeertan/singing hymns for *** - are all treats for the soul. They give calmness and dispassion. Whatever Guru gives, you accept gladly without question. He may give different mantras, and engage you in different activities. Whatever Guru prescribes, accept. Right now, Guru has asked that everyone should chant the Hanuman Chalisa.
I wish to conduct a Saptaham/seven day discourse on different deities to explain their special significance, about Siva, Ganapati, Mother Goddess, Hanuman, etc. Swamiji has not yet decided. We will meet again in the evening.
Sri Guru Datta
Speech in the evening
The countdown has begun for the consecration ceremony. Once the temple is finished as per the agama mantras, we will be very happy. The spiritual vibrations after Prana Pratishtha will be enormous. Like in an Agni Kundam/Holy Fire pit all sins will get burned. This will become a transforming station. Any temple of Lord Hanuman or any deity for that matter, gives immeasurable benefit. We are waiting for tomorrow morning. The muhurtam will be between 10:30 AM to 12 noon.
Different Japas and Homa rituals last for four or five days prior to a temple consecration. Today the main deity's yantra will be placed. Final Kumbhabhishekam will be followed by Abhishekam to the deity in the sanctum sanctorum. The events are all open to public. Only priests will have access to the deities until then. Only they may handle the rituals. After today, everyone will have a chance to offer worship. Today a few Bhajans will be sung and mangalam. This will be for testing the sound system. The beauty of the emerald green murti cannot be adequately described. A Muslim sculptor gave the emerald stone. In 1998, sculptor and rock merchant Gaffoor first came to have Swamiji's darshan. He was a major supplier of gem stones to Jaipur. He had a mine near Chitradurga. After Swamiji's blessings, he found a huge piece of emerald stone after a long duration of going through hard times financially. Mic testing. Only with bhajans real testing can occur. Not with speeches.
Bhajans: Vande santam
Hanuman Chalisa
Compiled by Smt Hira Duvvuri