July 19, 2016
Speeches of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji - Guru Poornima - July 19, 2016 - KSHT Dallas, USA
Speech in the morning
Courtesy Avadhoota Dattapeetham
Datta Gayatri Mantra is good for us. Short cut for each deity is expressed through Mantras. Saves were generous in providing solutions to mankind which is afflicted with many issues such as short span of life, passion for children, wealth etc.
Children born out of *** lead to ***. At last after few years in the Samsaara, we should refer to the state of detachment.
Vyasa, the great sage gave some glimpses of wisdom.
Reproduction of progeny, wealth has become the focus of our life.
Disrespect towards parents, elders and scriptures is a sort of freedom people are comfortable with.
Dhyaayato Vishayaan Pumsah .... Buddhi Naashat Pranashyati.
Sri Krishna has given the road map of destruction. It all starts with the passion for comforts. We have innumerable causes cited to be arrogant and proud. Affluence, Girl Friends, Boy Friends, Clubs, Eateries and travel to nefarious places - all these experiences have started to become the coveted phases of life instead of bringing shame.
People are only happy with conjugal life. Later they feel engaged with worries and get habituated with quarrels all the time. In this business of life, do you ever get an occasion to check your mind.
Marriage is not an offence. Progeny is not a fault. Buying house is not bad. But lack of contentment is bad.
Understand the purpose of life by understanding the meaning of Guru Gita and Bhagavad Gita. I have given many speeches in many languages with many quotations. The gist of the world and the secret of emancipation is well laid out in Guru Gita.
Many times you need not discuss spirituality with any one. Just observe the meaning of the great texts in solitude. You will benefit a lot.
Many saints and scholars have composed many commentaries for these two texts. The style and tempo might vary but the essence remains the same.
Path of Guru Datta is not new. It is eternal. I have not founded this. The Guru Pantheon is observed since time immemorial. Take the examples of Kartaveerya, Parashu Rama, Alarka.
Datta has different tricks for each. It is secretive than many secrets. He punished and graced many.
If you analyse, every word from the mouth of Guru is precious on this Guru Poornima. Secure it in the vault of mind safely.
This is a day of excuse. Excuse from other works and get excused from your mistakes, because you will be again on the path of correction.
Wasting the great opportunity of being in the vicinity of Sri Swamiji is a blunder in life. Guru has many ways of engaging you. Some times it is through Speech, tap on the head, pat on the shoulder, granting the wish of touching His feet. Each of them have different virtues.
Each of them are different for different persons. Be content with what you get and aspire for betterment.
If you don't follow the words, then the opportunity is lost. Your children have better Samskaara. They heed to each word of Sadguru, saying Tataji has instructed.
In a way, they are better than you. Learn those good traits of them.
Disregarding distractions, body pains with the avenue of Affection towards Guru, they are getting better by treading the path of Dharma.
Though some might deviate, you should take the current example. Raising children is becoming hazardous and difficult for many.
Similarly, your Guru also gets tense in bringing you people up in the life. Your wavering and deviation is a cause of concern to Guru.
Be careful. Support this temple which has become a focal centre for Sri Swamji's activities. This Guru Poornima event is a very *** occasion.
Jaya Guru Datta
Speech in the evening
Compiled by Archana Penukonda
Jaya Guru Datta
Jai Veera Hanuman ki Jai
Jaya Guru Datta
Sri Guru Datta
This music (violin concert by Dr. L Subramaniam) was so beautiful! It was pleasing to the ear. It was so soothing that it could lull us to sleep. So many people were sleeping to this soothing music. I am very happy about this music. It is said that there is no liberation for one who has no knowledge of music. One who has not heard music cannot gain liberation.
The body is filled with Nada – Nada Tanumanisham. Whatever fills the entire body, that is Nada. Without Nada, there is no breath. Our breathing itself is Nada. Before going to bed, listen to the Nada (sound) of your breath without thinking about your problems. Just sleep peacefully. Listen to your inhalation and exhalation for a few minutes. There are different sounds in the body. The sound of the heartbeat is like our father, Lord Siva. Lord Siva is always dancing in our body. That is why Siva is our Guru. Today, on Guru Purnima, we give respect to Lord Siva and meditate on him with devotion. Lord Siva is our first Guru. Mother Goddess Parvati Devi asked Lord Siva about Guru. He explained the greatness of Guru in Guru Gita and also mentioned Nada. Without Nada, there is no human being.
You can listen to soothing music everyday. There are three types of sounds that you can hear in the body. This is the Anahata Nada (unstruck sound). Starting at the base of the spine, at Mooladhara Chakra, traveling to Sahasrara Chakra, stopping briefly at Svadhishthana Chakra, the Anahata Nada sounds wonderful.
There are six chakras that Nada travels through from Mooladhara to Sahasrara. There are different sounds in our plexuses (chakras or energy centers). That is why music is important for our backbone. Our backbone is like the Veena. You have seen the Veena. Our head is like the main sound box of the Veena.
There are four main Nadis (energy in the body flows through Nadis) – Ida, Pingala, Lower Brahma Nadi and Higher Brahma Nadi. The four Nadis are like the four strings of Tambura. So it is like the Tambura sound in our body. If you play the Tambura, you will see that it is very close to your body’s sound. It is the same sound as our breath.
But be careful, first clean your nose. Otherwise, you will each hear a different sound. You must clean your nose first with lukewarm water mixed with salt. The cleaning process is different. Clean your nose before going to bed. The sound of breath gives Anandam (great joy).
Each instrument gives a different sound. There is no age limit to learn playing a musical instrument. Adults as well as children can learn. You can learn the Mridangam, Tabla, Violin, Flute or Harmonium. It is easy to learn the Casio keyboard. Music is your direct and personal friend. Nada or Music is our life partner. Do not think that your spouse is your life partner.
Spouse is not a life partner. Your spouse is only a play partner. Nada is our only life partner.
It is said that without knowledge of music, there is no liberation. Every one must sit and listen to music. You must not offer excuses for not listening to music. Do not walk away when the Tani Avartanam (extended solo by percussionists) starts. Tani Avartanam is also Nada. Tani Avartanam is Lord Siva. Heart problems can disappear with such music. The rhythm of the heart is Lord Siva. The Shruti/key is Mother Goddess Parvati. We must listen to both father and mother. That is why running away during Tani Avartanam and coming back later is not good.
The body of Lord Siva is full of Nada. Our body too is full of Nada.
Different kinds of sounds come from from the 72,000 different Nadis. Those are very important Nadis in our Vagus nerve system. There are 12 different parts in this system. If you calculate, you will see that it aligns with our music system. There are different kinds of music that are produced with the 7 notes and 12 sounds.
Anyway, that is a vast subject that Swamiji is talking about. Sri Swamiji wrote about this in the Raga Ragini book already. If you read the book, you will understand. There is an English version too. It is a big book. There are different charts in the book too, making it easy to understand the subject. Study the charts and you will feel like reading the book.
Therefore, today, on Guru Purnima day, what does the Guru like? Nada. Nada is very important. After worship and study of Upanishads and observing Karma, they finally talk about “Gaanam” (song). In the nine kinds of devotion mentioned in the Narada Bhakti Sootras, the last kind of worship is with Nada. It concludes with music. In Maharashtra, to this day, they pick up the cymbals at the end of the worship and sing rapturous songs in praise of Lord Vithala. They will put the Lord to bed with music and again wake the Lord up with Suprabhatam in the morning. It is not even necessary to have idols and Puja materials to do all this. Think about the body itself as Lord Krishna. Think of the body as Lord Siva, as Lord Brahma, as Mother Goddess. Wake up to Suprabhatam yourself. Lord Narayana is always sleeping in our heart. *** is in our heart. Whatever Naivedyam (offering of food to ***) you are offering, you eat that Sattvic food. In the night you can do Pavalimpu Seva (cradling the Lord to bed). There is a song for all situations – for sleeping, bathing, waking up, eating, traveling etc. There is a song for all situations. You must use those songs. Only then, you can inculcate true devotion. Your memory will improve. You will get Asana Siddhi (being able to sit in one position for prayer/yoga for extended periods of time). All this can be achieved with practice of Nada.
On this Guru Purnima day, L. Subramaniam is very fortunate. He came with his entourage and offered Nada Seva today. Hanuman likes Nada a lot. I am very happy. I especially like Kapi raga/scale. If we have time in the future, we want to listen to more of this kind of music. This is not ordinary music. It is very powerful. I am calling this yoga music.
It is already 8:55pm, so let us do Hanuman Arati.
We do not have enough time to talk about Nada. If we had a seminar, we can go into more detail about Nada.
Only one Swamiji visits Trinidad every year, and that is Your Swamiji. There may be no dollars there, but your Swamiji is going. I only want propagation of Dharma. No Swamiji goes there because there are no dollars there. Your Swamiji is the only guru who goes every year. They are very nice people, I feel like going and seeing them. We need to propagate Hindu Dharma again. If I do not see them every year, I cannot sleep peacefully. I feel like I must go and see them every year despite the 20-hour journey from India. L Subramaniam also came there with Vijaya a long time back. It was an absolutely wonderful and memorable trip. You should come too. How many of you have come to Trinidad? Raise your hand. Okay, many of you are coming because you are Hanuman devotees. It is also pretty close to here. If you book in advance, you can get an airline ticket for just $200.
Sri Guru Datta