The following are the rules given to Satya by Jayalakshmi:
1) See your mother in all women.
2) Be compassionate to the poor and socio economically backward people.
3) In all situations think and act according to the sastras.
4) Be prepared to sacrifice your own life to protect the welfare of the “Eternal Truth”(Sadbhavana)
5) Consider all forms of life as equal. Cast off the feeling of differences.
6) Do not miss your daily disciplines at any cost. But let it not inconvenience others. On the other hand let it be beneficial to others.
7) See “Me, The Divinity,” in all forms of life.
8) Keep always to the path of “Truth”.
9) Learn the art of simplifying your Divine knowledge which is needed to teach others.
10) Do not make your future incarnations public.
11) Begin now the task of promoting “Dharma”. If possible make it in a simple format so that all can understand.
12) Live the life wherein even if it hurts you in the process, it should not matter, provided it does not harm others.
(pp. 26-27)Krishna Murthy, K.V.. Reflections of the Absolute: The Life of Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji . Datta Yoga Center USA. Kindle Edition.
Sri Guru Gita
Some abandon Guru inspite of experiencing mental peace and happiness in his presence, thinking that ever since they got Him, their household troubles have increased. The severity of the tests the Guru puts us is illustrated in the ’Deepaka’ episode of the “Datta Purānā. Another similar episode is that of ’Aruni’ in the “Mahābhārata”. Unlike Deepaka, many mistake the tests of their Guru for their own lapses and consequently think of changing the Guru for a better one. If anyone entertains such an idea, that is the very high-water mark of their fall.
Here, Swamiji gives a caution. Even if you commit any number of mistakes, the Guru will bear them all. But if you think of changing your Guru, you will never have another for the rest of your life. You have to think ten times, nay, a hundred times before deciding upon your Guru. Swamiji has given you some hints to decide upon your Guru.
Whenever you come across great people, you should think that your Guru has come in that form and serve them. But he should not be taken for your Guru.
Then why is Siva shown as Guru at several places in this book? The first reason is that this is the teaching to Pārvathi. For women, their husband is their chief Guru. When that husband has no capacity to initiate, both of them should approach the same Guru. Even then, the Guru blesses the wife through her husband. It is to indicate this tradition, it was said that Siva, the husband of Pārvathi was her Guru.
Source: Guru Gita ETV
I will now tell you the story of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa
I will now tell you the story of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. It is a small story. A great yogi would visit Ramakrishna Paramahamsa’s ashram every day. Neither he nor Ramakrishna Paramahamsa initiated any conversation with each other. One day, it was time to cross the river to go to the other side. So, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and his two disciples spent 4 annas (currency unit, used in India in earlier times) to cross the river and go to the other side. The other Yogi walked on water and crossed the river at the that same instance. That is when the yogi and Ramakrishna Paramahamsa spoke to each other. The Yogi says to Ramakrishna Paramahamsa “The world says that you are a person with myriad powers, but you spent 4 annas to cross the river. Instead, you could have saved that money by using your powers to walk on the river like I did”. That is when Ramakrishna Paramahamsa responded saying “All your power and energy was sold for 4 annas, when you decided to walk on the river to cross it to come on to this side. You cannot again walk on the river to go back to that side, because you spent all your power on this”. Truly so, the Yogi could not walk back to the side he came from. Further, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa says “You walked on the river only to prove to me that you are powerful and also mock me that I did not use my power. I saw your outward behaviour every day you visited my ashram and realized what your intentions were. I may have spent 4 annas to cross the river, but you spent the energy from several years of penance to cross this river, just to mock me. For the 4 annas I spent, I also got a return ride in the boat. I crossed the river, procured all the things I wanted and even go back to my ashram. You, however, not only spent several years of penance, you also have to spend additional money to go back to your side. Instead, you could have used your powers to educate others”. This story is only a few decades old. You could verify it.
The Speciality of This Composition Is That It Combines Ramayana with Vedanta
All of us know that Rama is the incarnation of the Supreme Lord – Sriman Narayana and that Sita is none other than Mother Goddess Lakshmi. The Supreme Lord is formless and changeless, but yet when He decides to take on a form and come down, He too undergoes sufferings.
All of us are also inherently formless. At one point of time we were within Hiranyagarbha. We have come from there and at some point of time we have to merge back into it. Based on our karmas and due to our desires we have had to take these births. That is why it is said that no organ within the body should entertain any desire. When the skin touched the cold ice, it enjoyed the feeling. With this, that part had to take on a form to experience it. In this way all of us underwent some experience. Due to this a form had to be taken to complete our experiences. We are here due to it. We are therefore responsible for our birth. No one can be blamed for it.
The story of Rama and the troubles that He had to go through melts the heart and brings tears to the eyes. Everyone is moved by this story. But the deep hidden significance of Ramayana is not understood by us when we read this story. What we are now going to discuss is that deeper significance. A true devotee will see the story from the spiritual angle. It showers jnana.
The speciality of this composition is that it combines Ramayana with Vedanta. Due to this listening/ understanding, a person will automatically be able to apply the meaning of Vedanta to it. People who are desirous of proceeding on the spiritual path should listen to it. It will automatically take the person on to this path. He will then be blessed with an indescribable divine experience (anirvachaneeya anubhava).
from HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji started Adhyatma Ramayana on February 8, 2015.
The Concept of Idol Worship is Meant to Bring Focus
We have as many idols as parts of the body. The concept of idol worship is meant to bring focus. We go to a certain place and meditate for a while. The mind is still. When the concentration is complete, the Lord breaks through the rock and manifests. He gives us darshan in our dreams. Why did Lord Narasimha have to come out of a pillar? Hiranyakashipu challenged his Prahlada asking him if the Lord was also in the pillar. Just to prove this principle, Lord Narasimha emerged from the pillar, when Hiranyakashipu struck the pillar with this mace. The Lord’s form was neither human nor that of an animal. The Lord is Nirvikalpa – He has no form! I tell anyone who asks me, that the Lord is formless. They are surprised and wonder why we have idols of Karyasiddhi Hanuman! He is formless, you cannot see God. That is why you are seeing the idol only there, as a piece of rock. But we place our focus in that idol that is sculpted. We are forming an image of the formless Lord in that form. This can be done in any place or object.
When you are travelling alone in a forest, you don’t see any temples. But you can still pray. When you are lying in a room in sickness, there is no idol. You close your eyes and imagine visiting all temples; you can even imagine that Lord Yama took you along. You can travel to Vaikuntha and back! You can do all this and by then your disease subsides in a few days. You are amazed at the dreams and the visions you imagined. You feel so much better! When you are in difficulty, just close your eyes and do Pranayama for 15 minutes. All your difficulties will melt away. You will feel more courageous. Your future path will be smooth.
Sankeertana Saptaham
Discard Hatred
Dŗṣṭipūtam nyasētpādaṃ Vastrapūtam jalaṃ pibēt
Satyapūtaṃ vadēdvācaṃ Manaḥ pūtam samācarētMeaning: Observe your surroundings thoroughly before placing your foot (look before you leap). Filter every drop of water before sipping. Filter your speech and utter only truthful words. Translate into action only those thoughts which have been filtered by the mind.
Contentment
Yajnaśiṣṭāśinaḥ santaḥ mucyante sarvakilbiṣaiḥ
Bhunjate te tvaghaṃ pāpāḥ ye pacantyātmakāraṇāt (Bhagavad Gita 3-13)Meaning: Those pious people, who consume only the food that has been offered in sacrifice (yagna) are freed from all sin. On the contrary, those who cook only for their own enjoyment, consume nothing but sin- preaches Lord Srikrishna in Bhagavad Gita.
Mind Control
Yastvīmindriyāṇi manasā niyamyārabhatērjuna
Karmēndriyaiḥ karmayogaṃ asaktaḥ sa viśiṣyatē (Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3)O Arjuna! He who, with a mind filled with wisdom, restrains the senses while continuing to perform the actions without any aspiration, totally purifies his mind thereby obtaining Self-knowledge- said Lord Śrikrishna.
The vow of non-violence
Ahimsā satyamakrodaḥ tyāgaśśāntirapaiśunaṃ
Dayā bhūteṣva lōluptvaṃ mārdhavaṃ hŗī racāpalaṃNon-violence, truthfulness, absence of anger, renunciation, tranquillity, not finding faults in others, compassion towards all forms of life, absence of covetousness, gentleness in behaviour, modesty and steady determination- are the 11 qualities described by the Lord as belonging to people endowed with godly traits. These traits make a complete man. Putting them into practice bestows one with comforts both in this world and the next, after which he obtains salvation.
Omkara (AUM)
Omkāra bindu saṃyuktaṃ nityaṃ dhyāyaṃti yōginaḥ
Kāmadaṃ mōkṣadaṃ caiva ōmkārāya namō namaḥSound (śabda), touch, form, taste and smell are the five subtle sensory perceptions (tanmātras). The first among them i.e. sound was born from space. Speech is the distinct form of sound! Hence Vedas and Upanishads have emphatically declared that our speech must be melodious and loving.
The significance of chanting Rama’s name – Srirama Japam
Śrirāma rāma rāmēti ramē rāmē manōramē
Sahasranāma tattulyaṃ rāma-nāma varānanēLord Shiva has declared, ‘Through eternal chanting of Rama’s name, I derive endless bliss. Uttering the word ‘Rāma’ just once is equivalent of chanting thousand names of Vishnu!’ Through this statement, Lord Shiva extols the supremacy in the name ‘Rama’!
The fruit of developing deep love for divinity
Amŗta svarūpā ca- states Nārada bhakti sutras. Unswerving love towards the Lord is termed ‘ananya prema’. It is equivalent of nectar. He who has drunk this nectar is freed from the fear of death. He exits from the shackles of repeated births and deaths.
In the Eleventh Skanda (canto) of Srimad-Bhagavatam, referring to the devotee who has unswerving devotion, the Lord says- ‘He who has surrendered his mind totally unto Me does not seek anything barring Me. He rejects the position of Brahma (the creator), position of Indra (Lord of heaven), monarchy over earth, positions as supreme leaders of lower planetary systems (lower regions), rejects supernatural mystical powers such as Anima or even absolute liberation, seeking only Me’.
The Lord is eternally with you
Sachchidānanda rūpāya viśvōtpatyādi hētavē
Tāpatraya vināśāya śrikrishnāya namaḥ (Padma purana)I offer obeisance to Lord Śrikrishna, the embodiment of truth-knowledge-bliss (Sachchidananda), who is the cause for the creation, sustenance and annihilation of the entire universe, and who frees the person from the three forms of afflictions (tāpatrayas).
Significance of applying tilak on the forehead
Katūrī-tilakaṃ lalāṭa-phalakē vakṣasthalē koustubhaṃ
Nāsāgre nava-mouktikaṃ karatalē vēṇuṃ karē kaṃkaṇaṃ
Sarvāṇge haricandanaṃ ca kalayaṇ kanṭhē ca muktāvalīṃ
Gopastrī-parivēṣṭitau vijayatē gopāla-cūḍāmaṇiḥMeaning: May Lord Śrikrishna, the crown-jewel of the cowherds, who adorns His forehead with the sacred ‘kastūri- tilaka’, who decorates His chest with the ‘Koustubha’ gem, whose nose is decorated with a pearl, who adorns His wrist with a bracelet, who holds a flute in His palm, who applies harichandana (a type of sandal paste) to His body, who wears a pearl chain around His neck and who is surrounded by many cowherd-women, shower victory!
Each One Sees and Experiences God in His Own Way
The Vedanta I am teaching is different. (Swamiji holds an orange shwetarka Raksha in one hand and a small pouch of Prasadam in another). These two things are different. They cannot mix or become one. They will exist as two separate things. Even if you soak them in water and crush them together, they are still separate. But in God’s view, they are not distinct. They are both God. Examining based purely on logic, they are both distinct from each other. Even though 2+1=3, 2 and 1 have their own entity. 2 cannot become 3, nor can 1 become 2. This is Vedanta. Logic declares that 1 and 2 are separate and distinct. When the two come together, they numerically make 3, therefore 2 and 1 have their distinct identity. We can only separate them out numerically. Similarly, when the Lord comes to our mind, our mind and our karma are different. They do not mix. We have to follow our karma. However, there is the path of truth that is inspired within. You have a more exalted state within you. Why does not that exalted state stay in our heart forever? Because the karmic states such as hunger, thirst and sleep, and the vices – desire, anger, greed, attachment, jealousy and ego – use up that energy that we could have used for the more exalted state. If you instead use this energy for the truth in you, you will become a mahatma (great soul). That is why we run to great souls. Even though things exist as distinct from each other, the mahatmas see everything as one (God). We are unable to do so. We are unable to get to that state where we can see the karma and the truth in us as the same. God is light. See how much light there is around us. We cannot live only in light completely, nor can we live without light. We cannot live in a water tank full of water, nor can we live without water. How strange is this. We can only drink water in smaller quantities that are more appropriate for our size. We pervade the five elements of Nature. We are breathing, but we are not spread out in entire atmosphere. We only exist as small beings. We only use a small fraction of the air for our survival. Air is said to be the Prana that is spread in all directions. So, why is not the Prana in us pervading like that in all directions? Because we exist as individual beings and our principle of truth is different. You are little children, you will not understand this.
The one thing I will tell you however is, always contemplate on the Lord. Have faith in him. You cannot see him, but make yourself eligible to see him. The Lord is visible only to the individual. Each one’s experience is different. Others may not believe your experience. Each one sees and experiences God in his own way. We eat what we like and in the quantities we like. Some like chanting the Hanuman Chalisa often. Okay, chant Hanuman Chalisa. God is everywhere. Sincerely perform your actions, do not be afraid that you will anger one God if you glorify another. God is one. Some love Lord Dattatreya. Some like Lord Shiva. The Lord is in all forms. It is the same way with food. Some like to eat dosa, some like idli, some like puri. Some people do not want to eat curd, whereas some others must have curd. Some love pickles and have to pack some when they go on pilgrimages even, but some cannot stand its smell. Even Mysuru Ashram serves pickles these days. Even after being served the most sumptuous feast, some people want a side of pickle. That is how our life is. Worship the form you like. Some like the Bhagavad Gita. Okay, go ahead and study the Gita. Some like Lord Vishnu, some like Lord Shiva. That is why God merged into one form as Dattatreya and came to us as Guru. We are all gathered here in this Paduka Kshetra today. The Padukas have been here for a long time. You performed Anagha Vratam in this wonderful venue. The children chanted Hanuman Chalisa. Children, you should pay attention to your studies. Get good grades. Chant even more Hanuman Chalisa. Learn the Bhagavad Gita too.
Bhagavata Insists That You Must Observe the Ashrama Dharma (Different Stages of Life)
You earn lofty degrees, a PhD, and you will get a very well-paying job. You can become secretary; you can become a Prime Minister also. The current focus is on getting a good job, earning more and more, building a house, accumulating more wealth, getting a good spouse, having children; getting a spouse who is more educated than you are, or earns more than you do – this has become a competition. What a sorry state this is! There is so much misunderstanding. Internally, there is a war of discontent waging between couples. There is a constant desire for more things. Not for day do you experience detachment or the desire to follow Guru. The mind doesn’t agree. But you must force your mind to go after the Guru – Going after Guru does not mean moving around Him. Following His words amounts to following Him. When we do this, we attain a little knowledge. This knowledge helps us in our journey across lives. Along with the degrees you earn for the material world, follow Guru’s words also. Bhagavata did not ask you to stop gaining the education needed for this world. You must follow all the stages (Ashramas) of life – Grihastashrama – have children, earn wealth, build 10 houses – no one is stopping you. By God’s grace you will be able to attain all of these. Bhagavata has never asked you to give up your children, wife, and wealth or become a Digambara – not once!
Bhagavata insists that you must observe the Ashrama Dharma (different stages of life). It also emphasizes 10 times more that you must contemplate on the essence of Bhagavata and engage in spiritual practice! Only then there is a meaning to all the effort you put in for your material gains. You get the knowledge to utilize your wealth in the right way. You only accumulate for your children. Irrespective of how much wealth you give them, when you grow old, they will still be hesitant to care for you. “When are these old people going to die? I’m not able to go to a picnic. I want to marry off my daughter. But the doctor says my parent has to undergo a surgery.” There is no love for the parents despite all the wealth he obtained from them. He is now selfish about his family.
from Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – February 28, 2020 – Nisrani, Karnataka India
We Are in Datta Sannidhi Due to Datta’s Grace and Our Previous Merit
Today we are in Datta Sannidhi due to Datta’s grace and our previous merit. We are collectively worshipping him today. Individually observing austerities such as Japa (chanting divine names), Tapa (penance/austerity) benefit only the individual. But if the same is done collectively, it benefits the entire world including the individual. This Samoohika praarthana or collective prayers and performing vrata in groups is very valuable. Singing bhajans in groups gives 100-fold benefit.
All of you chant “Sri Rama Jaya Rama Jaya Siya Rama”.
If only one person chants alone, he gets the count of just 1. Now there are about 100 people here. So, each person gets the merit of chanting the mantra 100 times! This is the power of chanting in groups as mentioned in Narada Bhakti Sutra. If you feed 5 people, the merit of annadana is not limited to the one who provided food, but also to those who partook the prasada.
from Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – February 27, 2020 – Shimoga
Shivaratri Is Not Merely A Festival Pertaining to Shiva; Shivaratri Is Deeply Connected Even to Vishnu.
Shivaratri is not merely a festival pertaining to Shiva; Shivaratri is deeply connected even to Vishnu. This is because today i.e. Magha Krishna Chaturdashi (as per lunar calendar), is addressed as ‘Āraṭantī chaturdashi’.
On this morning, billions and trillions of red rays emerge from Vishnu’s body. As they travel they search for entities whose sins they can destroy. Hence, on this day, Vishnu must also be worshipped- say the Brahma Purana and Skanda Purana.
The truth is that the real essence is non-dual. That same non-dual essence manifests as Shiva and as Vishnu. In protecting the virtuous, that essence manifests as Vishnu. In destroying the sins, the essence manifests as Shiva. Thus, Shivaratri is a festival that concerns both Vishnu and Shiva.The chance to remember both these Gods is provided in the story of Andhakasura, contained in the Kurma Purana. Let us now recollect that story and the glories of these two Gods.
Andhakasura was born out of Shiva. Among the demon-brothers Hiranyāksha and Hiranyakashipu, the latter was bestowed with Prahlada and many other sons. Hiranyāksha however remained childless for long. Desirous of betting progeny he undertook austerities and pleased Shiva. With Shiva’s blessings, he got a son in adoption. That son was Andhakasura.
from Speeches of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – Shivaratri – February 21, 2020 – Mysore
Attaining Salvation: Mukunda's Spiritual Journey 