Speech Welcoming Sri Swamiji in Baton Rouge April 17, 2004

[Guest guest]

Jai Guru Datta

I am sending my Welcome Speech as a number of friends requested it to be sent.

Thanks (Rao)

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Welcoming His Holiness Sri Ganapathi Sachchidananda Swamiji

April 17, 2004

 

V. V. Prakasa Rao

 

It is my utmost privilege and uttermost honor to welcome His Holiness Sri

Ganapathi Sachchidananda Swamiji to USA. We want to express our appreciation to

Sri Swamiji for showering the devotees with this unexpected short visit. We are

ever grateful to Sri Swamiji.

 

Gurur Brahma Gurur Vishnuh Gurur Devo Maheswaraha

Gurur Saakshaat Prahabrahma Tasmai Sri Gurave Namaha.

 

In India Guru is given the most honored and esteemed place. As the sloka stated

that Guru in not only Brahma (creator), Visnu (sustainer), Shiva (destroyer), He

is equated with Para Brahma. In fact he is equated with the absolute Para

Brahma. How is it possible that Sri Swamiji who is the embodiment of the above

sloka be so powerful than the lord of the universe. You have the answer in one

of the slokas in Guru Gita: "If God is angry with you, the guru can protect you

from; if guru is angry with you, even God cannot protect you from the wrath of a

guru."

 

Sri Swamiji is God-realized Soul who knows the true identity of self at the

Jiva level and Self at the universal level. He has fully identified with his

consciousness with Cosmic Consciousness. He completed the journey to the Divine

Abode and on it's way He relinquished all the illusions, burned all the karmas,

crushed the ego and uprooted the limitations of time and space. He is Eternal

and He is in eternal Bliss. Hence he not only guides, counsels, throws light

into your life, but he is the one who can bring about change, transformation in

his disciples lives in their pursuit of four purushardhas - dharma, artha,

kama, moksha.

 

Spiritual Garden

 

We are all in the holy presence of His Holiness Sri Swamiji. Don't let this

opportunity slip by your fingers. Don't be stranded on the shore after you

leave this occasion. Take every opportunity to soak in the grace of Sri

Swamiji's presence. Don't be like a person who counts the leaves, branches,

twigs and colors instead of plucking the mango, don't be like a person who is

afraid of thorns on the Rose plant, instead of plucking the Rose, don't be like

a person who is afraid to walk in the muddy waters instead of plucking Lotus.

In the real world, there are many troubles, tribulations, and distractions. But

now you are in spiritual domain in the presence of Sri Swamiji. If you are

thirsty for spiritual development, awaiting for personal improvement, aspiring

for purity in life and looking for Sadguru, there is no better time and better

place than this. Enjoy his looks, words, messages, missions, music, and

movements. Every thing Sri Swamiji does and says has meaning and relevance.

His persona is stimulating, inspiring, extra-ordinary, wondrous, mysterious,

mystical, thought provoking, intellectually challenging, and numbing. Your

intense desire to do seva, continuous sadhana, uncompromising bhakti, unwavering

trust in Sri Swamiji will bring untold rewards in every phrase of your life and

lives to come. Your destiny is shaped, channeled and determined from today. It

all depends on how you take care of your spiritual garden of Sri Swamiji. The

weeds of egoistic thoughts have to be removed, the thorns of bad Vasanas have to

be eliminates, dead branches of bad habits have to be shredded, dried leaves of

hate, greed, and anger have to be blown; water of compassion, patience,

tolerance has to be poured to make the Spiritual garden green, lush and

fruitful. Gates for the Spiritual Garden are open. Every body is welcome to

enjoy the beauty, serenity, tranquility, peace and quietness in Sri Swamiji's

spiritual garden. No body is denied. You are never alone by yourself any more in

the His garden of His Holiness. Enjoy the garden to your hearts content.

 

How do you preserve this Spiritual garden of His Holiness that you have to

enjoy? Fertilize it with constant remembrance of Sri Swamiji's personality,

continuous listening of his divine music, constant reading of his message in the

books, consistent faith in his Ashta Sidhis, and engage in tireless sevas to

burn the leaves of karma by participating in all the poojas, homas, and

Abhishekam.

 

Is it necessary to have a Guru?

It is essential to have a Guru in one's own life. All the Gods and saints have

their Gurus. Scriptures are replete with stories of Gods and saints about the

glories of their Sadgurus and how they achieved peace and bliss. Mere pujas,

rituals, detachment, learned knowledge, social work will not bring joy and

happiness. Mundaka Upanishad declares that "Learned men have performed rituals

and came to the conclusion that mere rituals cannot destroy the bondage of

action. In fact they serve only to increase the bondage. Hence there is a need

for Guru who has known and experienced God." Bhagavad Gita states unequivocally

that one who desires to know God will have to surrender to a realized Soul and

seek the supreme knowledge with a spirit of service and submission. We have a

choice to make. Either we surrender to a Sadguru or to our own Ego which takes

you to an intricate web of bondages which are difficulty to break. Choice is

between Ego power and Sadguru Power. But if you select Sadguru power, Sri

Swamiji can guide you, direct you and lead you to a path to break the web of

bondage and put you on the track to know the unknowable - Divine Consciousness.

Total surrender to Sadguru is essential and indispensable to experience that

spiritual consciousness. Do not see him through our material senses as a human

being. See Him as a Divine personality endowed with God consciousness. It is

easy to fall in to the trap of maya (illusion) thinking Sri Swamiji as a human

being because we are only looking at His out worldly actions without fathoming

His inner treasures, inner powers, inner strength. All the extraordinary

qualities and supernatural powers of His Holiness would be of no avail if the

hearer is not clever. You have to be clever, sharp, curious and thirsty to

imbibe the Sankaracharya's last sentence of each sloka of Guru Ashtakam " What

is the use, what is the (of this life) if we cannot place our head on the Lotus

Feet of a Sadguru." Hearer has to clever. If he is to be clever, he has to be

clear about benefits of spiritual path; if you have to be clear, he must be

willing to bear the burden of suffering; if he has to bear, he must be willing

to rear the habit of performing good karmas; if he has to rear the habit, he

must be willing to wear the kavachas of bhaava, bhakti and bhaya; if he has to

wear the kavachas, he must be willing to be dear to words of wisdom of Sri

Swamiji; if he has to be dear, he must be willing to sit near the Lotus Feet of

Sadguru Sri Swamiji.

 

How do you know Sri Swamiji touched your life?

 

Based on my personal experience and Upanishads, I would say that Sri Swamiji

touched you, impacted you and affected you if you experienced any of the

following signs: knowledge awakened, sorrows diminished, spirituality sprouted,

joy welled up, happiness attained, mind purified, calamities averted, mental

peace granted, egoism dashed, talents manifested, vairagya activated, compassion

germinated, richness endowed, tears rolled, love cultivated, numbness

experienced, despair vanquished, hopes rekindled, speechlessness experienced,

and body shivered. If you experienced any of these signs in the presence of Sri

Swamiji either today or at any other time before, you know for sure that Sri

Swamiji touched your life, permeated your heart and pervaded your mind. Surely

He can guide you if you open your heart and decide to follow Him with full faith

and complete trust.

 

 

How can Sri Swamiji help me?

 

Sri Swamiji helps His devotees in many different ways. The two volumes of

"Wonders of a Holy master" are the testimony of His concern for His devotees,

His powers, His compassion. He will help you to reflect, remember, concentrate

on your life.

 

He gives undaunted, Himalayan strength to face the challenges and calamities in

life. He will make you mentally strong to frown upon on the fury of adversities

and smile at the tragedies. He will help you to burn your karmas with ease. He

is like a shock absorber taking all the bumps and humps, to help his devotees.

Once you receive that strength, nothing matters any more. No problems will

disturb your life. You will not falter. Courage pervades, calmness permeates. In

order to have that continued strength, keep chanting Guru Mantra.

 

Once you develop faith in Sri Swamiji and do your utmost to advance His

mission, the Spiritual domain is yours forever. In this domain, you should

consider His radiant face as your light; His measured words, your guide; His

sparkling looks, your vision; His unique demeanor, your conduct, His mighty

message, your mission; His healing music, your solace; His extraordinary worship

services, your savior; His discrete discourses, your discernment; His Holy Feet,

your kavachas (shields); His stern rebukes, your rewards; His severe scoldings,

your liberation; His serene silence, your peace; and His dazzling smile, your

sorrow-buster.

 

Please join me in welcoming His Holiness Sri Swamiji by bring your two hands

together.

 

At this time, I humbly request Sri Swamiji to say few words to all the devotees

who have assembled here