Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – Sri Devi Navaratri Festival Mysore – Maha Navami – October 1, 2025
Om Ayim Hreem Shreem Shri Lalita Parameshvaryai Namaha.
The usual 9-day program of Devi Navaratri went on for 10 days this time. Every day in fact is Mother Goddess’ day. Many have great desire to do Sri Chakra Puja, Lalita Sahasranama, etc. First, you have to learn to live a Sattvik way of life, that gives you eligibility.
Non-Sattvik way of eating, talking, living should be given up.
Non-Sattvik is also called Asaiva (not Shiva). Animal sacrifices are done, then, the animals are eaten…there are these violent ways of worshiping Devi as well. These are all Asaiva practices.
So Sankara Bhagavada traveled the lands to preach that this was wrong. Devi should not be worshiped in this manner. Devi should be worshiped in a Sattvik manner, he preached. Shakteyas in surrounding countries too engage in Tatric puja. It’s also called Vamachara by some. They do animal and even human sacrifice and even eat the sacrificial remains. That should not be done. Mother does not like it. Some believe it is their tradition and Mother is pleased. That is wrong.
That is why Sri Sankara, who is verily the incarnation of God, condemned these practices. 99% of the people have given up such practices. There are a few here and there that are still bound in superstition and engage in such practices. Even in this modern Yuga, there are people who worship Devi in this way. They offer sacrifices.
Without yantra, mantra, and the stipulated rituals, they drink and eat as part of worship. There is no Vedic system there at all. They say Devi has possessed them, they leave their hair open… They do this for fame or wealth. They are destroying our Vedic tradition.
Some of them are now getting educated, getting PhDs and are trying to learn what Vedas are, what Puranas are, what Ramayana, Mahabharata, Gita are, what their meaning is, how they are beneficial to society, etc. In the last 2-3 years, this process has gathered momentum. They are realizing that a lot of what they were doing was based on superstition. Some of them have come to the level of understanding that it’s enough to worship Mother in a simple and sattvic manner. Some others are asking for Trishati, they want to do panchotsava, they wish to learn the meanings of mantras. They want to reconcile mantras with science to understand them. As I tour Europe and USA, I am seeing recently that there is interest in objective/scientific investigation into our practices. This is very good.
What is the effect of Devi mantra, what do they mean – we should try to learn a little. We don’t need to go overboard for ostentation.
Little children asked for some old keertans. And then, we’ll sing the new composition for today.
Bhajan ID 2238
This keertan was sung three years ago.
Another little girl asked for this upcoming keertan.
Summary of today’s new composition on Mother Goddess…
O Shiva Svarupini, prostrations to You. I offer the sandalpaste called Bhakti to You. I offer the garden of my heart to You.
You are manifested by the glories the Devatas sing of You. Your form of ananda is experienced by devotees. Your effulgence pervades the nine peripheries of Sri Chakra. People talk eloquently about the form of Sri Chakra, but I only see the effulgence. Initially, we’ll see some forms, but ultimately, we’ll only see light.
Books describe Sri Chakra variously, but Swamiji sees only light.
O Mother, You are in the bindu chakra of Sri Chakra.
This year, you all were very lucky. You will not realize. Some who were watching online realized it and came running to the event. You were all busy with eating, sleeping, etc. Maybe 1-2 people present here may have realized it. There was a beautiful visual during this year’s puja. You all may have missed it because you were distracted. You must eat your lunch and come back immediately. Many go and sleep in the afternoon.
Many say they will start dieting or exercising or doing something good from tomorrow. Those who say they will start from tomorrow will not do it. The wise person will start right away. They do not care what others are doing, they start right away and want to unite with Mother as soon as possible.
They do not wait for life events to be done before starting sadhana.
“There are wedding rituals at my home, so I cannot do much mantra” “Someone in my family died, I will do mantra later”
What is the guarantee you will live until then? The moment you get upadesha, you must start chanting. Do not put off anything till tomorrow. Those who do are not real devotees of God and they cannot gain the grace of God. You must start your sadhana immediately.
It is Your light that pervades all nine peripheries (avaranas). There is a lot of Vedanta behind these avaranas, but when the devotee gets fully absorbed, there is only light in it. There are no divisions or differences, no mantras even. It is only the Devi’s light.
The phrase Tat signifies You. You grant jnana to people and ultimately when they pray to You without interruption, You grant sachchidananda.
No matter what is going on, keep chanting the mantra. You can chant the full mantra or even just Ayim Hreem Shreem.
A little granddaughter asked Me for this bhajan. She is a miracle baby. Her entire family is devoted to Swamiji.
Bhajan ID 2106