Speeches of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – March 31, 2026 – SGS DYC, Burlington, NJ, USA
Sri Chakra Puja in the morning
Jaya Guru Datta
Sri Guru Datta
Veera Hanuman Ki Jai
Hari Om Namah Shivaya
Hari Om Namah Shivaya
Hari Om Namah Shivaya
Hari Om Namah Shivaya!
This is the Significance of Omkara. Before any pooja or good deed, we must pray to Lord Ganapati first. Ganapati represents the Omkara, the seed syllable, and the very first letter when humanity took birth. The five elements pray to Ganapati, whose face turned sideways beautifully resembles the sacred Omkaram.
This is the mystery of creation: Pranavam (Om) is a vital sound that is crucial for our existence. Without the five elements, we wouldn’t exist, and there would be no creation. Many teachings in Vedanta state that the cosmic sound was born first.
What is our place in the Cosmos? When you look at the cosmos filled with countless stars and planets, our Earth is incredibly small. In the grand scale of this wondrous creation, human beings are tiny, like insects. We cannot fully explain this creation. Even the Vedas or the Creator Himself have not fully explained it.
What is that they call as Big Bang? It is nothing but the Illusion of the Big Bang. Actually, I feel that ‘creation’ itself is not a good word, as nobody really created it, and it has no true identity in the scriptures. People casually talk about the Big Bang to give it an identity, but that theory is a lie and pure illusion (maya). The universe formed on its own without a count of days or a fixed address.
But tehre is this Universal Energy. To exist within this universe means we are truly blessed souls, we must not waste this opportunity. We must use our energy properly, as this exact same energy runs uniformly everywhere like a single thread. The energy within me is the same energy within you, expanding vastly and proving that God is all-pervading.
The place we are now can be called as the earthly resting place. Our presence here is ultimately just an imagination and a beautiful drama. The concepts of merit and life’s purpose only apply to the individual soul’s karma, which we must perform to find a better path. This earth is not our true home, but merely a resting place given to souls to work through their karma.
So, here is the call for Self-Inquiry. God gave us this resting place and asked us to use our awareness to truly know ourselves. This is very serious, as we spend too much time getting lost in superficial things without attaining self-realization. We shouldn’t be satisfied with merely building temples, having families, and eventually dying after a short 100 years.
We must understand the purpose of satsang. We must understand this reality seriously and use satsang to constantly inquire into our true selves. All of this has been arranged specifically so that we can realize the true nature of the soul. Do not waste these chances; keep your mind vigilant and safeguard this life.
We must know the purpose of worldly euties. We have been given a lucky chance and a great fortune by our Guru, who has imparted spiritual principles to us. We must utilize these good teachings meant for noble deeds, rather than wasting this opportunity by lacking seriousness about our true selves. Being serious does not mean just earning money, doing a job, having children, building a house, taking loans, and repaying them, thinking that is all there is to life. These worldly attachments and struggles – such as family, wealth, and illness – are merely duties we endure to sustain our physical bodies on this earth.
You must be bold enough in facing karma and hardships. If we want to live in this world, we have to carry these burdens.
Therefore, we should not grieve when we face difficulties, such as someone falling sick or a critical danger arising in our home. You must face and fight through those critical situations, treating actions like a drama, which is the very reason you are here. Unlike the sages doing penance in the Himalayas who are free from worldly life, family, and loans, we seek worldly comforts, which means we incur karma that we cannot escape. We must experience our karma here, but God has given us plenty of chances, like a sweet shop where you can eat your fill, provided you do not overeat.
There is a most important thing we must know someday; The Secret of Atma Vidya. Without karma, we would not exist here, so it is wrong when people curse their karma thinking they have made a mistake. Experiencing karma is actually a secret and a deeply sensitive subject, rooted in the knowledge of the soul. This spiritual knowledge, known as Atma Vilasa or Atma Vidya, is the very same profound teaching that Lord Dattatreya imparted to the fortunate Parashurama.
Now about the miracle of the Temple and Gurunilayam. I see everyone here today enthusiastically participating in this good karma. Whether we are in America or elsewhere, establishing dharma, building a temple, obtaining permissions, gathering funds, and caring for Swamiji are all part of a divine chance given to us by God and Swamiji. We should eagerly compete to serve, saying, “I must do it, I want to do it”. Just five or six months ago there was nothing here, but now everything looks like a miracle, especially securing the Gurunilayam for Swamiji. Normally, if you directly ask someone to sell their house, they might call the police; but here, despite initial refusal, it was eventually given.
Here is something about working without ego. Remember that all of this is the divine play of Lord Hanuman and Lord Dattatreya. We must not develop an ego thinking that we alone accomplished this. You have worked without arguments or attachments, just like the training I gave to the devotees in Dallas and the children in Mysore. When working together, minor frictions will naturally arise, but you must not take them seriously; simply let them go and keep working. I thought Chicago was fast, but the progress here has been even more wonderful and enthusiastic.
Now, about the upcoming Temple Installations and Bhajans. Starting tomorrow, we have four or five beautiful days of programs for the temple installations. The temple looks very nice and has great vibrations, thanks to the excellent cooperation of our Sthapati Subrahmanyam and the county authorities who helped with permissions. I am very happy that so many of you eagerly became founding members and brought contributions, which is essential for such massive undertakings. From this evening onwards, beautiful installation programs will begin for our deities: Datta, Shiva, Bhagavathi, Mother Goddess, Maha Ganapathi, Subrahmanya Swami, the main Karya Siddhi Hanuman, and the Ram Parivar.
Today’s bhajan selections and ragas were also exceptionally good, so much so that I was happily absorbed in listening to them, almost forgetting the Pooja!
Jai Guru Datta!
Now, let everyone start reciting the Hanuman Chalisa together.
Swagata Sabha in the evening
Jaya Guru Datta
Some people ask, ‘What does SGS stand for?’ It simply means ‘Simple Good Sayings’ – a very short name. And what exactly is this temple? I believe everyone understands that a temple serves as a prayer hall. Regardless, I am very happy today that community leaders have come here. It shows a good friendship with this temple, and that makes me very happy.
Some might think this is just a specific sect or group, but it is not. It is a human group – a gathering of humanity. I also told the members to please place a Cross here, and you can include Buddha as well. This prayer hall is meant for all religious communities. Today, I gave instructions to include figures of Avadhutas. Jesus is an Avadhuta, and Dattatreya is an Avadhuta. Being an Avadhuta does not mean holding an official position or being a commissioner, you understand? An Avadhuta serves as a vital link between God and humanity. They are spiritual teachers. Buddha is a spiritual teacher, and Dattatreya is also a spiritual teacher.
Our idols impart the path of Vedanta and spirituality. As I explained this morning, Ganapati represents the Omkara. The first letter, the primordial cosmic sound, is manifested in the form of Ganapati. And what about Hanuman? Hanuman is a different story, but the true meaning of Hanuman relates to our prana, our life breath. If you balance your breathing through exercises, you can live a long, healthy life – even up to 124 years. This is why our system advises the daily practice of pranayama, or breathing exercises. However, there must be a limit. Many people overdo these exercises, which can actually lead to heart problems. Proper, balanced practice is what yoga is truly about.
Yoga is not a religion; yoga is health for all of humanity. Its first lesson is pranayama, the balance of the breath. If you maintain balanced breathing, your body finds balance. This balance extends to our internal systems, our families, and our society as well. Therefore, you must practice daily for 40 minutes to an hour. Whether it is light walking, swimming, or other activities – that is all part of yoga. Broadly, there are two types of yoga: breathing exercises and physical exercises like yoga asanas. If you practice yoga asanas, your body remains exceptionally healthy throughout your life, whether you live to be 100 or 120 years old. By practicing breathing exercises daily for 20 to 40 minutes, you will gain good health, a clear mind, and restful sleep. Get six to seven hours of sleep each night, and you will achieve lasting health. Consequently, your family and society will be happy with your balanced state.
Hanuman is the primary leader, the first guru, and the original teacher of this kind of yoga, which is why we revere him. Hanuman is the ultimate servant of God. His life teaches us how to serve, how to protect our culture and Dharma, how to protect humanity, and how to safeguard the world. Because of this, Hanuman is associated with vayu, which means air. While Ganapati represents sound, Hanuman represents the vital air moving through the akasha, or space.
And what does Dattatreya signify? Dattatreya represents the Holy Trinity, symbolizing protection, love, and affection. ‘Datta’ means the one who gives to the devotee, just as the devotee gives themselves to Datta – it is a beautiful, reciprocal relationship. Dattatreya is a great teacher, and according to the scriptures, He is the incarnation of the invisible, formless God. I always say that God takes a form because we ourselves exist in physical forms, and we relate better to the divine through a form. That is why God takes on various manifestations. He is capable of assuming many forms, yet He is equally capable of remaining invisible. As I mentioned yesterday and again this morning, God is Sarvantaryami – He is omnipresent.
Ultimately, the invisible God is always formless. That is why Dattatreya embodies love, affection, and sacrifice.
The Trinity operates within our own minds, or buddhi. The aspect of creation happens when you think, ‘Today I want to do something good, not bad.’ That constructive thought is Brahma, the creator. Translating those good thoughts into your daily work and sustaining them is Vishnu. Finally, if any negative thoughts arise, destroying them is the work of Shiva. This is the profound, beautiful meaning behind Dattatreya, just as there are beautiful meanings behind Hanuman and Ganapati
.
You already know about Lord Rama, so I do not need to say much. Rama is our king, and He gave many different teachings throughout the Ramayana. We deeply respect Him as a divine king, honoring Him in a unique and special way.
Lastly, there is Lord Subramanya. What does Subramanya mean? Within our physical bodies, we have 72,000 subtle nerves (nadis) and various sense organs. Subramanya is the deity who protects our senses and our nervous system. That is why we offer our reverence to Him; it is a very specific, profound meaning.
Then there is the Mother Goddess. As you know, She embodies pure affection and love, and She is recognized as the first aspect of the Divine in our tradition.
There are many different ways to practice, different forms of devotion, and various conversations to be had about spirituality. Ultimately, however, we are all journeying toward one single destination. That is the only truth.
Brahman is our ultimate destination. We came from Brahman, and we are returning to that exact same place. However, in the middle of this journey, we take birth and suffer through so many things. We alone are responsible for our good and bad experiences. You are responsible – not God, not karma. Do not blame karma, do not blame your parents, and do not blame society. Blame yourself, because you must be careful in your life; your decisions are very important. That is why proper education and proper discipline are essential.
The Bhagavad Gita speaks to this. It is like a universal Bible. We believe that God Himself gave us the Bhagavad Gita, which is truly wonderful. Everyone appreciates it; leaders everywhere value its teachings. Whatever you seek, you can find it there. The Bhagavad Gita is like a vast ocean, just as the Mahabharata is an ocean. You can pick and choose whatever you need. It is like going to a sweet shop—you can pick a delicious laddu or anything else that appeals to you from the wide variety available. Similarly, you can pick one chapter or one teaching from the Bhagavad Gita and simply follow it.
In our experience teaching the Bhagavad Gita, not only Indian students but students from many different religious backgrounds have come to love it. The Bhagavad Gita is incredibly important because it genuinely changes children’s behavior. I am exceptionally happy about this. The changes are not just psychological; there are real, tangible shifts. Parents themselves tell us, ‘Our boy’ or ‘Our girl has changed their behavior.’ Because of this, they are building a good community for the future. Children represent the next generation of humanity; they are our future leaders.
Once again, this temple is like a miracle, made possible with the help of all these important community leaders who have offered such wonderful friendship. I have told our members to please maintain a strong friendship with these community leaders, and in turn, you must support them. We need this mutual support because we are all human beings. As friends within God’s creation, everyone has their own different tastes. That is perfectly fine – go ahead and follow your tastes. Eat what you want to eat, drink what you want to drink. There is no problem with that.
However, we are all ultimately heading to the same place; we are all on the same journey. You are making good friends along this invisible path. People may have different religions, different prayers, their own customs, their own communities, and their own practices. None of that matters, because we are all on the exact same journey. We are all sitting on the same massive ship. With so many people aboard, the captain says, ‘Please keep the ship’s balance. Sit in your designated seat, maintain your balance, and I will navigate us through this ocean.’ This ocean is a vast and dangerous one. We call it samsara – the ocean of worldly existence. We are all sitting on this one ship together: different characters, men and women, people of various religions, and individuals with vastly different ideas. We share the same ship and the same path. Because this is a massive journey – not a small one – we must support each other. By His grace and kindness, we are all friends, brothers, and sisters. We do not know what place, community, or family you came from, but we are all sitting on this one ship.
The leader of this ship is the Sadguru. The Sadguru could be Dattatreya, Hanuman, Jesus, or Buddha. Having different leaders is not a problem; different captains may have different names, and that does not matter. Ultimately, there is only one true captain steering us across this vast ocean of samsara. Be balanced and follow the guidance. Do not fall into confusion. If you become confused, everything becomes a constant state of confusion. Proceed calmly, take what you need, and practice it. Do not keep changing your path, because our time here is very short. We do not have 200 or 300 years; 100 years is a very tiny amount of time. Use every single minute wisely.
This is why pranayama is so vital for your health, and it is why we have chosen Hanuman. Why did we choose Hanuman? He is the master of pranayama; He is the guru of the life breath. He is the prana itself; He is the vital air (vayu). When we think of Hanuman while breathing in and out, He protects us. He is our protector and savior. That is the reason we have established Hanuman here. Among all the deities, why did we choose Him? Because Hanuman protects our very life force.
Therefore, we are all sitting in the same boat, making the same journey. Listen to the captain’s instructions. Whatever announcement the captain makes, follow it. Reserve your seat, stay in this boat, continue your journey, and we will reach our destination. We must reach that final destination; we have one ultimate goal to attain, and we must keep our focus fixed upon it.
Today, these friends of ours have helped us tremendously. In every situation, they have supported us, both directly and indirectly. This proclamation is not mine; this honor is entirely for you. This respect belongs to you alone. I am very happy, and once again, I thank you (the community leaders) for your friendship and your cooperation with this temple.
Our devotees – some of whom are very knowledgeable and some who are like innocent children – if they do something wrong, please excuse it. Please continue your support for this boat. I am not just calling it a temple, though it physically is one. Please help this temple, because it is a universal temple. It is not only for Hindus, not only for Buddhists, not only for Christians, but for all religions. Please use it properly, and if you have good guidance to offer, I welcome that as well.
Once again, I thank you for this program today. Tomorrow, and over the next three or four days, there will be recitation programs in this hall. We will be conducting installations for our temple and performing a few rituals. We need these rituals; they are our karma. I think you all know what karma means. It is not just ‘action.’ Understand it deeply and then tell Me what karma truly means!
Once again, I am very happy about today’s function.
Jaya Guru Datta