Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji in the morning – Day 3 of consecration – June 24, 2018 – Dashavatara Venkateshwara Temple – Namburu
Compiled by Smt Hira Duvvuri
Sri Maha Ganapataye Namaha
Sri Saraswatyai Namaha
Sripada Vallabha Narasimha Saraswati
Sri Guru Dattatreyaya Namaha
For the May 26 Birthday, many religious, Vedic, educational, and charitable activities were performed. For the devotees, it is a very personal celebration. Many sponsor for feeding the hungry and helping the poor. They are satisfied. They have darshan from a distance. Nada Mantapa anniversary and Brahmotsavam also coincide with the Birthday celebrations. Devotees come from all over the world to celebrate. I thought that birthday event was the final celebration. But today you have celebrated again because this Jyeshta Masa has come twice this year. Many of you have come here to participate. You have a lot of love for me. You live close by, so you were able to come. We have not given publicity. Otherwise, this space would not have sufficed. Many are longtime devotees, family members. You celebrate this like a family function. All are mine. Despite difficulties, many old devotees have come. This is Kali Yuga. Many come with desires. Despite some wishes not getting fulfilled, you still came. Once Swamiji is seen, desires are forgotten. They appear irrelevant and unimportant.
Kuchela experienced this. His wife said, you are an old friend to Krishna, who is now a king. You speak of him all the time. He is very rich. Kuchela was extremely poor. He picked up discarded grains to feed the family. The family of 8 children did not even have proper clothing. Kuchela’s clothing was full of holes, like a mosquito net. Kuchela refused to go begging for alms. Grains were available. Some flowers for worship were available. Unable to endure the poverty, the wife nagged Kuchela to request for some charity. She began by asking for 2 kilos of rice, then she would ask for a small village. She scolded and taunted Kuchela. She heard of so many charities given by Krishna to others. She quoted those instances and goaded Kuchela to go seek help from Krishna. She collected news of all the donations made by Krishna. Unable to tolerate her taunts, Kuchela decided to visit his friend. She gave him some stale parched rice that was half-eaten by weevils, that was at the bottom of a pot, to offer to Krishna. Kuchela’s dhoti was full of knots he tied to close the holes. Where to tie the parched rice? How to find a part of the garment that had no holes?
These days people go crazy and deliberately tear their clothes. One girl came to the birthday function and Swamiji said to her in public: you are wearing torn clothes. Kuchela’s design they are copying. Wearing torn clothes. New pants are cut open, slit open, for fashion. Girls make tears in their blouses. My attendants later told me that this is the latest fashion. I did not know.
Kuchela’s wife brought the parched rice. How to make a parcel of those? She found one corner of the dhoti in which she could tie the parched rice. Then she doubted. I don’t know if this husband will open the wrong knot on his dhoti which will expose his body by mistake. She told him repeatedly which knot to open to offer the gift to Krishna.
Kuchela had a good heart when he went to Dwaraka. He approached the city. Will the volunteers allow him to enter? They refused him entry. Kuchela felt very bad. He said: Tell Krishna that Kuchela has come. They taunted and insulted him. You wear torn and stinky clothes, Go away, they said. Kuchela wondered as he traveled to Dwaraka, should I ask for some land? He decided: This is what I will ask, that when I go to pick wasted grains, may I find sufficient quantity to feed my family. That is what I will ask for.
Kuchela and Krishna were very intimate childhood friends. Always stayed together while staying with the guru. They protected one another. Kuchela was the only good friend Krishna had. Arjuna was a friend who argued. Akroora and Uddhava were there, but they were not mentioned in the Bhagavatam as Krishna’s friends. When it rained, one boy tried to keep the other dry. From the meal plate, Kuchela and Krishna would feed one another tasty food. They shared their food, placing morsels in each other’s mouth. They knew exactly each other’s taste. Such intimate friends they were. But Kuchela suffered dire poverty. Should I ask for decent clothing? Should I ask for resources to repair my home? But the guards did their duty. They barred entry to Kuchela.
Swamiji also instructs volunteers to allow the devotees only to come in a queue. But the devotees wish to fall all over Swamiji, to touch him, and sit on his lap. If all of you come and sit on my lap what will happen to me? If you put your bad mouth odor in my face, how will I endure it? Volunteers obey the rules.
Kuchela was desperately praying. One good volunteer was there, one guard. He felt pity for Kuchela who was old and weeping. He went inside and reported to Krishna about Kuchela’s appearance and request to see him. Krishna at once jumped with joy and ran to receive Kuchela. He might have picked him up and embraced him. He touched his feet.
Kuchela felt very embarrassed and insulted that Krishna, the king has come and embraced this stinking person that he was. Krishna placed Kuchela on his bed. He washed Kuchela’s feet. He wiped them dry with his own upper cloth. Kuchela was speechless. He wondered if Krishna would ask if he is married or has children. Krishna did not ask. He asked: Friend, I am hungry. Have you brought me anything to eat? One should ask the guest if he is hungry. Instead. he is asking, did my sister-in-law send me some treat to eat? Krishna was searching for some packet of food. Kuchela was worried if Krishna would open the wrong knot. Kuchela was sitting on it. Krishna found it. Opened it. She sent me parched rice, my favorite, he fondly took the food. Rukmini was watching. She was surprised at Krishna’s behavior. Krishna ate one fistful. He granted all wealth to Kuchela. Krishna ate a second fistful. Krishna granted all spiritual knowledge to Kuchela. Krishna was going to eat a third fistful. Rukmini stopped Krishna. This will make me, goddess Lakshmi, a servant under him. Please don’t let that happen. Krishna agreed.
Grace cannot be seen. It is invisible. We are Karma people. Our prostrations and our offerings are seen. But god’s grace is invisible. It stays with us all the time. For example: you place one thousand rupees at Swamiji’s feet. It gets spent, disappears. Swamiji’s blessing is invisible. It stays with you forever. Don’t demand to touch my feet, or that Swamiji should place his feet on your head. Touching is not necessary. By his glance, Guru blesses. He sees the crown of your head. The root is above. Guru waters the root (as mentioned in the Bhagavad Gita, the tree has root at the top) with the nectar of immortality/amrita. Guru is blessing by looking at you. That is why you should bow before the Guru. Show him the top of your head.
Bala Swamiji performed Pada Puja on behalf of all of you. He touched and smeared sandal paste all over Swamiji’s feet. Swamiji used to allow others to touch his feet. Some people poke with sharp finger nails. I still have those scars from the bruises which caused bleeding. It is very painful. You rejoice that Guru noticed your presence and felt your touch. You don’t care about hurting Guru . Just touch, if you are allowed, keep your finger nails up at the top. Don’t allow them to hurt Guru. You incur sin if you hurt Swamiji. Your sharp finger nails must never touch his skin. Be careful.
Krishna made Kuchela very wealthy, without uttering a word. Kuchela did not know it. Krishna reminisced over childhood incidents fondly. He never inquired about Kuchela’s welfare. Kuchela was very hungry. Finally, he was treated with a great feast. It was morning after a wonderful night spent in intimate conversation. Kuchela took leave. Krishna did not even offer him new clothes. Kuchela was made to sleep on Krishna’s own bed. Kuchela could not sleep. Kuchela resolved not to ask for anything. He forgot himself with the affection and honor given to him by Krishna. On his way back, he was happy that his devotion toward Krishna was immense and unchanged. Devotion is never to be lost, despite changes and losses that occur.
Some elders have passed away in some of your families. Some desires were left unfulfilled. You suffered insults, You were out on the streets. But you say: We clung to you. You are fixed in our hearts. We don’t want to visit Swamiji. But feel forced to go and see him. We debate inwardly, but get ready to go. Such should be one’s devotion. Strong and unwavering.
Kuchela only once felt, he did not even give me a dhoti. But he did not mind. Kuchela was a godman. He was a man, but his attitude was godly. He wondered how to answer his wife, that he is returning empty-handed. She would taunt him endlessly for his ineptitude.
Kuchela returned to his village. He could not find his house. Eight children approached him, who appeared divine. He did not recognize them. A beautiful woman approached him. Kuchela was bewildered. He was surprised that the woman greeted him. She invited him in. He wondered: who is this woman, calling me to enter her home? It was his wife. She said: Krishna has given us all this. She showed the magnificent home and the wealth that had befallen them.
Kuchela explained to his wife all about Krishna. He explained the spiritual principle that Krishna represents. Although it is a brief explanation in the Bhagavatam, the commentators go into raptures describing it in detail in many pages.
The wife developed dispassion. .She taught the children also. Wealth gives us ego. We will forget God. Let us live as we lived before. Let us just have enough to eat. Let us pray all the time. Now she pestered her husband to show her Krishna. She did not wish for anything else. She rejected all the wealth. Krishna’s Maya is mind-boggling. See how he changed their attitude.
You also must give up your desires. You approach Swamiji for the first time, as a stranger, and at once ask questions, and make demands. First, get acquainted. Then, slowly you may ask. Sometimes I scold such people. I must first know who you are, learn about you. Even a bank manager will not let you draw your own money from your account, without first verifying your identity. Give time to Guru to study you and your background.
If you demand your mother to feed you at once while she has not yet completed cooking, you will eat half-cooked food and burn your mouth. If you rush Swamiji, same thing happens. If Swamiji asks: What do you know about me? You have no answer. Just ask for blessing, grace. Old devotees who are family members know Swamji. You should not behave like them.
Today, even without prior announcement, so many of you came. I am so happy. I already blessed. Swamiji expresses joy that you came. That is enough. You should understand his eye-language. He then greets you. Are you well? When did you come? You must be patient till the food is cooked, till the coffee is prepared. Then you enjoy. Otherwise, you burn your tongue.
Kuchela had no expectation. See how much he got. Krishna spoke all night. But offered nothing. Kuchela did not ask. Kuchela does not mean poverty. Kuchela means forgetting himself when he saw God. He got everything. Everything in the Bhagavatam relates to our lives. God is in all creatures. I weep to see street dogs starving and searching for food, and cows chewing on plastic. You must feel compassion. Feed stray dogs.
See yourselves. How you have changed. Share your food. Help the needy. In Mumbai and Pune, especially in the summer, on the terrace they put seeds and grains for the birds and some fresh water. If you cannot do it, at least feed some cows.
Now come in a line near Swamiji and then proceed to receive your food prasadam.
Sri Guru Datta