Speeches of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – May 13, 2020
Sookti
Dānena tulyō nidhirasti nānyaḥ, lobhācca nānyosti ripuḥ pŗthivyāṃ,
Vibhūṣaṇaṃ śīlasamaṃ na cānyat, santōṣatulyaṃ dhanamasti nānyat ǁ
There is no treasure (nidhi) equal to charity. There is no enemy greater than greed. There is no ornament superior to good character. There is no wealth greater than contentment. In this world, contentment is the best among all types of wealth.
Nidhi means mine. Nitarām dhīyate iti nidhiḥ- that which contains inexhaustible treasure which will never deplete even after drawing endlessly is called nidhi.
Limitless is the merit that is obtained through charitable deeds. Merit obtained from other meritorious deeds depletes over time, however the merit obtained through performance of charitable deeds does not deplete even after endless usage. From this, we understand that amongst all meritorious deeds, charitable deeds take the first place. Charity is the most supreme among meritorious deeds. It showers limitless merit.
Greed is a negative trait connected to the mind. Greed means the desire to possess every object. Such person is drawn towards every object he comes across. He wants to own them without spending his money. Even if they can afford, they ensure that others spend money for them. Such a covetous man can never ever give away even a little in charity. Not just that. He becomes so miserly that he refuses to spend even on his needs. All his basic essentials he tries to obtain from others somehow without spending a penny. Such is his mind-set. He is reluctant to spend money on food and clothing of his family members. Even the Lord helplessly watches such an unfortunate man.
Friends are those who normally come to our help while enemies are those who harm us. There is a scope to recognize external enemies and take precautions to protect ourselves from their attack. However, can we recognise the enemies that lurk in our minds? No. Such inner enemies harm us constantly every minute.
To kill external enemies, weapons come in handy. But, how are we to attack the enemies who sit invisibly within our mind? Using the rock called total concentration, one must sharpen the weapon called mind (ekagrata). Using the mantra called ‘sense control’ (indriya nigraha) the weapon should be released on the enemy called greed, we can achieve victory over it.
Lust and other desires (kama), anger (krodha), greed (lobha), deluded attachments (moha), arrogance (mada) and envy (matsarya) are the 6 inner enemies who reside within our mind. Every day, unfailingly, these 6 enemies keep attacking us. In this verse, greed is symbolic of all those enemies.
The 6 enemies cannot harm a person whose mind and intellect are pure. As such, understand that a pure mind is the primary tool for attaining sense-control and victory.
Body does not obtain beauty from costly, glittering ornaments. Nor does it obtain fragrance from perfumes and sandal paste. Good behaviour, noble conduct, and virtuous qualities increase the beauty. They constitute real beauty.
There is no wealth greater than contentment. Desirous of obtaining limitless wealth by hook or by crook, the human being is stooping to degraded levels. Even after earning limitless wealth, even after enjoying every form of comfort and luxury, he is not content. A person who lacks satisfaction is comparable to a daridra (pauper).
This sookti teaches us that contentment is the real wealth; such contentment gives us real good health.
Message in Bhakti TV Program telecast on May 13, 2020
Compiled by: Jaya Akkanapragada
Discourse on Nādam – (part 2 of 3)
Śrī mahāgańapatayé namaha
Śrī sarasvatyé namaha
Śrī pādavallabha narasimha sarasvati
Śri guru dattātréyāya namaha
We have been talking about nādam. This nādam is present in two forms as āhata and anāhata nāda. Anāhata refers to the inaudible subtle sound energy, whereas āhata is audible and obvious sound energy present when clapping both hands for example. Anāhata nādam can only be understood by one who is initiated (an upāsaka). These upāsakās will never advertise themselves. Anāhata nāda refers to the purest sound which can only be heard by nādōpāsana. Nādōpāsana does not mean merely listening to music. Music or sangītam is one part of nādam. Nādōpāsana refers to Omkāra nādōpāsana. In a state of nirvikalpa samādhi, even the mind dissolves in Omkāra. If nādōpāsana is understood as savikalpa samādhi, then anāhata nādōpāsana is the state of nirvikalpa samādhi. This experience is only possible with nādōpāsana as a first step. Once one reaches anāhata state, there is no more upāsana. Only the experience remains. When we listen to a nice song, even after it is over, the experience remains with us, and we find ourselves humming even though we do not know the song. In the same way, the experience remains forever with one who has attained nādātītam. This is why nādōpāsana is considered so important.
The chapter titled ‘Namō dundubhyāya’ in Rudrādhyāna describes the various sounds manifest in nature and says Lord Shiva who is the very embodiment of nādam must be worshipped. Every Hindu deity holds some musical instrument. Devi Saraswati is seen holding a veena. If you go and stand near the mūrti, you can hear your mind become the veena and be heard. Lord Shiva is seen with a damaruka tied to His trident. The damaruka is always beating to a rhythm. If you stand near the deity, you can hear various rhythmic patterns. As Lord Nataraja, Svami always plays the damaruka. When you stand near Sri Krishna’s murti, you can hear the sound when the air passes through His flute. As Venugopala Svami, he always keeps the flute tucked in his waist. Nrutte Ganapati is always seen performing the tāndavam. When Shiva performs the tāndavam, the Mrudangam is played. When Subrahmanya Svāmi dances, the bell (ghanta) or clay pot (ghatam) can be heard. There is a temple on the border between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka known as Mrudangéśvara. In this magnificent temple, when you stand near the sculptures, you can hear the sound of the musical instrument. Mother Goddess is depicted as singing, while Nandi and Bhringi are seen playing various instruments.
As you enter the nāda mantapa, you can see the various deities each holding a different musical instrument. The pramatha gańās are seeing blowing conches. The Sun God’s chariot is seen emitting the Omkāra. Parrots which are the vehicle (vāhana) for Manmatha are seen singing beautifully. Narada Maharśi, Tumburu and the other gandharvās are seen playing various stringed instruments such as tambura and ektāra. Anjaneya Swami, ever steeped in devotion is seen with his hands raise above his head, lost in the bliss of nādōpāsana and clapping his hands while on the Gandhamādana parvata. This is how the Purāńās have described the Gods. This description only serves to tell us the importance of nādōpāsana.
Amongst the greatest composers Purandaradāsa from the dāsa tradition, Ekanātha, Gnānadeva, Namadeva and other great saints from the Vārkari-Abhang tradition of Maharashtra, great singers such as Tansen, Surdas, Kabirdas, great poets such as Jayadeva, devotees such as Annamacharya, Ramadasa and Kshetrayya, and the musical trinity comprising Tyagaraja, Mutthuswami Dikshitar and Shyama Shastri and several great poets, writers and composers – while being nādōpāsakās created many compositions with the wonderful intention to uplift mankind to that elevated state. As musicians, we are simply singing these great compositions and feeling happy. We do not have the time to go to the depth of the experience behind each composition because we are all busy providing for our families. There are crores of people who have understood, experienced and soaked in the bliss of these compositions. There are many present even now. This is why I also follow the tradition of composing bhajans and singing them, and making others sing them as well. The joy that one experiences when they describe Bhagavān’s greatness through music is unparalleled.
Mother Goddess is known as nādarūpa and nādarūpińi. Starting with the bījākśāra or seed letter – ‘hreem’, around the bindu, the following descriptions are seen in a sequence – rōdhini, nādam, nādāntam, śakti, vyāpakam, samānam, unmānam. These are letters which can be seen but not heard. Since they signify subtle sound waves, they are known as subtle chakrās which are present in our body. These 8 chakrās are present in the region between the eyebrows and the sahasrāra chakra at the fontanel. Of these 8, the second cakra is known as nādam.
In the tantric text ‘Mahāsvaccanda tantra’ the nādam cakra is described as follows
rodhinyākhyam yaduktam té nādastasyōrdhva samyutaha
padma kinjalka sankāśaha bhō sūryakōtī samaprabhaha
guraihi parivrutōsankéhi paśyō sanga gatām ūrdhva gāminīm
paramām śivām dhyāyét
Located above the rōdhini cakra, this nāda cakra is the color of the pollen present in lotus flowers and shines with the brightness of crores of suns. It is enclosed by countless petals. One must go past this nāda cakra and meditate on Paramaśiva. From this we understand that real upāsana begins with nādam.
From nādam onwards, all the chakras above it are Mother Goddess’s forms. This is described in the navāvarnakīrtanās and during the worship of Mother Goddess during Navratri. Above these 8 chakras, and above the bindu, is the abode of Mother Goddess Raja Rajeshwari. To attain Her, nādam is the only path. Besides the name nādarūpa, She is also known as nāmarūpa vivarjita. This name describes her śuddhātma form very clearly. Since it is very difficult to attain Her and not everyone can practice nādōpāsana, the 901st name in Lalita Sahasranama ‘nādarūpińi’ is mentioned twice to indicate that She is the very embodiment of nāda.
ānanda lakśańam anāhata nāmni déśé
nādātmanā parińatam tava rūpa vīśé
pratyag mukhéna manasā paricīyamānam
śamsanti nétra gulikéhi pulakaiśca dhanyāha
When this world (jagat) originated from Paramātma, first nādam was born. From this nādam originated Omkāra or Prańava from which the Vedās were born. Therefore, we must understand that Mother Goddess whose very form is nādam was born before Omkāra.
O Mother, your blissful form in the form of nāda manifests in the anāhta cakra at the base of the throat. Many great souls who have turned their minds inward are attaining nādam. The Elders say that by attaining nādam, the blessed ones eyes are filled with tears of joy and their body horripilates. From this we understand that by listening to soulful music with beautiful lyrics creates an indescribable joy in listeners and practitioners. Therefore, everyone must make it a habit of listening to good music for at least some time every day. This is why Sri Swamiji always tells us to listen to good music before going to sleep. Do not listen to music with thumping beats and loud noises. Listen to soothing, melodious music which like a lullaby will put you to sleep. By listening to such soulful music, may you attain the Grace of Paramātma. I am telling you this in all seriousness. I shall tell you how music mesmerized me.
In my childhood, My Mother would often come to Mekedatu. She would not be in Bommeparthi for very long because for most part of the year it was extremely hot there. The summer in Mekedatu was like the winter in Bommeparthi back then. Now of course, the weather has changed everywhere, but it is still very hot in Bommeparthi. So, we would spend a lot of time in Mekedatu in the dense forests. Many times, Mother would take me there. Now you listen to this song – ‘Nāda tanumaniśam śankaram’ which describes how Shankara’s nādam is born. Listen and enjoy this song and the music. I shall play another song also for you another day.
Whatever we spoke about yesterday, we have heard in this song today. How nādam present in the body is born in the mind, the ānanda experienced when the nādam combines with the sound of Omkāra, and how it travels through the cakrās. If you heard everything that was described yesterday, you will understand what is being said now. This is an excellent composition.
The great Composers have given us so many wonderful compositions. Nādōpāsana has been served straight to us by them. we just have to partake of it, but many of us are lazy to do even this. If you can understand the meaning of the lyrics in a composition, it benefits us immensely. These great composers have made this a very easy tapas for us to perform. But nowadays, we merely listen to the music and clap and go away. We must bring it into our practice. Just the way the food we eat nourishes us and bestows good health, in the same way we must make it a point to understand and internalize the meaning of every lyric. When we chant the entire Bhagavad Gita, it takes nearly three hours to chant all 700 slokas. In those 3 hours, we are using our memorizing powers to remember and chant each sloka correctly, but we are not even trying to remember the meaning of one sloka – let alone put it into practice.
We all take up various activities only with the sole intention of becoming satvik and merging in Paramātma. The journey might differ for each of us, but the destination is the same.
During this Corona do you know what has happened? People who were stranded in other states just decided to walk across several states to reach their native villages and towns. Imagine the will power and determination it takes to walk like that since buses and trains were not plying. There were families with small children and pregnant women who delivered on the way. It was sheer determination to reach home and die in their own hometowns surrounded by their family members which made people undertake such an arduous journey. We must show this same determination to reach Paramātma. No matter how difficult the journey, even if we lose our lives it is okay, but we must never stray from the path. Everyone need not learn music, but you all must listen to sangeetam (music). Listening to music is also nādōpāsana. Tomorrow I shall make the children sing ‘Tambūri mītidava’ which is an excellent composition in Kannada. By listening to the music of nādōpāsakās and those who have done Omkāra upāsana, befriending them and being in their company is enough for the cakrās to open up.
Tomorrow or day after in Part 3, I shall tell you how My Mother drew Me to music. If you paid attention today, you will understand the third part.