Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – Sri Chakra Puja – Karya Siddhi Hanuman Temple, Frisco, TX, USA – July 8, 2025
Jai Veera Hanuma
Jaya Guru Datta
Om Ayim Hreem Shreem Lalita Parameshvaryai Namaha
I am very happy about the Soundarya Lahari chanting. Slowly you can practice Shivananda Lahari and Mooka Panchaka also by Sri Adi Sankara. During Puja, Swamiji is always chanting Soundarya Lahari.
The council members are attending today’s programs, that is very nice. We need such chanting penance. Nowadays, it is very difficult to memorize, but we see that small children too memorized Soundarya Lahari. It is not very easy.
I think you know Swamiji’s bhajan – Devi Viradrupamainatti Neeku – this is the same as Soundarya Lahari. Singing this bhajan is akin to chanting Soundarya Lahari. But you should not get complacent and just sing that bhajan. This is for those who find it difficult to memorize Soundarya Lahari. But if you do memorize it, it is a big penance.
Daily, during Sri Chakra Puja, Swamiji chants Soundarya Lahari. Those who participated today are very lucky. Those who heard it are lucky too. Swamiji is forcibly making them sit and listen. If we taste it once, we will not let it go. Rama nama is so tasty. The name of Bhagavati too is so tasty like nectar. Once you chant Krishna, Rama, Om Ayim Hreem Shreem Bhagavati….that is enough. Divine name has so much power.
Since we cannot chant these hymns, we are asked to chant Govinda’s name. Adi Sankara is himself Shiva; there is no doubt. Devi Herself stood in front of Adi Sankara. The cosmic form of Mother is described in this hymn. This hymn feels tough in the beginning, but it becomes easy soon. Mother Herself will teach you. Mother writes Her beejaksharas on our tongue. This is what happened to Kalidasa. When Mother wrote on his tongue, an ocean of divine poetry flowed from him. How did the great saints write so beautifully? Due to Mother. Devotion and faith are very important. If we pray to Her with faith and devotion, She will dance on our tongue. Her compassion is so great.
Swamiji wrote a bhajan praying to Saraswati Mata (daughter-in-law of Lakshmi) to dance on our tongue. Devotion is very important. There has to be complete surrender. NO question. We have doubts all the time because we are human beings. We should surrender with the 8 kinds of flowers – mind, buddhi, chitta, and the five senses. There shouldn’t be a second question. Who are we to question? We are nothing but just a blade of grass.
Who are we to question this Creation? We have no right or eligibility whatsoever. We should earn it. We should do a lot of shravana – listening, then devotion will come on its own.
So, once again, you did good penance. Swamiji expresses happiness that some special guests attended this program. Ravi Boggaram has a crazy love for Swamiji. May his craziness ripen even more, I bless him. The violin and flute were very nice today. It’s not easy to hold the same raaga for over an hour. All participants sang in the right key.
Learn Lalita and Vishnu Saharasnama. Memorize it so you can chant whenever and wherever you wish. If you cannot sleep, keep chanting. I sang Abhangs all of last night. I’ve been doing this ever since I came to Dallas. I have been singing in the nights. I have no sleep at all. I do not know what energy there is here. If a person doesn’t sleep for 10 days, they go mad. Your Swamiji hasn’t been sleeping for 6 months. Look How I am! So, do not worry about not having hunger or not getting sleep. Just stay busy. If you want to sleep, try to concentrate, then you will slowly sleep.