Speech of HH Sri Datta Vijayananda Teertha Swamiji – Meaning of bhajan Sridatta lāli – June 16, 2018 – Mysore
Compiled by Parimala Eshwarla
Today is the auspicious day of Sankranti. We are presently experiencing one of those blissful moments which has left us speechless. We have been soaking in nectar. Seeing Appaji gently swinging during this dolostsavam has transported us to a different world. We are having darshan of Amrita-murty. It is in our hands to practice remaining in that bliss. We see the little Datta swinging in the lap of his mother.
When we hear the bhajan -Sridatta lāli nā swami lāli- our eyes brim with tears of happiness. The song soaks us in absolute bliss. Each word in it is filled with paramount energy- so much so that it causes the hair on our body to stand up. It shakes us up completely from within. It is a fabulous and an extremely powerful composition by Pujya Sri Swamiji.
Merely singing a bhajan as if it is a mandated duty is no fun. We should experience the feelings/ emotions conveyed by it. Only then we absorb the energy contained in that bhajan. Although all bhajans composed by Pujya Sri Swamiji are powerful, some bhajans are extra-ordinarily powerful. The bhajan –‘Sridatta lāli nā swami lāli’- falls in that category of supreme bhajans. If mothers sing this song when rocking their infants to bed, the outcome will be extra-ordinary. Queen Madālasa would sing such lullabies and rock her children to bed. No wonder her children turned out to be wonderfully accomplished. Let us now try to grasp the main meaning contained in it.
Sridatta lāli nā swami lāli- My dear Datta, I am rocking You to bed in the swing.
What is the definition of ‘swing’? Let us understand.
Stanza 1:
Nā manase uyāla gāvinciti- I have made my mind into a swing.
The in-depth meaning contained within this line cannot be explained in just a second or minute. It is a very thought-provoking deep statement. Believe firmly that your mind has become the swing for Lord Datta. You should check for yourself- could I really convert my mind into a swing for the Lord? Could I really place Him in my mind?
Uhalē tāllugā penavesiti- I have tied down all my imaginations and converted them into a rope to hold Your swing.
This is yet another wonderful statement. What is mind? It is nothing but a collection of thoughts/ imaginations. Such thoughts I have tied down and am using them as ropes for holding the swing. The mind that has thus been tied down can no longer run hither and tither; it remained stationed at one place. It implies – I have brought the mind to a state wherein it is free from thoughts, imaginations, deliberations etc. and within that mind I have consecrated You O Lord.
Prēmayē parupugā yērpariciti- my love is the mattress within the swing.
Narada maharishi has defined bhakti as absolute, unending love for the Lord. It is pure love. Such love is the mattress for the Lord to rest.
Rāvayya nā datta jāgenduku- Please Lord Datta, make haste and sleep in this swing. I am eagerly looking forward for Your visit.
With deep love we should crave that the Lord comes and sits in the swing called our mind. We should plead with Him to come; we should seek Him earnestly. Only then He will come. Only when we earnestly wait for Him, we earn His grace. We should be extremely patient.
Coming to the next stanza-
Ē duralokālu tirigivastivō- Who knows which faraway lands you must have travelled O Lord? How many worlds You would have visited?
We can never estimate the extent of His travel. He travels across countries, continents and worlds helping His devotees.
Ē bhaktaśokālu tolagistivō- You would have been resolving innumerable problems of devotees today- we cannot estimate.
He spends His entire time resolving problems of devotees. Similarly, our Sri Swamiji spent the entire noon today attending to devotees and resolving their problems. For hours at stretch it was going on. Seated in the auditorium here we presumed He was resting, when in reality, He had not taken even a moment’s rest. In addition to devotees here, He has to attend to problems of devotees all over the globe
Para sukhamu korakenta śramapaditivo- All these strenuous efforts of Yours, O Lord, are solely for the betterment of others.
There is nothing that He does for His own benefit. All His actions are aimed at helping others. Likewise, Sri Swamiji toils night and day only for the benefit of others with absolute no personal gain.
Rāvayya ravvanta kunukuduvugāni- O Lord please come and take a short nap in my mind and relieve Yourself of this tiredness.
Stanza 3:
Digi yekki Sahyādri tega das’sināvo- Greatly fatigued after all Your tours and journeys, O Lord Datta, You return home to Sahyadri mountains.
Likewise our Swamiji after all journeys returns to Mysore ashram, which is home. The term ‘sahya’ implies patience. Sahyadri teaches us patience. Only with patience we can conquer. Patience is the critical pre-requisite.
Tiripānikai cāla tirugāḍināvo- O Lord, You have been wandering everywhere seeking alms.
What are the alms that He seeks? He seeks that we should offer to Him our ignorance (ajnana) so that He in turn will bestow us with Supreme knowledge (Jnana-bhiksha).
The truth is that we are willing to give up everything barring ignorance. This is because ignorance is nothing but our egoism (feeling of I-ness) which is almost impossible to give up. The person who claims he has no egoism is the one in whom it is deep-rooted. The person who says, ‘I don’t seek fame’ is actually looking for fame. Since we cannot voluntarily give up the feelings of ‘I-ness’, Sadguru forcibly snatches it from us. Only Sadguru can accomplish this mega task, which otherwise is impossible to accomplish.
At times, when important people visit ashram, Swamiji keeps them too waiting despite the fact that they get impatient. This is because even they should experience the hassles of waiting and should develop patience. Patience is a crucial pre-requisite. He does this and much more to drive away ignorance in devotees.
Ē vēdaśarmato parugettināvo- Perhaps you were chasing some Vedasharma today.
The story of Vedasharma from Datta darshanam is being highlighted here. The Lord chased Vedasharma in order to bless him. Even amongst us there could be a few Vedasharmas- i.e. those who are conceited due to their knowledge. Sri Swamiji chases them in order to reform them. He would be fatigued after running thus.
Kṣaṇamicaṭa viśrānti konavayya datta- Please come into my mind and take a minute’s rest O Lord Datta.
Stanza 4:
Ē dharmakīrtiyō visigincenemo – Some devotee would perhaps have pestered you just as Dharmakeerti had done in the past.
This is yet another story from Datta darshanam. At times, even we too come across some devotees who pester Swamiji endlessly. It leaves us frustrated. However Swamiji continues to listen patiently to them. ‘If I don’t listen to them, who else will give lend them a patient ear?’ – says Swamiji, such is His love for his devotees.
Ē paraśurāmunḍo venṭāḍenēmo- Some devotee would perhaps have chased you just as Paraśurama had done in the past.
There are some devotees who chase Swamiji unrelentingly and He attends to them lovingly.
Ika malli nā vanṭi vādevadō vaste- Now if someone like me were to approach and pester You, O Lord Datta
Nā svāmi nīkinka viśrānti yēḍa- will you be able to get even a second’s rest?
Until now different people were chasing you for different reasons and as such you did not get even a minutes’ rest. Now please hurry up and come into the bed I have readied. If you delay some other crazy devotee like me may come and snatch away your time leaving you with no time to rest.
Even we pray- Appaji, You have been travelling endlessly. You must be extremely tired. Please discontinue Your travels. Come to my home and take rest.
We imply- ‘don’t go elsewhere. Come only to my home and take rest’. Such is their love for Him.
Stanza 5:
Naccindo ī upu nīkōyi svāmi- O Lord, if you are truly enjoying this rocking of mine.
Please let me know if the rocking is gentle and appealing.
Nā manasukī ugulāṭalu pāṭē- This mind of mine constantly swings.
The mind filled with thoughts and imaginations constantly moves. There is nothing I can do to stop it.
Ēmaina nāmīda kŗpatōda datta- Whatever may be the state of my mind, I request You to be compassionate towards me.
It is not in my control to stop my mind from wavering. Therefore, compassionately excuse me and, despite it, come and sit in my mind, O Lord.
Eṭupōka ravvanta tugādavayya- At least come and rest here for a second, dear Lord
We should imagine Datta or Swamiji as sitting in the swing called our mind. When You see little Datta swinging in your mind. With such intense feelings if you go to bed, you will drift into deep sleep. The problem of sleeplessness will be driven away. Even a short nap will give you tremendous energy- like power nap.
Stanza 6:
Ānāṭi anasūya vaḍilāga leda- Is not my mind comparable to Anasuya’s bed, O Lord?
Here we are asking the Lord whether our bed is as comfortable as the bed prepared by Anasuya maata. Do we even have the capacity to compare our mind with the swings created by Anasuya māta or Jayalakshmi mata? Yet in devotion we are asking the Lord.
In reality, the Lord sleeps on His serpent-bed in the oceans while the waves in the ocean rock him gently. To the Lord who sleeps in such beautiful ocean-bed, our mind should be insignificant. Yet with love we invite Him into this tiny bed of ours.
Dākunna sarassu alalalle ledā- Is my mind not rocking you like the pond into which you had disappeared in the past?.
Nā manasu ūyāla nā datta deva- my mind is the swing O Lord Datta
Ravvanta naccindo cepayya dēvā- please let me know if it is at least a little loved by you.
O Lord Datta, please let me know if you are happy with this bed of mine.
Stanza 7:
sridatta lāli nā swami lāli
sandēha kallōla hara datta lāli- O Lord who dispels all doubts, I am rocking you to bed.
sridatta lāli jaidatta lāli-
trailōkya viśrāntikara datta lāli- O Lord Datta, whose feet give shelter to all the three worlds, I rock you to bed.
sridatta lāli gurudatta lāli-
bahu purātana bāla sridatta lāli- O eternal, primordial Lord, I rock You to bed.
sridatta lāli sridatta lāli śri Sachchidananda guru datta lāli- O dear Datta, I am rocking You to bed. Please fall asleep in this swing.