Speech of HH Sri Datta Vijayananda Teertha Swamiji – Ratha Saptami Puja – January 25, 2026 – SGS Ashrama, Kurnool
The sun is soft in the morning, intense in the afternoon. We saw both versions of the sun today. It is the sun after all. The sun branded us and applied butter – we need both.
Upaadhyaaya. – The Guru who gives us education is called upadhyaaya.
Deshika – one who shows us direction too, in addition to educating us.
Sadguru – We saw the three forms of teachers today in Swamiji.
Guru is a very big word. The word Guru itself means ‘heavy’ or ‘gigantic’. We need that weight.
Today Swamiji said – You keep asking for the same desires. You got this rare darshan, when you come close to Swamiji what should you ask for? It is said a man went to a king and asked for a pizza. He could have asked anything from the king. We are making the same mistake – asking Swamiji for our lost bag that is already worn out. Swamiji is teaching us what we should ask us and what we should give up. Swamiji even remembered the three people that caught hold of His teachings.
Swamiji even gave darshan to Vasundharamma in her final moments in Vijayawada saying he was given darshan to a jeevan mukta. When we do seva or sadhana per the Guru’s desire, He will uplift us. Appaji spoke about the conversation with Indra where the latter chided him. No one can do this, this is the conversation of Appaji with Himself. Guru is unhappy that we are not catching hold of the teachings. We don’t need to go away to the forests, but can be happy where we are, but do inquiry and contemplation within.
On this Ratha Saptami, we should remember the body is like the chariot. When the horses go astray, the chariot cannot reach its destination. When the horses are good, it is real Ratha Saptami. This is the message today.
We are all listening and then forgetting. We live as we wish. That should not be. We should live the way the Guru guides us and wishes us to. While the relationship with everyone else is through body, Guru alone is related to our Atman. That is why, the Guru is giving us upadesha to let all our sins dry up. When the train comes to our station, we should get on the train. If you ask the train to wait so you can bring back your family, or the food you made, the train will not wait.
We should use the boat being steered by the boatsman called Guru. The Guru with great pain in His heart gave us this message.
Swamiji said ‘Nav thak gayi’. – the boat is tired since we are refusing to move. The boat is healthy when the boat is moving. We should get on the boat and get to the shore. This is Appaji’s message.
In the sky is the seated Suryanarayana Swami and here is the moving Suryanarayana Swamy. This evening, we have Divya Nama Sankeertana. donations will go toward fees for teachers, school bus charges, and mid-day meals for the children at this school.