Within a short period of four days, Pujya Sri Swamiji traveled three cities in two states. On Monday, 12th April, Sri Swamiji traveled Chicago to Lexington. Sri Swamiji visited the home of Sri. Rama Murthy and family. In the evening, few devotees from the area came for Darshana. Sri Swamiji remembered his earlier visit to the city in 2003. (Click here to go to the 2003 Lexington visit)
On 13th, Tuesday, Sri Swamiji went to Charlotte in North Carolina. The only earlier visit to this town was in 2005. (Click here to go to the 2005 Charlotte visit). Sri Swamiji performed Sri Chakra Puja in the home of Sri. Ravikiran Anupindi at 4 PM. Satsang devotees attended the Puja. Later in the evening, a public program was held in a conference center. Hundreds of devotees came to have Darshana. Sri Swamiji gave a short discourse and Blessed the audience. A piano shaped cake was presented to Sri Swamiji. Children gathered around Sri Swamiji and gleefully received pieces of cake.
Discourse of Sri Swamiji in Charlotte
“Tomorrow is Tamil new year. I told many times that this life on this planet is temporary. We are on rent here. We are just visitors. This body of ours is a moving planet. We have to care earth like we care our body.
We are constant travelers in a very long journey. This journey of Jeevatma is a nonstop journey. Births and deaths : this Maya Chakra is going speedily. Once you escape this Maya Chakra, you become an angel. in every birth, Jeevatma searches for new relations etc.
Most of our known and unknown sufferings are because of our ego. Our Ego is like quick sand. The Maya ridden Samsara is also a quick sand. Most don't even know they are in quick sand. They portray a picture of perfect ness. In fact they would be in deep trouble.
In these times, there are many courses which teach you Vedanta. Knowledge is important, no doubt. But you should be a willing participant to get the knowledge.
Don't hesitate to face your Karma. Don't be disappointed with what you get. Karma too is playing it's role. Don't abuse your thoughts and mind. Our good deeds come to our rescue. If you have good friends and good habits, your begging to God will reduce. Your "give me" begging to God will come down. If he starts giving, your two hands will be insufficient. Even if God fulfils your wishes, you will still be unsatisfied. He knows what to give, to whom, at what time and in what quantity and quality. Any way, many of the wish list is irrelevant and unimportant . Even our offerings to God are subjective of our demand list from him. It is wrong to have barter mind set with God.We should learn to never ask anything from God. You should learn to do Namaskara saying "I don't want anything". If you study the story of Pingala Naga in Datta Darshana, you will understand. The story of Vishnu Datta in Datta Darshana also conveys the same lesson. Do Upasana without any desires. If the greats like Vishnu Datta could opt for this type of worship, it should certainly be good for you too. Even his wife had no desires to ask when God appeared. So, Datta gave them Sayujya.
Devotion has turned to divorce these days. If God does not answer your prayers, then he will be divorced. That's why I call devotion has turned to divorce.
Ashram newsletter Bhakti Mala publishes wonderful knowledgeable articles every month.
We all have alternate plans to most issues in life. If a person is carrying an expensive pen, you can almost safely assume that he also carries a pencil. Whatever the value of the object, we are unsure if it's functioning. Devotion is the best spare tyre (tire) for this car of yours called life. I know it is a deep and insightful subject. Ponder and you will be Blessed.
Sri Guru Datta”
14th April was Tamil New Year (Puthandu). Sri Swamiji addressed Tamil devotees in Madras Ashrama (they had gathered in Ashrama at 4 PM to listen to the message) and conveyed Blessings to them. In the afternoon Sri Swamiji traveled to in Raleigh, NC to the home of Sri. Suresh Kota. When Sri Swamiji had visited Raleigh in 2005, Sri Swamiji had visited the site of proposed for Balaji temple and Blessed their plans. Within a short span of four years, the Indian community in the area had built the Temple. Sri Swamiji visited the temple at 7 PM and was very happy to see a beautiful temple of Balaji. The committee members received Sri Swamiji at the temple.
The temple was built by Subrahmanya Sthapathy (the architect who built 85 feet Hanuman in Trinidad). Sri Swamiji went around the shrines of Ganapathy, Balaji, Neela Devi, Garuda Alvar and Vishwaksena. Sri Chakra Puja was performed later. Sri Swamiji sang Bhajans and urged devotees to lead a simple and Sattvik life. Hundreds of devotees had come to attend the Puja and Satsang. Sri Swamiji also sang Tamil Bhajans as a large number of Tamilians had come to temple for Blessings on the new year day.
On 15th April, Music for Meditation and Healing concert was organised in the Progress Energy Performing Center's Meymandi auditorium in downtown Raleigh. The title of the program was “Chakravaka Raga Sagara”. Sri Swamiji predominantly played Chakravaka Raga and the Bhajan “Gauri Taye Shankara Jaye”.
The public program in Charlotte
Pujya Sri Swamiji addressing the audience
A piano shaped cake was presented to Sri Swamiji.
Children gathered around Sri Swamiji and gleefully received pieces of cake
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