I am delighted to be in this divine environment and participate in the 100th birthday celebrations of His Holiness Sree Sree Shivakumara Swamiji, the sage of Sree Siddaganga Math. Let all the divine blessings descend on Swamiji. My respects to Their Holiness Shivarathri Desikendra Maha Swamiji, Balagangadharanatha Maha Swamiji and greetings to all the participants in this function. Today is a very important day. I am seeing in our country, a great sage, who has been performing ?Tapas? for the last 77 years. Through the intense Tapas, he has freed himself from passion, anger, love and hate. Presence of such great souls in the country, spreads peace and promotes spiritual prosperity. He is a beacon light that attracts and spreads the spiritual message to the people and society.

God's creation

When I was thinking what thoughts that I can share with this important spiritual gathering and the students, I am reminded of Rumi?s work which aptly suits the context of the educational environment. Rumi says,

?Angel is free because of his knowledge,

The beast because of his ignorance,

Between the two remains the son of man to struggle?

It is said that, Almighty the God wanted to create a best of creation. He worked for millions of years, designed and evolved the image. He went on looking at the image, improved and improved and finally decided to give life. He looked at the galaxies, the oceans and looked at his own creation ? the man. As soon as the man got life, two things happened. First, he opened his eyes and smiled. God was happy. His creation starts with a smiling. The Second, he opened his mouth and said, ?Almighty, thank you?. The God was very happy. Two good beginnings from first creation. He was so delighted to see his creation and felt that his creation did the two right things. Suddenly, he found that something is missing in the man. He then created fire in flash of a second, out of which came the Saithan. God told the Saithan to prostrate before his best creation ? the man and give respects. Saithan said, ?Oh God, you took millions of years to create the man. But you created me out of fire in a flash of a second. So, I am the best.? The almighty who had created the universe with mighty orbiting galaxies with orbiting stars and planets, first time, bewildered with the response of Saithan. He has created the best of his creation, the man on one side, and the another side, the Saithan, two worst of His Creation. He thought of it and looked at both with benevolence.

God's Mission

The Almighty integrated the man and Saithan. God said that Oh! Humanity, I am giving you a mission? and He gave the following message:

?I have created the human being with brain and thinking faculty. I command all My creations that use your faculty with reasoning to reach My image.?

This is the mission of the human life. Science is the best boon, God has bestowed upon mankind. Science with reasoning becomes the capital of the society. In whatever field we work, be it science, technology, medicine, politics, policing, theology, religion or judiciary, we have to remain in the service of the people whose well being is central to all human knowledge and endeavour. His Holiness Sree Sree Sivakumara Swamiji is an example of spreading the message of ?giving?. He has been on a tireless mission of socio-economic development and eradication of evils of illiteracy and discrimination through giving. He saw education and alleviation of hunger among the masses as an effective means to enrich human capacity which in turn would contribute to national reconstruction. His Holiness Swamiji has followed the footprints of his Guru of providing free boarding home to the students which is now serving the needs of over 8,000 students. In addition 2000 pilgrims and visitors in the Math are also provided food every day. During the last seven decades Swamiji is the founder of well over hundred and twenty five educational institutions ranging from nursery to institutions of technology, pure science, arts, management, vocational training and performing arts.

Purpose of human life

The purpose of human life is beautifully described in ?Bhagawat Gita?. In the battle scene, where Arjuna was hesitating to fight against his own kith and kin in Kurushetra, Lord Krishna showed Arjuna a vision of Vrindavan where the whole garden was blossoming with beautiful flowers and fragrance and the flowers attracting honeybee. It was an enchanting scene. In another vision of the garden all the flowers which blossomed in the morning had now fallen on the ground. Lord Krishna says to Arjuna, "See the flower, how generously it distributes perfume and honey. It gives to all, gives freely its essence. When its work is done, it falls away quietly. Try to be like the flower, unassuming despite all its qualities". Lord Krishna conveys this message to the humanity. This characteristics is nicely portrayed by all actions of Swamiji.

Human indomitable spirit

Imam Ghazali was a saint teacher, who lived in the 12th Century. My father narrated me a scene when Imam Ghazali has been tested by Shaitan, the transgressed Angel. One day Imam Ghazali was unfolding his prayer mat for Maharif Namaz. At that time, the Shaitan appears in front of him and said, ?Respected Imam Sahib, I am just now coming from heaven where there was a discussion about great human beings and you have been judged as the best human being living on Earth. As a recognition of your great stature you have been exempted from the trouble of performing Namaz in future. Imam Ghazali was restless as the Namaz time was approaching. So he looked at Shaitan and said, ?Shaitan Sahib, first of all performing Namaz is not a trouble at all and when even Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him), was not exempted from performing Namaz five times a day, how can a poor Imam like me be exempted?. Thank you. He went on to perform the Namaz. When he completed the Namaz, Imam Ghazali still saw Shaitan was standing. Imam Sahib asked him what he was waiting for. Shaitan said, ?O Imam you have excelled even the most favoured Prophet Adam, who could not win over my deception and I made him to eat the forbidden fruit. Realizing that Shaitan was flattering Imam Sahib prayed to Allah, Oh almighty, help me and save me from the deception of the flattery making a disappointed Shaitan finally disappear. His mission failed. But one of the great human being succeeded. Friends, what is the message? When you are studying in the Siddaganga Math institutions, no Shaitan and no devil in all your lifetime should deceive you with flattery. You will certainly defeat the Shaitan and succeed in your missions in life. Now, I would like to emphasize the importance of helping the needy.

The story of the Lost Sheep

Dear Friends, when I am talking to you, I am reminded of the Biblical story of the ?Lost sheep?, as said by The Jesus Christ. ?If anyone of you has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will you do? Won?t you leave the ninety nine in the field and go and look for the lost sheep until you find it, and when you find it, you will be so glad that you will put it on your shoulder and carry it home. Then you will call in your friends and neighbours and say, let us have a feast, I have found my lost sheep.?

As the Lost Sheep is most important for the Shepherd, the message for every one of us from this story is that you may find around you a house which is not lit. Please help to light that house. Similarly, teachers in the class room may find hundreds of bright students but a few may need knowledge with kindness. All teachers must locate such students and impart the knowledge. Leaders of my nation, you may meet many people and help them, but you immediately look for those who need your utmost help and bring them to the mainstream. Those who deal with public administration, look for the last person to be serviced and make him or her feel that he or she is serviced with the kind heart. Similarly, judiciary and law enforcement agencies should look for the marginalized persons, who cannot even reach you because of the multiple gates and layers between the judiciary and the citizen. Media as partner in national development should celebrate the success of our people whether it is in fishing, farming, craftsmanship or achievement of a rural area. The micro world of rural realities lives in the macro reality of a globally acclaimed India. Media has to capture this.

There are many such examples, which can be cited. Dear friends, if all of us do this, God will be with us and I am sure the whole nation will be happy, prosperous and safe. This is fully corroborated by the advice given to Mahatma Gandhi by his mother. Gandhiji says, "My mother had given an advice "Son, in your entire life time if you can save or better someone's life, your birth as a human being and your life is a success. You have the blessing of the Almighty God".

Conclusion

(The poem was translated into Kannada by writer Shri Goru Channabasappa, music composed by Shri Narasimhalu Vadivatti and rendered by Ms. Kasturi Shankar)

With these words I inaugurate the 100th birthday celebrations of our respected Guruji His Holiness Sree Sree Sivakumara Swamiji. My best wishes for success in all your missions.

May God bless you.

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