06 Apr 2021
[An online spiritual discussion was conducted on March 06, 2021, in which several devotees participated. Some of the questions of devotees answered by Swāmi are given below.]
[Śrī Tinku asked: Jai Guru Datta! Atri Varada! By reading Your messages I understood that God gives utmost importance to pravṛtti, which eventually leads a soul to nivṛtti. Pravṛtti is one’s behaviour with fellow human beings and nivṛtti means developing a personal relationship with God. The basic and rigid rules of God in pravṛtti are avoiding illegal sex, avoiding illegitimate violence and avoiding illegitimate ways of earning money. Even if you escape the punishments for your sins here through tricks and corrupt practices, you are sure to be punished by the unimaginable God in unimaginable ways. Faith in God and enlightenment in spiritual knowledge must be the main aim of education from the bottom to the top. Professional education must only be a side-activity.
But how can we teach other pravṛtti rules to everyone in addition to the above three rules? How can we live in pravṛtti playing the various roles such as parents, life-partners, children, friend, Guru, disciple, employee, politician and neighbor? Where can I get information on how to follow the different dharmas with respect to these different roles? Datta Prabhu, have You written any book on pravṛtti?]
Swāmi replied: When the three rules of avoiding illegitimate forms of sex, violence (anger) and greed are said to be the most important, it does not mean that there are no other rules. The other rules may be slightly less important, but they do exist. Lord Kṛṣṇa said that these three rules are very important since these three sins are the three main gates of hell. One should also note that divine punishment is inescapable. There is no fourth back gate through which you can escape from hell! All the other rules are available in any ethical scripture (Dharma Śāstra).
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