Posted on: 07 Aug 2021
[Ms. Bhanu Samykya asked: Swāmi, bonds from all sides (father, mother, son, husband, friend etc.) should be diverted to God only, right. Does it mean that we can assume God as any bond we like for a whole lifetime in only one aspect i.e., assuming God only as father for whole lifetime? Or can it change according to soul's mood? This is very much bothering to my immature understanding of God. Swāmi, You are so kind in selecting me and teaching me spiritual knowledge for a kind of rigid ignorance that I have. Thank You a lot for everything Swāmi. Assuming You as my best friend I'm asking this question, please forgive me if this is wrong. I'm unable to digest this all kinds of relationship towards God. Please enlighten me.]
Swāmi Replied:- Once Gopikas praised Kṛṣṇa “O Kṛṣṇa! Truly You are our father, mother, teacher, friend, husband and ultimate goal”. One devotee asked Me that how same God is father and husband! Another devotee asked Me that how God Brahmā married His own daughter called Sarasvatī. All these are misunderstandings of brain having no deep logical power. All worldly bonds are like tubes in which water-love is flowing. In the bond with God, no water-love is flowing. Even if it is flowing, it is based on fulfilment of selfish desires only and hence, such love is not real and totally false only. Now, a Nivṛtti-climax devotee has drawn water-love from all tubes and diverted into one tube with God only due to which all other tubes are vacant. Now, what name can you give to this one bond with God? When there were several bonds, in order to distinguish one from the other, you have to give different names to different bonds. When there is only one bond with God, there is no need of any name to that bond or you can call that bond by all names. This is the case of Sarasvatī also, who concentrated all her love on the creator only and her love is not divided by any other channel. It is only single bond with God, which contains the entire love of the soul. Such a state is called ‘Ekabhakti’ (Ekabhaktir viśiṣyate… - Gītā).
If you say Sarasvatī as the daughter of God Brahmā, then who is the mother of Sarasvatī? Any child must have biological father and mother. God Brahma simply created Sarasvatī and it does not mean that He is her Father. Lord Kṛṣṇa also said that He is the Father of all souls (Aham Beeja prada pitaaah-Gita) and He married 16,108 wives. If an engineer invents an engine, does it mean that the engine is born to him and his wife? Some scientist is said to be the father of computer. If you inform this to his wife, she will go to court filing a case against her husband that he got an illegal child without her notice!
When all love is divided in various worldly bonds, you can give the name to each worldly bond so that it can be distinguished from all other worldly bonds. When all the love is withdrawn from all worldly bonds and is concentrated in only one bond with God, no significant name is needed because it is only one bond that remains without any second bond. You can call that bond as that bond with God. Alternatively, the name of any one worldly bond also can be assigned to that one bond as per the personal liking of the devotee. Prahlāda called God as Father. Dasharadhā called God as Son. Lakshmana called God as Brother. Hanumān called God as Master and so on.