09 Nov 2020
[Smt. Sudha Rani asked: I feel sad that I am not getting the opportunity to do the different types of sevā to Your human form directly. Swami, do You say that ṣoḍaśopacāras done to You are not so important?]
Swāmi replied: The sixteen types of service are actually meant for the contemporary Human Incarnation alone. Thinking about God in human form is dhyānam. Inviting Him is āvāhanam. Offering a chair for Him to sit is āsanam. Offering water to wash His feet is pādyam. Offering water to wash His hands is arghyam, and so on. All these types of service are meant for the living human form of God and not for statues, which do not require such service. Of course, serving statues can also be done if the contemporary Human Incarnation is not available. But the service of offering food (naivedyam) fails in the case of statues because statues do not eat food. If the contemporary Human Incarnation is not available, one can even serve devotees of God. Sage Nārada says that God lives in devotees also (Tanmayāḥ…). In fact, God-in-human-form feels happier, if His devotees are served, just like a father feels happier, if his son is served. Service to statues only helps in the development of theoretical devotion, which is the mother of practical devotion. After one recognizes the human form of God, practical devotion can be expressed in the form of service.
[A question asked by Smt. Vijaya Thirumala]
Swāmi replied: Why are you so particular about the miracle of lifting up the hill? Miracles are unimaginable events and so many other miracles, have been performed by several Human Incarnations and great devotees. Do you feel that those other miracles can be explained and that only the miracle of lifting the hill cannot be explained? Countless miracles were performed by Bhagavān Śrī Satya Sai Bāba very recently and videos of the same have also been uploaded. The main point is that the unimaginable miracles serve as evidence for the existence of the unimaginable God, who is their source. There is no qualitative difference between a macro-miracle and a micro-miracle because both are equally inexplicable.
[A question asked by Kum. Laxmi Thrylokya]
Swāmi replied: What God likes and what He does not like is clearly told in the scriptures. He never likes the sin that disturbs the path of justice in worldly life called pravṛtti. He likes good deeds and He has told in the Gītā that He likes the propagation of true spiritual knowledge (Jñāna yajñena tenāhaṃ iṣṭasyām…). By propagating spiritual knowledge, we are also benefited because through the repeated preaching, we digest the knowledge better. Even if others do not show any interest in it and do not get benefited, we are certainly benefited.
[A question by Smt. Bharthi Bhosale (Nithin’s mother)]
Swāmi replied: The ends reveal the true colour of the means (Phalānumeyāḥ prārambhāḥ…—Raghuvaṃśam). You can very easily identify the bad intention hidden in the action by observing the end result. Duryodhana served King Śalya while he was on his way to join with the Pāṇḍavas in the battle against Duryodhana. When Śalya was extremely pleased with the service rendered by Duryodhana, Duryodhana asked him to fight from his side, instead. Hence, the ends bring out the true colour of a person’s action.
[A question by Kum. Laxmi Thrylokya]
Swāmi replied: A good person always behaves well with all people. Hence, the good behavior of the person with you is with some bad intention. You have to be careful with him. Until his bad intention is exposed, you too have to act well with him.
[Śrī Rajashekar asked: Is it better to serve a person trying for ātma jñānam (self-realization) by going to the Himālayas or is it better to serve a devotee who is doing God’s work? Whenever a Human Incarnation of God miraculously cures the diseases of devotees, I wonder why He is not giving ātma jñānam to that person, instead. Then that devotee would not suffer, even if he has some painful disease.]
Swāmi replied: Certainly, God wants humanity, which is part of His creation, to be served. But serving humanity means propagating true spiritual knowledge since it keeps every person on the right path, avoiding sin. Such service paves the way for world peace. The person suffering from a disease is undergoing the punishment of his sin. God cures the disease of that person, if God has some hope that the person will progress spiritually upon becoming healthy. If God has such a hope about a certain person, He will not only cure the person’s disease, but also solve any other worldly problem of the person. But if God has no such hope about that person, the person is allowed to undergo the punishment, so that at least a temporary reformation is possible in the soul. A person goes to the Himālayas to meditate on God in a peaceful atmosphere, away from all worldly bonds, so as to fix his mind strongly in God. This is very beginning stage. A person of a higher level starts serving God by propagating spiritual knowledge by which, not only is his mind is fixed in God, but God too gets simultaneously pleased. It is something like earning while learning.
[A question by Śrī Bharath Krishna]
Swāmi replied: It is better not to invite undeserving people, even though they are relatives and it is better to invite deserving people, even though they are not relatives.
[A question by Ms. Vijaya Thirumala]
Swāmi replied: This does not carry any systematic meaning.
[A question by Ms. Lavanya]
Swāmi replied: This shows the impartiality of God towards His relatives. The presence of God is not important. The will and grace of God is important. A person may be present in a meeting, which is addressed by the Deputy General of Police (DGP). Does that mean that the DGP will save the person from the crime committed by the person?
[A question by Śrī Bharath Krishna]
Swāmi replied: Business is always risky because there is even the possibility of a total loss. Doing a job with a limited but fixed income is always a better way of earning one’s livelihood, while doing God’s work. Peace of mind is very important in doing God’s work.
[Śrī Rajasjhekar asked: Gautama Maharṣi punished his wife Ahalyā for being with Indra who came in the disguise of Gautama. Does God also punish a soul for ignoring God and leading a worldly life?]
Swāmi replied: Leading a justified worldly life is appreciated by God. So, where is the question of God’s punishment for it? God only punishes unjust worldly life that disturbs the peace of the world. In the case of Ahalyā, she met with Indra in the disguise of Gautama, knowing that the person in disguise was Indra and not Gautama (Devarājaṃ tu Vijñāya…—Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇam) and hence, she was cursed by Gautama.
[A question by Smt. Sudha Rani]
Swāmi replied: The function conducted in a grand manner does not please Goddess Durgā. If you have served a real devotee on the occasion of such a function, the Goddess will be really pleased and only then will you be counted as a great devotee.
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