14 Mar 2010
Recently several saints are involved in controversies regarding collection of funds and sexual abuse. Based on this, these saints are being rejected and condemned totally by the devotees. This is not correct on the part of devotees in the light of their own spiritual interest. A doctor is an expert in writing the prescription for your health. The doctor suggested excellent medicine for your lungs, which are spoiled by your constant smoking. The doctor also may be a smoker. You need not reject his prescription since the doctor is a smoker. The personal smoking of the doctor has nothing to do with his excellent prescription. If the doctor is also a smoker, he will suffer personally with his illness created by smoking. You need not bother about his health since he is a better judge about the value of the health. If you reject the prescription and do not follow the treatment, you will be equal to him in neglecting the health. In such case, being equal [to him], how can you criticize the doctor? If the doctor does not follow his advice given to you, he will go to dogs. Why should you also go to dogs since he has gone to dogs? You have approached the spiritual preacher for the direction of your spiritual life and therefore, follow his preaching without observing his personal life, which is unnecessary for you. The doctor may not be a smoker but if he gives you the prescription containing inefficient medicine, what is the use for you? Your health cannot be rectified by such a doctor.
Guru and Sadguru
There are two types of saints. The first type is Gurus, who are ordinary souls only but are experts in giving correct direction to you. If such a Guru practices against his own preaching, he will go to hell. You need not bother about his practice and you should follow his advice for your correct direction. The second type is Sadgurus, who are the human incarnations of God. In this case, you may be misled by His external drama and you are tested in your faith. We find several saints smoking. Such saints are not equal to [Shirdi] Sai Baba, who also smoked. In any case, you should not examine the personal life of a saint and you should follow his preaching only. You should limit yourself to your necessity only.
Be it a saint or a human incarnation, the external gross body will have its own natural characteristics like birth, growth, hunger, thirst, sex, illness, death etc. In the case of a saint, the internal soul, which is nervous energy, is not affected by these characteristics of body. In the case of human incarnation, the internal soul as well as the most internal God, are also not affected by these external characteristics.
Interaction Between Matter and Energy
The soul is linked to the gross body through a bundle of qualities, which is called as the subtle body. The soul, the qualities and the gross body are all equivalent, since energy and matter are mutually inter-convertible. The soul and qualities are energy and the gross body is mainly matter bound by energy. All three are parts of creation alone. Therefore, sometimes even the soul may be affected due to a disturbance in the qualities, which form the link between soul and the gross body. Thus, food (matter), which constitutes the gross body, is responsible for the qualities. The thirst for sex is due to the activity of certain hormones. Hunger is due to the activity of acid produced in the stomach. Anger is due to the activity of chillies. Pride is due to excessive consumption of salt. Fanaticism (Moha) is due to tamarind [sour foods]. Lust is due to masala [spicy] food. Thus, the qualities are generated by food.
In the case of human incarnation, God the Creator, is inside the soul. God is beyond the creation and hence, He is not affected by matter and energy. Creation cannot touch the Creator. You will superimpose the effects of creation on the Creator and misunderstand the Creator. The black cloud covers the shining sun and you say that the sun is dim. The sun shines with the same intensity at all times. You superimpose the quality of cloud on the sun.
Therefore, follow the preaching of the saints without examining their personal life, which is unnecessary to you. Sometimes, the personal life of the human incarnation is exposed to you to mislead you. This is only a test for you. Therefore, never bother about the personal life of the saint; only bother about his preaching.
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