02 Dec 2017
Shri Anil asked:
1) A minister told that cancer is due to sin as per the divine plan. The cancer patients protested against this. What is your opinion?
2) Is death a fixed concept?
3) Lakshmana served Rama without food and sleep in the forest for 14 years. What is your comment on this devotion?
Swami Replied:
1) The concept is correct, but, the way of presentation of the concept is not correct. As a minister, he should not talk about philosophy. He should talk about the remedies that can be provided to the patients from the Government. Even a saint giving a discourse on spiritual knowledge cannot introduce this concept in such a direct way. This shows that only cancer-patients are sinners and not other patients. Scripture says that the sin done in the previous birth results in disease causing suffering (Purvajanma krutam paapam vyaadhirupena baadhate). The fruit of the sin can be any disease and need not be cancer only. AIDS is another incurable disease! The sin done yesterday is also called as sin done in the previous birth. The soul (awareness) disappears in deep sleep (death) and appears on awakening (birth). If you take a day as a long moment, the philosophy of Buddha saying that soul is momentary is also correct. The eternality of soul proposed by Jainism is also correct because of constant appearance of the soul. Even in this long moment (day), the soul as nervous energy that propagates in the form of waves having crests and troughs alternatively indicating birth and death of the existing soul in every small moment of the long moment (day). It is just hypocrisy. When people say that they are suffering due to sins done in the previous birth, projecting as if they have not done any sin in this birth! For such people, this concept of previous birth linked to yesterday must be presented. The patients must be told about remedy also for the past sins done in ignorance. If they realize, repent and don’t repeat the sin in future, all the past sins ready to give punishments in future get cancelled. Shankara says that the punishment already started (Praarabdha) can’t be cancelled like the arrow already left the bow can’t be controlled. At least, the fruits of the sins to be delivered in the future (Sanchita) get cancelled. Since sin is not repeated, there is no addition of future punishments (Aagaami). Thus, except the present disease, all the other future punishments get cancelled. If the reformation of soul is perfect and is added to great devotion to God, the omnipotent God may even cancel the present punishment. Shri Satya Sai Baba told one devoted cancer-patient “Cancer is cancelled” and the cancer disappeared! This exceptional interference of God with Prarabdha punishment also exists basing on the sincerity and truth in the re-formation of the soul. Thus, remedial part also shall be preached to console the patient. Mere explanation of existing plan of implementation of divine constitution is only for increasing the suffering of soul without showing the possibility of any remedy!
2) Every concept observed in the nature is mainly governed by the scientific phenomena of the atmosphere. In the olden days, pollution was almost absent due to lack of ambition for pleasures, which did not promote industrialization causing horrible pollution. The average longevity of people in old generations was 120 years (Purusha aayusha). Now, it is reduced to around 60 years. The cause for such pollution is heavy industrialization, contamination of food grains with chemicals of pesticides, burning ghee in fire altars, burning candle lights etc. All these reasons come under the imaginable domain. Hence, the medical science was developed by sages, which is called as knowledge related to longevity (Ayurveda). Of course, the longevity can be reduced or extended by God in view of requirement of one’s services for the welfare of this world. There can’t be mere social service without the basic spiritual service. Mere social service without basic spiritual service is just fraud as done by most of the present politicians! The presence of unimaginable God punishing the sinner even if he/she escapes the law here must be stressed in every step of social service. The poor people must be helped and at the same time, the reason of their poverty, which is previous sin, must be explained and its remedy must be preached to them. Then only, they will be released from poverty in the future births also and the help done to them will be properly utilized without diverting them to vices. Such social service blended with spiritual service certainly pleases God to think about the extension of one’s longevity. If the fruit of sin is in the background along with divine force, even the remedies of the medical science fail to cure the disease. If the reason is only natural, medical science succeeds and in such case the soul is also protected from all the natural reasons by God as prevention. The spiritual aspects are very important standing as the basic background of the entire nature also. The unimaginable power of God (Maaya) is always in the background of the imaginable domain (Prakruti).
3) Lakshmana served Rama without food and sleep for 14 years and he could do so due to the power of chanting a special hidden Vedic hymn called as Bala and Atibala blessed by sage Vishvaamitra in the childhood. You may not find the real sacrifice in this aspect due to the power of the hymn. This point is also related to future requirement in killing the son of Ravana (Meghanaada), who can be killed only by a person fasting and not sleeping for 14 years. But, Lakshmana, younger to Rama was also married and did the service to Lord without enjoying His wife, while Rama and Sita were enjoying in the hut! This is sacrifice of desire for sex for the sake of Lord and this is not a small sacrifice!
Coming to the sacrifice of food and sleep in the service of Lord, let us assume that Lakshmana was not having such power of the Vedic hymn with him to overcome hunger and sleep. In such case also, do you expect Lakshmana to do the service of the Lord without food and sleep? Assuming that Lakshmana did so, he would have met with death in few days. Do you think that service for few days is better than the service for 14 years? He can do the service for 14 years by taking minimum food and minimum sleep so that the service can be done for a long time. Such long service is certainly far better than such short service. Instead of giving one wedding meal to a beggar, it is better to feed him for 10 days with minimum normal meals! While doing service of the Lord, not only emotional inspiration is needed, but also, intellectual analysis is required. Devotion without knowledge goes in wrong direction. Hanuman was not only emotionally dedicated to the service of the Lord with His excellent physical strength, but also, involved with sharp intellectual analysis. When Hanuman was crossing the sea, angels tested Him by sending Surasaa in the form of demon to see whether He had mere physical strength with emotion or physical strength combined with analytical intelligence. Surasaa opened her mouth with ten sq. miles area. Hanuman grew to 100 sq. miles-area with emotion. Then, Surasaa opened her mouth with area of 1000 sq. miles. Like this, the game went on for some time. Then, Hanuman thought that the time will be wasted without end, which is infinite hindrance to the service of God. The game was involved on the exhibition of the power of each to grow based on victory and defeat. Hanuman, due to lack of ego, accepted defeat suddenly, became 1sq. inch entity, entered the mouth of Surasaa and came out through her ear declaring the victory of Surasaa! Surasaa in her own form and angels appeared and appreciated Hanuman as best servant of God using emotion with physical strength and intellectual analysis together. Hence, after acquiring knowledge patiently only, the emotional devotion shall be acquired, which is controlled and guided by the already existing knowledge. If devotion is acquired in the beginning itself, there is no patience to learn the knowledge after getting emotion. Devotion is the emotional force that transforms already existing knowledge into practice. Hence, knowledge of Shankara, devotion of Ramanuja and practice of Madhva are subsequent steps in the spiritual path to be achieved by the spiritual soul.
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