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Replies of Swami to Smt. Chhanda Chandra's Questions

O Learned and Devoted Servants of God

1. Does God grant human birth forever for the one who is always engaged in earning money?

Swami replied:- By earning, a devotee can do the sacrifice of fruit of work for the sake of God’s mission. Is this not greater than mere theoretical knowledge and mere theoretical devotion? Of course, the theoretical knowledge and the theoretical devotion help the devotee personally. But, the practical devotion or karma yoga by propagation of both spiritual knowledge and devotion helps the entire world. God is very much pleased with the devotee, who helps the society in the spiritual path. But first, to become a devotee, personal knowledge and personal devotion in theoretical phase are also essential. Self-development along with the development of the society in the spiritual path is highly appreciated by God. Our great spiritual leaders like Shankara, Ramanuja, Madhva etc., are the best examples in this point.

2. How are Mulaadhaara and Manipura cakras related to fixed assets and movable assets of money?

Swami replied:- The Mulaadhara cakra is related to earth and hence, fixed assets are indicated. The Manipura cakra is related to water, which is dynamic and hence, it is related to movable assets. Both these together constitute the entire assets, which are given by the parents to their issues through the will. These two cakras are related to parents and the property given by parents include both immovable and movable assets. These two cakras indicate the issue devotion in which the bond with your parents and the bond with your issues as parent is also indicated. In all the 7 cakras, bond with wealth is not indicated. Only non-inert souls with awareness like father, mother, spouse, children, preachers and divine forms are indicated. Basic point here is that if worldly bonds with non-inert souls are absent, the bond with wealth also becomes meaningless and hence, a separate cakra for wealth is not shown. This means that if bonds with near and dear non-inert souls are broken (including the bond with self) there is no need of wealth at all. Hence, wealth need not be given a separate place indicated by a separate cakra. However, the bonds with immovable and movable properties can be also indicated by the first two cakras providing a specific place for the bond with the wealth assuming a greedy soul having bonds with his/her immovable and movable properties even though such a soul is not using the wealth for self also. You can assume a devoted human being getting a boon from God to be alive without food and water, but still, such unimaginable greedy fellow is having a strong bond with wealth.

3. Is it true that Ramakrishna Paramahamsa could not cross Ajna chakra?

Swami replied:- The correct way of speaking this point is that Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa could not cross the Ajna cakra standing for the mental devotion for the divine name and divine form of the Divine Mother. This should not be understood that He was incapable of crossing the name and form. He could not cross the name and form of the Divine Mother due to His devotion to the mediated God. Crossing the mediated God is relevant in attaining the unmediated-unimaginable God, who is of no use for meditation and devotion. He knows the spiritual knowledge more clearly than His preacher, who was trying to make Him cross the Ajna cakra. There is no trace of difference between the unmediated-unimaginable God and the mediated-unimaginable God like the absence of difference between a naked unseen person in the bathroom and a dressed (mediated) person coming out of the bathroom and seen by all. The person (Totaapuri), who was trying to make Paramahamsa cross the Aajna cakra was ignorant of this truth and was thinking that the unmediated-unimaginable God, who is beyond name and form alone is the absolute real God. Actually, this is the ignorance of the preacher only and the disciple (Paramahamsa), the human incarnation of God, was perfectly correct in the spiritual concept.

The soul is expected to cross names and forms (items) in the world and concentrate on God. The unimaginable God or Parabrahman is beyond names and forms of the creation. Such God is beyond space and is beyond the imagination of any soul. When you can’t understand such God, is there any meaning to say that you can attain Him? The name and form (medium) of God need not be crossed at all. When you are seeing a clothed person, do you wear a special spectacle to see that person without clothes? I believe that there is a cinema on this topic, but, the objects seen here are imaginable items! Hence, even if you try your best to cross name and form of God to attain the absolute unimaginable God (Parabrahman), you can never attain Him since He is unimaginable.

Therefore, you are at complete loss if you try to cross the name and form of God since you will neither attain the unimaginable God nor accept the seen mediated-unimaginable God. The seen mediated God is also unimaginable because He performs the unimaginable events called miracles. Since He is the source of the unimaginable events, He must be the unimaginable source. Shri Totaapuri is the misled Advaitin not understanding the concept of Shankara. Shri Paramahamsa is the true scholar of spiritual knowledge and hence, did not cross the Ajna cakra willingly, not due to incapability. Actually, Kundalini or the mind is considered to be the soul that crosses all the six hurdles to meet God Shiva (Shiva Datta) present in the top most part of the skull called Sahasraara. Thus, the ultimate God is the first energetic incarnation only and not the unmediated-unimaginable God because the mind cannot meet the unimaginable God (this means that you cannot think about the unimaginable God). When you cross the Ajna cakra and reach Sahasraara, there also mediated God is only present having a divine name and form. Can you cross the name and form of God in Sahasraara also? The unimaginable God is beyond intelligence, which exists in Sahasraara (Yo Buddheh Paratah…).

4a. Is my following thinking correct Swami?

Swami replied:- I will answer this question with an example. In a school, the results of 10^th class examinations were declared. There are some passed candidates and also some failed candidates. On the same day, a tragic incident happened due to the demise of head master. All the passed and failed students participated in the mourning cermony with a lot of sadness. Since the sadness is common to both passed and failed students, do you mean that the passed and the failed students are equal? Since the passed student is also participating in the mourning ceremony, does it mean that the passed student is also equal to the failed student? If the passed student is not participating in the mourning ceremony since he passed the examination, should we consider such a passed student also as a failure in the examinations since he failed in the worldly norms?

Coming to the actual concept, both the failed Gopikas and the passed 12 Gopikas were feeling pained in the separation of God Krishna. Due to this common point, will you equalize the passed 12 Gopikas with the failed Gopikas? When God Krishna left Brundavanam, it is something like a thunderbolt falling on the heads of all the Gopikas. Even in this situation, if the passed 12 Gopikas remain without any pain, such passed Gopikas are also inert statues and not alive human beings! You are bringing some commonality from some situation and due to that commonality, you are equalizing the passed and failed candidates. The 12 Gopikas passed in the tests related to the three strongest worldly bonds (Eshanatrayam) and were declared as passed candidates. The other Gopikas failed in the joint test and were declared as failed candidates. This result of pass and failure is not going to change by any commonality that falls on all the Gopikas due to some unexpected situation. Passed are passed and failed are failed. By any other situation that brings commonality in all the Gopikas, pass will not become failure and failure will not become pass. Sthitaprajnata means mental balance to save health. Mental balance does not mean that one shall not shed a single tear even if very near and dear are damaged. If tears are not shed in proper situations, we say that such a person is mad and has lost mental balance. Sthitaprajna means allowing the theoretical devotion (Bhakti yoga) to that extent, which is essential for the transformation of spiritual knowledge (Jnaana Yoga) into practical devotion (Karma yoga). A Sthitaprajna will not allow the theoretical devotion to grow in excess since such excess will spoil the heart and brain.

By this, the Sthitaprajna will become capable of doing practical devotion to God. The 12 Gopikas are passed candidates in the tests of the three worldly bonds and became eligible to enter Goloka. This entry cannot be stopped because they wept when Krishna left Brundaavanam. Only 12 Gopikas jumped into fire and not all other failed Gopikas. Even though this suicide is not appreciated by God Krishna, they could not live on the earth without Krishna. All Gopikas wept when Krishna left Brundavanam. But, only 12 Gopikas jumped into fire when Krishna left His gross body. You should not confuse with the word ‘Gopikas’ because all Gopikas are called as Gopikas and the 12 Gopikas are also called as Gopikas. The word ‘Gopikas’ may mean all the Gopikas or only 12 Gopikas as per the context. First, you should come out of this confusion. The 12 Gopikas jumping into fire is also the most severe test called Praaneshana (fascination for life). This is very very serious and rare and hence, is not included in Eshanaatrayam. Of course, God opposes this and advises His devotees to propagate knowledge and devotion in the society after His leaving the gross body. This is also an excellent path since it is the order of God. But, there are some devotees, who cannot live on earth in the absence of God. This is a very sensitive concept like the double edged sword. By Sthitaprajna path, the devotee protects health and earns wealth to sacrifice the fruit of work to God. In this process, there is no trace of selfishness. Everything is streamlined with the help of sharp intellectual analysis. If this analysis is absent and the devotee suffers with excessive emotions spoiling the health, the life period is shortened, it means service to God is reduced. You should not say that the devotee could not control emotional devotion and jumped into the fire. Such a decision is not obtained suddenly by emotional flash. Such a decision is attained through intensive logical analysis of the intelligence of the devotee only. It is climax love of the devotee and this shows that a Sthitaprajna is not having lesser devotion.

b. Will a Sthitaprajna always be able to control its emotions?

Swami replied:- The 12 Gopikas jumping into the fire after God Krishna left His gross body cannot be equated to the normal death that comes to every mortal human being. In the normal death, the soul feels a lot of pain for leaving the worldly bonds. A Sthitaprajna transcends the fascinations of such worldly bonds on the normal routine death bed. Jumping into fire is not a normal context of death. This context relates to the devotee about his/her bond with God. You cannot say that both types of death are one and the same since death is common. Even though death is common, separation from the worldly bonds is different from the separation from God. In the case of the death of the 12 Gopikas by jumping into fire, it is the case of separation from God. In the case of normal routine death, it is the case of separation from worldly bonds. You should not worry about the common death because it is inevitable to any human being on some day. Normal routine death leaving worldly bonds is the context of the verse in the Gita (Sthitvaa’syaamanta kaale’pi). This context cannot be compared to the context of the devotee jumping into fire unable to live separated from the bond of God.

c. If the twelve Gopikas were Sthitaprajnas, then how is it possible for them to commit suicide by jumping into the fire?

Swami replied:- The 12 Gopikas did not commit suicide since they failed in their love affair at college! They failed in controlling their devotional emotion in the case of leaving the bond with God permanently for the rest of the life. Ordinary suicide means the soul leaving all the worldly bonds. But, this suicide means the soul leaving the only one bond (Eka bhakti) with God. This also comes as a severe test, but it is not mentioned in the test of Eeshanaatrayam (three strongest worldly bonds such as bond with wealth, spouse and issues) because in this test, a horrible sin of suicide is associated. Hence, God is totally against this test. Hence, we, the devotees must always try to control the flashing emotions to avoid such things, which will pain the heart of the Lord to very severe extent. Moreover, the punishment of this suicide-sin is also taken by the Lord and such point will be recognized by a Sthitaprajna. The 12 Gopikas were Sthitaprajnas during their entire life, but failed in that one last point. By such slip, you cannot cancel their Sthitaprajna degrees. In view of their long life period as Sthitaprajna, we must call them as Sthitaprajnas. Even though they failed in that point, their excess of devotion for the Lord must be recognized because of which only the Lord suffered their punishments. The 12 Gopikas were also sages or human beings only and to err is human. They erred only once during their entire lives.

d. Being Sthitaprajna, how can they lose their control of emotions?

Swami replied:- Sthitaprajna is mainly meant to maintain the balance of mind in the issues of Pravrutti or worldly life so that the Sthitaprajna can continue in the spiritual line without being disturbed by the worldly affairs. Sthitaprajna in Nivrutti does not mean controlling the theoretical devotion completely. Sthitaprajna in Nivrutti means only controlling the excess of theoretical devotion that spoils the health obstructing the devotee to do practical service in the propagation of spiritual knowledge and devotion. You should not tag Sthitaprajna to every concept you like. The point of jumping into fire certainly proves that their balance of intelligence was suppressed by their unimaginable love. Except this one final point of Nivrutti, they succeeded in controlling the emotions everywhere. It is the single slip and the context is also very serious since they are unable to live here without God. They wanted to go up and live with the Lord in the upper most world called Goloka. However, this path is strictly condemned by God as well as the Vedic scripture. The reason is that this valuable human life is given to any soul to do service in the mission of God. If the human life is ended forcibly, such golden opportunity is lost because we are not sure of the next human birth. By committing suicide, you are negating the plan of God due to which, God will become terrible furious. If you continue His mission after Him, then also, you are getting the same top most position. In such case, it is foolish to get such highest position by making God furious. Instead, you can get the same position by making God happy.

e. Do they lack some knowledge even though they were excellent in knowledge as well as in practical devotion?

Swami replied:- The 12 Gopikas passed not only in the three tests of worldly bonds, but also passed the final test of fascination for one’s own life. They did not jump into the fire thinking that they are facing the final test of fascination for life. Being climax devotees, they were unable to think about living without God Krishna. But, God also shows the alternative way to live and carry on the program of propagation of spiritual knowledge and devotion. It depends on the personal psychology of a devotee in this issue. God Hanuman did not commit suicide when God Rama left His gross body by immersing in Sarayu river. He continued to live and protect the devotees of God Rama. Rukmini jumped into fire, but, Satyabhama became a saint and propagated the spiritual knowledge of the Gita and the devotion to God Krishna. The ethics say that suicide will lead to hell. But, the fascination in the devotion to God is so strong that this rule is also violated by the devotee. God Krishna told that if Gopikas danced with Him, they will go to hell. Gopikas were prepared to go to hell and danced with God Krishna. They could not control their fascination towards God Krishna. They did not go to hell, but instead, God sent them to Goloka. But, if a devotee does not commit suicide and carries on the mission of God after God left this earth, such option is the best since it is the wish of God and such soul also goes to Goloka.

f. Is my following understanding correct, Swami?

Swami replied:- The act of jumping into fire is beyond the concept of justice and injustice, which belongs to Pravrutti. Nivrutti is beyond Pravrutti and sometimes cannot be controlled even by God. In such cases of extreme devotion, God takes the punishment of the devotee onto Him and suffers for the sake of the devotees to protect the devotees from hell. When the dearest devotee jumps into fire, the devotee shall imagine the mental pain of the Lord, which is million times more than the pain of the devotee. The reason is that the love of God on a devotee is million times more than that of the devotee towards God. Apart from this mental pain, He has to undergo the punishment of your suicide-sin. Can you tolerate all this if your love to God is in climax? It is paining the Lord and it is against the wish of the Lord. Hence, the best way is only to carry on the propagation of the spiritual knowledge and devotion of your Sadguru whenever He leaves the gross body.

g. Did Krishna want to show the world that being Sthitaprajna is better by showing them as examples?

Swami replied:- It should not be encouraged as the choice of the devotee. God is against that. But, if the devotee violates even the law of God due to the unimaginable fascination to God, God takes the punishment of such unjust act and releases the devotee from the punishment because God is not a simple inert statue following the rules. If the rule is violated for selfishness by a sinner, such a violating soul is punished by God. But, if the rule is violated in the mad fascination to God, the devotee is protected by God since God undergoes the punishment of the sin committed by such climax devotee.

h. The climax stage of devotion describes the madness as the last; why not Sthitaprajna state?

Swami replied:- When God is in the world and the devotee is also in the world, the devotee shall follow the norms of the world to maintain oneself and one’s family and also to sacrifice the service and the fruit of work in the mission of God. Becoming mad is not a wise solution. If a devotee becomes really mad beyond his/her limitation, it is a different story. But, the devotee shall not try to become mad. This is the reason why some devotees are acting as mad! It is the question of natural spontaneous madness versus artificial madness. You shall never aspire for madness and you shall always aspire for service and sacrifice to God. In spite of such line, if the devotee becomes mad due to the natural devotion, God will take care of such devotee. If a devotee tries to become mad and becomes mad, the electric shock treatment given by a neurologist will take care of such a case!

i. Is it possible for a climax devotee, who is Sthitaprajna in one birth, to become mad in future births?

Swami replied:- Sthitaprajna means the person, whose intelligence is within its boundaries. This means that the intelligence is quite stable to function for taking proper decisions. The intelligence of a Sthitaprajna devotee in Pravrutti advises in the materialistic issues based on the norms of the world. The same intelligence of the Sthitaprajna in Nivrutti advises to neglect the worldly issues and concentrate on the issues related to the propagation work of God. When the worldly issues are neglected, the person looks like mad, but, he/she is not actually mad because it is pure detachment from the world. The actually mad person will do wrong activities in the worldly affairs. A climax devotee neglecting the worldly affairs will not care to do any activity in the world. This is madness like behaviour and not the actual mad behaviour. Every devotee is not a Sthitaprajna and may become mad due to the stress created by excess theoretical devotion. This is not detachment but strict madness. On the demise of some close relative, a mad person will not weep at all. In the same occasion, a Sthitaprajna sheds tears and consoles the bereaved family. In the case of an actual mad fellow, there is no feeling of love or kindness at all. But, in Sthitaprajna, the feeling of love to God is very intensive. The devotion in Sthitaprajna is infinite whereas the devotion in a mad fellow is zero. A Sthitaprajna will never change even after many births. A really mad fellow may change in the next birth to become a normal human being.

j. Is the chance of being Sthitaprajna by a female devotee less in the separation from human incarnation?

Swami replied:- Certainly, there is a little difference due to the variation in the harmonal activity. But, this little difference is not significant in view of the soul’s mental set-up that organizes itself due to the influence of spiritual knowledge and divine devotion. On getting the unimaginable knowledge of God, the attraction developed towards the personality of God is very much predominant to overcome this weak gender difference.

k. If Sthitaprajnas need not be tested, why were the twelve Gopikas tested?

Swami replied:- You should also develop the talent of reading between the lines. It only means that testing such a candidate is only a formality and success of that candidate is inevitable. This is a suggestion that tests are unnecessary and degrees can be conferred on them directly. It is only a poetic way of expression. Jumping into funeral fire of the dead husband is called as Satii Sahagamanam. Satii means wife and Sahagamanam means walking along with the dead husband (husband’s soul takes a new energetic body and walks in the path to the upperworlds while going to the upperworlds after death). The bad tradition of throwing the wife into the funeral fire of the dead husband was condemned by Padmavati, the wife of Poet Jayadeva. She told that the actual Sahagamanam means that the life of the wife shall spontaneously leave her gross body immediately as soon as she is aware of the demise of her husband so that she can walk along with her husband to the upperworlds. This is the real climax of climax devotion!

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