Swami Answers Devotees' Questions

1. What is the significance of various gods riding their respective animals (vāhanas)?

[A question from an online questioner brought to Swami by Śrī Anil.]

Swāmi replied: The vāhanas or vehicles of various gods are either some animals or birds. They indicate the soul serving God. Thus, the vāhanas carrying the gods on their backs signifies the service of the soul to God.

2. By whom and when was the knowledge of the Vedas and the Upaniṣads first given to humanity?

[A question from an online questioner brought to Swami by Śrī Anil.]

Swāmi replied: God gave divine spiritual knowledge to humanity in the beginning of creation, irrespective of region and religion.

3. How can man live by every word proceeding out of God’s mouth?

[A devotee asked through Śrī Anil: Jesus Christ said, “It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.'". Could You please provide some real-life examples of the application of this statement?]

Swāmi replied: The word of God means the commandments of God that form the divine constitution meant to protect justice in worldly life. Those who did not follow His words, could not live since they were killed by God. All demons are examples of this. God’s word is more important than bread because if one dies without bread, such a soul will not go to hell. But, if a soul dies due to its violation of God’s word, the soul goes to hell.

4. Why was Mohammad not a perfect Incarnation of God Viṣṇu?

[A question from an online questioner brought to Swami by Śrī Anil.]

Swāmi replied: Who said that He was not a perfect Incarnation of God? The Incarnation of God behaves as per the situation and preaches accordingly. Hence, we should never misunderstand the Incarnation.

5. How can a Kṛṣṇa devotee worship other gods when the Gītā (7:20) clearly prohibits it?

[A question from an online questioner brought to Swami by Śrī Anil.]

Swāmi replied: The verse means that any Incarnation of God can be worshipped. The worship of angels is not the worship of God. The objection to the worship of angels is not the objection to the worship of various Incarnations of God.

6. To which Hindu God should I pray to get a good husband?

[A question from an online questioner brought to Swami by Śrī Anil.]

Swāmi replied: You should pray to God Rāma.

7. While reading the Bhagavad Gita are we to follow rules like giving up eating onions and garlic, or not cut nails, while reading?

[A question from an online questioner brought to Swami by Śrī Anil.]

Swāmi replied: All these things are only superficial and are not important. The devotion to God Kṛṣṇa alone is important.

8. In heaven, will we be in the company of our family members and friends, besides God?

[A question from an online questioner brought to Swami by Śrī Anil.]

Swāmi replied: There are several devotees in divine bodies, who give a good devoted company to us.

9. Is it a sin for Christians to tell non-Christians that they will go to hell for not believing in Jesus?

[A question from an online questioner brought to Swami by Śrī Anil.]

Swāmi replied: Here ‘Jesus’ means the one God, who is present in all Incarnations. The word ‘Jesus’ in this statement does not mean only a particular form of God with a specific name. Jesus said that He will come again. Did He say that He will come again with the same name? God will keep coming in different forms with different names in every human generation.

10. How can one obediently live for the Kingdom of Heaven?

[A devotee asked through Śrī Anil: Jesus Christ asked people to not be attached to this world and live for the Kingdom of Heaven through obedience to God. What changes in the government and public services could help in achieving that goal?]

Swāmi replied: Following justice and rejecting injustice in every step will help in achieving this goal. Following this basic principle alone can satisfy God. Obedience means strictly following the divine constitution created by God and this is the essence of pravṛtti. Devotion comes only in nivṛtti. Obedience is the basic form of devotion.

11. Can one mentally chant the Mahāmṛtyuñjaya Mantra without formal initiation (dīkṣā) from a Guru?

[A question from an online questioner brought to Swami by Śrī Anil.]

Swāmi replied: There is no special mantra in this world. Mantra means any line of prose, poetry or song that spontaneously attaches you to God.

12. How did this idea originate that Satan in the form of a serpent tempted Eve?

[A question from an online questioner brought to Swami by Śrī Anil.]

Swāmi replied: Ideas are always created by souls due to the freedom given to them by God.

13. Was Sai Baba Hindu or Muslim?

[A question from an online questioner brought to Swami by Śrī Anil.]

Swāmi replied: Sai Baba of Shirdi was a Human Incarnation of God. He had descended on earth to unite all religions, especially Hinduism and Islam, which had many differences in those days.

14. Is Judas in heaven or hell?

[A question from an online questioner brought to Swami by Śrī Anil.]

Swāmi replied: Since Judas repented and punished himself, he is free of the sin. He has neither gone to hell nor to heaven. Since his sin was wiped out, he did not go to hell. Since he had not done any meritorious deed, he did not go to heaven. So, he was born again on this earth, which is in between heaven and hell. Earth is in between heaven and hell, not in a physical sense, but in the sense of value.

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