Posted on: 24 Jul 2024
O Learned and Devoted Servants of God
1. Can we say that Potana is Brahmana by Pravrutti?
[Shri Phani asked: Potana did cultivation and so is shudra by profession. But, he translated Bhagavatam to Telugu and propagated it. First is vrutti and the second is pravrutti (inherent nature of the soul). So, can we say that he is Brahmana by pravrutti (karmanaa jaayate dvijah)?]
Swami replied:- Caste is decided by qualities and deeds as per the Gita. If the qualities change to some other qualities for some time, the person will get another caste. There is no harm at all because all castes are equal and there is no higher or lower caste. Any caste can do the profession of any other caste for livelihood. Potana is Brahmana while writing the Bhagavatam and is Shuudra while doing agriculture.
2. Do farmers and those who cut trees for houses, factories and road construction incur sin?
[Tinku K asked: Padanamaskaram swamy, in belwo discourse you said
"Even in a green plant, a soul exists and therefore it should not be cut."
But to live, we eat vegetables and leafy vegetables. Most leafy vegetables are removed from their roots, and other vegetable plants are removed after a certain time once they have finished producing vegetables. Additionally, plants affected by pests that could harm other plants are also removed from their roots. For purposes such as house construction, road construction, or building large factories, trees and plants are removed. Houses are for personal use, roads benefit everyone, and factories provide employment, despite being for business purposes. Instead of following Ahimsa paramo dharma (non-violence is the highest duty), we are killing other souls (trees/plants). Do farmers and those who cut trees for houses, factories, and road construction incur sin? Can You please guide us on what to do in the above situations?]
Swami replied:- Tree is a living being without awareness. It is living being since it has respiration. Unless awareness exists, no feeling is possible and pain is also a feeling. God told to use plants for food (Oṣadhībhyo'nnam - Veda). Sin comes only when a living being having awareness (bird, animal etc.,) is killed for food.
3. What is the fate of people who suffered due to the bad actions of reformed souls?
[Ms. Darshini asked: Padanamskaram Swami, if God gives reformation time for souls with bad qualities who has done mistakes. And the soul transforms later in the time given by God and their bad fruits are going to freeze after reformation. Then what is the fate of people who suffered due to bad actions of such reformed souls? Is it not injustice for them? Will God reward the souls who got troubled by the reformed soul? - At Your Divine Lotus Feet, Darshini.]
Swami replied:- If the criminal is punished, the victim does not get even a trace of compensation. The criminal is punished for his/her reformation only and not for any benefit of the victim. If the victim leaves everything to God, God will compensate the victim separately for the victim’s devotion to God. If the criminal is reformed, he/she will not repeat the crime. The punishment is only to stop the repetition of the sin but not to compensate the victim every time. God is punishing the criminal to reform the criminal but not to compensate the victim. The victim might have been the criminal in the previous birth and the case may be in retorting mode, in which case the victim does not deserve any compensation. If the case is a fresh case and if the victim surrenders to God without any vengeance to the criminal, God will compensate the victim. In this case, reformation of the criminal has no slightest connection with the victim.
4. What is the actual meaning of Kriya Yoga and reason behind yogis who practiced it?
[Ms. Purnima asked: Padanamaskaram Swami, now a days everyone is so fascinated about kriya yoga and tantrik vidya. Could You please enlighten us with the actual meaning of kriya yoga and reason behind yogis who practiced it like Mahaavtar Babaji, Paramahamsa Yogananda.]
Swami replied:- Kriya yoga according to Me is the union (becoming very close) of the soul with God (Yoga) through Karma Yoga or Practical devotion (sacrifice of both service and fruit of work).
5. Why are only the eight incarnations starting from Shripaada Vallabha up to You known as incarnations of Datta?
[Shri Durgaprasad asked: Paadanamaskaaram Swami, Why only the eight incarnations starting from Sripaada vallabha upto You (Datta Swami) are known as Dattavataars even though there are many other incarnations like Ramakrishna Paramhansa etc.? At Your lotus feet, Durgaprasad]
Swami replied:- The incarnations of God Datta are uncountable (Avatārāhyasamkhyeyāḥ—Bhagavatam). Based on the recent time (some recent specific period), eight incarnations of God Datta are mentioned. These eight are not all the incarnations of God Datta. Every divine form is the incarnation of God Datta only.
6. Will the devotee’s body, which does Mantra in crores given by his Sadguru, turn completely into Mantra Shariram? What does it mean?
[Shri Satthi Reddy asked: Mee Paada Padmalaku Namaskaram Swamiji, Swamiji, Shri Sadaanand Saraswati Maharaji, gave a mantra to a devotee after Satsang. The devotee wrote in the Narasimha Saraswati Swamiji book that, by the grace of his Guru, this Maamsa Pinda turned into Mantra Pinda. I also heard in some preachings that a devotee who does Mantra crores given by his Satguru turns his body completely into Mantra Shariram (body). What does this mean? Please explain, Swamiji.]
Swami replied:- Sadguru never gives any specific mantra to anybody in the spiritual line. Whatever sentence or poem or song related to God attracts your mind making you spontaneously to repeat it without any aspiration from God in return is the real mantra. Such spontaneous repetition without any force makes you to completely absorb in it and this is called as ‘Mantra Shariiram’. When an old lady was fasting to get a mantra from Shirdi Sai Baba, Baba said that He has no mantra with Him since His Guru did not give any mantra to Baba. The mantra is to be selected by yourself because to whatever song or poem or prose (related to God) you get attracted by yourself spontaneously is your real mantra. Even if you are attracted to a cinema song, it is a mantra provided you direct that to God.
7. What is the purpose of doing Sudarshana Yajna?
[Mee PaadaPadmalaku Namaskram Swamiji. Swamiji, Recently, I attended a Sudarshana Yagnam. Swamiji, I saw a lot of ghee poured into the fire, and sticks were burnt while performing. Swamiji, what is the purpose of doing Sudharshana Yajna? What essence should people know from Sudarshana Yajna and how should the real Sudarshana Yajna be performed? Please explain, Swamiji.🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏]
Swami replied:- Yajna means serving hungry devotees with food fried with ghee. Burning food brings punishment of very serious sin. You have to burn the food in the hunger fire (Vaishvaanaraagni), which is the divine fire since in the Gita, God told that He is the Vaishvaanaraagni. Worshipping the weapon of God Vishnu called Sudarshana wheel and subsequently giving food to hungry devotees is Sudarshana Yajna.