03 Nov 2024
O Learned and Devoted Servants of God
(Shri G. Lakshman and Smt. Chhanda from Mumbai and Smt. Priyanka from Canada participated in this Satsanga along with some local devotees.)
1. Which type of Maya is crossed in the miracle of continuous water coming out of the Shirdi Sai statue?
[Smt. Chhanda asked:- Swami, You mentioned that a lot of water is coming out from a very small statue of Shri Shirdi Sai Baba. Does this miracle come under crossing Maayaa or Maha Maayaa or Mula Maayaa?]
Swami replied:- This miracle is crossing Mula Maayaa because large amount of new space is created during the miracle. To understand this miracle, you have to cross space, which is impossible. The size of the statue is very small and hence, very small space exists in the statue. Lot of water that needs very large space for existence is coming out from that small space. It is just like the entire world seen by Yashoda in the mouth of God Krishna. Only Parabrahman or Unimaginable God is beyond space because it is the unimaginable God, who created space. Space cannot exist in the unimaginable God before its production. This means that there is no space in the unimaginable God. This further means that the unimaginable God is beyond space. It is evident that such unimaginable God or Parabrahman, who is omnipotent and beyond space can do such miracle. It is also quite evident that Parabrahman is present in Shri Shirdi Sai Baba. The Parabrahman present in Shri Shirdi Sai Baba is doing this miracle through His statue. The reason for the expression of such topmost miracle (topmost miracle because the Mula Maayaa is crossed) in the present time because recently we find several buggers are criticizing Shri Shirdi Sai Baba, who is the incarnation of God Datta. In order to shut their mouths, this miracle is expressed by Him and one can find this miracle in a devotee’s house opposite to Saraswati Vidya Mandir in Hindupuram, Satya Sai District, Andhra Pradesh. You can also see the miracle videos on YouTube. Since we are not understanding this miracle through any type of scientific technology and worldly logic, it means that we have not crossed space or Mula Maayaa. The unimaginable God did this miracle because He already crossed Mula Maayaa or space.
If the four elements other than space are created, it becomes an example of crossing Mahaa Maayaa. For example, when Shri Satya Sai created ash, the matter, which is the ash, is created and the ash is existing within the space that is already existing. New space is not created in this miracle. The creation of the four elements or disappearance of the new elements can only be imagined by a soul and cannot be experienced in the real physical state. But here, the four elements were created in the form of ash within the existing space. Hence, this miracle is crossing Mahaa Maayaa because we cannot understand such creation or disappearance of four elements in the physical state. Some people say that Shri Satya Sai created a sweet following the principle of E=mc2. They explain that He took some cosmic energy and created matter, which is the sweet. By this, they want to claim that even this miracle is under the scope of science only. If that miracle comes under the scope of science, I question them “Why are you unable to do that miracle?” If it is science, anybody should be able to repeat any scientific experiment and get the same result. Some other people say that whenever Shri Satya Sai creates a sweet, some sweet in some sweet shop somewhere disappears proving the law of conservation of energy and matter. By this, they want to claim that this miracle is purely a scientific concept. To such fellow, I put the same question that if it is such a simple scientific concept, why you are unable to do that. Since we cannot repeat the miracle due to its unimaginable nature beyond science, we have to accept it as an unimaginable event done by the unimaginable God. Therefore, everybody has to accept that the unimaginable God exists.
Coming to the crossing of Maayaa, there is no need of any miracle. Understanding that the shape of the pot or the design of a golden jewel or the beauty of a person is inherently unreal and is appearing to our eyes based on the absolute reality gifted by their corresponding causes like mud, gold and body as lumps respectively can be done with the help of the worldly logic in understanding the concept of cause and its effect or product. Maayaa can be crossed by scholars and God does not hinder the scholar to cross Maayaa. But, remember that if God wishes, even the realised scholar (if he thinks that he has crossed Maayaa by his own effort and God’s grace is unnecessary) also cannot cross Maayaa and will fall under the illusory effect of Maayaa as told in the Bhagavatam (Vidvāṃsamapi karṣati).
2. Does the generation of water require crossing Mahaa Maayaa?
[Swami, while crossing Mula Maayaa, Mahaa Maayaa is also crossed. The generation of water involves the generation of four elements in the physical state. The generation of water itself is crossing Mahaa Maayaa. Can You explain this point?]
Swami replied:- I have already told that the five elements should be crossed while crossing Mahaa Maayaa. The existence of the other four elements is not possible without the existence of space. But here, when a small amount of ash is produced, the space is not directly involved. The space is indirectly involved here because without the existence of space, the existence of other four elements is impossible. Space is not very much predominant in this miracle since space is involved along with the other four elements. But, when all the entire world is created in the small mouth of God Krishna, even though space is involved indirectly along with other four elements as the world, the concept of space is directly involved because of difference in the quantities. The quantity of the world is infinite to us, but it is existing in the mouth containing very small space. This point regarding space is very very predominant and hence, we say that crossing space is crossing Mula Maayaa.
Mahaa Maayaa is an intermediate station between Maayaa and Mula Maayaa. When you have crossed Mula Maayaa, it means that Mahaa Maayaa is automatically crossed. If you have crossed the station of Varanasi, does it not mean that you have crossed the station of Itarsi in the path? Quantitative difference existing in very high extent brings the question of crossing Mula Maayaa. Qualitative difference is neglected here. Here, the mother of God Krishna experienced both the little space of the mouth of God Krishna and the infinite space of the world existing in the mouth. Both (the little space of mouth and infinite space of the world) are experienced with equal degree of reality. The world is not experienced with lesser degree of reality so that you can say that the space of the mouth of Krishna is real and the space of the world is illusory as vision. Had the world appeared as vision, the mother would not have been shocked. Similarly, we are equally experiencing the existence of small statue of Shirdi Sai Baba and the huge amount of water that is coming out from the statue. Both statue and water have equal degree of reality in the physical state and hence, there is no question of eye-illusion in this miracle because it is the usual custom to negate a miracle by saying that it is an illusion of eye. In this world, the eye illusion also exists in reality, but it is utter foolishness to say that the miracle of Shirdi Sai Baba and God Krishna were also eye illusions.
3. Can You give examples of qualitative difference and quantitative difference in this discussion?
Swami replied:- When ash is created by the hand of Shri Satya Sai Baba, it is created from space. Space is subtle energy whereas ash is matter, which is the modification of energy (E=mc2). There is qualitative difference between the cause and the effect. Since the ash is contained within the space of the hand, we are not touching the quantitative difference or crossing Mula Mayaa. The qualitative difference is very much predominant in crossing Mahaa Maayaa. When infinite quantity of the world appeared in the small quantity of mouth of God Krishna, the quantitative difference is predominant and hence, this becomes an example of crossing Mula Maayaa or space or quantity of matter occupying space. In this example, crossing of Mahaa Maayaa also exists because the space of the mouth is made of subtle energy whereas the world created in the mouth is made of matter and gross energy. Hence, while crossing Mula Maayaa, we concentrate on the quantitative difference neglecting the qualitative difference, which is crossing Mahaa Maayaa. Crossing Mula Maayaa always includes crossing Mahaa Maayaa. A note of Rs.100 includes Rs.10 also. But, when we see a note of Rs.100, our mind is concentrated on the whole Rs.100 and not on its part, which is Rs.10. Neglecting Mahaa Maayaa in crossing Mula Maayaa, we can broadly say that crossing the qualitative difference is crossing Mahaa Maayaa and crossing the quantitative difference is crossing Mula Maayaa.
4. Why is space included in both Maha Maya and Mula Maya?
[Space is included in Mahaa Maayaa and at the same time, it is given the independent status called Mula Maayaa. What is the reason for this?]
Swami replied:- The definition of Mahaa Maayaa is that it is constituted by pure awareness and five elements (two states of energy such as space and fire and three states of matter such as gas, liquid and solid), which do not disappear in the physical state and can only disappear in the imagination state of the soul. The five elements combine in different proportions (such process is called Panciikaranam) to form different items of the creation. In this concept, space is just one of the 5 elements. But, when Mahaa Maayaa disappears in imagination (which is called crossing Mahaa Maayaa), space does not disappear while the other four elements (gaseous air, fire as gross energy, liquid water and solid earth) disappear. In this concept, space is different from the other four elements. The best simile for space is the human incarnation, which is one of the human beings and at the same time, it is different from human beings by having excellent spiritual knowledge and unimaginable miraculous powers.
Therefore, we cannot include space completely in Mahaa Maayaa. Hence, space gets a separate special status called Mula Maayaa. When space is an item of the five elements, it is associated with the other four elements (called associated space). The same space having a separate special status is different from the other four elements (called as isolated space). Therefore, Mahaa Maayaa can be defined as pure awareness and four elements along with the ‘Associated Space’, which can be crossed by disappearance in the state of imagination for which isolated space is an exception. Mula Maayaa is defined as the ‘Isolated Space’, which cannot be crossed even in the state of imagination. Maayaa can be defined as the illusion like different forms of matter (hill, river, human body, etc.) and energy (like light, heat, sound, etc.) along with different forms of awareness (feelings and qualities) existing in the physical state of the soul, which can be crossed by disappearance even in the physical state for a realised soul through logical analysis. All these three definitions are with respect to the soul only and God can cross all these three types of Maayaa because He is already above Mula Maayaa and is called as unimaginable God.
5. Can we say God’s grace is not required to cross Maayaa?
[Smt. Priyanka S asked:- Maayaa can be crossed by detaching the mind from the forms of the world and due to this, can we say that God’s grace is not required for a soul to cross Maayaa?]
Swami replied:- Of course, it is correct to say that the soul can detach from various forms of the world and can break the fascinating worldly bonds by logical analysis and here, God’s grace is not necessary because such detachment can be achieved by analysis itself. But, such a soul, which crossed Maayaa by its self-effort cannot continue in the detached state for a long time without the grace of God (Vidvāṃsamapi karṣati… Bhagavatam; Tadasya harati prajñām…, Mama māyā duratyayā… Gita). If God’s grace exists with the soul, the soul will not fall down again into the clutches of Maayaa (Māyā metāṃ taranti te… Gita). The grace of God will be with the soul if the soul develops total surrender (Prapatti) to God (Māmeva ye prapadyante… Gita). Bhakti or devotion is surrender of mind only (Manmanā bhava madbhakto… Gita). Bhakti is theoretical devotion, whereas Prapatti is theoretical devotion along with practical devotion.
6. Atheist will not be interested in any spiritual topic. How can we expect him/her to detach from the forms of the world?
Swami replied:- Atheist is that soul, which does not believe in the existence of God. The concept that says that one can be detached from the forms of the world and can be happy without any worry does not involve God. An atheist will accept any concept if the concept is not involving God. For example, if the atheist believes that practicing initial exercises of Yoga improves health, he/she will follow it because God is not involved in such exercises. Hence, there is no objection to say that the atheist may accept any spiritual concept that removes tensions if such concept is not involving God. Therefore, your objection is overruled!
7. When a demon does a miracle, did he cross Mula Maayaa during the miracle?
[Ms. Thrylokya asked:- When a demon does miracle in which the isolated space or Mula Maaya is crossed, can we think that the demon crossed Mula Maayaa at least during the miracle?]
Swami replied:- To understand this concept, you must have at least minimum commonsense because God will never merge with demon as He merges with the energetic being or human being in forming the incarnation. I have already told that the invisible God, who is outside of the demon is performing the miracle so that we mistake that the demon is performing the miracle. For giving that miraculous power to demon, it is inevitable for God to do like this because the demon forced God to give the miraculous power through his rigid penance. By this mistake, we may think that the demon crossed Mula Maayaa. He has not crossed at least Maayaa. It is the God, who is doing that miracle since God has already crossed Mula Maayaa because He is already above space. Whenever the demon wishes to do the miracle, God will immediately do the miracle because God has promised so in giving the miraculous power to the demon.
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