11 May 2024
[Shri Anil Antony asked: Padanamaskaram Swami, I request You to answer the following questions on Hinduism and other general questions raised in a discussion forum. At Your Lotus Feet-anil]
1. Did Lord Krishna have wounds on His face during the Mahabharata war?
Swami replied:- Lord Krishna had wounds throughout His body caused by the arrows of Bhishma in the war.
2. Duryodhana and Arjun both approached Krishna for help before the war began. Did Krishna give an option to both of them?
Swami replied:- He gave an option to Arjuna since He wanted to test the devotion of Arjuna to Himself. He asked Arjuna to choose Him or His army.
3. Would Duryodhana have been considered equal to Arjuna if he had won?
Swami replied:- This question does not rise since God Krishna already decided the defeat of Duryodhana.
4. How does praising God affect one's spirituality?
Swami replied:- It develops devotion to God because praise always gives very good impressions on the mind.
5. Since the universe is finite, is it possible that God's power is limited?
Swami replied:- God’s power is infinite even though His creation created for His entertainment is finite. You are larger than the meals you take.
6. What is the relationship between God Shiva and Shani dev?
Swami replied:- God Shiva is God Datta only. Relationship between God and Shani dev is the relationship between the employer and an employee.
7. What is the reason for the majority of people worshipping Devi instead of Brahman in Hinduism?
Swami replied:- People influenced by gender make this difference between Brahman and His power called Devi.
8. Are there any mentions of science and technology in Indian scriptures during the time of Ramayana?
[Are there any mentions of science and technology in Indian scriptures during the time of Ramayana? If so, how advanced were they compared to modern technologies?]
Swami replied:- There were very good scriptures about sciences in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Botany, Medicine, Engineering, Economics etc. These scriptures are translated into English and you can contact: The Research Institute of Ancient Scientific Studies, West Patel Nagar, New Delhi.
9. Why did Lord Rama and Krishna have different names if they were both incarnations of God (Vishnu) with similar duties?
Swami replied:- The times of their appearance, their bodies and their duties were different. Different bodies will have different names.
10. Would God's life be any fun?
Swami replied:- Fun gives happiness and God is with infinite-continuous-permanent happiness called bliss.
11. Is there a moment in the Bhagavad Gita where Krishna advises Arjuna to fight without weapons like an ordinary person?
Swami replied:- The war involves several weapons and it is not simply boxing!
12. Which is good for health, yoga or Gym?
Swami replied:- Gym is a preliminary step in Yoga and control of mind is also dealt in Yoga.
13. What was the result of Arjuna listening to the Bhagavad Gita from Krishna?
Swami replied:- Arjuna lost all his depression and did his duty as a part of the divine mission of God.
14. What can challenge God?
Swami replied:- Nothing.
15. How did God create the universe and create all the humans and animals?
Swami replied:-Just by His unimaginable power called Maayaa.
16. Why did Arjuna call Krishna "Uddhava" in the Mahabharata when he had always addressed Him as "Krishna" before?
Swami replied:- Uddhava and God Krishna are different persons.
17. What is the difference between the Bhagavad Gita and the Shrimad Bhagavata?
Swami replied:- The Gita is the theoretical message whereas the Bhagavatam is the practical divine play of God.
18. Is there anything in the universe that God wouldn't be able to do?
Swami replied:- There is nothing, which can’t be done by God. But, God does not do somethings since such things are improper.
19. What happened to Arjuna after seeing God's cosmic form that made him weak?
Swami replied:- Arjuna established practical faith in God Krishna.
20. Did Arjuna experience feelings of depression after his conversation with the cosmic vision of Lord Krishna?
Swami replied:- It is only a shock to see the cosmic vision. It is not depression. In the beginning, Arjuna got depression since he had to fight with his own grandfather.
21. Who was Nara (like Arjuna) in the times of Ramayana?
Swami replied:- God Rama is an ideal for all the human beings since He practiced whatever He had to preach to humanity. God Krishna made Arjuna or Nara as a representative of humanity and preached the theoretical true spiritual knowledge.
22. What is the process of the union of souls with God?
Swami replied:- In the union with the absolutely real God, soul retains its individual relative reality. The union does not mean becoming one. If such union is expected, God alone remains after the union. If your imaginary world unites perfectly with you, you alone remain!
23. Does God see everything we do?
Swami replied:- God need not see anything because everything appears to God.
24. Can I marry Krishna?
Swami replied:- The creation is divided into several cycles, which repeat again and again. In the present cycle, the incarnation of Krishna is over. You can marry Him in the next cycle.
25. Would God die if people didn't believe in Him?
Swami replied:- God is not a politician. If you don’t believe in God, even one hairlet of Him is not lost! All the loss is only for you, the soul.
26. What changes do we see when we read the Bhagavad Gita?
Swami replied:- The changes depend on the spiritual maturity of the soul.
27. What is the process of God choosing whom to bless?
Swami replied:- The process is to practically test the theoretical true love shown by souls.
28. What does the Bhagavad Gita say about doubting souls?
Swami replied:- The Gita says that doubting souls are destroyed (Saṃśayātmā vinaśyati). Here, doubting souls mean the souls doubting everything at every time. Genuine doubts are welcome and God Krishna clarified the genuine doubts of Arjuna with happiness.
29. Is the inner voice God Himself?
Swami replied:- The inner voice is from God and the inner voice itself is not God. God talks with you through your inner consciousness like your friend talks with you through the phone.
30. Would people have a better understanding of God and His requirements if the concept of the Trinity did not exist? Why or why not?
Swami replied:- Trinity is only external, which means that the same God is in three different dresses.
31. Will Lord Bhairava come to protect His devotee when he is tortured by an evil spirit?
Swami replied:- Lord Bhairava is the incarnation of Lord Shiva. Certainly, He will protect the devotees.
32. How is Kabir the supreme God if he called himself the child of Allah and Ram?
Swami replied:- There is no internal difference between Allah and Rama. Child here means the incarnation of the same God present in Allah and Rama.
33. Is it a sin to have a girlfriend?
Swami replied:- You can have anybody as your friend. If the friend is a girl and if you unite with her sexually, marry her.
34. Why does God Ganesha have an elephant face?
Swami replied:- There are several divine forms, having the faces of animals and birds. The message is that you should not give much value to the beauty of the face and you should give the highest value to the divine qualities of a person.
35. Did God create a woman to be submissive for a man?
Swami replied:- Every soul should be submissive to God. If you say that women are submissive to men, men are unfortunate and women are fortunate. The reason is that women are trained in submissiveness, which is useful in the case of God and men are trained in ego, which obstructs the grace of God on men.
36. Who is the national God of India?
Swami replied:- The unimaginable God called Parabrahman exists in all forms of God of all sub-religions of Hinduism and all other worldly religions. India contains not only Hinduism, but also all the world religions. Hence, Parabrahman is the National God of India.
37. Why does God take our loved ones away?
Swami replied:- The souls leave their bodies in this world as per the fruits of their deeds mentioned in their life cycles.
38. How do I know if I am chosen by God?
Swami replied:- God will speak that through your consciousness. But, you should recognize His voice without self-prejudice that is born from selfishness.
39. Do the Hindu Gods Shiva, Krishna, and Vishnu follow a vegetarian or non-vegetarian diet?
Swami replied:- The energetic forms take energy as food and the human forms take material food. The incarnations of God always take vegetarian food. Only non-vegetarians inserted non-vegetarian food for some incarnations also. God is the divine Father of all souls in all forms. Will the father eat His own issues?
40. Did Lord Krishna ever face defeat during His lifetime on earth?
Swami replied:- Once, He acted as if He was facing defeat so that the demon running after Him would be smashed.
41. Is blood sacrifice a part of Hindu religious practices?
Swami replied:- Donation of any useful item for the sake of needy is always appreciated by any religion if the word ‘blood sacrifice’ means donation of blood. If this word means killing animals or birds to please God, it is the worst.
42. Is Bhagavad Gita the answer to all questions?
Swami replied:- If you can study the Gita deeply with scientific logic, you have answers to all questions.
43. Is it true that Lord Krishna considers everyone as His friends?
Swami replied:- Arjuna was treated as a friend (Sakhya Bhakti) by God Krishna. God will accept any bond you like with Him. It is not the type of bond that matters, but it is the weight of true love in a bond that matters the most.
44. How does the concept of God's love relate to religious persecution and hatred?
Swami replied:- God’s love is just a reflection of your true love towards Him. The true love to God is recognized by the lack of aspiration for any worldly fruit to be sanctioned by God.
45. Is there historical evidence for the existence of Lord Krishna other than religious scriptures?
Swami replied:- Historical evidence is not necessary because the experience of divine miracles itself gives the existence of God and His incarnations.
46. Does our soul know well in advance when its physical body is going to die?
Swami replied:- If the soul knows this information, the human being will be dying every minute mentally. Otherwise, the human being will die only once in its life!
47. Can the process of rebirth happen immediately after death?
Swami replied:- Not necessarily. It can take rebirth immediately or the maximum limit for taking rebirth is 360 years (three generations).
48. How did God select His disciples and what were the reasons for choosing each one?
Swami replied:- Disciples select God and God will not select the disciples. As per the devotion of the soul, the soul becomes the disciple.
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