09 Oct 2023
1. How much is it justified for a devotee to think that the Sadguru is taking his or even his close relative’s suffering?
[Smt. Chhanda asked: Padanamaskaram Swami, how much justified is it from a devotee’s side when he/she is thinking that the Sadguru is taking his/her suffering or even the suffering of his/her close relative with whom he/she is very much attached? At Your divine lotus feet always, Chhanda.]
Swami replied:- God will not do any unjust thing and hence, this question itself is not justified.
2. a) Does Saarupya fit in this order? Please explain with an example.
[Smt. Chhanda asked: Padanamaskaram Swami, in the verse number two of Yoga Vichara Prakaranam of Brahmajnanam, You are telling that Saalokya, Saamiipya, Saarupya, Saayujya, Kaivalya are in the increasing order of closeness. I have the following doubts:
Swami replied:- Saarupya is similarity in the appearance. To look like God is higher closeness than physical nearness (Saamipya).
b) And also explain if Saamiipya is closer than Saalokya, does it mean Prahlada is more close than Hanuman or Radha?
Swami replied:- Saalokya means to be in the same world of God. Saamiipya means becoming closer to God in such same world. Hence, Saamiipya comes only after Saalokya. Hanuman and Radha got first Saalokya and then only Saamiipya. Without Saalokya, Saamiipya is impossible.
c) Radha becomes the queen of Goloka, which is higher than Kaivalya. Please explain.
[Finally Radha becomes the queen of Goloka, which is higher than Kaivalya. It appears to be a confusion in case of Radha especially. Please explain in more detailed way. Always at Your divine lotus feet always, Chhanda]
Swami replied:- Radha did not like kaivalya in which the self-identity is lost and kaivalya ends in the total merge of the soul with God losing self-identity, in which case, the devotee cannot enjoy the love on God. For enjoying God, dualism is needed. Ramanuja told that the devoted soul is enjoyer and God is the enjoyable item (Bhojya Bhoktru sambandha). Paramahamsa also told the same thing, which is that He doesn’t like to be the sugar to be eaten by ants, but, He likes to be an ant and enjoy the sugar. Radha is the incarnation of God Shiva, who is called as Iishwara. The meaning of the word ‘Iishwara’ is ruler and hence, Radha was justified in becoming the ruler of Goloka. In this relationship of the devotee with God, God is so much overwhelmed with the devotion of the devotee to become the servant of His devotee. In this type of salvation, the devotee becomes greater than God and hence, this is considered to be greater than kaivalyam or monism to become equal with God by perfect merge. Devotees give special preference to this type of dualistic salvation because the devotee gets permanent fortune to enjoy the love for God.
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