18 Jun 2023
1. It is said that anyone, who is not Rudra shall not worship God Rudra. What does it mean?
[Dr. JSR Prasad at this juncture, mentioned that it is said that any person, who is not Rudra shall not worship God Rudra (Nā'rudro Rudramarcayet) and told that this means that only Rudra (God) shall worship Rudra (God).]
Swami replied to this:- Is it not foolish to say that God alone shall worship God. Generally, devotees worship God and no devotee is God. Hence, the first Rudra must be a devotee and second Rudra must be God. If you analyze this patiently, it means Arudra shall not worship God Rudra. Arudra means a devotee with peaceful nature. God Rudra means God with very high furious nature. Worship means meditating upon God Rudra, who is with highest anger. If the peaceful devotee meditates upon angry God, the devotee also gets that nature and the peace of the devotee is replaced by terrible anger. Meditation means concentration of mind on the goal-Deity (Devān bhāvayatā'nena - Gita).
2. In doing Anganyaasa and Karanyaasa, God Shiva is invited to stay, and this may mean monism of the soul with God Shiva. Please comment.
Swami replied:- In doing Anganyaasa and Karanyaasa, God Shiva with different names is invited to stay on the fingers of the hands and the limbs of the body. Here, we must note that entire God Shiva is invited on each finger and on each limb of the body. This does not mean monism, but means only dualism. If it is monism, the limbs of the body of God Shiva must be invited on the corresponding limbs of the body of the devotee. In every limb and finger, entire God Shiva is invited. The aim of such invitation only means that the entire body of the devotee is dedicated to God Shiva with full absorption or immersion as said in the Naarada Bhakti Sutra about the devotee (Tanmayā hi te).
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