25 Aug 2024
a. What about imagination about God versus God in real life?
[Ms. Bhanu Samaikya asked:- Paadanamaskaaram Swami, my imagination of Swami in my mind is different from Swami practically in real life. Sometimes I get to doubt if that relationship with God I'm having is real or not? Because reality never matches my mind and imagination. In one answer You have said imagination about God is better than being in real world. But what about imagination about God versus God in real life? Everything feels very confusing at times. What to do about it, please enlighten me Swami?]
Swami replied:- In your imagination, you imagine God as per your mental setup. Different souls have different mental setups. But, God is only one and there are no different Gods to suit each mental setup. The same one omnipotent God suits to different mental setups of different devotees simultaneously. Due to the cataracts of ego and jealousy, a devotee may not be able to clearly see the God in human form, which leads to misunderstanding God leading to this question.
b. Imagination about God increases devotion, but I feel I am going away from You. Please guide me.
[Imagination about God increases the devotion, but at the same time I feel I'm practically going away from You because of imagination about You. Is it because of the selfishness to get entertainment from You though imagination, instead of entertaining You selflessly in real practical world? If this kind of imagination is making me practically away from You, please tell me how to overcome it. At Your Divine Lotus Feet, Bhanu Samaikya.]
Swami replied:- In the imagination, generally, energetic form of unmediated unimaginable God appears in your mind and in your mind, vacant space exists without the presence of other souls as this world. In your imagination, ego-based jealousy will not rise since there is no other soul. Yourself and your God alone exist. Hence, it is called as imagination. But, once you enter this world, you are present among several devoted souls simultaneously existent along with you. You have to adjust with your co-devotees in the realistic world. In this way, there is a lot of difference between your imaginary world and this outer world. Moreover, your imaginary world dances as per your wishes whereas this external world dances as per the wishes of God. How can you expect total similarity between these two worlds? In this external world, ego-based jealousy will certainly take birth. If you eradicate such ego-based jealousy, this external world can also become your imaginary world.
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