11 Nov 2024
O Learned and Devoted Servants of God
1. Please explain why is Veda called as both Aparaa Vidyaa and Paraa Vidyaa.
[Smt. Chhanda Chandra asked:- Paadanamaskaaram O Guru Datta! In today’s Satsang (31st August 2024) what a blissful knowledge You showered on all of us! With my head bowed down completely, I would like to request You once again to kindly explain this topic on why Veda is called as Aparaa vidya (inferior knowledge) in some context and Paraa vidya (superior knowledge) in some other context. You made the understanding of Veda clearer today.]
Swami replied:- The same Veda describing the performance of sacrifice is inferior in the angle of misunderstanding and is called Aparaa Vidyaa (Inferior Knowledge). The same sacrifice is superior knowledge or Paraa Vidyaa in the angle of proper understanding. Certain actions of the sacrifice are explained in both angles:-
1) In correct angle, fire is lit in the fire altar to cook the ghee fried food. In wrong angle, fire is lit in the fire altar to burn the ghee poured in it.
2) In correct angle, fire lit is the instrument of sacrifice (Yajna Saadhanam) and the fire burning in the hungry stomach of a good person is to be worshipped in the sacrifice (Yajna Upaasyah). In wrong angle, the hunger fire (Vaishvaanaraagni) is not at all recognized and the ghee is poured in the physical fire lit in the altar.
3) The possessor of something can be called by the name of the possessed item in ‘Lakshanaartha’ or implied sense. The seller of apples is called by the name of apples. Similarly, the ghee fried food is called as ghee and the possessor of hunger fire is called as fire (Vaiśvānaraḥ praviśati atithiḥ - Veda). This is the correct angle. In wrong angle, pure ghee alone is called ghee and the fire in the altar alone is called as fire.
Like this, the same Vedic sacrifice in right angle is superior knowledge and in wrong angle is inferior knowledge.
2. Please explain about Jnaana Kaanda, Karma Kaanda, Kaamya Karma Kaanda, and Upaasana Kaanda, etc.
[You also explained Jnaana Kaanda, Upaasana Kaanda, Karma Kaanda and Kaamya Karma Kaanda etc., in a very beautiful way and correlated them with the preachings of Adi Shankara, Mandana Mishra and Kumaarila Bhatta. Please remove all these ignorance of mine by explaining them.]
Swami replied:- Jnaana Kaanda constitutes all the Upanishads present in the four Vedas, which purely deal with the knowledge of God. Upaasana Kaanda deals with the prayers in the Vedas related to the omniscient God called by different forms and names.
Karma Kaanda generally means the various efforts put to earn livelihood (Na prasiddhyedakarmaṇaḥ - Gita). Maintaining the self and family members is not wrong and such action of maintenance of self and family without luxuries is called Pure Pravrutti, which forms the basis of Nivrutti or spiritual life also. If the sacrifice or Yajna is done to get some selfish pleasures in this world or in the upper world after death, such sacrifice is called ‘Kaamya Karma’. Generally, Kaamya Karma is always associated with wrong angle because the performer is not much worried about the procedure in view of his fascination for selfish pleasure. If the same sacrifice is done in correct angle, the food cooked with ghee is supplied as lunch to the participants of the spiritual debates enquiring about God (Nivrutti). Such sacrifice is called Jnaana-Karma or Nishkaama Karma Yoga. If you do the Yajna or sacrifice or karma in the right angle after analysing the concept deeply, it is called as Jnaana-Karma (Jnaana Karma Samuccaya concept of Kumaarila Bhatta). The same karma done in wrong angle without analysing the concept deeply simply based on the blind tradition of ancestors is called as Ajnaana-Karma. Shankara stands for this analysis to support Jnaana (correct angle) and oppose Ajnaana (wrong angle generally followed by Puurva Miimaamsakas). Mandana Mishra was a leader of Puurva Miimaamsakas. Even though Kumaarila Bhatta was the teacher of Mandana Mishra, unfortunately Mandana Mishra became a blind Puurva Miimaamsaka without following the right concept of Kumaarila Bhatta.
3. Can we compare the devotion of Hanuman and other monkeys?
[Swami, from Your recent revelation on the divine fruits of all the monkeys (angels originally) that did not hesitate to give away their lives for the mission of Lord Rama, can we say, their devotion was comparable to Lord Hanuman in the role of a devotee? I think Hanuman is not comparable to them at all from the view point of devotion and service to Lord Rama. Please remove this confusion. At Your divine lotus feet always, Chhanda.]
Swami replied:- Hanuman is the leader of monkeys. All the monkeys walked in the footsteps of Hanuman. Hanuman fought against Ravana and all the monkeys fought against Ravana. Hanuman did not mind to give a proof for His love to Rama even at the cost of sacrificing His life. He tore His chest to show Rama in His heart. Similarly, monkeys also participated in the war prepared even to sacrifice their lives for the sake of Rama. There is a clear comparison between Hanuman and His follower-monkeys.
4. Why is God Krishna called the most fullest Incarnation when all the incarnations are the same God?
[Paadanamaskaaram O King of spiritual knowledge! Please shower Your spiritual light on the following:- Why is the incarnation of Lord Krishna only known as Paripurna tama Avataara (most fullest incarnation) when all the human incarnations are the same God? This doubt is coming due to Your recent declaration of the monkeys sacrificing their lives for Lord Rama being even greater than the Gopikas. My understanding may be totally wrong, still I would request You to remove this confusion.]
Swami replied:- The possessed power in all the incarnations is one and the same because the same unimaginable-unmediated God (Parabrahman) exists in all the incarnations since He entered the incarnation through God Datta. Only the expressed power differs from one incarnation to the other incarnation based on the requirements of the program of the incarnation. God is not like a petty demon, who exposes all his acquired powers irrespective of the need of the miracle. God exposes His miraculous power only when there is a lot of demand for expression of such typical miraculous power. Hence, incarnations differ only in the expressed powers and the possessed power is always one and the same. God Krishna expressed all the powers of God because there was such need in His divine program. God Rama also possessed all the powers of Parabrahman (though some are not expressed since the program does not require), which were expressed by God Krishna as per the need of the program. In the case of God Rama, there was no such need of expression of all the miraculous powers as in the case of God Krishna.
Gopikas also sacrificed their lives for the sake of God Krishna by jumping into fire after God Krishna left His gross body. Monkeys were also prepared to sacrifice their lives for the sake of God, hence the monkeys were not lesser than Gopikas. Sweet devotion (Madhura Bhakti) is possible only in the case of Gopikas and not in the case of Monkeys. I said only that simply based on Madhura Bhakti, we should not conclude that the highest Goloka is given to Gopikas. Gopikas are in one region of Goloka and other regions are occupied by several devotees, who are not lesser than Gopikas in devotion and sacrifice. My idea is that simply based on sweet devotion without considering other points, Gopikas shall neither be promoted nor be demoted.
5. Why didn’t God give Goloka to Hanuman and Monkeys, who were no less than Gopikas?
[If the above one is correct, then why did Lord Rama not assign them the fruit that is higher than the highest as Lord Krishna did for Gopikas or even in case of Hanuman (as a role in devotee of course) by Lord Rama Himself?]
Swami replied:- Gopikas were ordinary souls possessing the total surrender to God. Hanuman also acted as the servant with total surrender to God like Gopikas. But, there is some inherent influence because He was the incarnation of Lord Shiva, who is the topmost hero in this creation. The total surrender to God in the case of Gopikas was inherent. But, in the case of Hanuman, the total surrender to God was developed by Him by effort for the sake of the role played by Him and not inherent as in the case of souls (Gopikas). You need not compare Hanuman to Gopikas because Hanuman is God Shiva, God Shiva is God Narayana and God Narayana is God Krishna. Inherently, Hanuman is in the position of God Krishna. Hanuman is male and cannot follow sweet devotion. Radha is also the incarnation of God Shiva and is in the position of Hanuman. Instead of this confusing analysis, let us conclude that we are neither Hanuman nor Radha in the devotion and let us keep both as our ideals to develop devotion to God. We are in LKG and we need not analyze about the greatness of two Ph.D. holders in different subjects. Monkeys were angels, who participated in the war for the sake of God Rama. Since they passed the test, they were reinstated in their official positions in the upper worlds in the service of administration of God. Draupadi also showed exceptional devotion to God Krishna as a sister. After passing the test of God, she went to merge with Goddess Parvati after leaving her gross body.
6. How can a deserving soul like Arjuna take two more births for salvation?
[Swami, You explained that Lord Krishna declared Himself as God before Arjuna as He considered him as a deserving candidate. In another place, You told that Arjuna did not understand Gita properly and hence, he did not believe Lord Krishna as the contemporary human incarnation of God. He had to take two more births to finally have complete faith in contemporary human incarnation in the form of Swami Vivekananda. Are these two not contradicting each other? Please remove my ignorance.]
Swami replied:- Arjuna has to take only two births for salvation and he is far better than any ordinary soul, which has to take several births to get salvation. My statement shall be taken in relative sense. Since God knows all the horoscopes of all souls, He can speak with relative sense.
7. Is Videha Mukti given only to demons?
[What is the significance of Videha Mukti? When does such salvation take place? Is it only for the highest devotees, who played the roles of demons with their contemporary incarnation on the earth?]
Swami replied:- Demon roles are confined to those six demons, who were the roles of Jaya and Vijaya, the gatekeepers of God. This cannot apply to any other demon. Videha Mukti means the salvation attained by Jiivanmukta (soul liberated while alive) after leaving the gross body. This applies to every Jiivanmukta soul.
8. In which context is the concept of death auspicious?
[Swami, on this Krishnashtami day, You told that the concept of death is the most auspicious concept since it drives our mind to the eternal God as, according to Kalidasa, death is natural and life is unnatural. But in my poems (actually it comes from You only), You suggest me not to mention death giving a logic that three portions of a poem must have positive thoughts, not negative (death). Shall these two be in same line or their context is different? Please clarify.]
Swami replied:- When death is mentioned along with its philosophy, death is not inauspicious because it drives the soul towards God relieving the soul from these temporary worldly bonds. Without understanding the philosophy of death, if death alone is mentioned, it is a negative thought for the people living in Pravrutti only, who don’t have the knowledge of Nivrutti. Context must be realised.
9. Why do some scholars of spiritual knowledge fail to develop devotion?
[Swami, You say that devotion will increase proportionally with the absorption of spiritual knowledge. But we see that many spiritual scholars (including spiritual seekers) fail to develop this devotion even after getting complete and true knowledge. Can we conclude then that the reason behind it is worldly fascinations only and nothing else?]
Swami replied:- Such scholars have only eaten the knowledge-food and not digested the food. Such food comes out as vomiting, which is nothing but their spiritual preaching. If the knowledge-food is digested, it becomes blood and flesh of the person. Similarly, if the spiritual knowledge is digested well, it forms a new divine personality.
10. Should we listen to brain or heart in the spiritual life?
[Swami, in the conflict between brain and heart, shall we not listen to the heart in spiritual life at the end? Though the brain is the center of intelligence and make us skillful but at the same time heart is the center of all sensual thoughts, emotions and feelings. A hearty person is endowed with virtues such as kindness, generosity, compassion etc. It is the heart that motivates us to the highest degree and takes us to the realm of the soul. Of course this will happen after grasping knowledge through brain only. And finally, God is felt through heart only. We also see that after reading spiritual books, many times a scholar-fool is born. Please clear this confusion.]
Swami replied:- Brain is the seat of analytical intelligence in which spiritual knowledge flashes out. Heart is the seat of emotional mind in which devotion is formed like a water-pool. Just like spiritual knowledge, devotion is also theoretical only. Between knowledge and devotion, excess of knowledge is not dangerous since knowledge is the generator of theoretical devotion and the same digested knowledge transforms theoretical devotion into practical devotion. For this transformation, theoretical devotion or inspiration helps. Upto this point, theoretical devotion is necessary and appreciable. Devotion is always sweet like sugar and excess of sugar is not good since it leads to diabetes! Hence, excess of theoretical devotion is not necessary since it leads to mental imbalance. Any extent of spiritual knowledge is good since it removes all the doubts one by one and finally develops unshakable faith in God. Spiritual knowledge generates inspiration that is necessary to generate practical devotion or Karma Yoga. The devotees themselves are responsible for the development of excess of inspiration, which spoils the health. In the case of spiritual knowledge, eating and vomiting are not desirable since eating and digesting are very much desirable. In the spiritual knowledge, especially the details of God are more valid in developing devotion. Details of the path to reach God are also helpful to develop the devotion to some extent. Details of the soul are not much important to develop devotion, which of course are essential for the misled Advaita philosopher. If the soul is already convinced that he/she is not God, such soul must concentrate on the details of goal (God) and the path to reach God. Good logic is very much important in knowing the actual truth. But, very deep dry logic is not good, which dilutes the devotion.
11. How can Mother Yashoda go to Goloka, which is meant for sweet devotees?
[Recently in reply to Smt. Priyanka and Ms. Saatvika, You told that Yashoda is in Goloka. But in one of my earlier queries, (https://www.universal-spirituality.org/discourses/Did-Yashoda-who-loved-God-Krishna-in-the-climax-go-to-Goloka---4313--4679--ENG), You told that Gopikas involved in sweet devotion (Madhura Bhakti) alone could go to Goloka and Yashoda could not be tested for the joint as well as bond with spouse in that birth. Can I then understand that she might have been tested in some other births? Please remove this doubt.]
Swami replied:- Yashoda as mother reached Goloka, but, she is in another region of Goloka. Gopikas are confined to a specific region in Goloka. Yashoda is not in that region. Goloka is the biggest world among the fourteen worlds.
12. Is testing a devotee mandatory or not?
[The test of a devotee is not required for God at all as He is omniscient. But You always say that the test is mandatory for other devotees and the devotee as well. Now, You are saying that God may test or may not as He knows everything. How to understand this whole episode of testing from a devotee’s point of view? At Your divine lotus feet always, Chhanda.]
Swami replied:- If the devotee is very hidden and unknown to the world of devotees, but is very much deserving, God may give him/her the fruit without test. If the devotee is well known to the world of devotees, God will conduct the test that is known to the world. Sometimes, an undeserving devotee may feel that he/she is deserving. God conducts the test so that the devotee realizes the truth. Other devotees also note this test and get benefitted.
13. What is the ascending order among devotee, yogi and real disciple?
[Paadanamaskaaram O Lord Datta! Please enlighten me on the following queries:- A devotee wants to see God, a yogi wants to see the self, the wise wants to see Brahma and a real disciple wants to see the Guru – Please put these in ascending order and explain.]
Swami replied:- The real disciple is the highest among all these devotees because he/she is in search of contemporary human incarnation of God, who is relevant to the humanity. All the others are one and the same since they want to see the irrelevant form of God.
14. Please explain why Ananda is tamasic in quality?
Swami replied:- Tamas means ignorance. When soul is immersed in the ocean of bliss, it forgets (ignorance) everything including himself/herself.
15. Does doing merit come under worldly life or spiritual life?
[Can I say that merit is for worldly life whereas love is for spiritual life as love is the only factor that takes a devotee closer to God and not any amount of merit?]
Swami replied:- Merit means doing justice and avoiding injustice. God likes this very much. A devotee does merit since God likes it. In such case, love to God is also generating merit. Of course, there are some souls, which do merit for their selfish benefits and such souls do not come under the category of devotees.
16. Swami, You often say that when the unimaginable God expresses His original form, the universe disappears. Please elaborate on this.
Swami replied:- When the unimaginable God expresses Himself, it means that He wants Himself alone to exist as the absolute reality. This takes place in the dissolution of the world every time.
17. Does the gross body exist only due to ignorance and Karma-Samskaaras?
[Because the body is the result of deeds, ignorance and karma-samskaras do not completely cease until it exists. It is said that with the complete cessation of these two, the body will inevitably die. Therefore, the complete perfection of a devotee cannot take place while he is in the body. There will always be at least some ignorance in the body. Swami, please explain it if it is true.]
Swami replied:- The ignorance and Karma-Samskaaras exist in the independent soul even after leaving the gross body. Hence, you cannot link the existence of gross body to ignorance and Karma-Samskaaras (practical worldly concepts). In the case of liberated souls, even though the gross body exists, the ignorance and the Karma-Samskaaras are absent.
18. Does God come in human form only for Nivrutti devotees?
[Swami, is there any mention in the Gita that God comes in human form for the sake of Nivrutti devotees. If not, why?]
Swami replied:- Whenever God comes in human form to the earth, both Pravrutti and Nivrutti are His working fields. He comes for the sake of all souls. Some souls exist in Pravrutti (worldly life) and some souls exist in Nivrutti (spiritual life).
19. How could the greatest Sages fail in the test of God?
[Swami, how is it possible for the sages that after passing the test of bond with issues in some previous birth, they fail in the final annual test during the time of God Krishna? That too when they are in the advance stage of Nivrutti. The qualities must have been very strong in that birth too. Is it not looking like writing annual exams in Pravrutti life, where we can face such type of failure? I am little confused. Please enlighten me.]
Swami replied:- The procedure followed in the annual test is always serious and such serious atmosphere may not exist in quarterly and half-yearly examinations. The final result of pass and fail is not declared in these two internal examinations. Such internal examinations are conducted by the college authorities and not by the university authorities. There might have been momentary success in the internal exams. Moreover, sages thought that Dhaneshanaa (bond with wealth) and Daareshanaa (bond with female-spouse due to influence of kaama or sexual desire) are the only strong worldly bonds called ‘Kaaminii Kaancanam’ and always concentrated on these two only neglecting Putreshanaa (bond with issues). They never combined Dhaneshanaa with Putreshanaa. In the annual exams, God connected Dhaneshanaa and Putreshanaa as a joint test in the case of Gopikas and the test was continuously done for several years. Previously, tests were conducted as momentary slip-tests. In such slip-tests, the actual nature does not come out. But, in the long continuous joint test of Dhaneshanaa and Putreshanaa, the real nature came out. The sages always concentrated on conquering the Kaama or sexual desire (Daareshanaa) neglecting Putreshanaa and offered their hugging to God Rama. God ordered them to be born as real females and tested them in the joint test of Putreshanaa and Dhaneshanaa.
20. Does Anaahata Cakra means physical organ heart?
[Swami, in a general discussion, we got stuck at the following point. When we say about heart and mind/brain, do we mean the physical heart? As heart is only a physical organ, can it deal with any qualities like love? At the same time, it is also said that Anaahata Cakra lies in the heart only. But qualities are dealt only in the faculty of brain where awareness is generated. Isn’t it? Please throw Your light on us.]
Swami replied:- If you consider the awareness generated in the brain-nervous system, the spinal cord, which is a rope of several nerves makes the physical heart as the important place for emotional worldly fascinations. Hence, some physical significance exists for these places of worldly bonds.
21. Is there any physical significance to the six cakras?
[You always say that there is no physical existence of the six cakras in our bodies. And many times, You also give reference to the Anaahata Cakra lying in the heart which nobody could cross. If their existence is not real, then why to take this as reference which in turn strengthen our belief again? If I am wrong, please correct me.]
Swami replied:- The physical significance of Cakras as wheels and lotus flowers was denied. But, the fascinations are not denied. Due to the highest activity of awareness in the spinal cord, some physical significance is given to these fascinations, which are neither wheels nor lotus flowers. If you understand that these wheels or lotus flowers are only fascinations to worldly bonds, some physical existence of these spots of awareness does not contradict the theory developed based on the worldly fascinations.
22. Please explain ‘Ends justify means and means justify ends’ from a spiritual point of view.
Swami replied:- Ends justify means because the end fruit is the initial intention. Through the end fruit, initial intention can be discovered and based on the intention, sin or merit can be decided. But, some clever people have bad intentions and justify their intentions through wrong logic. An example is:- God Rama killed Vaali from behind the tree and this is sinful path. But, since Vaali is demonic, the end result justified the intention of God Rama. You should not think that Rama killed Vaali to get the help of Sugriiva in the search of His wife Sita. God Rama does not need the help from any soul and hence, this blame is ruled out. Now, a clever fellow wants to kill a good person because such good person is his enemy. This clever fellow blames the good person as bad person through false logic and kills him from his behind quoting Rama killing Vaali. To avoid this exploitation, it is told that means justify ends so that any clever fellow shall not kill the good person from the back side. God Rama killed Vaali from backside because Vaali got a boon from God (other form of God Rama only) that anybody fighting with Vaali will lose half of his strength that joins Vaali. Hence, this point cannot be exploited by anybody in the world because such boon does not exist at all in the case of any other human being. If the clever fellow fights before the good person, the good person will win by the strength of his merit. Of course, the good person will be protected by God even if the clever person tries to kill him from back side.
23. Why did Lord Buddha say that the Vedas are Paurusheyas?
[Swami why did Lord Buddha say that Vedas are Paurusheyas? There is also a concept of Apaurusheya. Are these two different or same? Please explain.]
Swami replied:- Paurusheya means written by soul. God preached the spiritual knowledge to sage-souls. Hence, such knowledge was called Shruti (which means heard from God). Since the sages wrote this heard knowledge on palm leaves, we can treat them as authors of the Vedas because they have published the secret knowledge. Since this knowledge is told by God, such knowledge can be called Apaurusheya, which means that it is not written by souls, but written by God. Hence, both these expressions are correct from the point of their different contexts.
24. Does God take human birth at places where injustice is at climax?
[Swami, can we say that wherever God takes human birth, injustice is at the climax at that place? Or there are some other reasons also for His coming down there?]
Swami replied:- Both destruction of injustice and uplifting the spiritual souls are the main works of God to come to this earth in human form.
25. Please explain about the curse of Gandhari upon God Krishna.
[Can we say that Lord Krishna allowed the curse of Gandhaari upon Him just to satisfy her mind though she was not correct in any angle? Krishna allowed it to happen with a justified sin too. Or is it because since Krishna already knew about the future, He allowed it to happen in that way? Please explain. At Your divine lotus feet always, Chhanda.]
Swami replied:- All your angles mentioned in the question are simultaneously correct.
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