01 Nov 2022
1. What does the word 'concentrate' mean in the following context?
[Ms. Bhanu Samykya asked: Padamaskaram Swami, You taught us that 100% concentration on God (Swami) is important. What does the word 'concentrate' mean in this context? - At Your Divine Lotus Feet, Bhanu Samykya.]
Swami replied:- Concentration, meditation, interest, samaadhi, devotion etc., are different words of the same single concept. I will clarify this with a simple example. One boy wanted to marry a girl about whom he became mad. Even if you put 100 different types of questions, his answer is always single, which is that he will marry that specific girl only. All the 100 questions are like the different words used whereas the single answer is the single concept. True love to God alone is the single concept for which all these words are used. Concentration means theoretical devotion (Bhakti Yoga), which is attraction towards God in mind. And this should be followed by practical devotion, which is service and sacrifice. Meditation is an alternative word for concentration. Concentration is both theoretical interest and practical interest. Simply thinking the form of God is neither meditation nor concentration and nor interest. People generally misunderstand the words like concentration, meditation, interest, etc as simply maintaining the form of God in mind without any interruption. This is a foolish interpretation. Unless service and sacrifice follow in the end, these terms have no meaning at all.
2. Is it correct to keep the goal of life as practical service and sacrifice to Swami?
[Padanamaskaram Swami, my questions are Is it correct to keep the goal of Human life as 'Entering and sustaining the practical service and sacrifice to God (Swami) until the end of one's life’?]
Swami replied:- Service and sacrifice are the practical devotion. Along with this, theoretical devotion is also important, which is generated from spiritual knowledge. Spiritual knowledge means the various details of the divine personality of God knowing which the devotee is attracted to the climax. Knowledge involving intelligence, theoretical devotion involving mind and service involving spending physical energy and sacrifice of everything and everybody for the sake of God are the four steps in the spiritual journey. In every step, free will without any cheating or force is a very important aspect of this entire spiritual journey.
3. What does “Impostors of God” mean?
[Gopikas said to Lord Krishna that their family members are just impostors of God Krishna and He is the real Husband for them. What exactly does 'Imposters of God' mean? - At Your Divine Lotus Feet, Bhanu Samykya.]
Swami replied:- You have used the word imposters and I have listened to that word from you. Hence, you shall explain the meaning of this word to Me. However, I feel that the word ‘imposter’ is not a good word because the soul is not cheating the other soul with intention. The analogy of the inert photograph of an alive person gives a better picture. God is the absolute reality present in a form of relative reality and this is called as the human incarnation. An ordinary human being is simply the relative reality. The former is an alive person wearing a dress. The latter is an inert dress hung from a hook. Hence, the high level Gopikas called Krishna as the real alive husband, who returned knocking at the door. A low level gopika is the devotee worshipping the photo of her husband, not opening the door since the worship of the photo is not completed.
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