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1. Can money be donated to the construction of a temple, which does food distribution to the poorest along with the propagation of spiritual knowledge?
[Smt. Chhanda asked: Paadanamaskaram Swami, please clarify the following doubts: Swami, in continuation to my earlier question, suppose someone proposes to a build new temple and promises that they will satisfy the two criteria of distributing food to the poorest and also propagate spiritual knowledge. And then asks for contribution, how will we know whether he is lying or not? What shall be our approach?]
Swami replied:- When there is such doubt, it is better to avoid them...
Smt. Chhanda asked: Swami Vivekananda commented: “The highest meditation is to think of nothing. If you can remain one moment without thought, great power will come.” But Swami, in highest meditation, only the thought of pure awareness remains. Is it not? Is it possible to think of nothing then? Please comment on the real meaning of this statement.
Swami replied:- Nothing refers to the absence of the circle of worldly thoughts. It denotes the purity of mind. The purity of mind is experienced by the awareness along with the absence of worldly thoughts...
[Smt. Chhanda asked: In the case of Parashurama, can we say there are four components like i) pure awareness, ii) individual soul, iii) physical body and iv) God? But, in case of Lord Rama, the individual soul component is not present as it was a new case. Is this correct Swami? Do they vary from incarnation to incarnation?]
Swami replied:- Pure awareness may exist in the state of meditation that can be reached by any human...
1. How is God's love so special in terms of its magnitude, quality etc.?
[Ms. Geetha Lahari asked:- Paadanamaskaaram Swami. As per my understanding, a climax devotee of God has true love to God without any aspiration and he/she sacrifices everything to God in terms of money, time and energy. How can we truly differentiate God's love from climax devotee's love towards God in that state? Please make me understand how God's love is so special in terms of its magnitude, quality etc.?]
Swami replied:- The true love of a climax devotee does not analyze the love of God towards...
[Shri Hrushikesh asked:- Shri Karthik asked me that whether the tax saved from paying the tax to government is a sin or not because Jesus told that one shall pay a tax to the king and the donation to God separately.]
Swami replied:- In those days, the king was following justice strictly and hence, Jesus told to pay the tax to the government without any fraud. Today, major participants of the government are highly fraudulent and corrupt because...
[A question by Ms. Swathika]
Swami replied:- You must have heard the saying “Simple living and high thinking". There are four probabilities in this concept:- i) Simple living and high thinking. Ex.:- Shankara, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and several sages...
[Shri Phani asked:- One Christian scolded the Hindu God since some devotees were killed in a temple. He said that the Hindu God is inefficient. I also told that Jesus could not protect Himself from Christian Popes. Will Jesus become angry with me?]
Swami replied:- There was a case in which Christians in a church were killed by terrorists. The same question...
1. Do Karma Samnyaasa and Karma Phala Tyaaga come under personal service or the mission of God?
Ms. Bhanu Samykya asked:- Paadanamaskaaram Swami, these are the petty questions from this petty soul. Please clear my mind from the storm of misunderstandings. At Your Divine Lotus feet, Bhanu Samykya. Do Karma Samnyaasa and Karma Phala Tyaaga come under personal service to God or to the mission of God? Is it the choice of the soul to serve the mission of God or to serve God personally? I personally feel...
1. Swami, my mother conveys her gratitude to You because today she has cleared the house loan.
[A question by Ms. Thrylokya]
Swami replied:- It is a great surprise that the soul is laughing with happiness for clearing the loan on the house. At the same time, when a worldly bond like issue or spouse is cut off due to the clearance of the loan taken in the previous
1. Please give Your reply on the following statement of a Muslim.
Shri Anil Antony asked: Padanamaskaram Swami. A Muslim devotee Dr. Zakir Naik preaches the following points. I request You to give responses to these points, at Your Lotus Divine Feet-anil.
Allah cannot be Brahma: Muslims can have no objection if Almighty God is referred to as ‘Kaaliq’ or ‘Creator’ or ‘Brahma’. However if it is said that Brahma is Almighty God who has four heads with each head having crown...
[Ms. Thrylokya asked:- Paadanamaskaaram Swami. In certain religious scriptures (like Christianity and Islam), statements exist saying that if their form of God is not worshipped and if other forms of God are worshipped, such people shall be killed. In this light, is Secularism (Universal Spirituality) justified?]
Swami replied:- Thousand times I shouted that in absence of direct audio-video record-proof of dictation of the scripture of any religion, all the illogical statements (that can’t be supported by any type of logic) shall be considered...
[Shri Jayesh Pandey asked: Pada Namaskaram Swami ji!, Does having Shani Dev as the Lord of the Ascendent (lagna) in an astrological chart mean good or bad?]
Swami replied:- Shani Dev is very good since he is the deity of spiritual knowledge (Jnaana kaaraka). The planet Saturn (Shani Dev) stands for Tamas, which stands for firm decision in implementing spiritual knowledge...
[A question by Shri Jayesh Pandey: Pada Namaskaram Swami ji!, Below Your Feet!]
Swami replied:- Every soul is a noble part of the screen giving entertainment to God. In the cinema, the actor of every role is heavily paid by the producer and there is no negative angle in any role. As far as the entertainment of God...
[Ms. Thrylokya asked:- Swami, some say that Jnaana Yoga is the ultimate, some say that Bhakti Yoga is the ultimate and some say that Karma Yoga is the ultimate. How do You answer this?]
Swami replied:- In fact, all the three Yogas are the ultimate and are equally important. Jnaana Yoga (true and complete Spiritual Knowledge) is very important just like water for a plant. Bhakti Yoga (theoretical devotion) is also...
[Ms. Thrylokya asked:- Shri Radha Manohar Dasji vehemently preaching for Hinduism against other religions says that the secularism of Hindus is wrong since it is making Hindus weak. What do You say?]
Swami replied:- There are four angles in any religion:- i) Offensive angle to attack other religions when they attack your religion aggressively ii) Defensive angle to answer their blames and protect our religion...
[A question ny Ms. Thrylokya]
Swami replied:- I tell you a beautiful story, which itself clearly reveals this answer. A great personality (God) established an industry (creation). One lady (devoted soul) was appointed as the personal secretary for the owner of that industry...
Swami replied:-
What is the use of describing about a mud-pond,
In which all similar pigs, almost-drowned, enjoy?
Even if a lotus flower with unimaginable fragrance,
Standing near them tries to scent those mad animals...
1. What is the true meaning of Anagha? Creation or sinless?
[Smt. Chhanda asked: Paadanamaskaram Swami, please clarify the following doubts: Swami, somewhere I read that Anagha means creation. It represents the form of creation. And You say Anagha means sinless. Is there any contradiction between these two meanings? Please enlighten me.]
Swami replied:- There is no contradiction. The literal sense is that Anagha means sinless. She is sinless because she left justice for the sake of God and not for the sake of any selfish fascination. She, being the best half of God Datta...
[Shri G. Lakshman asked: Padanamaskarams Swami. This is related to deep sleep. Deep sleep is full of ignorance and awareness doesn't exist. Please explain to me the process of how this ignorance is broken (i) when normal awakening happens, (ii) through external forceful awakening during deep sleep. At Your lotus feet, I always remain. G Lakshman]
Swami replied:- It is a natural law setup by God that the brain-nervous system starts functioning after taking rest for some period of time. When the rest is completed, the function of the system is restored by inert mechanical process...
1. Please comment on the following statement of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.
[Smt. Chhanda Chandra asked:- Paadanamaskaram Swami, please clarify the following doubts:- Ramakrishna Paramahamsa used to say many times, “Maa, one day is wasted as You did not appear before me”. I think He used to say this for His devotees as He Himself is God. Please comment.]
Swami replied:- What you said is exactly correct. Even the incarnation of God behaves...
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