Posted on: 04 Apr 2020
Tinku K. asked: Jai Guru Datta! Namasakaram Guruji! Please explain the following doubts that I have. What is the importance and scientific reason behind the Śani Trayodaśi? Will it give results only on performing the evening abhiṣeka to Lord Śiva? I read in the Śrīpāda Śrīvallabha Charitāmṛtam that this pūjā is one of the reasons for the birth of Śrīpāda Śrīvallabha Swami. In the Charitāmṛtam, Śrīpāda Śrīvallabha said that His maternal grandfather did śaktipāta from the Sūrya mandal to Śrīśaila Mallikārjuna Swami. What is śaktipāta? Is it the tremendous energy that the sun generates by nuclear fusion?
Swami replied: O Learned and Devoted Servants of God! Śakti here does not mean the inert energy generated in the physical sun. It only means the unimaginable power of the unimaginable God given to the deity Sūrya, the Sun-god.
[A question by Tinku K.]
Swami replied: Lord Śiva means God who is detached from all worldly bonds, including the bond with wealth, which is the strongest worldly bond. A person can only donate that item from which he is detached (vairāgya). If one is attached to an item, he will not donate it to you. Hence, the answer to your question is in the question itself.
[Tinku K. asked: Guruji, I have read the Datta Guru Bhagavad Gita composed by You, which is a conversation between Lord Datta and Shri Datta Swami (Yourself). In it, Lord Datta said that sage Durvāsā, who was an Incarnation of Lord Śiva became Rādhā Devī. Please explain the reason behind it. ]
Swami replied: The tamas quality is predominant in God Śiva. Tamas means rigidity or firmness. Rādhā is very famous for her unshakable love for God Krishna. In the final stage of the spiritual effort, firm determination and rigidity are necessary for practical service and sacrifice.
[Tinku K. asked: It is said that Lord Datta is Śrī Lalitā Tripura Sundarī Devī and His 16-year-old divine form is Śrī Bāla Tripura Sundarī Devī. What is the meaning of the name Śrī Lalitā Tripura Sundarī Devī and what is the Śrī Cakram? Please explain the scientific reason behind their worship.]
Swami replied: The name Lalitā Sundarī means that God is always beautiful due to His divine qualities. His beauty is internal. Śrī Cakram means a person’s attachment to money and wealth, which is the most powerful hurdle in the spiritual journey. The sacrifice of the fruit of work, which is emphasised in the Gita, means the sacrifice of money and wealth for God. The connection between God’s internal beauty or divine qualities and the devotee’s practical sacrifice of his or her hard-earned wealth to God is the relationship between Sundarī Devī and Śrī Cakram. When the devotee is impressed with God’s beautiful divine qualities, he or she develops devotion for God. As a proof of that devotion, the devotee sacrifices his or her hard-earned wealth to God. It proves that the devotee’s bond with the beautiful God (Sundarī) exceeds the devotee’s bond with money (Śrī Cakram).
[Tinku K. asked: Why is tulasī (holy basil) planted in front of the main entrance of the home on the east side and worshipped? Is Mother Tulasī being worshipped because, as per our scriptures, she was a great devotee of Lord Nārāyaṇa?]
Swami replied: Tulasī is a great devotee of God. The worship of the devotee is considered to be more important than the worship of God. The devotee is the second address of God, whereas His first address is the contemporary Human Incarnation. But the devotee is more important than the Incarnation. In the Incarnation, God and the devotee who has become the human medium for God’s entry, become equal since God merges with that devotee completely. In the case of a separate devotee, God becomes the servant of the devotee.
[Shri Manikanta asked: Padanamaskaram Swami! I am trying to come out of the negative thoughts that attack me. But I am not sure of whatever analysis I am doing. Somehow, I repeatedly get into those negative thoughts. Please guide me, Swami! At your divine lotus feet. Manikanta.]
Swami replied: If you resist something or if you worry about something, it will attack you again and again. If you take care of a guest, the guest will visit you again and again. If you do not care for the guest in the very first visit, the guest will never visit you again. Do not link the spiritual knowledge with such thoughts. Some such thoughts can arise from your conscious mind, which is related to the thoughts and experiences of the present birth. Some can arise from the subconscious mind, which is related to the previous birth and some can arise from the unconscious mind, which is related to all the past births. Such thoughts are not at all connected to spiritual knowledge or to your devotion to God. When you are worshipping God, a dog may pass by you. But God is not connected to that dog in any way because the word DOG is the exact opposite of the word GOD!
Keywords:
| Shri Dattaswami | Sri pada Sri vallabha Charitamrutham Shiva Radha Durvasa Shri Chakram Lalitha Sundari Tulasi