Posted on: 18 Nov 2021
1. What is the reason for the existence of more than one religion in the world today?
[Shri Anil asked: Pādanamaskāram Swami, some questions raised in internet discussion forum are presented below. Please grace Your response to the same. At Your Lotus Divine Feet-anil]
Swami replied: People in different regions on the earth have different languages and cultures. To preach these different people, God came in different human forms suitable to these cultures and languages and due to this, different religions are formed. If you look all these religions through the lenses of logic-spectacle, called Universal Spirituality, you will clearly understand that God is only one and the subject preached by Him is also one and the same.
2. Do Hindus know about the Muslim Ramayana where Rama is Rama-Sultan and Seeta is Seeta-Beevi who are said to be Islamic prophets?
Swami replied: Due to Universal Spirituality any inter-religious matter is appreciable.
3. How do I stop myself from smiling/laughing in a serious situation?
Swami replied: You need not stop it because it is the characteristic of Yoga. But, you shall smile and laugh internally so that others will not find you odd.
4. How do animals worship God and how can it be identified?
Swami replied: Animals can’t worship God due to absence of predominant intelligence.
5. What are the similarities and differences between the teachings of Gautama Buddha and the teachings of Krishna from Gita?
Swami replied: It is only one subject and you need not search for similarities and differences. Both Krishna and Buddha are incarnations of God Vishnu with whom God Datta is perfectly merged.
6. Whom do Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, Apple and Google worship for the fortune?
[In India people worship Laxmi, the Goddess of wealth. Whom do Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, Apple and Google worship for the fortune that they have created?]
Swami replied: Wealth is not blessed by fortune, but, by Goddess Lakshmi based on one’s charity to deserving receivers.
7. Is the Pope an antichrist?
Swami replied: Anti-Christ means anti-theist or atheist.
8. Why is the tree peepal sacred?
[In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna says: ' Amongst trees, I am the peepal tree (sacred fig tree)'. What makes this tree sacred? What is the significance of the peepal tree in terms of the environment today?]
Swami replied: It is just a representative model for God on which sacredness is psychologically imposed.
9. What is a perfect body according to Vedic science?
Swami replied: A body with good health having peaceful mind and theistic intelligence is perfect.
10. Did Buddha suggest a human becomes a deity in heaven?
[Regarding heavenly realms in Buddhist cosmology, did Buddha suggest a human becomes a deity in a heavenly realm, or is simply reborn in the presence of a deity in a heavenly realm? Or are these synonymous?]
Swami replied: Both are synonymous.
11. What does a tiger symbolise in Hinduism?
Swami replied: It is said to be the vehicle of Goddess Durga, who killed horrible demons to bring peace to world.
12. Is being lazy a mortal sin?
Swami replied: Laziness is not a sin but a lazy soul will be born as a lazy animal.
13. Why are Westerners accepting Sanaatana Dharma while so many Hindus in India are getting converted to other beliefs?
Swami replied: People converting themselves from one religion to other religion do not care to understand their own religions deeply.
14. Why would God create other planets when there are no beings on them to test?
Swami replied: Living beings exist in other planets, which are invisible to us.
15. If God can do everything, then why should we do anything?
Swami replied: If we don’t do anything, we will be born as lazy animals.
16. Why is Parvati missing in the picture of Lalita Tripura Sundari whereas all Gods are present there?
Swami replied: Who told you that Paarvati is missing?
17. Why do we find different Ramayanas and Mahabharatas?
[Most classic epics are in original form and original even in translations. But why do we find different Ramayanas and different Mahabharatas by different authors in different languages and regions?]
Swami replied: Some stories are built by scholars also, which are giving good messages to humanity. The aim of the study of history is only to become careful.
18. Are there any verses mentioned in Scriptures that prove the authenticity of Your Sampradaya?
[Referring to the Guruparampara of Shri Datta Swami; a person asked this way: Are there any verses mentioned in Scriptures that prove the authenticity of Your Sampradaya? If yes, quote me them.]
Swami replied: Why do you want other quotations? Are they not also written by some people? You must learn the concept in My verse. First is unimaginable God, who is neither imaginable nor visible. The second is God Datta, the first energetic incarnation, who is imaginable but not easily visible. The third is Satya Sai, the latest human incarnation, who was imaginable and visible. The first is the original absolute reality whereas the second and third are the first mediated with relatively real media for the sake of upper worlds and earth respectively.
19. Why did God create man first and not woman first?
Swami replied: Generally, husband is elder than wife.
20. Why wouldn't Jesus want people to understand and repent?
[According to Mark 4:12; Jesus speaks in parables so people won't figure things out and repent. Why wouldn't Jesus want people to understand and repent?]
Swami replied: Parables help the people to understand the concepts with good absorption. The concept is easily understood. Do you think that due to this defect of Jesus, no Christian repented so far?
21. How does God hide Himself in light?
Swami replied: God can hide light and can appear in darkness due to His unimaginable power.
22. God made man in His own image and likeness. Did God has a wife?
Swami replied: God appears like us in all aspects so that He can freely mix with us without causing excitation in us through unimaginable powers.
23. If the Bible is the word of God then why are there so many mistakes and contradictions in it?
Swami replied: Mistakes and contradictions are in us only and not in the preaching of God’s incarnation.
24. Why does Allah keep so many secrets from us?
Swami replied: Even elders keep secrets from children due to immaturity of children.
25. Can Christians believe in Nirvaana?
Swami replied: There is no question of somebody believing or not believing the atomic theory of science. This is a simile for the above concept.
26. Did Jesus mislead His followers when He claimed that the kingdom of God would come to earth during their lifetime?
Swami replied: Kingdom of God means the rule of God on earth. Did Judas not commit suicide for his sin?