Posted on: 12 Oct 2021
1. What does it mean when Jesus says, “My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:30)?
[Shri Anil asked: Padanamaskaram Swami, some questions raised in internet discussion forum is presented below. Please grace Your response to the same. At Your Lotus Divine Feet-anil]
Swami replied:- The program of human incarnation is easy since it is already perfectly programmed by the unimaginable God.
2. Why did Jesus talk in parables?
Swami replied:- Parables are elaborated forms of similes that impress concepts on our brains.
3. Is it possible to live like Jesus Christ?
Swami replied:- The purpose of human incarnation is only that.
4. When will Jesus come back?
Swami replied:- He will be coming back whenever there is necessity in the world.
5. Did Jesus actually die on the cross when He was crucified?
Swami replied:- Only the medium or body of Jesus died and not the soul or God merged with the soul and body of Jesus. The omnipotent God has the power to make even the dead body alive. These are only silly doubts.
6. What is the reasoning for everyone's hate towards Jesus?
Swami replied:- Jealousy exists even towards greater human beings and not speak of jealousy towards greatest human incarnation.
7. If no one can come to the Father except through Jesus, how can people who believe in God but lived before Jesus be saved?
Swami replied:- Here, the word Jesus means contemporary human incarnation.
8. What did Jesus mean when He said, "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword?”
Swami replied:- Attachment to God brings natural and spontaneous detachment from the worldly bonds, but, we think that the attachment to God is sword that cuts our worldly bonds. Based on our misunderstanding Jesus told this statement catagorically!
9. Did Jesus forgive those that killed Him? So whether their sins got cancelled?
Swami replied:- That shows the kindness and generosity of Jesus. Their sins should have been cancelled provided they realized, repented and did not repeat the same sin. Had they not undergone the reformation, they should have been punished in the hell because punishment is also for reformation only and not for revenge.
10. Is there rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents?
Swami replied:- After repentance the sinner should have not repeated the sin again in his/her lifetime the punishment gets cancelled and the sinner need not go to hell. But, he need not go to heaven in the absence of any good deed.
11. Can I enter the kingdom of God without believing in Jesus Christ?
Swami replied:- You can enter the kingdom of God if you believe your contemporary human incarnation provided you recognize Jesus also as the past human incarnation.
12. How did Jesus, dying on the cross, save me from my sins?
Swami replied:- The drama of dying of Jesus on the cross was arranged by God to generate kindness in the rocky hearts of those people living in the time of Jesus.
13. Did Jesus marry Mary Magdalene? The novel Da Vinci Code says that Jesus still has a bloodline protected by some group of Christians.
Swami replied:- There is nothing wrong in this story provided Magdalene loved Jesus with sweet devotion. Jesus is human mediated God and the human medium retains all the properties of human body like eating, drinking, sleeping and sex since these are the biological needs of biological body. When God is mediated, He will not interfere with the properties of the medium so that He can mix freely with the human beings so that they will clear their doubts without any excitation.
14. Did Mary, mother of Jesus have other children after Jesus?
Swami replied:- In what way this question helps your spiritual progress?
15. How did Jesus walk on water?
Swami replied:- Jesus is human incarnation of omnipotent God.
16. Do Christians believe that Jesus is the last prophet, like Muslims believe that Muhammad was the last prophet? Did Jesus Himself say that?
Swami replied:- Whether said or not every human incarnation is last Prophet since every incarnation preaches entire syllabus of spiritual knowledge. Every teacher after completing the syllabus in every year says that this is last class and everything taught is covered and completed, which means the seal of the prescribed syllabus.
17. Is a love marriage easily acceptable by God through the Bible?
Swami replied:- If Holy scripture is believed, it means that the action is accepted by God.
18. What is likely theological significance of the following Hadith?
[What is likely theological significance of Muhammad saying “In heaven, Miriam, the mother of Jesus, will be one of my wives.” Hadith al-Siyuti 6/395? In other place it is written "The Messenger of God said, ‘God married me in paradise to Mary (Jesus’s mother) the daughter of 'Imran and to the wife of Pharaoh and the sister of Moses.’" Tabarani]
Swami replied:- Either you have to take this as insertion done by some culprits or you have to take a deeper meaning. In the second case, we have to take that the unimaginable God is speaking this statement. The word wife means the maintained soul by God. In such case all the souls except God are the maintained souls by God.
19. What is the meaning of the following verse of Quran?
[Narrated Anas: The Prophet said "None of you will have faith till he loves me more than his father, his children and all mankind." Sahih Bukhari 1:2:14 What is the meaning of this verse?]
Swami replied:- While doing service to humanity, one must think that he/she is serving the humanity since God likes such service and not because that one likes such service. There shall be nobody between God and devotee.
20. What is the purpose that samadhis are constructed (with the body preserved) for Hindu saints after their death?
Swami replied:- It is simply sentimental.
21. A goat does not commit any sin throughout its whole life, yet it is slaughtered. Why?
Swami replied:- This is the reason why such a slaughter is the greatest sin.
22. What is the science behind the practice of blowing a conch (shankh) during daily prayers?
Swami replied:- It is just serving the purpose of music.
23. Do we have to become yogis before we can see God/Krishna in everything and everyone?
Swami replied:- This means not the literal meaning. This means that you respect and love everybody thinking that everybody is God. This is a general precaution. This does not mean that everybody is really God and also does not mean that everybody is as holy as God. You must punish the wrong person also thinking that reforming a sinner is also worship of God!
24. Do you think hardline Hinduism is the only answer to counter hardline Islam?
Swami replied:- Either Hinduism or Islam is established by the same kindest God. Where is the place for hardline?
25. If I would have started my own religion, giving my own theory, would You've still believed it without questioning?
Swami replied:- I will believe it provided it stands through My sharp analysis.
26. Is it okay to worship dead great people?
Swami replied:- The aim is only to get inspiration to do good works.
27. Why are we worshiping Shiv ling and not Trimurti?
Swami replied:- The same unimaginable God represents Shivaling or the statue of Trimurti.
28. What was Lord Krishna’s advice to Arjuna?
Swami replied:- To do the war cutting fascination to worldly bonds to establish justice and destroy injustice to please God.
29. Why does ISKCON hate Mayavadis?
Swami replied:- God Krishna used the word Mayaa in the Gita saying that Mayaa belongs to Him (Mama māyā duratyayā).
30. Who is Yogmaya and how is it related to Lord Vishnu?
Swami replied:- Yogamayaa is the sister of God Vishnu, who is the unimaginable power of unimaginable God. She is the wife of God Shiva and hence, the sister of God Vishnu.
31. How do I become just like Krishna in qualities, like talkative, answer to every question etc.?
Swami replied:- By studying spiritual knowledge with utmost care.
32. Can the people of Earth survive without a guru?
Swami replied:- They can survive like animals and birds.
33. What does Bhagavad Gita say about disappointments and rejections?
Swami replied:- Not to care about them after understanding them.
34. What type of a sin does one incur when one removes his sacred thread knowingly many times after his upanayanam?
Swami replied:- A realized soul or saint removes it once only!
35. Why does God continue to love us even though we are doing all these evil deeds in front of His sight?
Swami replied:- You must ask your parents this question or you will realize if you are a parent.
36. What is mahasamadhi? How do yogis do it on their will?
Swami replied:- When their program assigned by God is finished, they quit the body with full happiness and satisfaction.
37. How can I become like Yamraj or Shani dev? I am a mortal human.
Swami replied:- Yamaraj tries to bring reformation in human souls through punishments of sins. Shani dev tries to do the same thing by giving difficulties to sinners.
38. Who is the founder of Sanatan Dharma?
Swami replied:- The unimaginable beginningless God.
39. Did Lord Shiva really chase after Mohini and forgot about Parvati? How did Maa Parvati feel?
Swami replied:- Mohini as an actor is the brother of mother Parvati only!
40. What chapter from the Gita should I read when someone dies?
Swami replied:- The second chapter.
41. What do the three lines of Shiva Linga indicate?
Swami replied:- The three divine forms of self called Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
42. I want to live and see Kalki Avatar. What shall I do?
Swami replied:- Try to do His goal now itself without using His sword, using sword-knowledge.
43. Are all religions same?
[Are all religions same? Do religious books of Hinduism, Christianity; Islam concept is same as said by some gurus? PS: Need answer with authentic references.]
Swami replied:- Ekaṃ sat viprā bahudhā vadanti – Veda means that all scholars speak the same truth in different ways. Ahaṃ bījapradaḥ pitā— Gita means that the same God is the Father of all souls in the creation.
44. Why does Bhagavatam say that Trimurtis came under control of Hiranyakashipu and serve him?
[Why does Shrimad Bhagavatam 7.4.13 say that Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh came under control of a poor demon like Hiranyakashipu and began serving him?]
Swami replied:- As per the boon given to the demon by the same one God and to give some time for realization.
45. Why does I feel God is so far away sometimes?
Swami replied:- Sometimes, your devotion to God is becoming weak.
46. Why did Shankarachya write Soundarya Lahari even though He established Advaita Siddhanta?
Swami replied:- He praised all forms of God for the sake of different tastes of different people.
47. How is the untimely death of someone's loved ones good for them?
[In Bhagvad Gita Lord Krishna says that everything happens for a good reason. How is the untimely death of someone's loved ones good for them?]
Swami replied:- It is good because everyone shall realize that all these worldly bonds are temporary and hence, unreal (Yadanityaṃ tat kṛtakaṃ hi— Shankara).
48. How concepts like backward/upper class appeared in Indian Constitution?
[There is no concept of high or low caste in Bhagavad Gita, neither there is any mention of categorizing anyone based on birth in a particular family, then why such concepts like backward class and upper class is registered in Indian Constitution?]
Swami replied:- They wanted to help the suppressed people and in order to identify them such words are used. But, this is not correct since it is done for catching votes only. The correct policy shall be to recognize the economic backwardness irrespective of birth and help such people.
49. If we invent a time machine, then can we see Lord Krishna in our past? If yes, then how? If no, then why?
Swami replied:- What is the use of seeing Krishna? You read the Bhagavat Gita and become like Him.
50. Can I love Lord Shiva as my husband?
Swami replied:- Lord Shiva is the husband (maintainer) of all the souls in the world.