Why did God create me if I was to be ugly?

 [An online question brought to Swami by Śrī Anil.

A devotee asked: Why am I ugly? My friends ignore me because I am ugly. I wonder why God created me if I was not to be beautiful?]

Swami replied: I have told several times that physical beauty is highly temporary. It vanishes in one’s old age, in any case. Mental beauty alone is permanent. Sage Vālmīki did not call Rāma beautiful. Instead, He called Hanumān, a monkey, beautiful. In fact, He named a whole chapter Sundara Kāṇḍa after Hanumān, which means the story of the most beautiful person. The beauty of Hanumān was His exceptional aspiration-free service. People who insult other souls will be punished by God. Their own beauty will be damaged as a punishment for their sin.