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Śrī Phani asked: A devotee asked me about the first step to achieving niśkāma karma yoga, which is the state of practical sacrifice, without aspiring for any fruit in return. I told him that first step is to pray to God without aspiring for any fruit in return from Him. I also told him that I will ask You about this and convey Your reply to him.
Swami replied: O Learned and Devoted Servants of God! What you told is not the first step because it is both the first and the last step. There is no other step than that step. This concept of niśkāma karma yoga...
Dr. J. S. R. Prasad asked: Can You kindly enlighten me about total sacrifice of the fruit of one’s work (sarvakarma phala tyāga), as mentioned in Gītā with reference to a common man?]
Swami replied: Wealth is the fruit of one’s work and it is to be sacrificed to God. The common man does this total sacrifice of the fruit of his work when he surrenders his entire life for the service of God alone. When the ultimate goal of your life is serving God...
Dr. K. V. Prasad asked: I read one verse in a prayer that says “O God Krishna! You alone are my father and mother. You alone are my preacher and friend. You alone are my son and daughter. You alone are my husband and darling. This is very much true”. How one God can be father, son and husband?
Swami replied: Suppose you have a large water tank and several water pipelines run from that tank...
1. Was Jesus with God or was Jesus God Himself?
[Śrī Anil asked: Padanamaskaram Swami! Please could You answer this question raised by a person with whom I was discussing over the internet. The person says that in the Bible (John 1:1 & 2), it is stressed that the Word (Jesus) was ‘with’ God. Does...
[A devotee’s question brought to Swami by Śrī Anil]
Swami replied: A snake is also a soft-natured soul. It always tries to escape from us, fearing that we might kill it. It bites us only for its self-protection, when it feels threatened that we might kill it. If you quietly go your own way, the snake...
Kum. Thrylokya asked: Pādanamaskaram Swami! Lord Jesus submitted to the will of God at the time of His crucifixion. You have said that we should submit to the will of God by accepting both rewards and punishments in life, without any resistance. Suppose, someone offers me drugs...
Śrī Anil asked: Could You please answer this question raised in an online discussion? Allah says that creation is apart from Allah and Allah gets angry if anything conceivable is worshipped. Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad Gītā does not talk of any such restriction...
[A devotee’s question brought to Swami by Śrī Anil]
Swami replied: There are many religions on this earth, each of them associated with different cultures and languages and each of them suitable to people with different levels of maturity. Diversity already exists among people. Hence, God has to descend...
[A devotee’s question brought to Swami by Śrī Anil]
Swami replied: Einstein and Newton are reputed scientists...
Śrī Ganesh V. asked: Dear Swami, I recently had a dream about You. In that dream we were having a conversation about something that I cannot recollect. But at the end of the conversation, I called myself an average devotee to which You replied, “No, You are the worst devotee”. I woke up the next day and I did not know what I must make out of this dream. After some time, I felt happy that You at least...
Smt. Anita Renkuntla asked: If a wife does not earn anything, but she offers her service (karma saṃnyāsa) by cooking food for feeding the hungry in a ritual sacrifice (yajña), does she get an equal share of the fruit of the sacrifice (karmaphala tyāga) as her husband?]
Swāmi replied: Karma saṃnyāsa and karma phala tyāga together constitute karma yoga. A non-earning member of the family can only do the sacrifice of work, which is offering his or her service...
Smt. Sudha Rani asked: Padanamaskaram Swami! The one who is on the path of developing true devotion must serve God without any aspiration (niśkāma buddhi). Such a person should not expect any worldly benefits (aihikamulu) or benefits in the upper worlds during their future births (āmnayamulu). With this understanding, I have the following questions: (a) Is it correct to believe that whatever happy and sad experiences...
Kum. Laxmi Thrylokya asked: What is the difference between having prema (love) for God and having moha (fascination) for God? I believe that lust is different from the above two words?]
Swāmi replied: Love is called prema and lust is called moha. The word love is used in the context of worldly bonds, whereas, devotion is the word used in the context of the bond with God. As such, there is not the slightest difference between love and devotion. Both are one and the same in all respects. Worldly bonds are different like the bonds with parents, brother, sister, son...
Śrī Bharath Krishna asked: While we were discussing in our satsang group, I said the following statement: “If I am doing anything good, it is due to Swami’s grace”. After saying that, one of the elder devotees in the group said that there is an even better way to pass on the credit to God, which is to say as follows: “Whatever good is happening, is due to Swami’s grace and if there are any defects...
Śrī Rajashekar asked: As there is God and the devotee, as there is guru and the disciple, this world contains both the positive and the negative. Then why does Swami ask us to focus only on the positive, which is God? Should I just be part of this play of God or should I also enjoy it being Sacchidānanda rūpa?]
Swāmi replied: This world is created by God for His entertainment, as said in the Veda. The entire creation is the object of the entertainment of God, who is the subject. The soul is a part of the object of entertainment. A person’s property...
[A question by Śrī Bharath Krishna.] Swāmi replied: The bilva leaf has three leaflets, which represent the three eyes of Lord Śiva. In the bilva leaf, two leaflets are horizontal and one leaf is vertical representing the two normal horizontal eyes and the third vertical eye on the forehead. The two horizontal eyes represent the equilibrium in pravṛtti or worldly life. The third eye on forehead represents the upward rise to spiritual life or nivṛtti. The eye is related to knowledge...
Kum. Thrylokya asked: Padanamaskaram Swami! Few years ago, I used to follow a self-help book named ‘The Secret’ written by Rhonda Bryne and millions of its copies were sold worldwide. Byrne cites a three-step process: ask, believe, and receive. This is based on a quotation from the Bible (Matthew 21:22), where it is said: “And all things, what so ever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” The book says that if we visualise our desire and constantly think about it, then the whole universe would work for us to make our dream come true. We should work hard...
Kum Thrylokya asked: We have learned from You that God has arranged joy and misery alternately in our lives, so that we can get maximum entertainment from life. Astrology gives us the exact time periods when we will enjoy health, wealth and prosperity, as well as when we will face many worldly problems in life. You have also said that Śani (Saturn), who is the giver of difficulties, as per astrology, is also the jñāna kāraka...
Kum Thrylokya asked: Swami, I am extremely blessed to be under Your divine guidance and I am learning to vote for justice against injustice. Suppose, there is a soul who does not follow a Sadguru (Human Incarnation of God) or even a guru (a scholar of the scriptures). Can that soul vote for justice against injustice? Is it possible to follow justice without fail, eternally, without any divine guidance? - At Your Divine Lotus Feet, Thrylokya.]
Swāmi replied: If you are able to follow justice and avoid injustice, without the guidance...
Śrī Surya asked: Padanamaskaram Swami! How can a devotee be in the constant service of God for all future births? Is there any prerequisite from the side of devotee for Lord Datta to grant him such an opportunity? At Your lotus feet, Surya.]
Swāmi replied: The prerequisite for such continuous service to God Datta is the service done by the devotee in the present birth. In the selection for a job, both academic qualifications and work experience are prerequisites...
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