Divine Satsanga on Shri Datta Swami's Birthday (Part-4)

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33. The unimaginable God appears as a human incarnation or as an energetic incarnation. But can He appear as space?

[Devotee asked: There is a particular point I did not understand in a discourse You had given:

“The unimaginable God appears as space or subtle energy, which is an adhyasa or superimposition.”

In my understanding of the above point, the unimaginable God appears as a human incarnation or as an energetic incarnation. But can He appear as space?]

Swāmi replied: How has God created this universe? According to Shankara, it is a superimposition or adhyasa. God appears as energy because energy is relatively real while He is absolutely real. The example of the rope appearing as a snake can be applied here. In the same way, He appeared as energy, and in turn, energy appeared as matter. Since He is the creator, He can surpass that Maya. But because we are part of creation, we cannot surpass Maya. We can only surpass avidya.

Suppose I have seen a rope as a serpent. With a torchlight, I can identify the rope for what it truly is and surpass the illusion—-this is called avidya. On the other hand, science says that matter is condensed energy. But can you practically realize matter as energy? The answer is no. Energy is the rope and matter is the snake. Energy appears as matter but you cannot cross that illusion and see matter and energy in practical terms—this is Maya, which is nothing but the power of God. You cannot surpass Maya, but He can surpass it.

The bolted doors were made of matter, but Shankara passed through them because He was an incarnation of God. But you cannot pass through a bolted door because you are under the control of that superimposition called Maya. You are controlled by Maya whereas He controls Maya. In this example, Maya is a superimposition, but it can be several other things as well. Any impossible thing is possible for Him—that is also called Maya (Aghatana ghatana patiyasi maya). Shankara has defined Maya as that which is not possible for you but which is possible for Him. Maya should not be taken in the wrong sense such as speaking something false or cheating someone. Maya is the power of God by which energy appears as matter.

34. Can space appear as God through His Maya?

[A question asked by Shri Ganesh.]

Swāmi replied: Space is also subtle energy. There is nothing like nothing. Even vacuum produces energy, known as vacuum energy by scientists. That subtle energy is space. First, space is produced in creation, which is nothing but energy. So, in this sense, God appeared as energy. By His Maya, He appeared as energy to Himself. But He essentially knows that this energy is nothing. That is why He can do anything with that energy. That is how Krishna could show the entire universe in His tiny mouth. He showed the entire universe in a very small space. Space acts according to His will. We cannot do what He did. In a certain space of a certain size, we cannot show a bigger space. So, space is in His control because He created it. He appears as space.

God is unimaginable. As long as you don't understand Him, you have perfectly understood Him. If you try to understand Him by logic and say that you have understood Him, you have, in fact, not understood anything. That is what He told in the verse, yasya amataṁ tasya mataṁ yasya mataṁ saḥ na veda. Anybody who says that he is unable to understand God has understood at least one point about God, that is, God cannot be understood. The person who says mataṁ yasya na veda sa—I have understood God—has not understood anything. Such a person is totally ignorant about God. The Veda also says Avijnaatam vijaanatam, vijnaatam avijaanatam. The one who says I know (vijnaatam) doesn't understand anything (avijaanatam). He who says that I have not understood (Avijnaatam) has understood at least something about God (vijaanatam). This is what God Yama told Nachiketa.

Let Me give you one experiment. You try to solve it and you will understand God. That is, close your eyes and think that if this space disappears, what will the situation be like? You can't imagine how it will be if space disappears! His first creation is space (Atmana akasha sambhutah). You have not understood even the dissolution of the first creation. Without understanding the dissolution of His creation, how can you understand it at all? You see, there is a clay pot. When the pot is destroyed, you can understand the lump of clay. In the same sense, let's say God has become space. When space is destroyed, you can understand God. But, when space disappears, you cannot imagine what it will be like. That means you can never imagine God. That is why I have named Him as the unimaginable God.

The original, absolute God is unimaginable. He has created creation. You can understand His creation. He is the Father and you are the son. He has kept the unimaginable domain as His share of the property and He has given the imaginable domain to you as your share of the property. Why do you want to grab His property also? He has given you this imaginable domain as your property. You cannot take His property. Even this imaginable domain that He has given to you as your share is also His property. He has divided His property into two parts—He has kept one part for Himself and He has given another part to you. Simply saying that God is unimaginable will give peace to you and the perfect solution about God. If you try to imagine Him or try to imagine His unimaginable actions, you will become mad. The Veda says Astityevopalabdavyah—about God, we have received only one piece of information, that is, He exists. This conclusion has been arrived at through His unimaginable miracles. Through unimaginable miracles, we come to understand that the source of the miracles must be unimaginable. Miracles are based on perception and are unimaginable events that you can see with your eyes. Through miracles, we know that God exists. We can never know His inherent nature.

35. I really liked the explanation that You gave to Nikhil sir about how time can be defined in terms of space.

[A comment made by Shri Ganesh.]

Swāmi replied: You know, Swami found a fault even with Einstein. Einstein said that space is geometrical. He said that when matter disappears, space also will disappear. His statement was that space is only geometrical, not absolute. This can be found in one of his books called the Ideas and Opinions of Albert Einstein.

Let's say there are two walls. A particular space exists between these two walls. Suppose both the walls are destroyed and beyond the two walls, two trees are present on both sides. The space that you then see is the space existing between the two trees as the space between the two walls got destroyed. But you cannot perceive this destruction of space (between the two walls) because of the space existing between the two trees, which are present behind the two walls. In this sense, Einstein says that space is only geometrical and not absolute. But Einstein’s idea of space is wrong.

According to the verse Atmana akasha sambhutah, God created only space in the beginning. Space can exist without matter and energy. Everything may disappear but space may still exist. The whole creation is relatively real with respect to God. This means that space is relatively real with respect to God. Air is relatively real with respect to God. Water is relatively real with respect to God. But space is not relatively real with respect to matter. All items of creation are relatively real with respect to God. So, each item of creation is relatively real. Matter and energy may disappear but space can still remain because space is absolute with respect to the rest of creation and not geometrical.

When God created space, space alone existed. It is not geometrical. It exists by itself. Space is subtle energy. When all energy—including gross and subtle—disappears, space also disappears because space itself is energy. Energy is of two kinds—subtle and gross. Subtle energy is space. When gross energy disappears, subtle energy can still exist. But if the entire energy disappears, then space also disappears. So, in this way, Swami found a fault with Einstein. After all, what is Einstein before God Datta?

36. Why are Scientists given more importance compared to spiritual Gurus?

[Smt. Sudha Rani asked: Swami, in present times, why are scientists given more importance as compared to spiritual Gurus?]

Swāmi replied: I appreciate the analysis of the scientists regarding the objects inside creation. Science has proved that awareness is not God and that it is only a work form of inert energy functioning in a specific nervous system. Even in our Universal Spirituality emblem, you see that science is also considered as a religion alongside other major religions. With the help of science, we cannot study God, but we can study creation perfectly. That is why I call it spiritual science instead of spiritual knowledge. Science has also disproved the argument that sound is the property of space. Science proved that sound cannot travel in vacuum. Science may disprove ancient logic but it cannot explain God. Ghatothgaja killed a demon Alambhasa and Ghatothgaja, in turn, was killed by Lord Krishna. Science may defeat Tarka Shastra, but it will be defeated by Vedanta Shastra. Vedanta Shastra defeats both Tarka Shastra and Science because it explains the Unimaginable God.

As long as the unimaginable events called miracles keep happening in this world, God’s existence will be accepted. The Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita will be considered mere stories if miracles don’t happen. As a student of science, I Myself will ask why shouldn’t I consider these scriptures as fiction stories? What is the proof? Miracles stand as proof for the existence of the Unimaginable God. Lord Datta is very famous for His miracles. Every incarnation of Lord Datta shows numerous miracles. People listen to the policeman only when they see a baton (lathi) in his hand. The miracle is like a baton (lathi) for the human incarnation. Even the DIG wears a police uniform and holds a baton once in a while to give practical proof of his existence as an officer. Ordinary people will not listen to the DIG when he comes in a civil dress. Similarly, human incarnations show miracles once in a while to restore humanity’s faith in the existence of God.

Devotees should not try to exploit the miraculous power of God. Upon seeing miracles, devotion might become business devotion. Devotees start thinking of how to use that miraculous power for their own benefit. Some people even start acting as devotees for the sake of experiencing more miracles. Sometimes, it spoils both the performer and the viewer of the miracle. People praise the performer and that might result in the performer developing ego. Also, devotees might become selfish so as to benefit more and more from miracles. This is a disadvantage of showing miracles. But without miracles, everyone will consider divine knowledge as a mere story or gossip or poetry.

37. How do we know if the miracles recorded in Mahima Yamuna are real?

[Shri Hrushikesh asked: Swami, someone reading Your book, Mahima Yamuna, may also feel that the miracles mentioned there are not real. How do we answer them?]

Swāmi replied: In the book of Mahima Yamuna, you get to see the photos and addresses of all the devotees who experienced miracles because of Me. Even medically scanned reports are preserved by devotees, so that they can stand as proof for the miraculous cure of deadly illnesses. An atheistic doctor at that time had expressed his astonishment saying that such events are impossible in the field of medicine.

Shankara miraculously crossed the bolted doors and entered Mandana Mishra’s home. But Mandana Mishra ridiculed this indecent act of trespassing into another’s property (Kutho mundi...). He surrendered to Shankara only after listening to His knowledge for 27 days. Had Shankara performed the same miracle today, people would have fallen at His feet immediately without even listening to His knowledge! This is the standard of people today. In Kali Yuga, people don’t give importance to knowledge and bhakti. They give importance only to miracles. Even a demon or a Kshudra Mantrika can perform miracles. All human incarnations in Kali Yuga such as Sripada Sri Vallabha, Akkalkot Maharaj, Manik Prabhu, Gajanan Maharaj, Shirdi Sai Baba, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Satya Sai Baba, etc. have shown miracles. Even Lord Rama, who is the Adarsha Manusha Avatara, performed one miracle of restoring Ahalya from the stone she has been cursed to turn into.

Many have become My devotees only by experiencing miracles. Although they listen to My knowledge, they start losing faith in due course of time. When I show a miracle, their faith in Me gets restored. The funny thing is that I haven’t shown even a single miracle to Dr. Nikhil and his wife Devi, who are My best devotees in this creation. Showing a miracle to them is like insulting their devotion towards Me. Nikhil’s approach towards Me is always knowledge and Devi’s approach towards Me is always devotion. Together, both represent jnana and bhakti.

38. What is the importance of vibhuti?

Swāmi replied: Vibhuti represents Shiva tatvam. Ash represents the ultimate stage. Everything will be destroyed and turned to ash at the end. Ash cannot be oxidised any more and it also cannot be converted into anything else.

39. Do some miracles benefit devotees or do all miracles spoil them?

[Shri Ganesh asked: Swami, You said previously that miracles spoil devotees. But what about the quality of the miracles? Are there not miracles that benefit the devotee?]

Swāmi replied: God always helps a deserving devotee through a miracle whenever the need truly arises. However, there are several undeserving people whose selfishness and ambition will increase when they experience miracles. God is omniscient, and knows very well as to whom a miracle must be shown and to whom it should not be shown.

40. When will I see more people enjoying Your divine knowledge?

[Shri Ravinder Reddy asked: Swami, I wish to see masses enjoying this divine knowledge. When will it be possible?]

Swāmi replied: Everything happens according to the will of the Lord. I was always by the side of the Divine from the beginning of My life. Even while I was working as a Professor, I used all My leisure time only for the sake of God by propagating divine knowledge. Everything happened only by the will of God and we should not wish for anything. Our responsibility is to work according to His wish.

41. Can I ask divine knowledge from God?

[Smt. Sudha Rani asked: Swami, You said that we should not ask for anything from God. Does it include divine knowledge also?]

Swāmi replied: You can ask God for that which pleases Him. God is pleased when you ask Him for divine knowledge. Do not ask for those things that lead to God developing a cheap impression of you. Even in this world, people form a cheap impression of you when you ask them for some benefit or another. You give off a dignified impression when you don't ask anything from anyone. People also give you more when you don’t ask them for anything.

When you offer something to God with no desire or aspiration for anything from Him, then that is real love. God is pleased by those who do service just to please Him without any expectation in return.

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