Excess of Wealth Is Poison

O Learned and Devoted Servants of God,

A poor fellow was a disciple of Shri Akkalkot Maharaj. Shri Maharaj took that fellow to a forest and showed an abode of snakes. Shri Maharaj asked him to take two snakes into his bag. The disciple took two snakes with lot of fear and took them to his house. When he opened the bag, both the snakes were found to be two rods of gold. What is the message of this story? Shri Maharaj was the human incarnation of Lord Datta and was called as Samartha Sadguru, which means that He was the capable human form of the Lord appearing as the preacher. Hence, the message must be very capable. The message of Lord Datta in this story is that the excess of money indicated by the abode of snakes is very harmful like the poisonous snakes. Nobody can escape the poisonous bite of a cluster of snakes. The poison is the ego that is injected into the human brain due to excess money, which kills the life. Here, the life is the spiritual life. In the Sanatsujatiyam of the Mahabharata, it is told that the death means forgetting God and not leaving the human body. Leaving the old human body is like changing the old shirt, which should be really an occasion of happiness only. Death means an occasion of lot of unhappiness, which is only when God is forgotten. Therefore, the message of Maharaj is that the excess of wealth is the real death of any soul. Only Lord Narayana lying on a big serpent and Lord Shiva wearing serpents as jewels are exceptional cases that are not affected by these poisonous serpents (excess wealth). This means that the excess of wealth is not poison, if it is linked to spiritual line. The Lord advised the devotee to take only two serpents indicating the limited wealth meant for materialistic life. Generally, there is a possibility of escaping the bite from two snakes.

Another human incarnation of Lord Datta was Manikya Prabhu, who as a boy excreted in the Vedic fire altar and His excretion was found to be a lump of gold. The Vedic fire altar is Yajna, which represents the path to heaven. The heaven means luxurious life, which involves excess wealth indicated by the lump of gold. But the lump of gold was treated to be the excretion, which is considered to be wastage. This means that the luxurious life is wastage only. The heaven, which is the fruit of doing social service is temporary (Kshiine punye… Gita) and is not like the permanent bliss of the Lord. The present politicians who do social service without the name of the Lord, just to become wealthy and lead a luxurious heavenly life, should take the message from the Lord Datta.

Saturn is considered to be the giver of spiritual knowledge (Jnana Karaka) and is said to be the husband of the deity of poverty (Jyestha Devi). This means that the best ground for the spiritual knowledge is poverty only but not wealth. The excess of wealth will lead to ego and attraction to luxury and is not congenial for the spiritual knowledge. But a minimum is essential for the basic needs of a spiritual preacher. A spiritual preacher must have his own minimum arrangement for the basic needs of himself and his family without depending on the society. If a spiritual preacher shows need for the basic maintenance, his preaching is misunderstood by the public, which thinks that the preacher is aiming at the fulfillment of his basic needs through the preaching. This misunderstanding is natural for the human psychology. Saturn is also famous for creating severe problems. The problems always direct the soul to God. Saturn being the eldest son of the Sun, received the spiritual knowledge from his father, who was taught by God in the beginning of this creation (Imam Vivasvate Yogam… Gita). Sun is said to be the promoter of intelligence and logic, which is essential basis for knowledge (Dhiyo yonah… Veda). The brightness of Sun destroying the darkness represents the removal of ignorance by knowledge. Saturn being the eldest son got the spiritual knowledge from his father and then passed on the same to his younger brother, Yama who in turn passed on the same to Nachiketa. Nachiketa was the first human form to bring the spiritual knowledge that transmitted from God to Sun to Saturn and finally to Yama. God is unimaginable and Sun, Saturn and Yama are the three energetic forms. Nachiketa is the first human form, who brought the spiritual knowledge from the upper world to the earth. It is mentioned in the Veda that the fire of Nachiketa (Nachiketa Agni) is very sacred and here, the fire means knowledge. Yohan says that Jesus will sprinkle fire, which means that Jesus emit the sacred spiritual knowledge. Yama is the deity of death and here, death does not mean leaving the body. Death means the ignorance by which God is forgotten, and this is the definition of death given by the sage Sanat Sujata to the king Dhritarashtra. Therefore, Yama does not cause death and instead, removes the death. The poverty, difficulties and death indicate the necessary atmosphere for the establishment of spiritual knowledge.

Liberated Soul Escapes Through Brahma Randhra

Brahma Randhra is the soft spot that can be experienced on the head of a newborn baby and this is the hole through which the liberated soul escapes to reach God. Swami Vivekananda reached God through such path as witnessed by the disciples. In this portion, there are three nerves. The left nerve is called as ‘Ida or Chandra Nadi’ or the nerve of moon. On the right side, the nerve is called as ‘Pingala or Surya Nadi’ or the nerve of Sun. In the center lies ‘Brahma Nadi’, which is the nerve of God. This is a representative model of a spiritual concept. The central nerve ends in Brahma Randhra through which a liberated soul leaves the body. When this hole undergoes internal rupture, blood flows through the nose and this was witnessed just after the death of Swami Vivekananda. Shri Paramahamsa told that the sage Nara is born as Vivekananda and his name was also Narendra. The same sage Nara was born as Arjuna and Arjuna was born as the hunter (Kannappa). The first birth of the sage Nara represents the nerve of moon or the plane of mind, which always doubts a concept (Sankalpa and Vikalpa). Mind is born from moon as per the Veda. This state represents Arjuna, who doubted Krishna as God. He was oscillating between Lord Shiva and Lord Krishna. His next birth represents the nerve of Sun. Sun is related to intelligence or determination. Sun is also the source of energy. Therefore, the hunter was fixed in the energetic form called as Lord Shiva. At the end, the hunter removed both the eyes and entered into the third eye, which represents the knowledge of absolute God (Nirguna Brahman), who is without any medium. The absolute God is unimaginable even to logic and intelligence. The hunter went to the world of Lord Shiva and became the follower of absolute God. He was born as Vivekananda in the third birth. The third eye or the central third nerve (Brahma Nadi) represents the absolute God without medium. Hence, he was born as the follower of absolute God. He was considering Paramahamsa as Master only and not as God in human form. This treatment can be seen in the birth of Arjuna also who addressed Krishna as his Master only and not as God (Sishyasteham… Gita). Shri Paramahamsa was a strong believer of Mother Kali, who represents the creation. Without the creation, no medium is available because any medium is only a part of the creation. Paramahamsa was thus, giving stress on the medium through the worship of Kali. Finally, Swami Vivekananda realized that Paramahamsa is God in human form and thus, was liberated.

When God comes down in human form, the caste and state (Ashrama) are not at all the indications of God because both these belong to the medium only. Shankara and Ramakrishna Paramahamsa were Brahmins. Shankara became a monk, whereas Ramakrishna remained as a householder. Rama was born in the caste of Kshatriyas and remained as a householder. Krishna was born in the caste of Yadavas, which is considered as a backward caste. He married several girls and violated even the state of a householder. Shankara recognized God in an untouchable person (Chandala) and fell on His feet. Often, people view the spiritual preacher (Sadguru) as untouchable person fearing for His spiritual knowledge, which may weaken their materialistic life! All this shows that the caste and the state (Ashrama) have no significance in the case of God. Gopikas belonged to the backward caste and were also women. Swami Vivekananda was born as Shudra but became a monk and reached God. Ramanuja and Madhva were also the souls (Adishesha and Vaayu). They were born as Brahmins but became monks. Janaka was born as Kshatriya and remained as a householder. All this shows that caste, sex and state have no relevance to either God in human form or to the soul in the human form trying to reach God (Sadhaka). But in the case of the soul (Sadhaka), the internal state (Ashrama) is very important, and the internal state in the human incarnation is always unimaginable God. Shankara mentioned the same point in the beginning of His commentary on the Brahma Sutras. He said that the four qualities (patience etc., detachment from desire, discriminating the truth from false and intensive desire for salvation) are only the criteria in the spiritual field and not the caste, sex etc.

Ramanuja told that the soul should be a Brahmana for spiritual field. Here, the word ‘Brahmana’ means the quality of interest and spiritual knowledge. Without knowledge, devotion cannot be born. Without devotion (practical service), there is no salvation. Therefore, the fundamental step to reach God is the spiritual knowledge. The Gita says that the words like Brahmana etc., have to be decided based on the qualities and actions only (Guna Karma Vibhagashah). Brahmana means knowledge or the person (Sadguru or spiritual preacher), which or who leads us to God (Brahma Nayati iti Brahmanah). A Brahmana by birth means that he or she is only related to the ancestral Brahmanas or sages and he or she may be Brahmana or not by qualities and actions (Brahmabandhuriva… Veda). The Veda calls such a Brahmana by birth as Brahmabandhu and not Brahmana. Swami Dayananda tried His level best to bring the reformation in Hinduism through the above concept but conservative people killed Him. Reformation is always opposed because certain privileges and benefits will be damaged for certain people in the society. Shankara and Jesus are also killed on similar grounds.

God is Careful in Granting Boons

The treasure of God is infinite and will not exhaust by giving you some money. Similarly, if He cancels your sins, there is nobody to question Him. Then, why is He delaying in giving money to you and in removing your problems by canceling all your sins? The reason is that His single aim is to transform you into a divine soul. If He gives you money, what will be the change in your behavior? If He removes all your problems, what will be the change in the practical style of your life? If God is sure that there will be no change in your behavior, He will certainly make you wealthy and will remove all your problems. A doctor is careful to give sweets to a diabetic patient. If the sugar-level of the patient rises, the problem in treating the patient also is on the head of the doctor only. If you become wealthy and get rid of all problems, you may become an uncontrolled demon and disturb the society. You may be immersed in endless luxuries and fall down. In such case, to save the society and to save yourself, God has to act. Therefore, God is careful in granting boons. Except this complication, God is not worried in any way because His power and wealth are infinite. If you can become a realized and liberated soul through the spiritual knowledge, then, there will be no change even if you become wealthy and happy. The spiritual knowledge is like the sugar tablet given to the patient in advance. In absence of such medicine in advance, the doctor will not give you more sweets since he is aware of your sugar (ego) level in your blood. Hence, you should not misunderstand the silence of God to your prayers in your problems. Shri Akkalkot Maharaj asked the poor fellow to take only two serpents (gold rods), which are like the limited sweets allowed by the doctor for a diabetic patient. The poison of the serpents, which will be induced, is the ego and the spiritual knowledge is the medicine. The poor fellow was not having spiritual knowledge and therefore, the Lord gave him limited sweets.

One should be very careful in taking the spiritual knowledge (Jnanam) from the preacher and should be equally careful in giving money to a poor fellow. You should analyze the preacher and also the poor fellow. If the preacher is not correct, the wrong spiritual knowledge will destroy the soul forever. If the poor fellow is with bad qualities, your donation will bring you sin. Therefore, Jnanam (Spiritual Knowledge) and Danam (donating money) are to be done carefully after deep analysis only. Otherwise, instead of good results, bad results are inevitable.

God in human form is to be recognized through the spiritual knowledge preached by Him and not by the miracles. The main project of God to come to the earth is only to guide the souls to the correct spiritual path, which leads the souls to permanent welfare. Therefore, the Veda says that the real identity mark of God is the special spiritual knowledge (Prajnanam Brahma). Who will decide that the knowledge is the best? Your own inner conscience is the real judge to give the certificate for the knowledge of the preacher (Pramanamantahkaranapravruttayah). For your level, whatever is the best should be the best for you. The ultimate and absolute best is not relevant to you. Therefore, the certificate given by others is not relevant to you since the levels of others differ from your level. The preacher gives the spiritual knowledge to the souls in different levels according to their corresponding levels. If you are in the highest level and if your conscience is satisfied, such spiritual knowledge is the ultimate and such preacher is the human incarnation of God. The highest preacher can give lower levels of knowledge also but the lower preacher cannot give the higher-level of knowledge. But if your level is low, the highest preacher is of no use and you can treat the preacher of your level as the highest. Even if you catch the highest preacher, He will give you the level of knowledge corresponding to your level only. The advantage with the highest preacher is that you need not change the preacher as you rise in your level. The highest preacher is only God in human form. You must filter Him not only from ordinary human beings but also must filter Him from the other false human incarnations. The most important point is that you must identify your contemporary human incarnation, which alone can clarify all your doubts. Otherwise, you can only follow the text of the past human incarnation and only your other classmates clarify all your doubts. Then, you will be certainly confused further.

The absolute knowledge of the absolute God is impossible because the absolute God is unimaginable. The absolute God comes in human form to give you the experience of His existence, in absence of which, you may deny the very existence of the absolute God and may become atheist (Astiityeva… Veda). The identification of the human form in which the absolute God exists is the knowledge of God (Brahma Jnanam or Brahma Vidya). The experience of the existence of the absolute God does not reveal any trace of the nature of the absolute God and hence, God is always unimaginable. The only information about the absolute God is that God exists. “Aum Tat Sat” means that God exists and no more information about God is available. The word Tat means that God is beyond your imagination. The word Aum denotes that God is the creator, ruler and destroyer of this world. These three adjectives indicate the works (creation, rule and destruction) of God only and not the nature of the God. This is called as the information about the existence only (Sanmatra Vada). God comes in human form, which is characterized by the awareness or chit. The awareness is fully developed up to intelligence and therefore, the human form is indicated and not birds and animals. Such human form (Chit) is not the information about God but it is the information about the medium selected by God to enter the world. Thus, the medium is only awareness (Chinmatra vada) and not the inert materials. The aim of Shankara is about the selection of the medium by the God to enter the world. The Advaita followers, who concluded that awareness itself is the absolute God, misunderstand this. God enters the world through human form for entertainment, since the very basic aim of the creation is only that according to the Veda. Such entertainment gives Him continuous happiness (Ananda). Thus, the word Sat-Chit-Ananda denotes the absolute God entering the world for continuous entertainment through the human form.

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