Please enlighten me on the cases of passing and failing of candidates in the tests of God Datta.

[Prof. JSR Prasad asked:- Swami, Omniscient God Datta tests devotees in practical devotion. Please enlighten both the cases of passing and failing candidates. -At Your holy divine lotus feet]

Swami replied:- Let us take the cases of Saktuprastha and Sudaama who are passing the test. God Datta knows that they will pass the test. Then, why did He test? He tested because, the candidates are exposed to the public that they are deserving candidates so that the public will not blame God Datta that God showed partiality on them by granting the fruit without testing.

If you take the case of a failing candidate (failing candidates are many in number and hence, a name need not be given), God knows that he fails in His test. God tested him for the sake of the candidate himself so that the candidate knows his real position in the practical sacrifice to God. The devotee existing in theoretical devotion will be always thinking that he will pass even if he is tested in practical sacrifice. Thinking like this is also a theoretical thought only, which is congenial to his theoretical phase. The devotee will know his real condition only when he is practically tested. Then only he will realise the reality of the stage of his spiritual journey so that he will rectify himself after the test. Hence, for the stage of a devotee,to make him realise the truth about his spiritual stage, a failing candidate is also tested by God. In this way, even though the omniscient God knows who is going to pass or fail the test, God conducts the tests for both passing and failing candidates. The test of God for the passing candidate is for the sake of the public so that it will not blame God with partiality. The test for the failing candidate is for the sake of the candidate so that the candidate will realise the truth of his/her real stage in the spiritual effort (saadhanaa).

In the world, the non-omniscient human teacher tests every candidate since the teacher does not know who is going to pass and who is going to fail. Hence, testing every candidate, is justified. In the case of the omniscient God Datta also, this way of testing all devotees is also justified in view of the above explanation. Thus, the test-sword of God Datta is having sharpness on both side edges.