Renunciation, Devotion and Satguru

1. How to conquer the ego and attachment to the world?

[Shri C.B.K. Murthy asked Swami about the way to conquer the ahamkara (ego) and mamakara (attachment to the world).]

Swami replied: The only way to conquer ego is to keep yourself always in the Dvaita of Madhva. Always remember Hanuman as your guide and the ghost of ego will run away. Remember that Hanuman always tells that He is the servant of Rama (just a human form) even though He is made creator (God). The attachment to the world can never be broken without tasting the attachment with God. In such case, there is no need of any special effort to break the attachment with the world. If you taste the badam Kheer (a special sweet), you will spontaneously reject coffee. Without devotion or bhakti (attachment to God), there is no meaning in trying for the detachment for the world or vairagyam. Even if you try for it, such detachment for the world is not permanent and you will be attached more vigorously to the world within short time. The worldly bonds will leave you since they are neglected by you due to more attachment to the world. Sometimes the worldly bonds may fight with you with jealousy like the first wife of a husband on seeing the newly married second wife. In such case, do not leave the worldly bonds mercilessly. You must try your level best to convince the family members and you must try to convert them also into devotees. Even if they do not fight with you, you have to do this as a part of God’s mission. Your family is a part of the world. The propagation of divine knowledge in the world should start with your family. You are working day and night for the welfare of your family. Then, is it not your duty to work for their eternal spiritual welfare? By this, if your family members become devotees, they will not oppose you, instead, they will support you. Even if you leave the family and go out, you have to live in association of devotees only. Ignorant people leave the house and go to forest where even the normal behavior of human beings is not seen and instead, they see the animals and birds, which are always trying and fighting for food. Shankara left His mother and did not go to forest. He went to Shri Govinda Bhagavatpada to have spiritual association. Throughout His life, He was wandering in the world only with spiritual debates.

I do not understand the significance of forests in the spiritual field. If you say that peaceful atmosphere exists in forests, it is zero. Plus, which is the association with devotees and Sadguru is far better than zero. Zero is only better than minus, which is the disturbance in the world. Therefore, the sages took the advantage of zero and plus by living in forests together. Hence, the association with devotees is main and not mere forest. If you can convert your family members into devotees, you need not go out. Thus, the obstruction in your spiritual path is removed and simultaneously you have also done the work of God. It is best because it is double edged due to simultaneous work of yourself and God. In spite of your best efforts, if the family does not change, then only you have to leave the family for the sake of God (Yadahareva virajet… Veda). But this step should be the last resort and should not be the first step itself. This problem becomes most serious if God is the contemporary human incarnation. Hanuman did not get such problems because His mother and father were divine with full spiritual knowledge and encouraged Hanuman to leave the house to serve Rama. He was not married and therefore, the problem from the side of wife and children did not arise. But in the case of Gopikas, the problem was very serious because their husbands and relatives were ignorant also. It was a fire test for them because that was the last worldly birth for those sages. The detachment from the world should be done carefully without haste. As a last resort only, the extreme step of samnyasa should be taken up for the sake of God. In the absence of Krishna, Gopikas became mad and did not live in their houses. They were roaming in the outskirts of the village called as Brindavanam. Their stage was the climax and hence, they were given the highest position called as Goloka. In their case, the detachment from the worldly bonds was without any effort or force. Their detachment was due to their madness of Krishna. Hence, you should not aim at the detachment from the world because it is a spontaneous consequence of the devotion.

Once Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa was killing the bed bugs present in a cot. The devotees were surprised at that. He told that anything that comes as a hindrance in the spiritual path should be cut down mercilessly. But, He took such extreme step because the bed bugs will not realize the truth even if He preaches the bed bugs. Similarly, when the family members stand in the level of animals without realization, inspite of your best efforts, then only you have to discard them to save yourself from drowning in the world. A swimmer tries to help the person who is drowning. But in such effort, if he finds that he is also getting drowned, he will leave that person and will save atleast his life instead of drowning of two persons. The word ‘samsara’ means only the strong family bonds, which are constantly penetrating into the mind day by day (Samsarati iti Samsarah). You have to cross this samsara and not this physical world, since samsara does not mean this physical world. If you mean this physical world, you can cross samsara by death and for that no effort is needed.

The renunciation (Samnyasa) cannot come by emotions if the cause is quarrel in the family and cannot be real if the aim is to earn the livelihood. Arjuna wanted to take Samnyasa based on emotion developed in killing his grandfather. Samnyasa means detachment from the bonds of family. But Arjuna wanted to take Samnyasa due to attachment to the bonds of his family members like grandfather etc. Samnyasa is a natural consequence of the intensive attachment (devotion) to God. The emotion should be in the devotion and should not be in the detachment from the family. The emotion in the devotion will spontaneously detach you from the family. Shankara did not leave His mother just based on emotion or some family problems like poverty etc. He left the house to go to the Sadguru called as Shri Govinda Bhagavatpada and to proceed further for the propagation of the correct divine knowledge in the world. Samnyasa should come as natural and spontaneous consequence of your intensive interest on God. If one asks whether he should take Samnyasa or not, such Samnyasa is not real because samnyasa happens naturally and spontaneously without any enquiry or doubt about it. Shankara never had any debate about His Samnyasa from the house. It is just like a mad fellow naturally getting detached from the worldly matters. Will he discuss with anybody that whether he should be detached from the worldly matters or not?

2. A devotee asked whether Swami is the human incarnation or one of the top devotees from the inner circle of God.

Swami replied: God can come simultaneously in the role of human incarnation as well as in the role of divine servant as in the case of Rama and Hanuman. Hanuman is Lord Shiva, who is the topmost Boss (Eshwara) in the entire creation and He is never a servant to anybody. Such Lord acted in the role of servant, which is the other extreme end. You can never smell even a trace of His Lordship in that role. For our sake, He has stooped down to such level of an animal at the feet of the human form. The diamond remains diamond even if it is kept on the earth and the stone is stone even if it is kept on the sky. Similarly, God is God even if He is acting in the role of servant like Hanuman. Parashurama is a liberated soul acting in the role of Lord as one of the ten incarnations and Rama (God is actor in the role of an ordinary human being) insulted Him for His ego. Hanuman was never insulted because the Lord (Actor) can never be insulted. Sometimes even the Lord appears to be insulted for His taste of entertainment in the defeat. Arjuna in the case of Gaya defeated Krishna and this is a play for the Lord. Hence, the nature of role, insult, honor etc., cannot affect the original nature of God (diamond) and the liberated soul (stone acting as artificial diamond). Balarama (actor, the liberated soul) is the human incarnation of Adishesha, acting in the role of God and is counted in the ten incarnations. He could not be given the maintenance of the entire creation instead of his external thousand heads because internally he is a liberated soul only and cannot do the work of God to maintain the entire world. Shesha means a part of God and can only maintain a part of the creation and hence, only earth is given to him for maintenance. Hanuman is a monkey externally and the brain of monkey is very much unstable. It cannot design even a small work. But, He was given the post of creator because internally He is God and can design the entire world. Hence, Hanuman was made creator of the world and infact, He is already God internally as actor. Hence, becoming creator is only apparent. Therefore, the power of position is related to the internal essence but not to the external appearance (upadhi).

The power lies in the internal actor but not in the external role. Hanuman exhibited the climax of service in that role in order to be an example for devotees. His life is His message to us. Rama also behaved like an ordinary human being to show the protection and success of human being sticking to the justice (Pravrutti). He showed that the final success is only for the justice. People do not have patience in this world to get justice. If injustice wins it is a blame to the administration of God only and therefore, one need not worry about this. God will take care of the justice and He is capable of protecting the justice even in the last fraction of second by turning the tables round. For us, even to turn a physical table, hours are consumed. But, you should remember that the justice is decided by God, who is aware of all the births of the soul (Bahuni me… Gita) and all the previous deeds. He is aware of the internal bad soul, which may be hidden, in a human body with innocent external nature. Abhimanyu was a very innocent boy but he was a cruel demon hidden in the body. Krishna knows it and so got him killed. You will blame Krishna for the injustice in getting Abhimanyu killed in the war. Therefore, you cannot be the judge to give the judgment with limited knowledge of the present birth and with the ignorance of internal structure of the soul.

The Lord in human form sometimes behaves like a devotee to give message to devotees. Krishna did penance for Lord Shiva. Sai Baba was constantly remembering that God is His Master (Allah Malik). Jesus was addressing God as the divine Father. All this is for the sake of the devotees only. It is very difficult to recognize and worship the contemporary human incarnation. Therefore, God uses the main part of His life to act as the sincere devotee only so that His life can be taken as the message directly by the ordinary human beings.

3. A devotee asked about the divine songs on God giving the salvation as in the case of Miira.

Swami replied: The divine songs certainly will inspire and develop intensive devotion in mind. But, what is the use of such devotion limited to the mind, tears and throat only? The mind (theoretical devotion) should be transformed into action or service to God (practical devotion). The inspiration in the mind is like the bags of fertilizer stored in your house only, which are to be supplied to the field so that you can get the best crop from the field. The field is action or service, which alone can give you the divine fruit. You have taken only the songs of Miira but you are not taking the resultant effect of those songs on her practical life. She left the house and roamed on the earth in the propagation of the devotion by singing songs constantly, which is her participation in the divine mission of God. You are taking only the commentaries of Shankara and analyzing them sitting in your house. Such divine knowledge limited to your brain only is just like lot of water stored in the water tank of your house. Shankara left the house and propagated the divine knowledge throughout the world and participated in the divine service of the Lord, which alone can give you the fruit directly. You should take water from your house to the field and supply it to the plants to get the crop from the plants. Neither the fertilizer stored in the room nor the water stored in the tank can give you directly the fruits. They should be supplied to the field to get the crop. Similarly, the devotion of Miira (fertilizer) and the knowledge of Shankara (water) should be supplied to the service to God to get the fruit. You are taking Miira and Shankara partially up to the storage of devotion in mind and knowledge in the brain, which are of no use since they cannot give you the direct fruit unless they are transformed into the divine service. You must take also the resultant practice of Miira and Shankara to get the grace of God.

There are three instruments (trikaranas) in the spiritual effort, which are mind (and intelligence), words and work. The mind is transformed into work straightly and there is no need of words for transformation of one’s own mind into work. Miira did not sing to convert her mind into practice. She sang for the sake of the world in the divine mission and not for her personal practice. Similarly, Shankara did not debate for His personal practice because He left the house (practice) even before the debates. His debates were for the world only. Therefore, the middle instrument (words) has no significance in your personal progress. It is used for the sake of others only in the divine service of the Lord. The word is a mixture of mind and work of body (throat). The mixture is not the third component and only two components exist in it. Hence, there are only two instruments. One is external (work of body) and the other is internal (mind or intelligence).

4. A devotee raised the question about the validity of Manu Smruti in Kali age, which is quoted by Swami in His knowledge.

[A question brought Shri Surya]

Swami replied: Manu has brought out the original constitution from God in the field of Pravrutti (Manvadin Prajapatin Srushtva… Shankara). Only Parashara etc., modified this constitution here and there through certain amendements in certain sections and such sections are only valid in Kali age (Kalau Parashari Smrutih). Those sections are few only like Samnyasa based on false reasons, killing the animal when the guest comes, getting children through the brother of husband etc. Except these few sections, which cannot be adopted with genuine view of purity in this Kali age, in general Manu Smruti is valid for any age constantly. If the parliament makes certain amendments in the constitution, it does not mean that you should burn the original constitution and print the amendments only as the new constitution!

5. A devotee asked about the importance of Sadguru.

Swami replied: Sadguru is needed for the correct guidance in the spiritual path, which is eternal. For temporary worldly affairs, there is no need of Sadguru. The animals, birds etc., do not require Sadguru. They are constantly concentrating on the needs of the body and the needs of their issues only and are never aware of God. The human beings, which are always concentrating on the needs of the body and needs of their children only are no more different from the animals. The basic needs are not covered here because just for the basic needs, there is no need of concentration throughout the life. We find people who are always engaged in constant work only even though the basic needs for future hundred generations are attained. After some time, the human being becomes workaholic (like alcoholic). In the beginning, a little alcohol is taken as a medicine for appetite. Alcohol is used in several medicines in little quantity. But in course of time, he becomes alcoholic and goes on drinking alcohol in unlimited quantities. Similarly, one starts the work for the sake of basic needs of the body and the needs of his family. But in course of time, even if he has earned the basic needs for his future hundred generations, the fellow is not pacified and continues to work and work till the last day of death. Such workaholic fellow starts preaching that work is worship. Such human beings are basically the citizens of the kingdom of animals. Even the animals do not work if their stomach is filled. But this human being earning without end is worse than the animals and therefore, even their citizenship in the kingdom of animals gets cancelled! Even the tiger kills the deer when the tiger is hungry. But our fellow kills the poor innocent devotees also through endless corruption even though he has earned for his future thousand generations! Therefore, the association of cruel animals also expelled the human being from their association!! He goes on with endless corruption for the sake of endless comforts of his endless future generations! Such souls are going to be thrown into the births of animals and birds and in their case, God is not angry at all. God is the Father who fulfills the desires of the children.

When such human beings do not bend towards spiritual path in spite of repeated preaching, the divine Father finally yields Himself to the rigid desire of the children who want only materialistic things permanently and hence, they are given births of animals, which are always involved in materialistic world only till the death. By taking birth in the kingdom of animals, the human soul will at least learn to limit its endless ambition as said above. Therefore, God is trying to uplift the soul even by throwing it into animals and there is no revenge here also. To reduce the intensity of the ambition, the soul is subjected to torture in the hell and here also God is for the uplift of the soul only. Hence, the divine Father is always working for the betterment of the soul only and there is no place of revenge on His children in His heart. Such souls are condemned forever by revolving in the cycle of hell and animals through constant training, which never ends, and they are responsible for their fate. A permanently mentally derailed son has to be kept in the mental hospital only forever and cannot be brought back to the house (human kingdom).

There are certain good and learned souls, which are interested in the spiritual path to gain the grace of the God. But the spiritual path is in confusion since several human beings interpret the scripture of God in different ways. Only God has to give the correct version of His own scripture. For this purpose only, God comes in human form called as Sadguru to give correct guidance in the spiritual path. God has to come in human form in every generation because as soon as God exits, selfish people misinterpret His message constantly. The misinterpretation satisfies the majority of the people, which is incapable of practicing in the right path. For example, God decides that 70% is the distinction. When God exits, the majority of the students, which is incapable of getting the distinction like to bring down the percentage so that they can also have the satisfaction of the distinction. A student who gets 7% wants to have distinction. Now, the misinterpretation is given like this. In the number 70, there are two numbers. One is 7 and the other is 0. Since 0 has no value, 70 must mean 7. Therefore, the student getting 7% can get distinction. Such misinterpretation by a mischievous teacher is admired by a large majority of students. Now, he is the greatest teacher with large majority of followers! This is the present situation of false preachers misleading the vast majority. The distinction can be neither given by the teacher nor by the students. The board of interview, selecting the students of distinction for service has the acknowledge of the distinction for which only there is real fruit. Hence, God gives the divine fruit only to the real distinction since He is well aware of the marks of distinction, which were prescribed by Him only. Therefore, God had to come again and again and also everywhere simultaneously (especially when there was no electronic communications in the world) to establish the correct interpretation in the entire world. This correct interpretation attracts only the merit students and the majority consisting of incapable students will reject this. God is also not bothered about such majority because even if the truth is established to them, there will be no use in the case of such students. Krishna never preached spiritual knowledge to many people in His life. In His entire life, He chose only one occasion to preach the Gita to just Arjuna only.

The devotees of Krishna themselves are establishing the concept of contemporary human incarnation and they are not implementing it. They say the story of Jambavan fighting with Krishna, who was worshipping the past human incarnation (Rama) only without recognizing the human form of God present before his eyes. What is the conclusion of this story? They themselves are establishing the ignorance of Jambavan in worshipping the past human incarnation without recognizing the present human incarnation existing before the eyes. Finally, Jambavan realized that the same God existed in the past human incarnation (Rama) and also in the present human incarnation (Krishna). This means that the same God can come again in a different human form, which was not recognized by Jambavan for the same reason of difference in the human forms and the external qualities. I wonder how these devotees of Krishna who explained the story and preached the above conclusions do not practice the same and, at least, do not think about the search for human incarnation in the present time. Jambavan is a bear, which is famous for rigidity in catching anything. Even such Jambavan could come out of his rigid concept but our present devotees of Krishna (more powerful bears) are not coming out of their rigid concept of the past human incarnation. What is the use of preaching the Bhagavatam without understanding the conclusions from the life history of Krishna?

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