QA:13-20

(Some of my friends, who are atheists, have asked these questions on sweet devotion and related topics. I have sent those questions to H.H. Shri Datta Swami, who has answered these questions. - Ms. Thrylokya)

13. Did the Gopikas divert their uncontrollable lust towards God or transformed their true devotion into lust for God?

[Thank You for the wonderful answer given to Shri Phani Sir on his birthday. My question is whether the Gopikas divert their uncontrollable lust towards God or did they transform their true devotion for God into lust for God?]

Swami replied:- The sages have no lust at all. That is why, at the time of Rama, they had full confidence that they will pass the test for the bond with spouse very easily. They have rejected and even cursed the heavenly dancers, who approached them. But, when those sages were born as Gopikas, they appear as if they have the bad quality called lust that is to be diverted to God. You must remember that they were acting as role models to propagate the concept to souls having uncontrollable bad qualities that by diverting even bad qualities to God, a soul can get liberation (salvation) from all the worldly bonds and get permanent union (Yoga or Saayujyam) with God in the upper world. The sages were only acting to propagate the most advanced concept of God to the souls existing in Kali Yuga.

14. Will the sweet devotion in Kali Yuga only increase the exploitation of female devotees by fraud Godmen?

[Only 12 out of 1000 Gopikas passed the joint-test of bond with children and wealth although all the Gopikas were sages from millions of births. But, everyone passed in the test of spouse-bond voting for Krishna against their husbands. Therefore, even the success rate of sweet devotion is 1.2% only. When sweet devotion is encouraged in Kali Yuga, it only increases the exploitation of female devotees by fraud Godmen. Isn’t it?]

Swami replied:- The success rate is calculated by you as 1.2% and this is not the success rate of sweet devotion. It is the success rate of the devotion that first got success in relieving the soul from all 99 worldly bonds and finally got success in the formal spouse bond. Suppose 100 candidates appeared for the IAS written examination and only 10 candidates passed in it. These 10 candidates will be sent for the physical fitness test as a formality. Now, will you say that only 10 out of 100 passed in the physical fitness test? Since your root concept is a failed topic, your question that if this rule continues, female devotees will be exploited by fraud Godmen is another big failure. When you drink a Golisoda in dream, you are repenting that you should have drunk Goldspot in the dream!

I agree that there are several fraudulent devotees claiming themselves as Godmen to exploit female devotees based on hormonal lust. Since all these Godmen and devotees are ordinary souls only and none is God, don’t you think that whatever blame is thrown on Godmen can have an equal probability to be thrown on the side of devotees also? You should not take one side only and generalize it to be applied to every case that is happening in this world. Don’t you think that there is probability for an assumed fraudulent Godman to be an innocent soul and don’t you think that there is equal probability for a female devotee to exploit an innocent Godman? The hormonal activity is common to every biological body. Therefore, such examples should be limited to the world of souls only and should not be projected in the present discussion, in which we are discussing about a genuine human incarnation like Krishna, Shripaada Vallabha, Shri Narasimha Sarasvati, Manikya Prabhu, Akkalkot Maharaj, Shirdi Sai Baba, Satya Sai Baba etc. There were such false reports even against the latest incarnation, Shri Satya Sai Baba! Hence, you shall not take whatever is happening in the layer of ordinary souls, which is only wastage of our precious time. Our concentration is about the real God, the real devotee and real devotion including sweet devotion. The 1.2% success rate is not in the final formal sweet devotion test since 1.2% success rate is about the success of devotees first passing in coming out from all the other 99 worldly bonds and finally passing in the final formal test of spouse-bond. The success rate of exclusive sweet devotion is always 100%!!!

15. Please clarify in one line if sweet devotion is the highest or practical sacrifice is the highest.

[On one side, You are saying that sweet devotion (Madhura Bhakti) is the highest since its fruit is the highest Goloka. But on the other side, You declared that You are going to create a new world called ‘Datta Sevaka Loka’ above the Goloka in which our co-devotee and scientist Smt. Chhandaa from Bombay is announced as its Super Queen rewarding her complete sacrifice in the joint test of wealth and child. Both these sides are contradicting each other. Please clarify in one line if sweet devotion is the highest or practical sacrifice is the highest.]

Swami replied:- Please remember that Goloka is not the fruit of simple sweet devotion. Since sweet devotion happens to be the last formal test, you are thinking that the fruit is the result of the final formal test of sweet devotion. I have already given an example that for the candidates, who passed the IAS written examination alone, the final formal physical fitness test is conducted. The fruit is not to be linked to the physical fitness test alone irrespective of written examination, but, is to be linked to the written examination only that was conducted before the physical fitness test. All thousand Gopikas passed in the physical fitness test (sweet devotion), but, only twelve Gopikas passed in the previous written examination (by not complaining while Krishna was stealing butter), which is the joint test of fascination to children linked with fascination to wealth. Almost all the Gopikas failed in the main test by complaining to Mother Yashoda that Krishna was stealing their butter, which was preserved for their children. Whenever higher than the highest is created, the new higher will become greater than the old higher. Brahmaloka was the highest and Goloka is now higher than highest Brahmaloka. In future, Datta Sevaka Loka will be higher than the highest Goloka. What is the special reason for the creation of Datta Sevaka Loka? Goloka is considered to be the fruit of sweet devotion and this is a blunder. Of course, I respect the sweet devotion, which has the greatest merit that the union of the soul with God is the most complete because body, individual soul and the four internal instruments (antahkaranams) are totally united indicating the most complete surrender of the soul to God. From this point of view, the test for sweet devotion is conducted as the final formality only and every soul has to pass this formal test by taking female birth as final birth. Only the candidate, who passed in breaking all the 99 worldly bonds for the sake of God can have such total surrender in the final formal test of spouse-bond. At the same time, the sweet devotion has the worst defect that the union of bodies may take place based on hormonal activity also and in this type of union, the most complete union of individual souls and four internal instruments will not take place. Such final test cannot be the genuine real final test.

The candidates without breaking the 99 worldly bonds and appearing for this final formal test cannot have such total surrender in that final test. Such candidate is like the prostitute interested in mere sweet devotion only. An example for this is the demon Shurpanakhaa desiring for the union with God Rama. She has not broken even 1 out of other 99 worldly bonds. It is like the case of a failed candidate in IAS written examination, somehow attending the final formal test and getting excellent result in passing that final physical fitness test. Since the candidate topped the final physical fitness test, it shall not mean that he has passed the written examination also. You have to link the fruit to the written examination and not to the final physical fitness test. Of course, physical fitness test is also one of the factors of pass because without passing this, 100 worldly bonds are not said to be broken. Hence, the formal physical fitness test is also to be conducted. But, let us take an exceptional example. A candidate topped the written IAS examination and will also certainly pass the physical fitness test if conducted. By some unavoidable reasons, this candidate could not appear for the final physical fitness test. At the same time, the interview-committee sees the excellent physical fitness of the candidate and gives him the final fruit.

Let us take the examples of Hanuman, who is a male and Shabari, who is a very old female, as the toppers in the previous written examination, but, are unable to attend the physical fitness test. Hanuman and Shabari need not be rejected since they have not attended the final physical fitness test (sweet devotion). God knows that if these two devotees are given final female birth for the sake of final physical fitness test, they will certainly top even in that final formal test. In such case, is it necessary that the final formal sweet devotion test must be conducted in the case of these two candidates also? Not necessary. Both Hanuman and Shabari can be granted Goloka directly without the test of sweet devotion. This means that the final fruit can be given to the toppers of written examination even without conducting the formal physical fitness test. Hence, a separate Datta Sevaka Loka is to be created by God Datta for such examples like Hanuman and Shabari without conducting the final formal test. Such candidates need not take the final female birth. In fact, Datta Sevaka Loka is almost at the same level of Goloka as extended Goloka with slightly raised floor to be called as upper ground floor. Due to this reason only, Goloka along with extensions becomes the biggest world compared to all the other fourteen worlds.

16. Why did God create a new world called Goloka to reward the Gopikas?

[God can reward the successful Gopikas by sending them to His abode. But, why God has to create a new world called Goloka to reward them? Does this not encourage the extra marital affairs in this world quoting the romance of Krishna and married Gopikas?]

Swami replied:- Even if Gopikas are sent to the abode of God, which was considered to be the highest in those times, your superimposed defects will attack in the same manner even if Goloka was absent. The result is that the present Goloka disappears and the Brahmaloka itself becomes Goloka! Goloka is created above the abode of God to show that God becomes a servant of the devotee in the dualism-devotion. This will encourage the devotees not to aspire for the state of human incarnation in which the soul becomes just equal to God. In the aspiration for monism with God, ego will easily inflict the soul. When a greater fruit through dualism is available, the soul need not crave for monism with God. Demons were misled by such ego to become God and got destroyed.

17. How can we appreciate the sweet devotees in Kali Yuga?

[Though it is agreed that sweet devotion is powerful in developing bond with God, it has now become very common to have sexual affairs outside marriage. God may appreciate Gopikas for crossing their justified spouse-bond in those tough times of Dwaapara Yuga, but now, crossing the spouse bond is pretty easy. With God, it becomes not only easy, but also sacred. How can we appreciate the sweet devotees in Kali Yuga crossing their justified spouse-bond for the sake of God?]

Swami replied:- As I told you, the soul should have been liberated from all the worldly bonds for the sake of God and the bond with spouse should be the last bond to be broken for the sake of God. Otherwise, sage Naarada says that such sweet devotion is only a prostitution devotion (Tadvihīnaṃ jārāṇāmiva – Bhakti Suutra). The people in Kali Yuga may proceed to sweet devotion without breaking even a single bond out of other 99 worldly bonds. But, the sweet devotion told above is not such worst sweet devotion of a prostitute. Therefore, God is not encouraging such worst sweet devotion because He already insisted on the best sweet devotion in which all the 99 worldly bonds are broken for the sake of God and the spouse bond will be the last 100^th bond. The examination says that you have to first answer all the 99 questions and then only you will become eligible to answer the last 100^th question, which is the easiest. Of course, if God has hope that a candidate can answer all the 99 questions even though she answers the 100^th question in the beginning itself, it is upto the God to allow such facility because God is omniscient. If an ordinary little knowledged human being is standing as examiner in the place of God, such human examiner may go wrong. But, the omniscient God will never go wrong if such special facility is created for a special candidate. Please remember that in the case of such candidate also, the above said procedure of creating illusory form of God takes place as usual. You should not think that the real form of God will enter into romance since the candidate is very special.

18. If sweet devotion is encouraged by creating His illusory forms, does it not reduce the value of God?

[I have read that whenever British soldiers were deployed at places far from their country, the British government used to arrange a set of employed prostitutes to fulfill the sexual needs of its soldiers. Now, when diverting lust towards God (sweet devotion) is encouraged by God in Kali Yuga (to save the bad souls from going to hell) by creating illusory forms of Himself, God appears like that arrangement and it also reduces the value of God. Isn’t it?]

Swami replied:- The first case is like the bottommost fourteenth world called Paatala Loka and the second case is like the first uppermost world called Brahma Loka. In the first case, there was no liberation of the soul from any worldly bond. In the second case, the soul is liberated from all the worldly bonds and is ready to be liberated from the bond with spouse for the sake of God. Since one cannot dream even a trace of similarity between these two, how the value of God is affected? If the bad worldly soul also succeeds in getting total liberation from all the worldly bonds, there is no reason to obstruct the soul from entering into Goloka. If a soul fails in this effort in any stage, the failed soul is always encouraged by God by giving a re-human birth again and makes the soul to progress from the point of failure that happened in the previous birth. The Gita says that such a soul, who failed in the spiritual effort (Yoga Bhrashta), will certainly be helped by God in the next birth. In this way, both the successful soul and the failed soul are escaping the permanent fall into the liquid fire of the horrible hell. Something is always better than nothing. Since the real form of God is not at all involved in this process of encouragement of bad souls through sweet devotion in Kali Yuga, the value of God is not affected at all in any way. In fact, this arrangement shows the highest value of God, who is helping even the worst souls in the worst time of Kali Yuga.

19. If diverting bad qualities to God brings the highest fruit of Goloka, why would a devotee be encouraged to follow justice?

[When diverting bad qualities (like lust) to God, is bringing the highest fruit of Goloka crossing even the abode of God, why would a devotee be encouraged to follow justice and contribute to the peace in the world? Everyone would be encouraged to develop their bad qualities only saying that one day they will divert to God and reach the highest fruit. Until then, the world will continue to suffer with injustice only. Isn’t it?]

Swami replied:- Again, this question shows the absence of basic logic! When Kali Yuga came and every soul is inflicted by bad qualities in unchangeable way, in that special specific time only, this provision is made by God Krishna, which is that a criminal can turn his/her bad qualities towards God and can attain God even at higher level than the abode of God. Such provision is specially confined to Kali Yuga only in the view of providing excess encouragement for sinners to reach even higher than the highest fruit. Do you think that Kali Yuga will infinitely continue without other Yugas so that God will keep this arrangement permanently on the earth forever? In such case only, all your assumptions can be considered.

20. Should we worship the 12 Gopikas instead of worshipping Goddess Anaghaa, Sarasvati, Lakshmi and Parvati?

[God created a new world of Goloka above His own abode for the 12 successful Gopikas. This means that the love of those Gopikas towards Krishna is more than the love of Anaghaa towards Datta, more than the love of Sarasvati towards Brahma, more than the love of Lakshmi towards Vishnu and more than the love of Parvati towards Shiva. Since God Krishna became a servant to those Gopikas in Goloka, should we start worshipping the 12 Gopikas instead of worshipping Goddess Anaghaa, Sarasvati, Lakshmi and Parvati?]

Swami replied:- If you leave the worship of Anaghaa etc., what are you doing? You are leaving another real incarnation of God in female form. If you are a male having male ego, this will be surely done by you and you will fall from the divine goal because you have insulted another divine form of God. You must always take Anaghaa and Datta as one only. The negligence shown by you towards Anaghaa will become the negligence shown to God Datta only. The original power of Maayaa, which can do any impossible thing as possible, is not separate from God, who is the possessor of such power. Such combination of Datta and Anaghaa as couple is the inspiration in the Pravrutti to expand the human generation through marriage. Certainly, Gopikas are the best examples in Nivrutti, which is far far greater than Pravrutti. Hence, you should not neglect any divine form. Even Gopika, the climax devotee, the reborn divine sage, is also almost a divine form. God Datta and Goddess Anaghaa are the Divine Father and Divine Mother for all the souls including Gopikas and Gopikas are like your spiritual preachers inspiring you to reach God.