Swami Answers Devotees' Questions

Swami answers devotees' questions

1.How can the ‘Gods’ of different religions be the same when there are so many differences?

[Shri Anil Antony asked: In discussion forum a person remarked like this ‘One God people eat meat, one God people don't eat meat, one God tells to kill others, one God got killed in the cross for entire mankind also different gods have different day for birthday. Then how can u say all gods are same.’]

Swami replied:- God is like the root sugar from which different sweets in the forms of swans, parrots etc., are made. Different Gods mean different media of the same unimaginable God. The same person can be in different dresses and can speak the same subject in different languages. This is unity in diversity. Unity is in the inner God and diversity is in the external media taken up by the same God. Since people are different in language, culture, qualities etc., this type of arrangement by God becomes inevitable.

2. Why does God expect us to serve Him without any expectation?

[In forum this question is asked: ‘Real love is without expectations, then why does Krishna expect devotional service from us? (This question was asked to ISKCON devotees)’]

Swami replied:- When we expect something from God, it is for our welfare. When God expects something from us, it is not for His welfare, but, it is also for our welfare only. This is the difference between the two types of expectations. Service to God itself is the fruit of a very long penance done for past several births. The service to God helps us only and not God in anyway.

3. Is God partial to those He loves?

[A person said like this: God is partial and loves some, not all, that is; whom He wanted or loved most he will less things to suffer or He will help such people but whom He don’t like most He won’t. Jesus loved Peter that is why Jesus didn’t allow him to betray Him, He allowed Judas to betray Him because He don’t love Judas. Judas has bigger temptation than Peter. God gives us choice but He don’t give same situations. Peter had easy situation not Judas had that same easy situation, moreover Peter was Jesus close one like John; Judas not so, it is obvious that Jesus saves Peter not Judas.]

Swami replied:- All souls are issues of God only, who is the divine father of all these souls. He likes all like a father loving all issues. The issues are at different levels with different qualities and hence, uniform procedure of reformation to all souls is not suitable to all.

4. What are the significance of animals who accompany Hindu gods and Goddesses?

(Forum question)

Swami replied:- The animals are also different with different qualities. The forms of God are also different based on the difference among media of God. According to the qualities of devotees, the media of God also possess corresponding suitable qualities so that God can become close to the devotees through common qualities. I have explained this topic in several messages. The animal associated with God represents a devotee serving God with full surrender.

5. Except suffering on the cross, where did Jesus suffer? (Forum question)

(Forum question)

Swami replied:- Suffering of real deserving devotees is taken by God mentally, which is invisible to us. Crucifixion is external visible suffering. In external punishments also, the internal mental suffering exists, which alone is important.

6. Sri Rama lived in the forest for 14 years. What does it mean? Is His total life wasted even though He is the king of Ayodhya?

(Forum question)

Swami replied:- In the angle of our materialistic approach to life, yes, it is wastage of His life.

7. Since Buddha left Sanatana Dharma to establish Buddhism, does it not mean that Sanatan Dharma had some shortcomings?

[Does the fact that Gautama Buddha left Sanatan Dharma for knowledge and Buddhism mean that there were some shortcomings in Sanatan Dharma? Forum question]

Swami replied:- In any religion, there are some short comings, which may differ from one religion to the other in the nature. You point out one type of mistake in Me and I point out another type of mistake in you. Merits in any religion are established by the corresponding human incarnation of that religion. Some good followers take those merits in correct sense and thus, the religion has grown up. Some bad followers misinterpret the sense of such merits and introduce defects, which are the short comings observed by us. The follower of every religion hides the mistakes of self and own religion exposing the merits only. Simultaneously, the follower points out the short comings of other person and his religion. At the personal level and at the level of religion, this attitude has become quite common in these days of Kali age. This must be reversed by our propagation of true spiritual knowledge. One shall find out defects in self and defects in own religion and shall find out merits in others and their religions. If one likes to convert from one religion to the other, the person shall find out the defects in other religion also, thereby shall realize that the conversion of religion is foolish and is simply a brain wash!

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