Posted on: 10 Nov 2023
1. Will God not care about the bad qualities of the soul when its devotion to God is extreme?
[Ms. Bhanu Samykya asked: Padanamskaram Swami, Will God not care about the bad qualities of the soul when it's devotion to God is extreme? And when such soul is a climax devotee, God takes sins caused by such bad qualities on to Him. And as part of Pravrutti God preaches to avoid such sins but simultaneously takes the sin, supporting that soul who is having bad qualities when it reaches heights in nivrutti. Then, what is the use of preaching pravrutti rules? When nivrutti is beyond such rules and supporting bad qualites of the soul and is also said to be higher than pravrutti? You have said that God gives utmost importance to pravrutti, but simultaneously is relieving the soul's sins done in pravrutti in the name of nivrutti?]
Swami replied:- Pravrutti and Nivrutti are complementary to each other. Perfect balance is maintained by God so that you cannot point to even the smallest point. God is omniscient and omnipotent. We, the souls are neither omniscient nor omnipotent and hence, always get these confusing doubts. If you take a specific case, analysis is easy. We must conquer our ego whenever we question the actions of God.
2. How to cure ego and jealousy?
[Padanamskaram Swami, You said that ego and jealousy are like two black venomous cobras, whose growth is unconscious to soul. Then, is identifying and suppressing both of them, the cure? or will they shoot up more as we try to suppress them with force? What is the step waise rehabilitation process to them?]
Swami replied:- If you think that all merits belongs to God and all the defects belong to soul, you can easily conquer the ego based jealousy towards co-human souls.
3. The soul is safer in Nivrutti due to the real love from God. Is this selfishness?
[Padanamskaram Swami, The soul is safer in the nivrutti path than pravrutti by getting real true love from God. Then, does it come under the selfishness of the soul?]
Swami replied:- There is no selfishness because the fruit of Nivrutti is given by God and not aspired by the soul.
4. Is blind love for God without any divine knowledge possible?
[Padanamskaram Swami, Is blind love on God without any divine knowledge possible? If possible, is it correct to love the Human incarnation with the highest service possible without identifying Him as God?]
Swami replied:- First you must identify the human incarnation by its knowledge, which is true, complete and very clear. That will generate inspiration and true love to God. Then, you must prove your true love through practical steps. This is the sequence of the spiritual path. Hence, there is no question of blind love.
5. What is the right direction of selfishness and ego?
[Padanamskaram Swami, Every quality has both right and wrong directions right, then what is the right direction of selfishness and ego?]
Swami replied:- The selfishness in the right direction is to save yourself from this endless cycle of deeds and fruits. The ego in the right direction is to feel lucky than others since you have come into direct contact of God Datta, which is very very rare even for sages and angels.
6. Is Nivrutti the will of a devotee, the will of God, or a mixture of both?
[Padanamskaram Swami, Is there any connection between pravrutti and nivrutti of soul? Are both different from each other or both steps in the same path? If the same, will it be like souls with pass certificate in pravrutti only can enter nivrutti? If so, what is that action/intention giving pass certificate in pravrutti leading into nivrutti? Or is it simply the interest/ determination of soul with its free will to choose any single path or a mixture of both? Is nivrutti the will of devotee or will of God or a mixture of both?]
Swami replied:- Nivrutti is optional and is fully the free will of the devotee only. God will not encourage Nivrutti because it is a personal bond of the soul with God. Pravrutti is mandatory because the soul is expected to follow justice only avoiding injustice in the case of co-human beings. If God encourages Nivrutti, He will be the present politician. He puts hurdles in the path of Nivrutti to know the climax of true love to God. God likes Nivrutti internally because God created this world only to enjoy the true love of climax devotees in Nivrutti. But, He will not encourage Nivrutti so that He may not be criticized as selfish aspiring for entertainment. He hides His interest on Nivrutti from devotees. He takes a lot of care about the protection of justice and destruction of injustice in Pravrutti so that His creation must be peaceful to act as a strong stage for Nivrutti.
7. Why was God Rama silent to Hanuman's service?
[Padanamskaram Swami, You have said that God is not a stone but has a heart. Then why was God Rama so silent to God Hanuman's service with such a sincerity? Why did He not reciprocate the affectionate behaviour to God Hanuman when it is said that God Rama has utmost love on God Hanuman? Was it for the welfare of God Hanuman i.e to increase His devotion or any other reason? How to understand the silence / negligence of God? Or should soul pass any test to get the close relationship with God? Or it depends purely on the interest of soul or God? Is the Goal of aspiring close relationship with God useless before the Goal of serving the feet of God in any circumstance in life?]
Swami replied:- How do you say that God Rama was silent towards the service and sacrifice of Hanuman? Did you personally live with both of them and observe both every minute? Rama embraced Hanuman several times and appreciated Him. You people form wrong ideas and start applying your sharp logic to those false ideas!
8. What is the motto of God behind testing souls in devotion?
[Padanamskaram Swami, What is motto of God behind testing souls in devotion? An ideal devoted soul should develop aspirationless devotion towards God right? Then Why should it take any tests when it has no aspiration in fruit by passing the test? When its focus is only serving God without aspiration for any spiritual fruit, what is significance of tests here? When a test comes into picture, automatically fruit after passing it also comes into the picture. How to fit both aspirationless devotion and test together? Why should a person having aspirationless devotion focus on spiritual knowledge and tests? Is this situation possible?]
Swami replied:- The traffic rules are followed by the people driving vehicles. Then, why is the police catching some people and fining them? If you have put a rule, you can’t assume that everybody is compulsorily following that rule. Some may deviate from your rule. The police is standing on the road to check whether the rule is followed or not. God knows the true love of the climax devotee, but, if He gives the fruit without test, the other souls may feel that God has partiality to a specific soul. Hence, for the sake of the public only, tests are conducted. It is said that you shall not only do justice but also appear to be doing justice.
9. a) I'm unable to gain confidence in serving God, as I never know whether this work pleases You or not.
[Padanamaskaram Swami, what kind of attitude should I have in Your work? Most of the time when I think that I can do it, I'll fail. When I think I will fail but just give a try, then work will happen. It's either ego or depression from my side, I'm unable to have a middle, balanced attitude. I found 2 impressions that run in my mind always- When I fail to please You through my work, I immediately feel that I'm useless and its better not to do the service which displease You. I'm unable to get confidence in serving God as I never know whether this work pleases You or not which always makes me tensed?
Swami replied:- Overanalysis is not good and it disturbs the practicality of your work. Go on doing the work thinking that God is doing the work through you and is giving credit to you. In such a case, there is no question of failure of the work since God always does the work in the right direction that succeeds finally.
b) How to be in continuous service of God without emotional trauma?
[At the same time when some other devotee pleases You, I feel that, the bond I think I'm having with God is all imaginary and not true. I feel that I'm a complete stranger to God, who doesn't like me and likes only those devotees who please Him. I know this is the worst attitude any human being ever can have towards God but this is exactly what I feel. Kindly Please give me some suggestions to come to the right intention before doing Your service so that I can correct my mistakes. How to be in continuous service of God without emotional trauma?]
Swami replied:- God is pleased with the true love of any devotee. Even to false love, He keeps silent and does not hate any devotee. There may be degree of variation of pleasure based on the extent of true love, which is justified. By seeing a better devotee, you must divert your jealousy in the right direction so that you will cross that devotee. If you are diverting your jealousy towards the wrong side, you will get these ideas. Even in worldly efforts, you will succeed if you follow this same advice.
10. When should we stop taking money from parents to avoid their association in future births?
[Padanamaskaram Swami, when my parents are barely theistic people with all bad qualities, then is it correct for me to take their money for my education now? or should I take a loan instead of maintaining runanubandha with those souls which I have to reap in future lives and have to be their relative in future births also? How can I know the limit to runanubanda with my parents and when to stop taking their money to avoid their association in future births?]
Swami replied:- You are born to collect the loan given by you to your parents in the previous birth. If you stop now, it means you are not allowing them to clear their loan. As a result, you will be born again to them as their issue in the future birth to collect the balance loan!
11. How come God left both non-devotee and climax devotee like the Gopikas?
[Padanamaskaram Swami, You have said that God Krishna left the Gopikas (climax devotees) after conducting all tests, and God Adhi Shankara left His mother (who didn't recognise her son as God). How come God left both cases of non-devotee and climax devotee? Will God not stay with anyone from birth to death in any human incarnation cycle? This pains any true devotee to see Him in Human Body but unable to be with Him right?]
Swami replied:- Separation increases devotion and closely living brings negligence. Whatever God does is for the welfare of the devotee only.
12. a) Should the soul think of misery as enjoyable and like crying as much as laughing?
[Padanamaskaram Swami, should a soul think of misery also as an enjoyable thing like happiness and should like and invite misery equally as happiness i.e., should one like crying as much as laughing? Is this understanding correct?]
Swami replied:- The yogi enjoys both crying and laughing equally. He does not invite either crying or laughing because crying and laughing approach as per the cycle of deeds (sins and merits). Invitation is useless. Enjoying both crying and laughing is the important point.
b) Does a person having total divine knowledge get affected by misery?
[Padanamaskaram Swami, Does a person having total divine knowledge get affected by misery? Or is misery inversely proportional to divine knowledge? It is said that misery/ difficulties leads to God easily and so is divine knowledge. How to understand this? Misery in sacrifice leads to God right, then how come devotee immersed in divine qualities of God get misery on sacrificing to God? Sacrifice should be out of love and pleasure right? Please correct my understanding.]
Swami replied:- The soul having total true spiritual knowledge may suffer due to misery if that knowledge is not digested. Undigested food is as good as uneaten food. Certainly, misery leads the soul towards God because in difficulties, everybody is highly alert about God expecting God to remove those difficulties. A scholar of spiritual knowledge does not expect removal of difficulties because he/she knows that removal of difficulties means only postponement of punishments. Sacrifice to God must be based on true love to God and if anybody does sacrifice aspiring for any fruit from God, that becomes business devotion.
13. Why did God give free will to the soul, using which a good soul may be harmed by a bad soul?
[Padanamaskaram Swami, You have said that God is the best administrator without any defects and doesn't allow any injustice to happen in world. Then, why did God give free will to souls using which a good soul will have a chance to be harmed by a bad soul who is doing a fresh sin (not a retort bad karma)? Now, a soul which has not done a new bad karma also can be harmed due to the free will given to bad souls equally? Is this situation possible in God's administration? - At Your Divine lotus feet, Bhanu Samykya.]
Swami replied:- You are always seeing one side only and developing questions to God. If free will is not given to souls, they get bored without any enjoyment in life. So God gave free will to souls and at the same time, gave serious instructions to souls through ethical scriptures. Hence, the administration of God is completely correct from all angles.