03 Nov 2025
1. Could You explain the significance of stars in astrological analysis?
[Shri Hrushikesh asked: Dear Swami, one of my friend, Shreeharsha, has asked the following question. Request You to kindly enlighten us.
Question 1: Could You explain the significance of nakshatras in astrological analysis? Where we should use the nakshatras, Also, should we take into account the outer planets like Neptune, Uranus, and Pluto? If not, could You clarify why these planets are typically excluded? At Your Divine Lotus Feet, Hrushikesh]
Swami replied:- The star or Nakshatra is used for two purposes: i) To calculate the leftover period of the corresponding planet after birth and ii) To find out Taaraa Balam (strength of the star) when auspicious time (Muhurtam) is selected. The other planets are minor having very negligible influence on the born soul.
2. Could You please explain the significance of the below as per the traditional or Vedic calendar?
[Dear Swami, One of my friend, Shreeharsha, has asked the following question. Request You to kindly enlighten us.
Question 2: Could You explain the significance of the below as per the Traditional or Vedic calendar. Request You to kindly explain their significance and practical applications? Specifically, I’d like to understand when and where we should take these into consideration—such as during travel, ceremonies, or decision-making. i) Yamaganda, ii) Varjyam, iii) Rahu Kalam, iv) Gulika Kalam, v) Durmuhurtham. At Your Divine Lotus Feet, Hrushikesh]
Swami replied:- A specific region follows a specific item only among the five items mentioned by you. The sunrise differs from region to region and hence, you can follow the tradition followed by the people of that region.
3. Is God partial to females, as they have the benefit of having their sexual desires fulfilled through God?
[Dear Swami, My friend and I have read the answers You gave to the questions asked by Ms. Thrylokya on sweet devotion. We started discussing these topics and arrived at the following understanding. I would like to apologize for my misunderstanding of God and for coming up with these kinds of questions about sex. I feel deeply ashamed to ask questions like these, but sadly, You are the only one I trust to help me understand these difficult topics. Excerpt from the answer given by You, followed by a question on the same: Excerpt from the answer:
“From the side of God, the only fixed philosophy is to make all the souls happy who have turned towards Him, leaving all their worldly bonds. This is a thoroughly justified and most dignified philosophy of the love of the highest personality of God.”
For the complete answer, please refer to the link: https://www.universal-spirituality.org/discourses/satsanga-about-sweet-devotion-(qa-1)--5501--5436--ENG
When God established a philosophy to make all souls happy, some benefits given to female souls make me feel that God has been partial to females, as they have the benefit of having their sexual desires fulfilled through God, whereas males do not have such an opportunity. I kindly request You to clear up my misunderstanding about this.]
Swami replied:- Every female birth is not the final birth. But, the final birth of any devoted soul is a female birth only. If the male birth is taken as final birth, the masculine ego will not leave the soul as long as the masculine body exists around the soul making the soul ineligible to attain complete salvation. In female birth, such disadvantage is absent by the worth of the gender. Hence, if the final birth is the birth of a female, this favor to females by the virtue of gender will not exist. If the final birth is made male or female, this unnecessary distinction due to gender comes into the picture that the female birth is favored by the spontaneous absence of masculine ego in the case of females. Such distinction disappears when the final birth is the birth of a female, in which the masculine ego is spontaneously absent for every soul so that equal opportunity is given to all souls without the favor of any gender.
4. Can a woman approach the incarnation if she suffers from unfulfilled sexual desire leading to multiple sexual partners?
[Can a woman approach the contemporary human incarnation if she is suffering from unfulfilled sexual desire, which is leading her to seek multiple sexual partners? My friend is facing this issue and, though she knows it is a sin, she is unable to control her desire. When she read these answers, she became very excited and asked me if she could meet the contemporary Krishna (the human incarnation) to solve her problem. My friend is requesting Your help to solve this issue.]
Swami replied:- The human incarnation is not a call-boy, who can be engaged by paying some reasonable amount (as Guru Dakshina!!!). The human incarnation is God, who comes in human body to guide the devotees in proper spiritual path. The human incarnation is above the justified human life (Pravrutti) and belongs to spiritual life (Nivrutti), which is beyond even justified human life that leads the soul to eternal abode of God and not to a temporary heaven that is the fruit for justified worldly life. The case referred by you belongs to the lower (in fact, the lowest) level (Dushpravrutti) that leads the soul to hell for punishments. My sincere advice to her is that the romantic ideas start from the mind, due to which, the hormones become activated to increase the intensity of the lustful ideas. The root cause for lust is mind only. If she diverts her mind to God as much as possible, even the full control is possible.
5. Don’t You think the descriptions in Gita Govindam etc., are symbolic, referring to creative powers rather than literal anatomy?
[In one of Your answers to a question about the Vishnu Sahasranaamam and the Lalitaa Sahasranaamam, You said the following:
“Males are not supposed to recite the Lalitā Sahasranāma stotram because the beauty of the body of the divine mother is frequently described in it. A son should not recite the prayer describing the physical beauty of his mother.”
For the complete discourse, please refer to the link: https://www.universal-spirituality.org/discourses/what-is-the-significance-of-the-vishnu-sahasranaamam-and-the-lalitaa-sahasranaamam--1467--2205--ENG
Question on the above excerpt: Texts like the Gita Govinda by Jayadeva, the Kama Sutra and other Tantric and Puranic traditions describe "private parts" of Gods. Don’t You think these descriptions are often symbolic and metaphorical, referring to creative or generative powers rather than literal anatomy, as seen in the Lalita Sahasranama's references to the divine mother's creative essence? While the Lalita Sahasranama focuses on the spiritual aspects of the Divine Mother, other texts explore sensuality and the divine through more explicitly embodied or erotic imagery.
Also, when God is not the biological father, He is not the real father. How can the Goddess become the biological mother when God and Goddess are one unimaginable God? Similarly, when the Goddess is not the biological mother, she is not the real mother. Then, why shouldn’t men recite the prayers Lalitā Sahasranāma Stotram and Soundarya Lahari Stotram, which describe the physical beauty of the Goddess?]
Swami replied:- In the Gita Govindam, the romance between Radha and Krishna is described. In Lalitā Sashasranāma prayer, the description of beauty of the Divine Mother is also given. Such description can be taken as the creative power of the Divine Mother (as told by you) by the female devotees, but, when the case of male devotees comes, there is high possibility of distraction of mind to wrong side. There are only very very few male devotees, who can also take such description like female devotees. Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa prayed the private part of a beautiful naked lady (sent to test Him) as the source of creation by treating her as the Divine Mother. But, every human soul is not of the standard of Shri Paramahamsa. Even the Vātsyāyana Kāmasūtra describes the union-modes of a couple. Reading the description of the divine beauty of the Divine Mother is not good for male devotees, who are not in the highest spiritual level of Shri Paramahamsa. Any trace of deviation of the mind of the devotee will destroy him completely. Some demons, who expressed such thoughts to the Divine Mother were violently smashed by the Divine Mother. Parabrahman is unimaginable God and in His case, the modification (Pariṇāma) cannot be logically established. Mahā Māyā or the Divine Mother is the unimaginable power of God and she is also called as Kāraṇa Māyā Śakti.
This world is the product of the modification of the inert energy called as Kārya Māyā Śakti. Even though the process of generation of inert energy from the unimaginable power is also unimaginable, scholars like to call the unimaginable power or Mahā Māyā as the cause of inert energy instead of calling the unimaginable substratum or Parabrahman as the cause. Parabrahman and Mahā Māyā can be treated as possessor of power and power and both cannot be separated from each other since both are unimaginable items. We cannot say both as one or two when both are in the unimaginable state. The inability to isolate both can also result in the monism of both. Neither God nor God’s power is a biological parent. But, the indirect modification of the Divine Power or direct modification of inert energy can be assumed as the mother giving birth to child, which is the modification of her flesh. It is an assumption based on modification. The Divine Power (Maayaa) is called as the root cause of the creation (Māyāṃ tu prakṛtiṃ viddhi – Gita). The word ‘Prakruti’ means root cause. Our ancestral tradition is to treat the power of God as Divine Mother. Once such tradition is established, it will be highly unethical to think otherwise. This tradition has logical basis that the unimaginable power only can produce inert energy and since the world is modification of inert energy, the world can also be treated as modification of the unimaginable power indirectly. This modification brings the similarity with the flesh and blood of mother being modified as the body of the baby in the womb.
Regarding unimaginable God, there is no possibility for the assumption of such modification except that the will of Parabrahman is the basis for such modification. Such will cannot be assumed as the sperm of the father. Hence, the unimaginable God is untouched by all these assumptions of a biological parent. Mahā Māyā, the Divine Mother, does not like sweet devotion with souls and she has killed several demons, who approached her in that angle. Even Parabrahman, the unimaginable God, being assumed father (because He happens to be the husband of Mahā Māyā), is also not participating directly in the sweet devotion except making some arrangement through His illusory forms and protecting His celibacy perfectly. This means that even Parabrahman does not like this sweet devotion personally with souls except with the Divine Mother or Mahā Māyā. God arranges His illusory forms to help the lustful female devotees of Dushpravrutti to divert their fascination towards God and makes them reach God shortly in course of time. This type of arrangement need not be done by the Divine Mother also for the sake of lustful male devotees to divert their mind to God because almost every male soul has to enter the final female birth so that their masculine ego spontaneously disappears in female body. Hence, the final birth program is arranged by God only and there is no loss to male devotees.
6. Are tantric sadhanas real? Is there a tantric practice called Apsara Sadhana?
[Are tantric sadhanas real? Is there a tantric practice called Apsara Sadhana, or is it a man-made concept? Is it true that the heavenly dancers actually appear before the sadhaka who performs such sadhana and grant him pleasure? If this is possible, then men could satisfy their desires through this process, which would be much safer and more economical than visiting brothels. Moreover, such experiences might even establish the concept of unimaginable miracles. Kindly clarify.]
Swami replied:- Are there no other types of miracles to prove the existence of unimaginable God as the source of miracles? Tantra means technic. The only technic for catching God is the pure desireless theoretical devotion based on true spiritual knowledge that is proved by practical service and sacrifice. If you get heavenly dancers like this without spending money, how can the prostitutes make up their livelihood? Administration involves politics and a political administrator is very much worried about the employment of downtrodden people!
7. Are the practices like Uchistha Ganapathi, Pratyangira etc., really effective?
[There are many other tantric sadhanas, such as Smashaana Aghora Ganapathi Saadhana, Uchistha Ganapathi, Pratyangira and many more. Are these practices really effective? Can a person simply chant these mantras and experience their power by following a manual from the internet, or is it necessary to receive initiation from a human guru? Will these mantras work without proper guidance?]
Swami replied:- All these worships will lead the soul to horrible hells headed by Shri Kālabhairava. All these practices are related to Dushpravrutti, which is the worst lowest level of devilish human beings.
8. What is the difference between incarnations of Goddess Raktha Chamunda and Goddess Kali?
[What is the difference between incarnations of Goddess Raktha Chamunda and Goddess Kali? They both have similar aspects of destroying evil forces but what is the difference?]
Swami replied:- Evil forces are destroyed by God in which your interference is not needed even if it is your case and you are suffering from evil forces. Kālī is very powerful deity, who is the wild form of Goddess Parvati. A male devotee, who can see all the females in the world as his mother can succeed in the worship of Kālī and such case is Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. Other than such devotee, other male devotees will be swallowed by the Divine Mother, Kālī. Since Kālī is the wild form of the Goddess, even the female devotees are not advised to worship her since the effect of wildness will destroy them also. It is always advised to worship the peaceful forms of God or Goddess for both males and females.
9. Is there a specific reason for the incarnation of Kalabhairava, like how Veerabhadra was born to destroy Daksha yajna?
[I often get confused between the incarnation Veerabhadra and Kalabhairava of Lord Shiva. How was Kalabhairava born? Is there a specific reason for this incarnation, like how Veerabhadra was born to destroy Daksha yajna? Is there any particular context in which Lord Shiva took the form of Kalabhairava?]
Swami replied:- God Shiva incarnated as Kālabhairava to pluck out the 5th upper head of God Brahma, which spoke a lie. This is only a divine drama in which it is preached to humanity that a lie should not be told at least to God.
10. Why did Lord Rama ask Sita to undergo the same test of chastity after the washerman's comment?
[When Mother Sita from the Ramayana had already proved her chastity by entering the fire in Lanka, why didn’t Lord Rama ask her to undergo the same test here after the washerman's comment? That way, Rama and Sita could have stayed together instead of sending her to the forest. The story would have ended happily. Why did God choose to send Sita to the forest?]
Please counter the feminist argument that Lord Rama was an alpha male who dominated and unnecessarily punished his wife. Was it right for Rama to trouble his family merely to satisfy public opinion? How can we say Lord Rama didn’t act just to appease people and gain the reputation of being a great king?]
Swami replied:- Even washerman is a respected citizen in the public of the kingdom of God Rama, who treated the public more important than even His family members. The ideals of God Rama as a king are the highest so that any king will follow these ideals at least to some extent. By trying to follow God Rama, the ruling officials will at least treat their family members in par with public so that they will not do corruption and support nepotism. The goal shall always be the highest so that the followers can reach at least to a high level. Sita was sent to a place very near to the asylum of Valmiki existing in the forest because just a day before that, Sita expressed her desire to visit the asylum of Valmiki. Scriptures say that the husband of a pregnant lady shall fulfill the desire of his pregnant wife. Rama also thought that His children will grow in the asylum of Valmiiki with full discipline so that they will rule the kingdom like Himself in the most perfect way in future. If the children are grown in the palace of a king, they are likely to enter indiscipline. Rama knows that Sita is very chaste even before she entered the fire in Lanka. Rama also knows that Sita is the incarnation of His inherent power called Mahalakshmi and that Sita is very very capable of performing any miracle she likes. The ignorance of the background is responsible for all types of misunderstandings about God Raama.
11. When God is infinitely kind and loving, why does He punish souls for sharing incomplete or wrong knowledge about Him?
[When God is infinitely kind and loving, why does He punish souls for sharing incomplete or wrong knowledge about Him? In one of your discourses, it was mentioned that a person who preaches wrong knowledge will be thrown into hell and that one should not have an itching desire to become a Guru. What is wrong if a person's intent is pure—to move towards God and help others do the same—even if the knowledge shared is imperfect or born out of ignorance? Why would God still punish such mistakes when the heart's intention is sincere?]
Swami replied:- People preach wrong knowledge to the world because they don’t have patience to learn the true knowledge from the Divine Preacher completely. Such people are very hasty to become divine preachers due to their ego based ambition. It is their foolish ambition that creates the itching desire to become the divine preacher immediately. The human tendency is to become a great person as soon as it sees a great person. One automatically becomes a great person when he/she puts sufficient efforts for some time at least. A student observing a lecturer in the very first class wants to become a lecturer by the next day itself! The disciples preached and guided by such false preachers enter into wrong path. As long as these disciples are in the wrong path, so long the false preacher will be suffering in the hell. This is perfectly justified punishment.
12. What is wrong if a person decides priesthood as a profession and makes a living from it and simultaneously staying closer to God?
[What is wrong if a person decides to choose priesthood as a profession and makes a living from it, especially when it provides an opportunity to stay closer to God? Don’t you think it is a wonderful profession that offers both spiritual closeness to God and a means to earn a livelihood?]
Swami replied:- The closeness to God comes only if the priest guides the people towards God in the correct path. This is possible only when he knows the meaning of the scripture. Reciting the scripture like an inert blind tape recorder is only a waste of time for both the public and himself. Without true and complete spiritual knowledge, how can the devotion be developed in human beings?
13. Is it fair to say that it is wrong for a purohit to demand money for performing rituals?
[Below are the comments passed by my friend after going through one of your discourses on Purohitham or Priesthood. Request you to kindly counter his points.
There are Brahmins who make their livelihood through purohitham (priestly duties) because they have no other options and often come from poverty. These priests demand dakshina (monetary offerings) from devotees. Is it justified to compare such human purohits with a Satguru, who is God incarnate and performs purohitham without demanding dakshina? The Satguru, being omnipotent and all-powerful, is fundamentally different from a human purohit, who is limited and relies on monetary support to survive.
Is it fair to say that it is wrong for a purohit to demand money for performing rituals? In today’s context, people spend lakhs of rupees on photography, decorations, clothes, and food for weddings, yet they complain and hesitate when it comes to paying the purohit who conducted the ceremony. When people exploit purohits in such a manner, is it still reasonable to expect purohits not to demand their rightful earnings?]
Swami replied:- If a person is made to perform a ritual without knowing the meaning of the Vedic hymns recited by them, the so called priest is just a blind tape recorder. What is the benefit to the performer of the ritual? The performer of the ritual is forced to do the ritual through fear superimposed on him. In this context, God is not at all pleased with the priest. When the priest is not benefitting the performer in anyway, what right does the priest has to demand money from the performer in this context? Even the priest is not spiritual since he himself does not know the meaning of the scripture. Even the Divine Preacher, who guides people with true spiritual knowledge is not demanding money from them. God gives plenty of money to every spiritual preacher when God is pleased with his work. The priest shall become a true preacher so that he will be blessed by God in the materialistic life as well as in the spiritual life. When the priest gives true knowledge of the Vedic scripture to the public, God will be pleased to bless both the priest and the performer of the ritual.
14. Is it a sin to enjoy the money given by my relative, who earns by corruption also?
[My Aunt who is a Devotee of God worships Lord Datta every day, However She is a government employee who earns money by corruption. She has gifted me some money as a gift to buy clothes out of affection and love. I took this money Not to make her feel bad, as she is a devotee of Lord Datta now if I enjoy this money by buying clothes, is it a sin? What should have been my response to her offer? Is it fair to tell on her face that she is doing a mistake or leave It to God and accept money? What is the write approach?]
Swami replied:- If you have no other alternative for your livelihood, enjoying such money is not a sin. If you have sufficient earning for your livelihood, take the money and spend it wisely in God’s work.
15. Request You to kindly help us understand the below Sanskrit Proverb in the right way.
[जीवने यावदादानं स्यात्प्रदानं ततोऽधिकम्।
इत्येषा प्रार्थनास्माकं भगवन्परिपूर्यताम्॥
Jīvane yāvadādānaṃ syātpradānaṃ tato'dhikam |
Ityeṣā prārthanāsmākaṃ Bhagavan paripūryatām ||]
Swami replied:- This means that the charity shall be more than the earning. This is said to be the highest goal so that the follower will at least reach a higher goal in which the human being can do charity after deducting the expenses needed for the basic needs of himself and his family.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★