18 Oct 2025
1. Did Sudaama refrain from asking for help out of self-respect or devotion?
[Shri Ramakanth asked:- Paadanamaskaram Swami 🙏 Dattam Vande Jagat Gurum 🙏 I request You to kindly answer the below questions 🙏
Sudama was poor and went to meet God Krishna with the intention of seeking help. When Krishna saw him, He lovingly washed Sudama’s feet with His hands and sprinkled that water on His own head. Sudama offered parched rice to Lord Krishna and didn’t ask or think of asking anything from Him. Did Sudama refrain from asking for help, out of a sense of pride or self-respect (a subtle form of ego)? Or was it because of his genuine devotion knowing Krishna is God — an example of Nishkama Karma?]
Swami replied:- Like any spiritual aspirant, Sudaama stopped begging God Krishna for help due to the dignity of the level of friendship because God Krishna happened to be his classmate. But, Sudaama became a very matured devotee in course of time and believed in the climax form of devotion in which God is always served without aspiring any fruit in return from God. Since Sudaama had matured as a perfect devotee, God helped him even in materialism in an unimaginable way. The self-pride of Sudaama was just the beginning defect since the beginning is always affected by defects (Sarvaarambhaahi doshena…- Gita).
2. How is the greatest God affected by boredom?
[How is the greatest God affected by boredom? God is always blissful even though He is alone (Anando Brahma, Raso vai Saḥ, etc). Did He deliberately subject Himself to boredom to experience dualistic bliss? You told that, “Boredom leading to good work is to be treated as a good quality only”. Creation is a noble act, for You uphold justice and reject injustice, based on what You determine to be just or unjust. I understood till here. In a discourse, You compared that boredom to death. Click:- here “The self-ignorance is useful to cross the boredom of loneliness, which is as painful as death”. If that boredom, which led You to create the creation is not bad, then, why is it compared to death?]
Swami replied:- The word ‘boredom’ has a unique sense in the world. If you don’t have a TV in your house, you get bored. Here, the reason for boredom is the deficiency of TV. God is possessing everything at all times. You cannot expect the above type of boredom linked with some deficiency in the case of God. A king is bored in his palace even though everything is available. He wants to go to the forest for a change of entertainment. This is not the above said boredom. God was bored with monism and hence, desired for dualism. It is only the change of variety of entertainment and not getting a new entertainment, which was unavailable till that time. This point is well explained in the Brahmasuutram (Loka vattu liilaa kaivalyam).
3. What is the meaning of “Dhātā yathā pūrvam…”?
[What is the meaning of “Dhātā yathā pūrvam…”? If everything will be exactly as it is, will same human incarnations appear again and again along with the same stories, characters, events, etc?]
Swami replied:- The same cinema replayed in another theatre may bring boredom to the audience that has seen the cinema already because human beings have a good memory especially regarding cinemas. Your doubt has no place in the case of playing the same cinema again and again in this world because the souls completely forget everything even from one birth to another birth. From this point of view, there is no problem of boredom in the case of souls due to repetition of the world-cinema because every soul gets a fresh mind after the previous birth. For God, there is no real basic boredom because His boredom is very superficial, which is based on the same variety of entertainment. By changing a variety of the entertainment, basic boredom, which is due to some deficiency does not arise in the case of God.
4. When You say that God has attained everything, what did He actually attain here?
[Swami, You told the meaning of the statement “Āptakāmasya kā sprhā?” as “God has attained everything and there is nothing which He has to achieve”. My understanding is that God never had any desires like us (normal human beings). So, there is nothing for Him to achieve. When You say that He has attained everything, what did He actually attain here? In the same context, can I say that since God wanted (desire) to create this creation, in bringing it forth, God attained all that was to be attained by Him?]
Swami replied:- God comes down to the earth not to attain something, which He could not attain in the upper world. In the upper world or lower world, there is nothing, which is not attained by Him. He comes down to the earth to help the devotees with the correct spiritual knowledge so that devotees can succeed in the spiritual path.
5. Can we say that God is modified into creation since God and His power are the same?
[Swami, You have explained how God is omniscient without being omnipresent. I understand that You are only present in the incarnation, but I am unable to resolve the below conflict. You say that Unimaginable God and His Unimaginable power are same. But, You say that His power got modified into this creation. Why can we not say that God is modified into creation?]
Swami replied:- The power of God called Mahaa Maayaa and the possessor of power called Parabrahman are not qualitatively different from each other. The power of God called Mahaa Maayaa or Kaarana Maayaa Shakti created the first product called as Kaarya Maayaa Shakti, which is the inert energy. The generation of inert energy from Mahaa Maayaa or Kaarana Maayaa Shakti or Parabrahman or Kaarna Brahman (all four are same) is unimaginable process and not imaginable modification. This inert energy itself is called as Kaarya Maayaa Shakti or Kaarya Brahman and the rest of the world is a modification of this Kaarya Maayaa Shakti or Kaarya Brahman. Hence, there is no modification of Mahaa Maayaa or Parabrahman in creating the world.
6. When God is entertained by His power as His wife, what should this bliss be called in the relative phase?
[God and His power are told as one and the same. In absolute phase, He is entertained by His own power. This is monistic bliss. In the relative phase (creation), He is again entertained by His power as His wife (Shiva-Shakti, Krishna-Radha, Rama-Sita, etc). What should this bliss be called as in the relative phase? a) It is monistic bliss again since there is no trace of difference between unimaginable God and unimaginable power. There is only one Unimaginable item and hence, both are one. So, this union in the relative phase is monistic bliss. b) It is dualistic bliss since You have 2 different forms. The male form in which You are present and the female form is Your power with awareness and freedom, which always is Your servant. Moreover, You created the creation for this dualistic bliss only. Which is correct?]
Swami replied:- Infinite divided by two is one infinite only. The dualism is only external and doesn’t touch the internal monistic bliss. You can realize this even in finite items. Whether you take two plates having one biscuit each or one plate having two biscuits, the total quantity of food is one and the same in both cases. The infinite ocean of bliss is one and the same whether it is experienced in one plate or two plates. It is only a change in the variety of experience and not the multiplication of experience.
7. When time did not exist before the creation of the creation, how can we tell Vivarta vada applies to God during creating the creation?
Swami replied:- The Vivarta Vaada is understood through the example of a water wave. This means that water is absolutely real and the wave is inherently unreal. You have to take this concept for the creator-water and creation-wave. The water and the wave need not exist before the creation. This concept is taken only after the creator created the creation. We talk about Vivarta only after the creation. That which did not exist before creation and that which will not exist after the dissolution can’t exist in the present also. Truth exists in all the three times and falsity does not exist at any time. But, the world exists because God gifted His reality to the creation. Even if you take a mud pot, the shape of the pot is inherently unreal in all the three times. The reality of the shape of the pot exists at present only (neither before its generation nor after its dissolution) due to the gifted reality of the mud.
8. Can You please explain the meaning of the below verse from Mandukya Upanishad?
[Swami, can You please explain the meaning of the below verse from Mandukya Upanishad? “Nāntaḥ-prajñaṁ na bahiḥ-prajñaṁ nobhayataḥ-prajñaṁ na prajñāna-ghanaṁ na prajñaṁ nāprajñam”]
Swami replied:- The meaning of this hymn is that God is unimaginable and you can’t attribute any imaginable nature to the unimaginable God. Hence, the Veda says that the unimaginable God or Parabrahman is neither imaginable awareness nor imaginable inert entity. When the unimaginable God does thinking, you should not conclude that it is awareness. When the unimaginable God burns the creation, you should not think that the unimaginable God is inert radiation. Both these works of thinking and burning are done by Him due to His omnipotence and hence, He need not be awareness to think and need not be inert radiation to burn the universe.
9. What is the meaning of “na prajñāna-ghanaṁ”?
[Specifically, what is the meaning of “na prajñāna-ghanaṁ”? You said that the Veda clearly says “Prajñānaṃ Brahma” and “Prajnaanaghanah”. Either in absolute state or relative state (Incarnation), He is the solidified divine form of divine spiritual knowledge. This word is suitable ONLY for God and no one else. Why is it negated here?]
Swami replied:- When you say about a scholar that he is the embodiment of knowledge, it does not mean that he is a solidified form of knowledge in physical sense. It is a figure of speech, which means that he is possessing infinite knowledge. The negation here is for the physical sense.
10. When gross state exists, does subtle state also exist with it in an associated way?
Swami replied:- When you see some matter in gross state, the subtle atomic structure of the matter is also simultaneously existing, which is not perceived by you. If you think that whatever you perceive, that alone exists, you are certainly God and I salute you.
11. In the case of Unimaginable God, what is the Anumaana pramana (Hetu–Dṛṣṭānta–Sādhya–Nigamana) for Him thinking of creating the creation?
[A question by Shri Ramakanth]
Swami replied:- The inference or Anumaana Pramaana used in the case of unimaginable God is that seeing this wonderfully created universe, we are inferring the existence of the cause of this universe, which is not mere inert energy or inert matter or some expansion of singularity as per the big bang theory. All these examples are inert items. Such perfect and systematic universe following accurate principles must have been created by a non-inert item called God only. This refutes the formation of universe from non-inert items based on the concept of probability. This inference authority is explained in the Brahma Suutram (Janmaadyasya yatah).
12. In the view point of God, should we say that the creation is neither real nor unreal (or) it is both real and unreal?
[In the view point of God, should we say that the creation is neither real nor unreal (or) it is both real and unreal? Please explain this in the context of creation as a thought, creation in progress in the subtle state due to unimaginable awareness, creation in non-materialized state and creation in materialized form, which was granted with His gifted reality.]
Swami replied:- Anything must be either real or unreal at a specific time. Anything cannot be both real and unreal at the same time because it is a mutual contradiction. When you see an unreal serpent on a real rope, it clarifies that reality and unreality do not co-exist. The seen serpent is real and the unseen rope is unreal at one time when the illusion is continuing. When the illusion is removed, the seen rope is real and the unseen serpent is unreal. In the view of God, the creation is inherently unreal. Based on this, God can do any unimaginable event called miracle. But, for the sake of real entertainment, God gifts His reality to the world and makes it real. God covers with ignorance and entertains with the unreal serpent as real serpent. In this way, God uses self-awareness to do a miracle and uses self-ignorance to entertain with the creation.
13. Why can't we sacrifice the fruit of a puja to God and call it Karma Phala Tyaga?
[Swami, I understood Your concept of Karma Phala Tyaaga and I am completely convinced by Your logical analysis. I am not able to properly analyze the below point. Please help me in understanding this Swami. Krishna said "yat tapasyasi kaunteya tat kuruşva mad-arpanam" and after doing any puja or reading some stotram or doing some ritual, we say "Sarvam Shri Krishnarpanamastu". If we consider a ritual as prescribed in the Veda as karma, and assuming that this action (kratuvu) gives us some fruit as a good deed is performed, why can't we sacrifice this fruit to God (Krishnarpanamastu) and call it Karma Phala Tyagam? Is this wrong?]
Swami replied:- It is the theoretical sacrifice of the fruit of theoretical work. God said that He will give the fruit in the same phase of your sacrifice (Ye yathaa maam…- Gita). For theoretical action, theoretical fruit exists. By sacrificing the theoretical fruit, you will get back theoretical fruit only from God. If you praise Him as the highest God, He will praise you as the highest devotee. If you chant His name, He will chant your name. If you sing on Him, He will sing on you. Theoretical devotion is good, but, it does not bring true practical fruit. All our elders invented this sacrifice of theoretical fruit because they were very greedy. This is the reason that why our country is topmost in knowledge and devotion, but, is suffering with severe poverty. Theoretical devotion is not rejected, but, it should be associated with practical devotion, which is the sacrifice of practical fruit of practical work. The theoretical devotion is like the certificates of your qualifications. The practical devotion is like the certificate of your work experience. While giving a job interview, your practical experience is counted very much. Otherwise, they will ask you to attend a practical training for some time, which is nothing but understanding the real meaning of Karma Phala Tyaaga. Sudaama did practical sacrifice of a little parched rice and got practical blessings from God. A poor lady did practical sacrifice of a small fruit to Shankara and got practical blessings from Goddess Mahalakshmi.
To be continued...
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