Part-1

O Learned and Devoted Servants of God

1. What is the meaning of the mask of sattva quality as in Dhritarashtra?

[Smt. Chhanda asked: Padanamaskaram Swami! Following (Q1 to Q5) are a few statements from Your enlightening discourses where I found some difficulties in understanding. Please remove those ignorances.

“In some, the mask of sattva quality is covered on the outside. Such a person is Dhritarashtra.”

What does this example mean Swami? Is it only covered by mask or he does not have the sattva quality as predominant? In his case, is it not the rajas quality as predominant?]

Swami replied:- This means that some people are having inherent bad qualities. But, they cover themselves with the external mask of good qualities like a tiger covered by the mask of leather of goat.

2. How can Paramahamsa be a sadhaka Gopika?

[“In the Kali Yuga, great devotees like Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, etc., who were born as devotees, are these Sadhaka Gopikas only. Swami has created the Goloka above Satyaloka for these Siddha (whose spiritual effort is completed) Gopikas, who have broken all bonds, crossed all the barriers and have the decisive knowledge that no one is equal to Swami and nothing is equal to Swami.”

But Swami, Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa Himself being the God in human form, how can He be a sadhaka Gopika? Even in His role also He proved Himself as siddha Gopika only. In fact, He is the creator of Goloka. Is it not? Please clarify the inner meaning?]

Swami replied:- God as human incarnation Himself acts like a devotee so that He can be a practical example for the devotees. Rama is God, but, acted like an ideal human being to stand as an example for ordinary souls following Pravrutti. For the sake of welfare of human beings in Pravrutti as well as Nivrutti, God Himself acts as practical example. Such action of God is called Lokasamgraha, which means the action done for the welfare of the world. There is no contradiction between actor and role. Ramkrishna Paramahamsa is the incarnation of God. God can incarnate as Sadhaka Gopika or Siddha Gopika as per the requirement based on the level of the devotees to be guided. When a diamond is on the 10^th step or on the 90^th step of a staircase, how does it matter? The value of the diamond will not change.

3. Does the following mean that souls have to worship Vishnu only being the present form?

[“When one goes to the world of Brahma (Brahma Loka), Lord Brahma exists there in invisible form. When the sages chanted the hymns for a long time, then He would appear. Same is the case in Shiva Loka also. But when one goes to Vaikuntha, Lord Vishnu is visible. The reason for this is that in the present time Shri Datta Parabrahman is existing in the form of Maha Vishnu for ruling the world. Now, the present time is concerned and so His form is visible.”

Is this not indirectly saying that souls have to worship the form of Lord Vishnu only being the present form till the creation exists as He will always be the maintainer of this creation? Those who worship Lord Shiva or Lord Brahma form, are they also not worshipping the same? Please throw Your spiritual light on this.]

Swami replied:- Here, I have given the reason for why Ramanuja and Madhva have selected God Vishnu as the ultimate Lord. Every form of God stands as the embodiment of some specific qualities, based on which, specific devotees liking those qualities will select those forms of God to worship. God took different forms with different qualities because each person likes certain specific qualities. For the sake of improving the devotion of devotees only, God has taken different forms having different qualities. To tell more clearly, these forms are like different dresses with different colours and different styles worn by the same person. The qualities are also linked with different colours based on this simile.

Sattvam is white, Rajas is red and Tamas is black. Suppose a person likes all the colours of all the dresses at different suitable contexts, such a person is a devotee of God liking Him with all qualities, each quality suitable to a specific context. Such devotee likes God in whatever dress God may be present. His love is not on the colour and style of dress, but, his love is concentrated on God, who may be present in any dress. Hence, the form of God should be selected by the devotee as per his/her special liking so that the concentration of the mind will be highest on such form. God Brahma is visible like God Vishnu because the activity of creation is continuing in all times in this world since parents are creating children continuously. God Shiva is also visible like God Vishnu because the activity of destruction is continuing in all times in this world since human beings die continuously. “God Brahma and God Shiva are invisible” - this means that the creation of the entire world and destruction of the entire world are not taking place at present. You have to take the implied sense (Lakshanaartha) for such statement and in such context, you shall not take the literal sense (Vaacyaaartha).

4. How is the tail of Hanuman, a symbol of His external strong devotion?

[“If Hanuman is the epitome of service without aspiration, His tail is a symbol of external strong devotion.” What does this second part mean?]

Swami replied:- The word ‘tail’ means an addition to the concept. Hanuman is explained with reference to the internal devotion. Tail means the external devotion that is added to this concept. External devotion is also necessary because it is seen by others so that they will be inspired into devotion. It is not for show, but, for the purpose of others to learn the devotion. As I told already, external devotion is for the welfare of the world. When beginners see the devotees doing some spiritual service, they get motivated to enter into spirituality.

5. Please elaborate on the ‘viewpoint of self’.

[“The Gopikas worshiped Lord Krishna as atman. Rasaliila should not be seen in a physical or worldly sense. Not to be seen even as enjoyment. The Gopikas worshiped Lord Krishna with a viewpoint of self and love. Such feelings of love spring only from knowledge.”

Please elaborate on the ‘viewpoint of self’.]

Swami replied:- Self and love mean the love possessed by you to yourself and this is always the highest in the case of any soul. Gopikas loved Krishna just like they loved their own selves. This means that Gopikas loved Krishna to the state of climax because climax love is always on the self. The reason for such climax love of Gopikas is due to their climax spiritual knowledge about the details of the divine personality of God Krishna. The knowledge of the personality of a cinema hero projected in various films is responsible for the unimaginable love of the fan towards that cinema hero. Such love is really unimaginable because the fan commits suicide when the hero dies. The love of the fan towards the cinema hero is unimaginable because the love at human level is generally based on the concept “I love you if you also love me”. This is in Pravrutti. In Nivrutti, the love to God is beyond the love in Pravrutti and reaches its climax like the fan devotion in which a fan of cinema hero/political leader is the example. The cinema hero doesn’t even know the name of that fan and hence, the hero never loved the fan. Irrespective of the love of God to the devotee in return, the devotee continues to love God. The love of devoted Gopikas towards God is beyond the Pravrutti-love of human level.

When Krishna went to Madhura and then to Dwaraka and never came back to Brundaavanam even to see the Gopikas, the Gopikas continued to love Krishna more and more without withdrawing from the love to Krishna based on the principle of love at human level. This is the test conducted by God Brahma (Brahma Pariikshaa), which means that God will not respond to the love of the devotee to see whether the devotee withdraws his/her love to God or not. God Krishna stole the wealth (butter) of the Gopikas to see whether they still love Him and this is the test conducted by God Vishnu (Vishnu Pariikshaa). Generally, the devotee prays God for wealth only. Instead of giving wealth, God steals your wealth and this is told by God Vishnu (Yasyānugraha micchāmi, tasya vittaṃ harāmyaham). The final test is conducted by God Rudra/Shiva (Rudra Pariikshaa), which is to see the love of the devotee to God even if God tortures the devotee beyond patience. Gopikas were tortured by hunters and they were loving Krishna in the same climax level. The twelve successful Gopikas jumped into fire when God Krishna left His gross body and this is the climax torture, which is showing climax love to God. They have crossed even the level of self-love in this test.

When Shankara told that self is God, it does not mean that self is really God. It only means that the devotee must love God just like the devotee loves his/her own self. Any soul will have the highest love on itself only and in this stage, the soul is expected to have such highest love to God. The Veda also says that a soul loves other souls for its own happiness only and not for the happiness of other souls (Ātmanaḥ kāmāya…). The soul keeps any other soul below itself only and not above itself. After Shankara, Ramanuja came preaching that the soul is lower than God because soul is a tiny part and God is the whole. This means that in the advanced stage of devotion, the soul shall keep God at higher level than itself. After Ramanuja, Madhva came preaching that the soul shall keep God in the highest position keeping itself in the lowest position as servant. Hence, the essence of the philosophies of these three preachers is that the devotee shall love God just like one loves himself/herself in the first stage, the devotee shall love God more than himself/herself in the second stage, and in the third stage, the devotee shall love God keeping God in the highest place, which is not only higher than himself/herself, but also higher than any other inert/non-inert item in the creation.

6. Out of all the eight steps of ashtanga yoga, which one is the most important and why?

Swami replied:- Samaadhi, the last step is the most important if you understand its meaning correctly. Samaadhi does not mean to become unconscious by using certain anesthetic drugs. It means the firm decision and unshakable faith on the human incarnation you have selected, which shall not change under any circumstance, be it the critical test of God Datta aiming at disturbing your faith on Him. Sam=firmly, Aa=always, Dhi=the decision taken by intelligence based on sharp and deep analysis.

7. Is there any difference between Bhagavat Svarupa and Shri Guru Datta Svarupa?

[Swami, is there any difference between Bhagavat Svarupa and Shri Guru Datta Svarupa? If one among these two is higher, then which one and why?]

Swami replied: - Shri Datta is both the goal (Bhagavan or God) as well as the guide (Guru). The Goal is to be reached finally by travelling in the path advised by the Guru. When God comes in human form, He guides the devotees in the correct path by which the devotee certainly reaches the goal. The right side of Shri Datta is Guru and His left side is Bhagavaan. Right side is considered as more important than left side since the Guru is greater than the goal because without the right guidance of the Guru, the devotee can’t reach the goal. The main purpose of human incarnation of God is to guide the devotees in correct path so that the devotee reaches the right goal through right path.

8. The only way is to direct bad qualities towards God. Is there a limit upto which one can apply this concept?

[Swami, as You told that since we cannot change our qualities, which are as strong as diamonds, the only way for us is to direct our bad qualities towards God. But Swami, please explain on the matter that if we turn our ego and jealousy, specially the latter one towards the contemporary human incarnation, it will definitely come on Him too and the soul also will earn more sins and it becomes more egoistic and jealous. There has to be a certain limit upto which we can apply this concept, Is it not? Where exactly the soul has to stop so that the thorny stick becomes sacred ash?]

Swami replied:- Diverting ego and jealousy towards God shall be done in the following way and not applying ego and jealousy directly towards God! The way is:- i) Ego:- To feel proud that you are the devotee of Lord Krishna, who is the most greatest incarnation of God. ii) Jealousy:- To feel jealous about the devotees of Krishna, who are greater than you in devotion so that you can improve your devotion based on such jealousy.

9. Swami, please throw spiritual light on the topic ‘Death is linear, Dying is circular’.

Swami replied:- As the life proceeds forward with time, death is obtained and hence, the death is said to be linear since it is met by you by travelling in linear path of lifetime. Dying means the process of the death, which is circular because you will be moving in a vicious circle of worldly thoughts of that ending life, like a person caught in the whirlpool of worldly life-ocean.

10. Can we really say the path of the twelve successful Gopikas is the worst like the path of hell because they were married?

[Can we really say the path of the 12 successful Gopikas is the worst like the path of hell because they were married? Love for God must be there in everyone’s heart. Is it not correct? In my view, it should not be linked with marriage even though I understand the difficulty of this path specially for married women. What do You say?]

Swami replied:- The rules of worldly life (Pravrutti) are called worldly justice. A person present in Pravrutti shall not break this worldly justice. It is like the oath taken by an elected member for the public service in politics. The oath shall not be broken as long as the elected member remains in that position for five years. Similarly, the soul shall not break the oath taken in the name of God during marriage as long as he/she remains in Pravrutti. Nivrutti means walking into spiritual life leaving the worldly life or Pravrutti. Just like Pravrutti has its own rules, Nivrutti also has its own rules. If one does not like the rules of Nivrutti, he/she can continue in Pravrutti only. Continuing in Pravrutti does not mean that you are going against Nivrutti or God because God also aspires that every soul shall continue in Pravrutti only following the justice of Pravrutti. If you follow the justice of Pravrutti, God will encourage you by sending you to heaven, where you will enjoy the heavenly pleasures for some time. If you break the justice of Pravrutti and follow injustice (Dushpravrutti), you will be thrown into hell. The heaven and hell are temporary only because the actions done by you (merits or sins) also have beginning and end.

If you don’t do injustice in Pravrutti, God blesses you with worldly pleasures on this earth. But, these worldly pleasures are also not eternal because death is inevitable for any human being. The eternal pleasure is called bliss and that can be obtained only through Nivrutti, which is the special grace of God shown on a soul. The fruit of Nivrutti is far far greater than the pleasures of Pravrutti existing either on earth while alive or in the upper worlds after death (Nivṛttistu mahāphalā). The rule of Nivrutti is that the devotee shall defeat all the worldly bonds when the bond with God competes with the worldly bonds. Defeating worldly bonds means defeating all the worldly bonds and no worldly bond is exceptional in Nivrutti. Since the field is Nivrutti and not Pravrutti, there is no sin in such practical step of the devotee. If the same activity is done in Pravrutti, which means breaking the worldly bond with spouse for the sake of another human being, it is horrible sin and in such case, the field is called Dushpravrutti and not Pravrutti. This activity is for every soul, whether the soul is husband or wife.

Shankara did not marry at all for the sake of God. Buddha and Ramanuja left their wives for the sake of God. Actually, the strongest worldly bond is not with spouse because especially in Kali Yuga, this bond is purely based on lust and not on love. As the time passes, lust becomes weaker and weaker, which means that spouse bond becomes weaker and weaker as the lifetime nears death. But, the bond on one’s son or daughter is a very strong bond and becomes stronger and stronger as the soul is nearing death. This issue bond is actually the strongest bond out of the three strongest worldly bonds (Eshanaatrayam). This issue bond is always linked with the wealth bond because every soul (mother or father) tries to give all the wealth earned (in either justified way or unjust way) by it to its issues only. In fact, this issue bond is the root cause for the sins done by a soul to earn more and more wealth even through unjust ways. All Gopikas passed in the test for spouse bond by dancing with God Krishna. Almost all Gopikas failed in the test for joint bond of issues and wealth by complaining to Mother Yashoda when her son, God Krishna stole their butter (wealth), which was preserved for their children even after knowing very well that Krishna is God!