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All the religions in the world are different feathers of the same bird i.e., different colors on the same God. There is only one God and there is only one universe. Similarly, man is also one. Man should aim for that one God. Man should belong to all the religions in the universe. He should pick up the diamonds of all religions and use them in his spiritual path. One can have love towards his nation. Every nation has some physical boundaries. All people living in that nation...
Dr. Nikhil asked: What are the various main misunderstood interpretations in Hinduism?
Shri Swami replied: 1) Unimaginable God: a) This is a misunderstanding in all the religions including Hinduism. This space, which is subtle energy, is infinite. This infinity is not the absolute inherent characteristic of the space. It means that the space is not infinite by itself. The space is generated from the unimaginable God. If you reach the boundary of the space, you touch God like...
The Gita says that the caste is based on the qualities and profession (Guna Karma Vibhagashah) of the person. [The four castes are Brahmins (priest...
Shri Hrushikesh asked: Why do Your photographs on Your website show You mostly as a Hindu even though You preach about Universal Spirituality?
Swami replied: Universal Spirituality or Universal Religion is like the central government of India and the specific religion followed by any person, is like the state government of any one state in India. The citizen belongs to both the central and state governments simultaneously. This means that you can be a follower of Universal Religion while still being a follower of your own religion. Universal Religion pervades all religions in the world...
The whole life of Rama is simply based on action i.e., Karma Yoga. He is an incarnation of Lord Datta. Datta means practical sacrifice. He...
Meaning of Light: The Veda says “Param jyotih”. The Brahma Sutra says “Jyotir adhikaranat”. This means that whenever the word light comes [in a philosophical context], it only means God. In ancient times, light [lamp] was lit using ghee [clarified butter] or oil. Neither kerosene nor electricity was present at that time. In the evening when darkness came, the lamp would be lit and it was a necessity. In such light [in that context,] the ancient people...
[Christmas message] These discourses will bring a harmony between Hinduism and Christianity. The messages of a Hindu saint like Swami Vivekananda have spread in Christian countries. The messages of Christianity have spread in India. Thus there is a broad-minded brotherhood between Hinduism and Christianity. The tolerance of Hindus and the love of Christians are the reasons for such a bond of brotherhood. Spreading of these special discourses among your Christian friends will strengthen the feelings of...
Abstract for conference on the Bhagavatam at Coimbatore] All the three sacred epics of Hinduism (the Ramayanam, the Bharatam and the Bhagavatam) deal with the main concept, which is the contemporary human incarnation of the unimaginable God on this earth for the sake of humanity. Unfortunately, this main point is not impressed in our minds so far in spite ...
The Bhagavad Gita says that nobody knows God (Maamtu veda na kashchana). The Veda says that words, mind, intelligence, logic and even imagination cannot touch God (Yato vachah…Manasa saha; Na medhaya; Naisha tarkena). The Veda also says that if one knows that God is unknown, he knows at least something about God (Yasyaamatam tasya matam). These three statements declare that God is unknowable and unreachable. Yet the same Veda says that God is present on this earth itself (Yat saakshat aparokshat). Similarly, the Gita also says that God reveals Himself on earth in every human generation as per the necessity (Tadaatmaanam srijaamyaham). These two statements say that God can be seen by humans. How can one reconcile these two contradicting sets of statements? The first set of statements implies that you cannot catch God by your effort. The second statement indicates that whenever the kindest God wants to reveal Himself, He comes down to earth. You can see God on earth...
Unattached work: In ancient India all the people were sages. They never did any work to earn extra wealth for getting extra enjoyment or to give it to their children. They were only doing karma, which is the work necessary to earn their livelihood. Such karma is not a sin because livelihood is essential. In doing such karma, an advice called nishkama karma yoga was given because it gives mental peace and strength. According to this advice, one should do work without attaching himself to the fruit of the work. This attachment to the fruit of the work is called as kama and if it is avoided, the person becomes peaceful...
[Durgashtami Message] Significance of Temples: Why is there so much rush in temples? There is only one reason. People think that if they go to the temples they can escape from the difficulties, which are the fruits of their sins. They also think that they can get some benefits (which are the fruits of good deeds) for good deeds that they have not performed. Obviously this is not true. The scriptures say “Avashyam Anubhoktavyam” which means that we must enjoy...
Vedas and Shlokas: Shlokas are verses in Sanskrit, which can be composed by any Sanskrit scholar and cannot be the authority. The present Hindu is unable to distinguish between the Veda and a shloka. Anything read in Sanskrit is the Veda for him! Anything read in English is not the Holy Bible! Merchants and Sanskrit scholars got together and constructed this bad tradition. Merchants of flowers, coconuts, oil and camphor...
Punishment for Sins: When a policeman beats a thief with his stick the thief should not think that the stick is beating him. Of course the stick is directly beating him, but the stick is inert and cannot beat him by itself. It is the policeman who is beating him with the stick. If the thief prays to the stick there is no use. Even if he prays to the uniform of the policeman, there is no use. He should only pray to the policeman, who wears the uniform and holds the stick. The uniform is also inert. Since the thief...
Destroying the Buffalo-Demon: Today is the Vijayadashami festival. Today Goddess Durga got victory over Mahishasura (Buffalo-Demon). Durga represents the highest power, which is knowledge. Mahisha (he-buffalo) represents the foolish rigidity of blind tradition. Yama Dharma Raja, the Lord of Death and Justice, sits on Mahisha. Yama means the rules and regulations imparted by the tradition. Dharma means the age-old practice. Raja means strictness and ego. Therefore, Mah isha represents an ignorant...
Light and Darkness: Shiva is knowledge (Jnanam Maheswaraat ichchhet). Knowledge is sattvam (Satvaat sanjaayate jnaanam). Sattvam is light (Prakaasa upajaayate, Vivruddham sattvamityuta). Therefore, Shiva is light and is white in colour. Science says that light energy is in the form of waves. The Shiva Linga (symbol of Shiva) is in the form of a wave. In the word ‘Shiva Raatri’, ‘raatri’ means tamas (darkness or ignorance). The Lord is controlling both...
Today even a mosquito is killing the man by giving dangerous fever. The man used to say, “I will quash you like a mosquito.” This means that mosquito is the most negligible creature. But today the mosquito has become an instrument of Yama to kill the people! What is the reason for this? The situation is reversed. The souls must realize now about their own real strength. It has become zero. If the zero has a number behind it, it gets value of ten, hundred, thousand etc. But when the number becomes absent, any number of zeros is zero only. The soul becomes hero when it is backed by God. Arjuna realized this after the exit of Krishna...
[The rituals are the occasions of propagating spiritual knowledge and devotion to God in the minds of people for which reason only many people assemble on such occasions. Today, the priests are not doing this actual work and they are only reciting blindly the Vedic hymns in Sanskrit. Neither readers nor audience know the meaning...
Shri P. V. N. M. Sharma asked Shri Swami to explain the significance of the Ramayanam in the spiritual knowledge. Given below is the reply of Shri Swami.
The Ramayanam provides guidance in worldly life (pravrutti) and it internally shows the path of spiritual life (nivrutti) also because the name of Rama is recognized as the path of total salvation (Taraka Mantra). There are three levels of souls. These levels are linked with the qualities of the souls and not with the form of the physical body. These three levels are:
Kishore Ram asked: Please explain the inner essence of the worship of Lord Satya Narayana, which is frequently done by several people in this country.
Swami Replied: A few days back, one person came to My house requesting Me to act as a priest for this worship saying that on that day priests were not available. I agreed to be the priest. Then, he asked Me “How much is Your fees?”. I replied “the fees is according to your capacity (Yathaa Shakti) and according to your impression on Me (Yathaa Bhakti). Between these two, whichever is lower, that must be followed by you. I will explain this point. You may have high capacity (100 rupees) but if you have a low impression about Me (10 rupees), you must give as per the low impression (10 rupees). If you have low capacity (10 rupees) and have high impression about Me...
Yajna: All the Vedas describe ‘Yajna’ (sacrifice), which is nothing but the preparation of food. A fire is lit and it is called ‘Lowkikagni’ i.e., fire meant for cooking, but not for worship. The three parts of the fire, (Garhapatya, Ahavaneeya, and Dakshinagni) are only the three stoves for cooking various items of food. “Fools burn cooked food in this fire” says Kapila, the Incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The food, after proper cooking, must be...
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