Publishers’ Note
This book is a compilation from the various published works of the
holy Master Sri Swami Sivananda, including some of his earliest works
extending as far back as the late thirties.
The questions and answers in the pages that follow deal with some of
the commonest, but most vital, doubts raised by practising spiritual
aspirants. What invests these answers and explanations with great value
is the authority, not only of the sage’s intuition, but also of
his personal experience.
Swami Sivananda was a sage whose first concern, even first love, shall
we say, was the spiritual seeker, the Yoga student. Sivananda lived
to serve them; and this priceless volume is the outcome of that Seva
Bhav of the great Master.
We do hope that the aspirant world will benefit considerably from a
careful perusal of the pages that follow and derive rare guidance and
inspiration in their struggle for spiritual perfection.
May the holy Master’s divine blessings be upon all.
SHIVANANDANAGAR,
JANUARY 1, 1993.
THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY
1. Why should we believe in God ?
Belief in God is an indispensable requisite for every human being.
It is a sine qua non. Owing to the force of Avidya or ignorance,
pain appears as pleasure. The world is full of miseries, troubles, difficulties
and tribulations. The world is a ball of fire. The Antahkarana (mind,
intellect, ego and the subconscious mind) charged with Raga (attachment),
Dvesha (hatred), anger and jealousy is a blazing furnace. We have to
free ourselves from birth, death, old age, disease and grief. This can
be done only by faith in God. There is no other way. Money and power
cannot give us real happiness. Even if we exercise suzerainty over the
whole world, we cannot be free from care, worry, anxiety, fear, disappointment,
etc. It is only faith in God and the consequent God-realization through
meditation that can give us real, eternal happiness and free us from
all kinds of fear and worries which torment us at every moment. Faith
in God will force us to think of Him constantly and to meditate on Him
and will eventually lead us on to God-realization.
2. What is the harm in not believing in God’s existence
?
If we have no faith in God, we will be born again in this world and
will undergo considerable miseries. The ignorant, faithless doubting
self goes to destruction. He cannot enjoy the least happiness. Neither
this world nor that beyond is there for the doubting self. Those who
have no faith in God do not know what is right and what is wrong. They
have lost the power of discrimination. They are untruthful, proud and
egoistic. They are given to excessive greed, wrath and lust. They hoard
up money by unlawful means. They become men of demoniacal nature. They
commit various sorts of atrocious crimes. They have no ideals for their
lives. They are thrown into demoniacal wombs. They sink into the lowest
depths, deluded birth after birth.
Some one hundred and fifty years ago there lived a very famous Yogi-Jnani
(a self-realized saint) by name Sadasiva Brahmendra Sarasvati in Nerur,
near Karur, in the district of Tiruchirapalli in South India. He is
the author of Brahma Sutra Vritti and Atma Vidya Vilasa
and various other books. He has done innumerable miracles. Once when
he was absorbed in Samadhi (superconscious state) on the banks of the
Cauvery, he was carried away by the flood and thrown somewhere else.
He was deeply buried underneath the sand. Labourers went to plough the
fields. They hit against the head of the Yogi and some blood oozed out.
They dug out, and to their astonishment, they found a Yogi seated in
Samadhi.
On another occasion, as an Avadhuta, Sadasiva Brahmendra entered the
Zenana (tent) of a Mohammedan chief naked. The chief was quite enraged
at the sage. He cut off one of the arms of the Mahatma (saint). Sadasiva
Brahman walked away without uttering a word and without showing any
sign of pain. The chief was greatly astonished at this strange condition
of the sage. He thought that this man must be a Mahatma, a superhuman
being. He repented much and followed the sage to apologize. Sadasiva
never knew that his arm was cut off. When the chief narrated to the
sage what had happened in the camp, Sadasiva excused the chief and simply
touched his maimed arm. Sadasiva Brahman had a fresh arm. It is the
life of this sage that made a very deep impression in my mind. I came
to a very definite conclusion that there is a sublime divine life independent
of objects and the play of the mind and the sense. The sage was quite
unconscious of the world. He did not feel a bit when his arm was cut
off. He ought to have been absorbed in the Divine Consciousness, he
ought to have been one with the Divine. Ordinary people yell out when
there is even a pin-prick in their bodies. When I heard of the marvelous
incident in the life of Sage Sadasiva from Apta (realized) persons and
when I read in the book, it gave me a very strong conviction about the
Divine Existence and a divine eternal life where all sorrows melt, where
all desires are satisfied and one gets supreme bliss, supreme peace
and supreme knowledge.
3. What is Brahmamuhurta? Why is it eulogized by the
Rishis?
4 a.m. in the morning is termed as Brahmamuhurta. Because it is favourable
for meditation on God or Brahman, it is called Brahmamuhurta. At this
particular hour, the mind is very calm and serene. It is free from worldly
thoughts, worries and anxieties. The mind is like a blank sheet of paper
and comparatively free from worldly Samskaras. It can be very easily
moulded at this time before worldly distractions enter the mind. Further,
the atmosphere also is charged with more Sattva at this particular time.
There is no bustle and noise outside.
4. What is your opinion of the Masters of the Himalayas?
There is a great Master of Masters, the Indweller of your heart. Turn
the gaze inwards, withdraw the Indriyas and seek His help. Rest in Him.
Identify yourself with Him. Search Him in your heart. Don’t talk
to me of these Himalayan Masters in future. You will be deluded.
5. What is the difference between Japa and meditation?
Japa is silent repetition of the Name of the Lord. Meditation is the
constant flow of one idea of God. When you repeat Om Namo Narayanaya,
it is Japa of the Vishnu Mantra. When you think of the conch, disc,
mace and lotus flower in the hands of Vishnu, His ear-rings, the crown
on His head, His yellow silken Pitambar, etc., it is meditation. When
you think of the attributes of God such as omniscience, omnipotence,
etc., it is also meditation.
6. The Lord’s grace will do everything for me.
Why should I do any Sadhana?
This is wrong philosophy. God helps those who help themselves. God’s
grace will descend only on those persons who exert. The Lord’s
grace will descend in proportion to the degree of surrender. The more
the surrender, the more the grace. You cannot expect the Lord to do
self-surrender for you. Be up and doing. Strive. Plod. Persevere. The
Lord will shower His grace upon you.
Mira abandoned everything. She renounced kingdom, husband, relatives,
friends and property. She remembered her Lord Krishna whole day and
night. She shed tears of Prem. She sang His praise with single-minded
devotion. She gave up food. Her body got emaciated. Her mind was ever
absorbed in Lord Krishna. Only then did Lord Krishna shower His grace
upon her.
7. Give me a very simple, but very impressive proof
for the existence of the soul.
You say in daily life, "My body", "My Prana", "My
mind", "My Indriya". This clearly denotes that the Self
or Atman is entirely different from the body, the mind, the Prana and
the Indriyas. The mind and the body are your servants or instruments.
They are as much outside of you as these towels, chairs, cups are. You
are holding the body just as you are holding a long walking stick in
your hand. You are the possessor or proprietor of this body. The body
is your property or possession. The body, the senses, the mind, etc.,
are not the soul, but belong to it.
8. If God is beyond the reach of the senses, He should
be a non-entity, a mere void, a negative concept, a metaphysical abstraction.
Something beyond the senses? How could this be? I cannot believe such
things. I am a scientist. I want accurate laboratory proofs.
You want laboratory proofs? Very fine indeed! You wish to limit the
illimitable all-pervading God in your test-tube, blowpipe and chemicals.
God is the source for your chemicals. He is the substratum for your
atoms, electrons and molecules. Without Him no atom or electron will
move. He is the Inner Ruler, Antaryamin. He is the Niyanta. Without
Him the fire cannot burn, the sun cannot shine, the air cannot move.
Without Him you cannot see, cannot talk, cannot hear, cannot think.
He is the maker of all scientific laws, the law of gravitation, the
law of cohesion, the law of attraction and repulsion, etc. He is the
law-giver. Bow to Him with faith and devotion. You will have a thorough
knowledge of the Science of sciences, Brahma Vidya, through His grace
and you will attain Moksha.
9. Why do Sadhaks fail to realize God quickly nowadays?
After attaining a certain stage of development, they begin to dissipate
their energies in preaching, in making disciples, in publishing books.
They become the slaves of name and fame. That is the reason why they
fail to reach the highest goal of life, viz., Brahma Sakshatkar.
10. How can Kundalini be awakened? Would Japa alone
be successful in awakening the Kundalini?
Kundalini can be awakened by the practice of Asan, Pranayam, Mudras,
Japa and by the grace of a Guru. Refer to my book "Kundalini Yoga".
Yes. Japa alone is quite sufficient to awaken the Kundalini. There
is no doubt of this. Sri Samarth Ramdas awakened the Kundalini by doing
Japa of the Mantra Om Sri Ram Jaya Ram, Jaya Jaya Ram thirteen
crores of times by standing in the river Godavari, in Takli Village,
near Nasik.
11. What are the three Doshas or faults in the mind?
Give a concrete illustration.
They are Mala or impurities such as lust, anger and greed, Vikshepa
or tossing of the mind or mental oscillation, and Avarana or the veil
of ignorance.
There is a muddy lake covered with moss. The wind is blowing hard.
Now, the lake is the mind. The muddy condition represents Mala. The
agitation of the waters that is set up by the wind corresponds to the
Vikshepa in the mind set up by the vibration of Prana. The moss that
covers the surface of the water represents the veil of ignorance.
12. How to make the mind subtle and pure?
Do Japa. Do selfless service. Pray to God from the bottom of your heart
(Antarika). Have Satsang. Meditate. Read the Gita and the Upanishads.
Live alone. Live in seclusion for six months. Take Sattvic food. Give
up meat, fish, eggs, liquors, chillies, oil, black sugar, onions and
garlic.
13. What is the difference between Bhakti and Jnana?
Bhakti is devotion. It is a means to the end which is attainment of
Jnana. People of emotional temperament are fit for this path. It demands
self-surrender or Atma-nivedan. It is the cat-Yoga. The kitten cries
aloud and the mother cat runs at once to catch it by the mouth. So also,
the devotee cries aloud like Draupadi and Gajendra and the Lord Krishna
runs immediately to rescue him and shower His grace. The Bhakti Marga
demands only sincere, intense devotion, blind faith and strong conviction
as Prahlad had. There is no necessity for learning. Illiterate people
like Tukaram who could not sign even their names had realized God. There
is no need for vast learning or study. A Bhakta wants to eat sugar-candy.
He wants to sit by the side of the Lord.
Jnana is the Yoga of self-expansion. It demands self-reliance. Only
people of an intellectual temperament with Vichara Sakti or the power
of discrimination and ratiocination are fit for the path of Jnana or
knowledge. It is the monkey-Yoga. The young monkey does not cry, but
itself clings tenaciously to the body of its mother wherever the mother
runs. This Yoga demands a vast study of Vedantic literature, a sharp
intellect, bold understanding, gigantic will and courage. A Jnani wants
to become an embodiment of sugar-candy, instead of tasting sugar-candy.
A Jnani wants to become identical with the Existence (Eka Aikyam).
14. Are Jnana and Bhakti conflicting with each other?
My answer is emphatically "No". There is, in fact, an inter-relationship
between these two, the one supplementing the other. Bhakti is not at
all antagonistic to Jnana. There is undoubtedly a mutual dependence
between the two. Both lead to the same destination.
You cannot entirely separate Bhakti from Jnana. When Bhakti matures,
it becomes transmuted into Jnana. A real Jnani is a devotee of Lord
Hari, Lord Krishna, Lord Rama, Lord Siva, Durga, Sarasvati, Lakshmi,
Lord Jesus and Buddha. He is a Samarasa Bhakta. Some ignorant people
think that a Jnani is a dry man and has no devotion. This is a sad mistake.
A Jnani has a very, very large heart. Go through the hymns of Sri Sankaracharya
and try to gauge the depth of his devotion. Go through the writings
of Sri Appayya Dikshitar and measure the magnanimous depths of his unbounded
devotion.
Swami Ram Tirth was a Jnani. Was he not a Bhakta of Lord Krishna? If
a Vedantin excludes Bhakti, remember he has not really grasped and understood
Vedanta. The same Nirguna Brahman manifests with a little Maya in a
comer as Saguna Brahman for the pious worship of His devotees.
Bhakti is not divorced from Jnana. On the contrary, Jnana intensifies
Bhakti. He who has a knowledge of Vedanta is well established in his
devotion. He is steady and firm. Some ignorant people say that if a
Bhakta studies Vedanta, he will lose his devotion. This is wrong. Study
of Vedanta is an auxiliary to increase and develop one’s devotion.
The devotion of a man proficient in Vedantic literature is well-grounded.
Bhakti and Jnana are like the two wings of a bird to help one to fly
unto Brahman, to the summit of Mukti.
15. Is it advisable to do meditation after meal at
night? A Grihastha is so much disturbed in the evening that he scarcely
gets time to meditate.
After a sumptuous meal, generally, people feel drowsy. You may imagine
that you are meditating, but it may be purely sleep in a sitting posture.
If you follow the rules of Mitahara and take meals before 7 p.m., you
can sit and meditate from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Meditation at night, a second sitting, is absolutely necessary. If
you do not have sufficient time at night, you can meditate even for
a few minutes, say, ten or fifteen, before going to bed. By so doing,
the spiritual Samskaras will increase. The spiritual Samskaras are valuable
assets or priceless treasures for you. Further, you will have no bad
dreams at night. The divine thoughts will be carried during sleep. The
good impressions will be there.
16. I find it very difficult to keep up Brahmacharya.
Suddenly I fall in the pit foolishly. Actually I am crying, but doing
the same act like a dog. What is to be done?
Fast. Do Japa of a Mantra for three hours daily. Read the Gita, one
chapter daily. Sleep in a separate room. Keep the mind fully occupied.
Divert the mind. Entertain noble, sublime thoughts. Have Satsang. Do
simple Pranayam with mild Kumbhaks twenty times daily. Do a lot of physical
work also. Take simple food. Think that there is neither sex nor sexual
Vasana in Atma. Meditate on Atma.
17. I am in earnest search of a Guru who can emphatically
say that he has realized Brahman or the eternal Truth or God. Can you
give trace of such a man? May I take the liberty to ask you whether
you have realized Brahman?
The queries you have asked are quite common to all sincere aspirants
in the spiritual path.
Suppose I tell you that a certain "X" is a realized soul,
how can you verify my statement and how far will you be benefited by
him?
Realized souls are not rare. Ordinary ignorant-minded persons cannot
easily recognize them. Only a few persons who are pure and are embodiments
of all virtuous qualities can understand realized souls and they only
will be benefited by their company.
There is no use of running hither and thither in search of realized
men. Even if Lord Krishna remains with you, He cannot do anything for
you, unless you are fit to receive Him. Realize this point well and
purify yourself by Nishkama Karma Yoga, charity, concentration, meditation,
Japa, Brahmacharya and control of senses.
Testing a Guru is highly difficult. Don’t use your intellect here.
Have faith. The real aspirant is quite free from such questions and
doubts. You will be miraculously helped if you believe in my words.
18. Is it too much for a teacher to make his followers
great?
The question assumes that the teacher has attachment for his
disciple in preference to others. If he had that, he would not be a
spiritual teacher, because the first qualification for a spiritual man
is conquest of attachment. The fact is that out of millions, one is
found to have the qualification and it is he who comes up as ‘the
great’—the superman. Each such great man is surrounded by
men who are attracted by his inherent charm. But those who are so surrounding
are not the people who are qualified to be masters. They are just ordinary
men and no more.
19. A rather unusual lady studied for ten years under
the strictest Yogic discipline with some of the "greatest of all
great Yogis" and finally came to the conclusion ... that it is
all a hoax and a mirage.
From your account of her, she was not qualified to benefit by contact
with anyone, even if that one had the spiritual greatness of Lord Buddha
himself. The one thing needed for spiritual progress is perseverance.
She was stuffing herself with the writings of many, each of whom pointed
a different path. One who wants to sink a well must go on digging in
one place till one strikes water. If he digs pits in a hundred places,
each not more than 5 feet deep, he will not have dug a well. That was
her case. What value can be attached to her opinions?
20. Why is so much sanctity attached to a pilgrimage,
and not to a mere sight-seeing trip or an official tour?
It is because the very idea of "going on a pilgrimage" prepares
your mind to be in a highly receptive mood, in a highly prayerful mood.
It shuts out the worldly grooves in the mind. You leave the cloak of
your official life in your office room. You abandon the cumbersome apparel
of social life when you leave your town or city. Even if you travel
with your family, you gradually begin to look upon the family members
as co-pilgrims and not so much as personal relations. If you are alone,
perhaps you live completely in a spiritual world of your own, with little
or no family cares, worries and anxieties. This is the mental condition
that is most conducive to the greatest reception of the spiritual vibrations
that surround you on all sides in holy regions like Uttarakhand. The
pilgrim who goes as a pilgrim is conscious that he is engaged upon a
sacred mission of gathering spiritual impressions and will therefore
gain the greatest blessings by a pilgrimage. He will be a thoroughly
changed man when he returns from the Yatra.
21. How are people benefited by a pilgrimage?
This question has to be answered by each pilgrim for himself. The spiritual
benefit always depends entirely upon the heart’s faith. Faith is
the life-breath of the spirit in man. No spiritual endeavour can be
fruitful without it. With it, no spiritual achievement is impossible.
If a pilgrim heartily believed, was convinced, and was certain-at-heart
that all his sins would be washed away, that he would attain Moksha
and get beyond the wheel of Samsara, there is absolutely no reason why
it should not actually prove to be so. A pilgrimage like Badri-Yatra
can wash off all your sins and enable you to take great strides towards
the Great Goal— Self-realization—if you have firm faith in
its glory. But, remember, the test of this faith is what you are after
you return from the pilgrimage; if, after the pilgrimage, you prove
that you have been thoroughly purged of all your sins, that all the
evil Samskaras have been washed away by the holy waters of the rivers
you have bathed in, and that you have been filled with the spiritual
vibrations of the sublime atmosphere you have sojourned in, and if you
live a pure life of righteousness, devotion, truth, love and purity,
you have certainly been liberated. The pilgrimage has served its supreme
purpose.
Some pilgrims do rise to such spiritual heights, though their number
may be small, and though they may not advertise their achievements.
22. I read your article in "My Magazine":
"Fly from the company of worldly-minded persons. Those who talk
of worldly affairs will pollute you. Your mind will waver. Run, run,
run quickly to solitary places like Rishikesh. You will be safe in the
spiritual path". May I come to you and lead the life of a Sannyasin?
Do not be hasty. Think well. Look before you leap. Mere emotion will
not do in the spiritual line. The above instructions are for those who
were already doing some kind of Sadhana. They will have to go in for
seclusion for advanced practices. It will be better for beginners like
you to perform Nishkama Karma Yoga for three years in the world by disinterestedly
serving the sick and the aged persons.
Suppose you remain with me as a Sannyasin, have you got the real strength
of heart to face your mother when she weeps bitterly before you with
a broken heart? Will you stick to this line if your father comes and
threatens you? Will you be unaffected in your mind if a young lady tempts
you? Will you be steady if you are affected by a disease? Are you prepared
to sacrifice this body and life in the cause of Truth? Have you understood
the glory and importance of Sannyasa and seclusion? Have you got an
idea of the difficulties that Sannyasins have to face? Are you prepared
to go from door to door and live on Bhiksha? How will you spend the
whole day and night when you live in seclusion? Just decide all these
points before you come to me. If you are sure that you are fit for Sannyasa,
you can come here. I will serve you and help you well. I will take care
of your spiritual welfare. I will make you a king of kings. There is
nothing so pleasant as the life of renunciation. It is best suited for
quick Self-realization. Glory to all Sannyasins!
23. Why should I—the Brahman, I—the Cosmic
Consciousness, the Existence without another, the Infinite, the All-pervading
and the Omniscient, at all project Prakriti? Why must I be bound by
the laws of Prakriti and be limited by the phenomena of time, space,
causation and substance, and above all, why must I get involved in this
process of evolution and involution?
The eye cannot perceive itself. A man cannot stand on his own shoulders.
Even so, all enquiry into the Ultimate Cause, the causeless Cause of
all creation, is first confronted with a formidable wall of primordial
ignorance. He who annihilates his ego to nothing at this point, and
who thus obtains the grace of Isvara, gets through this wall and enters
the Kingdom of the Infinite. Then he knows. But this knowledge cannot
be communicated to others, as this great wall is obstructing others
from perceiving the Truth. Therefore the ancient sage termed it an Ati-prasna
or transcendental question.
Suffice it to know that God has created this world in order to enable
you to evolve and realize the Self, in order to serve all and love all
as His manifestations. The dacoit of ignorance has kidnapped man from
his palace of Self-awareness and brought him to a thick forest; when
the man wakes up, he does not brood over how he came there, but tries
to get out of the forest. Even so, the earnest Sadhak tries to break
the chain of transmigration by attaining Self-realization.
24. Why does not the benevolent, kind and all-merciful
God help the righteous man and give him happiness? Why does He leave
him to the mercies of his Purva Karma?
Karma is likened to the wheel. It has to work out; because the force
that set it in motion has to be spent. It is a cycle of action and reaction.
Just as the arrow once discharged from the bow cannot be withdrawn,
even if the hunter feels that he has aimed at a wrong target, Prarabdha
Karma, the fruit of those Karmas performed in previous births that have
come up for experience in this present birth, cannot be annulled.
How then does God help His devotee? The all-merciful God does help
His devotee by strengthening his will-power, his power of endurance,
to bear the Karma-Phala with a cheerful countenance. The devotee is
certainly not left to the mercy of his Purva Karma; he is beautifully
clothed in the protective shield of His grace. Just as in the worst
winter and violent storm, you remain unaffected in your own house and
in your warm clothing, the devotee (though to the onlookers he is poor,
sick or suffering) does not feel that he is suffering at all and is
ever happy and blissful in His remembrance.
25. A man doing a wrong thing argues that he is doing
it because of his Karma; and he does not even try not to do it, because
it gives him immediate happiness. How to impress upon him not to do
it?
Karma does not compel a man to do wrong actions. Samskara does, to
a certain extent. But God has bestowed free will on man, with which
to make or mar his career. Man has no Bhoga-Svatantrata or the freedom
to enjoy or suffer, which factor is governed by Karma. But, he has got
Karma-Svatantrata or freedom to do good or evil. He can substitute good
Samskaras in place of the old vicious Samskaras by Vichara-sakti, will-power
and continued practice of good actions.
That evil seems to give immediate happiness is the greatest temptation
and the greatest obstacle to the cultivation of virtues; and it can
be removed only by discrimination and experience. Contemplation over
the ultimate and permanent damage done to the very soul of man by the
evil actions, and the harm he is causing to the entire society itself
by his evil, ought to compel a man to desist from evil action—
however pleasant it might appear superficially. There is no short-cut
to this really serious problem; the wicked heart will not yield easily.
And therefore our ancients have exalted Satsang. Constant association
with the wise and spiritually evolved persons alone can remove these
wrong notions from the mind of the wicked one.
26. I am a stranger whom you would never have dreamt
of coming across, but please do not detest me for being a woman. I am
only too eager to taste the happiness of spiritual life. Please, Swamiji,
have some consideration even for a woman and tell me whether I am to
be blessed with such happiness in my future, and if so, when that will
be.
It is said that one must have a proper Guru and I do not know where
to hunt for one who would satisfy my appetite soon. Can you help me?
Did you yourself have a Guru and who was he? Tell me all about him,
please, if I am not being too bold in asking this. Is he, or was he,
a Satguru?
May I know whether you can be called a Guru or a Satguru?
I am extremely pleased to note that you are too eager to taste the
happiness of spiritual life. You have good spiritual Samskaras. Protect
them. You can realize that spiritual happiness through regular practices.
I do not detest anybody. I revere a woman as my own Self. Woman is
a manifestation of Sakti. I adore her as Durga or Mother Kali. Though
ladies are styled as Abalas (those without strength), they are dynamic
forces on this earth. Religion is maintained through them alone. The
devotional element is ingrained in Hindu ladies. They have innate devotion.
If they determine, they can realize God very quickly.
Don’t you like to become a Mira? If your mind is really turned
towards God-realization, if you are sincere and earnest in your spiritual
practices, you will attain the spiritual bliss in a short time. Cheer
yourself up. Be bold. Stand up. Assert. Recognize. Realize. Taste the
spiritual happiness.
You can find your Guru at your door if you really want him. Sincere
aspirants are rare. Yes, I have my Guru. Space will not permit here
to tell all about him. I am neither a Guru nor a Satguru. I take great
delight in serving others. Surely I shall serve you and share with you
whatever I have. I shall clear your doubts, put you in the spiritual
path.
27. Is it dangerous to practice Pranayam without the
assistance of a Guru or teacher?
You can practice ordinary Pranayam exercises without the help of a
Guru. There is no danger in practicing Pranayam, Asan, etc., if you
are careful, if you use your common-sense. People are unnecessarily
alarmed. There is danger in everything if you are careless. If you are
careless in getting down the steps of a staircase, you will fall down
and break your legs. If you are careless when you walk in the busy parts
of a city, you will be crushed by the motor-cars. If you are careless
when you purchase a ticket at the railway station, you will lose your
money-purse. If you are careless in dispensing mixtures, you will kill
the patients by giving a poison or a wrong medicine or by administering
a medicine in over-doses. Even so, when you practice Pranayam, you will
have to be careful about your diet. You should avoid over-loading, you
should take light, easily digestible and nutritious food. You should
be moderate in copulation. You should not go beyond your capacity in
retaining the breath. You should first practice inhalation and exhalation
only (without retention of breath) for one or two months. You should
gradually increase the ratio from 1:4:2 to 16:64:32. You should exhale
very very slowly. If these rules are observed, there is no danger at
all in the practice of Pranayam.
A Guru is necessary if you want to practice Kumbhak or retention of
breath for a long time and unite Apana with Prana. The books written
by realized Yogins can guide you if you are not able to get a Guru.
But it is better to have a Guru by your side. Or you can get the lessons
from him and practice them at home. You can keep regular correspondence
with him. You can retain the breath from 1/2 to 1 or 2 minutes without
any difficulty or danger. If you cannot get a realized Yogi, you can
approach senior students of Yoga. They also can help you.
28. Does purity of food lead to purity of mind? Is
non-vegetarian food not Sattvic? We have in the Mahabharata instances
of people taking the meat of goats sacrificed to the Lord.
Yes, purity of food leads to purity of mind. Aharasuddhau Satvasuddhih.
Take a dose of champagne and sit for meditation. Take a dose of orange-juice
and sit for meditation. You will know the difference. Different foods
exercise different influences on different compartments in the brain.
By taking champagne, meat and garlic, the mind will be confused and
will become restless when you sit for meditation. By taking milk and
fruits, you will get good concentration. Our Rishis lived on fruits
and milk. The Chhandogya Upanishad says, "Pure food leads to purity
of mind and then one attains Moksha". You should have dietetic
discipline.
Non-vegetarian food is not Sattvic. It is not good for a seeker. Live
for a month on milk and fruits and see. Give up meat for one month and
see. Let us be practical. Practical experience will tell you that meat-eating
is bad for the mind.
29. Which is better? To lead a family life or to become
a recluse?
You cannot renounce the world all at once. The world is a vast university.
Nature is the best teacher. In the world you can develop virtues like
mercy, tolerance, etc. You cannot develop them if you remain in a cave.
The world is the best teacher. Gradually, when you have evolved, you
can renounce. Guru Nanak remained in the world with two or three children.
There is nothing wrong in the world. Prayer will remove all obstacles.
30. It is rumoured in certain quarters that friendship
with Sadhus and Sannyasins can do and undo the well-being of a person.
If a person hurts the feelings of some God-realized saint, then it is
said that the saint may curse and thus herald a bundle of miseries for
him. How far is this true?
The company of Sadhus and Sannyasins is always covetable provided they
are of sterling character. If this singular qualification is traceable
in them, they are worthy of adoration and respect. They can never be
a source of trouble to anyone.
Contact with Sadhus and Sannyasins of true worth can never mar the
progress or the personal interests of people. The Sadhus help people
to mould themselves on right ethical principles. Their blessings are
an invaluable asset to the latter. Satsang with Sadhus and Sannyasins
overhauls the vicious Samskaras that the worldly-minded people are naturally
prone to.
A God-realized saint never curses others even though he is provoked
to the extreme, but simply prays to the Almighty— not to protect
him from dangers or save him from dishonour— but to bestow Jnana,
light, purity and illumination on his opponents. He never hurts others
even though he is hurt. He simply forgives and forgets. He remains oblivious
of any wrong done to him. A true God-realized saint finds his own beloved
Deity in the thief, the debauchee, the rogue, the murderer, the assailant,
the ant, the dog, the Pariah, the Brahmin, the tree, the stone, the
scorpion, in fact, in the entire living and non-living creation. He
is at-one with all. When such is the case, when he sees his own Self
everywhere, whom can he curse?
Remember that a Sadhu or a Sannyasin is not God-realized if he, curses
others for any reason. It is true that the curse of any pious man, not
necessarily a Sadhu or a Sannyasin, readily acts on the person towards
whom it is directed under pressure of mental hurt or physical harm.
31. When the grace of Guru and God is there, why is
the mind still not controlled?
There must be Purushartha also. Only when you do Purushartha, the grace
will come. A professor will not answer the questions for you and make
you pass. The Gita says, "Uddharet Atmanatmanam". One
should raise oneself. Grace only helps one to raise oneself. Everybody
should work out his own salvation. You may ask, "What is grace
then?". If an aspirant gets letters from his preceptor, clearing
his doubts, that is grace. If an aspirant comes here, takes Ganges bath
and hears the lectures here, that is grace. Many people are thirsting,
even croropathis (those who possess crores of rupees) are thirsting
to come and bathe in the Ganges, but all do not get a chance of coming
and having their wish fulfilled. If good books are available for Svadhyaya
(study), it is grace. If one enjoys good health for doing Sadhana, that
is grace. If God so wishes, He can give Mukti to the whole world in
an instant; but He does not do so. Grace descends only when there is
Purushartha.
32. Why has God created the world?
Ask God why He has created this world! Attain wisdom of the Self. Then
you will know why God created the world. You cannot understand it with
your intellect. You can understand it only with intuition.
For the sake of sport, God created the world. Lokavattu Lila Kaivalyam.
Creation of the world has a purpose. Just as we cannot have a sun without
rays, similarly, we cannot have God without the world process. The world
is like His rays. It is His Svabhava, nature. Just as a juggler produces
something and makes it disappear, so also, God produces this world and
makes it disappear. God is omnipotent. To ask why He created the world
is an Ati-prasna, a transcendental question. We will be only wasting
time by discussing it. Before asking about the world, ask about yourself.
Know who you are. Then you will know everything.
33. Is there a remedy for the fall of ethical laws
and standards due to the industrial revolution?
The industrial revolution does not compel anyone to lower the moral
standard. No doubt, it might have facilitated this fall to some extent.
The real mischief was done by the misleaders of mankind who deliberately
exalted material values over spiritual values. It is never too late
to mend. Even now, if the heart of man be cleansed of the dross of selfishness
and self-aggrandizement, and righteousness enthroned in it, the moral
standard can be kept high in spite of the most spectacular industrial
development.
34. Why does man not remember death and cease forthwith
from sinful deeds keeping the transience of earthly life in view?
Every man has not sprung up all on a sudden as a man. The Jiva, right
from the very first ushering into the world, continues to undergo the
cycle of births and deaths not in tens, hundreds or thousands, but in
lakhs. It actually carries with it the Samskaras right from its very
first birth up to the birth current, i.e., under enjoyment. The unenjoyed
or residual Samskaras continue till they are completely fried in toto
by Atma Jnana. The very forgetfulness of death by man, though he sees
countless deaths daily, indicates the nescience that has developed in
him to avoid seeing the face of Truth. The experiences that he has gained
thus far, i.e., up to the moment of consideration, are quite insufficient
to drag his attention towards the eternal truth which is God. A day
will certainly dawn in the life of every individual on this earth, not
necessarily in this very birth itself, when he will, by some rare merit,
through Satsang with Mahatmas, devotion to Guru, or God’s grace,
tune in to the Ultimate by gradual evolution.
The sinful deeds which men commit are mainly due to ignorance. When
ignorance vanishes once and for all by performance of good and selfless
deeds, Japa, Svadhyaya, etc., or by Guru Kripa, the final goal ever
remains in view. Commission of vicious deeds indicates that the Jiva
is not yet an evolved one and that he is to gain more and more experiences
of the world and undergo repeated and continual refinement from grossness.
For the disappearance of ignorance and firm remembrance of God, there
is no way more powerful than to encounter the kicks, blows and knocks
of the world that may greet one unawares.
35. What standards should be adopted to measure true
greatness?
The true greatness of man is to be measured not by the amount of wealth
nor by the number of bungalows which are had or by the exercise of personal
influence, but by the degree of selflessness, all-embracive outlook,
generosity, liberal views, cosmic benefaction, self-sacrifice, egoless,
self-effacing nature, grade of perception of unity in diversity, humanitarian
services, etc. A truly great man is pious, spiritually elevated, magnanimous
and noble-hearted. He can never have a thought for himself and he ever
prefers the welfare of humanity casting aside all petty, selfish and
personal interests. He ever prays for the welfare of humanity. Where
there is an open, unconstricted, expansive and large heart, there lies
true greatness.
36. Who is a righteous man?
A righteous man is he who is pure in thought, word and deed and who
observes Yama and Niyama to the very letter. He ever moves astray for
the sake of paltry gains and selfish ends. He is ever pious, God-fearing,
Self-centered and selfless. He has cosmic vision and a broad outlook.
He is equanimous and tolerant towards all. He is a mine of all virtues
like charity, nobility, sincerity, humility, renunciation, serenity,
simplicity and so on. No egoism, no lust, no greed, no crooked-mindedness,
no vanity can find a place in him. The righteous man is ever the object
of adoration of all. There will be no enemies to him at all, for he
loves all friends and foes equally.
37. How can a person perpetuate the period of youth?
The Yogic method excels all other methods. It is the best and the cheapest
of all prevalent systems of treatment. Take to intense Pranayam and
Asans. Both these help a lot in preserving Veerya (semen) and converting
the vital energy into Ojas. Practice Sirshasan, Sarvangasan, Matsyasan,
Halasan, Paschimottanasan, Padahastasan and Yoga Mudra coupled with
Bhastrik Pranayam. Practice Pranayam till the stage of Kevala Kumbhak
is reached. When there is no necessity either to breathe in or to breathe
out, Veerya becomes steady; that is, there will be no discharge or emission
in any form. The Ayurvedic preparation "Chyavanaprash" is
a wonderful one in enabling the regular user to preserve youth for a
very long time.
38. In an article in "Siva’s Treasure"
entitled "Are you really qualified?" you write under Para
III, "If a thing is refused to him (the Sadhak), he should not
aspire for it again". Does this statement not advocate a false
sense of self-satisfaction and defeatist mentality? Please reconcile
the discrepancy and oblige.
"If a thing is refused to him (the Sadhak), he should not aspire
for it again."
Read this statement again and again till it suffuses your entire being,
till the proper substance of it is totally realized by yourself. Then
only you will appreciate the grand truth to imbibe its true spirit.
"Neither ask nor reject" should be the motto of an
ideal Sadhak. He should not have any special craving for any particular
object, however dearest and cherished it be. Whatever comes by chance
without any self-effort can be had, provided that it does not
degrade the individual from the moral standards. He should not develop
any attachment to any object lest he should suffer mentally when the
object is weaned away from him or refused to him by the will of the
Lord. Everything comes and goes as per His sweet will. Whether one strives
for an object or not when something is due, it certainly befalls to
one’s lot of its own accord. Aspirants should cultivate mental
detachment and indifference towards good and evil, happiness and misery,
love and hatred and all sorts of pairs of opposites. Such mental equanimity
can be acquired by Atma-Vichara (self-enquiry), study of sacred scriptures,
Satsang with Mahatmas, etc. Self-sacrifice, self-contentment and self-denial
are what are required in the spiritual field for progress. It is no
defeatist mentality if the Sadhak rests satisfied with his ordained
lot without yielding himself even mentally to the temptations which
he previously used to enjoy. He is certainly not the "fox that
remarked that the grapes were sour when he could not reach to have them".
By voluntary self-denial and dispassion or by keeping equanimity when
something pleasing does not fall to one’s share, tremendous will-power
accumulates. It is therefore a necessity to keep balance of mind in
all states of working consciousness.
39. What is Nadi Suddhi in its technical sense? How
to feel that one has attained perfect Nadi Suddhi?
Nadi Suddhi means purification of the nerves (Nadis). Nerve is not
the correct English term for Nadi. There is no appropriate word for
Nadi in English.
Complete fast, preferably without any liquid or solid food, practice
of Asans and Pranayam, and intense physical exercise— all go a
long way in the elimination of fat and other unwanted matters and in
the overhauling of the system to confer the benefit of Nadi Suddhi.
Asans and Pranayam can purify the nerves, if done with the correct technique.
When one attains Nadi Suddhi, the body becomes light. Stool becomes
scanty. There is agility in movement and activity in demeanour. No trace
of slothfulness or indolence can be detected. While walking, the body
appears to be floating in the air. The tone of the voice changes from
hoarseness or gruffness to mellifluence. Hopping, jumping and dancing
while at work can be observed in one endowed with Nadi Suddhi. Something
inexpressible forces the person to do this and to achieve something
grand in his lifetime.
40. What are the best and the worst methods to retaliate
against a wrong done to us for no fault of ours?
Whether a wrong is done on some basis or not, it is not to be retaliated
against in any way if one wants real moral and spiritual strength and
the Lord’s grace. Calmly bear the wrong done to you without the
slightest mental upset or loss of psychic equilibrium. Do good to the
man that does harm. Bless that man that curses you. Pray for the well-being
of the man that beleaguers you. Study the lives of Jaya Deva, Shams
Tabriez, Jesus Christ, Gauranga and other saints. The Lord Himself protects
His devotees if they surrender themselves totally unto Him, pouring
forth prayers unto Him like Draupadi or Gajendra. Do not degrade yourself
by resorting to retaliation in any way. Adherence to violence even in
thought just to satisfy the lower mind debases the individual spiritually.
The best method to retaliate against a wrong done without any reasonable
ground is by way of offering a spiritual treatise like the Gita or the
Ramayana to the opponent and praying for his gaining the knowledge of
the Self and avoiding the evil ways which are due to his ignorance of
the essential unity of all creation. Observe silence and indifference
with heart-moving prayers unto the Lord.
41. Does the mental equilibrium of an advanced Yogi
get affected when attacked by some serious disease? How does he react
on such occasions?
Never. If there is any thought of the body or the disease or the bodily
affliction or something that cannot be tolerated by the fleshy frame,
remember that he is no advanced Yogi or saint or Sannyasin. He who has
no thought of himself or the surroundings or the world, he who is centered
in his own Self or his beloved Ishta Devata or gracious Guru, and he
who is entirely oblivious of limitations of any sort, and identifies
himself with the limitless, diseaseless, unconditioned, all-pervasive
Brahman, is a true and advanced Yogi or Bhakta or Jnani; and not otherwise.
He can have no match in the whole world in the matter of utter indifference
either towards his disease or towards his limited, perishable body or
the whole world. He always remains in his own Self and he never loses
his balance under any circumstance. He firmly believes that he is the
Infinite, the Absolute Brahman. He firmly believes that death awaits
all and snatches away everyone at one time or the other and that the
six Urmis¾ Shoka, Moha, Kshut, Pipasa, Jara and Mrityu— are
but common to all the Jivas, not necessarily mankind, and that he is
the deathless, imperishable and eternal Brahman. Hence there can be
no mental upset for him even amidst crucial tests.
42. Was Srimad Bhagavad Gita actually recited by Lord
Krishna in the battlefield or is it the imagination of the poet?
Yes. There is no doubt about the Gita having been recited by Lord Krishna
in the battlefield. It is not a mere composition of Chiranjivi (eternally
living) Vyasa. Recall to mind the following two Slokas which can be
found in the Gita Mahatmya:
Gita Sugeeta Kartavya Kimanyaih Sastravistaraih
Ya Svayam Padmanabhasya Mukhapadmadvinissruta
Bharatamritasarvasvam Vishnorvaktradvinissrutam
Gitagangodakam Peetva Punarjanma Na Vidyate
The Gita is not a human composition at all. Have the conviction as
such, without the usual questioning intellect. Remember all the Avatara
Purushas like Sri Sankara and Sri Ramanuja who had written commentaries
on the Gita. Lord Krishna Himself says to one of His lady-devotees named
Lilabai that He and the Gita are identical and that worship of the one
is adoration of the other. Study Slokas 68 to 71 of the Eighteenth Chapter
of the Gita to infuse in yourself the necessary faith and love towards
the holy scriptures.
43. Would you kindly suggest some effective methods
for conversion and sublimation of the sexual energy into spiritual energy
or Ojas?
Observe strict continence in thought, word and deed. Give up thinking
useless and vain thoughts. Keep balance of mind in all conditions and
circumstances, contemplating the Divine. Practice Sirshasan, Sarvangasan
and Oordhva Padmasan, besides Viparitakarani Mudra. Preserve the energy
by constantly repeating the Name of the Lord, doing intense Japa and
meditation, and study of the Gita, the Bhagavata, the Ramayana and the
like. Develop Viveka, Vairagya and Vichara. As dispassion increases,
so is the vital energy not allowed to leak out. The greater the Vairagya
(non-attachment to worldly objects) the more secure will be the semen.
The more the preservation of semen, the greater will be the transmutation
into Ojas which means abundant physical, mental, moral and spiritual
strength and quick evolution. Pranayam helps a lot in gaining control
over the physical machinery and the mind. To have control over the mind
means to have control over the Prana Sakti and prevent Veerya from being
let out. To have control over this masculine power means to have abundant
Ojas which enables the aspirant to glow spiritually. Intense Sadhana,
with the desires reduced to the barest minimum, will sublimate the sexual
energy into spiritual energy. For further information, go through my
book Practice of Brahmacharya. It gives exhaustive details regarding
the subject in question.
44. Can truth be compromised in the sense that telling
a lie is sometimes not only inevitable, but also indispensable? Will
such a breaking away from truth be justified?
Truth is truth and falsehood is falsehood. They are as wide apart as
the terminals of a diameter of a circle or the north and the south poles.
He who wants ethical perfection, who loves Dharma for the sake of the
Supreme, ought to stick to truth however crucial be the circumstances,
however tense be the situation. Think of Harischandra ... how he stuck
to truth even in the face of trials. How his name is to stand, for all
time to come, for truth undimmed! Harischandra was truth personified.
That is why he is known as Satya Harischandra. This single instance
is enough to sustain man’s living on a sound basis of truth, however
disastrous and threatening be the crises one has to face. However inevitable
and indispensable it be, and however much the situation demands to gain
some selfish ends, falsehood should ruthlessly be avoided. Truth and
falsehood cannot be linked together. Yoking of the one with the other
is awfully absurd. No doubt, in the Bhagavata and other Puranas a few
exceptional instances have been cited, where speaking untruth would
be considered appropriate. But they are a matter of exception, they
are not applicable to all times and all persons. For illuminating and
interesting information in this connection, go through my book, "Ethical
Teachings".
45. Due to Prarabdha if a person is to suffer from
a disease or if he has to die young, will the repetition of the Maha
Mrityunjaya Mantra help him to overcome them?
Prarabdha can be overcome by the grace of the Lord. The Lord’s
grace descends when there is sincere devotion and when man does Purushartha.
Purushartha is possible when the mind is pure. The mind becomes pure
when one does acts of kindness and charity. The laws of nature do not
operate when there is the grace of the Lord. His grace is all-powerful.
We have the instance of Markandeya who conquered death by his Purushartha,
by sincere devotion to the Lord. He was destined to die young, but when
the Lord’s grace descended, Lord Yama had no power to carry out
his wish. So it is possible to overcome Prarabdha by Teevra Purushartha.
46. Some philosophers lay great emphasis on reason
and rational living. What have you to say?
How can reason and logic be given the highest place’? The mind,
intellect and reason fail when you are under the power of an intoxicant.
When anesthesia is given, where is the logical mind? Does the logical
mind function when you have fasted fully for a fortnight? It disappears
in sleep and swoon. There are some herbs that incapacitate the mind
the moment you take them. Thus, there are many occasions when the logical
mind of man becomes impotent and stops its function. How can this logical
mind or rational living be given the highest status? Intuition is the
highest faculty and the evolution of man is complete when he develops
this intuition to the greatest degree and realizes his Atman. The knowledge
gained in Samadhi is the highest knowledge. It is Samyag-drishti or
Tattva-jnana.
47. Of all systems of medicine, which system is the
most effective and harmless? Please give reasons.
Every system of medicine has got its own advantages and disadvantages.
Each has its own supremacy over the others. Each has its own deficiencies.
As regards my view, Ayurveda holds the foremost place in my heart. It
has been expounded by Lord Dhanvantari who is the Ayurveda Pita. Ayurveda
is the foremost amongst the medical sciences now extant. The effect
of its treatment is lasting and unhampered. It is the origin and source
of most of the other systems of medicine. As regards immediate cure
with the least delay, Allopathy occupies first place in the front rank.
Homeopathy is the most harmless system of medicine and the cheapest
in view of cost.
48. I have been trying to do some Sadhana—Japa,
meditation, etc.— , but my mind is not concentrated and it gets
distracted. I try to control it, but I am not succeeding to a degree
of satisfaction. The progress I make is not as good as it ought to be.
You ought to have put forth more efforts if you wanted quick progress!
Do more of Japa, concentration and meditation. Increase your Vairagya
and Abhyasa. At night have Satsang and Kirtan. Do not feel depressed;
in due course of time you will make substantial progress. Go on doing
little by little.
49. There is such an expression as "the flight
of the alone to the Alone". Where is the necessity for a Guru or
his grace? God’s grace will do, as it is said in the Upanishad.
How will you get God’s grace? When you discipline yourself. How
will you know how to discipline? By observing others that had walked
the path successfully to the goal of perfection. Who are these men who
had walked to the goal? It is these that are known as Gurus. So you
need their help, their personal example, their encouragement and their
grace. Thus, we have come round to the answer that a Guru is necessary
as well as his grace. Everything is necessary— Atma Kripa, Guru
Kripa and Isvara Kripa.
50. Which is greater— love or wisdom? Bhakti or
Jnana?
Keep your intellect in a box. Love and wisdom are one. Bhakti and Jnana
are one. Prema leads to Jnana. The one helps the other. People read
books and start arguments. Is this great? Or is that great? It is all
foolishness. God is both love and wisdom. One should not waste his time
in these useless arguments.
51. Swamiji! I live in Lucknow. It is so different
from Rishikesh. I would very much miss the calm, peaceful atmosphere
of Rishikesh when I go back to Lucknow. The atmosphere there is so artificial.
What Sadhana can I do?
Why! You can do wonderful Sadhana there also. The world is not a hindrance.
You have got a very practical and thorough knowledge of Vedanta. The
fiery spirit of Ram Tirth is in you. Start Brahmamuhurta meditation
classes. This is the greatest service you can do to the citizens of
Lucknow. Go from Mohalla to Mohalla and preach Vedanta. Open study circles
in each Mohalla. Conduct morning Brahmamuhurta meditation classes in
each Mohalla by turn. You would be doing a great service to all humanity
and to yourself. Awaken people to the real purpose of their life. This
would keep your consciousness awake too.
52. Is it possible for a soul with a male body to take
a female body in the next incarnation?
O, yes. The soul must undergo various experiences in different bodies.
In the male body, the soul experiences the qualities of boldness, strength,
etc., and patience, mercy, kindness, forgiveness, etc. in the female
body. Moreover, neither a man is a full man nor a woman a full woman.
There is woman in man and man in woman also. There are animal traits
also in man. There is the dog in some men, there is the donkey in some,
there is the jackal in some and the tiger in others. Whichever quality
is predominant, the soul takes a body with that particular quality in
the next incarnation. Therefore, develop divine qualities. You will
evolve quickly and become divinity itself in the end.
53. What is your conclusive opinion about rebirth?
Do you really believe that there is rebirth?
What! Having been born a Hindu, and having the blood of the great sages
coursing through your veins, do you entertain this doubt in your mind?
Yes, undoubtedly there is rebirth.
First of all, you have several miraculous instances of young boys and
girls suddenly exhibiting great knowledge. A young girl, who has never
studied any book, recites the Gita. How do you account for it except
by the fact that she had mastered the Gita in her previous birth, and
that by the grace of the Lord, that knowledge has come to the conscious
part of her mind in this birth too?
Further, rebirth is a necessity for the soul’s evolution. Perfection
cannot be achieved in one birth. Even to develop some cardinal virtues
it might take several births. If you wish to attain Self-realization,
you have to achieve perfection in all the virtues. You have to achieve
perfect self-purification. So, rebirth is a necessity for the Jiva’s
evolution.
Have you seen the caterpillar moving from one leaf to another? It will
reach the edge of one leaf; then project itself; it will catch hold
of another leaf, and then only will it entirely leave the first leaf.
The Jiva, too, goes about like this. Even before it leaves one body,
it has made another (gross or subtle) body according to its Karmas and
desires; and it enters this new body with all the Samskaras and Vasanas.
54. What is the interval between death and the next
birth? Where does the soul dwell during the period between death and
rebirth?
The interval between death and rebirth varies from person to person.
It may be two years or it may be two hundred years, or more. There is
no hard and fast rule. If the attachment to the world is very intense,
a Jiva may be born again immediately after death. There is a girt in
Dehra Dun who has memory of her past life. She took her present birth
four years after she died in her previous life. Those who have done
a lot of virtuous actions remain in heaven for a long time, for two
hundred or three hundred years, before the are reborn on earth.
A wicked man will go to another region. You may call it hell. Or it
may be a place where he may not get the objects of enjoyment that he
wants. A man addicted to drinking may not get liquor there. It may be
a place like a jail where one has to break the stones and do such other
hard work. But if one has done virtuous deeds, if one is a philanthropist,
who has dug public wells, built charitable hospitals, etc., he will
go to heaven where he will enjoy for a long time.
55. If the Soul is immortal, why does Swamiji celebrate
his birthday which belongs to the body?
I do not celebrate my birthday. It is the devotees who do it. Celebration
of such birthdays is equal to worship of Para Brahman. Worship of the
Guru is worship of Para Brahman. The devotees take delight in celebrating
the birthday, and they are benefited, uplifted. A spiritual wave is
created year after year when the birthday is celebrated, and more and
more people get a chance of knowing the existence of the Divine Life
Society and my teachings. The celebrations of the birthday is an annual
reminder to the aspirants of the purpose of their life. It is a fillip
to their Sadhana. The pious, receptive attitude prevalent on such an
occasion draws forth the grace of the Guru and God upon the devotees.
The thoughts of peace, love, devotion, etc., sent out by the innumerable
devotees that assemble together to celebrate the birthday go a long
way to promote peace, harmony and spiritual well-being in the land.
It is not without purpose that the Hindus celebrate the birthdays of
religious leaders, saints and sages, such as Buddha Jayanti, Sankara
Jayanti, Mahavira Jayanti, etc. The Hindu calendar is spotted with many
such Jayantis and other holy days, so that the observance of these Jayantis
and holy days may give the needed spiritual impetus to people and they
may strive with increased zeal for the attainment of the purpose of
life, viz., God-realization. The more we have of such special, holy
days, the more we have the chance of being inspired to intensify our
spiritual progress.
56. When I sit for prayers, the lower mind wanders
astray, but the other mind recites the Stotras without the slightest
flaw, because of habit. But when I consciously try to recite the prayers,
I sometimes miss the link, and have at times to repeat a Stotra from
the beginning. Thus, are there two minds? How to overcome this difficulty?
No. There are no two minds. But the mind gets concentration little
by little, and the portion of the mind which is spiritually inclined—
call it the higher mind— engages itself in Sadhana, whereas that
part of the mind which is more aware of its worldly Samskaras runs along
its set grooves. Force of habit makes the repetition of prayers mechanical.
But the higher mind should be made to concentrate on the meaning. Then
the attention of the mind will be held and the lower part of the mind
will have less opportunity to detract from the object in view. The whole
trouble with careless Sadhana is that it tends to become mechanical
without making an impression on the life of the aspirant.
57. Are there fulfilled prophecies in the Hindu scriptures?
If so, please explain them.
The Lord has given His ever-standing promise that He would appear on
earth whenever there is a danger to Dharma, whenever Adharma tries to
vanquish Dharma. To fulfil that promise He has appeared many times in
the form of saints and sages who have protected Dharma from decay and
from the onslaughts of foreign oppression. They have instilled new elements
of vigour and perspective in Hinduism. Therefore, Hinduism continues
to flourish. Whenever there is a necessity, saints and sages will emerge,
not from the heavens, but from among the people themselves.
Hinduism does not believe exclusively in one prophet. The prophecies
given in the Puranas about the state of affairs to come have also proved
true.
58. If I love Jesus, must I love him alone, and not
the lesser divinities like Mary and the Ikons?
No. There should be no exclusiveness to the love of Jesus, even though
other Christian saints may not be equal to him. They also could be worshipped,
if you have devotion for them, as expressions of the same Divinity which
manifested itself in a most intense and complete way through Jesus.
All messengers of God deserve our respect and adoration. Someone may
be temperamentally and emotionally closer to an individual, but it does
not mean that the latter should shut the others out. No single prophet
or saint holds exclusively the mandate of God or the key to the heavens.
59. I am convinced that praying to saints and worshipping
them is absolutely wrong. They prayed to God and found salvation for
themselves, and in like manner, we also can take care of our salvation
without depending on any saint.
No. It is not so. Saints and sages are worthy of our adoration and
prayers, because they have shown us the ways to God-realization. The
apprentice, who has just entered service in any field, is expected to
have an attitude of submission and receptivity to his senior who trains
him on the job, although the latter may be a man like himself. The same
is applicable in the field of spirituality. By respecting saints and
following their teachings, you grow in spirituality, you learn to love,
and know God more adequately.
60. Someone tries to tell me that Nirvikalpa Samadhi
is, to quote, "only a strange nerve-condition accompanied by paralysis
of the critical faculties". What should I reply, if anything?
It is useless to convince a person about the validity of Nirvikalpa
Samadhi when he cannot understand it. Logical arguments may be advanced,
but a rank skeptic has to evolve further to be alive to this truth.
The philosophical implications and mystic signification of experience
must be studied well before one can attempt to answer such skeptics.
61. After one of the most complicated series of dialectics
in "The Life Divine", Aurobindo finally concludes with a straight
face: "And all these explanations explain nothing". Is there
any point, then, any real benefit, in following through the thin thread
of this tapestry?
In the ultimate sense, words do not explain Truth. But they give a
hint by which one can know Truth directly in experience. Words have
a relative value and they must be made use of, though they do not constitute
our real aim. Relative obstructions to the knowledge of Truth can be
removed through relative means and thus the absolute Truth can be realized.
62. I am under the impression that no advanced Yogi
has ever achieved anything in the realm of matter or contributed to
progress outside of writing about high, abstract and introspectionist
themes and inspiring a small handful to do likewise.
How then do you regard the production of a seemingly supremely great
book like Aurobindo’s "The Life Divine", which almost
nobody reads, almost nobody understands, or books like "Treatise
on Cosmic Fire", or your books, all of which seem so totally unrelated
to helping anybody individually or collectively, in a material sense?
It is not correct to think that Yogins merely write, but never do anything
for human progress. The help that they give, the common man cannot understand,
and man has no right to expect a specific form of help from the Yogins,
for the Yogins do what is really good and not what is materially convenient
to man.
Books which deal with metaphysical subjects and which faithfully explain
the goal of life and the method of attaining it are a great help to
struggling humanity. Yogins write such books for the good of others,
in the spiritual sense and even in a pragmatic sense. But they do something
more, too; they give direct, invisible help.
63. How is Kevala Kumbhak done? The practice is not
quite clear. It is said to be a Kumbhak without Purak and Rechak. This
is not intelligible, for necessarily before the Kumbhak there has to
be either inhalation or exhalation.
Your query on the practice of Kevala Kumbhak is not surprising, for
it seems to be impossible to do Kumbhak without doing either Purak or
Rechak. However, what is meant is that for Kevala Kumbhak the retention
is suddenly performed at any given moment when the mind is just about
to get concentrated.
This sudden cessation of Prana at that particular, crucial, psychological
moment becomes of immense help to the Yogi in arresting the mind, which
is already assuming the mood to Dharana. Hence, Kevala Kumbhak is an
invaluable aid to Dhyana. You will, therefore, see that this act of
Kumbhak is not preceded by any deliberate process of either inhalation
(Purak) or exhalation (Rechak). It may, therefore, be best described
as the abrupt stoppage of the breath. The Yogi does not deliberately
perform either Purak or Rechak before he does Kevala Kumbhak. He
gets into Kevala Kumbhak in whatever state the breathing may be at that
moment. It may be in the middle of an inhalation or in the middle of
an exhalation. The breath may be partially in or partially out. Or again,
the breath may be totally fully inhaled or totally exhaled. Whatever
be the condition, the moment concentration supervenes, the meditator
immediately arrests his breathing in Kevala Kumbhak. I am sure the matter
is perfectly clear now.
64. In my work of spreading the knowledge of Yoga,
do you have any special advice to give me?
Side by side with instructions on practical Yogic processes, place
always stress upon the great importance of Sadachara, Yama and Niyama.
Inspire the students with noble idealism. Spur them on to strive for
a life of lofty virtue, active goodness and selflessness. You must stress
the need for self-purification and self-mastery. The true inner Yoga
is the transformation of the essential nature of man. The lower human
nature should gradually give place to an illumined divine nature through
a process of spiritualization of the entire being of man. This should
be brought home in an effective manner, yet withal with great sympathy,
understanding and insight. The aim is to attain divine consciousness.
65. Can prayers cure diseases when doctors fail? Is
it true that more things are wrought by prayers than the world could
dream of?
Doctors and medicines are only instruments in the hands of God. Unless
God wills, none can cure, or get cured. Man should do his best, with
initiative, enterprise and perseverance, but depend on God’s grace
for everything. To bear with suffering and accept it as a blessing of
God in disguise is great wisdom. Prayer invokes the inner potentialities
of the individual, which flow only from God, and they can certainly
work miracles.
66. You state that aspirants in the Nivritti Marga
should have a little money in the bank or must depend on alms. Now I
have no money and I do not like to beg from door to door, but I am very
anxious to take Sannyasa. Will you kindly suggest a method to quench
my thirst?
There are beautiful Ashrams throughout India where Nishkamya Seva is
carried out. They are always in need of sincere and energetic workers.
You can remain in any one of the Ashrams and help in the Ashram’s
activities. They will take care of your material wants. Do not be changing
from one Ashram to another. Select the best that suits you and stick
to it.
67. I have read that a person, after receiving initiation
from one Guru, can, if he finds a better person, become the latter’s
disciple; and that though he has ceased to be the former’s disciple,
he should have respect for him also. What is your view?
The vast majority of people do not enjoy the good fortune of coming
into contact with a God-realized saint. What happens in their case is
this. Traditionally, each family has a Guru-Parampara. Each sect has
its own sectional Guru. The aspirant born in a particular sect has,
by that mere fact, to accept the Guru of the sect as his own Guru. This
Guru is by no means fit to be called so, according to the standards
set by our Sastras. He is not a spiritual personality, but a religious
person. He does not possess Adhyatmic realization, but is appointed
as a religious leader in order not to keep this traditional post vacant.
The aspirant takes him as his Guru and receives initiation from him.
He practices Sadhana according to his Guru’s teachings and up to
a certain point he can certainly progress. Up to this point only that
Guru himself has gone! To go beyond that stage, that Guru cannot guide
the aspirant, because he is not a God-realized sage. At that stage,
if the Sadhak happens to meet a Guru of higher achievements, he can
certainly become his disciple. In fact, if his first Guru is sincere,
he himself will direct the disciple to the feet of another Guru of higher
achievements.
If this question of changing the Guru arises in an aspirant who has
already received initiation from a Guru who has reached the highest
stage, the defect is in the aspirant, not in the Guru. And, even if
the aspirant goes to another Guru, this "want" cannot be fulfilled.
He must correct the defect in himself and stick to his Guru; he must
banish the desire to change his Guru.
Scriptures tell us that if we have once accepted a Brahma-Nishtha as
our Guru, we should not change our allegiance to another Guru. The spiritual
connection or link is eternal. If an aspirant tries to break it and
runs after all kinds of Siddhas and Jnanis, he cannot progress even
an inch on the path. The ideal is beautifully stated in the Upanishadic
Mantra:
"Yasya Deve Para Bhaktihi Yatha Deve Thatha Gurow
Tasyaite Kathithahyartha Prakasante Mahatmanah"
It means: He who has supreme devotion to God, and as much devotion
to his Guru as he has to God, to him the truths of the Upanishads shall
be revealed. If devotion to God cannot be changed, devotion to the Guru
also cannot be changed.
Do not forget the glorious example of Ekalavya. He did not have even
a sight of the Guru; yet, his devotion was so great that he took a mere
image to be his living Guru and his Bhavana was so intense that this
mud-Guru taught him the great secrets of archery. Here it is Bhavana
that really counts.
Upa-Gurus, however, can be countless; this is what the life of the
Avadhuta that is narrated in the Bhagavata teaches us. We should respect
all saints. The spiritual Guru sows the spiritual seed in us. It is
our business to water it, to make it grow in us, so that it might in
time yield the delicious fruit of Self-realization.
68. I desire to reduce my sleeping hours and have control
over sleep. Can I take recourse to any medicine?
You should not reduce your sleep by the use of medicine. That will
affect your system. Sufficient rest must be given to the body through
sleep. When you regularly enter into deep meditation, the system derives
considerable rest and automatically sleep can then be reduced. That
will not affect your health.
Sleep should be reduced gradually and cautiously. Now, for a month
go to bed at 9-30 p.m. and get up at 4 a.m. After a month, go to bed
at 10 p.m. and get up at 3-30 a.m. Again, after a month go to bed at
10-30 p.m. and get up at 3 a.m. Thus, by gradual means you can reduce
your sleep. Sleeping in day-time must be avoided.
69. If God is almighty and all-powerful, why can’t
He see that everybody does his actions properly?
Everybody does his actions properly. A thief must pilfer things. A
scoundrel must do wrong actions. These are Kartavya. Remember this world
is Trigunatmic and relative. Every movement of the foot, every step,
is an attempt towards Sat-chit-ananda. The world is a relative plane.
Prostitutes, saints, rogues, beggars, kings are all doing their respective
duties. Good and evil are relative terms. Evil exists to glorify good.
Hatred exists to glorify love. A rogue is not an eternal rogue. He can
become a saint within the twinkling of an eye when he is placed in proper
Sattvic company.
70. If God is just and merciful, why should there be
so much misery in this world? Sometimes we see virt
