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In one of your responses, you had said that God had created everyone equally in the first birth, and that the individual's greed was responsible for his sins. If God created all of us equally, then what made one seek the wrong path (greed) and thus acquire sins, and what made the other seek the right path?
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Sri Sri Swamiji:
His ego!
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The Shastras say 'Matru-devo bhava' and 'Pitru-devo bhava'. Some say 'my parents don't want me to practice spirituality and since the parents are the first Guru, then following their order is highest Dharma'!
Most of the time people use this as excuse to not practice spirituality! Furthermore, when one surrenders to a Guru - they may come across instructions from parents and other 'revered' people in society which may conflict with the orders of the Preceptor. How is one meant to deal with such situations to maintain harmony inside and outside?
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Sri Sri Swamiji:
The ways of Dharma are subtle. Samanya dharma (common Dharma) shows that Mata and Pitha are to be revered as Deva.
The order is Mata and Pitha should lead a child to a Spiritual Guru, who in turn leads him to God.
Bhagavatha Dharma (Srimad Bhagavatam) says, a Mata who stops spiritual development of her child is no mother at all, likewise with a father or relatives or even a so called Guru!
So Shastras are clear that when it comes to spirituality, a mother is a mother only when she plays the role of the mother in being conducive to spiritual growth of the ward.
If you take Prahlada's example, his father told him to drink poison, he did it without asking a question; his father ordered that he be trampled by elephants, he implicitly obeyed, His father asked him not to chant Narayana Nama, - that he did not obey, as even a father has no right to stop spiritual
awakening of his child.
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I am very clear that the Mahamantra can be chanted at any time/ any place. But what are the restrictions to chant the Gayatri Mantra, Aditya Hrudayam, Vishnu Sahasranamam and Lalitha Sahasranamam (if any)?
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Sri Sri Swamiji:
Gayatri Mantra can be chanted only during Sandhyavandhana times. If you are a Gayatri Upasak, you have to chant it with proper ablutions ('madi'). You should follow proper Asana (sitting postures) and follow instructions / guidance from a Guru who is an Upasaka.
Aditya Hrudayam, Vishnu Sahasranamam and Lalitha Sahasranamam can be chanted like other Slokas with at least minimum purity. If you are chanting them for a specific purpose / with a specific prayer in mind, then it has to follow specific restrictions.
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How do I identify an enlightened person? Nowadays every other godman claims that he is an enlightened guru!
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Sri Sri Swamiji:
The very fact that they are claiming themselves to be enlightened, exposes that they are not enlightened! So search for the one who does not claim so!
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During my younger age my grandmother taught me that I have to light up a lamp before puja. I follow it till date, but feel that its only an ancient custom to light lamps (as there was no electricity then), and is not relevant today. Is there really any significance in my grandmother’s teachings?
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Sri Sri Swamiji:
By lighting the lamp, you are getting rid of your sins.
Let me narrate an incident from Shirdi Sai Baba’s life:
When Shirdi Sai Baba first came to Shirdi, he used to go from home to home and from shop to shop begging for oil in a tin cup. With that oil, he would light numerous lamps in the nearby mosque. Later some mischief-mongers created a problem concerning his religion, after which no one offered to give him oil anymore.
Then he filled his mouth with some water and went to the mosque and emptied the water into his tin cup. With the water, he lit all the lamps. By then, everyone had gathered to watch this miracle. Baba told them, ‘You people don’t realize why I light these lamps getting oil from you. I do it only for your sake. I am burning your sins by lighting these lamps in the oil that you give!’
So don’t miss lighting the lamps. Continue your practice.
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I have read in one of your messages that we should not be susceptible to emotional injuries that others might inflict upon us or emotional influence that others might try to wield on us. How to grow into such a state?
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Sri Sri Swamiji:
- Try to see Krishna in them and in everybody
- Accept all the happenings around you as His divine plays
- Put yourself in the other person’s shoes and think how you would act.
- Act with wisdom/discrimination (‘viveka’) always
- Whenever you are emotional, refrain from taking any critical decisions. Allow yourself to calm down before taking any decision.
- Whenever you take decisions, ensure that the decision is driven by the brain and not by the heart. If the later comes into play, it ends up in a mess.
- Control your emotions through asanas and simple breathing exercises
- Be cheerful always and always remember that the sky is your limit. Small incidents in your day to day life should not affect your cheerfulness.
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Sri Veda Vyasa was born during Krishna's time. So, the Vedas must have been divided into 4 during this time. But there is a reference to Rigveda, Yajurveda in Ramayanam itself. Please explain.
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Sri Sri Swamiji:
We know that there are 18 chapters in the Bhagavat Gita. Now someone splits each of these 18 chapters into a book each, and publishes 18 books. By doing so, does the fact that these chapters exist as titles in the wholesome work called Bhagavat Gita not exist anymore?
Likewise, the 4 portions of the Vedas existed since eternity. Rig Veda contains mantras for inviting the Devas for the sacrifices and some prayers. Sama Vedas is Rig Veda set to a tune. Yajur Veda Mantras deal with the procedure of the sacrifices (‘yagnas’). So these
It is said in Srimad Bhagavatam that Veda Vyasa, foreseeing that the people in Kali Yuga will not be capable of learning and preserving the entire Vedas, separated them into the four sections and assigned ownership to each section. That does not mean that these four sections did not exist earlier.
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God can be attained by a simple prayer and a longing heart. At the same time, our scriptures also prescribe strict rituals and Upasanas which are highly disciplined and almost out of common man's reach. Why do these exist?
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Sri Sri Swamiji:
They are for those who don’t believe in simple prayers.
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Sometimes, when we see people suffering from problems, we attribute it to being the effects of the sins of the previous birth. What would have happened in the very first birth, when there wouldn’t have been any ‘previous’ birth and hence no merits or sins associated?
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Sri Sri Swamiji:
Yes. In the very first birth, everybody was given all the amenities alike and good health and happiness alike too. Then, it is because of each individual’s greed that they started committing sins.
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I chant the Mahamantra only when I am unable to bear the suffering in my life. I never feel Bhakti or love towards Krishna. Will Krishna help me?
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Sri Sri Swamiji:
Most certainly. You come to Krishna only even for mundane worldly matters. He is your father, mother, friend, philosopher, Guru, guide and well-wisher. He loves you so much – much more than you love yourselves.
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My goal is to think of the Lord every moment. To achieve this goal I try to chant His name but am not able to do it continuously because it is involved in worldly activities. Kindly show me a practical way to keep thinking of the Lord while we are involved in worldly activities. Is this possible ?
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Sri Sri Swamiji:
Your goal is wonderful and what you are doing is perfectly right. Where you are going wrong is your expectation to attain that state immediately. Your interest is good; at the same time, you have to understand and accept that this is possible only by regular practice. In spirituality, perseverance is paramount.
So keep continuing until the goal is reached.
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I am unable to carry out my regular religious ablutions at proper times, owing to my circumstances, as well as my laziness. Will it have any effect if I do not do it in proper time? Can Gayatri Mantra be recited without performance of Sandhya Vandanam?
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Sri Sri Swamiji:
Whatever you do will certainly have their effects. Unless you are a Gayatri-upasak, you should not chant the Gayatri Mantra as and when you wish. You can chant it as many times as you wish with proper purity, and following the appropriate guidelines prescribed for it in our Scriptures.
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What are the do’s and don'ts to perform Japa of the mantra given by the Guru? Can it be chanted all times, irrespective of the location and dress code (i.e. in office attire wearing shoes etc.)?
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Sri Sri Swamiji:
The “Rama” Nama and Mahamantra have no rules. You can chant it any number of times, any place, any time of the day and in any state.
Other mantras may have their own restrictions and have to be chanted as instructed by the Guru.
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