Question: For years I have been wondering what could be the purpose of my life, or what my “Real nature” is.
I am confused if all this creation has any purpose and order in it, or it is just random (or some thing beyond our imagination). I was a firm believer in God(s), in my child hood; I used to pray for well being. Later I stopped it as the reason behind my prayers was either “want” or “fear”. I found no reason why someone sitting above the sky grants my wishes as I praise him and punish my neighbor as he ignores him. I realized that “Instinct”, which exists in all the creatures tell them things which need not be taught by anyone or supported by any reason. My instinct tells me that “Good” and “bad” do exist. I decided to be “Good” and do “Good”. Not to satisfy somebody, but my self. That gave me some sense.
A person who has some sympathy for the needy and attempts to feed a hungry person at least once in his life looks honorable to me than the one who meditates all through his life, chanting mantras and prayers. I wish, instead of donating Lakhs and Crores for a temple, people give a spec of it to the people who really need it. It makes more sense to me.
Is there any “ideal” way of life, which we are supposed to follow? Does any reason exist behind this game of life and death? How can I follow the way you tell and not something else told by somebody else? Kindly clarify.

Question: Today I just went through your website, and I somehow felt relieved to know I have found out some place where I always wanted myself to be. I have been married for past 7 years and have no issue. I am 32 years. Commerce granulate, was working as accountant.
Right from my childhood, I have always wanted love, I wanted to be happy, to laugh, to see people happy, but I am never confident about myself, I have always been afraid of something I don’t know. While staying with my parents and now after marriage nothing of my life has changed. I still fear for something. When I was small, I used to get angry of seeing people, my parents fighting, or if I get upset, I used to not talk to anyone for days together, they used to think that I was arrogant or selfish, egoistic. Even now after marriage it is the same, I cant help my anger, I am always low, I cannot find happiness anywhere, everywhere it is the same, same fights, same politics , same problems, I am basically very fed up of my life. But again I was always supported by my God in all my sorrows and problems. I bow to Him for being with me always, right from my birth. Now being married, I am not interested in marital life, I don’t desire for anything, very frankly not even to have a child. Yes sometimes I feel that if I had children everything would be ok, yes sometimes I even have desires. I don’t deny that. My husband is somehow fed up of me. But he has no choice but to be married to me. According to him I am at fault every time and for everything. Well I think maybe he is right. I know I am never going to have a baby, and even if I have one it would not be out of love but only as necessity of married life. But again life will be the same.
I want to attain peace, I read Bhagavad Gita daily, but I still cannot come out of it. Reading Gita, makes me feel happy, when I am under gods protection, I feel happy, at peace. I know if I kill myself, my God will never accept me, and also I will be hurting my parents and sis/brothers a lot. I don’t want to do that.
Sir, I want your guidance, to let me know, who I am, and what I want. I have always wanted to be a part of helping children, orphans, disabled, to be of help to people, to see and sing with unhappy people, to see them happy. I want to devote my life at Gods service. Please guide me into this. According to u, aren’t ladies supposed to join ashram for life time. If they are, than how can I join the same?
Sir, I will be blessed, if you let me come under your guidance to devote my life at Gods service.
Waiting for your reply soon.

Question: I am mailing this question on behalf of a few of the seekers from our Gita study group. We had a doubt while discussing on Gita Chapter 4 Slokas 18-22, as it clearly says any body does physical work without attachment, without expectations on end result, without any jealousy and competition, never accumulate any Karmaphala. If that is the case, what is the effect of actions of mentally retarded people? If they do some good or bad in their actions will they accumulate any karmaphala?
Please enlighten us on this.

Question: Swamiji, I have been a devotee of Sri Hanuman since my childhood. I pray to him and him alone. Sri Ramakrishna’s teachings have helped me develop greater faith on Hanuman and have given me greater faith. A few years ago, I wanted to have a Mantra for meditation but could not find a guru near about. Somehow, after a sequence of events and thinking I took up: “Dasoham Sri Ramanajuneyaya ” [I am a dasa , a servant, of Sri Anjaneya],as a Mantra. Not given by anyone in particular. Right now I treat Sri Hanuman as my Guru and God and repeat this Mantra which simply means: “Anjaneya, I am You Servant”. My friends tell me that I should take-up a Guru, but some how I have got so attached to this Mantra that I do not want to give it up nor take up a Guru other than Hanuman and Sri Ramakrishna. Please tell me what is beneficial to me? Should I pray to Hanuman and treat him as Guru (I Treat Sri Ramakrishna as the same as Hanuman, but cannot pray to him generally, somehow). This has also been the reason why I did not approach Ramakrishna Mission for initiation. I just cannot think of taking up another mantra or any other Guru. Am I in a totally wrong direction? I sincerely seek your suggestion.

Question: I am a girl of 20 yrs, studying in college in Baroda. I have an elder sister of 24yrs. We both have been initiated by GURU GAHANANANDAJI in 2002. By the grace of Guruji & GOD we both have understood this fact that the one & the only aim of the life is self realization only & all other things are mere steps toward that. We both were following Guruji’s instructions at our best. We both want nothing except God. But it occurs frequently that in between we become slightly less serious about this & attracted towards outer life but again by the grace of god everything becomes as earlier. In this way our life was going on smoothly. But this time only I became slightly distracted from the daily routine of meditation, reading scriptures etc. but my didi continued it; very firmly. Mummy also praises her oh! How seriously she is doing all this. I also do meditate regularly but not for long. From here my problem began. I started feeling jealous of her. I know myself that how much I love GOD, whether I show or not to others .I also meditate regularly, don’t miss a day also but don’t show it to others but when didi does it everyone notices her. Gradually I started feeling so much jealous that I ceased talking with her due to silly reasons.
The problem does not end here only, I myself feel very shameful for my nature. My conscious makes me feel so bad that am I such a bad & jealous girl? I cry so much at night & ask GOD why did you make me such a bad girl?
I don’t remember anything I have done anything bad in my entire life. I never hurt anyone, never did such a work on which I feel shame. But this time why GOD did this to me? I try to make me understand that I should respect her & I try to follow her but I can help it. Why am I so bad Maharaj? I can’t face God also who is everything for me. For whom I am passing this life only to meet god, Lord Krishna. Why god is doing this, what is his intention behind this? Please help me Maharaj to come out of this problem.

Question: Last time I sent you one question. I have got very good answer. Now I again have one more doubt. My question is with the help of your web site and others I realized we are here for reaching the highest level of life [realization of real nature and Moksha] so why I am busy in the worldly life. Why not am I join any spiritual center and invoke real nature of life? I do every day and night meditation. I do Ramakrishna Aratrikam with the help of cassette. Life is nothing only we are here for invoke true knowledge. If I know this thing, so why I am busy in worldly action. Please so me how I spend my each day and help to me how I get more and more spiritual power.

Question: For many years I have been going through internal conflicts of all sorts which are maddening and scaring to say the least. I have many a times thought that I was getting mad or insane. I searched through the net and from a medical point of view; I found that I was suffering from anxiety and depression. I can never stop thinking and worrying all day and night. During these periods, I was working for an MNC, getting paid good, I had nothing to worry, but still I did not know what was going on with me, life was miserable. I used to work in night shift; in fact I am working still in night shift for almost 3 years. I would hardly sleep for 4 to 5 hours during the day. One day, a year or so ago, my thinking went to such extremes that I starting sweating all over, I felt my heart racing, and I was fear struck. It was a horrible feeling. For a moment I even contemplated killing myself because, I could not live with myself, my mind was going wild. I talked to my friend about this. Then came the best part. Suddenly from the next day, I experienced something new, something I have never experienced the whole of my life. I was in total harmony with everything, walking; sleeping, eating, breathing and just living gave me extreme joy. I could not understand where I was getting this energy from, I was literally flowing, and life was no longer a burden. It was much more than what I could describe with words. “This state” continued for 2 weeks or a little longer, and again I went back to my normal state of mouring. “This state” happened after that a couple of times, lasting for a week or so. After that it stopped happening completely. From what I have researched through the net, I found that I was may be “enlightened” during those states. At present, I am living my same restless, anxiety-ridden life, in fact even worse these days. I am not sure where to go from here… I am totally confused…..is it possible to attain “that state” ever in life or all these just manifestations of my own mind. Your advice is greatly appreciated as soon as possible, because I am getting very desperate there….

Question: My mind is filled with many thoughts which constantly disturb me during meditation. Help me out to free my mind from all these thoughts during meditation.

Question: I have been reading Bhagavad Gita, Upanishad’s like Mundakopanishat, Khathopanishat and some works by Shree Swami Vivekananda, Shree Swami Chinmayananda (Chinmaya Trust, Bangalore) and some Dvaita school of thoughts by Shree Madhvacharya. There are so many twist and turns and inter connections between one and other, I realize, I can’t figure out some of the things without a Guru’s Blessings and I don’t have all the books and perhaps time as well .To begin with these are my doubts
1) “When Shree Madhvacharya (incarnation of God Vayu) preached Dvaita, did he mean people following Advaita should quit and follow? Is Dvaita for “Realization and liberation”?
2) Did he really mean Advaita is misguiding people by its MAYA vada? My concern is both Shree Sankaracharya and Shree Madhvacharya are believed to be incarnations of God (Lord Shiva, Lord Vayu respectively) So I can’t think of any one lying for any sake. Both the doctrine’s have to be true isn’t it?
3) If both are true considering both the schools of thought address spirituality in different angles and hence approaches differ, still I would have some questions like i) Dvaita Philosophy says “Brahman is not the material cause of universe? Does this mean, Brahman (Parabrahman, Ultimate God) does not create this earth and other planets but only are dependent on him? “If this true then who creates? And also what about Advaita philosophy which says ÒExistence of universe is because of only one real ‘Chaitanya’ that is Brahman?
ii) Dvaita maintains that the distinction between Atman and Brahman is eternal, and union after salvation doesn’t mean that Atman will get merged with Brahman.
My understanding is that “Advaita is conveying the same message but at a higher level” Here is how I interpret:
Advaita never denies the Brahman with form. It accepts both forms and formless (impersonal) Brahman. So when Advaita says “Atman gets
merged/united with Brahman after salvation/liberationÓ it may well mean like following 2 ways
a) Atman the individual soul is freed of cycle of birth and death and is living in Gods planet along with God blessed by him forever, offering transcendental service to the Almighty Lord. This is when Brahman is perceived as with form
b) And when Brahman is thought as of impersonal, the salvation may mean ÒThe individual soul after liberation is like Brahman in terms of nature and quality and hence Atman essentially is like merged with Brahman”. It may not be to state that Atman is equal to Brahman but he becomes like him, or he becomes one in him”. So physically they me be different but conceptually they are same, just one.”
Can I interpret like above..? Is it right?