Question: While doing japa some say that we have to increase the no. of counts. Some say that the silence between the chants is important. Can you tell me which one should I follow?
Answer: Both the versions are correct. If you feel like keeping silence and doing meditation between japam, you may do so. Or, if you have more attraction towards japam, continue as long as you can.
Question: Is it necessary to believe in God? I think whatever happens in our lives is fated and not even God can change it. I have experienced enough misery to become an atheist. Its better to accept fate and karma than going to temples and singing bhajans trying in vain to wake up the lifeless idols. Vivekananda himself has said that man is God and there is no external God. So why should we waste our time in all these rituals? Your comments please.
Answer: I appreciate your stand, provided, you have full faith in it. But, it does not mean you should discourage or argue who have faith in God. Karma Theory is very true. But, we have an illusion that we can change it. If you really believe in Karma theory, then you should not have any sorrow. You should take whatever things come in your life with an equanimous mind. Because we are not strong enough to do it, we take shelter in God.
Question: Namaste. My name is *****. I visited your website. I did go through questions already asked and answered by you. In one of your answers you said that god is impartial. We pay for what we did, good for good, bad for bad. My question is: is there no way of changing our destiny. If so, there is no point in praying isn’t it? I have faced a lot of disappointments in my life yet every time I prayed. Now I have no more patience. If one has to live one should have some hope, without which it is very difficult to live.
Answer: Namaste. Your question is very interesting, but unfortunately we cannot do business with God. No doubt destiny can be changed to certain extent by sincere prayer but don’t expect every prayer should be answered immediately. As we have done many good deeds in the past, we also have done bad deeds. We are getting the rewards for the good deeds, in the same way should we go unpunished for the bad deeds?
Since prayer and patience are the only solution for our problems, don’t loose faith, but continue with your effort.
Question: Dear Sir, I am 24 year old boy from India. I have gone thru the biography of Swami Vivekanandji and his literature. I am very impressed by him. I have few questions regarding him, hope you will put end to my dilemmas:
1. I would like to know the way by which he used to meditate, his way of Yoga.
2. I would also like to know that whether audio is available of his speech in Chicago Religion Meet.
Answer: Great saints like Swami Vivekananda can not be characterized as ordinary human being. They are born perfect and their way of Spiritual Practice can not be ordinarily followed, nor do they require any systematic practice. If you try to read any biography of Swami Vivekananda, it gives an outline of the Spiritual Practices he underwent. For others to follow, Swami Vivekananda has given clear instructions, in his book on Raja Yoga. You may try to get a copy of it & read.
Swami Vivekananda’s audio is not available since, none of the proceedings of the Parliament of Religions held in Chicago in 1893, were recorded.
Question: My name is ****** and I want to ask one simple question: “As Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Shankarachrya, Madvacharya, Buddha all are mentioned in the Bhagavatam and other puranas that they are incarnation of God. I want to know that about Ramakrishna Paramahamsa gurudeva also is it mentioned in the Bhagavatam and other puranas. Please mention the slokas and please send it to E-mail address.”
Answer: Bhagavatam does not find the name of Sri Ramakrishna. Yet it says that incarnations of God are innumerable & unending.
Question: i have been absorbed in studying vedanta for 2 years, and its message has impacted me so deeply that I am wishing to take sanyas. Please let me know how it is possible with your ashram.
Answer: Please let me have your full address, so that if there is any centre of ours nearby, I shall direct you to go & meet the Swami there, so that you can know things in detail.
Response to the above Answer: thank you for replying. I am living in Boston area, Mass. But actually i was in india for 9 months, i was living in an ashram. it is not possible to take sanyas there so i inquired with you since the teaching is the same vedantha. after 9 months of intense deconditioning from the concept of individuality near the illumined persons, I am finding myself back in america and the culture of body consciousness. all this creates a state of delusion and the necessity to survive financially invites further involvement. I was contemplating sanyas as a way to get focused on my dharma, which is to forget the false self. in the environment of worldly life where individuality is the only acceptable concept, it seems like an impossible ordeal. thank you for kindly replying to my message.
Reply to the above Response: We have a centre at Boston. You kindly get an appointment with Swami Tyagananda & meet him there. He will definitely guide you in the right direction. Our centre’s address is:
Ramakrishna-Vedanta Society
58 Deerfield Street, Boston, MA 02215
Phone : (1)-(617)-536-5320
Fax : (1)-(617)-267-1082
Email : vedanta@ix.netcom.com
WWW : http://www.vivekananda.org
http://www.vedantaofboston.org
Please let me know after talking to him.
RESPONSE to the Above REPLY : I will be returning to india in a week for mahashivaratri, also to pick up my luggage from the ashram (Puttaparthy). I will be passing through Bangalore, it would be nice to visit your ashram. Thank you again for being so responsive.
Question: Actually, one question is haunting me since so many days but I have not been able to get a clear solution. It is, I am very much inspired by the ideas of Swamiji, Thakur and Sri Sri Maa, and I want to mould my life according to their teachings. I was formally initiated by The Present President, Swami Ranganathanadaji Maharaj four years back and since then I am trying to practise the austerities sincerely. I am 26 years old , single, and working in a global software consultancy firm. My question is it good to give importance to one’s career or should one be careeristic? I take interest in my job but I am not at all interested to give all my efforts, time and energy to my career. But then, in such a competitive environment one has to strive to be the best otherwise one will just not survive. But also I am fully convinced that the worldy persuits are vague and temporary. And by going through the teachings of Thakur, Maa and Swamiji I am convinced of the goal of our life. so, should one take renunciation in order to achive the actual goal of our life? OR can one remain in the mainstream, do secular work and still practice the teachings of the great Masters? IN A NUTSHELL, how should I mould my lfe according to the teachings of Swamiji and thus channelize all my thoughts and activities to become A TRUE MAN ? I hope I have made myself clear.
For your information, I am in touch with the center at Mumbai, but I felt that I can discuss my question openly through this platform.
Answer: Most of the people mistake the concept of the Karma Yoga. Of course, even Arjuna was confused. Krishna has clarified it beautifully in the 2nd & 3rd Chapters of Bhagavad Gita. I wish you read it. Specially the book written by Swami Ranganathanandaji Maharaj. Now, whether one is spiritual or materialistic, he has to put his whole mind to the work. This is called as dexterity in work by Lord Krishna. Suppose, you just imagine, that you are directing an aeroplane which is flying in the sky by sitting in the air station below, through your computer. At that time, if the thought enters in your mind that this world is temporary, I need not put my whole concentration to it & you guide in a negligent way. What will be the fate of the people? You have to work hard & with full concentration, but, at the same time you should be detached in mind. It is a very high stage & an ideal stage.
The best way to mould your life is – perform your duty in the best possible manner and at the same time spend enough time to spiritual practices also. It also requires a good moral & ethical life. Read Swamiji’s (Swami Vivekananda’s) works as much as possible & I am sure it will help you to mould your life in the best manner
Question: How to overcome anger and jealousy? Even though I feel both these are bad tendencies they arise now and then. Once these tendencies arise in the mind it is not possible to think or do anything useful . I have found some benefit from self analysis. I wold like to have your valuable advice since it sometimes affects me very badly.
Answer: Anger and jealousy are like enemy for a person. It cannot be conquered in one day. But, it can be done by sincerely praying to God and also loving others instead of hating them. We should always remember that we get what we deserve and it does not serve any purpose by being jealous of other’s prosperities. Instead, if we can feel happy by other’s progress also, then only we can be friendly with all and be happy for ourselves. No doubt it is difficult to practise, but if we sincerely try, it will be possible.
Response to above Answer: Thanks for your reply. “We should always remember that we get what we deserve” I have come across this in Swamiji’s books quite often and that is the sentence which used to answer most often the query that used to arise in my mind” Why should this happen to me?” But Mother Sharada’s words also gives me lot of support. “Whenever you are in distress think that your mother is there with you.” I see the Divine mother in my own mother. She is also a devotee of the Holy Mother.Mother Sharada also says that repitition of God’s name can bring down the fruits of karma. Is mechanical repitition of use. Will it give us devotion. To be frank the way most of the time I repeat God’s name I feel after some time it becomes mechanical repetition? Is this normal. Being a person with book knowledge my mind some times revolts against this. It says this is not devotion. Some where in Mother’s gospel I have read that even mechanical repetition helps to calm the mind. Is this true. Also Shri Ramakrishna’s words that ” Beware of women and gold”, as a householder sometimes I feel there is no escape from both. I the midst of this materialistic world what do you advise a householder like me. Some times I feel it is a duty of a house holder to keep something for the children. Is that not attachment to gold? Some times it is quite confusing. That is the time when I drop everything and leave everything to His grace. You deserve what you get.!!!. I sincerely beg your pardon if I have wasted your valuable time. Praying for Sri Ramkrishna’s blessings
Reply to the above Response: Your statement on Swamiji is correct. He himself elaborates it later. Whatever we are destined according to our past actions, we are bound to get it. That nobody can stop. Nor we get anything more than we deserve, even if someone wants to give. The world goes on on the perfect theory of Karma.
As per the Mother’s teachings of repetition of Lord’s name, one starts with mechanically but slowly it turns to love. The repetition of Lord’s name has a tremendous power, which can no doubt reduce the force of bad Karma.
Sri Ramakrishna has never said, Women and Gold have to be totally given up for a householder. In fact he says, after having two or three children, the husband & wife should live like brother and sister. As regards earning, he says that earning money is not bad, but it should be earned in a right manner.
Sincerely pray to Sri Ramakrishna & He will definitely guide you in the right path
Question: One question – is that right that when you do NAMASKAR gesture (both hands together in the praying position) you say NAMASTE (I salute to the sun that is in me and in you)? I asked you this because sometimes people do not know what really means Namaste and Namaskar, or it is may be just different pronounciation?
Answer: The word ‘Namaste’, in Sanskrit, contains two words: ‘Namah’ and ‘te’. ‘te’ – means ‘to you’. ‘Namah’ – means ‘salutations’. It usually implies, I bow down to the God within you. The same is done when one addresses God directly. Primarily, it is done to erase our ego. Invariably, our psychology is that others should recognise me as great & they should respect. That is, we have the superiority complex. By doing this, we shall be effacing our ego and become humble, which is a primary condition for Spiritual Progress. The word ‘Namaskar’ also means the same thing.
Question: I am really and truly happy to come to know Indian profound wisdom of Vedanta, especially the teaching of Sri Ramakrishna and his disciples. By the way I have some questions on Vedanta. I will be very glad if you answer them. I am forty years old man and married.
What does love mean and play a part in each of four Yogas?
Answer: I am happy to know your interest in the Vedanta. I wish you read the four Yogas by Swami Vivekananda, which will give you a clear idea. It is too difficult to explain in such a small letter. However, first of all you have to get the concept of the word ‘Love’ used in these four Yogas.
In the Bhakti Yoga, it is easy to understand the concept of love. It is pure love towards God, without any expectation. To give a small example, it is just as the mother’s love towards the new born baby. We can say it is love for love’s sake. If such a love can be developed towards God, it definitely brings infinite grace on you.
In Karma Yoga, it is performing all our actions with the spirit of dedicating the fruits of action to the Lord. Or, it is our love towards Him that makes us work for the well being of all.
In Jnana Yoga, it is the idea that the whole world is nothing but the manifestation of God. So, to love all the beings is loving God. In this case, not much of differentiation is made between God and His beings.
In the Raja Yoga, it is almost like Bhakti Yoga. There the love is towards the personal God. Or, it may also mean to feel the divine in our heart by raising the power of Kundalini. When one gets the vision of the Divine, then his heart will be filled with love & bliss.
Response to the above Answer: I have received your reply. I am deeply grateful to you for your kindness. And I have another question. I will be very glad if you answer it.
I am deeply impressed with the idea of strength Swami Vivekananda often emphasizes. What is the meaning of strength in Advaita Vedanta and what should I do in my everyday life in order to be strong?
Reply to the above Response: There are three types of strength mentioned in our scriptures – for the holistic development of a person. All these three types of strength are necessary.
These are – 1. Physical Strength, 2. Mental Strength,
3. Spiritual Strength.
They are called in Sanskrit as –
1. Baahu Balam,
2. Mano Balam,
3. Aatma Balam, respectively.
Swamiji (Swami Vivekananda) always meant these three things wherever he refers to fearlessness. But, to acquire this, we have to be very pure & truthful. The fear comes because we don’t hold to truth strictly.
Gandhiji is a great example for his fearlessness because, he valued truth at most.
RESPONSE to the Above REPLY : I am grateful to you for your answer from the bottom of my heart. Although spiritual ideal in vedanta seems to be very high to me, I am going to put the great priciples of vedanta,especially what Swami Vivekananda exhorts into practice in my daily life as possible as I can. I am always looking forward to seeing your wonderful and helpful website.