What is Special about Hinduism?

What is Special about Hinduism?

Hinduism is found in nearly every corner of the globe. Hindus are estimated at 500,000,000 worldwide. According to the CIA, the largest concentration of Hindus are in India (81% of population) and Nepal (86%). Countries with the fewest Hindus include Thailand (95% Buddhist), Malaysia, Singapore, Oman, Yemen, Pakistan (mainly Islamic). Nepal is the only state in the world that is officially Hindu.

A large number of Hindus also reside in South America and the Caribbean, including in the countries of Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago. The small island of Mauritius off the coast of South Africa (near Madagascar) is 54% Hindu. Britain and the United States have significant, but relatively small, Hindu populations.

I.: What is Special in Hinduism?

1. Hindu Religion is the world's oldest faith. It was followed by the ancient civilization of the Indus valley, Ganges valley, Deccan and Cauveri delta, as well as other parts of India all over the Indian peninsula and surrounding areas of Asia. Hinduism, is as much a "way of life" as a religion and affects every aspect of life for Hindus from birth throughout their life. It is followed by the devout Hindu in every aspect of life and activity, and not just in a prayer only.

2. With Hinduism you can have whatever you want. If you want to live a hedonistic lifestyle Hinduism will show you a way to live it without hurting yourself or others.

3. If you want to dedicate your life to worldly successes Hinduism will show you the way to do so within limitations. If all you want to do is your responsible duty to your neighbors, go ahead and do it. If what you want is liberation you can be shown the way.

4. Hinduism is a very philosophically thought out religion that essentially gives an answer for any question that you might have about your life. With each answer Hinduism gives a reason and a possibility of strengthening your understanding of the answer.

5. Hinduism is guided by the teachings of the Vedas, also believed to be the Revealed words by the Divine Powers. The Vedas are said to be older than the creation of the Universe and were given to the Ancient Sages by God as their intuition during their meditation. The Great Seers and Rishis of ancient times recited these Vedas, obtained by their meditative powers, as the teachings of God. These teaching are very ancient and were memorized and recited by generations of Sages, Teachers and their disciples until they were written down as texts and codified as the Four Vedas by Sage Vyasa. It is further explained by subsequent texts written by Seers and religious leaders based on these Vedas. Hinduism is also guided by these Upa-Vedas, Vedangas, Upanishads, Ithihasas and Puranas, which contain the prayers, Philosophy, rituals and mythology, all in one, to suit everyone's cultural and mental development. While the learned person reads about the qualities of the all-powerful Brahman, the illiterate one is taught the same principle by mythological stories and simple forms of prayers to His manifestations.

6. The philosophy of Hinduism, as Divine revelations, is for all times, as old as creation and as modern as tomorrow. The Vedas have given us the rituals in various forms as a ladder to raise our faith and understanding. The Agamas and Puranas give us the incarnations and manifestations of 'God' in popular forms to condition our thoughts to the faith. It allows and accepts varying forms of worship with a tremendous tolerance of other religious faiths and beliefs. Though one may not agree that the other paths are better or perfect, every one is allowed to follow his own path. Often a devotee is urged to study all the paths and variations to fully understand his own faith.

7. This is the most important and valuable specialty of Hinduism that it has not closed itself inside any contours, but is the realistic representation of the limitlessness of knowledge and experience. It is absolutely open minded. This is the religion that calls Let the good things come from all the directions of the world (aa no bhadrAH kratavo yantu vishvataH). Thus this religion nurtured the good concepts with a neutral mindset. Hinduism is a dharma (discipline) than a religion. Various religions stand over this dharma. In general this is not the religion of just postulations.

8. Very naturally this religion does not force even the acceptance of God to the followers. The Hindus are not threatened that they would be punished for not praying/believing the God, whereas the major scriptures advice the followers to hold to the God in order to get liberated from the rough road of pleasures and pains! Even those things undergo a very healthy debate. Nothing is unquestionable. The Hindu scriptures instead of defining the way, in which the Hindus should live, in a better way, act as supporting material for the individual to decide the course of life and stand by that

9. Hinduism, unlike most religions, has no founder and no one scripture. Hindus do not have one "Holy Book" like many other religions, but many texts including the four Vedas along with their Upanishads, called the "Sruti", several Dharma Sasthras or Smrutis, Ithihasas and Puranas including the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. The Bhagavad Gita, or "Song of God", comes as part of Mahabaratha, is an essence of the message of the Upanishads and Hindu Philosophy and is considered to be a guide on how we should live as told by Lord Krishna to Arjuna.

10. Hindus believe that as all streams and rivers lead to the same ocean, all genuine religious (spiritual) paths lead to the same goal; worship of every form of "GOD" and celestial forces leads to the same good. So we do not try to convert others to our religion. (Another example-path to top of mountain may differ but the view from the top of the mountain will be the same.)

11. Hindus believe in one God, beyond form, space and time and beyond human comprehension. They believe that God is Transcendant and Immanent at the same time and will create Itself according to everyones desire and needs to protect the pious, to detroy the evil and establish the Divine Rule of Law and Justice.

12. Most Hindus, needing a form on which to concentrate, worship that one God in different forms, worshiping one aspect of that One Divine Supreme Truth. -- Hindus see God in masculine as well as in feminine forms and also like a family. At the same time, they all understand the True nature of the Supreme.

13. In the masculine forms, Hindus see that One God as Brahma - the creator, Vishnu - the protector and maintainer, and Shiva as Siva-Nataraja - the destroyer and recreator. -- In the female forms, Hindus see that One God as Sakthi or Durga, - provider of energy and power, as Lakshmi, - provider of prosperity and wealth and as Saraswathi, - provider of knowledge and intelligence.

14. These are the major forms of Hindu "Gods" worshipped, which takes the form as created by the supreme God Paramathma for the benefit of the Human creations to easily comprehend Him as He is. Please understand that many of the sects of Hindus following the various forms of philosophy and worship, visualise this same Paramathma - the Supreme God – as Narayana [Vishu], or as Paramasiva [Siva] and Paraasakthi [Sakthi or Durga].

15. Here please note that unlike the other major world religions, Hindus also see the Supreme as Mother, including as Sri Meenakshi, as Visalakshi, as Kamakshi and as many other names of Sakthi. He is also seen as Father as in Siva in various forms in several Hindu Temples. -- The Temple in which they are worshipped is not just a congregation hall but a palace of the
Supreme God [as the Queen or King].

16. Hindu Rituals and Worship take into account the capacities and inclinations of different individuals. --Types of worship include Ritualistic worship (temple or home), offering (directly or through the priest) flowers, coconut, fruits, incense, flames of oil lamps and camphor, chanting of prayers in Sanskrit (or their mother tongue), etc.

17. Also Hindu religion advocates Worship through service of one's fellow man (charity) and by one's activity; -- Worship through the service to fellow human and devotion to the Supreme; --Worship through meditation with physical and mental discipline and through understanding first the inner self then the divine that is everywhere.

18. Hinduism has also defined concept of Yogas. Jnana yoga is for people who are reflective and seek knowledge find their divinity through rationality and spirituality. Bhakti yoga is the path to God through love and devoted service. It insists on God's otherness and teaches love of God through adoration. Karma yoga is the path to God through work. Be productive and strive to work towards high rewards and work unselfishly.Raja yoga is known as the path to reintegration, a way to God through psychophysical experiments. Self-searching could be one way of describing Raja Yoga. Looking inward to discern the humanness from the Godness and bringing them together. It involves meditation and self discipline.

These and many more specialties of Hinduism make it a harmonious and worth religion, which is suitable for any time in present or future, for any land or creed.

Some Thoughts Hindus Gave the World

Brahman, the eternal Trimutri, or Three-in-One God:

Brahma, the Creator; Vishnu, the Preserver; and Shiva, the Destroyer;

Submission to Fate, since man is not outside, but part of Brahman;

The Caste System, determined by the laws of Manu;

The Law of Karma, that from good must come good, and from evil must come evil;

Reincarnation, as a chain of rebirths in which each soul, through virtuous living, can rise to a higher state;

Nirvana, the final stage reached upon the emancipation of the soul from the chain of rebirths; Yogas, the disciplines which enable the individual to control the body and the emotions; and

Dharma, the Law of Moral Order, which each individual must find and follow to reach nirvana.

Vegetarianism (vegan lifestyle)

Ahimsa ("no injury", avoidance of all animal products)

Yoga exercise

Astrology and horoscopes

Gurus and swamis (monks and spiritual leaders)

Shanti Paath (Prayer for Peace)

AUM dyauh shantir antarikshagwam,
shanti Prithivi shanti rapah,
shanti roshadaya shanti vanapastayah shantir,
vishwe devah shantih,
brahma shantih
sarvagwang shantih
shantireva sama shanti redhi.

AUM SHANTIH SHANTIH SHANTIH

May there be peace in Heaven
Peace in the Atmosphere
Peace across the waters
May there be peace on Earth
May peace flow from herbs, plants and trees
May all the celestial beings pervade peace
May peace pervade all quarters
May that peace come to me too

MAY THERE BE PEACE PEACE PEACE

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Significance of doing Puja

Significance of doing Puja

By Anand Sagar Pathak

The English equivalents of ‘Puja' are homage, reverence, worship, respect, etc. The system of Puja relates to religions, deities and God. In some religions there is an elaborate system of rituals for Puja while in some religions there is a simple method of prayer.

All the major religions of the world originated in Asia. South Asia is the birth place of four major religions- Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. All these religions originated in India. Christianity and Islam originated in South-west Asia for which Jerusalem, Mecca and Madina are important places. In all these religions, the concept of God exists. Only Sikhism concentrates on Gurus. But, the system of Puja and prayers is associated with all the religions.

This system is visible in today's world also. Almost all the religions except Hinduism evolved during the last 2,600 years. Hinduism is the oldest religion of the world and its history is about 4,000 years long but Hinduism also developed after the 1 st agricultural revolution, which took place about 10,000 years ago and the intervening period was Vedic period in India during which such Puja systems had not taken roots.

In order to understand the purpose of Puja we will have to go back in the early stages of human civilizations when man was a jungle dweller and without shelter, because, the system of reverence to some unknown power started emerging in that period. This will define the causes also which drive human beings to perform Puja.

(a) The Puja system emerged to get protection of unknown powers, from natural calamities, hazards and disasters in the early period:-

In the initial stages man was a food gatherer, hunter, fisher and shelter-less living in jungle in small groups. There was no concept of God in that period. The small groups of people lived in isolation. However, they saw the impact of natural calamity on their lives. They experienced the impact of wild fires, thunderbolts, storms, heavy rains, floods, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and they began fearing such phenomenon.

In order to protect themselves from such events, they must have visualized the role of an unknown superpower and started showing reverence to such powers. This culminated in the Vedic period in ancient India when elaborate system of worship of Fire God (Agni Dev), Wind God (Vayu Dev), Water God (Varun Dev), Sun God (Surya Dev), Thunderbolt God (Indra dev) began.

In addition to such deities a system of reverence was also invented to get protection from every element of the environment of the earth. Trees, soil, rivers, hills, animals, reptiles, birds, all became objects of reverence in the Vedic period. We may call it “Animism” which was the system of Puja up to the Vedic period.

(b) The rise of Sakam Puja (worship with expectation of reward):-

Since Hinduism developed from Vedic religion, there is a multiplicity of God's and Goddesses in the Hindu religion. There are 100's of Puja systems associated with deities. There is a multiplicity of religious books. The concept of “Tridev” (Trinity namely Bramha, Vishnu and Mahesh) developed in the early stages of Hinduism.

The system of worship was designed to please a particular deity for obtaining some blessings and rewards. This Puja is for fulfillment of human desires, wants, freedom from sufferings, for off-springs, for marriage, rise in status and position, for health, wealth, and other desires.

The ancient kings organized “Aswa-medha Yagya” for enlarging their kingdoms and empires. According to Ramayana even Raja Ram took recourse to this yagya and the horse of the yagya was caught by his children Lav and Kush which triggered a war between father and sons. Yagya is an elaborate system of Puja, which is practised even today with a particular purpose.

However, this type of Puja is medium quality Puja, because it is done for material rewards. Lord Krishna in Shrimad Bhagwat Gita said as follows:-

“Antavat tu phalam tesam tad bhavaty alpa medhasam
devan deva yajo yanti mad bhakta yanti mam api”

(Chapter VII, Verse 23)

Translation: Men of small intelligence worship the demigods, and their fruits are limited and temporary. Those who worship the demigods go to the planets of the demigods, but my devotees ultimately reach my supreme planet.

(c) System of Nishkam Puja (worship without attachment to expectations):-

The Hinduism continued to transform through the ages and became more scientific. It came to be regarded as a religion associated with fundamental doctrine of Karma. This thought emerged during the battle of Mahabharata when Lord Krishna began counseling Arjun. The same preaching is found in Shrimad Bhagwat Gita.

According to Hindu doctrine, all beings have souls and there is a process of reincarnation after death. These souls are arranged in a hierarchy. The fundamental point is to move upward in the hierarchy and then escape from the eternal cycle of birth and death through union with the Brahma. The principle of reincarnation of soul is the cornerstone of Hinduism and every soul should try to attain salvation (Nirvana, Mukti, Moksha) through spiritual practises. This should be the supreme purpose behind Puja.

For this Lord Krishna showed the paths of “Karma Yoga” (adherence to duty while remaining detached from reward), “Gyan Yoga” (knowledge of the absolute) and “Bhakti Yoga” (spiritual practise of fostering loving devotion to God). Lord Krishna said in Bhagwat Gita:-

“a-brahma bhuvanal lokah punar avartino rjun
mam upetya tu kaunteya punar janma na vidyate”

(Chapter VIII, Verse 16)

Translation: From the highest planet in the material world down to the lowest, all are places of misery wherein repeated birth and death take place. But one, who attains to my abode, O son of Kunti, never takes birth again.

(d) Rise of Sadguru Puja (worship of ascendant masters):-

Sadgurus (ascendant masters) are incarnations of God himself who live amidst us to guide us in our endeavor to reach to God. Lord Krishna in Bhagwat said that “Saints are incarnations of God”. Sadgurus are known by different names in different religions. Hindus call them “Paramhansa” Muslims call them “Qutub” and Christians call them “the ascendant masters”. They have incarnated in almost all religions. Some prominent names are “Jesus Christ”, “Moses”, “Gautum Buddha”, “Lord Mahavir”, “Aadi Sankracharya”, and “Prophet Mohammad”. The most recent incarnations of Sadgurus go by the name of “Ram Krishna Paramhansa”, Shri Sai Nath of Shirdi”, “Guru Nanak” etc.

The Sadguru guides his disciple to attain God for which Guru Bhakti (devotion to Guru) is the most important requirement. Therefore, the disciples are duty bound to keep their Guru in high reverence.

The life of the modern man has become very complex. He cannot follow the elaborate Puja systems and rituals followed by his ancestors. There is shortage of time and in these difficult moments; the only recourse left to human beings is to keep faith in Sadguru who guides them to spiritual betterment. Hence, worship of Sadguru is the most important Puja in today's world.

Reincarnation and Karma

Reincarnation and Karma


When I listen to people on TV that talk to spirits that have passed on, they say that we chose to come back as who we are in this life, so that almost sounds like it was a script we chose to live out. That seems to be that it was all written and what happens is predisposed.


We do indeed determine what each life is going to be in a general way. For reincarnation does not stand alone. In fact, it is not an entity unto itself, but is the result of karma, the law that "whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" (Galatians 6:7). So every time we are about to reincarnate we look at our karmic balance sheet and decide just what karmas-good and bad-shall be reaped in the next life. It is rather like plotting a drama in which we are going to be the star. Having outlined the play, we then work on our costume-the kind of body we are going to have-and the sets-the kind of place we are going to live in, who our families are going to be, and what kind of people will surround us. But all this is just the framework. Within that framework our free will, and that of those involved in our life, determines most of what goes on with us-especially inside us. And since even the framework is of our own construction, that too is completely a matter of free will, actually. Destiny is simply the free will we have already set in motion.


The famous French playwright, Moliere, did not write out the dialogue of his plays. Instead he wrote the plot-divided into scenes and acts-on a big blackboard which the actors read and then went out and improvised. After each performance they discussed how it had gone and made changes in the plot outline and refined the dialogue. When they felt it was as good as it could be, it was all written down with stage directions and printed for others to act from. This is very much like our life as we live out performance after performance through reincarnation.


Let me give some examples of karma. If we are meant to be the renowned leader of a great army, it is a pretty safe bet that we will have to choose to be a man. And our male body will have to be healthy. If we are meant to fight on the side of good, then we will have to be born in a country whose policies are for the right things. And we will have to be born in a country that has a large army. And it have to be that country's karma to engage in warfare. We will have to find the place to be born that can supply us with all this.


Now where does free will come in? Everywhere. Because what I have outlined is just the skeleton of a life. Each person has to fill in the spaces, and they usually are far more than the simple karmic bones.


Another thing about free will and destiny. We may be destined to go to Chicago, but we will choose how we go: bus, train, plane, car, or hitchhike, and if we hitchhike or drive we will decide what route we want to take. The road of karma has many (very many) branches, and we decide when we come to them which one to take. So we move freely within a predetermined framework. If we want to build a fence it can only be within the boundaries of the land we own. If we live on an island we can only travel within its boundaries. So we do have freedom, but it is not unlimited.


It also happens very often that our karma is not to do something, but to have the chance to do it. In some lives we may have the possibility to take up several professions, and we are completely free to choose from those. So we do a lot of "I will" and "I won't" within the framework of our karma. Those choices in their own turn create karma which will manifest in the future. When we look at it, we see ourselves as both caught in the machine of karma and at the same time as the free owner and operator of the karma. Ultimately, it is freedom that is the truth of the whole thing.


Yes, it is all predisposed-by us. Yet, as I have said, the predisposition is only a general outline. At every moment we fill in the details, choosing right then.


If that is the case, then we are automatically going to learn what we chose (unbeknownst to us at the time) to learn in this lifetime.


Unfortunately, learning what we should learn from life as it manifests our karma is not at all a guaranteed matter. That is where not only free will comes in, but also the ability to understand the lesson and the desire to get the right answer. Our karma gives us the chance to learn. It does not force us to learn.


Often we lose our free will and understanding as a result of spiritual ignorance-the state of darkened heart and mind. Lots of labels are put on this state such as "sin," "negativity," "challenges," and such like. But we do not need to know what to call it, we need to know how to get rid of it. And how do we do that? By the learning that comes from reincarnation!


Does this sound like chasing our own tail? It is. That is exactly what reincarnation is for us. The moment we wise up...reincarnation stops.


If we are choosing to come back and live this life to learn something, how do we know what it is?


How right you are! You have understood what nearly everybody misses: We have to figure out what we have come here to learn. Otherwise we fritter away life after life, meandering along getting nowhere.


You see, all that we need to know-why and how we got here and what do do now-is clearly known to the mind of our soul (spirit). But we are out of touch with our soul (a lot of people do not even know they have one) and consequently have not a clue. So we must awaken our soul consciousness. We have to know who and what we are before we can begin to have a glimmering about the who and what of God. When we really enter into the full awareness of our soul the awareness and knowledge of God will start coming about automatically. When we shut the doors of our mind and senses and turn deep within we will find the Great Secret: God.


I understand that it all works together for spiritual enlightenment, but how does the day-to-day process such as what type of job we have or our financial situation or our relationships with our friends and family come to play in the spiritual journey?


The day-to-day things are a result of karma-opportunities to work it out and learn from it. They are the classroom in which we learn (or flunk) the karmic lessons.


There is an important word that rhymes with karma: Dharma. Dharma is often mistranslated as "religion" or "righteousness." There really is no way to translate it; for dharma means that way of life in which we shall most quickly come to the realization of our true self and God. Dharma, like karma, is an individual matter, tailored for each one of us. It is the way by which we make sure that our karma moves us along in our growth into God. Dharma is the way of life (and thought) that takes us to the realization of our full spiritual potential.


With this perspective we can see that some jobs, people, situations, environment, and suchlike are in tune with dharma (dharmic), and some are against dharma (adharmic), and we have to use our free will to affirm the one and eliminate the other.


Do you think that souls that have warlike and violent tendencies reincarnate over and over because they are locked into a negative cycle?


The fact is, those who have any habitual patterns of behavior which they indulge will be dragged by them from incarnation to incarnation. Those who perceive the tendencies to those behavior patterns within themselves but refuse to indulge them, and work to eliminate them from their inner minds, will in time succeed and break the bondage they impose.


The only "habit" we should cultivate is that of lifting our consciousness to God in japa and meditation, for that frees us-not only from this world but ultimately from all "worlds" so we may reenter the transcendent Absolute from which we originally came.


What good does it do for us to reap karma if we are not aware what it is we are suffering for? For example, what help can an infant who is abused receive from reaping such negative karma if it does not realize what is going on?


Certainly, there is a point in our evolution where it is good to consciously understand what has caused the present sufferings-that is, if such understanding will truly facilitate our learning. (The reaping of karma is always for learning and growth-never for punishment or even reward.) Those who have a conscious spiritual life-a life of intentional spiritual discipline-will be shown such things when they need them. There will be no need to poke around on our own to discover the roots of the karma. Sometimes it is better that we not know on the conscious level. However, our true self, the immortal spirit, the higher self, is always aware of what is going on. Therefore every unit of karmic return is of ultimate benefit. Our job is to keep on treading the path and get beyond karma.


What effect does "repenting" have upon our karmic debts?


None whatsoever. True repentance, which is a definite and lasting reformation of life and thought, is necessary to ensure that we do not repeat the same mistaken action that produced the present karma. Feeling sorrow for a wrong action is beneficial only if it produces this reformation. Just being sad and depressed means nothing. In fact it is spiritually harmful. Nor is there any need to ask God for forgiveness. That is as silly as asking our parents to forgive us if we get burnt when we touch something hot, assuming that the pain will cease upon being told we are forgiven. Saying "forgive me" has value when it indicates that we are aware of our wrong and are determined not to repeat it. So it is good to tell both God and man that we are sorry and acknowledge our wrong-and set our will not to repeat it. Thus, while repenting does not affect our karmic debts incurred in the past, it can be a preventive measure for the future. And in the metaphysical realm an ounce of prevention is also worth more than a pound of cure.


You seem to accept that the Hindu/Buddhist concept of reincarnation is compatible with Christianity. How is this, and how is it that the Chritian churches are apparently ignorant of this dramatic data?


Reincarnation is not an exclusively Hindu-Buddhist teaching, but has from the beginning been an integral part of Orthodox Judaism. Because this fact would imply that Christ and the Apostles would have held the belief in rebirth as Orthodox Jews, it has become a policy to toss around the red herring of "Hindu-Buddhist" whenever the ignorant have wished to combat the truth of reincarnation. (We met one bishop who thought Edgar Cayce had originated the concept of rebirth and so called all who believed in it "Cayce-ites." It seems that ignorance compounds itself.)


If you are interested in a historical study of reincarnation in both Judaism and Christianity, I recommend May A Christian Believe In Reincarnation? The British Methodist minister Leslie Weatherhead has also written an article on the subject, but I do not know if it is still in print. I am sure that you could track it down through Interlibrary Loan. There is another book entitled Reincarnation For Christians that you might find significant as well. The three Weatherhead-Cranston anthologies on reincarnation also contain material from Christian writers. Another book is Reincarnation In Christianity by Dr. Geddes MacGregor, who I believe is a Presbyterian.


There is a great difference between what some Christians know and what they say they knows. Some knowledge is simply swept under the convenient carpet of cowardly silence and some is outright denied.


One leading archpriest within a major "canonical" Byzantine Orthodox jurisdiction within this country not only believes in reincarnation, but has engaged for years in research into methods of past-life recall. Our monastery has done research for him on the subject of reincarnation in early Christianity, and that research has been embodied in May A Christian Believe In Reincarnation? I am sorry to tell you that this very priest also publicly denounces reincarnation as incompatible with Orthodox Christianity! This is because of the vicious fear and ignorance which was sanctified and canonized by the Emperor Justinian through his falsification of the decrees of the so-called Fifth Ecumenical Council. (Both Roman Catholic and Protestant scholars have written on the subject of the falsification of the decree, among them being the eminent Catholic-and later Old Catholic-theologian Von Dollinger. A brief discussion is also included in the Nicene Fathers series.)


I well remember discussions with a very learned Greek Orthodox theologian on the subject of reincarnation. Although he knew the truth of the matter, he continually took refuge in the assertion that "at this late date" it would be impossible to speak the truth since it was commonly held that an "infallible" Council had declared the beliefs in pre-existence of the soul and rebirth to be false. (The fact is, reincarnation was not at all mentioned in the interpolated decrees, though pre-existence was.)


Another ploy besides attributing the concept of reincarnation to Hinduism and Buddhism is to attribute it to "the heretic" Origen. This is also quite convenient, as it draws attention from the fact that other Church Fathers also openly taught it.


My favorite comment on the subject of reincarnation is that given by the holy Roman Catholic Capuchin stigmatist-saint, Padre Pio. When one of his spiritual daughters was "told on" for believing in reincarnation, he told her accusers very firmly: "It does not matter what you believe about reincarnation. The only thing that matters is this: Are you seeking for God now?"


I read in a Christian magazine that reincarnation denies our individuality, and also that if we lived many times it would be impossible for us to know which body to resurrect in at the end of time. What is your response to this?


Nothing either you or I could ever say will change the opinion of those whose minds are so coarsened that they would put forth such objections. But if you want a verbal response I will give it.


The true individual is the immortal spirit that is inhabiting the body, which is nothing more than the vehicle or the clothing of that spirit. The objectors to reincarnation do not believe that when the body dies and turns to dust the individual has ceased to exist-their theology affirms that it indeed does continue its existence. How, then, can they say that the body is a determinant of individuality? Even they will admit that every seven years the body of each of us is totally replaced, that not a cell remains of the previous body. Therefore in the span of a single lifetime we live in several bodies and do not lose our individuality.


It is of course true that from life to life we differ in our personalities, but so do we differ within a single life as we move from infancy to childhood, to adulthood and onward. It is to be hoped that the individual continues to evolve-and therefore to change in outlook and thought-throughout the entire lifespan. That which holds all this together like the string within a strand of beads is the principle of pure consciousness-the spirit which, as has been said, is the only element of individuality, the body being only an expression of that individuality.


A perusalof the earliest Christian writings reveals that Christians originally believed that creation has never begun nor will ever cease to be, but goes on in continuous cycles. This creation is not the first, nor is it the last. This was Christian teaching from the beginning. Those who believe otherwise have deviated from original Christianity. Does the fact of many creations deny the individuality of God? For creation is the body of God. Being made in the image of God, we, too, take on many bodies until we return into His infinite Bosom. But the individuality both of God and of His images never loses its integrity.


As far as the resurrection of the body is concerned-whether there is reincarnation or not, as Saint Paul declared: "Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God" (I Corinthians 15:50). Therefore the concept of the resurrection of the body into an eternal state is alien to genuine Christian teaching, and the question of "which body?" is not a problem.


Have you ever heard of anyone refusing to reincarnate–and succeeding? If we have free will we must surely be able to make such a decision. Otherwise, in my opinion, we are nothing but slaves.


First we must realize that reincarnation is determined exclusively by the individual spirit, or atman. God has nothing to do with it, although God has manifested the worlds in which reincarnation can occur. Nor are there any “Lords of Karma” that decide when spirits reincarnate. Even more important, we must understand that karma is not some blind, omnipotent and inescapable force that drags or impels us into incarnation after incarnation. The belief in these three “causes” of reincarnation arises from a miscomprehension of what karma actually is, and an ignorance of the sole purpose of rebirth.


Karma is not some kind of subtle energy accumulation of merit (“good karma”) or demerit (“bad karma”), but rather is the psychic conditioning resulting from the states of mind and will that produced our past actions. Karma is a kind of kink in the mind and the other subtle energy bodies which at present make us “human.” The atman is consciously–and intelligently–working its way toward the state of perfection we call Liberation. It is the atman alone that determines when and where we shall reincarnate and exactly which kinks we will be working on in each life. If the will of the atman is not carried out then evolution stops and we stagnate.


The spiritual intelligence of the atman is often called the “higher mind.” In contrast to this is the “lower mind” that is the egocentric bundle of attraction/aversion impulses that are rooted in complete ignorance and selfishness. This lower mind is always in conflict with the higher mind, for its basis is ignorance and distortion of perception. This mind is indeed a slave, and has no possibility of free will, for it not only functions only in the world of bondage, it has no existence independent of the Self. It is a mirage, an illusion. It does not really “exist” in the ultimate sense. Naturally, it claims to be the only mind we have, and insists that it possesses and exercises free will.


Although the lower mind is not a conscious entity unto itself, nevertheless it is energy-force and therefore can produce effects, including influencing our incarnate and discarnate states.


On occasion the higher mind stands aside and lets the lower mind have its way so the folly and impotence of the lower mind can be revealed–even to itself. This results in suffering, as the only possible consequence, something the lower mind–being psychopathic–insists comes from God, the Lords of Karma, or even karma itself. Rarely does it admit the truth of its own responsibility, and when it does we know that its dissolution is beginning and freedom is dawning.


Deluded people often refuse to incarnate. Usually this results in nothing more than their being rebellious and embittered for the entire time of a particular birth. But it can also be the cause of continual bouts of life-threatening illnesses. The individual bounces between nearly dying and being suddenly cured. The lower mind is trying to escape through death, but it also possesses a clinging to life that militates against its attempts. This moral schizophrenia grips a lot of human beings.


On occasion the individual tries to avoid rebirth by preventing the subtle bodies from entering the physical body at birth (for there is a separation during the mother’s labor). If he succeeds, then the body remains inert, often paralyzed, and observers assume the person is a hopeless idiot. At other times the refusal results in the production of a horribly defective body–oftentimes not even of human configuration. Whichever occurs, the foolish person has to spend the span of an entire incarnation standing next to the body it has refused to incarnate–a hardly enjoyable consequence.


Other deluded people refuse to die and remain earthbound, attached to their physical body. This awful bondage can last for hundreds and even thousands of years. This is real slavery!


Nevertheless, in time the futility of such pain-bearing refusals become evident to even the most stubborn individuals and they stop such stupid attempts at thwarting the true free will, the free will of the divine Self. Then evolution proceeds, and in time they are free from the necessity for rebirth. This alone is freedom.





(Questions by various friends, and Answers by Swami Nirmalananda, abbot of Atma Jyoti Ashram )

Christianity

Christianity


What is your opinion of the book, The Dead Sea Scroll Deception by Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh? This book brands Saint Paul as “the Liar” and appears to point out that Christianity as taught by Paul should be called “Paulianity.” The contents of the scrolls have been suppressed by scholars since 1946–why?


It is absolutely true that Saint Paul had a major effect upon the history of Christianity. If he had not, Christianity would today be a small closed sect refusing to admit any but Jews among its numbers, holding the attitude that the only people upon the face of the earth capable of relating to God are the Jews–and only orthodox ones at that. If you read the Book of Acts, you will see that this was the attitude of some of the Apostles before Saint Paul effectively challenged their ignorance and bigotry. If Christianity was the type of sect I have just described, the “open” and “liberal” of the world would be sniffing at it in disdain. Yet they rage about Saint Paul, the very person who brought an open and understanding attitude into Christianity–attitudes which they pretend to hold.


One of the spiritual diseases of Protestantism is its Bibliolatry, its obsession with a book as the beginning and end of their supposed faith. The idea that human beings live out of books is ludicrous in the light of both history and simple good sense. Even those who reject the Protestant idolatry are infected with it, and those who are dissatisfied with Protestantism (which in their intellectual provincialism they think is the totality of Christianity) are continually hoping that one day a book will be discovered which will prove that popular Christianity is false, and that the original teachings of Christ and the Apostles were something utterly different–that is, something in complete conformity with their personal opinions.


They hope for a book that will “prove all”–exactly as the Christians they despise now claim the Bible does. (Fundamentalists of “enlightenment” are as obnoxious, oppressive, and ignorant as any other kind of fundamentalists.) But because hope does indeed spring eternal in the human breast, these frustrated and unhappy people continually make the claim that such a book–or books–do exist, but that they are being “suppressed” by those “in authority.” A little objectivity would show that this is nothing more than angry paranoia. But it is not a particularly noted trait of human beings that they take a clear and objective look at anything.


Further, a little reflection will reveal that any “revolutionary” discoveries from the Dead Sea Scrolls, since they were written long before the advent of Christianity, could only be regarding Judaism! They have certainly filled out our understanding of the Essenes, but the Essenes were Jews, not Christians. (One ludicrous aspect of researchers has been to speculate whether or not “the teacher of righteousness” was Jesus–as though He were the only teacher of righteousness that ever arose in Israel, what to speak of the world.)


One very important thing has come from the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, and it has indeed been suppressed. The Eastern Orthodox Church (and the Roman Catholic Church before the 1950’s) has adamantly held that the only accurate version of the Old Testament is that Greek translation known as the Septuagint which was made for Ptolemy of Egypt around 250 B.C. The Septuagint contains a great deal of material not to be found in the so-called “original Hebrew” text known as the Masoretic text, which is a product of mutilation by rabbis of the materialistic Sadduccean school who did not hesitate to remove elements that were not compatible with their interpretation of Judaism. (In this, they were like their latter-day counterparts, the Protestants, who proceeded to expunge entire books from the Bible and then began thumping on it and shouting that it was the infallible Word of God, every word of which they believed.)


The Septuagint text contains both entire books not to be found in the Masoretic text as well as extensive sections of some other books of the Bible. Most important are certain very explicit prophecies about the Messiah which were fulfilled in Jesus. The biblical texts found in the Dead Sea Scrolls are in exact agreement with the texts of the Septuagint. That is, they contain those parts which, not being found in the Masoretic text, were popularly considered to be “Christian interpolations.” Furthermore, books that Jewish scholars declared were fabrications of the Christians since no copies could be found in Hebrew, were discovered among the Dead Sea Scrolls. Not only that, but the Dead Sea Scrolls have shown that even in the parts which the Masoretic text has in common with the Septuagint, the Septuagint is quite literally accurate and the Masoretic text is hopelessly corrupt. In other words, the true original Hebrew texts from which the Septuagint translation was made have perished and we have only an unreliable mock-up. This naturally upsets both Jews and Protestants, so they have suppressed these facts.


While we are on the subject of suppressions in Israel regarding Christianity, let me give you a most interesting example. When I was in college, the local Presbyterian minister who was young, “with it,” and consequently very popular with those spiritually adrift, gave a series of Sunday afternoon talks on the Apostles’ Creed for those who “could take it” and be open-minded enough to listen to views contradictory to traditional interpretation. Rather than an exposition of the Apostles’ Creed, his talks were “debunkings” in which he proved that not a word of the Apostles’ Creed was true! He also stepped aside from the Apostles’ Creed to blast the Gospels in general. One thing he particularly harped on was the slaughter of the children (whom we call the Holy Innocents in Christian tradition) by Herod in his attempt to kill Jesus. As you will remember from the biblical account, all the children under two years of age were killed by his soldiers in the region of Bethlehem. How could such a thing have taken place, demanded the pastor rhetorically, and yet not a single historian had recorded it? When I pointed out to one of his unquestioning admirers that the Gospels were themselves history and that anyway historians of all ages have generally found themselves constrained to silence regarding the shenanigans of tyrants as long as either they or their descendants still sat on the throne, she was both unconvinced and displeased.


The minister had also said that there was no archeological evidence of such an event–but just what he expected could be found, I do not know. When as a novice I told one of my brother monks about this, he informed me that archeological evidence of the Holy Innocents had been discovered and–as is usual with corroborations of Eastern Christian teaching–been ignored by all but the Orthodox. A Greek Orthodox priest from the United States was supervising some construction in the Church of the Holy Nativity in Bethlehem. During some excavation for foundations, the workers broke into an immense underground cave which contained two remarkable things: the complete furnishings of a chapel and a great trench in which were discovered the skeletons of approximately 20,000 infants under the age of two years dating from the time of Christ’s birth. Some bishops were also buried there, obviously to be near to those whom the Church has considered as the first martyrs for Christ. And the Orthodox Church has through the centuries held that there were 20,000 children slaughtered by Herod.


Now, what were the reactions of the “authorities” of Western Christianity? They simply tossed it off by saying that evidently because of the “legend” of the slaughter of the children just after the birth of Christ, Christians of the Roman Empire were accustomed to bring the bodies of their dead children under two years of age and bury them in Bethlehem. That such a thing could be possible in the days before embalming and rapid travel takes a great deal of “faith” (and determination) to accept.


What is “revolutionary”–and hidden–in Christianity is the esoteric tradition that is the spirit which gives life, as contrasted with the letter that kills so readily found in books.1 This cannot be suppressed by the ignorant, for they know not that it exists. Even if they hear of it they deny its existence and pass on, leaving it safe and untouched. It is this which changes Christianity from the tangled mess we see externally to the life-giving fount opened by Jesus, that open door2 that cannot be shut by the ignorant–though it is hidden beneath the debris they have heaped up and called Christianity. This is to be sought out by those who would be wise.


Do you think Jesus is God or the Son of God, or God the Father or God the Son?


God is ONE. Yet from the spiritual viewpoint we also perceive a Trinity within the Unity. God in His transcendental, unknowable, inconceivable aspect is the “Father.” That is, He is unknowable and inconceivable and incommunicable to the limited human intellect. He can be known directly, without the intermediary of any internal or external faculty through a union of love, for the soul has originally come from Him (the “Bosom of the Father”) and must return to Him. We receive our being from Him–indeed, we are a part of Him, as the wave is part of the ocean, yet cannot claim to be the ocean. God, immanent in creation as its manifester and guiding consciousness, is the “Son.” God, the dynamic power which manifests as the great wave of intelligent energy we know as the universe or “matter” is the Mother, Holy Spirit. Yet, they are really One.


Jesus Christ was Adam, the first human being in this creation cycle. Having become one with God in His aspect as the “Son,” He did not pass on into the Bosom of the Father, but came back to earth as an incarnation of the Son of God to repair the evil He had wrought as Adam.3 Yet, He Himself said: “I and my Father are one”4 and “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father.”5 This is because the distinctions are only in our eyes. The Unity alone is real.


So, in brief we would say: Jesus Christ is God. Or, more correctly: God is Jesus Christ. It is a mystery. We do not try to understand it, but rather strive to attain the same status He had. Then we will BE it, and will not need to understand it.


Is the incarnation of God, such as was expressed through Jesus, an event that is singular throughout all of history, i.e., an event that took place once only? Or is it possible that God will assume another incarnation, even need to assume another, at another point in history?


Ever since shaking off the ignorance of the false (and therefore blind) Churchianity into which I was born, I have looked back upon the insistence that Jesus Christ is the only incarnation of God as one of the more inexplicable points of that system of thought which, while proclaiming itself Christianity, is in actuality only “the light that is darkness.”6 Satan–that is, delusion–is certainly transformed into an angel of light7 in the case of most pseudo-Christian churches.


Now let me get down off the soap box and answer your question!


In contrast to the dogmatizing of professional and amateur religionists, knowers of God assure us that there have been many incarnations of God upon the earth throughout the history of the human race. (What is more, incarnations of God occur in the higher worlds, as well.) And there shall be future divine incarnations as long as there is a human race. A person who feels that he cannot believe in an incarnation unless that incarnation is the one and only is like a man who cannot love his wife unless he is convinced she is the only female human being on the earth. Both views are madness.


Avatars (to use the Sanskrit term) do not come to earth for the vague purpose of somehow uplifting humanity and “saving” sinners. Rather, They come with the intention enunciated by Saint John the Beloved at the beginning of his Gospel: “To as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God.”8 That is, an incarnation of God manifests upon the earth for the purpose of establishing a repository of spiritual power which will outlast His physical “lifetime,” and will bring salvation to future generations. Sometimes the avatar establishes a new religion upon the earth, and sometimes He regenerates a religion whose inner power has waned or even been lost. In the case of Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ, a storehouse of power–the Church–was established which was to be a haven for those adherents of the ancient mysteries of the Mediterranean world which had lost their deifying power. I use the word “deifying” because “salvation” is not having our sins forgiven or escaping a miserable afterlife in hell, but rather it is freedom–freedom from all ignorance, and therefore from all necessity of further birth-manifestations in this lowest of planes of existence and in all other higher planes of existence as well. That is, salvation is the return of the individual spirit into the bosom of the Father from whence it came, and within which it has existed eternally.


Since human beings are what they are, in time the spiritual power so brought to earth becomes dimmed, distorted, and (often) eventually lost. Therefore the Lord must come again to again establish “the power to become the sons of God” among men.


In the foregoing I have implied that God comes in a single form at a time–and that form a male form. Except in extremely rare instances, divine incarnation always takes place in a dual manifestation–that is, in both male and female forms. In the fourteenth century, in the controversy surrounding the Hesychast fathers of Mount Athos and their defender Saint Gregory Palamas, it was established as an irrevocable part of Eastern Christian theology that God, though one, has–from our standpoint at least–a dual nature: essence and energies. This teaching was not novel to Christianity, but had never before needed official expression and approbation. In Hinduism this duality is also to be found–that is, that God consists of two aspects, divine consciousness and divine creative power–Purusha and Prakriti. For this reason, also in Hinduism, every male deity representing the infinite guiding consciousness behind the universe also has a female consort (known as His Shakti, energy) Who represents the limitless field of conscious energy that is manifesting as the universe over which the Lord presides. Since the individual souls manifest and evolve within this great energy and are ultimately “born” out of it into the realm of pure consciousness, that energy field is called “Mother,” as distinguished from the “Father” of pure consciousness. All creation is looked upon as both the Mother and Her evolutionary “womb.”


In Christianity, this divine duality is manifested and symbolized through our Lord Jesus Christ and His Virgin Mother Mary. Usually the male incarnation marries His female counterpart, but because of Jesus’ unique spiritual mission–as well as the symbology which was to unfold through His life-drama–the divine power (also known as the Holy Spirit) was first born on earth and became His Virgin Mother.9


Thus, there are virtually as many incarnations of God in female form as there in male form. (Although rare, sometimes there has been an incarnation in female form without the male counterpart.)


Since we are on the subject of divine incarnations, let me add that there are two distinct modes of divine incarnation.


The first–and most common–is the one in which the Supreme Consciousness manifests upon the earth in a body that is illusory–that is, it is not a body formed of dense matter but is itself a theophany (swarupa), formed of the Divine Consciousness, and is itself a revelation of God. That is, God is not inside that body, but God actually is that body. Therefore, whenever anyone sees the Incarnation they literally are beholding God. (The question as to whether they are seeing God with their two physical eyes or are actually having an internal, spiritual perception which seems to them external is to my way of thinking completely irrelevant.) As stated in the Bhagavad Gita, the Incarnation’s “birth” on earth is a mere appearance only. Such an Incarnation really has neither a father nor a mother, though for the sake of relating to human beings there is that appearance, including gestation and birth. The “body” of such an incarnation bears several distinctive marks or traits by which it can be known as what it truly is.


The second type of Incarnation is quite different, though morally-spiritually the same. This form of Incarnation differs in two major points. Firstly, rather than being a direct “raying forth” or extension of the Absolute Consciousness into the world in an illusory manner, the Incarnation is an individualized spirit that has traversed the entire range of evolution and attained absolute oneness with the Supreme and thereby participates in and manifests the omnipresence, omniscience and omnipotence of God. Of such a person it is rightly said: “In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.”10 In such a being humanity and divinity are manifested as one. In the other type of incarnation, there is no humanity whatsoever–not even a human body–but only divinity manifest in an inexplicable manner. This second type of divine incarnation is born into a truly material human body and has actual human ancestry. Whereas it is incorrect to speak of the first type of incarnation as human, it is improper to deny the humanity of this second mode of avatar.


Jesus Christ was this second type of incarnation. By the end of the third century the general consciousness of the Christian Church became dimmed to such a degree that the nature of Jesus Christ in His incarnation was incomprehensible. This gave rise to various erroneous definitions of His incarnate nature–definitions that would not even have been bothered with if Christians had not lost the direct communication with Christ that was the normal mode of Christian consciousness in the preceding generations. There were those who held that the birth and body of Jesus Christ were merely an illusion and that consequently He was incapable of experiencing any material sensations whatever, especially the sufferings upon the cross. This was the view of those known as Docetists, and is currently (erroneously) considered the “Gnostic” view. Later there were those that concluded that Jesus Christ was a great super-being created by God and sent into the world for the purpose of its salvation. This is known as the Arian view. Another view was that Jesus the Christ was a virtuous human being who was somehow overshadowed or possessed by God and used as a sacred medium or shaman for communication with humanity, and that divinity withdrew itself from the human Christ before His crucifixion. This is known as the Nestorian view. Things came back somewhat full circle to the Docetic possession in the teachings of a Greek monk named Eutyches, who taught that Jesus Christ was in no way human but only divine. The current “orthodoxy” among Eastern and Oriental Christians is the view that Jesus Christ was God Who assumed a human nature and thereby became as fully human as He was divine. However, since their (contemporary) understanding of both divinity and humanity is defective, this “orthodoxy” is of little practical meaning.


The true purpose of Divine Incarnation is to show us our own face–to awaken us to the fact that we are ourselves incarnate gods–and to impart the power to manifest that truth.


I myself began using Buddhist meditation to enhance my own spiritual life as a Christian. At first I was afraid that I was being heretical, but the balance and joy I have gained has made my life so rich, and the sutras as well as the Hindu Upanishads are incredibly poetic and they do not contradict the Bible. I am defending myself so I obviously still feel a residue of guilt. But I love these books and I really enjoy meditating.


Since Jesus said that the Kingdom of God is within, no inner search, according to a valid tradition, can possibly be heretical. Also, we have all practiced many religions from life to life and it is only right to feel an affinity for some if not all of the non-Christian traditions. We sometimes take up practices from those religions because of this intuitive familiarity.


Certainly the Hindu and Buddhist scriptures do not contradict the Bible because Moses was an initiate of the Mysteries which originated in India, as was Jesus. Jesus quoted from the Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads, and Dhammapada in His teachings. Many verses that narrow-minded “Christians” like to quote (sometimes to prove that their religion alone is true!) are directly from these sources. Some of the Psalms and the prophetic books of the Old Testament contain parallels to passages from the Vedas. As Saint Augustine wrote: “The identical thing that we now call the Christian religion existed among the ancients and has not been lacking from the beginning of the human race until the coming of Christ in the flesh, from which moment on the true religion, which already existed, began to be called Christian.”


There has been a lot of talk about the “Second Coming” of Christ. But according to my study (and my limited understanding) my opinion for the last few years has been that the coming of Christ is an event more on the subjective level. The more we grow spiritually and become renewed and transformed, the Spirit of Christ grows within us, transforming the individual from the inside out. It is almost a metabolic change until even the very cells of our physical body are “Christified.” This event is what I perceive to be the coming of the Lord. We [ourselves] are the next coming of Christ. The evolution of the spirit and soul and body of humanity. Transforming us in the alchemists’ sense from base lead or clay into gold, the divine nature of God. Is this a proper view? None of my friends agree with me.


Not only is your view “proper,” it is one hundred percent correct, and your expression of it is really fine.


There are a some points I would like to expand on, however, that you might find meaningful.


The word translated “coming” is the Greek term parousia which means simply “presence,” with the connotation of an advent. The first Coming of Christ was external and historical. But the sole purpose of that first Coming was to open the way that would in time lead to the true Second Parousia which is a completely individual mystical experience of our own Christhood.


The descriptions given in the Bible of the “resurrection” and “judgement” are symbolic indications of the final process of transformation when, as you have said, the alchemy becomes complete and the lead of earthly life becomes transmuted into the gold of higher life, the original Paradisiacal status of the human being. And beyond that there is much more to come as we pass “from glory to glory.”


When Jesus was asked if there were few that were saved,11 He said that indeed it was few only who were saved. But by salvation Christ meant this divine transmutation. Moreover, He did not say that only a few would be saved, but that in each generation only a few attained to this condition, the others still being compelled to return through rebirth until they, too, became one of the “few saved” in a future generation.


Finally, it is true that Jesus Christ will come to earth again. But He will not drop out of the sky with a trumpet blast as the physically dead pop up out of the grave like toast as most “Christians” think. Rather, He will be born in Israel and this time be recognized as the Messiah.


A biblical passage which has long troubled me is that of the account of Jesus’ casting of the devils into the swine, found in three of the Gospels. It troubles me on two accounts: One, I think that this and other such passages in the Bible seem to view animals as things and present a moral justification for the hideous cruelties practiced upon animals; and, two, a God Whose love extends to only one species–ours–is not the God I know outside the Bible. This really has been a source of minor torment to me–it seems like some sort of fatal flaw in the character of Jesus–this uncaring attitude toward the pigs. Please comment on this.


I will make some observations on this incident in the life of Jesus, but they can only be speculations, for they deal with a Person beyond my ability to gauge.


To exorcise evil spirits–that is, to expel them from a person or place–only to have them go somewhere else and perhaps work even worse things, is certainly not wise. All human beings have exorcistic powers that can be employed simply through their will. No special spiritual power is even required. Because of the weakened condition of human beings psychically as well as physically, this power is often not operative. Those with a little bit of spiritual or psychic power can indeed expel an evil entity, but their power stops at the mere expulsion. They have no control over where the entity will go and what it will then do. Great masters like Jesus, on the other hand, realize the need to safeguard the rest of the world, and therefore banish the exorcised spirits beyond the earth plane into that realm of chaos known as “the outer darkness.” There the entities remain until, in the next cycle of creation, they will have a chance to normalize themselves and continue on their evolutionary journey. (That is, they are not banished to “hell” where they would be “punished” forever.)


The spirits knew that Jesus would not allow them to go where they pleased. Not wanting to be exiled into the outer darkness, they therefore begged Him to let them go into the pigs that were grazing there. Why did they ask this? Because entities often obsess animals and completely control their behavior. (They often pass into the bodies of those who eat the flesh of those animals, as well.) Thus they remain embodied–though in a non-human form–and continue to “live.”


Why did Jesus allow them to go into the pigs? I will give my opinion, but it is only just that. First, by allowing the entities to pass into the pigs, Jesus demonstrated that demons are real entities and not just superstitious fantasies or states of mental disorder, and that they can and do possess animals and humans. The resulting behavior of the animals when the entities passed into them was a proof both that there were many entities expelled from the man, and also that those entities affected the behavior of those they possessed. In this way Jesus graphically demonstrated the truth of the existence of evil spirits and their capacity to possess.


But there is more to it. The Torah forbade the eating of swine’s flesh, and the raising of them for food was a blatant defiance of the Law. Since Israel was a theocracy, we could even say that such activity was illegal. These animals were being raised only for slaughter–and slaughter in the most cruel way, often being skinned alive. To save the animals from this fate and at the same time to prove the reality of spirit possession, Jesus permitted this.


Why did the pigs drown themselves?


It is not easy for a soul to possess a body not specifically formed for its habitation. This is why obsession is more common than possession. No matter how intelligent an entity may be, when it intrudes itself into a body it rarely is able to maintain the body’s normal bodily functions. This is one of the reasons possessing entities will possess and “dispossess” a human being, giving time for the legitimate soul to heal the damage caused by the invasion. In the New Testament we are told that people can become blind, deaf, or seized by muscular spasms when an entity is in possession. At the expulsion of the entity, the problem immediately leaves. Seizures similar to epilepsy are also manifestations of possession. That is, the legitimate soul is violently reacting inwardly and trying to itself cast out the invader. This conflict produces such spells. Sometimes these seizures are the reaction of the nervous and immune systems to the damage being caused by the intruder. Fevers can also be a response to possession.


Because the entities were obviously not able to control the central nervous system of the pigs, the animals became completely panicked and rushed into the water and drowned themselves. We must remember that pigs are highly intelligent creatures, and they may have known what they were doing. That is, they may have been deliberately drowning themselves to cast off the possession, just as some animals rush into water when they are infested with fleas or other such parasites. In fact, the pigs could have thought that they were experiencing such a physical infestation. However that may be, they were both freed from the possession and from the torturous death that was planned for them. And it is hoped that the swineherds took up a better profession.


A person like Jesus Who literally sacrificed His life for the unworthy and the ungrateful was never being cruel or thoughtless in any of His actions. There is of course no reason why we should not inquire into such a person’s motivations, however evolved he may be, since those motives may actually teach us spiritual and psychic lessons.



(Questions by various friends, and Answers by Swami Nirmalananda, abbot of Atma Jyoti Ashram)

Spiritual Life

Spiritual Life


Sometimes I wonder: Do I have to give up everything in my life? Is the solution to be totally secluded from the world?


The answer is Yes–but in your heart. Through meditation, all the clutter that we call “ours” begins to be cleared out of our hearts, and God begins to fill in the “empty” spaces. After a while we will always be alone with God, no matter what the body is doing. When we look at the lives of saints we find that their lives were usually filled with more activity than ordinary people, that they were more involved with “goings on” than was usual. But that was only the external situation. In their inmost heart they were ever with God. Therefore they never got “burned out” or “fed up” with all the whirl around them. For amidst it all, they were resting in loving communion with God.


Yogananda’s guru said: “Everything in the future is bound to improve if you are making an effort now.” If we fill our moments with the remembrance of God and meditate faithfully, everything else will take care of itself. There is no need to puzzle over the future. Just as in our growing up we automatically shed the ways of childhood, so as we grow interiorly the externals will adjust accordingly. However it is good for us to realize what the implications of spiritual quest may be. The secret is: those who are willing to pay the price, whatever it might be, and determine to do so at the beginning are usually not asked to!


I understand your perplexity in seeing how labyrinthine karmic implications are and the amazing nuances involved in the struggle for freedom. But it is very interesting: just after reading your letter I opened a magazine and found this quotation:


Do your best.
Leave the rest.
Angels do no more.


That is certainly the answer to all questions in life, spiritual or otherwise. The only “catch” being that we must be sure we really are doing our best.


What is the purpose of “spiritual practice”?


Everything is Consciousness, but when it is unmoving we call it spirit, and when it moves (vibrates) we call it energy. Spiritual practices are methods which develop the individual’s consciousness and its potential states. That is, spiritual practice awakens, develops, and attunes the inmost consciousness of the individual. The basic intention of spiritual practice is to transmute the consciousness from humanity to divinity, passing through the infinite variety of evolutionary states that lie between those two poles. Since the process is direct and pragmatic, it does not manifest as externalized “powers” or displays. I do not mean by this that the aspirant does not experience change–but the changes are mostly internal and usually apparent only to the practitioner



Practical Spiritual Life



I am interested in climbing the stairs that may lead to samadhi. Please guide.


Samadhi is a natural consequence of meditation, and there need be no special attention placed on it. Rather, your attention should be on making sure your practice is correct, of sufficient time, and that nothing in your life is working against it.


Swami Vivekananda told M that Sri Ramakrishna once asked him: “What do you want?” He answered, “I want to remain absorbed in samadhi.” Whereupon Sri Ramakrishna responded: “What a poor understanding you have! Get beyond samadhi. Samadhi is a petty thing.”


Sri Ramakrishna, the Supreme Yogi, said: “The seed of His Name has great Power. It destroys ignorance. Seed is so soft, sprout is so soft. Yet they pierce hard earth. The earth cracks.” Success is assured.



Four years back one of my friend made the following statement: “Nothing is Everything. Everything is Nothing and there is Nothing called Nothing.” Is this is a statement to explain Brahman?


Your friend’s statement is just nonsensical gibberish by someone who thinks he can express Advaitic ideas by spouting contradictory jargon.


The truth is expressed fully in the Bhagavad Gita. That should be your major focus of study.


The mantra beginning “Purnamidah” is the nearest to a perfect Advaitic statement there is.


Fools discuss philosphy. The wise engage in sadhana and come to know the Truth.



I am extremely interested in pursuing a path wherein I can realize God, but as any other ordinary mortal I am been pulled down by negative forces. But I truly want to be away from this because once I feed my hunger for these forces I see pain and sorrow immediately following me. I have experienced this many times. Moreover the more I want to go away from these bad elements the more I am going towards them in reality. Is there a way for me to come out of these negative forces and become good?


Goodness is your nature. You are realizing this, and that is why the elements of ignorance in your life are unsettling to you. This is a sign of being well along the path; be assured of this.


Meditation is the only remedy for the ills of life. It may take time, but those who persevere will emerge fully into the Light. You will find meditation instruction on our website that we hope will prove helpful to you. Also please see the article: The Foundations of Yoga.


It will be most beneficial for you to daily read from the Bhagavad Gita, as it is completely practical, and not just abstract philosophy.


Please remember this: a diamond is a piece of coal that never gave up.



The following is a reply to an inquirer who described an experience in consciousness and asked what was its nature and if it was enlightenment:


Along the way many doors swing open, giving us unexpected insights. But we just keep moving on. On occasion we enter into profound states of consciousness, some of which begin to fade away since they are “messages” to seek and become established in them, and others are plateaus from which we do not regress. Whichever they are, in the words of Sri Ramakrishna: “Go forward.” Infinity lies ahead.


How does one know if one is meant to live a monastic life versus a householder’s life? I have been going over this in my mind for some years now and I am still uncertain of my calling to one or the other. Anything you might be able to say in regards to discerning if one has a monastic calling would be most appreciated and very helpful.



Since we are not external beings, the external mode of life is not “the thing.” Rather, it is the interior development–sadhana–that matters.


Two people once asked Sri Ma Anandamayi if they should some day become monastics (they were married, but living a celibate life). Her reply was: “Those who do sadhana automatically become sadhus.”


Once a young man came to Sri Ramana Maharshi and asked if he should become a monk. Immediately Sri Ramana responded: “No.” Taken aback the young man protested: “But you did!” “Yes, but I did not need to ask anyone if I should,” replied Ramana.


Please focus on your sadhana, making sure that it is going right. Then everything will unfold as it should. As Jesus assures us: “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33).


Nothing is more miserable than a monk without a genuine interior life–India is filled with them.



I have an established japa practice centered around a mantra of Ganesha and the Kali/Durga mantra. I am drawn to the Om practice as outlined on our website. Can these practises be done together?


The shastras tell us that Om is the Mula Mantra, the source of all mantras. Therefore Its use is not inconsistent with other mantras.



I have a question about gurus and their supposed infallibility. I do not mean to be disrespectful, but guru infallibility is just a mite suspect. Any thoughts that can help me out here?


If we look at the scriptures which form the basis of Sanatana Dharma–the eleven major upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, and the Yoga Sutras–we do not find the exaggerated view of the guru that has arisen and gripped Hinduism in its degeneracy, and is a major source of its continuing degeneracy.


A true teacher is, in the simile of Buddha, only a finger pointing to the Supreme. He is never the Supreme Itself.


In the Taittiriya Upanishad (1:2:2) it is said: “Let your mother be a god to you; let your father be a god to you; let your teacher be a god to you; let your guest also be a god to you.” The word here translated “god” is “deva,” which means “a shining one.” A deva is a semi-divine or celestial being with great powers, and therefore a “god.” Sometimes called a demigod. In Christianity they would be called angels. So we are being told to look upon mother, father, teacher (acharya) and even guests as sacred, as angelic beings worthy of great respect. That is all. They are never God. To look upon any human being as God or infallible like God is utterly foolish and self-deceiving. It is also foolish to consider that the records of their teachings are infallible. That is why we seek within ourselves for the Truth.


The foregoing is not the opinion of most Hindus, but it is consistent with real Dharma. And consistent with good sense.




Can you advise me as to a daily spiritual routine?


It is good to experiment and try out various routines to come up with the one that fits you best, and to realize that what will be relevant to you at one point in your development will have little relevance at another time and vice-versa. Like you yourself, your routine should evolve.


Routines are very beneficial, but there is a pitfall. Some people get so occupied with external activities that they mistakenly think they have a spiritual life. Religious activity is not spiritual activity. A classic example is that of the monastics who attend Mass and hours of the Divine Office daily, but have no interior life at all.


What is needed is a spiritual routine as the nucleus around which a devotional routine can be formed. Spirit is consciousness, so dealing with that is the only really spiritual activity. For us, meditation on Om and continual repetition of Om throughout the day is the preferred nucleus. Our study, etc., is necessary yet secondary.




I would like to receive a mantra for healing ________.


A physical problem should be cared for by physical means.



I am married and have two children. How can I lead a spiritual life in this situation?


All the Vedic Rishis were married with families, as were all the ancient sages of India including Janaka and even Sri Rama and Sri Krishna. Therefore marriage cannot be an impediment to spiritual life if it is a dharmic marriage. My sannyasa guru, Sri Swami Vidyananda Giri, once said to me: “There are many dharmic households that are more spiritual that some ashrams.” I have lived in such households myself and know that to be true.


Spiritual life is in the heart. Please practice meditation daily. This is the prime necessity.


Read Sri Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita (The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna) to find practical advice to married men on how to lead a spiritual life.


Also, please obtain and read Meditation and Spiritual Life by Swami Yatiswarananda of the Ramakrishna Mission. It is published by the Ramakrishna Mission in Bangalore but should be available at the Ramakrishna Mission center nearest you.


In reply to a person who believed he was being invaded and oppressed by negative spirits and was suffering in a variety of physical and mental ways.


It would not be possible–or responsible–for us to give an assured “diagnosis” and “treatment” for your situation, knowing only what is in your brief communication.


However, we can tell you this: negative entities cannot stand the supremely high and holy vibrations of the sacred syllable Om. Therefore we urge you to continually repeat Om in a careful and relaxed manner, without strain. It may be helpful to sometimes intone It aloud, as the entering of the sacred sound into the ears has often proved effective against obsessing or possessing entities.



This may seem easy for us to say and hard for you to do, but smile and laugh as much as you can. Negative entities hate happiness and joy and flee from them. This is why negative human beings are stern and morose and bark at those who laugh or make a joke.


There is no telling how long the trouble will persist if you follow these suggestions, but it should not be too long. If you do not feel completely free from your problem after a week or so, we suggest you obtain and read Psychic Self-defense by Dion Fortune. It is available from amazon.com.


I have read “Christian Insights into Reincarnation.” How is a Christian to believe in a continuous cycle of death and rebirth until spiritual immortality is achieved when Jesus and the Bible mention hell as a place of eternal suffering for God’s enemies?


First, you should also read May a Christian Believe in Reincarnation? as that contains more information that relates to your question.


Let’s talk about hell. (Most religions like to.)


In the Bible there are three words translated “hell.” They are: sheol, Gehenna, and ades.


Sheol is Hebrew, and merely means the grave–sometimes “pit.” It is therefore a matter of interpretation as to whether it means a realm where the spirit is conscious after death. In the places throughout the Old Testament where sheol is used, it seems to always be a synonym for death.


In the New Testament we have the two words translated hell: Gehenna and ades (sometimes transliterated adis in modern Greek usage).


Gehenna, the term used by Matthew and Mark, means “Valley of Hinnom,” and at the time of Jesus referred to the valley outside Jerusalem which was the garbage dump, in smell and appearance very like the infamous (and usually never mentioned) “Delhi sewer,” the area on the west side of Delhi where all kinds of refuse are continually smoking and smoldering–and smelling terrible. This was used by Jesus as a symbol of samsara–the continuous cycle of birth and death. Orthodox Judaism uses the term gilgal or ha’atakah to convey the same idea. (This is discussed in May a Christian Believe in Reincarnation?) Although the fires burned and smoked continually in the Valley of Hinnom, the maggots were not destroyed, but kept “working” in the muck. Jesus was referring to this when he spoke of Gehenna as a place “where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched” (Mark 9:44). And Revelation speaks of how “the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night” (Revelation 14:11).


Luke uses the Greek word [h]ades, which merely means “the unseen world.” In Greek mythology hades was in the depths of the earth, so “hell”–a word meaning “the nether regions” was used in English translations. (Holland is really Hella-land, the Low Land.)


As to “hell” lasting forever, this is based on a misinterpretive reading of aionios, which means “pertaining to the aeon.” Greek cosmology, like Christian cosmology (John 14:2) believed in many levels or “worlds” within creation, and referred to them as aeons (or eons). Christianity, like Hinduism and Buddhism, originally believed in many worlds, including both heavens and hells. So in a world of fiery torment the fire would be aionion.


Since these worlds last a long time (but none last forever), aionios could also mean lasting a long time. (In English slang they speak of “donkey’s age” and in American slang we speak of “a coon’s age.”)


It is a matter of personal interpretation as to whether in a particular New Testament passage aionios means a long time or a condition proper to a particular world, but there is no doubt as to its meaning only a limited span of time, for Jesus said: “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world [aion–aeon]” (Matthew 2:20). Here we see that the King James editors considered aeon could mean a world. Aionios, then, could mean something lasting the lifespan of a world.


I have a question about something I have been trying to find for a year now. The exact location of the Rig Veda verse that begins Prajapati vai idam, and is the original of the first verse of the Gospel of John.


We understand your dilemma. We found the quotation (without exact reference) in writings by Indian scholars whose integrity we trusted, so we passed on the misinformation about the source being the Rig Veda. Fortunately, an internet friend supplied us with the correct source(s):


Krishna Yajurveda, Kathaka Samhita, 12.5, 27.1 Krishna Yajurveda, Kathakapisthala Samhita, 42.1 Jaiminiya Brahmana II, Sameveda, 2244


I was able to visit the cave of Jesus near Vashishtha Guha with friends twice in the past 6 months! It is a powerful and vibrant cave. No one was near when we engaged ourselves in meditation. I thank you again and again. Would you please tell me of some more places in India visited by Jesus and directions to visit there.


There are two places in the holy city of Kankhal which we usually do not speak about as most people would think we were being overimaginative, but we will relate them to you.


The first is the Ganga channel that you cross from Hardwar to Kankhal. You reach this by turning to the right (east) at the Mrityunjaya fountain as you are entering the main part of Hardwar. Now this is the strange part. Go to stand in the mid-part of the bridge and you may feel a very definite spiritual atmosphere. The canal was made less than 20 years after independence. Apparently Jesus stayed and meditated here when it was solid land.


To reach the second place, just keep on going east across the bridge into Kankhal. As you proceed, you will come to several old ashrams on your right hand (south). After a bit you will come to a large area enclosed by iron fencing in the middle of which there is a small but ornate Shiva temple of carved stone (really a roof on supports rather than an enclosed building). Meditate here and you may feel the presence of Jesus.


When we go to Hardwar we always visit these two places. We make flower offerings into the Ganga from the bridge.


Two other places where Jesus lived are Varanasi and Jagannath Puri. We have no idea where he lived in Varanasi, but in Puri he lived in the Govardhan Math of Sri Shankaracharya–so said Jagadguru Bharat Krishna Tirtha, the former Shankaracharya. He claimed there were records of Jesus having lived there, but his research was thrown out by a servant while he was visiting America (!), and he did not live long enough to rewrite it.


It is also said that somewhere in Puri there is a small shrine containing nothing but a plain wooden cross, and that every day for many centuries a Brahmin does some kind of worship there. Unfortunately this is all we know.


We hope this will be helpful for you and that you will report to us about any investigations you may make of these places.


I would like to know whether the departed soul gets our prayer and the love we express. Also, how does that prayer help the departed soul?


There is no exact answer to your question. Sometimes the departed remain very near the earth plane for a while after death and are very much aware of whatever is being done by those dear to them. Others pass into the higher worlds very quickly without a backward glance and remain unaware of what happens here. Actually, this second state is the best as it helps the person to prepare for the next birth rather than holding him back with attachment to the previous life situation.


Again, some are helped by prayers and others are not. It all depends on the state of development of the person and also his karma. Here, too, we should be aware that it is not helpful for any soul to keep reminding him of his previous life and turning his awareness backward rather than forward.


The best rule is this: Show love and care for those dear to you while they live. Help them to keep their mind on higher things, to worship and meditate on God every day. Then they will carry with them the blessing and knowledge of your love and will need no further help, but will ascend to higher worlds as Sri Krishna assures us in the Gita.



How can I understand the teachings of Jesus better?


First, be sure you distinguish between the teachings of Jesus and the doctrines of contemporary Christianity, including the English translations of the Bible.


Here are four things we feel will be of assistance to you:


1) That you obtain a computer Bible program that enables you to go through the text word by word and see the various meanings of the Greek terms. We have found that Online Bible is extremely good. It is integrated with many Bible versions, however we have consistently found that the King James version is still the most accurate.


2) That you consider purchasing a copy of THE EMPHATIC DIAGLOTT of Benjamin Wilson. This is now published by the Jehovah’s Witnesses, but was originally published in the early part of the twentieth century by Ludgate and Hill in England. The Witnesses bought the rights, but have not changed the text at all except to put capital Thetas on the word Theos in the Greek text. It contains both an interlinear Greek-English text and Wilson’s translation.


3) That you obtain a copy of THE AQUARIAN GOSPEL OF JESUS THE CHRIST published by DeVorss Publications. This is not a “channeled” book as some claim. Levi Dowling, a Disciples of Christ minister, developed his ability to look into the past and spoke out his impressions as his wife wrote them down. He did not claim his records were infallible or of divine authority–only psychic perceptions. Yet, we find that this book is a marvel of spiritual philosophy and we feel that it is truer to the facts than the four canonical Gospels that have been edited to conform to official doctrine.


4) We have saved the best for last. We recommend that you look into the writings of Paramhansa Yogananda, especially THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST, which has a scripture index so you can see his commentary on specific verses. His autobiography contains a great deal of material on the Bible, as do the three volumes of his talks. We feel that Yogananda had a spiritual comprehension of the teachings of Jesus that was unique, that there is no better source for understanding the message of Jesus.



I do not understand why it is all right to kill and eat plants but not all right to kill and eat animals. It feels like the Consciousness is the same in both. I am not asking this so I can eat meat. I am a vegetarian because my mind, memory and meditation are sharper when I eat only vegetables. I am asking because I hope to understand better.


Here is a relevant paragraph from The Four Soul Killers: “Often the objection is raised that we are killing plants to eat them. But this is not accurate, either. When we harvest vegetables, we do so at the end of their growth cycle; we don’t ‘cut them down in the prime of life.’ Animals, however, are slaughtered long before their natural lifespan is finished. We must also distinguish between the fruit and the plant. When we pick, say a tomato, we do not kill the plant, but it continues to grow–no life is taken. As for root vegetables such as carrots or potatoes, the ‘root’ that we harvest is the final stage in the plant’s growth; if it were not harvested, the plant would merely rot in the earth. Furthermore, in plants the sensory mind is only potential, it is ‘asleep.’ They do not feel pain. Although they do have a rudimentary nervous system that responds to injury, the conscious mind that would receive the message of pain in animal organisms is not functional.” The bottom line, however, is obvious. We can live a better and healthier life by not eating animals. But if we do not eat plants we will die. Philosophy really does not come into its. Things are as they are.



How can I not kill pests? If I do not discourage ants and rats, they tend to move into my house. If I do not spray my garden with some kind of pesticide, the harvest is attacked. Also, when we bathe, thousands of bacteria on the skin probably drown.


There are many ways to avoid killing “pests”–usually by repelling them. Ants, for example, work through smell. We have found that by spraying ant trails with something like Lysol makes them go away. Mice we catch with “live traps” and take them some distance away and set them free. Things that come in the attic and rumble around in the walls we repel with mothballs. (It apparently smells like cat urine to them.) We have a large rabbit population. By spraying around the susceptible plants we ensure the rabbits leave them alone.


Involuntary taking of life has no karmic result. As Swami Sriyukteswar pointed out to Yogananda, it is the intention or desire to take life that violates ahimsa. Buddha considered this very intently and even declared that involuntary manslaughter creates no negative karma.



I hope you will help me with a long-standing question: Can a person realise Brahman just by spiritual activities such as meditation, without ritualistic worship and prayers or devotion to personal gods?


If ritualistic worship and devotion to various deity forms assist the sadhaka, they should be used. But they are not necessary. However the Gita indicates that we should cultivate devotion to the Infinite Being, Brahman, who was speaking through Sri Krishna.


The Bhagavad Gita gives complete instruction on how to realize Brahman. Please take the Gita as your supreme teacher and read a chapter from it each day. You will succeed in spiritual life if you follow its teachings. And you will surely have the living blessing of Sri Vyasa, the author, as well as Sri Krishna.


Please give me some practical advice to achieve progress in the practice of brahmacharya.


The prime key to success in cultivating the great spiritual gem of brahmacharya is perseverence. Persevere and you will attain perfection in this virtue.


Please be aware that meditation is the cornerstone of Brahmacharya.


Besides the material to be found on our website, we recommend that you obtain the book Meditation and Spiritual Life by Swami Yatiswarananda. This book covers every aspect of spiritual life, including very good instructions on brahmacharya. It is published by the Ramakrishna Mission in Bangalore, but should be available at any Ramakrishna Mission or ashram bookstore. You can also order it from: vedanta.com.


May the blessings of God be with you in your endeavors.


Sex (thought and act) was part of my life while I was in college but I repent for having done that. Recently someone told me that if you commit a mistake it can never be erased, and that is the end to me becoming a brahmachari because the guilt will always be there in my mind. Does this mean that even if I try now to improve myself and follow a strict life, I will never be blessed?


A person who has lied can reform and practice truthfulness (satya). A person who has stolen can reform and practice non-stealing (asteya). A person who has done harm (himsa) can reform and practice ahimsa. It only follows to reason, then, that someone who has engaged in sexual acts can reform and practice brahmacharya.


Some of the greatest sannyasis (and therefore brahmacharis) in modern times had been married and begotten children. Yet, when they took up a new order of life they attained liberation and uplifted many others and inspired them to purity of life. Among the great monastic disciples of Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Brahmananda–the first president of Ramakrishna Mission–had been married and had one child. The great Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh, founder of the Divine Life Society, was married and had two children. When his wife and children were killed in a fire he took sannyas and became one of the greatest yogis of our times, even writing books on brahmacharya. The beloved Swami (Papa) Ramdas of Anandashram, the embodiment of purity, had been married and also had children.

In the Gita Sri Krishna tells us:


“And though you were the foulest of sinners, this knowledge alone would carry you like a raft, over all your sin. The blazing fire turns wood to ashes: the fire of knowledge turns all karmas to ashes.” (Bhagavad Gita 4:36, 37)


“ Though a man be soiled with the sins of a lifetime, let him but love me, rightly resolved, in utter devotion: I see no sinner, that man is holy. Holiness soon shall refashion his nature to peace eternal; O son of Kunti, of this be certain: the man that loves me, he shall not perish. (Bhagavad Gita 9:30, 31)


In Autobiography of a Yogi, we find this: “A new student occasionally expressed doubts regarding his own worthiness to engage in yoga practice.


“Forget the past,” Sri Yukteswar would console him. “The vanished lives of all men are dark with many shames. Human conduct is ever unreliable until anchored in the Divine. Everything in future will improve if you are making a spiritual effort now.”


This is the truth of the matter.


Trust in God and in your divine Self.




(Questions by various friends, and Answers by Swami Nirmalananda, abbot of Atma Jyoti Ashram )