Question: I am a 23-year old girl from Mumbai. I have read almost all books of Swami Vivekananda & I am greatly fascinated by him.
Actually, I am kind of a girl who gets involved in anything easily & gets out of it also very easily. I don't understand what to do
with my life as I'm in a way confused between: a. If I should marry, have kids, lead a normal life & make my parents & everyone happy.
Then after my all duties towards family are over, I should come & join Ashrama. Till then visit whenever possible, join Vivekanand
Kendra & take part in activities. OR, b. Leave everything behind & come & join Ashrama. I know that if determined, I can use all my
strenght, love & devotion for good cause which will benefit more people.
I always wanted to be a nurse. But due to my parents' influenece, now I am in computer field working in a company. Somehow, I feel
that everyone here just expects from me & no one really loves me enough. I try to overcome the feeling, but it is always there due to
lack of consistency & emotional security. Everyday, it's like life shows me that I shouldn't take anything granted. It's very
difficult & frustrating. I try to calm myself by telling myself - Life keeps changing & we should accept changes as they come & cope
with them. But it's easy to say, difficult to practise. I always try not to expect anything from anyone & do as much as possible for
others. But I just can't stop expecting some things even if I know that Swamiji has told - work for the sake of work & not for fruit &
love without expectation. I try my best to implement these things in everyday life. But it's kind of a hard struggle & sometimes I
feel like giving up the fight.
I have very small expectations from life - like if I get married, the man should love me, give me his time instead of running after
money & there should be consistency in life. I have a man who loves me very much & I also love him a lot. He says that he will marry
me if his parents agree. But I don't know if they will agree or not. My parents agree. But I'm already cheated in this matter of
marriage once before (it was just wrong choice). Now sometimes I feel like such things happen to me because God wants me to leave
everything & do some good work for others. So, this time, I have decided that if he doesn't marry me, I shall never try again for
marriage & come & join Ashrama - not running away from problems in life; just because I'm really interested in spiritual matters. I
find myself having peace of mind whenever I get involved in any spiritual things like Yoga, chanting mantras, discussing ideas about
life & everything. I have attended some camps where I was really glad to follow the routine activities of Yoga, meditation, learning
Gita, etc. Plese guide me as to what to do. Regards.
Answer: You need not be worried about your present state, since all the girls who have a little inclination towards Spiritual Life, face this same problem. Please note - jumping to Ashrama life - is no solution for it. Since you are unable to decide yourself, best thing for you is to depend on your parents to arrange marriage. As you are their daughter, they will definitely be able to understand you better and guide you in this matter. Please remember, the world is full of selfish people and they all like to cheat innocent earning good girls towards their selfish interest. Rarely you will find a person who will love you unselfishly. Since you are not aware of this fact, you get cheated from them. Married life & spiritual life can go together if you are sincere and if you get a like minded husband to live with. Since you are an educated girl, you can understand the motive of the people. Till you get settled in life, try to spend your leisure time in studying Swami Vivekananda's works and also have some good girl friends who are interested in such matters. It is better to avoid boy friends as much as possible.
Question: Please enlighten me on the following things. Our body has been compared with a chariot, intellect with the chariot-driver, mind with the reins, senses with the horses, and the soul with the person sitting in the chariot.
a) What is then consciousness and where is it located ?
b) Which things affect the driver, that is the intellect ?
c) What is the role of soul,or is it merely a silent witness ?
Does the soul affect guiding of the intellect.
Answer: It is an allegory and should be taken to whatever extent it is applicable. According to Upanishad, consciousness is the owner of the chariot and he resides in the cave of the intellect. Intellect as a driver has to guide the chariot properly which means due to the reflection of the consciousness in the intellect, the intellect comes to life and if it properly controls and directs the sense organs through the mind, then the realization will come. The soul is always only a spectator like the Sun sheds light on all the things, good & bad, but never gets affected by any of those.
Question: I am from Chennai; I completed my B.E. from Whitefield (mvjce), Bangalore and now I'am in Melbourne for higher studies. Actually I don't know how to express my feelings as I have lot of problems and I am the only child of my parents. They spent more money for my studies as I am from middle class; now I have lot of problems in my studies; I am unable to concentrate on my studies as the cost of leaving is too much here and I wish not to ask my parents as I know the present condition of our family. And if I thought of this - I went to part-time job because of this, I am unable to concentrate and here everything goes wrong and any new problem arises when problem get resolved. I think I am idle now and I wish to become monk sometimes but because of my parents I am feared. I don't know when my problems will be over. Can you please pray for me? I need your personal advice from you. Please send your advice to: *******@********.***.
Answer: Your problem is nothing new. All the students residing abroad specially coming from middle class families have to face it. If you don't want to strain your parents, you have to look in for a part time job. Studying and working is no doubt very difficult, but most of the students do it. So, if you want to cut out all other activities and struggle hard, you will be able to achieve what you want. I don't know what higher studies you are doing. Only it will take more no. of years to get your degree or diploma. But it is very common.
Question: Your Holiness Swamiji, Apparently, Mankind looks like made lot of progress over the period of last 5000 years - starting with discovery of Fire, Cultivating Lands, Constructing good buildings, splitting Atom, travelling to Moon. This has become possible with the knowledge marshalled by Man. My doubt is even in our Puranas, Aeroplanes, great weapons, traveling to Planets and other celestial places are mentioned. Are they just imagination? Have we now advanced or we lost all the knowledge once Mankind did possess. Kindly enlighten me.
Answer: Many have done research on this subject and come to the conclusion that men at certain ages were more advanced in certain fields. However, the present progress is really remarkable. But, it is presumed that there are other beings in different planets who are more scientifically advanced.
Question: Presently I am reading Karma Yoga - The Yoga Of Action by Vivekananda. As I read this book I found that my approach towards life, people and in fact towards me was not as what I must have been. I am really feel very sharp towards what I want to do and how should do it. I have few queries regarding to the book, they are as followed.
What Vivekananda had written was already written in Vedas and he had mold the knowledge of Vedas in to book or the concept of Karma Yoga was child of Vivekananda?
If I write a book about how to implement concept of Karma Yoga in business process, is there any copyright matter exist for the book?
I also want to know in which language originally Vivekananda written this book?
Answer: Swami Vivekananda himself has said that he has said nothing new other than what is already found in Vedanta. His contribution is - putting the matter in the modern language in a systematic way so that it can be well understood by the modern man. To put it in a proverbial language, "Old wine in a new bottle". There is no copyright, but if you are reproducing the same, you have to take the permission from the publishers. Most of the works of Vivekananda are in English.
Question: I am 24, Male and live in Australia. I am confused about what I should do with my life. I love God deeply and my spiritual practice is the most important aspect of my life. I have considered the prospect of becoming a monk, but I am unsure. I have an opportunity now to study at university, but I am wondering if this will serve useful in the future. There is very little support in Australia for Hindu religion and I do not know of any centres or Ashramas in Australia, and I am therefore feeling isolated. Should I study at university and wait for my destiny to become clear or should I come to India and explore the possibilities of monasticism?
Answer: I appreciate your line of thought. No knowledge is waste for spiritual life. Continue your academic life along with reading religious books and pray to God sincerely. We have a centre in Sydney. Its address is:
Vedanta Centre of Sydney,
62 Redmyre Road, Strathfield,
NSW 2135, Australia
Phone: 61-2-8746-0272
Email: vedasyd@ol.com.au, vedasyd@free2air.com.au
If it is not very far off from your place, make a visit to that centre & talk to any of the Swamis there. One of them will surely be able to guide you.
Question: Please answer the following questions of mine.
a) It has been said that the soul neither takes birth, nor does it die. It means number of souls in this universe is constant. Also, every
human being has a soul. Now, population of the world is rising. So, from where these extra souls are coming in ?
b) From where does the soul comes in, when a birth takes palce, and where does it go when a death takes place ? Does it carry something
with it ?
c) How long does this continous chain of birth-death for a soul continue ?
d) Is it possible for a soul to take birth again, when it has achieved "Mukti" ?
e) How the form of body for a soul is decided viz. male, female, animals etc. ?
f) Who is God and why is it so that He has all the controls of universe, not anybody else? Why did he create this universe and living
beings ? What if nothing had been created ?
Answer: a. The plants, animals & all other living beings have souls. So, all these beings will be evolving as humans. Similarly, if the human beings are living like animals, they will be taking birth as animals etc. So, the no. of souls will not increase or decrease.
b. According to the Vedanta, after the death, the soul takes a new birth, as per its Karma; good good, bad bad.
c. By doing extreme good, all the bad samskaras are destroyed and man rises to the Godhood; and his life will come to an end.
d. It is the body which takes birth. The soul is eternal; it has neither birth nor death.
e. It is purely by the Karma one does.
f. God is beyond all reasoning and limitations. So, you cannot put the question 'Why' to Him.
Question: Respected Sir, my question is: Does a spiritual aspirant need a Guru ?
Answer: Definitely a guru is required to tread the right path in spiritual life. But one can start the life with the help of books and finding the guru will not be very difficult. But, you have to choose the right guru.
RESPONSE to the Above REPLY : Respected Sir, I'm an Engineering graduate of 25 years age. Last year during 2001 February, I went to Ramakrishna Math (RKM) for personality development programme, there they taught us Yoga & Meditation. I practised those very sincerely; during meditation I used to experience some very good spiritual experiences. At RKM, Hyderabad, they taught us how to meditate. Later I studied a book named 'Dhyana Yoga' by Sri Swami Sivananda. In that book every thing regarding meditation was there. I had the same experiences as what it was in the book. My mind turned inwards. I'm not interested in all these worldly affairs. I want to lead spiritual life and I'm the lonely son of my parents. But they want me to pursue a carrer; They don't know all these spiritaul aspects & yoga. My father is a drunkard & my mother - she does rituals, I mean Pujas & all. For the last one year I'm unable to take a decision and I'm not having peace of mind. Earlier I used to do all evil things like smoking, drinking and not studied well. But, now a radical change occured & now I'm completely a different man. For the last one year, I'm struggling very much. I don't have peace of mind. I'm very much interested in leading a divine life. Please guide me in this aspect.
Answer to the Above Response: That there are lot of contradictions in your statements. You say that you have picked up the yoga, meditation and given up all bad habits. You were also happy and peaceful. But, again you write, you don't have peace of mind for last one year. First of all, pay your utmost attention to the studies and complete it. Your future life of becoming a monastic or otherwise, has to be decided latter. Read good literature of Swami Vivekananda by which you will get more strengthening inspiration to face the challenges of life. You are welcome to correspond whenever you feel like.
Question: Why it's been stressed to get self realization and subsequent salvation (freedom) ? What is the problem if one takes birth again and again ? You are born, do good work, enjoy the fruit of work, and if your work is too good, society will also enjoy it.It is true that one's life is a blend of sorrow and happiness. But what is wrong with it ? It breaks the monotonocity and makes you stronger. What is there lying in space as a free soul ? Even Gods have been taking birth at times as living beings.
Answer: If you are happy with the present state of life, you may continue the same & nobody is forcing you to change your way of life. Since, others feel that, what you say is only nice theory and not real state of affairs, they would like to find out if there is a permanent solution for the present suffering. That leads them to Religion.
Question: We often hear of Nirvikalpa Samadhi. Is it possible only for the Avatars to attain this? Or is it possible for all sincerely
practising Sadhakas to attain that stage? Could you explain the types of Samadhis?
My friends criticised that Lord Buddha's renouncing could not be justified because he neglegted his duty as a father and husband. I didnot
know what to answer. Is it right for a householder to leave ones duty? Kindly clarify my doubts.
Answer: Nirvikalpa Samadhi is the last word in Spiritual Life. It is definitely possible for every Sadhaka (Spiritual Aspirant) to attain
it, provided he pursues his Spiritual Sadhana (Spiritual Practices) sincerely. Different texts speak of different Samadhis and Patanjali
has dealt in detail about this in his 'Patanjali Yoga Sutras'. Swami Vivekananda has translated it in his book 'Raja Yoga'. Try to get a
copy of it and make a study.
Regarding renunciation of Buddha, he neglected his duty in the large interest of society of society. Just imagine how many thousands of
aspirants have been benefited because of his realization.
There is a saying in Sanskrit - "One should renounce the home for the benefit of his village. One should renounce the village for the
benefit of his town. One should renounce the town for the benefit of his country. One should renounce the country for the benefit of the
world. One should renounce the whole world for the realization of God, because in turn, after his realization, the whole world will be
benefited."
Question: Respected Sirs, I pray respected Monks of Ashrama to enlighten me how to practise UNATTACHMENT in Life.
Answer: Practice of unattachment does not come of in a day. It requires lot of Spiritual Practice. At the outset, you have to believe that
the whole universe is a creation of God and it belongs to Him. Whatever we possess also naturally belongs to Him. We are only privileged
to enjoy it. So, whatever we are earning, spending, loving people, etc. - all His grace and belong to Him. Since, everything belongs to
Him, it is meaningless to get attached to some.
I advise you to read the 3rd chapter of Bhagavad Gita and Swami Vivekananda's Karma Yoga, which will enlighten you more.
Response to the Reply: I am grateful for your holiness kind reply. Can I take the path of Jnana Yoga to practice slowly Unattachment.. As advised by you, I will read Gita and Karma Yoga. What is your kind advice regarding- Jnana Yoga. Eagerly awaiting your kind path showing..
Answer to the Above Response: I don't know what exactly you mean by Jnana Yoga. Is it - you mean to follow the Advaita Vedanta? After hearing from you, I shall write to you in details.
His Response to the above: What I am perplexed is this world an illusion (maya). How to realise rather than beleving in a thing.. I felt blessed when received your holiness kind reply.. I am unable to express specifically anything except hope I may find some solace by interaction with great souls. Pranam.
Reply to the above: Is it so easy that I can explain in short letter that this world is an illusion? But it is a fact and we have to undertake necessary spiritual sadhana for realising it. I advise you to read some of Sri Sankara's works who deals in detail about this inscrutable power in all his books.