No.3 : Questions put to Prof. Anil Kumar and answered by him. 33 to 48 (total 228 Q & A* )

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16 questions (total 228 Q & A* ) put to Prof. Anil Kumar and answered by him.

 

*Questions & Answers 33 to 48

 

48.“How do you view depression in a civilised world?” (19.01.2003)

Civilisation necessarily makes you depressed (Laughter) because civilisation is

nothing but the expression of the outer personality, comforts and conveniences,

electronic gadgets, and so on. If I have the latest car, I’m sophisticated. If I

have an air-conditioned home, well, I’m really civilised. Civilisation has no

limits – the sky is the limit. In the name of civilisation, we have too many

desires -- desires are multiplied and multiplied. There’s no end at all. So,

civilisation will certainly take you to depression.

What we need is culture. Culture is based on values. Culture gives you

satisfaction. Culture helps you to develop a balanced state of mind, whereas

civilisation takes you to confusion. It is like a fire -- whatever you put into

it, the fire consumes. So, civilisation goes on consuming your energy, sapping

your time, leaving no time to rest, stand and stare. Thus, in a civilised

society, we should learn how to be cultured. Keep civilisation ‘number two’ and

culture at the top of our priorities. Then there’ll be no depression.

 

 

47.“How do we deal with rebirth or reincarnation? How does it reconcile with

Adwaitha? What exactly is rebirth, if only God exists?” (19.01.2003)

How do we deal with rebirth? We cannot deal with it because it is not in our

hands. None of us submitted an application to God before our birth to be born

as a human being. Really, had application forms been given to us before our

birth, we would probably have filled in volumes of columns at least, to make

sure we’d be born as a millionaire. (Laughter)

“Oh God, at least see that I’m full of joy, fun and frolic forever. (Laughter)

See that I won’t die next time.” (Laughter)

These would have been our expressions. So there is no question of dealing with

rebirth because it is not in our hands. But, how do we reconcile it with

Adwaitha? Adwaitha means, as you know, non-dualism -- only One exists, not two.

As Baba says:

Ekam Eva Advithiyam Brahma.

Ekam Eva means ‘only one, not two’. So, how do we reconcile this with rebirth?

My friends, as long as I feel that I am separate from God, I have to be born

again and again. Once I understand and experience that God and I are one,

there’s no rebirth. So birth and rebirth are due to separateness or due to the

feeling of a separate identity, due to one’s identification with the body, mind

and intellect. Because of this separation from the Divine entity, one has to be

born again and again. Once you experience and deeply identify with Divinity, it

cuts short the chain of birth and death.

 

 

 

46.“How should youngsters behave, particularly when they are overwhelmed by

images and news? How should they behave?” (19.01.2003)

Bhagavan says, “There isn’t anything on how youngsters should behave.” But, here

is Bhagavan’s general guidance on this matter:

Start early, drive slowly, reach safely.

So, when a youngster starts his life, directed along the spiritual path at an

early age, he’ll have the correct perspective, and know the right way of

handling life and its situations. That is why Bal Vikas was introduced.

 

45.“How can you pray with absolute faith when you have to sacrifice? Abraham

had to sacrifice his son. Abraham had to kill his son, as per the command of

God. Abraham was called by God and commanded to sacrifice his son. When I have

such a costly sacrifice, how can I pray to God?” (12.01.2003)

Abraham was prepared to kill his son in response to the command of God. That is

symbolic. It means you should be prepared to sacrifice your kith and kin. You

should be prepared to sacrifice your near and dear, in preference for God.

That’s what I mean. It doesn’t mean that everyone should bring his son here and

kill him, no. Not that! (Laughter) It is symbolic; there is an inner

significance behind it. You should be prepared to ‘kill’ your relationships, to

‘kill’ your attachment, to ‘kill’ your bondage. We should understand it in that

sense.

As the time is up, since you have to go to the canteen and go for darshan line,

I will take leave of you. I have already taken extra time because those people

who have sent questions should not be disappointed. After all, it is not just

for fun that we are collecting questions. We need to answer them.

 

 

44.“What do you mean by transformation? Does it mean controlling the senses or

eliminating the ego? When there is Reality inside, what do you mean by

transformation?” (12.01.2003)

This is a very good question. I do not mean transformation of the Self, no. I

mean transformation of our attitude, transformation of our conduct,

transformation in our behaviour, transformation of the information that we

receive from all around. As Baba says, “News is nuisance.”

So, I mean transformation of the information, transformation of the human heart,

which has been so tough and rough, and is not responding to the misery, woes and

tears of our fellow men.

When I remove my coat, shirt and t-shirt, I see my chest. So, similarly,

transformation is needed in order to see the Reality. Transformation is not

different from what you are. Transformation of the worldly man into a spiritual

man, transformation of the physical personality into someone who knows the true

Self -- this word ‘transformation’ is used in that sense – not to mean

something that is completely different.

 

43.“God is goodness. God is full of values, while man in contrast has no

values. Man is brutal. He’s horrible. He’s crazy. What shall I do now?”

(12.01.2003)

Man has become brutal and crazy due to his own actions. I have got a white

kerchief with me. It has become dirty. Who is responsible? I am responsible. I

used it and made that kerchief dirty. Similarly, man is pure. Man is not

polluted. Man is Love, man is bliss; but he made it just the opposite. It is of

his own making.

If I find a rich man begging near a bank, what should I tell him? “Hey, poor

fellow! You are not a beggar. Go to the bank, check your entries in your

passbook, and then you’ll know that you are a rich man. You don’t have to beg.”

Similarly, this kind of weakness is of our own making; it is not of God’s

design. Why? Because of our selfishness. Why? Sensual pleasure. Why?

Attachment. Why? Physical comforts and conveniences. When these things are gone

-- the selfishness, arrogance, avarice, lust and desire -- when these things are

gone, then you are pristine, pure, as fresh as a newly-born babe, as fresh as a

newly purchased kerchief, so dry, and white. But I made it so dirty, with the

passage of time.

 

42.“Bhagavan Buddha left his family. But wasn’t it His duty to take care of

His family? Is it justifiable that He left his child and wife like that?”

(12.01.2003)

It’s a question of priorities in life. There are some people who sacrifice

everything for political ends. There are terrorists -- they leave their

families to kill somebody else. It is a question of priorities. (Laughter) Is

it necessary to leave your family to kill somebody? Yes, if it is a priority.

Bin Laden -- what has he done? He left everything to finish off somebody – his

priorities in life.

For Buddha, God was uppermost, and all the rest were obstacles along His way.

Buddha was a realised soul. Buddha was an Incarnation.

For your information, I will share with you what Baba has said: “If it is a

matter of choice between father and God, you should choose God and not the

father. An example of this is Prahlada. If it is a matter of choice between a

husband and God, choose God, not the husband – an example is Meera. If it is a

choice between a brother and God, choose God, not the brother – an example Is

Vibhishana.”

If it is a choice between father and God, choose God, not the father, as was the

case with the boy Prahlada. So, with regard to our relations and God, we should

choose God, and none else.

But, I don’t think we choose God first, no. In order for us to choose God first,

He has to be part of our family. (Laughter) “God, help my family. God, help my

community.” So, the priority is never God. If anyone prays like this, it is for

the benefit of the family only.

Buddha kept God as His top priority, so He left His family. I don’t know how

many of you know this, but Buddha, after attaining realisation, enlightenment,

went back to the palace. He returned to His palace.

Suddhodana, His father stood there and said, “Oh, son! Where were you all this

time, all these days? What happened to you? Come here!”

And Buddha replied, “Father, your son died long ago.”

“You are here, you are my son! Why do you say that my son died long ago?”

“No, your son, Siddhartha, died long ago. In front of you, you don’t see your

son. You see Buddha, the Realised.”

And then He found Yashodara, His wife. Buddha wanted to avoid her because years

earlier he had left at midnight, without informing her. He hoped to avoid her,

but women are very clever. (Laughter) They never allow avoidance. It is their

nature. So, this man was not successful in avoiding her either.

She immediately came and said to Him, “Oh Lord, please follow my words

carefully.” Yashodara, wife of Buddha, spoke to Him like this, “Oh Lord, what

is it that you had there in the forest that was not here in the palace? What is

here in the palace, which was not available there in the forest? Do you consider

the palace an obstacle? Did you feel that I would not have permitted you to do

penance or tapas here in the palace?”

Buddha had no answer, just as Rama had no answer when Sita started questioning

him. Sita started questioning Rama and He had no answer. That’s why Swami

always says, “Woman is known for her intelligence, while man is known for his

intellect.”

Intelligence and intellect are different. Intelligence is emotion. Intelligence

is reaction. Intelligence is spontaneous. Intelligence is instantaneous, while

intellect is logic. Intellect is rational. Intellect likes to reason. So, women

symbolise intelligence. Before their intelligence, the intellect cannot stand.

That made Rama fail. That made Buddha fail. They could not answer. And so, when

I said Buddha left His family, it was not for any reason other than His choice

was God. For Him, everything else was secondary.

 

41.“What does Bhagavan say about telepathy? Some people are gifted with

telepath. What does Bhagavan say?” (12.01.2003)

I don’t know what Bhagavan has said about telepathy, but I have complete

sympathy towards that man. (Laughter) Why? Because certain achievements like

telepathy, certain achievements of forecasting, certain achievements like

controlling another man’s mind or reading the mind of another person, are not

the ultimate goal.

For example, if you take a flight to New York, there may be other places, like

Bombay and Frankfurt, where you have to land and disembark before you finally

arrive at JFK Airport. So, when getting off at Frankfurt, you don’t say, “I

want to settle here.” No. You continue on to New York -- you can't settle there

in Frankfurt, can you?

Likewise, there are certain intermediate stages in spirituality. On the

spiritual path, we have certain achievements, certain simple things, but they

are our greatest obstacles.

Speaking of the future - horoscopes and what lies ahead of you, there are some

people who want to read some Nadi Grandha books. Suppose some books or

horoscopes tell me that I am going to be a king next year. (Laughter) So, I

will have to be waiting throughout this year. It may turn out that I may not be

a king, but the waiting is a certainty. (Laughter) Suppose the books tell me

that I'm going to be a beggar next year. I become a pauper starting right now.

(Laughter)

So, there is no point in learning the future. It is not necessary! Not

necessary. So my friends, let us not be bothered about telepathy.

 

40.“As the day in the Kali Yuga is 24 hours, what was the duration of the day

in the Dwapara Yuga, or even before in the Thretha Yuga?” (05.01.2003)

I find time is running short now itself, so how about Dwapara Yuga? (Laughter)

Anyway, it is a question indeed. The epics have an answer. The Shastras have an

answer: So many years constitute a moment or a minute for Brahma. So many years

constitute a day for Brahma, and so many decades constitute a half-day or a

month for Brahma. There is a calculation. I vaguely remember having heard from

a priest in a temple during my childhood days that there is an answer to this,

but I do not remember it just now.

But my advice is this: Let us be conscious of this time right now. What is life,

my friends? Life is not the past, no. Past is death. Life is not the future.

Why? It is uncertain. So, what is life? Life is here and now. I repeat: What is

life? Life is here and now, that’s all. So let us think of the life here and

now. The life here and now is with God. It is eternal; it is immortal.

39.“Is there any evidence of life on any other planet?” (05.01.2003)

We have a sufficient population problem here on this earth – well, how about the

other planets? (Laughter)

I don’t know, I don’t know! I didn’t ask Swami this question. If there is an

appropriate time for me to ask, I’ll see what He says.

 

38.“Why does God come so infrequently? Why only every 500 years or 1000

years? Why not regularly, like a train? Why not? (Laughter) Had He been here

throughout, arriving year-after-year, then all our weaknesses could have been

prevented and we would never run away from the path of righteousness -- we’d

never run astray. God could control us if He appeared frequently and regularly.

It would make His job lighter and easier.” (05.01.2003)

My friends, with no publicity or sense of ownership, with no feeling of pride

and ego, not even in the wildest of my dreams, I humbly urge you to go through

the two volumes of Satyopanishads, Volume One and Volume Two. These books

contain 272 questions asked of Swami in Kodaikanal. They cover all these

questions, giving His Divine answers. These are answers given by God, over

which I have no claim. (If there is any confusion, I am ready to take the

blame, to improve upon the book and revise it for the next edition.) Please go

through those two volumes of Satyopanishad. Those books have the answers to

many of these questions.

What is the question here? “Why doesn’t He appear frequently?” The answer given

there in Satyopanishad is this: When five people are fighting, the elder member

of the village will come and say, “Don’t fight.” He will resolve the problem.

When two groups of 50 people fight with each other, a police constable is

necessary to settle the problem. When two groups of 100 people fight, a Circle

Inspector needs to be there. When villages fight with other villages, the

District Superintendent of Police needs to be there. When states fight with

states, an army is needed. So, it depends upon the intensity of the problem.

When there is so much confusion, when the human race is threatened with

extinction from this planet, then it is a serious enough case for the ‘Divine

Surgeon’ to come down and operate. (Laughter) Like in appendicitis, any

further delay would lead to the collapse of the patient! So, an operation is

not needed for a simple stomachache. It may ache so much, but it doesn’t call

for an operation -- some syrup is enough. If I fast tonight, that should be

enough. So, He decides the condition of the patient; I cannot decree it myself.

So, why doesn’t God incarnate more frequently? He doesn’t find it necessary.

When and if He finds the necessity, then He incarnates at His own behest,

according to His own Will. That’s the answer that Baba gave in this context.

 

37.“There are so many ages like the Thretha Yuga, Dwapara Yuga and Kali Yuga.

Are they different periods of earth’s evolution, or are they something

different?” (05.01.2003)

As I understand it, it is all the course of earth’s evolution, like the

Palaeozoic period, like Mesozoic period, or the Carbonizoid period. They are

different periods of time. Even if you go through anthropology texts, they

clearly tell us that ancient man was seven feet tall. Now, gradually, pygmies

and dwarfs have come!

When Bhagavan materialized a ring of this size, He said, “This is Rama’s ring.”

It was large enough to serve as my waist belt! (Laughter)

“Swami, is this Rama’s ring?”

“Yes, it is!”

“Is it so big?”

“Why not? He was not so small like you. He was a large man.”

Then He materialized a gold chain of Ravanasura’s. It was a big chain, full of

Siva lingams. Yes. At the centre, there were three big crystal lingams of

yellow, blue and gold, with gold Siva lingams all around -- such a big chain.

“Swami, is this..?”

“Yes, it is Ravana’s!”

>From seeing that, you can imagine his size!

Therefore, they belong to the earth’s evolution, but they are not earthly.

Please understand. Being on earth is different from being earthly, as being a

child is different from being childish. I am not a student of literature. I am

a student of botany. But to my knowledge, one can be like a child, but never be

childish. Am I clear? If you are child-like, you are Divine. If you are

childish, you must be put under check. (Laughter)

Similarly, it is the course of earth’s evolution, but it is not earthly. What do

I mean by that? Jesus of those times had a message for these times. Rama of

those days had a message for these days. So, though they are of earth, they are

simply not earthly, as they had no lesson to learn. They are terrestrial, but

with a celestial mission in life. So, those ages have a message for this age.

That is the answer I have.

 

36.“Why man? Why are we here? Why are we created?” (05.01.2003)

Good question! Why man? Man is a special creation of God. The Holy Bible says

that God made man in His own image. Krishna is so happy to see Himself in

Arjuna. Rama is so happy to be followed by Lakshmana because He finds Himself

there.

A simple example: Every one of us, without exception, when standing in front of

a mirror considers himself or herself to be very, very handsome or beautiful,

though someone may tell that is it is not so. (Laughter) “Please, no! You keep

quiet!” (Laughter)

God separates Himself because He loves Himself. God separates Himself into many

in order to love Himself. I look into the mirror to know how handsome I am. So

God separated Himself:

Ekoham Bahusyam…

One into many…

God has manifested into many. He finds His beauty in you. He finds His splendour

in you. He finds His individuality in you. He finds His personality in you. That

is:

Sahasra Seersha Purushah

Sahasraksha Sahasra Paad.

The whole universe is like a myriad of mirrors, in which He finds His own

reflection. He feels so happy. It is all the play of God, what we call the

‘leela’ of God, the Will of God.

It is not the game of God, please understand! Game is human, while play is

Divine. Please understand this. In a game, there is winning and losing. In a

play, there is none of that. It is bliss. A game is commercial, while a play is

spiritual. A game has rules and regulations, while a play is beyond rules and

regulations. In a play, a fellow may die at the age of 30 or the fellow may not

die though he’s 104. So it is all God's play – the Divine leelas of God.

And therefore my friends, why man? It is the play of God. Why are we here? We

are here because of the play of God, the Will of God. It is all a creation for

His own delight.

 

35.“What is known about the Golden Age that Swami often talks about? When will

it begin?” (05.01.2003)

This is like a person getting up at 8 o’clock asking, “When did the sunrise

start? What time is the sunrise?”

He got up at 8 o’clock, already two hours late! (Laughter) Am I right? So, when

did it start? When will the Golden Age start? The Golden Age started 77 years

ago! (Applause) The Golden Age began when Bhagavan took birth.

Then, why am I not aware of it? I got up at 8 o’clock. (Laughter) I got up at 9

o’clock. I have not been awake all these years. I have been spending time in

sleep and slumber. The reason is that the Golden Age was my dream. If the

Golden Age had been my vision, then I would have been awakened by this time.

That Golden Age should have already kindled in my heart the light of wisdom

within me, awakening the third eye of vision.

 

34.“Why should I have the goal of liberation or Self-realisation? After all,

why? What is the harm if I am reborn? What is the harm if I'm to die again? Why

not? Then in this birth, I can enjoy life. In liberation, where is the enjoyment

because you are one with God?” (05.01.2003)

Good! This is a genuine question, a very genuine question. As a man in the

company of God, I can enjoy nearness and I can enjoy dearness. In liberation,

is there anything like ‘dearness’ and ‘nearness’ and bliss? This is a genuine

question indeed!

The answer is this: Instead of loving God, if you become Love itself, it is a

million times greater than the process of loving. I think that’s clear. Instead

of trying to be blissful in the company of God, if you are bliss itself, what

else is left in this world? And the experiences of pain and pleasure, success

and failure, blame and praise -- these are all due to the dualism of life. Once

you go beyond dualism, where there is no positive or negative, that is the state

of liberation, moksha or nirvana.

So, one aims for liberation in order to remain in the state of bliss, not just

to have blissful moments. Intermediate, blissful moments are different from the

state of bliss itself. So, this permanent bliss is coveted very much. People

deeply pray for liberation on the spiritual path because with liberation you

find eternal bliss. In life, you have momentary bliss or blissful moments. So,

in ordinary existence you are dual, whereas in liberation you are non-dual.

Therefore, liberation is the ultimate.

Instead of being a lakhshapati (having hundreds of thousands) or a crorepati

(having tens of millions), instead of being the owner of billions, if you are

wealth itself, what more do you want? Or, instead of having water tanks, if you

are the ocean itself, what more do you need? So, the fullness, the totality is

liberation, while existence is fragmentary, segmented, in pieces, bit-by-bit.

Therefore, one prays for liberation.

 

33.“What is the harm in killing an animal? Because, when you pick a fruit,

you’re also killing it. By picking the fruit, the plant becomes handicapped.

Doesn’t the plant suffer pain? So, this is pain and that is pain. So, what’s

the difference?” (05.01.2003)

Baba has said something about this. You must know by now that I tell you right

away any of Baba’s answers to questions already posed. Those questions where

the answers are left to my imagination, I openly confess. There’s no hypocrisy

or duplicity here. I do not claim to be an intellectual, certainly not! I don’t

even want to be one. I can only repeat what our good Lord has said.

So, what did He say about this? Plants don’t have the same kind of emotions or

feelings as animals do. Although Jagadish Chandra Bose in his experiments with

plant physiology demonstrated that plants do have feelings and emotions -- at

least we can agree on this -- they do not have as many feelings as animals do.

Animals also have feelings and sentiments, although not as many as man. This

means that consciousness will find its expression more and more in man as

compared with the lower forms of creation. Mineral matter also has

consciousness, expressed at the lowest ebb. The plant world has consciousness

at a higher level, the animal world at a superior level, and the human race at

its maximum. So, it is all relative.

Therefore, you cannot say, “What is the difference, after all, if I pick a

flower or a fruit, or kill an animal?”

You cannot equate them like that. There is a wide gulf of difference because the

level at which consciousness expresses itself differs in the course of evolution

from low to high. That’s what I can tell you on this subject.