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Questions and Answers
Megrajh Rampersad: Pranaam Swamijee! I enjoy reading your answers to questions. It is the most sensible teachings I have come across. Swamijee, our puranic prints tell the public that according to the Vedas the soul goes to heaven, a place which is not permanent as the should returns to earth. They say that according to the puranas this is not so. Does the soul reincarnate? What happens to the soul at death? And what is the difference between the Vedas and the puranas? Are the puranas religious authority?
Swami Ramswarup: My blessings to you for a long, happy life. Mostly, the people have forgotten about the eternal knowledge of Vedas and their attention has been diverted towards so many paths. Knowledge of Vedas emanates direct from God at the beginning of the earth and God originates the knowledge of Vedas in the heart of four Rishis of non-sexual creation. Vedas are self-proof and give perfect knowledge about the whole universe which includes science, form of pious deeds etc., and the eternal worship. In the said three educations, the knowledge right from straw to Almighty God exists. So it also includes knowledge, divine deeds and nature along with divine qualities of God, knowledge of eternal souls and knowledge of Prakriti by which all the matters of universe are created. So to be a complete learned person one must study Vedas as were studied by all ancient Rishis, Sri Ram, Sri Krishna Maharaj and all kings and their public.
Please read the article called 'After Death'. As regards difference between Vedas and Purann:
Vedas have not been written by any Rishis, man woman etc. Vedas have not been written by Almighty God. It is knowledge which emanates from God and is originated in the heart of four Rishis whereas Puranns have been written by someone. It has been popularized that Bhagwad Purann has been written by Vyas Muniji. But learned of Vedas do not agree.
Vyas Muniji has written only ten thousand shlokas of Mahabharat and Vedanta shastra in which the learned Rishi Vyas has described about formless, Almighty, omnipresent God. In Mahabharata he has also mentioned about the clan of Kauravas and Pandavas. He has written about Yogeshwar Sri Krishna Maharaj also in Mahabharat. But the views of Bhagwad Purann mostly are antagonistic to the views given in Mahabharata and Vedanta shastra.
Swami Dayanand has also proved that Bhagwad Purann has not been written by Vyas Muniji. All the ancient and present Rishi-munis and learned of Vedas like Vyas Muniji, Patanjali Rishi, Kapil Muni , Manu Bhagwan , Vishwamitra, Yagyavalkya etc., accept that to reach at truth, Vedas are self-proof i.e. if we have to decide truth then our views must tally with Vedas otherwise will be considered false. So the views of the Purann are required to be tallied with the Vedas which has been a typical task at present. For example- Puranns tell about Avtarwad but Vedas deny, etc.
Our eternal religious authority is four Vedas. After studying Vedas ancient Rishi-munis have written six shastras, Upnishads, Mahabharat, Valmiki Ramayan, and other Brahmin Granths. Because the said granths are totally based on Vedas therefore those are true. Still any sentence if does not tally with Vedas, that is considered unauthentic by our Rishi-munis and therefore not accepted.
Amit Dua: According to Mahabharata, Sri Krishna did Rukmini-haran. Did Sri Krishna go against the Vedas by doing this?
Swami Ramswarup: No, please, Sri Krishna Maharaj could never go against Vedas. Sri Krishna Maharaj studied Vedas under the pious feet of his Guru i.e., Rishi Sandeepan with friend Sudama. He always adopted eternal path of Vedas. As regards his marriage, Rukmanni loved Yogeshwar Sri Krishna Maharaj but Rukmanni’s brother did not agree with the proposal. Then Rukmanni sent a secret message to Sri Krishna Maharaj to take her away from the stated particular place. So, this was not against Vedas.
Dr. Harish Arya: Can we change guru?
Swami Ramswarup: Vedas tell several divine qualities of Guru. First of all he must be the learned of Vedas and Ashtang yoga philosophy. He must have control over his five senses, perceptions and mind. He always tells truth etc. if a guru does not have the said qualities then Vedas tell to change the guru. Please read the article 'About Gurus' on the website.
Dr. Harish Arya: As you are giving much importance to Brahamcharya and then you are saying that you must be grahasthi between the age of 24-48yrs, then i have been confused that what should a person do whether he should be brahamcharya throughout his life because it is beneficial for the person or should be grahasthi that is not beneficial for person himself?
Swami Ramswarup: Strict Brahamcharya is maintained in student life and before marriage. Thereafter when a person enters the family life Vedas tell to adopt some rules. When the person follows the said rules, he is considered brahamchari in family life also. So Arjun, Sri Krishna Maharaj were also Brahamcharies in family life. I have written a book on this topic named Brahamcharya –Ek Dukh Nivarak Divya Manni (in Hindi). The book is available with M/s Vijay Kumar Govind Ram Hassanand (Nai Sadak, Delhi) and you can purchase the book from there, please only if you so desire.
Anxious: Respected Swamiji, you told in your questions that somewhere in Atharva Ved this is written that if someone will steal a little bit part of Yoga philosophy, I will crush him by feet, please tell the number of mantra where this is written. In the same way, you told that Yajur Veda says the boy and girl should not give their heart to each other before marriage, kindly mention the number of this also. (I am asking this because, I like reading translations of Vedas, I want to read the above mentioned mantras in their complete context.)
Swami Ramswarup: Please study Yajurveda mantra 8/9 and 10 idea of which is that marriage must be arranged based on the good qualities of the boy and girl and nobody should give heart to the opposite sex before marriage. Besides of said mantra, several Ved mantras of all four Vedas state to maintain strict Brahamcharya before marriage. I have written a book named Brahamcharya –Ek Dukh Nivarak Divya Manni (in Hindi) about Brahamcharya. The book can be sent on receipt of your postal address if you so desire, please. The cost of book is Rs. 100/- excluding postal charges.
God is formless and requires no feet. In this connection, Yajurveda mantra 40/5 clarifies that God does not move because He is formless and omnipresent.
As regards stealing etc., Atharvaveda mantra 12/5/28 states that the Vedas voice eats away the progeny of those who tear Ved Vanni into pieces. Idea of the mantra is that those who destroy the pious, eternal qualities of Vedas, they face dive consequences in the shape of destruction of their families. Atharvaveda mantra 12/5/35 states that he who snatches away or steals the Ved Vanni, he is defeated badly. Atharvaveda mantras 12/5/40, 41, 42 and 43 state that he who steals the Ved Vanni, he becomes poor and Ved Vanni like a fire of pyre eats away the defaulter. I mean to say, 12th kand and sukta 5 of Atharvaveda declare the punishment to those who harm the Vedas. I have quoted very few ideas of the above quoted Ved mantras. This kand also contains the mantra wherein God states to crush the defaulter.
Jagdish Chander: Swami Ji kya Grihasti ko Langot pahnana chahiye.
swami Ramswarup: If grihasti desires to maintain Brahmachraya forever, then he must use langot otherwise not.
Amit Dua: Respected Swamiji, in supplement to my previous question regarding Rukmini-haran, I want to ask some more questions about Subhadra-haran i.e. Why did Sri Krishna help Arjuna in kidnapping his own sister? Secondly, these types of marriages come under which category - (1) Was it a Gandharva Vivah or anything else? (2) Was it Svayamvar or a type of love marriage?
Swami Ramswarup: I have replied about Rukmanni-haran. The case of Arjun is similar where Subhadra loved Arjun and i.e., why Sri Krishna helped her. These marriages come under “Brahma Vivah”.
Amit Kumar: Do souls have gender and who decides that what body soul will have? Are we prakriti or purush? What is sukshem sharera? What is matter? Is mind made by matter or it is just notion? Why is mind so important if we have to realize anything?
Swami Ramswarup: No, please. Soul does not have gender i.e., why in Vedas. Soul is called Purush. When the soul comes in womb, then he attains body. Body decides male or female gender. I have written a book named- Brahamcharya- Ek dukh nivarak divya manni. If possible, the book should be studied. Prakriti is non-alive and soul is alive. Our body is made of prakriti but soul is ever separate from body and prakriti. Soul resides in body but soul is not body. Here Prakriti means non-alive matter. It has three qualities- Rajo gunn, tamo gunn and Sato gunn. Purush means almighty god. The power of Almighty God acts in prakriti, with the result universe is created. Yes, mind is made of matter i.e., prakriti.
(1)The creation is eternal and automatic. There is no date of creation of the following:
God: Almighty God who is alive, immortal, formless, creates, nurses and destroys the universe. He never indulges in any maya, mahamaya, illusion and deeds (good or bad. Yajurveda Mantra 40/8 and Yog shastra Sutra 1/26 also refer)
Soul: Soul is alive, the purest, away from sins etc. but illusion covers the soul due to which soul has forgotten his original form and hence remains in sorrows, problems etc.
Prakriti: Non-alive and has three qualities. i.e., Raj, tam, Satva. At a proper time, the power of God acts in prakriti and the universe is created. So the creation is eternal and automatic. Therefore no question that why it has been or not been created. So is the case of the soul i.e., automatically srishti is created and automatically souls come in body of living beings according to good or bad deeds.
Suppose, soul does not acquire body then it is a law that soul will remain in Sushupt avastha (like in coma). So what will be the use of man or woman who remains in coma for years together?
Vedas: At the time of non-sexual creation, Vedas emanate direct from God and are originated in the heart of four Rishis. This all is for the benefit of human beings. So Vedas are also eternal as Vedas have not been written by anybody.
So wrong being in coma like stage is that soul will be considered lazy and will be of no use for himself and for others. People when see a person in coma, they feel sad and shower mercy for him. But I may tell here strictly that these lines are based on assumption only which is dangerous klesh as per Yog shastra Sutra 1/6 and 1/9 being Vikalp Vriti, I have explained this Vritti in comments (detailed description) of Yog shastra which may be read there. In short, Vikalp Vritti is that vritti in which one being a lazy person will be thinking and creating own stories, the fact of which is never seen on the earth. For example –kapil Muni in his Sankhya Shastra sutra 5/52 states that such false knowledge is like a thought that man has horn on his head which is totally false. Secondly if someone says that the man is carrying bow made of horns of hare/rabbit. Whereas rabbit has no horns.
(1) In Vedas God has advised only that if human being wants happiness and to be away from diseases, sorrows, tensions, problems, death etc, then he should follow the Vedas and must do worship of God, otherwise he may avoid Vedas and worship. So there is no compulsion in Vedas to worship God. On the contrary, it is mentioned “Swantrata hi karta” i.e., man or woman are free to follow or not to follow the Vedas but result will be awarded by God. So the knowledge of Vedas is given by the God for the benefit of human beings and not for the benefit of God. Secondly, We all use sun, moon, air, water, earth and every matter of the universe made by God for our benefit and the use their of is already mentioned in Vedas. Then we become happy to utilize the same but still remain in diseases, problems, sorrows etc. Therefore if we obey spiritualism of the Vedas, we will really be happy. This is preached by God in Vedas. So it is upto the people. They may or may not follow the Vedas.
Yes, the God is not affected whether we praise Him or not but people are affected. Why? If we worship, we remain the happiest and if we do not worship we always remain in trouble, sorrows etc. God is our commander and even like our father. Father nurses and so does God while providing us with food etc. So there is only Almighty and omnipresent power in the shape of God who only selflessly nurses us and makes all materials available to us for our benefit. So if in return we do not thank Him then we are indulged in thanklessness which is further a great sin. A gentleman always try to thank the others for the deeds which have been done for him for his benefit. But if we do not remember God who is really more than an ocean/source of all benefits to us then what why will we not be called the most thankless.
(2) Souls are uncountable but God is one who is omnipresent. The soul who has got moksha will remain liberated in the next creation also and he even experiences the time of final destruction and the time of next creation.
(3) I think, I have not used the words mentioned by you please i.e., God can take back the power of a liberated soul also if it is not acting according to Vedas. Please send my exact words. However, soul gets moksha and not body. A yogi who has got moksha touches electric wire knowingly or unknowingly he will die. But soul residing within his body will not be affected. Or somebody gives poison to a liberated person, the effect of poison will be in his body and he will die, then too soul always remains unaffected. Question of not following the Vedic path after moksha never arises, please.
It must be clear that universal laws are always unchangeable. So it is not possible that human beings previously were monkeys and thereafter the tail vanished away etc. as stated in Rigveda mantra 10/190/3 that the process of creation in each universe remains the same for example sun, moon, air ,water,human body etc ., made in the previous universe are the same in this creation of universe as well. So men, women were never made in the shape of monkey etc.
Sthool body means the body which is being seen. sooksham shareer contains five prann, five organs, five suksham bhoot, man and buddhi(mind/intellect). This sharer remains with the soul after death also. Third is the karann sharer wherein the soul remains in the sound sleep. This shareer is form of prakriti.
Mind i.e., mann collects the data from five senses and sends it to intellect (Buddhi). The buddhi then sends it to soul to decide action etc. So mind and intellect both are necessary to observe each matter of universe, to study, the Vedas, to do worship etc., to realise God.
Kamalopama Narayani Devi Dasi Tapasyogini Saktisiva Devi: Pronam prabhu, I have been studying your answers and have these concerns because what I have read in the Vedas contradicts what you are writing. One answer you stated there was no caste system, perhaps you meant not jati-vad, because I am including quotes from the Yajur veda which delineates caste or jati-kram. the other statement you made was that there was no animal sacrifice, but I have read about the elaborate horse sacrifice in the Yajur veda, to different gods, including the sacrifice of other animals as well. I cannot resolve these contradictions, your answers with the Yajur veda. your knowledge of Sanskrit is much more vast then mine and I am just learning the devanagari script and still do not know much vocabulary and grammar. I was initiated a braani in brahma gaudiya vaishnava sampradaya. My guru maharaj was Bhaktisvarupa damodar swami, now deceased. My present acarya is tapasyogi Nandhi Kalathi Natha a siddha yogi from Tamil Nadu who swept away everything and just said, no religion, no caste, no idols. My other question is. I have studied dharma shashtra by Rishi apastamba and he delineated all types of duties for the castes. Is this a bogus text book and I cannot find the definition for arab in a Sanskrit dictionary. I want to know what is the law in dharma shastra is it true that if somebody explains one letter in theVveda then that is your acarya, teacher. thank you for your advice.
Swami Ramswarup: Yes, please. There is no caste-system (jati-vad) in the Vedas. In this regard, I have quoted several times Yajurveda mantra 40/11 wherein the God has clearly mentioned that caste is not by birth but is determined based on the deeds of a person. Please locate the said Ved mantra and if it is not located then send this question again.
Secondly, there is no animal sacrifice given in Vedas. All four Vedas use special word “Adhwar”, the meaning of which is non-violence, i.e., perform the Yajyen where in there must be no violence.
No please, it is not true that even if someone explains one letter of Ved, then he becomes acharya/teacher. The knowledge of all four Vedas is required to be preached. You have not quoted the Ved-mantras where animal sacrifice is endorsed. Please quote. Sure the interpretation of such Ved mantras would be false. However, I have written a book in English, named- Protect the holy Cow- Say Vedas. In the book, I have quoted several Ved mantras which strictly prohibited non-vegetarian food and slaughter of animals. The price of the book is Rs.40/- excluding postal charges. The book can be sent to you on receipt of your postal address, if you desire. Please also read the article on Ashwamedh Yajyen.
Kamalopama Narayani Saktisiva Devi: Please illumine my consciousness. I don't know my gotra, I was told it is kasyapa. I am racially mixed and born in the USA and initiated brahmani. I don´t know my family history entirely because some were taken as slaves from Africa. My character is not so bad. I do get a little passionate at times about philosophy and questions regarding morality. I forgot the verses that are causing my confusion about no caste and no animal sacrifice. Yajur veda Kanda 2, Prapathaka 8, hymn i.8.10.c 5, 7 hymn 7.6.d 1, 8 hymn i.8.3.d. Bhagavad gita, which is not really a Veda but chapter 18, verses 41-44.
Swami Ramswarup: You have quoted- Yajurveda, kand 2, prapathak 8, hymn (i), 8.10.c etc. But Yajurveda has only chapter number and mantra number. Please quote correct reference. Geeta shloka 18/41 to 44. As I told above, that Yajurveda mantra 31/11 states that the classes of society (Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra) are considered based on their deeds. For example- a boy takes birth in Brahmin family but he never studies Vedas and he has not controlled his five senses, five perceptions, mind and intellect but he takes non-vegetarian, food, addiction etc. Then he is considered shudra and vice-versa. Sri Krishna Maharaj in the above Geeta shloka also states that Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishyas, Shudra have different deeds and nature. Brahmin has qualities as quoted above, the warrior who protects nation and maintains justice is called Kshatriya and who has power to travel and distribute all types of goods to the public through his business, is called vaishyas and the person who has not studied well and does not have qualities of Brahmin, Kshatriya and vaishyas, he serves all the people to live upon and is called shudra but shudra are also human-beings and are not hated etc. In the remaining shlokas, Sri Krishna Maharaj has quoted different qualities/nature of the classes (division of society).
Chittaranjan: Poojaya Swamiji, "Brahm apni praja ke karmon ke phal ka theek theek vidhan karta hai." Accordingly, He decides the Jati, Aayu and Bhog on the basis of the actions of the Jeevatma. It stands to reason, therefore, that half the creation which is born as feminine gender, undergoes the part of the suffering as having been born as women; we may not know the specific karmas which qualify for being born as such, like any other cause and effect factors for our sufferings (bhog) but we cannot deny that Ling is also determined and decided by HIM. So, it should be correct to infer that Brahm alone decides the Ling along with the Jati, Aayu and Bhog of his Praja, as we are. It is said that the Atman has no Ling but the existence of the Ling cannot be denied. Can we deny the existence of the Stree-Jati itself? It may only be hypothetical to say that the Atman has no Ling. Your Abodh Balak.
Swami Ramswarup: Dear vatsa ji. My blessings to you. No doubt, the gender is based on the deeds of a person and decided by God. Decided means the divine deeds, nature and knowledge of Almighty God is automatic (Natural-Swabhavik) i.e., takes place automatically. So jeevatma takes his body accordingly.
Megrajh Rampersad: Swamijee, Pranaam! Our priests in South Africa perform ceremonies after the death of a person. Food is taken out and kept outside with the explanation that the soul of the deceased comes and enjoys the aroma of the food. Is this true? What is the Vedic teachings as regards death ceremonies? I do no accept that we can do anything for the dead. We must serve the person when alive.
Swami Ramswarup: Soul of the deceased never comes again to enjoy aroma of food etc. it should be known by everyone that God blesses us with human body. Then a baby becomes able to take milk from mouth and young man to take food from mouth and uses rest of the organs and mind etc., accordingly. When a man becomes dead, soul comes out from the body, and his body is cremated. Then the soul cannot eat, listen, taste, see etc., remains in Sushupt avastha i.e., like in coma till he takes next body. This all is mentioned in Yajurveda chapter 39, please.
As regards death ceremony, Yajurveda mantra 40/15 states- Bhasmantang Shareeram” i.e., human body must be burnt on pyre. After such cremation no deed is left to be done for the departed soul, say Vedas, please. Such cremation is called daah sanskar which is the sixteenth sanskar of human life.
Antyeshti is also a pious sanskaar. When soul goes out from the body and body thus becomes dead then cremation is called antyeshti sanskaar. This is also done while offering aahutis, in burning pyre (chita), of Ved mantras mentioned in 39th chapter of Yajurveda.
Cremation is mentioned in Yajurveda mantra 40/15 and also in Yajurveda chapter 39th. Aryans always follow the preach of Vedas being eternal and emanates direct from God. Secondly cremation kills all the germs of dead body which are harmful to the public. Soul goes out from the body then only body is declared dead. Soul is eternal and immortal and takes next birth according to deeds.
So, you are also right that services to parents, elders, relatives is to be rendered when they are alive because no one can do anything for the departed soul after death. Departed soul remains in the space for thirteen days in sushupt avastha (unconscious stage) the soul goes in womb under the control of Almighty God. The soul gets human, animal, birds or insects bodies based on his pious deeds or sins. So within the period of thirteen days, when soul remains unconscious in the space, nobody can do anything for the soul and after taking birth, when soul goes in womb, he is fed by the mother.
Manohar Lal Goel: Respected Swami ji, Pranam Recieved reply regarding re-birth of fore-fathers thanks. I have one more question regarding re-birth of humans as trees & vanspati, etc. Please explain in detail in how many shapes soul can take re-birth & for how much time?
Swami Ramswarup: Trees, vanspati come under udbhij yoni i.e., who are born from earth and are liable to be situated permanently at a place. The birth of soul takes place in numerous shapes and time is also awarded by almighty God based on previous deeds of the animals, birds, insects etc. And as regards human beings, the age is awarded, based on previous deeds as well as present pious deeds of person which increase his age.
Jay Wisdome: I have a question, is it true that woman's not can pronouns the word OHm and the gayaterie mantra and other mantras? Is there something written in the Vedas about this topic? What they are allowed or not?
Swami Ramswarup: No please, it is wrong that woman can’t pronounce OM. Actually body is called woman or man but not soul. We have been given human body to experience Almighty God. So soul has to realise God and not body. Therefore all spiritual preaches are equally applicable for woman or man.
So all four Vedas state that every soul in human body is entitled to study Vedas, to do worship and to realise God, please. Otherwise there will be favourism on the part of God which is quite impossible as the God is our supreme judge.
Shaswata: I have realized myself. Is soul brahma?
Swami Ramswarup: Your experiences stated by you that you have realised yourself is really a great achievement and you could know that you are soul. The views of present Vedant that soul is Brahma is not mentioned in Vedas, please. In this connection, I have written books named- Vedant and eternal philosophy of Vedas- Part I and II. I would advise you to read the books if you desire. If you have already received my books please confirm receipt. As far my personal experiences are concerned, as you have asked, it is a lengthy subject and nowadays, I am totally busy to perform annual Yajyen of four Vedas which will continue uptil 22nd of June, 2008. So, after 22nd June, I shall try to write something. Nowadays, I have to devote more than six hours in Yajyen daily and then in other spiritual writing works which take about five to six hours daily. I bless you heartily to continue your worship which is the main motto of your human life, please.
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Post your Questions
You can send in questions to Swami Ji about their problems, current issues, spirituality, Yoga, God, etc. He will reply to your questions and the answers
will be emailed to you. All personal questions and their replies are kept confidential.
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Yoga Lectures
The lectures on Yoga are prepared by
Swami Ram Swarup Ji. They are divided into:
Lecture 1
Origin of Yoga
The first Guru
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Gayatri Mantra
Everybody wants peace and happiness. Nobody wants a single sorrow. That is why the soul is bounded with Karma (deeds) theory that whatever the soul wants it
is not necessary that she will get it. It is rightly said that man proposes, God disposes. However the origin of soul in human body is empowered to burn all
the sorrows by virtue of worship the God to get happy, peaceful life and even to attain Salvation. In this pious way Gayatri Mantra is very much beneficial
for human beings.
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