Anupam: Swamiji please give me correct translation and interpretation chandogya Upanishads 1/6/6 God like human shape (shakar).
Swami Ram Swarup: Nowadays I’m very much busy in spiritual tasks and I’m showing my inability to all the loving readers to translate any ved mantra etc., being a lengthy task. Therefore here I’m only writing the idea of chhandogyopnishad from shloka 1/6/6 to 1/6/8:- Rishi has told that he has described in the last shloka 8 a word “Iti adhidaivatum”. Kapil muni states in Sankhya Shastra sutra 1/1 that there are three types of sorrows as follows:

Sankhya shastra tells that soul has to face three types of sorrows i.e., Adhyatmik, adhibhautik and adhidaivik and by following the spiritual path i.e., practice of Ashtang Yoga Philosophy etc., and achieving asceticism soul can attain salvation.

So, we’ll understand that adhidaivik is the description of sorrows given by earth, water, fire, air etc. I mean to say the Rishi of chhandogyopnishad quoting the word” Adhidaivatum” has described that in the above quoted shlokas he has described about the non-alive matters –sun etc., not alive matter – the formless, almighty God. Rishi has like a poet, has imagined the sun in the form of golden purush otherwise Yajurved mantra7/42 states about God –“ surya atma jagastasthush………………….” i.e., formless , almighty God who is the form of divine light is a soul of non-alive sun i.e., formless God gives the light rays etc., to the sun.

Harikrishna: Who is authorised to perform Havan. Can anybody perform havan. What are the woods used for havan?
Swami Ram Swarup: In the beginning of the earth, the knowledge of the Vedas emanates directly from Almighty God for all the mankind. Vedas only tell to perform Yajyen/hawan with ved mantras which is a worship of God as well as it purifies the atmosphere. However, there are unlimited benefits of performing Yajyen/havan. So everybody who desires is authorized to perform havan with ved mantras. However, process of performing yajyen/havan must be learnt under the guidance of a learned acharya of Vedas. So, one should make contact with the nearest local Arya samaj mandir for the same. Regarding woods, my article is as under-

Best wood for havan

Mango tree is the best for havan and next is bargad, peepal, sheesham, beri. Especially from mango tree, a matter is released on burning, which is natural insecticide. Phenyl (disinfectant) is also prepared from mango twig. Mango tree also releases less smoke (Carbon Dioxide) than other woods.

Santa: Namaste ji, In sanskarvidhi Garbhadhanm Parkarnam, Pushaya nakshtra mentioned for garbhanam. How we understand it? Is it affects human beings? If not, why it is mentioned in sanskarvidhi page no.47?
Swami Ram Swarup: Namasteji. No nakshtra has been mentioned on the page 47 of sanskarvidhi . Please quote the correct number.