Anil Kumar: Swami Ji, since every soul has ultimately to go back to God, then why has God created this world? Why doesn’t He just give salvation to the souls? Please explain.
Swami Ram Swarup: You see, soul is immortal, if soul does not take human body/living body under administration of God then soul would be comparable to a lazy person who sits at one place and does not do any, job would it be good? Salvation is not an easy achievement. It is fundamental law that God gives salvation to those who follow the Vedic eternal path wherein listening to Vedas, daily name jaap of God, yajyen and practice of Yoga Philosophy is to be done.
Why God has created the universe?
It is usually asked as to why God should create all this at all. Why indicates “mark of interrogation” i.e., question, that is, what is the reason behind? So, actually the above question will be what is the reason behind creation of the universe? Its answer will be that creation is eternal. A deep study of four Vedas reveals that God, prakriti and souls are called “Swayambhu”. Swayambhu means which has not been made by anyone. The universe is created from prakriti but prakriti is non-alive and God is alive. At a stipulated time (which is eternal) power of God (not God) acts in prakriti and universe is created. This creation is eternal then the power of God nurses the creation and automatically at a stipulated time, the final destruction takes place. So creation, nursing and destruction take place automatically at a fixed time. It means creation, nursing and destruction is eternal and God has not to decide or even think for the same. So question does
not arise to put question that why God should create all this at all.
Freedom to the human beings to do good or bad deeds is also eternal and thus everlasting but God awards the result of deeds. So naturally, here also the question of grading etc., does not arise because such process is eternal and everlasting. It is only for the person to decide whether he follows true path of Vedas for long, happy life and to attain salvation or he wants to be indulged in illusion to do sins etc. God has nothing to do for the same, being eternal law. Keeping the above views in mind, to give or not to give freedom is now not a question please.
God has not only given the freedom to do good or bad deeds but he has blessed us with the knowledge of Vedas wherein other pious rules and regulations to live a long, happy life have been mentioned. For e.g.: In Yajurveda, God states that the best pious deed is Yajyen, to be performed by all. Then moral duties have been mentioned to be discharged. In Vedas, God has warned that if anybody will not obey the preach of God mentioned in Vedas then only the God will punish the defaulter.
So naturally, the sins are done when people do not listen to Vedas or do not make contact with learned Acharya. Yes, if God could not have preached us in Vedas to follow pious path. Then it would have been the fault of God only. But really, God is merciful and has showered all blessings upon us in Vedas to follow.
SUPPOSE SOUL DOES NOT TAKE BIRTH THEN WHAT WILL HAPPEN?
The form of soul is also eternal and immortal. So soul never meets with death. It is only living being’s body which after leaving the soul, becomes dead and is cremated. So at this juncture the soul does not take living being’s body. Then it will remain unconsciously in the space. The soul will then ever remain in unconscious (coma-like) condition. Now, suppose a person remains in coma, it means he is not able to do anything and even will not be liked by anybody. So will be the case of soul who will be in a position like in coma and will be of no use. The self-made story which I have told above is actually not applicable for the soul because the creation is eternal and automatic.
God has no desire of creation etc., please. He is devoid of desires. As I have told above, the creation is eternal and automatic, however the creator is God. Automatically at an appropriate time, the minutest divine power of God acts in non-alive prakriti and creation starts. So one should be cleared that God even does not create the universe. He is mere efficient cause (in Hindi Nimit Karann) . and the prakriti is eminent cause (in Hindi Upadaan karann). So, actually the God is Nimit-Upadan Karann of creation.
In reality, the soul does not always remain in Sushupt (coma) stage but by doing pious deeds according to Vedas, soul experiences most divine merriment after attaining salvation following the path of Vedas. So, God bestows mercy on public and has blessed us with human body and eternal knowledge of Vedas to attain salvation.
So we are free to do good or bad deeds but result is awarded by God according to previous lives’ deeds. So souls take birth at his own, if the soul does purely pious deeds according to four Vedas why will he get rebirth? That is soul will not take birth. So creation is eternal and if could not be then we would have been like an idle stone thrown in dense jungle.
Yes, there is chance only in human life to make birth pious, extraordinary and long, happy and healthy by following Vedas. As regards mistakes, Vedas state about previous life and present lives’ deeds. It is bad luck of human being if they do not listen Vedas to know the mistake of previous human-lives. Our present birth is based on deeds of previous lives. Present and future happiness as well as birth also depends on present pious deeds based on Vedas.
So present life is golden chance to avoid sins in present life and to kill the oceans of sins and other deeds which is called “Sanchit” karma of previous lives. So it is our minds’ thought which forces us to blame the God to say that He has created drama which is, if you do not mind, please, a sin
Purpose of soul acquiring body
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?
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.
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 thereof 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.
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.
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.
M. Rampersad: Swamijee, pranaam! What is the soul? Where in the body it resides? What is its nature when it is in the body and when it is out of the body. Thank you for your explanation about death ceremonies. I am a bit puzzled about the soul’s journey to the various places mentioned in your response. Please elaborate on this as it seems odd. If the soul takes a lower birth what does it have to do to move towards obtaining moksha? These questions are worrying me.
Swami Ram Swarup: My blessings to you. In this connection, I would like to paste my article below. Please, study the article and send remaining query, if any. In short, soul is alive matter; when soul comes in womb then he is blessed by God with corporal human body, made of five non-alive matters. In body, soul resides in left eye when a person is awake; in throat when he is dreaming in sleep; in heart when person is taking sound sleep. Since soul is alive matter therefore mind, intellect, chitta, five senses, five organs of body work due to presence of soul in body.
When soul leaves the body, the human body stops working and is called dead. When soul leaves body then soul remains in sushupt Stage i.e., coma like or unconscious stage.
Soul, at this stage , is not able to do any deed or to see, listen etc., because materialistic organs and senses have been burnt on pyre at the time of death, by which soul used to do deeds, listen, see etc. Then, based on previous lives’ deeds, soul goes to next womb of mother. You see, if a soul gets animals’/birds’/insects’ body etc., then he faces the result of previous lives’ deeds. While facing result of deeds, a stage comes when pious deeds and sins are equalized. Then soul gets human body.
QUALITIES OF SOULS (JEEVATAMA)
Soul is alive. Soul has to face the result of his deeds. Soul takes body of human beings, animals, birds, trees etc., according to deeds of past lives. Soul feels sorrow, happiness etc., through body. When soul leaves body, it feels nothing but carries all karma to be faced in next birth through his chitta’s (chitta) vritti (vritti).
Souls are innumerable but are constant in number having similar qualities like being pure, immortal, alive etc. Soul is infinitesimally small, is invisible. The bodies of all living beings contain souls.
Not God but soul has desire, hatred/malice, merriment, sufferings, attachment etc. While attracting itself towards materialistic articles made of prakriti soul forgets his original form. As a result, soul recognizes himself as body. This is the stage of soul being unwise.
“NA TAM VIDATH YA IMA JAJAANANYUDYUSHMAKAMANTARAM BABHOOVA,
NEEHAREINN PRAVRITA JALAPYA CHASUTRIP UKTHASHASCHARANTI.”
(RIGVEDA MANTRA 10/82/7)
(TAM) that God (NA) not ( VIDATH) known (YAH) who (EMA) all worlds (JAJANN) creates and (YAT) from you (ANYAT) separate from other souls(YUSHMAKAM) from you (ANTARAM) with in all (BABHOOVA) is (NIHAREINN) fog like smoke (YAT) that God (PRAVARITAHA) covered (JALAPYAHA) baseless discussion (ASUTRIPAHA) satisfied only in Prann [breathing system] (UKTHASHASAHA) only paying lip service (CHARANTI) deals or behaves.
Meaning: Like an invisible matter which is covered with fog similarly dealing in only lip service and indulging in baseless discussion and are satisfied in their breathing system, Oh! Man-woman, you do not know the God who creates the five matters/universe and the God who is separate from other souls and who is within all.
S: Jai shri Ram, Swamiji what is pitri dosh and what we need to do to remove it. Please advise. Thanks and best regards
Swami Ram Swarup: My blessings to you, my daughter.
“Pitr Dosh”
Pitr means those who look after us to educate, to nurse, and to protect us etc. So the said dignitaries are mother, father, grandfather, elders, acharya, etc. Hence, the pitr who have gone to heavenly abode, for those no pitr dosh is there.
Vedas are eternal knowledge direct from God wherein such kaal sarp yog, pitr dosh etc., are not mentioned, so you need not to worry. Daily havan even with Gayatri mantra, which is a great worship of God will give you benefit. The meaning of kaal is also time. So death comes according to time for which the God has given life to us. This is all based on our previous lives’ pious deeds and sins. So there is no effect of kaal sarp yog, pitr dosh etc., in the life, but effect of deeds (karmas) only. So, one must always do pious deeds to be happy. Present pious deeds can burn our previous deeds also and life’s time can also be extended wide Yajurveda mantra 3/62.
