Anonymous: Swamiji Namaste I do mediatation daily but when I get problems I loose faith in GOD, so then I started taking Alcohol assuming as it is I have to suffer and die then why not to enjoy and die. Is God really going to help me and when?
Swami Ram Swarup: Namaste. The meaning of faith in Hindi as well as in Sanskrit is to accept the eternal and everlasting matter. Ashtang Yoga philosophy in which Yam, Niyam, asan, prannayam, pratyahaar, dharnna, dhyan, Samadhi are included, emanates from the eternal knowledge of the Vedas. You know, Vedas knowledge emanates direct from God and is originated in the heart of four Rishis.
So every devotee did practice of ashtang Yoga Philosophy faithfully and selflessly. Selflessly means that the devotee did not bother about any obstacle while practicing Yoga Philosophy. Instead they tried to remove the obstacle and they won with the grace of God. In your case, my dear son you’ve not still known the true path of Ashtang Yoga Philosophy. Otherwise question of loosing faith in God could not arise and such unfaithfulness is even a great sin because due to our laziness, lack of concentration, lack of firm decision to follow true path, we discontinue our worship/path and baselessly we blame the God which is a sin. So, please be brave and get victory in your life.
I would advise you to study some of my spiritual books which will assist you to gain confidence in the eternal Yoga Philosophy and Vedas. Some spiritual CDs are also available in which I’ve sung spiritual songs which will also give you immense knowledge. The Cds and books, which ever you choose, can be sent on receipt of your postal address if you desire.
Anonymous: Swamiji how does karma theory and concept of free will works. For example as said by the Vedas we are free to do whatever we like , in this regard if a ,male rapes a female than it is his free will but does that also mean that it is the bad karma of the female. That rape was an event in her life that had to happen. Other instances could be accidents by druken driving where it is the free will of the driver to drink and drive but what if he crushed innocent children. Was it already fixed that those children would die in this manner? Please explain.
Swami Ram Swarup: As asked by you, the meaning of free will actually is this that we are free to do any type of deed (karma) i.e., pious deeds or sins but result will be awarded by Almighty God in the shape of happiness and sorrows respectively. So, Vedas tell that we have been blessed by God with human body to make contact with learned acharya of Vedas and yoga philosophy to follow the eternal Vedic path which inspires us only to do pious deeds, to make our life long and happy and obliterate previous lives’ sins etc., so that they would not harm us. Rape cases are always condemned and is a heinous crime punishment for which is awarded by present administration and thereafter Almighty God also. So, naturally such cases are done duly indulged in illusion and are counted as kriyamaan karmas. My article regarding karma’s philosophy is also appended below-
Three types of Deeds
There are three types of deeds (karmas) – sanchit, prarabhadh and kriyamann. Suppose one soul has to take birth (body). It means he has to face total number of deeds of his all previous lives and these deeds are called sanchit karmas but sanchit deeds are huge/unlimited and cannot be faced in one life. So the karmas which can be faced in one life are called prarabhadh (luck-destiny). So God has not made our luck at His own but Almighty God has taken the deeds which we have already done.
Yajurveda mantra 7/48 clarifies that human being is free to do any deed good or bad but God only awards the result. Now the balance deeds from sanchit deeds will be counted in the next life. Now the deeds which we do in our day today present life are called kriyamann.
If we do pious deeds according to Vedas, shastras and holy books and based on pious preaches of Rishi, Muni/learned saints then our all sanchit deeds are burnt and we can get salvation. Human beings are free in the matter of doing deeds good or bad. But result will be awarded by God. So we must worship and do pious deeds under guidance of a learned Guru. One should go always ahead for hard working, pious deeds, worship to make future bright himself. One should always work hard towards a right path.
Worship does not mean that we are free to discharge only our family duties, education, etc., but rather it is a sin. We have to get progress in both way at a time i.e., spiritualism and worldly progress i.e., science, education, duties towards family etc. God creates the universe according to His eternal law framed in Vedas which are always unchangeable and unchallengeable. So we have to follow the law of God always to get long happy life.
REMOVING BINDINGS OF KARMA (KARMA BANDHAN)
Pain or suffering of karmas is unlimited since the load of sanchit karmas is uncountable. But all karmas (deeds- good or bad) can be burnt in the present life by doing real worship of God. It may take next birth also according to the amount of time and dedication with which an aspirant pursues his worship.
So the real remedy is to follow the eternal path of four Vedas. One should listen Vedas from an experienced Acharya who knows Vedas as well as Ashtang Yoga philosophy, which also exists in Vedas. Regular guidance of learned Acharya is needed by the aspirant.
Who says that God is sitting idle? Otherwise, who else is controlling the universe? Who is giving justice to human-beings in this divine court of law? How the wind is blowing, earth is moving, sun is revolving, sun and moon are bringing about the production of crops, who is controlling birth and death, who is laughing with in the blooming flowers? Who awakes us in the morning and under whose power do we retire to our beds to sleep and under whose supervision our digestive system works? Who has created the whole universe and matters etc.
We are taking rest but God never does so. He is our commander and He showers mercy on us by donating the whole world to us along with knowledge of four Vedas to make us learned but most of the people get indulged only in materialistic articles of the world and forget Almighty God and hence the sorrows, problems, tensions, diseases etc., devolve over them.
As regards war, hatred, terrorism, etc. it is man-made problem created because of lack of knowledge of Vedas. Yajurveda mantra 7/48 clearly states that human beings are free to do good or bad deeds but result is awarded by God accordingly in the shape of happiness and sorrows respectively.
To consume the wine though is free will but is a sin being against the Vedas’ philosophy. So, the concerned persons are awarded punishment by God, as per Vedas.
