Gaurav: Jeevan Kaisa Ho?
Swami Ram Swarup: Jeevan mein Ishwar bhakti ke bina kabhi bhi sukh prapt nahin hota. Isliye jeevan to sukhmaye ho parantu Ishwar bhakti bina sukh kahaan? Ishwar bhakti se hee hamein sadaachaar, indriya sanyam, meetha bolna aata hai aur jeevan sukhmaye ho jaata hai. Lekin yeh bhi dhyan rakhein ki Ishwar bhakti ke gyan bina ved gyata guru ke kabhi nahi hota. Isliye hamein ved ke gyata, Yogabhyasi aur Indriya sanyami Guru kee sharann mein rehna chahiye.

R: We have faced few setbacks. Though this news saddened us but we took in the spirit that whatever God decides is the best, our job is to work hard. As both of us are quiet , believe in gaining Knowledge and follow our path, and away from pretentions and showoff, which does not gel with the professional culture where the environment is away from our parent culture of ancestors. It affects professional life. With regards and Seeking for guidance
Swami Ram Swarup: My blessings to you all, my daughter. your views are appreciated, my daughter except the last line starting with “which does not gel with professional culture…. Affects professional life ” In this connection, I would like to state that those who follow the eternal path of Vedas and thus try to be away from the prakriti chakra (death-birth cycle) while discharging all family duties faithfully never bother about materialistic gains and losses etc. This is also said in 12th chapter of Bhagwad Geeta that-

“YO NA HRISHYATI NA DVESHTI NA SHOCHTI NA KANGSHATI,
SHUBHASHUBHPARITYAGI BHAKTIMAANYAHA SA ME PRIYAHA.”
(Bhagwad Geeta shloka 12/12)

i.e., aspirant should always be stable either in gain or in loss.

Please, read the explanation of the above shloka in the book- Bhagwad Geeta- Ek Vedic Rehasya-II (in Hindi) worth Rs.400/-, excluding postal charges. It can be sent on receipt of your postal address, if you desire.

Even, I would advise you to read shloka 12/11 which contains the word- Sarvkarma Phaltyagam; shloka 12/15, shloka 12/16, 12/18 and 19.

You see, Mira, Sri Ram, Sri Krishna Maharaj and every Rishi-Muni got the materialistic articles which they obtained satisfactorily to live upon and not extended their desire.

Again, my blessings to you all, my daughter.

Vikash: Pranaam, Swamiji just wanted to know that if there is a puja for pitra on a daily basis if yes what is the mantra?. Thank you
Swami Ram Swarup: My blessings to you, my son. Meaning of the word “Pitra” applies both Pitra i.e., those who have gone to heavenly abode and others who are alive. So, daily Pitra pooja i.e., giving them respect, honour by providing them with food, clothes, residence, good behaviours is required for the alive pitra. Here, the meaning of pitra is alive parents, grandparents, learned acharya etc., including all the elders.

As regards, the Pitra who have gone to heavenly abode nobody can do their pooja by any means. In this connection, I paste my articles below-

Anna Daan/Shradh to departed soul

Vedas are eternal knowledge which emanate direct from God at the beginning of every universe. Being the knowledge direct from God, each statement of Ved mantra is also eternal truth.

Thirty-ninth chapter of Yajurveda states about death. The soul when leaves the human body remains under control of a divine air named “Sutratma vayu”. Mantras tell that after wandering unconsciously for thirteen days in the space and planets like Sun, moon, etc., soul comes again on this earth inside the vegetation. Then either the soul enters the male living being’s body according to pious deeds and sins through pores or is duly mixed within vegetation and taken by a male person. Then the soul takes rebirth through parents.

This process is an eternal truth. However, if soul is religious and has done hard tapasya then the soul gets salvation. Only soul has to face the result of previous lives’ deeds through living being’s body. Since soul is alive whereas body is non-alive matter. So body does not face the result of deeds. When soul has gone out of body then how the soul will see, hear, taste, smell or touch or will be benefited of any pious deed etc.? Therefore Vedas do not tell about the present system of shradh etc.

However, the pious deeds done to remember the departed soul by means of devotion or organising the holy Yajyen with Ved mantras, its result never goes in vain and the family is benefited.

Departed soul never meets again please. Even departed soul, when take rebirth, forgets every event of his previous life. As regards dreams Atharvaveda states that dreams of departed soul are not good so it is in your interest and welfare that you do not see dreams.

Attachment (about Soul & Body)

Relationship is always made at least between two matters which are always separate from each other. One says that this is his house. So house is separate and person is separate. Another says that this is my house, my son, my wife etc. So person is separate, his house, son and wife are also separate from each other. That is why the relation was made.

Similarly when someone says that this is his head and leg, ear and eyes etc., so here also it is clear that the person who is making relation with head, eyes etc., is separate and the said organs and the whole body are separate. Otherwise relation cannot be made. No one on the earth says that he is eye, he is head, he is leg, he is body etc., but always says that all the organs of body belong to him. So naturally question arises that who, “HE” is to say that this is his head.

Here “HE” means “SOUL” who resides in the body. Rigveda mantra 1/164/20 says that this body is like a tree. Tree is destroyed one day. So body made by prakriti’s five matters (earth, air, water, space, fire) is destructible, prakriti being non-alive. In said tree, God and soul also reside and both are alive matters.

God is omnipresent but soul is not omnipresent and resides at only one place at one time. Suppose we are sitting in a dark room in the night then we are unable to do any task like studying but in the light of electric bulb we are able to do job. Similarly human body only works when the soul resides in it. That is soul works like an electric bulb otherwise we daily see so many deaths of youngsters also whose healthy body is there but does not work, eye can not see, ear can not listen etc., so which matter (tatv) had left the body. Yes, it is only soul.

Anand: If any body gets pregnant during chandra gahan, what will be the effects on baby….. pls tell us in detail…
Swami Ram Swarup: No effect will be on baby as Chandra grahan or Surya grahan are not made by God for harming us.

Mehar: Swami ji I want to ask a question to you why my wishes can’t be fulfilled? I want to connect to God but due to this reason I am always upset with God and get into depression.
Swami Ram Swarup: Wishes are several but the pious wishes/desires are fulfilled for those who worship and pray to Almighty God and accordingly do the hard work to fulfill it. First, the contact is made with a learned acharya of Vedas and Yoga philosophy under whose guidance, the aspirant listens to vedic culture and learns how to do jaap, asan, meditation etc. Otherwise, how can a man make contact with a formless, Almighty, Omnipresent God directly? Rules of good human-beings are known from a learned acharya when he teaches from Yajurveda and other holy culture otherwise who is capable to know without gaining the knowledge of good deeds? You are therefore advised to make contact with learned acharya of Vedas and Yoga philosophy locally because I am away and I can’t teach you. In the meantime, to attain peace of mind, I advise you to do the following as under-

GAYATRI MANTRA

The Gayatri mantra is as follows —

OM BHURBHUVAHA SWAHA TATA SAVITUR VARENYAM BHARGODEVASYA
DHIMAHI DHIYO YO NAHA PRACHODYAT

Meaning of Gayatri mantra stating each word is as follows. Its meaning is based on
Vedas and Sanskrit grammar. Grammatical hints are in short please.

Om has three Hindi words. Aa, Uu AND Ma. Aa is meant for Aakaar from which three
names of God are built, Viraat, Agni, and Vishwadi. From Uu = uukar from which
Hirannyagarbha, Vayu and Tejas names occur and Ma = makaar from which Ishwar,
Aditya and Praajyan aadi, holy names of God occur. Rigveda mantra 1/164/46 says
God is one but His names are several. But here OM the holy name of God is only
being explained.

VIRAAT = Viraat word is made from dhatu ‘Rajrideeptau’ i.e., manifest. Therefore
Viraat means He who manifests the universe. As God manifests the universe, thus
Viraat is the name of God. Rigveda mandal 10, sukta 129 states that like potter
makes pot from clay, similarly God creates universe from non-alive matter prakriti.
Prakriti is unseen matter. From unseen matter, the whole universe is created in the
visible form. Science also says that matter is never destroyed but changes its form.
Suppose a paper is burnt, paper changes its form into ashes. Then ashes are crushed
and thrown in air. At this moment, the paper changed into ashes becomes invisible
but was never destroyed. Similarly the whole universe at the time of final destruction
is turned into prakriti i.e., into unseen form.

AGNI = From dhatu, “ANCHU GATI POOJANAYOHO” the word “AGNI is made. Its
meaning is: He who is a form of wisdom. “SARVAJAYEN” i.e., Omniscient. That is,
knows each and every atom of universe and even beyond universe. He who is to be
known, to be gained and is worshipful. So Agni is the name of God.

VISHWA = Vishwa word is made from dhatu, “VISHPRAVESHANE”. Its meaning is He
in whom the universe is entering or He who is entering the universe. So being
omnipresent, Vishwa is the name of God.

HIRANNYAGARBHA = i.e., ” JYOTIRVAYIHIRANYAM”. Its meaning is, who is the base
of all sun, etc., luminous lokas or He who is the living place of all luminous lokas.
VAYU = from dhatu, “VA GATIGANDHANYOHO”, vayu word is made. Its meaning is
He who holds, gives life and destroys and is the mightiest amongst all. So the name
of God is Vayu.

TEJ = from dhatu, “TIJA NISHANE”, the word Tej is made meaning He who is self
made and self-enlightened and gives light to sun, moon, stars etc. God does not take
light from anywhere but gives light to sun, moon, stars, etc. so the unbroken,
unobstructed/unproduced and eternal form of light is Almighty God and not sun,
moon etc. So the name of God is Tej.

ISHWAR = from dhatu, “ISH ASHWERIYE”, the word Ishwar is made. Its meaning is
whose knowledge is thoughtful and true and He who has unlimited wealth, fortune
and glory etc. Therefore the name of God is Ishwar. Here it is not out of place to
mention that soul (man/woman) has limited qualities and are dependent whereas
God is independent and has unlimited qualities that is why He is God.

ADITYA = from dhatu, “DO AVAKHANDANE”, Aditya word is made. Its meaning is the
one who cannot be broken into pieces and thus cannot be destroyed. So God’s name
is Aditya.

PRAJAYEN (PRAGYA) = from dhatu, “JYEN AVABODHANE”, Prajayen word is made
meaning whose wisdom is totally without any misunderstanding and thus he who
knows every matter and behavior of whole universe without misunderstanding. So
God’s name is Prajayen. So here also it is not out of place to mention that illusion
can never attack on God and God is totally free from illusion.

BHUHU = “BHUHU ITI VAYEE PRANAHA” i.e., He who is the base of lives of universe,
is most beloved, even more than Prann i.e., breath. So Bhuhu is the name of God.

BHUVAHA= “BHUVAHA ITI APANAHA” i.e., He who is totally free from any sorrow,
and the soul removes his own all sorrows after coming in contact with Him. So the
name of God is Bhuvaha.

SWAHA = i.e., “SWAHA ITI VYANAHE” who is omnipresent in the universe and is
holding the same. So the name of God is Swaha.

SAVITUHU = He who creates the universe. So the name of God is Savituhu.

DEVSYA= who gives all pleasure/merriment, so the name of God is Dev.

VARENNYAM = He who is the most supreme and acceptable. God is most supreme
and acceptable for worship.

BHARGAHA = the purest entity (though God is formless, but finding no suitable
English word of Sanskrit word, “SHUDH SWARUPAM” the word entity has been used.)

TAT = i.e., the God i.e., of the purest entity.

DHIMAHI = i.e., we must hold (sort of meditation) because

YAHA = the God

NAHA = our,

DHIYAHA = mind(i.e., in our minds)

PRACHODYAT = by inspiration (fulfil the mind with wisdom)

MEANING
“We meditate the God who is the base of lives’ of universe, totally free from any sorrow, omnipresent, creates the universe, gives all pleasure/merriment, most supreme and acceptable, purest entity; May the God enlighten our minds with wisdom by His inspiration”.

Here it is not out of place to mention that idea of a (one) Ved mantra is based on ideas of several Ved mantras. So in the above Gayatri mantra, there are three things —-

Bhuhu, Bhuvaha, Swaha, Savituhu, Bhargaha, Devsya are some qualities amongst unlimited qualities of God. These are called Stuti i.e., to say about God with His real qualities and not self made etc.

Secondly Dhimahi means meditation i.e., one should always sit in meditation and do hard and pious deeds for which he will have to study Vedas in full, while discharging moral duties towards family and nation.

Third and last is DHIYO YO NAHA PRACHODYAT. It is a prayer to God explanation of which is cited above.

How to do havan

Please sit in the morning to perform havan. Havan must be in sunlight then it is more beneficial. Then half a bowl of fresh water with a tablespoon must be with you with small twigs especially of mango tree if possible, havan samagri, ghee, camphor and match box must be there with you. Please sit on sukh asan on four times folded blanket and blanket must be on mat.

Sukh asan i.e., sit on duly folded feet in comfortable position. Then first close your eyes and concentrate between two eyebrows and chant Gayatri mantra three times within heart and not by mouth. Then open your eyes.

Take one spoon of water in right palm. Chant this mantra, OM AMRITO UPASTRANMASI SWAHA and drink the water which you have put in your palm. Then again take the spoon of water in right palm then chant the next mantra, OM AMRITA APIDHANMASI SWAHA, and drink the water. Then again take the water in right palm and chant the mantra, OM SATYAM YASHAH SHRI MAYI SHRI SHRAYTAAM SWAHA, and drink the water. Then wash the right palm while sitting, with the same water kept in bowl.

Then put the twigs into havan kund with one piece of camphor and burn it. During this process chant the Gayatri mantra again and again till such time the fire is lighted sufficiently. Then chant the Gayatri mantra and at the last add the word Swaha and offer ghee with tablespoon, quantity equivalent to 4 to 5 drops. And if you are alone then also offer in fire pinch of havan samagri from your right hand’s finger and thumb avoiding forefinger. So this offering may be of 11 times, 21 times or 51 times as the time suits. It is the simplest way and I have not quoted the complete method of Yajna. The havan with Ved mantras are always offered as the best worship of God only please. Do havan daily and both times.

Procedure of Chanting

Please, start the day by chanting Gayatri mantra in the early morning sitting on suitable asan like Sukhasan, Siddhasan or Padmasan etc. concentrate on the point between two eyebrows which is called “Agyachakra”. The Gayatri mantra should be chanted along with its meaning both times. Also, please try to perform daily hawan even with Gayatri mantra. Then try to study any of my books daily and put up question if any. After 15 days chant the Gayatri mantra only thrice thereafter do the name jaap of Almighty God-“Om”. The jaap must be done daily by heart and not orally.