(Solutions to some life-related problems)
by BB

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Q: Does God exist? If so what is the proof?

A: When you see even an ordinary object like a painting, it is natural for you to think of the artist who painted it. Similar thought is bound to occur when you see any other material object. ”Who made it?” is your natural query.

When you see the sun, the moon, the sea or the mountain ,which reflect so much of harmony and order, does it not occur to you who made them all? Can you ever imagine in your wildest dream that they came on their own?

According to the Law of Cause and Effect, there must be a cause for every occurrence. And in this instance, who except God , can create this wonderful world?

Q: What makes you think that God created this universe(which includes not only the above mentioned natural objects but also innumerable number of human beings, animals, birds and insects)? Why not someone else? What are God’s main attributes, His form and colour?

A:No one except God ,who is Omnipotent (i.e., all powerful),Omnipresent( i.e., present everywhere)and Omniscient( i.e., all-knowing ) can create, maintain and preserve this world. No one else either possesses or can possess such miraculous powers, attributes and qualities. He is, therefore, Supreme. No one can equal or even come near to Him.

So far as His form and colour are concerned, God is formless and, therefore, has no colour.

Q: Of all the hundreds of names of God, which is the best and why?

A: The most comprehensive and the most widely known name of God is AUM.It consists of the three letters in the devnagri script : “A”, “U” and “M” which respectively stand for the Creator, the Sustainer and the Destroyer.

Q: If God is our Father and Mother (being the Creator of this universe) what is the relevance of caste and creed?

A: God never created any caste or creed. They have been created by self- styled pundits and vested interests who misinterpreted even the authentic scriptures like Vedas. There are no castes but only four varnas(divisions of society)—Brahmana, Kshtriya, Vaisya and Shudra-- broadly based on the qualities and professions followed by different people .This has nothing to do with their birth or the colour.

Q: How does God expect us to live with each other?

A: God being the Father and Mother of all, obviously expects all of us to live in harmony and peace and treat each other with trust, mutual respect, understanding and goodwill. Even the animals, birds and insects are the members of our extended family and should be treated with compassion.

Q: Do we shape our own Destiny or is everything predestined?

A:To some extent, Destiny or Fate does play a role in the determination of our future. But still there is nothing arbitrary in the formation of our Destiny which is made up of our own accumulated actions of not only the last birth alone but also of several past births. The accumulated actions of the past constitute what is known as the Prarabdha.

Some action is still required for the realisation of the “Prarabhda”(i.e., what is destined.) For instance, it has been rightly observed that no animal falls into the mouth of a sleeping lion. It has to go for hunting even if it be fated to get a particular victim on a particular day.

Q: Should you give up efforts if something appears to be outside your Prarabdha?

A: No, if something is good for you and worth your pursuit, you should continue to make efforts to achieve it without giving a thought whether it is in our Prarabhda or not. The Prarabhda is, after all, made up of your efforts. Are you not, by making efforts in this birth, forming , modifying or canceling our Prarabhda for the future? Think not of this birth alone but of all the births ahead of you. Then what you are doing now is just investing in the future.

Moreover even if you don’t get 100 per cent success because it is not in your Prarabdha, if you are doing your work with sincerity, you are bound to get(according to the law of cause and effect) at least 50 to 70 per cent success. Isn’t it better than achieving nothing no success at all?

Giving up in desperation would only fill you with frustration and melancholy leading to further complications in the form of physical and mental diseases. Should you not ward them off by busying yourself in the pursuit of your choice?

Q: What is the purpose of this cycle of birth and rebirth?

A: The ultimate goal of life is achieving Perfection and preparing yourself for Moksha (i.e., the state in which this cycle of birth and rebirth comes to an end and your soul merges with God, who is all Blissful.)

Q: How long does it take to achieve Perfection?

A: Well, though there is no time limit for this, it all depends on how sincerely you follow the pursuit of Perfection and when God thinks you are fit for the same. It may take one birth or it may take many. We are supposed to carry forward the achievements of the past into the future births. No effort made today goes waste. The search for Perfection continues though we keep moving from one birth to the other.

Q: What is the time lag between the Prarabhda and the resultant reward or punishment?

A: It is all in the hand of God when to give the reward or punishment for our immediate actions or the Prarabhda. However it is believed that the Prarabhda is fructified only in the births to come unless a man commits too good or too bad an act which is immediately punished or rewarded..

Q: How justifiable is it to blame God for certain deformities with which one is born or which follow soon after the birth when a child can hardly be credited with any heinous crime?

A: In such cases the child gets the result of his/ her own past actions about which no one knows. But let us have full faith in God and in His justice. Being our Father and Mother, obviously He cannot make anyone suffer for no reason at all.

Q: What happens to a person after death?

A: Bhagwad Gita says that one who is born must die and one who dies must be born again. It, however, depends upon God when one is reborn and what gender or level of existence He gives to somebody,i.e.,whether one is born as a male or a female; whether one taskes the garb of a human being or of an an animal, a bird or an insect.

But one thing is certain that after death (which has been compared to changing of clothes) one gets a new body, new parents, new kith and kin, new home, and a new lease of life.

Q: Is there anything that a person carries with him/her into the next birth?

A: Every one in this world comes empty handed and also leaves the world like that. The only thing a person carries with him/ her are sanskaras (subtle impressions based on past actions) which are responsible for the quality of new life.

Q: Why does God make you forget your past? Is there any special reason?

A:God makes you forget your past for your own good only. If it were not so, your relationship with particular members of your family in the past birth would have continued to badly affect your relations in the present creating innumerable psychological problems. Your attachment with the old relations being stronger, would have always stood in your way of adjustment with new ones. In that case it would not have been easy for you live in the present and work for the future.

You have to break free of the past to start your life anew (which is the main purpose of your being born again).This purpose would not have been served if your link with the past were not severed.

Q: Why did God, who is kind and merciful, create suffering?

A:Suffering is essential for your spiritual growth(Wisdom comes only through suffering, says Aschylus)

Everyone can be happy when circumstances are favourable; only when you suffer that your mettle is tested and others come to know what stuff you are made of.

Suffering chastens and makes you mature by developing such virtues as humility , patience, tolerance, character and courage. “Wounded deer leaps the highest”, says Emily Dickenson, a well-known poetess.

It makes you sensitive to the suffering of others and, therefore, more humane? “Ghayal ki gati ghayal jane”, says Kabir.

Q: What is the relation of God with Atma(Soul)and Prakriti(Matter) ?

A:God is Sat (Truth), Chit (Pure Consciousness) and Anand(all -Bliss).
He is Perfect.

Power of the Soul is limited compared to God. While the soul passes from one body to the other after death, God never takes any form. He is formless. It is only after Moksha (liberation) that Soul merges with God and becomes one with Him and attains His attributes.

Matter is made up of small atoms which are responsible for the creation of the sun, the, moon, the satellites and stars etc. Like God, Matter is eternal; but is not Chit and Anand.)

Q: What is sin?

A: Anything which is against the norms of moral life set by our ancient scriptures like the Vedas, the Upanihadas, the Quran, Guru Granth Sahib and Bible. They uniformly lay stress on Truth, Honesty, Non- Violence, Love, Compassion, etc.

Anything which violates the social, moral and ethical values handed down to us by our ancestors from time immemorial.

Anything after doing which one’s Conscience pricks hard filling the heart with a sense of guilt and remorse.

Q: How to guard yourself against commitment of sin?

A:As and when you are overpowered by the temptation to commit sin, you should think of its consequences, some of which are given below:

God’s wrath (in the form of suffering, disease and frustration.)

Loss of prestige and respect among the family and the society.

Mental torture, agony and self- pity that inevitably grips the sinner.

Q: What else can you do to ward off sin?

A: Some of the tested methods for this are :

Breathe deeply.
Take a glass of water.
Get yourself busy in something absorbing like music, sports, arts etc.
Go out for a stroll.
Fall down on your knees and pray to God.
Spend some time daily to control the mind through what is called in Gita as abhyas (practice) and vairagya (detachment).

Q: Once that a sin has been committed, is it possible to avoid its consequences?

A: Says Buddha in Dhammpada:

“Neither in the sky,
nor in the midst of sea
nor too in mountains,
nor in caves, is there a place
where one can escape
the consequences of sin.”


Q: Does it mean that the door has been slammed on the sinner and there is no relief for him?

A: There is only one exception as given in the Gita in which God says that “setting aside all religions and rituals come into my refuge and I promise to free you from all sins.” You can surely try it. Remember if God is “Just,” He is also Merciful.He is sure to give the sinner at least the strength to bear consequences of his sins and protect him from falling a prey to temptations in future..

Q: What are some of the common features of different religions? Is there any unity among them despite so much of diversity in their rituals?

A: Most of the religions of the world have common features. For instance, they:

--believe in the existence of God.
-- affirm the spirit of universal brotherhood..
--teach people to lead a pure, simple and non- violent life.
--inspire them to develop and practice values like truth ,non-violence, patience, tolerance, contentment, service and sacrifice etc.
--enjoin them to shun evils like lust, anger, greed, attachment, ego, hatred etc.
--tell them to respect the guru, the parents and other elders in the family
--be compassionate to women, children, old and infirm.

Q: Is selfishness always bad? Should you allow people to take advantage of your kindness and generosity?

A: I am reminded of a story of a cunning camel, who, when allowed to keep his feet in a tent by a generous occupant, gradually not only occupies the entire tent but even tries to push him out of his temporary abode into a cold winter night.

Some people are also like this camel and should not be allowed by an ordinary grihasti a married person with the responsibility of running a family of his own) to have their way. The Dharma of a sanyasin is different.

When some shrewd, cunning and self- centred men and women (may be friends or relatives) begin to take advantage of your warmth, hospitality and generosity, put your foot down and refuse to be fooled by them. Let them not get accustomed to the draining of your hard earned resources to enjoy themselves at your cost. Helping someone in an emergency is different.

Selfishness is not bad to the extent it is necessary to protect your own interests and fulfil your own obligations, responsibilities and duties. In fact it is not selfishness but enlightened self interest without which you cannot achieve anything worthwhile in this world.

Says the Buddhist spiritual leader Dalai Lama:

“I do not think that selfishness is wrong—it seems that when some people talk of compassion, they have the notion that it entails a total disregard of one’s own interests—a sacrificing of our own interests. This is not the case. In fact genuine love should first be directed at oneself.”

Q: Is forgiveness better than taking revenge? What type of people are more prone to taking revenge?

A: Persons who are more prone to taking revenge are those who take offence to small things and react adversely to everything.. For instance, they flare up instantly by a very innocent remark, a simple question, a well- meaning advice or a good suggestion. It seems that there is something wrong with their convictions. They seem to be starting with a conviction that everybody is a rogue and is working against them. Their reactions of anger and resentment are writ large on their faces.

Q: Do they gain anything by taking revenge?

A: No one has ever gained anything by taking revenge. Those who take revenge only do harm to themselves by burning constantly in the fire of hatred, anger and resentment and losing not only their peace of mind but also their daily sleep.

It is now up to you to forgive your enemy (or the one whom you think to be your enemy) or to take revenge on him. The choice is yours. But use your discretion wisely in your own long- term interests.

Q: Is there any conflict between duty and love? If so, which one should be preferred over the other?

A:There is no conflict between duty and love and therefore, the question of preference of one over the other does not arise.
They are two sides of the same coin:one cannot exist without the other .Love enlivens duty, Duty without love is meaningless.
Says Thomas Merton: “Duty does not have to be dull. Love can make it beautiful and fill it with life”

Q: What is the difference between attachment and love?.

A: Attachment is to a particular person. Love is for all.

Selfishness is the basis of attachment, love is founded on sacrifice.

Jealousy is inherent in attachment, there is a joy of sharing in loves.

Attachment may lead to sex, love is its sublimation.

While separation causes suffering in attachment, love is above space and time.

Attachment results in bondage, love leads to liberation.

Attachment leads to misery and love to happiness.

Q: What is the significance of having a personal goal? What if you don’t have one?

A:Life without goal is a boat without a rudder. Being directionless, it may be swept away any time anywhere.

The absence of a worthwhile goal fills your life with frustration, loneliness, ennui, boredom, and a feeling of nothingness. And when overpowered by them, you may resort to alcohol, drugs, sex and other kinds of indulgence which may ultimately ruin your life.

A worthwhile goal on the other hand, gives a meaning to your life and fills it with enthusiasm, and happiness and helps you achieve great heights.

Q: Is it possible to tackle the two big monsters—Fear and Worry ? If so how?

A: These monsters are not real

It has been observed by psychologists that 95 per cent of things which you fear never come about.: 4 per cent are avoidable through prevention and only the balance of 1 per cent may turn out to be true. If that is the case, why then be afraid and worry about things about which there is only the remotest possibility of coming about?

Say to yourself: I’ll cross the bridge when it comes.

Use auto suggestion

Close your eyes and tell yourself:

“I am fearless…I am bold… I am brave”

Feel the presence of God

You’re the child of the All-Powerful God who is protecting you from all harms. How can you be afraid? How can you worry? You are born in God’s image and are the crown of His glory. It’s His job to save you from all mishaps, misfortunes and sorrows, particularly if you surrender yourself to Him and stay that way.

Accept the Will of God

If there is something which is destined and comes to you as a result of your prarabhda, it is difficult to ward it off. You should pray to God and seek His pardon for the past actions but there are things which He also cannot help as His laws are eternal.
In such cases, you have to accept whatever comes from Him with grace and bear it with patience and courage. “God’s will be done”—let this be your mantra and you will be able to fight both these monsters with ease.

Q: Is happiness just a mirage or is it achievable? If so, how can we be happy?

A: So long as you see others being happy, there is no reason why you should not be happy. What’s wrong with you? Happiness does not depend on outward circumstances but on your own responses to them. Since this is under your control, you have every chance to be happy. Trust me happiness is real and 100% achievable.

Some of the rules of the game of happiness are:

Be positive.
Count your blessings.
Believe in here and now.
Do what you must.
Don’t expect anything from anybody.
Try to be physically fit and mentally alert.
Keep learning something new.
Accept whatever comes your way as a gift from God

Q: Are all prayers answered?

A: Yes, they are answered provided they are offered with full faith and purity of heart and are in accordance with your actions besides being moral and just.

Mother of Pondicherry Ashram (who is no more) has very aptly observed in one of her writings that help from God comes only in proportion to your faith in Him.

Q: What type of prayer should you offer to God?

A: Since most of the material objects and comforts have already been given to you in accordance with your prarabhda, it is better if you ask God for:His help and blessing in --

--sharpening and motivating your intellect.
--purifying your heart.
--developing virtues and acquiring knowledge.

God will be too willing to grant you these things as they help him in making you perfect which is what He aims at.

Q: Is praying for others an interference with the justice of God?

A: God will definitely punish or reward according to His eternal laws and is not likely to be influenced by your pleadings, however well-meaning they might be. He knows what to do and he does not need your recommendation. But at the same time, He definitely wants you to rise above yourself and think well of others for your own good. Through prayer for others you develop compassion and goodwill which God, as common Father and Mother, wants. This is why there are so many such prayers in the Vedas and other scriptures.

Q: Why is human life considered to be precious and rare?

A: It is true that human life is precious because, according to sages and saints, you get it after passing through eighty four lakh births of various levels of existence. If what they say is correct, it can not obviously be allowed to be wasted in vain and futile pursuits. If you waste it in such pursuits, you are bound to be smitten by repentance in your later years and also suffer its consequences in the next births to come. The best thing to do, therefore, is to wakes up when there is still time.

Q: How to ascertain if you are well on the path of spiritual progress? What are some the age old critesria for this purpose?

A: You are certainly well on the path of spirituality if :

--your speech has become more refined, disciplined and truthful.
--you have become more calm, peaceful, pure, contended and cheerful.
--you are able to discriminate better between right and wrong.
--your thinking process has become more clear, objective, rational and logical.
--you have given up ego, greed, falsehood lust and attachment and developed such values as honesty, integrity, truth ,etc
--you are equal to foe and friend and are untouched by pleasure or pain, sorrow or joy, praise or blame etc.