Gurudasji has kindly written many questions and answers and cleared doubt of many! I hope you all will find solace reading these answers
What is the importance of a Guru?
Man is the superior creation of God after many births and deaths. This extremely valuable human life is meant for the realization of the creator God, the embodiment of truth, knowledge, and bliss. Through different types of spiritual practices, the seers, sages, and mahatmas who attained direct knowledge of God advised different processes to be followed by spiritual aspirants for the attainment of perfection and success in life. Therefore, a Guru or Spiritual Master is obviously necessary for proper guidance.
Some people say that a Spiritual Master is not necessary. In material matters also, a Guru or teacher is initially needed to teach the alphabet. If someone wants to receive higher education to become a doctor, engineer, or pursue other vocational subjects, they need admission in school, college, and university, and they receive proper teachings from qualified, well-trained teachers. The books prescribed for such higher education are available in the library, and by just reading the books at home, none can become a professional and successful individual.
Since you feel the necessity of a Guru or teacher for every material subject matter, how can you expect spiritual gain or achievement without a qualified teacher or Guru who can guide you, train you, and remove your age-long ignorance of the spiritual world and fear of death? God realization is a matter of the spiritual world, expecting salvation from miserable repeated births and deaths on Earth, which is well-nigh impossible for anyone without the help of an able and successful spiritual master. This system of spiritual teachings from a Spiritual Master has been followed since the Vedic age.
If anyone wants to prosper in life by attaining humanity and enlightenment of the essence of superior human life, they have no other alternative but to vow to a Spiritual Master who can show the correct path, removing the age-long ignorance, the root of material bondage, or the cause of repeated deaths and births.
A Guru, having success in spiritual practices, empowered by the Supreme God or His Incarnation or Sad Guru, is not only a guide. He saves the disciple from various sins and uplifts or enlightens them about the spiritual world and shows the process or method in realizing the existence of the soul and super-soul dwelling secretly in the heart of everyone in this mortal body.
Without the help of a Guru, none can visualize the existence of God or the Supreme Soul, because of ignorance or disbelief and wholehearted attachment to the material world. The person who is not interested in domestic attachment or worldly enjoyment and is mentally prepared for complete renunciation also needs a Guru for proper teaching and guidance.
Those who are very much attached to the material world, enjoying happiness and various types of problems and sufferings, anxiously eager to know the causes of happiness and miseries as well as repeated births and deaths, obviously need a spiritual master to remove the ignorance and confusion and to show the path to God.
The main aim of a human being is to go back to God from whom detached for a long time because of own actions and reactions having been engaged wholly in worldly affairs without any connection with God, the creator. Liberation or salvation is the aim of all. Though the supreme God is almighty, all-powerful, and the rescuer, yet He does so through a man Guru – who acts on behalf of God in the capacity and power entrusted by the Supreme God according to the spiritual laws or principles of Sanatan Dharma. Therefore, the necessity of a Guru is essential.
The Supreme God that incarnates in every age also follows the Vedic rules or spiritual laws and bows to the Spiritual Master devotionally without thinking him inferior in quality as an ordinary human being or even as His devotee. This may be learned from the lives of Lord Ramchandra, Lord Sri Krishna, Lord Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and even Lord Narayana, whose Guru was Rishi Shaunak.
How do you get closer to God?
To get close to God, different methods are advised. Due to different opinions, methods are also different. One can achieve perfection or success provided he follows one method with firm faith and practices regularly, sincerely, and patiently with firm determination and belief of sure success.
According to Srimad Bhagavad Gita, Lord Sri Krishna advised mainly three methods, namely, Gyan, Karma, and Bhakti yogas, and discussed merits and demerits in detail. The above methods are interlinked. Gyan (knowledge) is necessary to start karma (action), and without bhakti (devotion), no karma (action) will be fruitful. Practice in yogas was also advised. Lord Shiva advised a number of spiritual practices on yogas.
In this Kali Yuga (fourth age), Mahaprabhu Sri Krishna Chaitanya, recognized as the incarnation of Lord Sri Krishna, preached a very simplified method for the people having a short span of valuable human life by chanting the glories of Lord Hari or the playful activities of Lord Sri Krishna in Sri Brindaban and the repetition of the name of God received through initiation by a Guru with true devotion and love for God.
Practice in Gyan Yoga, Karma Yoga, and other yogas (Hatha-Raja yoga) are harder than Bhakti yoga and are not easily acceptable by most of the people for complete success. Therefore, the easiest process for the common people is Bhakti yoga. Without Bhakti (true devotion and love for God), none can succeed in any type of process or method.
What is Yoga?
Yoga means the process by which the soul can be united with the Supreme Soul. Its importance is great. It is not possible to explain the importance in just a few words. The person who sincerely practices any process of yoga can successfully cross the ocean of worldly temporary happiness and miseries and the cycle of repeated births and deaths as well. The soul is part and parcel of the Super Soul. Through the process of yoga, the difference between the body and the soul can be fully understood. For this reason, persons interested in acquiring the knowledge of the body and soul as well as the Supreme Soul accept the process of yoga devotionally and faithfully and with sincere efforts move to reach the goal. The main purpose of yoga practice is to have control over the mind and sense organs with complete surrender to the lotus feet of God, who is our sole refuge. In other words, Yoga practices are the source of practical knowledge.
The importance of asana and pranayama is great. These are essential for all who practice mantra yoga (japa, the name of God), Hatha yoga, Raja yoga, etc. Pranayama helps to clean the channels, the most important nadi known as the Sushumna to rouse Kundalini Shakti and to send prana (life force) upwards. Practice of different types of mudras relating to Hatha yoga is also essential. To speak the truth, yoga practices are not possible for all. Therefore, mantra yoga (japa and dhyana) with full devotion to God is prescribed for people in general to make their life successful when enlightened with spiritual knowledge.
Though Samadhi is the fruit of Raja yoga, the devotee wants to serve the lotus feet of his Ishta Dev (the God of a particular form). After leaving this mortal body, he desires to serve the Lord in the eternal abode with endless happiness and delight forever. So everything depends on the achievement and satisfaction of the spiritual aspirant by the grace of God, who is our sole refuge and rescuer from His Maya Jagat (world of illusion).
To gain success in any kind of Yoga, a spiritual aspirant needs constant practice (Kriya yoga), removing idleness with firm determination, devotion, and belief.
What is Kundalini?
It is the divine energy of Supreme God (Param Brahman) dwelling secretly in everyone. It is all-powerful. Unless Kundalini Shakti (Power of God) is aroused through spiritual practices, none can prosper in the spiritual field and as such, success or siddhi is beyond reach. It can be aroused through the process of yoga and by the spiritual power or mercy of Sad Guru. Once this power is achieved by the grace of God or Guru, the spiritual aspirant gets tremendous joy and experiences quick results or progress in the spiritual practices.
Is Murti Puja necessary?
Sanatan Dharma is derived from the word “Sanatan”, the truth, Param Brahman, the Adi Purusha (Supreme, formless God) on whose desire the creation of different universes with living entities began from time immemorial. Though every creature or element has its own religion, yet when we talk of dharma it should be assumed that Sanatan Dharma, being the oldest form of religion in the world, is especially relating to God realization, self-development, or upliftment for well-being with the achievement of humanity and truth. We identify ourselves as “Hindu”. The name Hinduism was recognized at the advent of the Indus Valley civilization. But, it is the oldest form of religion within the shadow of Sanatan Dharma, the religion of human beings based on truth.
Murti puja was introduced in the Treta Yuga (second age). Murti puja is necessary for the people to attain devotion and love for God according to their own religious principles of Sanatan Dharma. The Almighty God is everywhere and in everything. He is formless (Param Brahman). In Lila, the playful God takes different forms according to His desire. At the time when necessity arises, He incarnates in a special form. Lord Narayan, Lord Shiva, Lord Brahma, Lord Sri Ram, Lord Sri Krishna, Lord Ganesha, Lord Kartikeya, Goddess Durga, Goddess Kali, Goddess Lakshmi, Goddess Saraswati, etc. are different forms of Supreme God (Param Brahman).
Every form of God has the power to grant boons to devoted persons. Yet, results of puja of the deities according to Sanatan puja procedure are finally offered to Lord Sri Hari (Param Brahman), because all the deities whom we worship are part and parcel of the Supreme God. So, murti puja is also the indirect puja of the Supreme God. Puja, on the other hand, is the offering of devotional respect to the deity as well as God to whom we bow. We also believe in one God (Param Brahman) who is all-powerful and playful according to His desire.
“Even those devotees who, endowed with faith, worship other gods, worship Me only, O Arjuna, although they do it improperly!”
(Bhagavad Gita Ch.9.23)
When a person, through the process of Yoga, acquires knowledge of the Supreme formless God, do not perform physical puja with material things. If he desires, he may do the puja in his own soul according to his own emotion (prem bhav) and remain fully satisfied with bhajans (prayers) for his loving God.
What are the functions of special powers (siddhi)?
No functions, otherwise functions are innumerable. Those who are ordered to do the services of God in human society have vast duties and responsibilities at the desire of God for His pleasure. Those who are away from human society and sink deeply in Bhajan (prayer to God for His pleasure) may not act physically in society as done by monks or Gurus (spiritual masters), but their contribution to human society is also great through this sincere prayer for the whole of mankind.
The aspirant having complete success (siddhi) and connection or link with God through real devotion or love for Him dedicates his life to selfless service of God through His creation as his own self. A successful man (Siddha Purusha) is free from ego, false vanity, interest for self-respect, material comforts, and even self-salvation.
What is birth and what is death?
Birth is the fruit of karma (action of past birth) and may be termed as punishment until salvation (moksha) is achieved or is united with the Supreme Soul.
Death is a deep sleep for some duration till the next birth. The body dies or perishes. But the soul is immortal. If Prarabdha Karma (action of past births giving results) is not completed in the present life, one has to die for rebirth. It is known to everyone that a person born has to die one day. So, to get rid of the cycle of repeated births and deaths, it is our duty to take refuge at the lotus feet of Supreme God and to follow a method of spiritual practice for salvation.
What is the sampraday (lineage) of Sri Sri Mounibaba?
Sri Sri Mounibaba used to say, “I have no sampradaya. I belong to all sampradayas.” Still, for the information of interested devotees, I can say, so far as lineage is concerned for Sad Guru Sri Sri Mounibaba alias Swami Sachchidananda Nath Yogiswar (Paramhansa):
- Tantra lineage from Maharishi Sri Sri Anandamoy Brahmachari of Kashi dham.
- Yogi lineage from Mahayogi Gorakhnath via Swami Nigamananda Saraswati.
- Vaishnava lineage from Sri Sri Bijoy Krishna Goswami following Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu via Sri Sri Bishweshwar Goswami of Sri Vrindaban Dham.
