Divine Quest
By: Jagadguru Kripalu Bhaktiyoga Tattvadarshan
Tags: Happiness In Life, Devotion, Desire, Love, Soul

The queries of spiritual aspirants are answered by the great spiritual teacher of this age in Prashnottari.

Why do you say that attachment of the mind and senses to the world is better than merging them with God?

Answer: The individual soul who has attained liberation on the path of gyan loses its identity by merging into God. In such a state, the senses, mind, and intellect all cease to exist, and therefore, that soul is incapable of relishing any relationship with, or the bliss of, Shri Krishna. On the other hand, even if someone is deeply attached in the world, there is still a chance that he may meet a genuine Saint in some human birth. If he were to develop faith in that Saint by practicing devotion as prescribed and surrendering to him, then that person will surely meet Shri Krishna one day. It does not matter whether this process takes one birth or ten births. But once liberated, the soul loses its identity forever, and with it, any opportunity to enjoy the bliss of the divine love of Shri Krishna.

Which desires should be condemned, and which should be adopted?

Answer: All material desires up to the abode of Brahma, including the desire for liberation, are condemnable and all desires relating to Shri Krishna, for the sake of your own happiness, are neither condemnable nor are they adorable. All desires relating to Shri Krishna for His happiness alone are praiseworthy and should be embraced. The very character and nature of devotion is that all desires for our own happiness are to be completely discarded. It is our nature to make ever new desires by constantly thinking and imagining that there is happiness in this material world. This nature of ours will continue to torment us until we reach the final stage of realising God. Once attained, it will be your very nature to love Shri Krishna wholeheartedly. In fact, you will not be able to survive without loving Him. Even a moment of forgetfulness will torment and suffocate you. Thus, the aim of all our desires should be to love and serve Shri Krishna solely for His happiness.

If we completely cease our worldly duties, how will we survive in this world?

Answer: All those who follow scripturally prescribed duties do so after offering them first to God. At the same time, they also practice devotion to God. In raganuga bhakti, you must discard all duties prescribed in the scriptures, as well as your worldly duties, except those that are essential for the maintenance of your physical body. God Himself declares in the Gita, 9.22: I shall provide whatever you lack and protect whatever you already have.

Therefore, aspiring devotees should not worry about performing worldly or scriptural prescribed duties. We should not feel disturbed or become tense if we lose material possessions either. God sometimes deliberately brings material losses upon His devotees, if He anticipates that devotee becoming engrossed in worldly enjoyment.

An English translation of answers originally spoken in Hindi by:

Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj

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