I am in my twenties and I have a lot of faith on God, but I am not able to stop my bad habits. Even though I am trying hard to stop them, they overcome me. Please tell me a remedy.
Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji:
Faith on God is important. That is good. When you pray to God, do you tell God about your weaknesses and bad habits and your sincere desire to come out of them? We perform prayers to God for mundane worldly things but forget to pray for such wonderful things.
So in your prayer, make it a point to add this, and don’t leave Him until He makes you alright.
-----------------------------------
What is Prarabdha Karma( Accumulated results due to our past actions)? How does it interfere in one's life?
Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji:
Everything in one's life happens because of Prarabdha Karma and nothing else. So it is not a question of interference in one's life, it is that which drives one's life.
------------------------------------
Why is that nobody ask for sufferings?
Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji:
That is because it is sufferings!
---------------------------------
It is said that the past karmas get burnt by chanting the Lord's Name. Whatever happens in this birth is because of past karmas and is called 'prarabdha'. Does prarabdha change by regular chanting or merely prepares the ground for the prarabdha of next birth?
Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji:
Everything in this world happens according to Prarabhda only. If one does not chant the divine Name of the Lord, the Lord will not interfere with his life. If he does chant the Name of God continuously, the Lord makes his life favorable to him.
For instance, if a person possesses qualities like wealth, power, beauty etc. by virtue of his prarabdha, then, by chanting the Nama, the Lord ensures that he does not get a 'head-weight'. If a person is already poor and leads a life in penury owning to his prarabdha, by chanting the Nama, the Lord keeps him away from bad thoughts and deeds like stealing, gambling, alcohol, suicide and so on.
If one's Bhakti is intense, the grace of the Lord has the power to change one's Prarabdha too. That, however, calls for strong devotion.
-------------------------------
People often pray to God vowing to perform something in return when their prayers are fulfilled – like visiting a certain temple/deity, offering money to a temple, circumambulation etc. Sometimes they are not able to fulfill their vows due to illness, accident or other difficulties. Can something else be offered as an alternate, in such cases?
Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji:
When vows are taken, they have to be fulfilled exactly as they were taken. If a person has taken a vow and is incapacitated that he cannot fulfill it by himself, some one else should take permission from him and fulfill it on his behalf. If he dies before his vows are fulfilled, he will take another birth to fulfill the vows, even if someone else fulfills the vows on his behalf after his demise.
---------------------------------
Although I have been initiated into the Mahamantra, is it okay if I also chant other Divine Names sometimes like Rama Nama or Arunachala Siva? Or should I chant only the Mahamantra?
Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji:
The Mantra initiated by the Guru contains a special power. That is the reason why it is recommended that one chant it incessantly. That being said, there is absolutely nothing wrong in chanting any Divine Name of God.
----------------------------------
Is it appropriate for a devotee to seek guidance from a Guru about materialistic things? Should a devotee confine my relationship with a Guru to only spiritual aspects? Sometimes I feel guilty for seeking guidance from my Guru in materialistic aspects.
Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji:
Guru and God are no different. From whom else can you seek guidance if not Him? So don't feel guilty for it. There is nothing wrong as long as your Guru doesn't feel otherwise.
-----------------------------------
Often, I get visions of some death and funerals in my dreams. Why is it so? What should I do?
Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji:
You don't need to do anything. These visions only mean that your Karmas are vanishing.
---------------------------------
What is the experience connected with chanting Mantras? When does one get mantra siddhi (Power)?
Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji:
Each Mantra has its own Siddhi. One is said to attain Mantra Siddhi when he is able to see the deity pertaining to his Mantra, by incessant chanting of the Mantra.
------------------------------
I read that Sri Paramacharya (Kanchi Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswati Swamiji) preached that ladies should not chant the Gayatri Mantra. Some female devotees are chanting the Mantras and performing yagnas. Is this correct?
Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji:
When Sri Paramacharya Himself has opined about this, what do we have to say? Can there be a greater authority?
-------------------------------
Does a child miscarried at three and a half months go to the after life in the world of spirit?
Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji:
Yes, it goes to the appropriate abode.
---------------------------------
I am in my fifties. Since the last 30 years, I had worked for my family after the death of my father. Now I am wishing to lead my life for me alone, in my own way. Is it right for me to think like this?
Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji:
Generally, in this world, people have a delusion that they are the ones who are helping running others' lives. Actually a set of predetermined factors are responsible for the work we do in this earth.
You have got the right attitude now that you are just an instrument in the hands of God to do these activities. Strengthen this attitude. This is Jnana (wisdom).
-------------------------------
What is the effect of writing 'Ram Naam'?Is desire fulfilled if I write 'Ram Naam' ?
Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji:
Absolutely! Why harbour any doubt regarding that?
-------------------------------
Nowadays people are suffering from the grave disease called diabetes. Kindly show us a way to cure this illness.
Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji:
Take flax seed oil as per medical prescription. That will help countering diabetes. It can be taken as a preventive medicine.
Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji:
Faith on God is important. That is good. When you pray to God, do you tell God about your weaknesses and bad habits and your sincere desire to come out of them? We perform prayers to God for mundane worldly things but forget to pray for such wonderful things.
So in your prayer, make it a point to add this, and don’t leave Him until He makes you alright.
-----------------------------------
What is Prarabdha Karma( Accumulated results due to our past actions)? How does it interfere in one's life?
Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji:
Everything in one's life happens because of Prarabdha Karma and nothing else. So it is not a question of interference in one's life, it is that which drives one's life.
------------------------------------
Why is that nobody ask for sufferings?
Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji:
That is because it is sufferings!
---------------------------------
It is said that the past karmas get burnt by chanting the Lord's Name. Whatever happens in this birth is because of past karmas and is called 'prarabdha'. Does prarabdha change by regular chanting or merely prepares the ground for the prarabdha of next birth?
Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji:
Everything in this world happens according to Prarabhda only. If one does not chant the divine Name of the Lord, the Lord will not interfere with his life. If he does chant the Name of God continuously, the Lord makes his life favorable to him.
For instance, if a person possesses qualities like wealth, power, beauty etc. by virtue of his prarabdha, then, by chanting the Nama, the Lord ensures that he does not get a 'head-weight'. If a person is already poor and leads a life in penury owning to his prarabdha, by chanting the Nama, the Lord keeps him away from bad thoughts and deeds like stealing, gambling, alcohol, suicide and so on.
If one's Bhakti is intense, the grace of the Lord has the power to change one's Prarabdha too. That, however, calls for strong devotion.
-------------------------------
People often pray to God vowing to perform something in return when their prayers are fulfilled – like visiting a certain temple/deity, offering money to a temple, circumambulation etc. Sometimes they are not able to fulfill their vows due to illness, accident or other difficulties. Can something else be offered as an alternate, in such cases?
Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji:
When vows are taken, they have to be fulfilled exactly as they were taken. If a person has taken a vow and is incapacitated that he cannot fulfill it by himself, some one else should take permission from him and fulfill it on his behalf. If he dies before his vows are fulfilled, he will take another birth to fulfill the vows, even if someone else fulfills the vows on his behalf after his demise.
---------------------------------
Although I have been initiated into the Mahamantra, is it okay if I also chant other Divine Names sometimes like Rama Nama or Arunachala Siva? Or should I chant only the Mahamantra?
Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji:
The Mantra initiated by the Guru contains a special power. That is the reason why it is recommended that one chant it incessantly. That being said, there is absolutely nothing wrong in chanting any Divine Name of God.
----------------------------------
Is it appropriate for a devotee to seek guidance from a Guru about materialistic things? Should a devotee confine my relationship with a Guru to only spiritual aspects? Sometimes I feel guilty for seeking guidance from my Guru in materialistic aspects.
Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji:
Guru and God are no different. From whom else can you seek guidance if not Him? So don't feel guilty for it. There is nothing wrong as long as your Guru doesn't feel otherwise.
-----------------------------------
Often, I get visions of some death and funerals in my dreams. Why is it so? What should I do?
Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji:
You don't need to do anything. These visions only mean that your Karmas are vanishing.
---------------------------------
What is the experience connected with chanting Mantras? When does one get mantra siddhi (Power)?
Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji:
Each Mantra has its own Siddhi. One is said to attain Mantra Siddhi when he is able to see the deity pertaining to his Mantra, by incessant chanting of the Mantra.
------------------------------
I read that Sri Paramacharya (Kanchi Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswati Swamiji) preached that ladies should not chant the Gayatri Mantra. Some female devotees are chanting the Mantras and performing yagnas. Is this correct?
Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji:
When Sri Paramacharya Himself has opined about this, what do we have to say? Can there be a greater authority?
-------------------------------
Does a child miscarried at three and a half months go to the after life in the world of spirit?
Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji:
Yes, it goes to the appropriate abode.
---------------------------------
I am in my fifties. Since the last 30 years, I had worked for my family after the death of my father. Now I am wishing to lead my life for me alone, in my own way. Is it right for me to think like this?
Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji:
Generally, in this world, people have a delusion that they are the ones who are helping running others' lives. Actually a set of predetermined factors are responsible for the work we do in this earth.
You have got the right attitude now that you are just an instrument in the hands of God to do these activities. Strengthen this attitude. This is Jnana (wisdom).
-------------------------------
What is the effect of writing 'Ram Naam'?Is desire fulfilled if I write 'Ram Naam' ?
Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji:
Absolutely! Why harbour any doubt regarding that?
-------------------------------
Nowadays people are suffering from the grave disease called diabetes. Kindly show us a way to cure this illness.
Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji:
Take flax seed oil as per medical prescription. That will help countering diabetes. It can be taken as a preventive medicine.
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