Swami Prakashanand Saraswati, a revered spiritual guide, provided profound insights into the nature of divine love, devotion, and spiritual lineage. Through these teachings, he addressed the deep questions of devotees, shedding light on the intricacies of spiritual practices and the eternal relationship between the soul and the Divine. Below are some of the enlightening answers he gave to common questions about devotion, divine forms, and the soul’s journey toward divine love.
Below is the Question & Answer…
- Question: – I’m curious about your tradition, lineage, and succession. Could you please explain?
Answer: – Tradition, lineage, and succession is an internal, Divine matter. Physical successions are family successions, and spiritual succession is obscured from material vision. There are three main Divine channels. The first relates to the “Absolute Truth,” the second to “Bhakti” of any form of Godhead Personality, and the third to “Divine Love” of Radha Krishn. The second and third channels have many branches. Saints represent and belong to these channels. In one channel there may be thousands of Saints. Our channel or lineage of divine love-consciousness (Prema Bhakti) comes directly from Radha-Krishn. It was originally revealed by Krishn in the heart of Bhahma before he created this world. Krishn appeared in the world to establish divine love consciousness.
In this lineage there were many Saints like Swami Haridas, Sanatan Goswami, Roop Goswami, Hit Harivansh, Jeev Goswami, Vallabharcharya, Nimbar- karcharya, etc. Different cults have been formed in their names, but they belong to one chain of Radha-Krishn devotion. Some Archaryas and Jagadgurus mentioned a succession of their “Divine status”, but only up to themselves. Those who came in the lineage before those Archaryas and the proclaimed direct disciples of those Archaryas who propagated their paths of devotion were true Saints. But, after their lifetime, who came next in the succession remains unrevealed. Divine lineage is an internal transfer of Divine power (the actual God-realization) which is beyond the material realm.
The channel of Divine Love was reestablished by Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Ji, a descension of Radha-Krishn. All the Rasik Saints who worship and love Radha-Krishn come in this lineage. This is our tradition. During the lifetime of Lord Chaitanya there were many Saints who all knew each other, met, and had satsang. They were one. Nowadays there are many cults formed in the names of those great masters, but they conflict with each other. This is material-mindedness. A devotee should remain away from such “religious” criticisms and try to love Radha-Krishn in a humble manner.
- Question: – Is there any significance of Krishn’s flute and peacock-feather diadem?
Answer: –All the forms of God are within Krishn. There is nothing beyond Krishn. God is one and has many inner Divine powers. Divine Love is the supreme power. When Krishn appears in His loving form wearing the “peacock-feather diadem” and holding the “flute,” He reveals and represents the full-bloom beauty of Divine Love power.
- Question: – Do our prayers reach God?
Answer: –You don’t have to pray to God if you trust Him. When you think of sending your prayers to God, you yourself are declaring a gap between you and Him. God is closer than your own soul, so if you trust Him and have faith in Him being so close to you, you don’t need to pray, because your every thought is already known to your beloved God. But, when you think He is far from you, you yourself are causing a vacuum between Him and you. Then, how could your prayers reach God? Even a physical voice cannot cross the vacuum.
- Question: – Are there any special mantras to use in meditation?
Answer: –All the names of Radha-Krishn are equally powerful. Any name of Radha-Krishn remembered with feelings of love and affinity can be used in meditation and remembrance. Devotion is not a physical act or mental technique, it is a submission of the heart and mind to the Supreme Lord.
- Question: – Was soul ever one with God?
Answer: –Souls were never totally one with God. They are separate, individual and under material bondage since eternity. But, any of those individual souls can find God. Once a soul is Divinized and joins with God, it is permanent. Nothing could ever separate him. Actually, ignorant writers confuse the public by telling or writing such ideologies. An intelligent devotee should not read such confusing literature that talks of such illogical matters, but should read our original scriptures and writings of great Saints which relate to devotion to Godhead Personality and His Grace.
- Question: – You talk about opening the heart to receive Divine love. Is the soul located in or near the heart?
Answer: –When I talk of the heart it is not the physical heart which I refer to. There is a devotional space inside you which is unlike the material space. It is located near the heart in the center of your chest. Your soul lives in that space, and Krishn also resides in that space.
Mind has two places of existence, the brain area and the heart area. When you bring your mind to the heart area, your mind is closer to your soul and Krishn. You experience loving emotions in your heart, not your brain. So, a devotee tries to enrich his devotional, emotional feelings for Krishn in his heart, not his brain.
Swami Prakashanand Saraswati’s responses illuminate the significance of faith, the omnipresence of the Divine, and the essence of spiritual love. These insights underscore that genuine devotion involves a heartfelt connection rather than ritualistic practices or intellectual efforts. The knowledge he shares guides devotees toward a deeper and more intimate understanding of their relationship with God.
