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The Book of Life Questions 141 to 160

141. What are the problems of material life?
Your partner may be cheating you
The contractor may be cheating you
Your marriage may end at any time
You may lose your job at any time
Your business may go down at any time
You may be kicked out of your house at any time
Your savings will run out at any time
Your retirement savings may become worthless
You may develop a serious disease like cancer at any time Your children may become diseased at any time.
Your children may become corrupted Your loved one may die at any time.
Others cause problems, like your relatives, friends, people at your work, and family members. Problems are created by personal relationship with others, like marital problems, and work/business relationships. Problems are created by nature in the form of earthquakes, winds, flooding, rain, drought, and crop failures.

Bhagwan Shree Krishn

142. What are the daily decisions we have to make?
Every day we are faced with decisions to make in our life.

Shall I do this or that?
Will he/she be ok?
Shall I buy now or wait?
How much shall I spend?
When will I do it?
When will I go?
Which should I choose?
Who should I choose?
When will I retire?
Will it work out?

Based on our knowledge, tolerance level, material intelligence, and spiritual intelligence, we will make the right choice or the wrong choice. For which we will suffer or enjoy in the future. One day we will make someone suffer and another day it will be our turn to suffer.

Many times we will be placed in a trance and forced to act in ignorance, this is due to our past sinful actions (bad karma).

The above list of decisions and problems are real and affects everyone. By knowing these possible situations in advance will help you to avoid some of them, and help you get through the others with minimum misery.

“The five factors of action are: The physical body, modes of material nature, the various senses, various efforts, the Supreme. These are the five factors, which cause whatever right or wrong action, a person performs by his body, thought, and speech.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-Gita 18.14-15)

As stated above, things will happen to us based on our own efforts and sometimes by the will of God. This means that failure or rejection is many times the will of God for our own good.

143. What are the symptoms of a spiritual master?
* He can completely describe God
* He can give details on the history, past times, and opulence of God
* He will be completely non-violent and peaceful to all living beings. This means he should not be engaged in killing animals or humans. Thus he should be a pure vegetarian and not engaged in wars
* He is simple, tolerant, truthful, forgiving, and merciful
* He is not lusty, thus he should be completely free from sex
* He teaches how to serve God
* He quotes from the Vedic scriptures to back up his statements
* He does not incite or instill hatred into anyone
* He will instruct his followers to love all living beings

“The symptoms of a sadhu are that he is tolerant, peaceful, merciful, pure hearted, friendly to all living beings, and he follows the scriptures.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.21)

“A sober person who can tolerate the urge to speak, the mind’s demands, the actions of anger and the urges of the tongue, belly and genitals is qualified to make disciples all over the world.” (Nectar of Instruction 1)

Now days, there are many bogus Gurus, and Swamis who preach their own non-sense philosophy and completely deviate from the teachings of the Vedic scriptures. So be aware of this and only accept the teachings of someone if they can back up their statements by quoting from the Vedic scriptures.

“You can get true knowledge and understanding by serving and inquiring from a self-realized spiritual master who has seen the truth.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-Gita 4.34)

I would recommend his Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and his disciples as spiritual masters.

Materialistic means bodily consciousness and thus sense gratification (engaging in violence/wars/sex, attachment to women and objects, intoxications). One should never accept a materialistic person as a Guru. One should only hear and learn religious values from saintly persons.

144. Are women lower than men?
No, women are actually higher than men.
From a spiritual point of view, all living beings are souls, all unique individuals, all equal, full of bliss, full of knowledge, and eternal.

We say Radha Krishna and not Krishna Radha. Radha is a woman and Her name has to be addressed first, even before the Supreme person, Lord Krishna. We also say Sita Ram and not Ram Sita, Laxmi Narayan and not Narayan Laxmi.

By Vedic standards, on invitation cards/letters, the wife’s name must come before the husband.

The highest position that any living being can attain in the material and spiritual creations is that of the Gopis, they are women. The Gopis are the top most devotees of Lord Krishna.

“I am death, and the origin of all future living beings. Of the females, I am fame, beauty, pleasant speech, memory, intelligence, commitment, and patience.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-Gita 10.34)

145. Why should women be protected from degradation?

The women produce children, and they should teach them what is right, and what is wrong (moral values and spirituality). But when women become polluted, they become irreligious and the whole generation becomes degraded. For this reason, women should be protected from becoming polluted. Girls should not be sent away from the home to work/study and should be married off at an early age. Otherwise the chances of them becoming polluted are very high.
Due to lack of good guidance by the parents and in some cases bad guidance from parents (irreligious parents), the girls everywhere are rejecting culture and religion, and wanting what they call freedom. That is defined as partying, drinking, no culture, no religion, no respect for the elders, and behaving like the dogs on the street (sex before marriage). The result of this is that women suffer more in the form of single mother families and prostitution.
“When irreligion prevails in the family, the women become corrupted and unwanted children are born.” (Bhagavad-Gita 1.40)

146. What is the result of not following the Vedic scriptures?
If a person does not follow the Vedic scriptures, then he/she will become degraded.

“Those who act according to their own whims, disregarding the regulations prescribed in the scriptures, never attain perfection, or happiness, or the supreme abode.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-Gita 16.23)

Those living beings who have no interest in culture, religion, and who do not follow any regulations as prescribed in the scriptures are called basically animals. Humans who have no interest in religion will have their desires fulfilled after this life. They will take birth in the animal kingdom, where there is no religion and no possibility of knowing God.

147. What is the difference between human and animal consciousness?
The difference between human and animal consciousness is that humans are inquisitive and considerate.

Real human beings enquire:

# Who am I, and where have I come from?
# Where was I before this life?
# Where will I be after this life?
# Who exactly is God?
# Why do I suffer?
# Why is everyone born in different situations?

Animals do not enquire. They simply eat, sleep, mate, and defend.

Humans are compassionate, they always think of others. The animals mind their own business and don’t think of others.

The humans are charitable, but the animals, are not charitable. They simply enjoy everything for themselves. The humans are friendly to all living beings, don’t eat the flesh of other living beings, and follow some form of religion. The animals eat other animals, are often aggressive, and don’t follow any religion. The animals like donkeys are busy working hard all day. The humans also have to work hard to make a living, but at the same time they think of what is ahead after this life. The animals don’t think of what will happen after this life.

Do you have human or animal consciousness?

148. Why is human birth so rare?
If you take a look around, there are zillions of living beings. Living beings are everywhere, in the water, in the Earth, in the air. On the body of humans alone, there are millions of bacteria. If one understands that the soul is present in all living beings and the science of the soul as described in this book. Then one can understand that the souls can move from human body to animal/plant bodies. The ratio of human bodies to animals/plant bodies is at least 1 to zillions, thus for every one human body there are zillions of animals/plants. Thus for a soul to occupy a human body is very rare, most souls are in animal/plant bodies.

Life is an intelligent design, nothing happens by chance. The souls are placed in particular bodies exactly based on what they deserve. Human beings who die in ignorance of spirituality fall down into the animal/plant kingdoms. The souls in animal/plant bodies were once in human bodies. There are 8.4 million species of living beings and out of these 400,000 are human species and most of these human species are uncivilized human species. Out of the 7 billion in the world, only a few hundred million can describe God in complete and know His history, pastimes, and qualities.

“Out of thousands of persons, one will strive for spiritual self-realization, and among the strivers, someone may know Me. (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-Gita 7.3)

There are more animals/plants compared to human beings because the human beings are constantly falling down into the lower species and once a soul falls down into the animal/plant species. It has to go through the 8 million species lower than humans, from one species to another, before it gets another human birth. It takes billions of years for a soul to go through the 8 million animal/plant species. Thus once a human being falls down, he (the soul) has to wait for billions of years before he gets another human body.

If one simply wants to eat, sleep, mate, and enjoy. Then he/she is better off in the animal kingdom, because the animals also do these things but better than the humans.

149. What is the purpose of human life?
The purpose of human life is to know God as a real person and serve Him. Thus to know Lord Krishna as the Supreme person and serve Him. The result of devotional service unto Lord Krishna (God) is that at death, the soul will be immediately transferred to the spiritual creation where everyone lives in the same body that is completely beautiful, full of bliss/love, full of knowledge, with no old age, no disease, and no misery.

“One knows Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead without a doubt, is the knower of everything and he engages in My devotional service with love.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-Gita 15.19)

One can read the non-Vedic scriptures for millions of years, but one will never be able to describe God. Only the Vedic scriptures completely describe God, and thus one has to read and follow the Vedic scriptures to know, and serve God. To fulfill the purpose of human life.

150. Why marriage to a spiritually minded person is very important?
Those who are intelligent will think about the trillions of years of life that will come after this short life which is at most 100 years. The less intelligent and foolish will not think about what will come after this short life. Just take a look around, living beings are dying every second and living beings are taking birth every second in various species and in various situations. If human beings can recycle things then why can’t God recycle living beings by transferring the souls from one body to another?

“When irreligion prevails in the family, the women become corrupted and unwanted children are born.” (Bhagavad-Gita 1.40)

Marrying spiritually ignorant people ensures that both the couples and their children will come back to old age, disease, misery and repeated birth and death in various species of living beings and in various situations. A whole generation of spiritually ignorant population will be created by the spiritually ignorant parents. Human beings who are spiritually ignorant move down to the plant/animal species. One acquires lower births when one’s spiritual intelligence is reduced.

By reading, studying, and following the Vedic scriptures like the Bhagavad-Gita gives one the best chance of elevating the human consciousness to spiritual self-realization. Thus to know that we are the eternal soul and not the body and we are part of the Supreme and our purpose is to serve the Supreme, Lord Krishna. The result of this consciousness is that one will go back to the kingdom of God called Vaikuntha.

At the end of this short life and also give their children the best chance to do the same.

“At death, those who have developed the mode of goodness, will go to the higher planets where the saintly persons live. Those who have developed the mode of passion, will take birth among those engaged in materialistic activities. Those who have developed the mode of ignorance, will take birth in the animal kingdom.”(Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-Gita 14.14-15)

The non-Vedic scriptures reject the eternality of the soul, reject reincarnation and karma, and do not describe God. Thus based on the non-Vedic teachings, this is the one and only life and hence there is no spirituality (no eternal existence) and one cannot love and serve an unknown/unseen person. An intelligence person will realize that we are eternal, and think about his/her eternal existence and not just about this short life, and thus follow the Vedic path and marry those who follow the Vedic path. Those who have no interest in spirituality, fall down into the animal species.

The Vedic system is that the selection of a good husband for a good girl is always entrusted to the parents. Girls should never be thrown in the public streets to search out their husband, for when girls are grown up and are searching after a boy, they forget to consider whether the boy they select is actually suitable for them, based on his culture/behavioral history/manners/beliefs/habits and so on. Out of the urge for sex desire or companionship, girls will accept almost anyone who approaches them. If the husband is selected by the parents, they will take into consideration many important factors to ensure suitability, and this will give the best chances of success.

151. How great are some Yogis?
There are millions of Yogis who can walk on water, and air, make themselves lighter than a cotton swab, travel from one planet to another, one universe to another, create planets and universes, multiply food, cure the sick, fly without any machine, and so on. The master of all yogis and mystic power is called Yogeshvar (Krishna).

“Wherever there is Yogeshvar, the master of all yogis, and wherever there is Arjuna, the expert archer, there will be opulence, power, victory, and morality.” (Sanjaya to Dhrtarastra, Bhagavad-Gita 18.78)

152. Are you what you eat?
If a person eats animals then the qualities of animals will manifest in the person. These qualities include aggression, intolerance, and violence. The animals are aggressive, intolerant of others who intrude in their self-assigned territory, and will kill or hurt others when they are bothered or not in agreement with them.

People who eat plant food only (vegetarians), will manifest the qualities of plants. Thus calmness, peaceful, tolerant, and non-violent. The plants provide fruits and vegetables to all living beings. The tree provides shade and fruits to all living beings, even if we try to chop the tree down or don’t water it, still the trees will not hit back, and try to provide for all. The plants and plant eaters are calm, tolerant, non-violent, and helpful to all living beings.

“Just as the air carries a particular smell from one place to another, the living entity will be carried to a particular body at death, based on the consciousness developed by him during life. On taking a new body, the living entity will get a particular set of senses, like ears, eyes, tongue, smelling potency, sense of touch, and mentality. The foolish persons cannot understand how a living entity quits one body to take another. But those with knowledge can see this.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-Gita 15.8-10)

Due to the increase in animal eating in the world, the animal propensities of ignorance, violence, intolerance, and hatred are also increasing. This can be proven by the fact that all the violent criminals and terrorists in the world are meat eaters. The scientists are beginning to realize this truth about the relationship between human diet and human mentality.

153. Why should you be charitable?
Donating money gives one the opportunity to become free from material attachments and ultimately material life. Those who do not donate simply waste the money on material possessions and become attached to a materialist life. Thus becoming bonded to material life for many lifetimes.

A foolish person works hard all his life, accumulating a big bank balance, properties, jewelry, fast cars, and other material possessions. Then he quits his body to take another, leaving behind everything. Because he spent the money on himself and did not offer the results of his work (money) to God. He lived in sin and his next body will be that of a beggar.

A wise person spends his hard earned money on himself and gives a portion of it in charity. Thus when he quits his body, he will be able to enjoy his wealth in his next body too. He will be born in a rich family.

Did you ever wonder why some are born in rich families and some in poor families? Now you know why.

154. What is the best charity?
The giving of the gift of spiritual knowledge to your friends, relatives, and others is the best charity. The best welfare is to help others discover their real nature, spiritual self-realization.

The gifting of material goods only increase s sense gratification and bondage to material life. Spiritual knowledge helps people to stop the sinful activities in their lives. This sets one free from material life, which is a cycle of birth, old age, disease, misery, and death.

155. What is the highest service to God?
All living beings are the children of God and thus anyone who helps God’s children go back to their original abode, back to the spiritual creation, are most dear to God.

“If one who is devoted to Me, teaches this supreme secret to other devotees, he shall be performing the highest devotional service unto Me, and he will certainly come back to Me. There is no other servant on Earth, who is more dear to Me.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-Gita 18.68-69)

In this verse, Krishna states that if one teaches the Bhagavad-Gita to others, then that person is very dear to Krishna. Every devotee has the right to explain the Bhagavad-Gita according to his/her understanding to others. There are many who foolishly think that only a Sanyasi can explain the Bhagavad-Gita to others. Krishna very clearly states in this verse that anyone who is devoted to him can preach according to his or her ability and understanding. Lord Caitanya, who is an incarnation of Lord Krishna, confirmed this by stating that anyone who is devoted to Lord Krishna should become a spiritual Guru.

This is Kali Yuga, the age of darkness, ignorance, and irreligion. The Bhagavad-Gita can save humanity, it’s the only scripture that is spoken by God in person and also written by God in person.

Lord Krishna is the speaker of the Bhagavad-Gita and Veda Vyasa, who is an incarnation of Lord Krishna, is the recorder of the Bhagavad-Gita and all other Vedic scriptures.

Until 5000 years ago, the whole world was called Bharat (the light), and there was only one religion in the whole world, Sanatan Dharma. But because of the influence of Kali Yuga, now the whole world is in darkness due to the irreligious principles of man-made teachings. These irreligious principles being: Meat eating, God being unknown or invisible, we are the body (no reincarnation), everything happens by chance (no karma), killing for virgins and wine in heaven, and so on. Only those who have the higher spiritual consciousness can bring light to the whole World again.

Out of the 7 billion people in the world, at least 6 billion are in complete ignorance, because they are godless. They cannot answer the simplest question ‘Can you describe the Supreme Person’? Only the Vedic scriptures answer this basic question. Lord Krishna is the Supreme Person (God), and He is completely described in the Vedic scriptures with His history dating back to trillions of years on this planet and beyond this planet.

156. What is the difference between Devotees and Yogis?
Yogis are those who are only interested in their own advancement, they have no interest in helping others to advance. Devotees are those who help others to advance, they don’t think about their own advancement.

Basically devotees want to save others and yogis only care about themselves. Arjuna was a pure devotee and thus we should become pure devotees and not pure yogis, verses 18.68-69 confirm this.

157. What is the mentality of those who don’t follow the Bhagavad-Gita?
* Narrow-minded – They think their way is the only way and want all others go to hell for simply being different
* No faith in God – They cannot understand that God is in full control and thus it’s God who is creating and maintaining all others
* God is not real – They cannot describe God, He is unknown/invisible
* Hatred – They cannot understand the concept of universal brotherhood
* Animals – The animals are just food. Millions of animals are breed for food and killed daily
* Who are we – They think they are the body (no belief in eternality of soul)
* No eternality – They think this is first and only life (no belief in reincarnation)
* Purpose of religion – Some believe that by following their religion, they will go to heaven and enjoy sex with many virgins and wine
* No Karma – People suffer or enjoy by chance

The result of above mentality is hatred, terrorism, poverty, wickedness, selfishness, godlessness, and destruction of nature.

158. Does Lord Krishna curse those who don’t follow Him?
A man-made God will curse those who don’t follow him to a life in hell and he will be jealous, because he is not in control. But Lord Krishna is not like this. He is so nice and is in full control. He doesn’t force anyone to follow Him nor does He send anyone to hell just because they don’t follow Him.

“I have explained to you the most confidential knowledge. Now, think about it and then do as you wish.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-Gita 18.63)

After speaking the Bhagavad-Gita to Arjuna, Lord Krishna gave him free will. He doesn’t say Arjuna will go to hell if he doesn’t follow Him nor does Lord Krishna say He will be jealous if Arjuna doesn’t follow Him. This is because Lord Krishna is a mature and responsible person. Lord Krishna, the real God, is all loving and all merciful.

The real God does not curse anyone, because He is in full control and thus He does not need to curse anyone. Only those who are not in control and want to be in control will curse others, as they are frustrated and envious of the supreme controller (Lord Krishna).

159. What is wickedness?
Some people want to practice their beliefs freely everywhere but they don’t allow others to practice their beliefs freely everywhere. This is called wickedness, you should treat everyone equally and expect equal treatment.

Some people expect others to give them things for free, but they don’t give anyone anything free. This is called wickedness. If you take, then you should also give.

Some people like to borrow but not lend. This is called wickedness, if you borrow then also be prepared to lend.
Some people like to be served but they do not like to serve. This is called wickedness, you should serve others and let others serve you.

160. What is the mentality of those who follow the Bhagavad-Gita?
The devotees of Lord Krishna have the following mentality:

* Broad minded – They never say or think others will go to hell simply for being different
* Full faith in Krishna – They know that God is in full control and thus don’t have any problems with others
* God is real – God is visible and known
* Universal brotherhood – Consider all living beings as brothers and sisters. All living beings are the children of the one God and thus brothers and sisters
* Animals – They are our brothers and sisters too. Thus no meat eating (vegetarianism)
* Who are we – We are not this body but the soul
* Eternality – We are eternal and thus this is not the only life
* Purpose of religion – A sincere devotee of Krishna only wants to eternally serve Krishna and has no desire for sense gratification. Thus no lust, no intoxications, no killing, and no speculation
* Karma – People suffer or enjoy based on their past actions. Nothing happens by chance. As you sow, so shall you reap

People with the above mentality make the World a safer and peaceful place to live. Also, at the end of this life, these souls will go back to the spiritual creation and live eternally in the same beautiful body with God. Persons with the above mentality are called self-realized.

“Being freed from attachments, fear, anger, and fully situated in thought of Me, many have become purified by penance and knowledge of Me. They all attained pure love for Me. (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-Gita 4.10)

The eternal Bhagavad-Gita has already delivered, trillions of people back to the spiritual creation, where people live in the same beautiful body eternally with no misery, and you can be next.

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The Book of Life Questions 141 to 160

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