“Q\&A_VEDIC RITUALS, FOOD & SPIRITUALITY”

Q\&A_VEDIC RITUALS, FOOD & SPIRITUALITY

Date the discourse was delivered

Sat, 2012-04-28 07:54

Transcript in English

I welcome all of you with my love and blessings.

First question: Dear Swamiji, Nithyanandam! Is our life path already decided by the planetary positions at the time of birth? If so, can it be changed after the initiation from a master? What is the significance of Mangal Sutra and toe ring according to our Vedic tradition? Married women are not supposed to remove this any time. Is there any spiritual significance? When the husband is not alive, women are not allowed to wear kumkum, flowers and bangles, etc. and they are considered inauspicious. What is the reason behind this? Is there anything called dosha and parihaara? In what way does the parihaaram affect us spiritually to make life better? - M Suvedha, IA ID no. 89

Swamiji: First thing. Your life path is already decided because of the mental set up you create; not because of any planetary positions at the time of birth. The way you grow, that mental set up, that affects your life path. Second, if so, can it be changed after an initiation from the master? - As I said, initiation from the master changes all your mental set up and patterns. So, it can be changed. Third, significance of Mangal sutra and toe ring according to our Vedic tradition.. I also wanted to make this very clear - toe ring and Mangal sutra is not mentioned in any Vedic literature. Later on, the set of books called Smritis, the lifestyle instructions, only in that lifestyle instruction books like Manu Smriti, Prajapathi's laws, and later on, only the Smriti literatures, the lifestyle books, the words like Mangal Sutra are all appearing. Even there, toe ring idea is not there. It was added later on, in the Puranic periods. See, the Vedic period, Smriti period, puranic period. In Smriti period only, the Mangal Sutra gets added. In the puranic period, the toe ring gets added. So, basically the original vedic scriptures, there are neither references nor any spiritual significance associated to mangal sutra or toe ring. So, because there is no spiritual significance, I do not want to talk about it much. As a social custom, ok. I have no opinion to support it or negate it. And, why when the husband is not alive, women are not allowed to use kumkum and flowers and bangles and considered inauspicious. I think this is male chauvinists. They are afraid to have a women fully dressed up without husband, because these fellows will get tempted. It is just male chauvinists. Nothing else. So, don’t bother about that. This is already broken by Sharada Devi. Sharada Devi made it very clear. Sharada devi clearly, even after Ramakrishna left the bodyshe did not remove the bangles. she did not wear the white saree. See, even in white saree, she will wear with the border only. In West Bengal, with border you can’t wear white saree, those days if husband is not there. She did not care. And she will do all the auspicious activities and everything. And, there is nothing called dosha and parihaara as far as this wearing kumkum, flowers,bangles after husband passed away. Dont bother about that. There are some other significance in dosha and parihaaras. I will talk about it later on, some other time. Next question..

The next question is from Jayaram Reddy, IA ID no. 68. He is asking - Dear Swamiji, please elaborate the essence and need of using dietary supplements for optimal health. Give your insights about using natural organic supplements, especially supplements from Amways neutrilite? - Jayaram Reddy IA id no. 68

Swamiji: Jayaram Reddy, I cannot support Amways neutrilite, because I do not know about it. I don’t know whether you are Amway agent. Am I right? Amway agent? O.. So, I cannot support the Amway Neutrilite, because I do not know about it. But, I can tell you one thing. You can use any dietary supplement as far as it is vegetarian and organic. As long as it is vegetarian and organic you can use. In those days we used to use in the food itself, like neem, many of the spices, badam, all these are dietary supplements only. As long as it is vegetarian and organic, you can use any amount of supplements, it does not hinder your spiritual growth and it helps your optimal health. Next question..

Question: The next question is from Des Kumar Sahoo. IA no. 76. He is asking, what is the importance in spiritual name? Is it effective in getting enlightenment? - Des Kumar Sahoo, IA id no. 76

Swamiji: Des Kumar Sahoo, the spiritual name is useful in three ways. One- this is the path for you to travel. Second - that is the goal you need to achieve. Third - it is my blessing you will travel in that path and achieve that goal. That is what is the significance of spiritual name. It is very powerful in achieving enlightenment.