Questions & Answers - September 29th, 2023

A recurring question and therefore a shared concern during Swami Padmanabha’s visit to Switzerland, is asked regarding the relationship between love of God and love of our friends, family and all life. It is posed that it is easier to love God because he doesn’t have an ego. Swami considers how God not having an ego might make loving him even more challenging.

Additionally, how can we say we love God and treat each other so horribly.

Also discussed is the idea of perfection being everywhere as spoken by Srila Sridhara Maharaja, “Perfection is everywhere. The trouble is that with our limited thinking we have produced a world of limits.”

Another topic explored is the struggle for the sadhaka to deal with the discrepancies of the early stages of bhakti—between where we are and where we want to be as far as aligning our behavior with our ideals. How can we coexist with that discrepancy so that we don’t torture ourselves by that nor grow complacent? We can be thankful that we are not cheating ourselves into thinking we are doing everything perfectly…because we are not. To acknowledge that and hold onto the gifts that are continually coming - that is heroic.

Tune is for the discussion.

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RADICAL PERSONALISM: Revival Manifesto for Proactive Devotion.