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Poojya Swami Shri Bhoomananda Tirthaji Maharaj,

..... pranams to you.

My name is GMM . I am from Kerala but live near Mangalore. I was fortunate to meet Poojya Sadyojath Shankarashram Swamiji of Chithrapur mutt, through his parents in Bangalore, in the year 2000. Thereafter the Swamiji, gave me Mantra deeksha and told me to recite Beeja mantra of Lord Ganesha, 108 times every day. I felt very happy, got an idol of the Lord in silver and started my mantra japa. It is more than a decade now and I am continuing with it. I have not got to see the Swamiji for some time now.

In the meanwhile, I have been listening to “Mukthisudhakaram” and other such program on Asianet for last one year and every day I hear about Lord Krishna. Now I know a lot about Lord Krishna (much more than what I know about Lord Ganesha) and think about Him too. I attended Bhagavatha Sapthaham recently at Guruvayur. Now I am a bit confused as to whom I must concentrate on, as I feel I must concentrate on one deity only of Jagadeeshwara for up-lifting my mind. There is some sort of a conflict in my mind. I do not know how to overcome this.

Poojya Swamiji, would you please help me overcome this conflict?

Answer

Dear and blessed GMM:

Harih Om Tat Sat. Your email questions and enquiry are before me, and I am reading them again.

Religious and spiritual progress gradual, step by step. There can be no conflict, confrontation, in this at all. Be assured of it. Whatever seeming variance you feel, is because of basic ‘ignorance and delusion’, which is the underlying fact of our birth-death sequence. The effort of the seeker is to identify and redress this delusion, by greater exposure and rumination. Real stability, called sthita- prajnata by Krishna in Bhagavadgeeta, is the ideal. So do not think you are under a conflict, which hinders you.    
To have a conflict is to seek clarity. Clarity marks fulfillment, the goal of spiritual life.

Imagine a child led and guided by the mother to worship the Lord in the temple or pooja room. As he grows, his worship also changes. As an adult, he starts imbibing suggestions, values and messages from different quarters. He modifies and updates his worship. In the process he may pick up some affinities, as you have done.

With all this, there comes a stage when the mind begins to seek, making one a seeker: “What is the Supreme Truth, Supreme God, how to approach Him?” This kind of enquiry is quite natural. It is the characteristic of a seeking mind. I am happy you have this. Do not think unduly about whatever has transpired, including the mantra deeksha episode and the place of Ganesha in it.

From wherever you have started, proceed further. Whatever has transpired will only help you. The steps you have taken are quite alright. Without feeling any conflict with them, proceed further.

Understand that God is only one. It is for the sake of the variety-loving mind that many concepts and procedures are laid down. Mind has a notorious flair for variety. It is just like going to a cloth shop, seeing a large variety there, selecting something for you. But the purpose is to cover the body. Likewise, any selection of deity is only to suit mind’s flair, faith or fascination. Stop it at that level.

What is it that you want now? Your having worshipped or chanted the name of Ganesha only stands in good stead for you. It is that which enabled you to hear and read Srimad Bhagavatam, and begin to think in the light of Sastras, the sole object of which is to enlighten the human about good and bad, right and wrong, imperishable and perishable, Soul and body. Do not feel doubt.

Ganesha depicts the same Supreme Truth as does Krishna. Ganesha devotion alone has led you to Krishna devotion. And Krishna devotion, if properly pursued, will take to you to the art and process of resting on your own Self, the Antaratma, whose epithet alone is God, Parabrahman and the like.

The one factor that will help you to progress will be Viveka, discrimination and Vairagya, dispassion. These are the wings for the seeker bird to reach the heights he aspires to reach. By listening to Muktisudhakaram, I hope you are imbibing more and more Viveka and Vairagya, also deeper and subtler devotion. Growth of devotion, a quality and flair of your own mind, is what counts, and not so much to whom you are devoted.

‘Whom” is necessary only to generate devotion. Once devotion wells up in your heart, it is the devotee who has to be touched up, refined, improved and enhanced.

Devotion will reach a stage, where the devoted heart constantly feels the ecstasy of Godliness, Soul and Liberation. Are not these thoughts sufficient enough to streamline your own thinking?

Remember: To have a form is to be limited, and to deny all permeating capacity. Formful is unreal. Form-free and formless alone the True. Ganesha, Krishna, Vishnu and the rest are only a prop to start with.

Is not the mind formless and colourless? Only then, it pictures all forms and colours. If the mind were yellow, it would not have been able to reflect yellow colour. Dear son, think.

Our line is one of Brahmavidya deeksha and saadhana. I do explain all matters including meditation. And to earnest seekers, when they need and ask for, also give deeksha for the real spiritual saadhana to get the Supreme Lord, the Inmost Self.

Love and ashirvaad. Ma and Nutan Swamiji also send you loving good wishes.

Antaraatma,

Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha