Yuli Wu's Posts (5)

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Question: In Sri Isopanisad, Srila Prabhupada says, "The killer of the soul is destined to enter the darkest region of ignorance to suffer perpetually." Does perpetual here mean eternally? Do such living entities ever have hope again or are they condemned forever in the lower planetary regions? 

Romapada Swami Maharaja Answers: Lord Krishna also makes a very similar statement in Bhagavad-gita (16.19,20): "I perpetually cast such persons in the ocean of material existence, into various demoniac species of life… Gradually they sink down to the most abominable type of existence." Krsna is all-merciful, and as Srila Prabhupada explains in his purports to the above verses, this is just another feature of the Lord‘s mercy. In these verses, the word "perpetually" conveys the idea that such souls glide down further and further, repeatedly being born in demoniac species until they at last reach the animal species of life such as cats and dogs. Thereafter, one again goes through the entire cycle of transmigration until they attain another human form of life, the rare opportunity to put an end to this cycle.

Krishna‘s desire is that ALL living entities come back to Him, to the spiritual world. The very purpose of the material creation is to facilitate the living entity to rectify his mentality and go back to Godhead. Therefore, NO ONE is eternally condemned to material existence; everyone is repeatedly and endlessly given yet another chance to revive his or her spiritual consciousness.

In addition, Krishna personally incarnates, especially in His most-munificent feature as Caitanya Mahaprabhu to benefit even the most sinful and demoniac persons. And so also the pure devotees of the Lord compassionately walk the earth; just by coming in contact with them even the birds and beasts are spiritually uplifted! Krishna‘s mercy is endless and one can take advantage of it in any status of life.

To find more about Romapada Swami, please also visit:

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Question: If soul is constitutionally Caitanya (conscious) and not influenced by karma, then how does karma influence its rebirth?

Romapada Swami Answers: If someone lost their hard-earned money, the person himself is not hurt by the incident, but because they are attached to the money and identify it as their property, they have to suffer the consequence of the loss. Similarly, the soul mistakenly identifies himself with the material body, and thus becomes attached and 'conditioned' by the desire to enjoy the facilities of material existence. Therefore, he is forced to take another body to enjoy or suffer the consequences of past actions.

To find more about Romapada Swami, please also visit:

A Comprehensive Photo Archive of Romapada Swami
Questions and Answers with Romapada Swami
Transcriptions of lectures by Romapada Swami
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Chanting leads to eradication of sins

Question: Can a mantra really neutralize the sins already done or does it only give the courage to bear the pain (result)?

Romapada Swami answers: The Holy Name of God can actually eradicate the reactions for all the sins already committed. Not only that, scriptures state that when properly chanted, hari-nama can destroy more sins than one can possibly ever commit. In order to derive the full benefit of chanting --- it can even burn up the residual tendency in the heart to commit further sins! --- chanting must be taken up properly. One should carefully avoid the ten kinds of offenses in chanting, especially the mentality that one can continue sinning and that it will be adjusted on the strength of chanting. Conversely, an attitude of surrender, sincere repentance and adherence to a theistic way of life are favorable and quickly help to perfect one's chanting. Chanting gives immediate relief from the blazing reactions of past sins, and quickly ushers in auspiciousness - this can be tangibly experienced in our lives. Yet, as long as we are in this material ocean, its waves and whirlpools will not cease; that is to say that by taking up chanting it is not to be expected that there will be never be another difficulty/pain/reversal in one's life. But these do not have the same disturbing effect upon those who take firm shelter in the Holy Name. In that sense, one could say that chanting gives the spiritual strength to tolerate material disturbances, but this is not the same as suffering that comes from past sins. And the Holy Name ultimately delivers one from this treacherous material existence altogether.

To find more about Romapada Swami, please also visit:

A Comprehensive Photo Archive of Romapada Swami
Questions and Answers with Romapada Swami
Transcriptions of lectures by Romapada Swami
Quotable Quotes from Romapada Swami
The Official YouTube Channel of Romapada Swami
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Question: In this Kali-yuga is chanting the best way to get spiritually elevated? And is chanting alone sufficient?

Romapada Swami Answers: Yes, that is the recommendation of the Vedic literatures. Harer nama harer nama harer nama eva kevalam / kalu nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha: "There is no other way, no other way, no other way of spiritual progress in this age of Kali than the chanting of the holy names of Lord Hari, Krishna." In one sense, chanting alone is sufficient, but such chanting should be done offenselessly. There are mainly ten offenses in chanting, and we should know and avoid these (see next question). And in order to be able to overcome these offenses, in most of our cases we need the association of devotees, and guidance of a bona fide spiritual master. When we chant under such guidance and association, it will become quickly effective. Along with chanting, it is recommended to purify our senses by practical services, which means engaging them in various ways to please the Lord. Cf. SB 9.4.18. The activities of bhagavata marg (hearing and chanting about the Supreme) are best complimented by the activities of pancaratrika marg (Deity worship).

To find more about Romapada Swami, please also visit:

A Comprehensive Photo Archive of Romapada Swami
Questions and Answers with Romapada Swami
Transcriptions of lectures by Romapada Swami
Quotable Quotes from Romapada Swami
The Official YouTube Channel of Romapada Swami
Romapada Swami on Facebook
Romapada Swami on Twitter
Romapada Swami on Pinterest
Romapada Swami on Soundcloud

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Question: I have been wondering about a lot of issues related to religion. I wonder if you can help me find some answers and direction. I sometimes feel confused. Knowing that we are going to die, what is the point of living?

Romapada Swami Answers: Thank you for your very thoughtful questions. In answering your questions, I will share with you the timeless wisdom as found in the Bhagavad-Gita, which systematically addresses all these vital questions about the meaning and purpose of our life.

According to Bhagavad-Gita's teachings, we are eternal living beings -- we are not this body but eternal spirit souls residing in this body. Our real self, the spirit soul, is never subject to death. The body is just like an outer garment, or a vehicle, and it is the soul only that animates the body. When the body becomes old or useless, the soul leaves that body and takes on a new body, just like a person changing his dress, or giving up an old car and getting a new one. Death, therefore, is not an end as it seems to us, but merely a changing of body.

This present life and body, of course, are temporary and will come to an end, and therefore too much absorption in accumulating material knowledge, wealth, position, or superficial bodily relations in one sense does not have any lasting value and thus are futile, because they will all be taken away at death. And yet, whatever we do in our present life *IS* quite important in another sense, because it decides what kind of future we are going to have. Therefore it behooves us to live our life responsibly and in proper knowledge.

At death, we acquire a new body based on our previous activities (karma) and desires, taking birth in any of 8.4 million species of life in any planet within the universe! This continues in repeated cycles of birth, death and transmigration. The human form of life is a very special opportunity in this cycle, because in this human body alone, unlike those of animals, we are endowed with intelligence to inquire into the purpose of this repeated cycle, just as you are inquiring now. Unless one comes to this point of inquiry, his human life is considered to be wasted, or lived in vain.

Because we are eternal, the prospect of death and changing bodies is very unnatural, unpleasant and depressing. But the reason we find ourselves subject to the unpleasantness of birth, death, diseases or old age or any other misery of this world is only due to our having forgotten our real spiritual nature and our relationship with God. Just like if you turn the lights off in your room one night, you would neither be able to see yourself, nor the objects around you, in the same way, God, Krishna is compared to the Sun and when we forget Him or turn away from Him, then we are subject to a type of darkness called ignorance or the illusory energy called Maya. Under its influence, people think themselves to be identical with the body and think life as having no ultimate goal or meaning, and abruptly ending in death. But as soon as we turn our attention back to God, this illusion is removed. 

The real purpose of this life then is to understand our real spiritual nature and transfer our desires from matter to spirit, turn our attention back to God. When we start acting in our relation with God, then even the ordinary activities and relationships that we pursue in this life take on new meaning and significance, instead of being temporary and illusory. Moreover, ultimately it will put an end to this cycle of birth and death and enable us to go back to our eternal home, where we can eternally engage in blissful loving service to the Supreme Lord, without being subjected to the stringent laws of birth, death, old age, disease and suffering.

This message, in effect, is the essence of any true religious system. Bhagavad-Gita gives us very detailed, scientific descriptions of how we can understand God, ourselves and our place in this material world. It also teaches us the methods by which we can revive our forgotten relationship with God, the best process being bhakti yoga, or performing devotional service to God and calling upon His Holy Names, Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare/ Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.

To find more about Romapada Swami, please also visit:

A Comprehensive Photo Archive of Romapada Swami
Questions and Answers with Romapada Swami
Transcriptions of lectures by Romapada Swami
Quotable Quotes from Romapada Swami
The Official YouTube Channel of Romapada Swami
Romapada Swami on Facebook
Romapada Swami on Twitter
Romapada Swami on Pinterest
Romapada Swami on Soundcloud

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