Recently several saints are involved in controversies regarding collection of funds and sexual abuse. Based on this, these saints are being rejected and condemned totally by the devotees. This is not correct on the part of devotees in the light of their own spiritual interest. A doctor is an expert in writing the prescription for your health. The doctor suggested excellent medicine for your lungs, which are spoiled by your constant smoking. The doctor also may be a smoker. You need not reject his prescription since the doctor is smoker. The personal smoking of the doctor has nothing to do with his excellent prescription. If the doctor is also a smoker, he will suffer personally with his illness created by smoking. You need not bother about his health since he is a better judge about the value of the health. If you reject the prescription and do not follow the treatment, you will be equal to him in neglecting the health. In such case, being equal [to him], how can you criticize the doctor? If the doctor does not follow his advice given to you, he will go to dogs. Why should you also go to dogs since he has gone to dogs? You have approached the spiritual preacher for the direction of your spiritual life and therefore, follow his preaching without observing his personal life, which is unnecessary for you. The doctor may not be a smoker but if he gives you the prescription containing inefficient medicine, what is the use for you? Your health cannot be rectified by such a doctor.
There are two types of saints. The first type is Gurus, who are ordinary souls only but are experts in giving correct direction to you. If such a Guru practces against his own preaching, he will go to hell. You need not bother about his practice and you should follow his advice for your correct direction. The second type is Satgurus, who are the human incarnations of God. In this case, you may be misled by His external drama and you are tested in your faith. We find several saints smoking. Such saints are not equal to [Shirdi] Sai Baba, who also smoked. In any case, you should not examine the personal life of a saint and you should follow his preaching only. You should limit yourself to your necessity only.
Be it a saint or a human incarnation, the external gross body will have its own natural characteristics like birth, growth, hunger, thirst, sex, illness, death etc. In the case of saint, the internal soul, which is nervous energy, is not affected by these characteristics of body. In the case of human incarnation, the internal soul as well as the most internal God, are also not effected by these external characteristics. The soul is linked to the gross body through a bundle of qualities, which is called as subtle body. The soul, quality and the gross body are in the same state of phase, since energy and matter are mutually inter-convertible. The soul and quality are energy and the gross body is mainly matter bound by energy. All these three are parts of creation only. Therefore, sometimes even the soul may be affected due to the disturbed qualities, which form the link between soul and gross body. Thus, the food (matter), which constitutes the gross body, is responsible to the qualities. The thirst for sex is due to the activity of certain hormones and the hunger is due to the activity of acid produced in the intestine. The anger is due to the activity of chillies. The pride is due to excess consumption of salt. The fanaticism (Moha) is due to tamarind. The lust is due to masala food. Like this, the qualities are generated by food. In the case of human incarnation, God, who is the creator, is inside the soul. God is beyond the creation and hence, He is not affected by matter and energy. Creation cannot touch the creator. You will superimpose the effects of creation on the creator and misunderstand the creator. The black cloud covers the shining Sun and you say that the Sun is dim. The Sun shines with the same intensity in all the times. You superimpose the quality of cloud on the Sun.
Therefore, follow the preaching of the saints without examining their personal life, which is unnecessary to you. Sometimes, the personal life of the human incarnation is exposed to you to mislead you for a test. Therefore, never bother about the personal life of the saint and bother only about his preaching.
There are two types of saints. The first type is Gurus, who are ordinary souls only but are experts in giving correct direction to you. If such a Guru practces against his own preaching, he will go to hell. You need not bother about his practice and you should follow his advice for your correct direction. The second type is Satgurus, who are the human incarnations of God. In this case, you may be misled by His external drama and you are tested in your faith. We find several saints smoking. Such saints are not equal to [Shirdi] Sai Baba, who also smoked. In any case, you should not examine the personal life of a saint and you should follow his preaching only. You should limit yourself to your necessity only.
Be it a saint or a human incarnation, the external gross body will have its own natural characteristics like birth, growth, hunger, thirst, sex, illness, death etc. In the case of saint, the internal soul, which is nervous energy, is not affected by these characteristics of body. In the case of human incarnation, the internal soul as well as the most internal God, are also not effected by these external characteristics. The soul is linked to the gross body through a bundle of qualities, which is called as subtle body. The soul, quality and the gross body are in the same state of phase, since energy and matter are mutually inter-convertible. The soul and quality are energy and the gross body is mainly matter bound by energy. All these three are parts of creation only. Therefore, sometimes even the soul may be affected due to the disturbed qualities, which form the link between soul and gross body. Thus, the food (matter), which constitutes the gross body, is responsible to the qualities. The thirst for sex is due to the activity of certain hormones and the hunger is due to the activity of acid produced in the intestine. The anger is due to the activity of chillies. The pride is due to excess consumption of salt. The fanaticism (Moha) is due to tamarind. The lust is due to masala food. Like this, the qualities are generated by food. In the case of human incarnation, God, who is the creator, is inside the soul. God is beyond the creation and hence, He is not affected by matter and energy. Creation cannot touch the creator. You will superimpose the effects of creation on the creator and misunderstand the creator. The black cloud covers the shining Sun and you say that the Sun is dim. The Sun shines with the same intensity in all the times. You superimpose the quality of cloud on the Sun.
Therefore, follow the preaching of the saints without examining their personal life, which is unnecessary to you. Sometimes, the personal life of the human incarnation is exposed to you to mislead you for a test. Therefore, never bother about the personal life of the saint and bother only about his preaching.
At the lotus feet of Shri Dattaswami
-Durgaprasad
