5. Gurus

Question 1

What is the role of the Guru in escaping samsara?

Answer 1

1. Life is shit
2. all the yogas to liberation are long days
3. one must chose the good (sreyas) over the pleasurable (preyas)
4. most people choose kama (escapism)
5. people get good and bad karma for their actions
6. at some point people realize that you don’t always get what you want, it’s never enough, and you always want more and it never lasts….. perhaps we were meant for higher things.
7. book knowledge isn’t enough as you need a tour guide.

Question 2

Who is Swami Sivananda?

Answer 2

1. Doctor for even the poor
2. Nirguna
3. International Light Society
4. must develop dispassion
5. Karma yoga - service to God

Question 3

What does naturalism mean?

Answer 3

adoration/worship of the raw forces of nature e.g. sun god, wind god etc.

Question 4

What does anthropomorphism mean?

Answer 4

Laws of natures are not just laws but human like forces or deities.

Question 5

What does Panenthism mean?

Answer 5

Nature is the body of God

Question 6

What is polymorphic monotheism?

Answer 6

one supreme God taking many forms

Question 7

What does monism mean?

Answer 7

one supreme substance which all else emerges from (spider and web)

Question 8

What does the purusasukta show?

Answer 8

his eyes the sun and moon, his hair the trees, his veins the rivers etc.

Brahmanas from his head, ksatriyas from his arms etc.

VUED

Question 9

What does the nasadiya sukta show?

Answer 9

all one supreme substance and maya (adhyasa) creates the illusion of individuality.