Heaven is temporary
[2nd President and Spiritual Head: the Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa]
[now a Centre of the international Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission]
DAILY READINGS
Day 1001
Is heaven absolutely permanent? No, it is not permanent. Therefore Nachiketa's sacrifice was discovered by Yama [the Hindu god of death] so that you can at least go to heaven. If not, you can get mukti [liberation]. Even where Lord Krishna lives [i.e. the loka or realm] is not permanent. Where Lord Shiva lives is not permanent. Where Lord Brahma lives is impermanent.* [see footnote]
Anything that contains me must have come after me. If this room contains me, it means I must have made this room and then come into this room. Where was I before this room? So if God is in heaven, then who made heaven? Who made heaven? God made heaven. That means God was first outside of heaven. He made heaven then he got into the abode called heaven. Therefore heaven is not the absolute [Brahman], the truth as it were. It is relatively good, relatively eternal we can call it. It lasts longer than this place here called earth.
[*in Hindu dualistic philosophy, one spends as much time in a loka or realm as one's karma (merit or demerit), good or bad, prescribes. Thereafter one has to return to a human body in order to achieve final liberation. This applies also, to the gods themselves.]
1) Care should be taken by the reader to understand and take Swamiji's words in these postings, in context. Every teaching or instruction that he gave was specific to the people who were with Swamiji at the time.
2) Mouse-over the words highlighted in red in the posting for further explanation or links.
There are currently available, 150 different CDs or DVDs with mp3 files, of Swamiji speaking. Please email timhoare@webmail.co.za to order.
For more about the Holy Trinity, and also the founding Swamis of the Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa, please mouse over their names below:
Sri Ramakrishna Sri Sarada Devi Swami Vivekananda
Swami Nischalananda Swami Shivapadananda
The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna - read online
Reference websites – please mouse over the name and click to connect:
Ramakrishna Math and Mission Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa Ramakrishna Dham