We had written a letter to God on the Chinmaya Kids Website the week before our camp ended -- our response just arrived this morning (August 30.) Make sure to check out the Website for lots of fun activities and learning!
On 8/10/2009 8:28:20 PM, Jacqueline wrote:
Dear God,
We are writing to you from our Chinmaya Mission Summer Camp in New Jersey. We are writing to you because we have some questions. We would be very grateful if you could answer them for us.
1. Why do you make people do good deeds and bad deeds?
2. Why do all the Gods have 108 names? What is the significance of 108?
3. Are you really just one God in many forms or are you many Gods?
4. How did you create people?
5. How does reincarnation work?
6. Do you have just one name?
We know that these are a lot of questions, but we would really love to hear your thoughts and answers.
With greatest love, the campers in NJ.
God's Reply
Dearest Jacqueline and all Campers,
Great questions! I will answer them one by one.
I give everyone opportunities or experiences. How people act and react to such situations is up to them. The person who has done good in the past most likely will continue to do good. And the same applies to doing bad. To change from the bad to good or good to bad is a choice which a person makes. So I provide them with the field, they are the deciders of what they do with the field.
All Gods have 108 names so that people remember them more enthusiastically. If God only had 1 name, people would get bored. So God has lots and lots of names to keep people interested and because God is everything! So 108 is just a sample of Gods names!
And 108 is a number which signifies victory. And it is divisible by 18 which is a very significant number in Hinduism (i.e. 18 Chapters of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita, 18 Puranas, etc.).
I am only One with many forms for people to remember me by. Just like cotton is one but it can be weaved into a shirt or pants or hats or gloves based on what appeals to someone. I create people from the same materials as I create all (space, air, fire, water, earth).
The whole universe is made up of the same materials, only with different forms and names. Really though all are just these 5 elements and all of these elements are just Me! When I created the Universe there was only Me and so I created the Universe with Me. So I am the Universe.
With Reincarnation only the physical body made up of the above elements dies. Nothing else. And the mind/intellect/ego goes to another physical body to pick up where it left off. The Spirit which allows all to take place (life and death) is unaffected by the death or birth of the body. It remains the same. It is like how you wear clothes, you use them for the day and then the next day change your clothes because you have made use of the previous days clothes and need new ones for the day upcoming.
All names are mine. You can call my book or computer or Lord Rama. Whatever name is fine because I am all with just a special form and name. As long as you remember I am the essence of all, you can call Me by the name you love the most.
I hope that these answers help you with all your questions. Keep remembering Me!
Love,
God
