God, Guru, and the Universe: How Grace, Guidance, and Karma Shape Our Inner Growth

From the Editor’s Desk

Life often appears unpredictable, especially when we make sincere efforts, but outcomes do not always unfold as we prefer. Certain situations seem comfortably predictable, while others arrive suddenly and change the course of our lives. When perceived only through a material lens, such experiences can appear random or even unfair. The Vedas teach us that existence does not unfold by chance. It is sustained by a sacred order established by God. What is that sacred order, and how does it work?

This issue of JKYog’s E-Journal, Samarpan, utilizes the Vedic knowledge (i.e., tattva jnana) taught by Swami Mukundananda ji to explore how the sacred order of God, Guru, and the Universe work in union to shape our inner growth.

Vedic Wisdom & Application

Theme of the Month

God, Guru, and the Universe: How Grace, Guidance, and Karma Shape Our Inner Growth

Reflection Questions

• What Role do the Supreme Lord and His Shaktis Perform?
• How Does the Supreme Lord and His Shaktis Guide the Soul’s Evolution?
• Why do Souls Need God, the Guru, and the Universe for Spiritual Growth?
• How does the Guru Become the Channel of Divine Grace?

What if every circumstance we encounter is not accidental but divinely arranged, a precise lesson crafted for the awakening of the soul? The Vedas consistently present human life as a sacred dialogue among three forces – the Supreme Lord, the guiding Guru, and the Universe that serves as the field of experience, beautifully orchestrated by God’s divine will.

The Vedas describe the interplay of three entities in the divine creation of God: Kshar (i.e., perishable, representing material energy), Akshar (i.e., imperishable, representing the soul), and Ish (i.e., the Lord of both). These are eternal and help in transcending material energy. Ish or the Supreme Lord is the source and sustainer of all that exists in the universe, but He utilizes His various energies or Shaktis to perform this function. Although the Supreme Lord has infinite shaktis, for our purposes, the three principal ones are essential to know.

These include the three divine Shaktis of the Supreme Lord: Maya (i.e., the insentient material energy), Jiva (the sentient soul), and Yogamaya (God’s personal, Divine energy). These are analogous to how the sun radiates energy but remains in one place, symbolizing how God’s energies pervade creation.

What Role do the Supreme Lord and His Shaktis Perform?

Each of God’s Shaktis plays a unique role in the universe.

1. God’s Yogmaya Shakti is Sarva Samarth or all-powerful, just like God. She conceals God’s divinity from unqualified souls and bestows divine vision and bhakti to those who have surrendered. Her personal forms as Sita, Lakshmi, Durga, Kali, Parvati, etc., are manifestations of this same Yogmaya Shakti. Devotees seek Her kripa because divine love, knowledge, and grace are all subservient to Yogmaya (Radha Rani).
2. The Jiva Shakti, the conscious souls, is also God’s superior energy, endowed with awareness and the capacity to love and choose. The divine soul is housed in a material body that is the instrument for the activities performed by the individual. Hence, this body, comprising the gross body, senses of knowledge and perception, mind, intellect, ego, and the feelings, is termed as kṣhetra (Bhagavad Gita 13.2). It is a sentient energy, different from both material energy (Maya) and divine energy (Yogamaya). It is considered a "tatastha" (or borderline energy), meaning it is not fully part of either Maya or Yogamaya. The soul is tiny and conscious, but susceptible to the influence of material energy.
3. The Maya Shakti (i.e., prakriti) is God’s material energy or the insentient power that creates the three gunas and all their combinations, from which the body, senses, mind, intellect, ego, and sense-objects arise. These gunas include sattva (i.e., goodness), rajas (i.e., passion), and tamas (i.e., ignorance). This energy creates the field – kṣhetra – in which actions unfold, experiences arise, and karmas mature. It is the universal material energy from which every individual kṣhetra is composed.

As for the Supreme Lord, not only does He reside in every atom of His creation (i.e., is lokastha), but He also exists as a personal guide, seated in the hearts of all souls. This formless aspect of God is called Paramatma (i.e., jivastha, Ishavasya Upanishad, p. 58).  He witnesses all, permits all, supports all, and dispenses the precise results of every karma when appropriate (Bhagavad Gita, verses 13.23–24; 10.20; 18.61). He also accompanies the soul through every lifetime, ensuring that justice and compassion unfold together within the divine order. Swamiji beautifully explains that Paramatma, therefore, is the kṣhetrajña too. He is a silent witness and guide, and does not manifest the infinite Shaktis He possesses.

The Mundaka Upanishad (3.1.1–2) offers a profound metaphor for the relationship between the soul and the Paramatma within: two birds sitting on the same tree. One bird eats the fruits – sometimes sweet, sometimes bitter – symbolizing the individual soul experiencing pleasure and pain. The other bird watches silently, luminous and serene. When the first bird finally turns toward its companion, it becomes free from sorrow.

This metaphor captures the role of Paramatma as the eternal Witness and Friend. He does not interfere with the soul’s freedom, yet He remains constantly present, guiding from within and delivering the precise fruits of action across lifetimes.

Everything in creation rests in the Supreme Lord, yet He remains transcendental. This Supreme Lord, the Energetic (i.e., Shaktimaan) and His energies (i.e., Shaktis) are inseparable, like waves and the ocean – intimately connected, yet remaining distinct in their function and form. They work in tandem to elevate material souls until they become perfect for a union with God.

How Does the Supreme Lord and His Shaktis Guide the Soul’s Evolution?

God, through His shaktis – including Yogmaya and Maya – arranges the universe to aid the soul’s surrender. The universe is the lawful arena where the material gunas influence the souls, karmas ripen, and lessons appear. It becomes a classroom for the Jiva. The Jiva makes the effort toward the goal as guided by higher aspirations. The Paramatma guides the soul, Yogmaya graces the soul’s effort into realization, and Maya Shakti tests the souls with challenges and exposes their material attachments. However, it cannot reveal the sweetness of God.

• The Jiva shakti is a tiny fragment of the energy of the Supreme Lord, has the capacity for God-realization, however, its power is minuscule when compared to Maya Shakti’s indomitable power. The Jiva identifies with the material body and has turned in the direction of Maya instead of God. Thus, it has forgotten its divine nature and gravitates toward material entities that provide immediate sensory pleasure. Therefore, the Jivas have been rotating in the cycle of life and death since eternity. Swamiji explains that because the soul is the knower of the individual field of its own body (kṣhetra), it is called kṣhetrajña.       
• God gives the Jiva the freedom of choice to act in accordance with its dharma. If the Jiva is lured by the fleeting pleasures (i.,e, preya sukh) instead of seeking long-term happiness (i.e., shreya sukh), it will remain in the clutches of Maya. It will become the bhogata or enjoyer of the material world, forgetting its spiritual dharma, which is to serve God.

• God inspires Maya to trouble the soul when it dives deeper into the temporary pleasures of the world. This appears in the form of challenges in life – loss of jobs, loved ones, damage to property, daily strife with people, etc. For souls that are not surrendered to God, He dispassionately applies His Law of Karma to teach them life lessons. An important point to understand here is that all souls have to bear the consequences of their karma – no exception. It is only upon experiencing misery that the soul turns to God for guidance. The Paramatma seated within enables the Jiva to understand that it cannot conquer Maya without Divine grace.

Here lies a subtle turning point in spiritual growth. When repeated harsh realities and life lessons mature into sincere inquiry, the soul begins to ask not only “Why is this happening?” but “What truth am I supposed to realize?”

At this stage, the impersonal lesson of Maya gives way to the need for intense personal guidance. The Paramatma, of course, does not directly shower grace upon any soul, so He compassionately connects the Jiva with a true Guru, as the next step in the soul’s evolutionary cycle.

Why do Souls Need God, the Guru, and the Universe for Spiritual Growth?

The answer to this question is dramatically illustrated in the Mahabharat on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. The battlefield itself became the kṣhetra for action. Arjun, standing between two armies, was overwhelmed by grief, fear, and moral conflict. The war reflected an inner struggle between duty and attachment, compassion and confusion.

Shree Krishna, until that point, had served as Arjun’s charioteer. But Arjun, in his grief, pleaded:

कार्पण्यदोषोपहतस्वभाव:
पृच्छामि त्वां धर्मसम्मूढचेता: |
यच्छ्रेय: स्यान्निश्चितं ब्रूहि तन्मे
शिष्यस्तेऽहं शाधि मां त्वां प्रपन्नम् || 7||

karpanya-doshopahata-svabhavah
prichchhami tvam dharma-sammudha-chetah
yach-chhreyah syannishchitam bruhi tanme
shishyaste ’ham shadhi mam tvam prapannam

I am confused about my duty, and am besieged with anxiety and faintheartedness. I am Your disciple, and am surrendered to You. Please instruct me for certain what is best for me. (Bhagavad Gita 2.7)

It was then that Shree Krishna assumed the role of Arjun’s Divine Guru. He communicated the knowledge that was unfolded in the Bhagavad Gita. This moment demonstrates a central Vedic principle: divine knowledge is transmitted in a descending process, through a personal relationship between the Guru and disciple. When Shree Krishna revealed His universal form (Vishvarupa), Arjun perceived that the entire cosmic process, including victory and destruction, was already contained within the Supreme will. Swamiji beautifully explains that Arjun’s role then was not to control events but to serve as an instrument of a higher design.

The point to emphasize here is that without the battlefield (i.e., kṣhetra), Arjun’s attachments would have remained hidden. Without the Guru (i.e., kṣhetrajña), he would have misinterpreted the nature of the crisis. Without divine grace, he would have lacked the strength to act in alignment with the truth. Together, these three elements form a complete system of spiritual awakening.

How does the Guru Become the Channel of Divine Grace?

Scriptures consistently affirm that truth is not grasped through reasoning alone. Material souls lack the power to rise spiritually without the Guru’s grace. The divine knowledge must be “received” in a way that enables internalization. Without the Guru, souls would misinterpret divine knowledge. The Bhagavad Gita instructs seekers to approach a God-realized Guru with humility, inquiry, and service, for it is the Guru who can impart knowledge that leads to direct realization (Verse 4.34).

• The Guru does not negate the lessons of Maya. Rather, the Guru interprets them, helping the soul to understand their deeper purpose. Where Maya disciplines from the outside through challenges meant to drive the soul toward God, the Guru illumines souls by teaching the knowledge of God vis-à-vis the purpose of life – the Jiva’s true dharma.
• The Guru, as a divine representative of God, in a personal form, guides souls toward God. He teaches souls to discriminate between the trappings of the material energy and the soul’s false identification as the doer. Swamiji beautifully explains that because the soul is accountable, as the director of the mind and intellect, like a charioteer guiding horses, the Guru aligns the soul’s inner instruments. This is the biggest grace of God – enabling souls to receive divine guidance from a true Guru as a medium for spiritual growth.
• The Guru re-educates the Jiva’s intellect with tattva-jnana needed to become aware of and eliminate the ego. He functions as the compassionate agent of God who purifies the heart, provides the correct vision, imparts practical sadhana, and channels divine grace so souls can know and love God. With the Jivas that surrender to their Guru, or indicate the desire thereof, He applies the Law of Grace. The Guru makes it possible to break free from the cycle of life and death. Therefore, all the Jivas need a Guru to gain the knowledge of God and eliminate scriptural doubts to progress further in the spiritual journey.
• Thus, the Guru destroys inner darkness, confers true knowledge, enables the practice of sadhana, and provides a living experience of divine love. That is the reason that the Vedic Scriptures instruct us to approach the Guru for truth and practical realization.

The Shrimad Bhagavatam reveals this pattern repeatedly. For example, Dhruv’s initial hardship refined his determination to seek God to fulfill his material desires, but it was Sage Narad’s guidance that channeled that determination toward God. Similarly, Prahlad’s suffering strengthened his faith, but it was the spiritual knowledge he received from his Guru Narad ji that transformed suffering into unshakable devotion.

The central and significant role of the Guru is a recurring theme across the Vedic literature. The Kathopanishad recounts the story of the young seeker Nachiketa, who approached Yama, the celestial god of death, with a single, unwavering question: What lies beyond death? Initially, Yama tested Nachiketa with offers of wealth, pleasure, and power, but Nachiketa refused them without any hesitation. Pleased with his sincerity, Yama became his Guru and revealed the nature of the eternal soul and the Supreme Reality.

The narrative affirms that spiritual truth is not granted through curiosity alone but through humility, perseverance, and proper guidance. Even the greatest intellectual achievements require the refined presence of a realized Guru to become spiritually complete, without which material souls would be engulfed in the pride of doership.

Final Reflections:

In summary, grace, guidance, and karma shape our inner growth in glorious ways.

• God governs the universe, educates us through the fruits of our karma, and guides us from within. Divine grace operates as His most compassionate fulfillment of the Law of Grace through direct guidance from the Guru.
• The Guru inspires souls to become conscious of God, take complete refuge in the Divine, and eventually surrender to His will.
• As souls make the effort toward surrender to God, Divine Grace unfolds. This Grace works quietly. It may appear in the form of delayed answers, redirected paths, or inner strength that sustains us during uncertainty.
• Under the Guru’s guidance, when souls learn humility, tolerance, and acknowledge divine graces, the effort or purusharth starts shaping the nature of karma and consequences, making everything auspicious in life.
• God and Guru, with Their profound shaktis, soften resistance, accelerate learning, and enable souls to attain their goal. The heart learns to rest in the assurance that nothing is wasted, nothing is random, and every experience, however challenging, is guided by divine wisdom toward inner growth and deeper devotion.
• Together, God, Guru, and the Universe transform life itself into a sacred teacher, guiding the souls eternally and making it possible to complete the journey.

Tools for Your Personal Growth

Here is a practical tool you can use to walk with God, be guided by the Guru, and learn from the universe. A downloadable tracking sheet is available for you to use.

Gems of Wisdom from Swamiji

Here are a few YouTube video titles with related links and books where Swamiji has described the laws of God, His Shaktis, the Guru, and the universe.

• Why am I Here if I am a PART of GOD?
• Are the Laws of the Universe Absolute?
• How Does Karma Really Work? Law of Karma
• When God Manifests All His Powers
• Mukundananda, S. (2025). Narad Bhakti Sutras. Rupa Publications Pvt Ltd: New Delhi, India.
• Mukundananda, S. (2025). Bhagavad Gita for Everyday Living: Selected Verses with Key Takeaways. Rupa Publications Pvt Ltd: New Delhi, India.
• Mukundananda, S. (2025). Ishavasya Upanishad. Rupa Publications Pvt Ltd: New Delhi, India. 
• Mukundananda, S. (2024). Spiritual Secrets from Hinduism: Essence of the Vedic Scriptures. Rupa Publications Pvt Ltd: New Delhi, India.
• Mukundananda, S. (2022). Bhagavad Gita – The Song of God, Westland Publications: Chennai, India. 

Hold Your Breath! Check out Upcoming Events

We are very excited to share details regarding the upcoming Mahashivratri Mahotsav at the Radha Krishna Temple of Dallas, the official Headquarters of JKYog, and the Radha Krishna Temples in North Carolina and the Bay Area (CA).

JKYog’s Mahashivratri

Mahashivratri is more than just a religious festival; it presents moments of spiritual awakening. Devotees use this time to meditate, fast, and attune to Lord Shiv's energy, seeking inner transformation and spiritual alignment. The festival offers a unique opportunity for self-realization, where one can confront inner shadows and emerge with a deeper connection to the universe’s eternal flow. It's a celebration of both the divine and the self, a path to spiritual rebirth.

See the unique aspects of this festival at the three RKT Temples of #JKYog: Dallas (Allen; Official Headquarters), North Carolina, and theBay Area (CA).

JKYog’s Bhagavad Gita Krishna Bhakti App

The Virtual Temple feature on this App provides an interactive digital space for daily worship and devotion. It is designed to help users maintain their spiritual practice (sadhana) anytime, anywhere. 

Key interactive elements of the Virtual Temple include:

• Worship Rituals: Users can virtually perform traditional devotional acts such as lighting the lamp, blowing the conch, and offering flowers to deities.
• Virtual Aarti: The feature allows users to participate in immersive aartis to deepen their divine connection.
• Customization: Devotees can set up their own personalized temple on their phone and worship their favorite deities.
• Bhajans, Kirtans, and Meditation: The temple experience can be enhanced by listening to the soulful bhajans, kirtans, and a guided meditation.

If you have not already downloaded the app, do it now! 

Download the App: https://www.jkyog.org/radha-krishna-bhakti-app