Ans: When we think we are answerable to each other, the problem comes and emotions rise high. However, if one considers God as the boss at home to whom one is answerable, it helps in controlling anger. Our job is to let Him know of everything and accept whatever He does. 

Detailed Explanation: At office, people work together in teams and there are people who work hard and those who laze around. How much ever one is irritated and angry on the one who is lazy, there is no yelling and shouting. Everyone completes the work as a team. Any complaints are made to the boss with the belief that the boss will take care of things. The reason we control our emotions because of the boss above us, who we believe is the right one to take action on such issues. Similarly, at home God is the boss. And everyone at home is answerable to Him and not to each other. When we think we are answerable to each other the problem comes. Just like office, everyone in the house has God as a boss who is there to take care of everything and our job is to let Him Know and accept whatever He does. The quarrels that are caused by thinking that we are the boss will deplete our own ability and lead the mind in unnecessary paths. 

Ans: When the need to shout at a person arises, using the names of God instead of harsh words is better. It’s a way to vent out anger. Also, as these are names of God, they purify the atmosphere. It does not damage the friendship and the individuals can have a good laugh later. Believing in God as boss and reciting His names definitely helps. 

Detailed Explanation: Swami gives us a great tip which is funny but effective and unique. When one gets angry as a first step the angry person wants to reject the other person and follows it with words as “I don’t like it, I want it to be this way .” etc Next the facial expressions also becomes aggressive and the desire to use harsh words arises. Though one’s vocabulary might be good, when one is angry only a few words come out. Instead of these harsh words, if one knows Vishnu Sahasranama, it helps throw a 1000 words. One can say these words in harsh tone, using the same facial expressions. Other foul words damage friendship and ends up hurting people. However, the names of God purify the atmosphere. Swami jokingly mentions that the other person will be confused and the situation diffuses. The angry person also gets to vent their anger and both can have a good laugh.  So definitely believing in God as boss and reciting His names when angry helps. 

Ans: Human Beings, animals and trees are creation of God and man is supposedly at the top of this chain. It is expected that he does more than the other two beings. However, we see that man is neither as selfless as a tree or as faithful as an animal even though he claims he is good or a conscientious person. Praying to God helps him/her to grow to that level and is not for fulfilling material needs. 

Detailed Answer: In an office, there are different levels of employees with varying salaries. A top level employee receives more salary than lower levelled ones. S/He is expected to know of her work plus the work of all her juniors and is expected to perform more than the lower levelled employees. Hence the justification of higher payment.  Similarly, in life we have different types of living beings such as plants, animals and man. All are creation of God and receive a certain amount of energy (similar to salary). When we consider eating, sleeping and procreation of these beings, it is similar in all respects and no variation in payment is required.  However, we observe that trees don’t live for their own sake – Any amount of energy they possess is given to others in the form of shade, wood, fruits/vegetable/flowers. And it keeps doing this every season regenerating itself. The second category is animals, which live by themselves and live sincerely. They do not speak a lie; take what is needed for them and nothing more. Animals also transfer their qualities to the next generation 100% without any deterioration. However, man receives more than these categories and he also takes more than these two from nature. Yet his contribution back is not in the same category as plants that give a 100%. He is not able to transfer the good qualities learnt 100% to his next generation (it is always less). Are we selfless as plants or as faithful as an animal? Man is much below the level of trees or animals, though he is supposedly higher in the chain. So, it is not justified to claim we are not bad because we follow and live by conscience. Praying to God is not for material reasons but to get the help, to reach the level that a man is required to grow into.  Prayer is not for achieving the results of one’s actions. 

Ans: What may appear as a bad thing happening to one, may not be really bad and we land in a bad situation based on our thought process.  Everything happening is for good and it depends on how one perceives it. It is because of God that we have this body to live in this world. Instead of blaming Him, let us be grateful to Him. Let us also remember that there is no one who can claim that they have never done a bad thing ever or never hurt anyone.

Detailed Answer: How can anyone claim that they haven’t done anything bad ever? How many insects have we killed unknowingly like batting a mosquito, killing several insects when we travel or build a house. Is there anyone who has never said a lie ever in their life or never hurt anyone by their behaviour? It is a combination of both arrogance and ignorance when one says that s/he has not done anything bad to anyone or claim that s/he is a good person. Secondly what we consider as a bad thing is based on our thought process. They may not be bad necessarily. A man who had to go for a job interview missed his flight and cursed everyone including God. However later he found that the flight met with a problem and had to do an emergency landing. He was much better off. What appears bad may not be really bad. Everything happening is for good and it depends on how one perceives it. If we think that something is bad the thought process has a cascading effect which disturbs everything and lands one in a bad situation. God has given us the body to live in this world and is the one helping us to breathe. He does not ask anything in return. Let us be grateful to Him for being the universal caretaker and not blame Him for everything that happens to us. 

Ans: Comparison is the cause of unhappiness. Each person is unique. When our own 2 eyes in our body are different, how does it make sense to compare two unique people? Religion tells us that we are different from our body and helps us in discovering our abilities and energies for our role to play in this universe.

Detailed Answer: Each person in this world is unique. In our own body both our eyes are different. When that is the case, how does it make sense to compare 2 unique people with different background. It is equivalent to comparing roses to apples. No one can become you and you cannot become anyone else. Hence comparing with others is not advisable. It is the cause of unhappiness. Religion helps us in discovering our own energies and abilities. It lets us know that we are just not the body alone but more than this body. You are a person with knowledge carrying records of the past and supported by God in a way that is exclusively for you. Religion makes us understand the support we receive from God, our qualities, our role to play in this universe using our abilities and skills. 

Ans: Jealousy makes one forget their own abilities and focus on something that the other person has. It results in panic as one constantly worries. It is always better to understand one’s own inert abilities and use that to the best. Jealousy is never good and doesn’t help in one’s progress. 

Detailed Answer: The result of comparison is jealousy. Jealousy means not being happy with another’s progress. Jealousy makes one forget their own abilities and focus on something that the other person has and trying to replicate it. It results in panic, as one constantly worries and aims to attain what the other person has or does.  This will not yield right results. If one aspires the same result for their own sake, then practicing in their own way is good and not in another person’s way. When the thought process takes a wrong step by feeling jealous, the inner spring that needs to flow naturally is disturbed. It stops them from understanding their own abilities, inhibits them from using their own skills for the better. And in the end becomes detrimental to the person feeling jealous. It is always better to understand one owns inert abilities and use that to the best. Thinking that one is trying to do good out of jealousy, can lead to bad. So, don’t allow the feeling of jealousy and think that it will help you in your progress.  

Ans: When one realizes that they are the powerful instruments in the hands of the all-powerful supreme being then they are no longer incapable, insecure or ordinary. They can draw enormous power from God and do great things. Forgetting this is the main reason for all sorts of disturbances that happen in our mind. 

Detailed Answer: Negative emotions and thought process go away when one understands that they are here in this world with a purpose. Everyone is an instrument in the very powerful hands of God. No one here should think that they are ordinary or incapable or insecure. God is the all-powerful supreme Being. Being an instrument in His hands means the instrument also becomes powerful.  When we are instruments in the hands of God then imagine how powerful and capable we are inherently! Understanding that and submitting ourselves to become an instrument in the hands of God, we can draw enormous power from God and perform good things in this world. Unfortunately, we forget that most times and that is main reason for causing all sorts of disturbances like jealousy etc in our mind.