The first question comes from Holland where a cyber devotee wishes to know Hinduism Today's view on genetic engineering. Gurudeva says that a lot of in depth study and research goes into an article before we print it and that there are many unknown factors in this area and we still need more opinions and research to be done. Another cyber cadet asks if one can have two gurus? Gurudeva says that it is traditional in Sanatana Dharma that a family has one guru. A cyberspace devotee asks how can one get into the astral plane? Gurudeva says that the astral plane is a duplicate of the physical plane and that those on the spiritual path go into the astral plane during sleep to study from great masters there.

Unedited Transcript:

Good morning, everyone! A very interesting question from Amsterdam, Holland. Selvan asked about genetic engineering. He mentions, "You do not mention much in 'Hinduism Today' about genetic engineering."

In 'Hinduism Today' the Hindu International magazine, we try to do in-depth articles. A lot of background study goes in, before we print. We have been studying genetic engineering and your article that you are sending to us, will probably start a series of articles on this subject. There is still a lot of unknown things, such as - how does it affect vegetarianism when animal genes are put into vegetables? We don't yet know. So, we have to do a thorough investigation and get many opinions on the subject before we print a final conclusion.

Selvan, we are very happy you brought up the subject. We are looking forward to seeing your article. We are going to ask all of you in cyberspace who know anything about genetic engineering to e-mail us what you know and where we can find as much information as possible. Send it to letters@hindu.org

A cyberspace devotee in Dallas, Texas wonders if one can have an affinity for two gurus at the same time or could even one have two gurus?

Well, the word guru of course, means teacher. There are teachers of dance, teachers of music. A Satguru is a teacher of the Eternal Truths. Yes, you can have several gurus and learn from them. The guru that benefits you the most over the years, would obviously be your guru.

It is traditional in Sanatana Dharma that a family has allegiance to only one guru. But it takes time to find out who he might be and to mix with his congregation and followers.

A cyberspace devotee in Arizona asks, "How do you get in the astral plane? Do you have to die or can you do it through meditation or sleep?"

The astral world is a duplicate of this physical world that we see with our two eyes. We are more in the astral world than perhaps we realize. Every time you move your physical body, you move the astral body first. When you go to sleep at night, you leave the physical body and are in the astral body visiting family, friends, other people who are in their astral bodies, and people who are in their astral bodies and have no physical body to go back to. You don't remember when you awaken, because the astral brain is a higher vibration, a more refined matter than the physical brain. It takes 3 days or 72 hours or more, for the knowledge gained in the astral world to seep into the physical brain. Therefore, you don't identify.

Those on a spiritual quest go into the astral plane nearly every night, study with great teachers there, mix with other devotees and improve their life.