Peace is the first step to equip yourself to face problems

March 04, 2012

Q: What are the different types of Yagya and what is the importance of Yagya in one’s life? Which Yagya is the best?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Dhyan Yagya, Japa Yagya, Dravya Yagya - all these are called Yagya.

So among all these, Dhyan Yagya is best – meditation and group meditation.

Then Gyan Yagya – sitting and listening to knowledge.

Then Japa Yagya – ‘Yagyanaam Japayagyosmi’, Krishna also said Japa Yagya (chanting the name of the Divine) is very good.

And what does Yagya do? It purifies one’s mind, body and environment.

Q: Guruji, my other spiritual friends say that I have not received diksha (initiation) and until I receive that, my journey will not be complete.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Once you did Sudarshan Kriya for the first time know that you already received diksha. And if you have done Sahaj Samadhi, then you have received mantra diksha also.

Q: Guruji, what happens to you in meditation and what should happen to me when I meditate?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: This is the problem. When you read about what happened to someone else in meditation then you sit and expect the same to happen to you and so you will never have meditation. Just sit and do nothing.

Q: Is it necessary to match horoscopes before getting married? Isn’t it enough if two hearts match?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, it is enough. But if you have some doubt, then match the horoscope. If the horoscope doesn’t match and if you have faith in horoscopes, then what will happen is whenever any small things goes wrong the mind will say, ‘We never matched’

People after being together for 40 years say they never matched each other.

I have asked, ‘Then how could you live for forty years together?’

They say that their thoughts did not match for even one day and there was no compatibility at any level.

So, life is like that. Life is a compromise; an adjustment. Somewhere you have to give and take.

Also in horoscopes it is said that there is always a possible remedy. Suppose, something does not match then if you do this upaya (remedy) – like a certain japa (chanting) or charity, then a resolution will happen.

So there is a remedy.

Q: Guruji, please give me some tips for becoming a monk or a swami. Do I need to do something or it just happens?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: If you want to become a swami just come to the Ashram, stay here for sometime and learn, read and meditate. Dedicate your life for the service of the country and it will be done.

Ashrams are there, and you don’t have to worry about electricity bills or taxes. Ashram takes care of these.

Swamis can just come and sit and do their sadhana (spiritual practices).

Q: Guruji, I get completely exhausted when I meet a lot of people in my day, but when I see you working round the clock meeting thousands of people every day, you don’t seem to be tired. What is the secret?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I have put all my secrets together as the Art of living Part 1 course, Part 2 course, Ashtavakra Gita and everything else.

Q: Dear Guruji, time is a very important factor in success. It should happen at the right time to be fruitful. Do we have the inner ability to ascertain when the right time for something is? If so, how?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes. If you want to start any job, first sit quiet and become calm and listen to your inner intuition. Then just start the work.

Q: Guruji, you said that one should have strength, skill, devotion and liberation. Please explain the role of each.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: First you feel free. With freedom comes love.

If you feel that you are restricted and bound then you won’t feel the dedication or love.

So first you should feel freedom from within. Inner freedom brings love and dedication. With that comes the strength and with strength also comes yukti (skill).

Q: What is Maya? Does this Maya need to be embraced or does it need to be questioned? Why is it so difficult to comprehend?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Maya means that which appears but when you try to catch it, it doesn’t get into your hand. That is why it is Maya.

Something appears and you go to catch it and you can’t catch it. That is how everything in the world is. You see something so beautiful and you try to possess it. The moment you possess it, you find the beauty is gone. It is no longer where you thought it was.

Many things in life are like that. You think happiness is there and you chase after that and when you get there, it is not there.

One of the former Prime Ministers of India had a farmhouse around 35 kilometers outside Delhi. He invited me to come there on one of the Sundays, so I went there.

In the farmhouse he told me, ‘Guruji, in last 26 years, my only aim was to become a Prime Minister. Now after becoming a Prime Minister I feel, what a foolish thing I asked for! Before, I could happily sleep outside on a cot and enjoy nature, but now see how many guards are sitting all around. I have lost all my freedom. I can’t just go wherever I want. Now I am a prisoner in my own home.’

He said, ‘I can’t go and sit or sleep outside. Guards are standing all around. And now I feel it is all futile. I did everything possible that should be done or should not be done to occupy this chair and now I see it is all so futile.’

I said, ‘You are so lucky you got this realization. Many would not even get this realization and die without this realization.’

Anyway, he didn’t stay on the Prime Minister Post for too long also.

That is why it is called Maya.

Q: Guruji, all the scriptures proclaim that the appearance of this world is the handiwork of Maya. But Vedanta says it is of ignorance. How can the two statements be reconciled?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: There are two meaning for Maya.

First of all, Maya means that which you cannot catch.

There is another meaning for Maya – that which could be measured.

The English word ‘measure’ comes from ‘miyate’. ‘Miya’ means to measure. So this entire creation can be measured. That is why it is called Maya.

What cannot be measured is truth, love, beauty. You can’t say I have three kilos of love or two ounces of beauty or ten kilos of truth. You can’t measure them. So this is the immeasurable, i.e., Non-Maya.

The Divine is that which cannot be measured. The Self cannot be measured. Consciousness cannot be measured. But what could be measured is matter and that is what is Maya.

Now, ignorance is in the perception. You thinking that the Sun is setting is ignorance, because the Sun is not setting. It is the Earth that is rotating.

Earth is rotating – this is knowledge. The perception that Sun is setting and Earth is not rotating is ignorance.

Different people think differently and so it seems that they are all different people. This is one level of understanding. But the ultimate truth is – it is one consciousness which is in everybody. This is knowledge.

If you turn back and see most of your judgments, you will find they were all erroneous.

How many of you have had this experience?

You had a judgment and a little later you thought, ‘Oh no, that is not the case.’

You thought something else than what it was. This is what ‘agyan’ (ignorance) is. Most of the times what you think will happen doesn’t happen at all.

If you tape all these election exit poll forecasts, with all these people and all that they say. Two days later, after counting, when you rewind and watch it all again, you will feel, ‘My God! So many man hours are wasted in ignorance.’

Someone with any intuition would say – it is this person who is going to win. But all the speculation which goes on in all the channels between the election and the results and the hours and hours of discussion, you will find it to be utter ignorance.

Because you really don’t know that is why you are just speculating, guessing and giving your own theories. It is so funny!

Q: Guruji, I am obsessed with sex and such kind of activities for a long period. I am not able to focus on anything. I want to come out of it but cannot. If I stop myself, I really feel suffocated and suppressed.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: If you engage yourself in some creative work, then sex will not bother you so much. If you have nothing to do, you are not focused on achieving something, or doing some creative work, or having a goal or some dedication in life, then naturally the only other outlet for your energy is sex. That will bother you day and night. You will go and see all the pornographic websites and lose your sleep.

One youth was telling me that he keeps watching such things and he doesn’t get sleep at all. He has lost sleep. This is what will happen.

The best way to channel your energy is to engage yourself.

Just remember your school or college days during the exam period, your sex urge was the least because you had something to achieve. Day and night you are just memorizing or reading the books and you had no time for anything else. In the exam period sex did not cross your mind. But when you are so free, what will happen? You are in your youth!

There are four options:

First, engage yourself in some creative work. Second, watch your food. If you are eating too much and all that food has become energy, then it needs an outlet, and if you are not doing any exercise, or yoga, or pranayama, then definitely sex urge will come.

Third, if there is hormone imbalance, then obsessions can come up because of too much of hormones.

Fourth, it is just a matter of age. Wait for some years and it will all disappear. You are bothered by sex between the age of 15 years to around 40 or 45 years. But if you are bothered even beyond that, if you are 60 and you say, ‘I am obsessed with sex’, then there is something seriously wrong. You need medical care.

So, take care of all of these. If you are just in your teens, or twenties or thirties, may be this is just a passing phase, and just the age factor.

Q: Guruji, my family uses a lot of bad words in their speech. How important is refinement in speech? Does it have any good or bad effect, or is it just to sound cultured?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Well, you have realized it and you don’t use it. If your parents are using bad words, what to do? You can’t change them overnight.

So, you stop using it and see that your children don’t listen to those sorts of words.

As the sattva in a person increases, the speech automatically gets refined. It is related to the sattva level in our body. Whether you call it culture or habit, this is the fact.

Q: Guruji, you ask us to live in the present moment, then what is the importance of the past and the future in a seekers’ sadhana?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, live in the present. Past and future are inherent in the present. Everything is available in the present only. Lessons from Past will be effortlessly available to you and whatever we need to do in future, that intuition will happen spontaneously as well.

Q: Guruji, please speak about the knowledge in Yoga Vasistha. Whenever I read it, I get confused. Please resolve this confusion.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You are asking me to do something that is not my job.

My job is to create more confusion. Every time you get confused, you move one step higher.

So creating confusion is my job and coming out of it is your exercise. If Yoga Vasishta is doing the same job, then it is very good!

Q: Guruji, before the war Arjuna felt that after killing the Kauravas he will be happy. But his mindset changed after reaching the battlefield. Similarly, in satsang we nod our heads in affirmation, but when time comes to apply the knowledge points, it feels very difficult.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I tell you, take this one sutra – ‘Whatever is easiest and effortless for me I will do only that.’

There is nothing easier in life than the knowledge sutras.

What appears to be difficult is actually easy and what appears to be easy is actually difficult. Just know this!

Q: Guruji, please tell us about Hindu Gods and their vahanas (vehicles). What is the real meaning behind these vehicles?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: There is definitely some meaning to it.

When this Vishalakshi Mantap was built, we never thought of keeping ‘Nandi’ (the bull) in front.

One gentleman came and said, ‘Guruji, one of my relatives in America wanted to build a temple there but now he is no more. So we ordered this Nandi and Nataraja statues, we are not able to keep them in our home because it is so big. Could you please keep it here?’

So he kept the Nandi in front and Nataraji sat here on the stage.

Then what happened is there was a satsang in Mumbai where there were swans. Someone got the swans from Mumbai and kept it here.

Next, somebody brought a Garuda (Eagle). It is a one ton Garuda brought from Indonesia by ship.

I never planned this; these vahanas came on their own.

In the Guru Peetha, all the three vahanas (vehicles) of Brahma (Swan), Vishnu (Eagle) and Shiva (Bull) came and sat here on their own and in perfect sequence.

These vehicles are just symbols. The actual meaning behind the different vahanas is that each animal or bird brings with it specific type of cosmic rays or bio electrical energy to Earth.

For example, a lion will bring a particular type of energy with it; a crow would bring its own unique energy with it. Like that a cow, swan, etc., would bring its own bio electrical energy.

That is why it is said that even if one species of animals or birds become extinct, then the Earth cannot function. Scientists say this and this is true.

Our ancient Rishis have also said the same thing, that each angel or Devta descend in the form of an invisible energy on a particular type of being. It sounds scientific too.

Q: Guruji, 5000 years ago, you chose a chariot as your vehicle. Now, this time you have chosen Innova as your vehicle.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I was thinking I am sitting in your heart, but you are making me sit in an Innova.

I like to sit on that aasan (seat) which is in everyone’s heart.

Q: Guruji, today I have come here to seek peace of mind, but I am also feeling guilty for running away from the problems. So what exactly is peace of mind? Is it running away from problems or facing the problem?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: See, even to solve problems, first you need to have peace of mind. So, when you have come here to have peace of mind don’t feel guilty that you are running away from the problems.

If you have to face a problem, there will be no choice. You will have to face it. Got it?

But when you are so tired and incapable of handling the problems, then there is no point in just facing it. First you have to equip yourself.

So peace is the first step to equip yourself to face problems. Once you find the peace and the inner strength, then you can face any problem.

It won’t even appear as a problem.

Q: When people ask you a question at satsang, do you answer the question for that particular person or for all in general?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Both!

You are getting your answers, right?

Whatever answer I gave you, you got your answer, and it has also given some answer to others who are in a similar situation.

Q: Is it possible for the world to become free of evil? I have heard that even when the creation happened, there were Rakshasas or demons. Today I see we have to live with both the opposites – evil and good; darkness and light.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Correct!

I also heard that one lady from some spiritual organization saying, ‘Oh, that soul was very pure in Satyuga and eventually it became less pure, and in Kaliyuga it became impure.’ This is complete non-sense. It is not like that.

In Satyuga also there were Rakshasas (demons) like Hiranyaksha, Hiranyakashipu and the Avtaras had to come four times to get rid of them from the Earth.

So, it is not that Rakshasas are there only in Kaliyuga and Dwaparayuga. These are all wrong concepts and completely wrong understanding. I wonder how they say these sorts of things, that the soul is coming down and this is happening and that is happening.

Atma (soul) is not a red dot that comes down. Atma is like space – ever pure, ever free, and untouched by anything.

These Aasuri Shakti (evil powers) and Daivi Shakti (Divine powers) have been there all the time.

Aasuri Shakti has to be under the feet of Daivi Shakti, then that is a better age. But if Aasuri Shakti is on the top of Daivi Shakti, then it is misery.

So, there will always be some bad element in the society. But their number will be either less or more, that depends on the health of the society.

However big and nice a house is, there will be a dustbin in the house. And the dustbin will be in a corner and all the garbage will be put in that dustbin, and it will be covered. Otherwise the whole house will look like a garbage can.

This is the difference. Either you have a garbage can in the house which is well managed or there is garbage all over the house, everywhere, and only one clean spot will be there somewhere in the house. That is how Daivi Shakti and Aasuri Shakti always will continue to exist on the planet.

Sometimes this will dominate and sometimes that will dominate.

Q: In this social life everyday with lots of boundaries, limitations and problems, I am unable to concentrate. Can you please advise me on how to concentrate and be focused towards the goal of my life?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: So, you have the desire to concentrate. This itself is good, you are already focused. You are aware that you want to be focused and you are aware you are getting distracted, that means you are focused. Don’t doubt that, okay?!

And to increase that focus, what you are doing is the perfect thing – meditation, pranayama and satsang. Already the focus keeps coming.

Also observe what is distracting you too much. You are watching too many movies, isn’t it?!

That’s what you do, right?

(Ans – Yes)

When you watch too many movies the mind is bombarded with so many impressions and so the mind feels so confused. It becomes like a habit to watch movies. So cut down on movies for one week.

When you come back so tired from work, take a good sleep.

Q: What is the purpose of an action? How do we know that we have given our hundred percent to an action? Whenever I think of a past action it always seems that I can do it better.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: That is very good! That means you are recognizing your potential which is much more. You are in a very good position, so don’t worry.

There is no action without a purpose. When you are acting, you already know the purpose of an action.

Q: Guruji, if you wish to do business, and if you are told that your horoscope is not supporting that, but you believe in yourself, what to do?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Go to another astrologer!

If everybody says the same thing, then it is better to take up a job because then the mind will say, ‘See everybody said that business is no good for me.’

Q: Guruji, I love to do seva by spreading knowledge to other people and bringing other youths to the Yes+ program, but my parents are not happy with me going out for the entire day. Sometimes it gets late when I reach home. Please guide how to handle this situation.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: If it happens every day that you reach very late, naturally they would like to spend some time with you. Balance seva and your duty at home. Do what is needed at home also.

You know how to balance, right? Yes! Then do it.

Q: How did God originate?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: First you tell me, where is the starting point of a tennis ball? Is there any beginning point? No!

Similarly God is Anadi (without a beginning) and Ananta (endless).

Q: Guruji, why are there different customs in different religions?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Listen! Why should there not be? Why should everything be the same? God loves variety. He doesn’t want you to eat only potatoes. Otherwise he would have made only one vegetable in the world – potatoes. Variety is nature.

Q: Guruji, you have said that we should neither give nor take bribe. In 2009, my husband passed away while traveling in a train. Rs. 4 lakh was sanctioned as compensation. However, the lawyer said that he would get the job done quickly if we give a bribe of Rs. 25,000. Otherwise, it would go to the High Court and take another two years.

What should we do about this?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Tell them that if they do the job without taking bribe, it is good. Otherwise, we will report this to the Lokayukta. Decide firmly that you will not pay bribe. These people will not be able to continue such acts for long.

Take five to six people with you.

Recently, in Ahmednagar, the road in front of our centers needed to be asphalted. However, the authorities just recorded that the work was completed without actually doing it and they swindled the money. So, about thirty of our youths sat in front of the Mayor’s office and said that neither will we leave this place nor will we allow the Mayor to leave this place till the road is repaired. All the authorities were shocked. The road was repaired the very next day!

Q :From the same person) A few people also suggested that we initially agree to pay the bribe but put a condition that we will give it after the job is done. Once the job is done, we can say that we will not pay you anything now. Can we follow this suggestion?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, you could use such tactics too!

Q: Last August, I lost all the gold that I had. I am not able to concentrate. This haunts me, especially during Kriya.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Something had to happen, it has happened. Our body will also be taken away one day. Know this and be peaceful.

What is gone is gone. What can be done about it?

The British took away 900 shiploads of Gold from our country. Hundred crore people couldn’t do anything about it. They looted the country like this. Think from a bigger perspective.

Even now our country is being looted.

Be contented with whatever comes to you

March 03, 2012

Q: Guruji, please talk about gratitude. You have said that the more gratitude we have the more grace flows into our lives. How do I become more grateful every day?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: First of all drop this more. More devotion, more gratitude, more joy, more happiness, we need to drop this, ‘I want more and more. First you are thinking, ‘I want more money, more joy, more happiness and more pleasure.’ Then you shifted your tendency to wanting more peace, more knowledge, more of this and more of that. As long as you are in the run for more, you are not going to settle. Unless you settle, there is neither peace nor grace. Got it?! So somewhere you should take this whole ‘I want more’ thing and dump it and say ‘okay, that is it! It is said in the Bhagavad Gita, ‘Yadrccha-labha-santusto Dvandvatito Vimatsarah.’ Whatever is coming to you, you should have some level of contentment and with contentment comes gratitude. If you are discontent, how can you be grateful? If you are grumbling, you can’t be grateful, and if you are not grateful, how can there be grace? Do you see what I am saying? It all fits one into another. So now, don’t ask me how can one be more grateful? Just stop complaining! Know that this whole life is like a dream. It is all going to end and everything is going to finish one day. This very awareness will bring a shift in you. ‘This story is going to end someday and the curtains are going to fall’, knowing this suddenly a shift happens from the run to having more to contentment. It will come to that.

Q:Dear Guruji, in the Gita it says, ‘Avyaktahi Gatir Dukham’, when we worship the un-manifest it leads to misery. Is it necessary to have a form for worship or can we meditate without a form?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:Meditation happens without a form, but before getting into meditation a form would be essential. It could be any form.

That is why Lord Krishna says, you need to have a guide, a teacher, a Guru.

Jesus also has said the same thing; if you want to go to my Father you have to go through me. It is like that.

Lord Krishna said the same thing. ‘Avyaktahi Gatir Dukham Dehvadvir Vapyate.’ People who are body conscious, for them, going directly to the un-manifest brings a lot of sorrow and a lot of trouble in their lives and this is true, we have seen it.

If you see Judaism, they underwent so much trouble, so much suffering. He is not saying this path is wrong or bad. The path of the un-manifest is there but the way is very gruesome, it is a very tedious road and it brings a lot of pain to the walkers on that path.

We have seen this happening to the Jews in the world. And it has happened to the Muslims. In the Muslim religion this is happening from the very inception. But if you see Christians on the other hand, though there was trouble but not as much.

Buddhists, Jains, Tao , Shinto, all these paths were smooth sailing and there was not so much suffering that people had to face as in the time of Muhammad.

In Prophet Muhammad’s time, he himself had to face so much difficulty. Same is with the Prophet of Judaism. Their whole life, their paths were filled with sorrow, filled with hardship, filled with struggle and fight all the way through. And to some extent even the Sikhs had to go through this. Sikhs also worshipped the Avyakta – the unseen and the un-manifest.

Q: Dear Guruji, intention, attention and manifestation, what is the intricate science behind this? How are they connected?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: They are all connected. An intention arises and when you put little more attention on that, it does manifest.

Otherwise many intentions come and you don’t act on it, right?! But when an intention is given a little bit attention, which means you work on those intentions then manifestation does happen.

Q: Guruji, if you have to tell us one secret for success in this world, what would that one secret be?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: When you strongly desire something, simply believe it is going to happen. Simply know that the giver is so compassionate, and you will get what you desire if it is best for you. This faith, ‘The giver is going to grant me what is the best for me’, does the job!

Q: Guruji, you say that everything is changing. So if there is stability in our life, should that also change?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Through all the changes you will realise that there is something inside you that does not change at all. The purpose of change is for you to recognize that which does not change.

Q: Guruji, what should a sadhak do to keep away from conflict?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Do sadhana, seva, meditation and pranayama. All of these practices are for that only. The more you do it the more it will help you to maintain your balance in times of conflict.

Q: Gurdev, are all the five elements equal, or is the space element superior to the other elements?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, among the five elements, the space element is a little different.

Space is just a witness – like the soul.

All other four elements exist within the space element. There is no Earth, Water, Air or Fire without Space. The basis of these four elements is the space element and the space element does not oppose any of these four elements.

If you see, there is a deep relationship between water and fire and they are also opposing in nature. Water puts out fire and fire converts water into vapour; fire dries up all the water.

Similarly, air fuels fire and air can also put out a fire.

If you look at it from this angle then you will find that the five elements are opposing in nature and they also complement each other. One cannot exist without the other.

That is why the five elements are grouped together and called Prapanch

So the space element which is the witness of the other four elements is untouched and unaffected. It is a witness. That is why the space element is synonymous of the soul.

Similarly, in human beings, mind, intellect, memory and ego; these four are present and the soul is a witness to all these.

These four are present in the soul and they function based on their nature. Sometimes there are disturbances in the mind and sometimes the mind and intellect get into conflict. Sometimes the memory and ego play games, but the soul is just a witness to all these.

Q: Guruji, I went to the World Book Fair today and I bought the Bhagvad Gita. Earlier I used to read only romance or action. Now my mother is worried if everything is okay with me. What should I tell her?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Tell her it is absolutely fine! The train is on track.

The situation has become such that amongst those who do wrong, the one who does something right becomes the odd one out.

It is like the saying, ‘The one who wears clothes in a village of naked people is the one who looks weird.

Don’t worry, you are fine!

Q:Guruji, when there is conflict, does God take sides or is He unbiased?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: No, God does not take sides; he is unbiased and detached.

But the one who takes refuge in God becomes in favour of God.

In the Mahabharata, when Sri Krishna was resting, both Arjuna and Duryodhana went to him. And both of them went to him because both of them had the same faith that Krishna is unbiased and will accept their request.

If Duryodhana would have felt that He is not unbiased then he would not have gone to talk to Him. Duryodhana went to Sri Krishna because even he knew that Krishna is unbiased. And Arjuna also went for he also knew that Krishna is unbiased.

When the two of them went to Him, Sri Krishna laid a condition, ‘On one side is my army and on the other side is me, and I will not use any weapons. I will not fight. Now ask what you want. You have to decide whether you want my army or you want me.

Then Duryodhana used his mind. Anyone who uses their mind in this situation would think as to what use it would be to have someone who will not fight the war, might as well choose his army. So he chose the army. So, Duryodhana asked for Sri Krishna’s army and was happy.

And this is what people think even today. They don’t want Guruji, but they want the people from his organization to be with them for their protest. If the people come along with them they can do a protest.

So, on the other hand was Arjuna. He did not know of the powers of Lord Krishna but he knew that He is very intelligent and things always happen as he says. So he asked Krishna to be his charioteer.

The one who rides the chariot is as important as the one who shoots an arrow. The charioteer is no less important. So Arjuna requested for Krishna’s presence because he didn’t think from his head but he thought from his heart, or he thought from the space of the peak of intelligence.

So he took refuge in Krishna and requested Him from his heart for his support.

‘I am ready for the battle. Please be on my side.’

So Krishna also agreed, anyway that is what He wanted. He knew that the side He was on would be victorious.

That is why, the one who has taken refuge in God becomes in favour of God; and one who is egoistic moves away from God. Duryodhana was so egoistic that he moved away from God.

You will have to bear the fruits of your actions

March 02, 2012

Here, in the Ashram today, somebody stole seven sandalwood trees. The trees were cut down and stolen between one and four in the morning from our Veda Pathshala (Vedic school), where the Veda students study. So, the Ashram authorities were very disturbed today about it. Even though there is so much security and so many security guards. Everybody together planted those trees and nurtured them and those trees have been cut from their roots and taken away.

So, what should be done?

Just yesterday in the newspaper there was an article that said the best sandalwood trees are found in Karnataka, and 65% of trading of sandalwood takes place like this, illegally. The sandalwood thieves are real experts. They came to the ashram and cut the trees in such a way that there was not a single sound. So, seven trees have been cut like this yesterday and stolen.

If something has been stolen from your house naturally you will feel sad, isn’t it?

What happens then? You become angry at the thief who is not visible to you, and you don’t know who the thief is. So what happens to your mind when you are angry at someone who is not there in front of you? You get a headache and you feel restless, and you do not feel good.

So I said, theft has been happening since ages.

This is our karma bhoomi (land of actions). We have all come here to perform our karmas. Some do good deeds and depart and some do bad deeds and depart. Everyone departs, but they bear the fruits of their actions. A thief will definitely pay for his actions sometime or the other.

When we do good deeds, we know for sure that we will reap the fruits of them. So this is not a new thing.

That is why even in the Rudrabhishek, we say, ‘Namo Vanchate Parivanchate Stayunam Pataye Namo Namo, Nishanginishudhimate Taskaranam Pataye Namo Namah’

‘Taskar’ means thief. So the chant says, ‘You are also the Lord of people who are engaged in deceiving and stealing’, which means stealing has been going on for a very long time; from ages.

Such is the world!

This is karma bhoomi, so whatever deeds you have to do, you will do it here. Do your deeds but know that you will bear the fruits of your deeds.

Now why should you worry about the deeds of another person? A person who commits a mistake will have to bear the fruits of their actions. Are you understanding what I am saying?

In this world there will always be people who do wrong deeds. Even in the ashram, such people are present. They are sitting here, but they criticize the Ashram outside.

People say, ‘Guruji, why don’t you take them out of the Ashram?’

I say, ‘No, they are here to bear the fruits of their actions. If one does something wrong, nobody can to save him. So let them do what they have come here to do.’

Why should we ponder over their mistakes and get tensed? This is being intelligent.

If someone speaks abusive language to you, why do you get tensed? Let him say what he wants to say, he is making his own karmas. If he is using such words, let him use it.

In fact you should say to him, ‘Go ahead and speak what you want. You have come here to do your karma so do it and leave.’

Everyone born on this planet will not go to heaven; some will have to go to hell as well!

Otherwise hell will be empty! (Guruji says laughing)

One who comes here and does wrong deeds will have to go to hell.

When I educate someone, or ask someone not to steal, it is only out of compassion for that person. I never tell anyone not to steal or speak bad words because it hurts me, no!

Nothing and nobody can hurt me.

If you speak bad words you will have to bear the fruits of those actions.

That is why I say speak pleasant words and do not say anything unpleasant. It is not because I feel bad if you speak bad words. Words are words, it does not matter what you speak.

But some people have such behaviour; what can be done?

Whatever wrong deeds one does, he will have to bear the fruits of those actions. That is why it is said that if you are repentant for your mistake, you will not repeat the same mistake again.

You should not be saddened by others’ mistakes. You should understand that they are here to bear the fruits of their karma and that is what they are doing.

You should be compassionate towards the mistakes of others and repentant for your own mistakes. When you are compassionate towards the mistakes of others only then can you educate them. Do you see what I am saying?

If you have committed a mistake, take a sankalpa not repeat that mistake again. Even after this, if you commit the same mistake again and again still hold on to the sankalpa not to repeat the same mistake again. If you are not able to get out of this circle of mistakes even after taking a sankalpa, then pray and surrender it to God. These are the two ways to protect ourselves from our own mistakes.

To protect another from committing a mistake, compassion is required.

‘It will bring you harm, why don’t you understand?’ You will have to say this.

Still if they commit the mistake, what control do you have? In this world nobody has ever been able to stop a person who is destined to commit a mistake. What one has to do, he will do!

Duryodhana had to wage a war. Lord Krishna tried his best to make him understand; not once but three times, even then he could not stop the war. The war took place.

Even then we have to make an effort, knowing that this is our karma bhoomi and we have come here to be free ourselves of our karmas and move ahead.

The other thing is you feel that by doing a mistake you have incurred a loss. Think of others who act even more foolishly and incur even bigger losses for themselves.

Greed also results in losses. Somebody earned fifty lakh rupees and some other person told him, ‘Give me you money and I will multiply your fifty lakhs to two crores’. They believed it and gave away their hard earned money. The person took the money and ran away. Now, this gentleman is crying.

Just yesterday this gentleman in Chandigarh met me and said, ‘Somebody ran away with fifty lakh rupees of mine Guruji. It was my entire life’s earnings’.

I said, ‘It was because of your greed. Never mind, it was karma.’ Do you understand what I am saying? That does not mean that you think it is karma and you leave it, no! Your responsibility is to try and catch him.

So, I gave this solution to everyone here at the Ashram that he had come to do his deed, you don’t worry. When everyone settled down I also said that you must file a report with the police, and also announce a reward of 25,000 rupees for the one who catches the sandalwood thief.

Now if you see, both these solutions seem to be opposing each other. On one hand, we are saying that you must catch the thief and on the other hand we are saying it is his karma, and this is the truth.

If we think that it is everyone’s karma and we don’t make an effort to catch the thief and we sit idle with this thought, this will be our akarmanyata (failure to act). It is our duty to catch the thief. But in your mind know that all this is all just a play of karma; it is the laws of nature that are acting.

You can’t think that there will be no thieves in the world that is not possible.

We need to see how we can be in knowledge and perform our duties at the same time. Some people just hold on to knowledge and don’t do any karma. Some people keep on doing karmas without any knowledge. Both are incomplete. So, take whatever actions you have to take but don’t leave knowledge. I said, ‘If someone has ran away with your fifty lakh rupees, don’t leave him. Find out where he is, but at the same time know that he has done his work, so what is the big deal?’

This way you have to remain balanced in yourself.

Most of what we convey to people is simply by our presence

February 26, 2012

(Satsang commenced with bhajans by a group of singers followed by an inspiring discourse by Poojya Swami Chidananda Saraswatiji.)

Poojya Swamiji has already spoken on what the mystery of life - the Art of Living is.

Swamiji is so simple, he changed his schedule to be here with us and bless everyone. Many thanks to you!

Okay, do you all participate in singing when the bhajans are going on? How many of you were not participating? How many of you were not singing along but just listening?

In satsang it does not matter if you sing well or not, just join with everyone and sing together, that is all!  Someone asked me just yesterday at the Hindu college, ‘What is the essence behind doing keertan/bhajan? What is the purpose of ‘naam’ (mantra chanting)?’

I asked them, ‘If someone abuses you, is there any effect of it on your body?’

They said, ‘Yes, absolutely!’

What happens? The mind becomes heated, there is anxiety, something happens in the stomach. In the entire body something happens and negative energy is felt, isn’t it?

If there is so much power in an abuse that it can impact your body so deeply, do you think there is no power in the name of God?

There is a lot of power. The vibrations inside you change and get altered. That is why for a little while every day you must sit and do some chanting and sing some bhajans.

Then this becomes like a shield which stops negativity from coming anywhere near you; and a positive vibration spreads from you.  

See, many times you meet someone and you feel that you should stay away from them. And with some other person, you feel like meeting them more frequently. Do you feel that way or not?

Many times, you wonder why someone feels repulsiveness towards you. Why do they dislike you? We are unable to understand this.

This is because of our vibrations. Most of what we convey to people is simply by our presence. Through speech whatever is conveyed is on the next level, but first the vibrations that are there in our presence influence others. Nowhere are we taught how to fix our vibrations.

Why do you go and sit with saints, or sit on the banks of river Ganga or river Yamuna? Why do you go to places that are sacred? We do all this to bring the positive vibrations inside us.

So now that you have come here, drop all your worries and take back completely positive vibrations from here!

We have to change our vibrations by doing Meditation, Pranayama and Kriya. By doing all these practices it happens.

In life, keep one goal for yourself and one goal for society, and both should move together. If you are only focused on a small goal for yourself, then grace does not flow in life in abundance. But when you start doing for everybody, then your job gets done easily. How many of you have experienced this, when you are doing seva your work gets done easily, without much effort and without any trouble? (Many in the audience raise their hands)

So, you have to keep a goal for yourself and society.

You need to think what you want in life. Then think what you can do for the society.

I keep talking about the four A’s:

The first is Agyan (ignorance) – we need to remove ignorance. There are different kinds of superstitions that people believe in because of lack of knowledge. We need to remove this. People should get the taste of meditation and do a little bit of spiritual practices.

The second is Anyaay (injustice). We need to stand against injustice and create a corruption-free and violence-free society. We must have a vision for a society where each one can walk without any fear.

Nowadays when you open the newspaper, every day there are stories of crime that has happened and in Delhi, the crime rate is very high!

Do you like Delhi like this? Would you like the coming generation being in fear and each person walking with a security guard next to him, do you want a Delhi like that? No!

We need a violence-free society and that is the birthright of every person. But such a society cannot be built by the government or anyone else. It is only when all us come together can such a society be built. For a stress-free and violence-free society, we need to stand against injustice and corruption.

Are you all ready? How many of you are ready?

We will raise our voice against corruption.

So many people told me, ‘Guruji, being in the line of spirituality, your job is only to teach meditation. Why are you talking about corruption?’ You should not say such a thing. What do you think, I should not talk about it?

I told them, whatever my conscience says I will follow that.

If I do not stand up against corruption then who will. The corrupt will not stand against corruption? So you need to stand against anyaay (injustice).

 Third is Abhav (lack), standing up against the different types of lack; the lack of human values.

There is lack not only of food, clothing and shelter but also of human values and we all need to work to bring down this lack and spread a sense of belongingness.

When the Meri Delhi Meri Yamuna movement started here in Delhi three years ago, I remember at that time thousands of our youths from all over the city joined together and cleaned Delhi, and I congratulate all those youths.

Before commonwealth games took place, all the youths came out to the streets and cleaned Delhi in every area. They divided Delhi into 12 zones and in all zones work was done. If we keep initiating this kind of service activities we can remove the lack from this country.

Also, all of us should keep aside 5% or at least 3% of what we earn to be used for the betterment of society. Some are doing blood donation camps; some are giving tuitions to slum children. So much work is going on and so much more can happen if we all come together and do it.

If we keep two hours of two days in a month for service to society we can achieve so much. We can change the look of Delhi. Can we do it? Tell me!

I hear ‘yes’ but it is very feeble. (Audience say ‘Yes’ loudly)

Yes! Now I hear it.

We need to wipe out lack of hygiene. Cleanliness is essential from inside and outside and we have to continue doing it.

So you need to remember all these points.

Be contented! Do not walk around with a long face. Life is short and before you know it would have passed by you. In life, sometimes there is happiness, sometimes sadness; some achievements are there and some failures, but in the midst of all of this we need to keep smiling and move forward with courage and the attitude of service.

When you are happy do seva and when you feel miserable you should get the power to let go, to sacrifice. What can give you that power? A broad vision about yourself, your life and a broad vision about the universe – that can put you back on track. So we need to wake up!

When we are miserable, have the power, have the energy to let go. It is because we are holding on to something we are miserable. And when you are happy, don’t just jump up and down but engage yourself in some constructive service project or work. Any seva would sustain the happiness.

I often say, if you run behind fun, misery follows you. If you follow knowledge, then fun follows you.

So it is better that fun follow you than misery catching on to you, isn’t it?

So we all must take a vow to stand up against corruption and against crime. Crime and corruption and communalism are eating this country and it is so sad. I want to stand up against them and I want all of you to be with me now. Are you all with me? How many are with me?

We should stand up against crime, communalization, corruption, and bring compassion back into the society.

This country is known for its compassion, it’s broad mindedness, it is cosmic knowledge and we have forgotten our roots. So we need to get back to our roots.

 

Q: Guruji, sometimes even after putting all efforts, if we continuously fail and life becomes a burden what should be done? So should we carry on with the burden or end life?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You should not end life but you should end the burden. 

Surrender your burdens to your dear one, or to God, or to your Guru. 

‘I have this burden, you take this. I do not want to do anything; I want to be relieved of it.’ 

So surrender all you problems and just relax. 

This is what surrender is. It means giving all the problems which you are not able to handle to the Divine to take care of. This is the art of surrender.

Never commit suicide. Suicide is the most foolish thing a person can ever do. It is like you are shivering in the cold and you go out remove all your clothes. Will the cold become any less? No! 

So never commit suicide. 

If you find someone who is having such thoughts, send them to any Art of Living teacher. When they are made to do some pranayama and kriya they will become alright completely.

Q: Guruji, when we do Sudarshan Kriya are we increasing or decreasing our lifespan?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: This is the specialty of Kriya. By just breathing in different rhythms for some time, we can experience that peaceful state of Samadhi. 

That is why when you learn the Kriya, you should learn it from a teacher because they know the precise timing of the big circles, medium circles and short circles. All these are counted according to time. So by practicing the Kriya your lifespan will increase.

Q: Guruji, it is said that we receive only as much as we deserve and only when time is right. If that is true then why should we make an effort to do anything?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Well, just keep doing you duty and be 100% in whatever you do. See the past as destiny, future as free will and be happy in the present. This is the intelligent way to be.

You know what fools do? They keep regretting the past, thinking the past was free will. Then they think the future is all destined and so they don’t do anything about it, and in the present they are miserable. 

So, you have two choices. Got it?

Q: Guruji, even though I try hard to make everyone happy even then there is unhappiness all around me. What to do?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: At least you be happy. Don’t lose you happiness even if others are not uplifted by your efforts. 

See this world like a dream. Sometimes even in a wakeful state you need to see this world like a dream. Now you are looking at me, is it a dream or truth? Have you ever had this though in your mind? 

This could be a dream! 

So when you see all events and incidents in life as a dream, then there is a shift in the energy inside you and you feel so contented and strong. Then no matter what the event, you can smile through it. And with the help of devotion and sadhana (practices) this strength comes very naturally to you.

Q: Guruji, in our land women are worshiped, even then I don’t feel safe in Delhi. What to do?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: If we all form groups and work together we can remove the violence that we see today from the society and from the country. 

Recently in the North East district we had a one day course for 360 people who were criminals, dacoits, drug peddlers, robbers, etc. And after the course, they all have spoken of how their lives have transformed and how much change they see in themselves. It is worth listening to their experiences. Many of them are now part of seva projects, and they have started a library of their own.

90% crime rate has come down in one district of the North East area and this transformation has brought so much hope. 

If it can happen in North East, it can happen in the entire Delhi. Yes or no? 

But for this we will all have to work together. 

So many teachers came together and they spent time with these people. They taught them Kriya and taught them about life. Many were relived of the pain inside them and that is how the transformation happened. 

No one is bad. If is only when one is hurt from the inside that they do bad things. When you apply balm to the wound then they become good!

Q: Guruji, I want to have faith but I doubts keep coming in my mind. How to overcome this?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You know the nature of doubt? How many know the nature of doubt? 

Doubt is always about something positive.

We doubt the honesty of a person, but we are never doubt the dishonesty of a person. 

If someone tells you this person is dishonest, you believe it; but if someone tells you this person is very honest, that is when you doubt, is this person really very honest. Isn’t it?! If someone asks you, ‘Are you happy?’ You will say, ‘I don’t know whether I am happy or not.’

But if you are depressed then you never doubt your depression. Similarly, if someone tells you, ‘I love you so much’, you will say, ‘Really?’ But if someone says, ‘I am angry with you’, you won’t ask, ‘Really?’ 

So our doubts are always about the positive. We doubt our strengths but never doubt our weaknesses. That is why we doubt God. 

In this world whatever you see is nothing and all that cannot be seen is everything! 

All this is nothing and nothing is everything. Got it?!

Whatever is seen is all going to vanish one day. That which is not seen will never vanish. This is an experiential fact. 

Do not accept this just because I telling you but experience it in your life. 

Having this experience for a few moments even once in your life can bring enormous amount of peace and strength inside you. 

Are you able to understand this? 

Just wake up and see all of this is a dream. You need experience this state of consciousness where you recognize that this is all dream, and only you can do this. The Guru and the scriptures can only direct you, but you have to sit and think.

Q: Guruji when I did the basic course I got a house. When I did the advance course my business flourished. When I did DSN, I got married. Now I am about to do another advance course and I got the news that I am becoming a father. Still I have botherations. Why?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Your job is getting done and still you are having botherations. This is because you have the habit of thinking too much. So now think about the whole country. Be bothered about the world, about where it is heading. Bother about the environment.

Q: What is the importance of a life partner? How to choose who to marry and what should one see in them?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Look, I have no experience in this so I cannot advise you. Go for someone who has experience, they can advises you.

Probably they will advise you to stay where you are. (Laughing) Anyway by changing the boat you are not going to learn how to row the boat. If you cannot row one boat, there is no guarantee you can row another boat, as simple as that.

Q: Guruji there are so many things which are wrong only for us, but right for the whole world. Should we do them?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: See, anything that inflicts pain to you and your family and people around you, in any manner, we should desist from doing it, we should not do it. 

May be somewhere else, in some other country somebody may be doing it, but you have a social circumstance. 

Like in Europe and America they drive on the right side of the road. You cannot say, ‘They drive on the right side so I am also going to drive on the right side here.’ If you do that you are going to cause a traffic jam all over. So you should follow the norms of your society, your environment, your family and your associates. Don’t you think so? 

At the same time if there is any practice that is injurious, which is harmful and is being followed by people then you must stand up desist. That you should say no.

Q: Guruji, when our work gets done by your grace we feel grateful to you but when what we want does not happen then we become sad and miserable. Why is it like that?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: That is why when you are miserable have the strength to let go. When your work gets done, be grateful and do some seva. Seva purifies our karma.

Charity purifies the money that you earn. At least three to four percent of what you earn should be given away in charity. A spoonful of ghee purifies food.

There is a proverb in India, ’a spoonful of ghee (clarified butter) on rice purifies the rice.’ 

You know why? This is because if you eat rice just like that it digests very fast and becomes sugar very quickly. Many people who eat rice like that, they become diabetics. 

A cardiologist told me, anytime you take cereals you should have a little bit of fat with it. A spoon of ghee on top of it slows down the digestion. It becomes complex carbohydrates and helps to balance the sugar level in the body and that helps a healthy heart function. 

That is why the ancient people had said this, ‘a spoon of ghee purifies the rice.’ 

Similarly, with music the emotions get purified. So everyone must sing, it does not matter if you are singing a movie song but sing. A little bit of singing purifies the emotions. 

Then with knowledge the intellect gets purified. You need to have knowledge. What is knowledge? What we have been discussing here. 

Then, meditation purifies the soul and Ayurveda purifies the body. When we take Triphala two or three times a week, the stomach gets cleaned and the mind becomes clear.

A saint used to say, warm feet, a soft stomach and a cool head, this is the sign of a healthy person. 

But if it is opposite, feet are cold, stomach is hard and head is hot, it is a sign of unhealthiness. 

For the stomach to be light and clean you need Ayurveda. You keep eating something or the other throughout the day and this has an effect on the body. So to cleanse the body, Ayurveda is essential. 

Through yoga and pranayama also body gets cleansed.

Q: Guruji can we donate our organs after death or is it essential to offer them into the fire?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, you can donate your organs. Nowhere in the scriptures has it been prohibited.

I am the answer to all the questions

February 21, 2012

Q: Guruji, please tell us what is Chitta?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Chitta is like Aakaasha (sky), that which is present everywhere inside us. Consciousness is also known as Chitta – Chaitanya Shakti (conscious energy). Chiti, Chaitanya, Chitta – just like water, ice and vapor – are all different forms of the same Chitta. When it solidifies, it is called Chitta, when it becomes fluid it is called Chiti.

Q: Why do we ring the bell in a temple?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Because there are so many thoughts wandering in your mind, with the sound of the bells you come into the present. Your thoughts come to a halt.

The drummers beat large drums, play the Naadaswaram, shehnai, bells, and conch. All these sounds are made so that your mind becomes quieter.

Your mind is like a kid. When a kid is crying, you cry louder than the kid and the kid becomes quiet. Have you noticed that? In the same way, when there is so much noise in your mind and too many thoughts, they blow the conch, ring the bell and with all the sounds, the mind comes to the present moment.

With so much noise around, the mind cannot think. It cannot wander. So it is used as a technique.

All outside sounds suppress the sound of the mind for a little while. This short-term suppression should lead the mind to silence. Once it goes into the depths of meditation, all words feel burdensome. But when the mind is full of words, and you are troubled by too many thoughts, these sounds bring relief. Have you seen in the Buddhist monastery, there is a big gong? They ring the gong and that vibration will keep you silent. So, from sound to silence, the journey is very important. 

Q: Why did God create good-looking and bad-looking people? Is it a result of their past karma? 

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Now, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.

You think somebody is bad-looking? Ask their mother or their grandmother. They never think their children are bad. And, what do you mean by good-looking and bad-looking? How long can you stay? The most good-looking, after sometime don’t look so nice.

It is not in the outer appearance, it is the spirit, the inner soul. Look at the spirit inside, there is inner beauty. That beauty of the spirit is undying. It increases day by day. It increases with age also.

Wisdom and maturity bring so much beauty. Beauty is not just some appearance.

Similarly, ugliness is not out of appearance. Somebody may look very good with good makeup, but if their heart is very ugly and the mind is all twisted and full of negativity, however nice they may appear, their vibrations will tell you that they are not beautiful. Yes?

So, it is the mind that makes one beautiful. 

Q: What is the relationship between the seven chakras and the seven levels of existence?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Just the number is same. 

Q: Guruji, there is a Yoga Rave this Friday in Bangalore. Can you ask everybody to come?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: In Bangalore, there is a Yoga Rave at the ‘Taj City’. Very Good! Go ahead. Rock the city! 

Q: Is there life after death? They say there are seven births. Are the seven births clubbed with the human birth or after human birth? 

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: There is life after death. We will have to come back. We shall keep coming back. There is nothing like seven, it can be any number. 

Q: Guruji, what is the significance of silence in our life and how can we maintain silence in our daily routine?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: There is no need to maintain silence in our daily routine, but there is also no need to speak too much! If you maintain some silence, you will think before you speak. If you keep talking, you yourself will not understand what you are saying.

Q: Guruji, I only want to do seva, sadhana and remain in knowledge. But right now, my mind is going in all other directions, being attracted towards guys and all that. I don't want to be in that position. I want my mind to be with you. What do I do?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You want to get married? Yes good! Go ahead and find the right guy and get married. Put your name in the Art of Living matrimonial. They will find some suitable person, or you find yourself.

Q: Guruji, some pictures have been taken of people during meditation and it has been found that white patches come on the skin. Many times it is said that these are reflective dust particles. 

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: That is ok. While doing meditation, all angels and gods are there around us. 

Q: Guruji, I don't want to get married.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Okay! If you don't want to get married, it’s fine.

Q: Guruji, they say one should not step out on the night of Amavasya (new moon). Why is that?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: In the ancient times, it used to be extremely dark on the Amavasya night and there was no electricity. People used to advise against going out so that one does not accidentally step on a snake or fall into a ditch. Even then, it is not that one should not travel on the night of Amavasya.

There is some effect of planetary positions also. 

Q: Guruji, what is the essence of life?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Oh, you want to know the essence of life? Very good! Just keep coming and sitting here. It will reveal itself one day.

Q: How do I express my thoughts effectively? I think one thing and say something completely different.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You have already asked this question effectively, that you want to express your thoughts.

Do more of advance courses. Don’t you see you have already improved?

How much have you improved? 50% you have improved? So you already know how you can improve another 50%. More advance courses.

Also repeat the basic courses. Don't think I have already done the basic course once, no!

If you repeat it, it brings you to a higher plane every time. 

Q: Guruji, if a boy and a girl are getting married, should horoscopes be matched or not?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You can match horoscopes, it is fine. If there is a match it is really good, but if the horoscopes don’t match, it is okay. Just pray! Everything is acceptable.

Q: Guruji, we are trying to establish a gaushala (cow shed) but we are not achieving much success.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Anything you start, you will face some difficulty initially.

In agriculture also, after doing so much farming, there is no profit, isn’t it? A little bit of difficulty will be there.

Q: Guruji, what is the significance of netra daan (eye donation)?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: The significance of eye donation is that even after you, your eyes will be of use to someone. 

Q: Guruji, once people do the course then slowly they move away from this. Suggest a plan to unite them all. Also, I am going home tomorrow, please be with me!

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Conduct programs and satsangs everywhere and give some responsibility to each one of them. If you give them the responsibility then they will do it.

If those who have come as guests, we think and treat them as guests, then they will come and go as guests. But if we see them as responsible people, then the interest will dawn in them too.

Go home happily. I am always with you - all the Sri Lankan and Tamil Nadu people. 

Q: Guruji, it’s said that when we have your grace only then we get answers to our questions. And some say that we should keep asking you the question until you answer. So which is the right way? How do we get answers out of you? 

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Now that you have asked, I am the answer to all the questions. What can I answer? Does any question remain in your mind when you come in front of me? Everything clears out, right? Then it is fine.

In the Upanishads, there is a saying that all the questions disappear when the heart opens up.

I think I said it about four days ago. That happens here, isn't it? Your questions disappear, right? Yes! Here we are making an effort to bring out some question so that we can have some conversation, unlike yesterday.

Otherwise, I have nothing to say and you have nothing to hear and you are happy and I am happy. We are in a happy-happy world. So we do not speak through words, we speak through energy, isn't it!

Q: Guruji, in Rajasthan, they have deep faith in Sati Mata. Shiva’s consort is worshipped as Sati. Is the Sati Mataof Rajasthan and Shiva’s Sati one and the same, or different?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: All are forms of Shakti; there is only one Sati. It is Shiva’s Shakti which is worshipped in different forms by people.

But the ritual that someone became a sati, (a ritual where the widow immolates herself on her husband’s funeral pyre) – is nowhere. Had this tradition been there, in the Mahabharata, Kunti would have become sati, but Kunti never became sati. Similarly, there were many other maternal figures whose life existed even after their husbands (died). They did not become sati.

It was somewhere in the middle-ages that this trend started. It should not be done. It is not right.

In the shastras, in our Vedas, nowhere is it written that man is superior and woman is inferior, or woman is superior and man is less – that is not the case. All are equal. Women, men, all are the same.

Do not discriminate based on caste, do not discriminate based on religion, do not discriminate based on gender – this person is man or woman – do not discriminate based on that. Look for the One in all. Everyone has the same radiance (noor), the same soul. This is all I will say.

Q: In our country, there are so many spiritual organizations but they do not join together for any common cause. If this division remains, how will the world become one family?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes! We are ready. We also keep inviting other organizations to join in and take everyone along. There is a verse by Rabindranath Tagore, ‘Ekla chalo re’ – go alone, if anyone joins in – well and good, but you continue onward.

Q: Guruji, I want to know if Gurus also feel helpless before their devotees.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Absolutely! They are the servants of their devotees.

Q: Guruji, how can we practice yama (restraint) and niyama (discipline) in our seva?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Be centered, meditate regularly, and have a sankalpa (resolution) in your mind that you have to exercise yama and niyama. Keep your sankalpa strong. Once or twice, even if you slip from it, you will come back.

Q: Guruji, how do you get to know of our problems before we even speak them out? And even before we can do something, they get solved and I am sure that it’s all because of you. Please tell me how does this happen?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Why should I tell you my secret?