August 09, 2013
Bangalore, India
Gurudev, You have mentioned that present moment is infinite. It is
both vast and deep. Can you please shed light on the vastness and depth of the
present moment? Is it that lot of things are happening at the same time is what
is meant by the vastness of the present moment?
Sri Sri: Yes, that is what it is. Just like the sky. We often say – ‘The
sky is the limit’, is it not so? What does it mean? It means the sky is
limitless. The ocean has a bottom but the sky does not have a top. It has no
end. It is endless and beginning-less. That is how our consciousness is, and
that is how the present moment is also. It is so deep that to be still and
established in the present moment is liberation. So forget about past and stop
worrying about future. Once you have faith about your future, then you do not
worry about it.
Do
you know when do you worry about the future?
You worry when there is no faith or confidence about it. When you have faith
that your car will be there outside (in the parking lot), that is why you are
sitting here without worry. Isn’t it? If you have fear that somebody will tow
your car away then though you are sitting here, but your mind will go on
worrying about your car outside. Having faith frees you from worrying about the
future. And forgiving and forgetting your past will free you from (the regrets
of the) past. When does our past overwhelm us? When we do not forgive people or
ourselves for whatever happened in the past, then the past becomes a heavy
burden on us, and we stay stuck in the past. When we are fully in present
moment, only then do we go deep within. That is meditation. God and world are
not two separate or different entities; they are one. Have you seen those 3-D
pictures or holograms, where on one side you see Nehru ji on other side if you
move it a little you can see Mahatma Gandhi? That is how God and the world are,
just like a 3-D hologram.
What
do you mean by this “world”? What you see is Carbohydrates, Proteins and amino
acids etc., isn’t it? (Laughter) That is what everything is ultimately
made up of. But these are hollow and empty. It is the mind which is restless
and goes up and down at times. Lights of different colours are glowing within
each person. In some the lamp of anger is glowing, in some it is the lamp of
jealousy etc. Just like the Diwali or Christmas lights which change their
colour too from time to time, just like how the top of the Vishalakshi Mantap
changes its colours when the lights come on in the evening. Everything is
composed of particles at the fundamental level.
I
was invited to CERN, Switzerland where they conduct research about particles
and recently discovered the ‘God’ particle (referring to the discovery of the
Higgs-Boson particle as the smallest indivisible particle and unit of matter).
I met the scientists who work there. It was all very interesting. They all had
a glow on their faces, like they are living in the present moment. One of them
said,’ I joined here as an intern while I was studying Particle Physics. I
researched for forty years only to find out that particle I was researching on
does not exist!’ It is only because of the observer that matter is perceived to
consist of particles. If we (as observers) are not there, then it too would not
exist. I gave them the book on Yoga Vashishtha (a sacred
scripture which elaborates the path of liberation through the dialogue between
Sage Vashishtha and Lord Rama), and another one named ‘Creation’ written by our
devotees Dr. D.K. Hari and Mrs. Hema Hari. They were very similar. When I asked
them why was titled as the God particle and how they discovered it, they told
me a very beautiful thing, They said, ‘Gurudev, we initially thought to call
this particle as the ‘God of all particles’, because it is the fundamental
particle from which everything else is made up. But then the media said that
such a title would be inappropriate and we should change it to ‘God particle’.
So that is how the name happened’.
What
these scientists have said is so similar to what has been written and described
in our Vedas way back in the ancient days. The Vedas say world has been in
existence since 19 billion years. The scientists also come very close to this
same figure. They say that the creation is 18 billion years old and humans have
been in existence since 12 billion years. Our Vedic Panchangams (a tool for
calculating time and the positions of stars and planets in Vedic astrology) too
come to the same conclusion. I feel that people at every point in time had some
sort of knowledge about this. Then over time these sciences disappeared and
were lost to the world. Back in those days all these sciences were taught and
discussed at the Indian universities.
We
had Vedic universities like Takshashila University (now in modern day
Pakistan). Actually the science of Ayurveda was born in what is now Pakistan.
There was so much deep research about herbs and medicinal plants back in the Middle
Ages. There was an area of forests which used to be called as Naimisharanya.
It was discovered in what is now the state of Madhya Pradesh and was written
long ago. But as a science it was practically taught in the Takshashila
University. Many great Ayurveda doctors, practitioners and architects all came
from the Takshashila University once upon a time. So the ancient and the modern
approaches are very similar. We have to take both together in life. Our life is
like a tree. The roots are old but the leaves are new. So we have to take both
the ancient wisdom and modern sciences together with us.
Our
heart craves for the old and familiar, but the mind always craves for something
new. Our mind craves for new things and latest trends. You never say what was
the ‘old’ fashion, you always call something fashionable as new, isn’t it. For
our friends, we always say that it is a very old friendship. In fact when
people fall in love they say it is a continuation of the love from their past
lives. Not just from one life, but from several lifetimes. This is because the
heart takes pride in what is old and the mind takes interest in whatever is
new. Both are needed in life.
Gurudev, please explain in detail about parallel universes. Is it
true that we exist identically in other universes? Do our actions in this
universe will affect our twins in other universes? How can we gain access to
other universes?
Sri Sri: You have plenty of access to this universe to work with. So let’s
keep ourselves concerned with this universe for now. Let's do something good in
this universe. Let us not only think – ‘what about me?’ all the time. This
world is on fire (in strife and pain) and you are needed here to stop this
fire. Do you know how much violence happens in this world today? It is simply
unbelievable. So let us all do something good in this world now. You will
definitely not miss the other worlds. When you go deep in meditation, you do
get access to different dimensions. Apart from that you need to gain good merit
and that comes to you when you do seva (service). Do Seva,
Sadhana and Satsang and don’t worry about anything else. I also don’t know.
There are many universes.
Gurudev, everytime in your talks on knowledge about Meditation,
you have mentioned about awareness. What is this awareness?
Sri Sri: Are you all listening? (The audience says ‘Yes!’). That is
awareness.
Gurudev, you have said that awareness comes after meditation.
Please explain whether one does or does not need to meditate later after enough
practice?
Sri Sri: Yes, after enough practice Meditation happens automatically. Then
after reaching that stage, when you sit and walk or talk or do anything,
meditation continues to happen.
Gurudev, do thoughts and feelings affect our Karma (actions)?
Like it is said in Sri Ramcharitmanas ’Jaki rahi bhavna jaisi, prabhu
murat dekhi tin taisi’ (Meaning: In whichever way one chooses to
perceive the Lord, in that very form the Lord appears to him).
Sri Sri: Yes, it is indeed correct. One’s thoughts and feelings both determine
one’s karma. The way one perceives people and things around himself, they will
appear in that very same way to him. People will appear to you the way you
perceive them to be. If you see a person as a friend, he will come across as a
friend to you. If you consider someone as your enemy he will behave like an
enemy to you. Then they will appear as your enemy to you even if they do not do
anything. It is said – ‘Yatha drishti tatha srishti’ (Meaning: As is
one’s vision, so does the world appear to him).
Gurudev, there is a quote in Upanishads, ‘Sahaj smaran hi
uska dhyan hai‘. (Meaning: Simply remembering the Lord is meditating upon
Him). How is this effortless remembrance (of the Lord) possible?
Sri Sri: When you have to do some work, your mind gets so stuck with that,
and the thought of that task stays with you from morning till evening. Is it
not so? For example, you think that you have to tell something to so-and-so
person. Now until you go and tell that person whatever you have to say, does
the thought not keep on coming to your mind again and again? This is what Sahaj
Smaran is. Once your mind is set upon something, then the thoughts of
that thing keep coming in your mind again and again. And it happens
effortlessly.
Dear Gurudev, what is meaning of Pratyahara in Ashtanga Yoga
(referring to the one of the Eight Limbs of Yoga as given by Maharishi
Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras)?
Sri Sri: Pratyahara means
alternative food. It means to refrain or refuse from eating food that you
usually have, and choosing something else to eat (referring to food more
conducive to the body for spiritual practices). Our senses have a tendency to
go outwards. To bring them inwards we need a different regime of food and set
of thoughts. That is Pratyahara. Just as we give a pacifier to
crying babies to calm them, similarly we give alternatives to a mind that is
restless and not at peace. That is Pratyahara. Going inwards is the
first step.
Dear Gurudev, though I always serve the best, I always feel the
lack of money. What do I do?
Sri Sri: Who does not feel the lack of money? All the governments in the
world are feeling the lack of money. America is in big debt. This country is in
debt. Pakistan, Bangladesh and almost every other country is in debt. See all
this from a bigger perspective, and then you will find out that I am getting
what I need. There is enough for everybody’s need but not enough for
everybody’s greed.
You
should never eternalize a problem. You should never say that – ‘I’m always unhappy’
or ‘I’m always sick’. Who is always sick? Can anyone be sick always? No. We
often generalize and eternalize a problem. This is a big issue.
Gurudev, after a good satsang, I feel a rise in prana level
within me. But after Satsang, I feel a sudden feeling of aggressiveness and
restlessness too. Please explain.
Sri Sri: It is the stress release that happens. Sometimes the stress, the
dust underneath the carpet comes up this way. Don’t worry about it.
Gurudev, what is the right way to retire from one’s job and what
should one do after that?
Sri Sri: See, the choice is yours, and the blessings are mine. There is so
much you can do on the planet. Be a volunteer for a better India. Go to
different places and do good work, spread awareness. There is so much work to
be done in our villages. Create awareness about health, hygiene, and human
values. You can become a teacher of the Art of Living and can go and teach
people everywhere.
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