Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Sri Sri: When you forgive then your mind becomes calm. Tell them with compassion and love, not with anger. If you become happy by putting guilt in someone's mind that is not good either. Tell them with skill and then you drop it.

Sri Sri: Yes, these words are said in almost all scriptures. Lord Krishna also says- ‘Maam ekam sharanam.’ you take refuge in me and nobody else. So Lord Krishna’s words are exactly the same what Jesus said- ‘I am only the way.’ There is only one God and not many. One God is worshipped in different languages, in different ways, in different forms, that’s all. When people see others worshipping another form of God, they say that there is another God but there is no another God, there is just only one God! And whether it is said in Gurumukhi (Panjabi), or in Pali or in Latin- it is said the same thing. You may see even some of the names as same. There may be different ways of languages, expressions but the essence is the same. It should not be misinterpreted to believe that only if you are a Christian then you will go to heaven otherwise you will go to hell, or that only if you are a Muslim you will go to heaven otherwise you will go to hell. This sort of fundamentalism comes when you don’t have understanding of others’ ways of religion and wisdom. All the fanatics and terrorists, they quote from the scriptures that theirs is the only way. One gentle man, whom I met in USA, said that heaven is like where only one religion followers go and rest all go to hell, then heaven must be a very lonely place and not so colorful! And that too they say – if you follow our denomination then you will go to heaven and not by following the other denominations of the same religion. This is true for almost all the religions, the concepts are wrongly understood and misinterpreted. In Vaishnava sect also they say- only worship Krishna and not Shiva, for if you worship Shiva you will not find ‘mukti’ or liberation. Krishna has very clearly said- ‘Sarva dharma tyaja ….’, “you drop every thing and take refuge in me alone. I will relieve you of all the sins. You can’t relieve yourself from your sins, I will relieve you. Don’t worry, don’t be upset and don’t be sad, I will relieve you of all the sins”. Same way Lord Buddha also said- all the devas are coming and protecting you, similar things said in Jain religion also. So you need to have a proper understanding otherwise misinterpretation happens. Know that there is only one God, one consciousness though spoken in different words, and wisdom given by different people in many different ways. This wisdom has to be understood and grasped properly, otherwise fanaticism will grow. One sect of Christianity will say- this is the only way to go to heaven, and talk to some sect of Islam , they will say- there is no other way, our is the only way! So why different people were saying- ‘this is the only way’- was with the purpose of bringing the focus in the students at that time.

Sri Sri: Attraction is short lived, but love lasts much longer. Love takes you in, the other is exterior!

Sri Sri: Both! It is like catching a train. Once you get into the train you have to rest. You cannot keep thinking that I have to get down at this station all the time. You need to rest. You don't have to do anything then. Just sit and relax!

Sri Sri: For success in life you need yukti (skill) and shakti (strength), Bhakti (Devotion ) and Mukti (Freedom). Freedom and love in personal life! Without freedom you will find no love and without love there is no joy. Freedom doesn’t mean doing anything. You follow some norms, a little discipline. And in social life you need shakti and yukti, strength and skill. And this is what Ramayana and Mahabharata tells you. Though Duryodhana had all the power but he had no yukti, no bhakti. The skill was with Krishna and so he won.

Sri Sri: It is an ancient scripture with the science of directions. It says which direction the wind blows, which direction the cosmic energies are moving. Unfortunately, we don't have the whole of Vaastu Shastra. Lot of it is lost, destroyed. So whatever we think we have and our Vaastu people have, we are making use of it. There is something interesting about it, there are scientific validations to that. There are scientific validations to ancient thoughts. Just that not explained scientifically. We need to understand some of the customs properly.

Sri Sri: For sometime it is okay. It is said when you put alum in water, it removes all the impurities, purifies all the water and then dissolves itself, yeah!

Sri Sri: It’s not exactly that but last year you remember we published a book on the three eclipses by D.K. Hari on consecutive eclipses and how from the history, from Mahabharata times, five thousand years ago, when such a celestial position occur a lot of disasters happen.

Sri Sri: Nirvana is bringing the balance and having no feverishness for any desire. Desire means a lack. When you say, I want nothing, I am content, that is nirvana. But that doesn't mean you shun your duties. You perform your duties well but you are with your center. Even craving for enlightenment is an hindrance to enlightenment. All emotions are linked with people, objects and events. Catching on to objects, people or relationships hinders freedom, liberation. When the mind is free from all impressions and concepts, you are liberated. The state of nothingness is called Nirvana, enlightenment, Samadhi. Nirvana is getting back to me from mine. Who am I? When you go deep inside you, layer after layer, that is nirvana. It is like peeling an onion! What do you find in the center of an onion? Nothing! When you know that everything is changing - all relationships, people, body, feelings - suddenly the mind which clings on to misery comes back to you. The return from mine to me, gives you contentment and freedom from misery. Reposing in that state of contentment is nirvana.