Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Oh you have no choice. Me too, neither I have any choice.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Listen, now don’t say I want more faith, I want more devotion. Never should we ask for more devotion. You should know it is there. You should know faith is there. Let it be. Wanting more is an obstacle by itself. Do you see what I am saying? Simply relax, that is good.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Yes, otherwise you will lose your business right. You know alone it is difficult for an individual especially if you have a business to fight corruption. It’s okay for an NGO, it’s okay for a recluse, it’s okay for someone who doesn’t have any such responsibility to fight. But for an individual with responsibilities, it is like swimming against the current. When there is so much corruption, one man cannot swim against the current. That is why it needs an uprising. People will have to rise to the occasion. If there is a group of people all committed for this and united like the labor unions that would work. There should be unions for corruption; anti-corruption unions. This anti-corruption union can just make sure that nobody loses their business if they don’t bribe. So it takes some of that social effort from your side to do that, to take that step.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

The witnessing consciousness, the one that witnesses is always at rest. The witness does not perform any action. If in the state of being a witness, the intention to act arises, it is performed by the mind. That activity happens in the mind or the intellect. Mind being transparent, it appears that the witness is witnessing through the mind. Then mind can get tired, mind can become active or can be in a state of rest. However, the witnessing consciousness is always at rest, it is never engaged in anything. That is why the best of the best deeds performed by anyone or the worst of the worst actions do not affect the witness. It always remains untouched, unperturbed and pure.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Praarabdha karma has a little bit effect. After full enlightenment also, a little effect of Praarabdha karma remains. For as long as the body is there, a few karmas have to be retained, it is necessary.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Drop (the word) 'always'. Whenever it is possible, stay in Sakshi bhaav, that is enough. It is (the word) 'always' that creates complications.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

By means of what you just did: going beyond the three gunas (Saatvic, Raajasic and Taamasic) through meditation. In meditation we get deep rest and freshness, purity, peace and joy arise spontaneously. How does joy arise - when you are at peace, at rest. That is why it is said, ‘nistraye gunyo nitya satvastu ’: as you rise above the three gunas, Sattva increases. Do not be attached even to good deeds. Drop everything. In deep rest none of these gunas exist. In sleep there is tamo guna, in work there is rajo guna, and when you are not working or engaged in thought, there is sato guna. When you sit in meditation, in that state of thoughtlessness, you transcend the three gunas; and when you come back, sattva rises. By the way, rajo guna is useful in getting rid of tamo guna through awakening frustration and anger. As sato guna increases, rajo guna quiets down. And when you get past sato guna also, sattva is enhanced.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

There are several kinds of tantras. ‘Vaam tantra’ employs evil spirits, and ghosts to accomplish one’s ends. But that kind of tantra will not work wherever there is saatvikta, knowledge and devotion (bhakti). You all meditate, do pranayama and chant mantras. In your presence that kind of tantra will be ineffective. Incidents such as Lord Ganesh drinking milk are phenomena of the subtle world – some divine energy displaying its power and influence to arouse and awaken people. Some taantriks who perform small, little miracles go through a lot of suffering afterwards. They are unable to stay happy. These taantriks attain minor occult powers (siddhis) by subduing spirits of the netherworld (Karna pishaachi – ear demons) that allow them to impress gullible people with their ability to read their thoughts and concerns. However the advice that such taantriks give is highly inaccurate and unreliable. How many people have experienced this? (A few in the audience raise their hands.) Some tantric can describe your past accurately but are unable to predict the future correctly, and only 10-20% of what they say is true. My advice is that if you come across something like this, keep your distance (DSN, door se namaskaar!). Don’t get entangled in it. Twenty five or thirty years ago, there was a man in west Delhi who would tell people to blow on a blank sheet of paper, dip the paper in water, and pull it out with something written on it – usually questions and concerns in their minds. Someone from the satsang proposed that I also meet him. So I went. He asked me to blow on a sheet of blank paper which he then dipped in the water; but when he pulled it out, the paper was still blank!! The man was amazed, and fell at my feet, and began to perform aarti. I said to him, ‘Don’t exploit this siddhi (occult power) to deceive people. Instead inspire them to follow the path of goodness and virtue. Advise everyone to meditate, sing bhajans and perform seva. If your powers can benefit others, definitely use them.’ These powers can be labelled as neither ‘good’ nor ‘bad’. It is all divine play. Do not condemn anything – this is my policy. Do not get involved too deeply in these affairs. If there is some knowledge to be gained or any blessings, take it and move on.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Just know I am with you. Do sadhana, seva, satsang, that you don't leave or forget. Do your duty, meditate, do your duty.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

To see Guruji means, when you sit and close your eyes, you can see Guruji. Guruji is within you. When the heart blossoms, that is Guru tatva. The heart that continues to remain in the blossomed state is Guru. That is why Guru tatva is that tatva (state) which has both love and peace in it. How can you get that? Not by looking outward, but by turning inward. That is what you are doing now (in the Art of Meditation course) with your eyes closed from morning till evening. Become aware of your breath, nose, tongue, being said in different ways. You may feel, oh have I come for this, they have made me sit with closed eyes. In the olden days, when people would take the dead body for cremation, they would tell the children, a swami with eyes closed is going by. You may think, 'these people are making us sit with our eyes closed and making us closed-eye swamis. Without any work they are making us sit with our eyes closed', and the mind runs and thinks, 'let's open the eyes and see these people and see those people what they are doing.' When you open your eyes and see, everyone else will be sitting happily and peacefully. Then, the thought comes to the mind, 'they have all got peace, and only I didn't get it'. You might think, 'my mind (manas) is constantly running.' Many such thoughts that you like and dislike will arise, and it will go away on its own too. Sit peacefully and follow what you are asked to do in the guided meditations. As you continue to do all that you are told, after some time your mind will become peaceful. Is that happening? There must be difference between yesterday and today. If you compare morning and evening, then you will notice that your mind was more peaceful in the evening.