Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q:
You have reformed terrorists. Then why not reform those who are doing unwanted things in the name of spirituality?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Some people will not change in life, because they are like that. Can you convert a snake, or a scorpion into a cow? We have to understand this is a snake, this is a scorpion, and this is a cow. (You) cannot think of reforming some people. You can correct terrorists. But it is difficult to correct those who do evil intentionally. Not that it is impossible; but it is difficult. Their lineage also exists for a long time. Ravana also donned garb of a sage and abducted Sita. There are some fake sages like Ravana these days also. What to do? For some time it will go on, then suddenly they’ll have a fall. It is not good for them. Those who follow desires will get a lesson. For our part, we should take good from everywhere. There is a saying in Sanskrit, ‘Durjanam Prathamam Vande Sujanam Tadanantaram’. Worship the bad person also. The bad people are ruining themselves and teaching you a lesson., So convey your gratitude to them - since at their cost, while falling in a pit and getting ruined - they are teaching you a lesson.Q:
I do not follow Hinduism so I cannot understand and appreciate the rituals. Can I still grow in AOL?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Definitely! You know, some of the rituals are very ancient. On Monday all the ashrams do the pooja, you simply sit with your eyes closed in deep meditation. You feel the vibrations of the sound - that is all that needs to be done. Actually Hinduism is not a religion at all; it is just a way of life, the ancient way of life. Like Yoga is part of it, pranayama is part of it, meditation, chanting - these are all to enhance the life-force, life-energy and it is universal in its spirit. So you can follow your religion, no problem. You can be a Christian, you can be a Muslim, you can be Jewish or Parsi. Doesn’t matter whatever religion you follow. Religion is the rituals that are associated with your birth, your wedding, your cremation or that which people do after you are gone. But the spiritual practices are different, they are there to enliven the consciousness. That is so vital. It is important that people of the world, everywhere, become spiritual and grow spiritually and honor all the religions. You honor Christianity, honor Islam, honor Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Hindisum, honor everyone. And take good things, if there are good practices anywhere, that we should take into our life.Q:
Dearest Guruji, if the universe is a play and display of consciousness, why we should not have fun instead of spiritual practices like sadhana, seva and satsang?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
This is all fun, isn’t it? When you follow knowledge, fun follows you. If you follow fun, misery follows you.Q:
Dearest Guruji, you said let go of your concepts. How do you do this, please explain?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You want an answer for this question? I am not going to answer. Someone asked me how do I improve my patience, I told them I will tell you five years later.Q:
How to tackle a person who has double standards?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
With compassion. You know, double standards are because they don’t know the wealth that they are carrying in themselves. Each one of us is a treasure house of wealth. Deep inside, you have the Divinity, the light, the peace, the joy, the love that you are seeking. And when you are not in touch with that you are trying to grab this little bit here, grab something from there, for what? Because you don’t realize that there is a great power deep within us. So, with such people you simply have to have compassion. By having double standards they are creating harm for themselves.Q:
What is hollow and empty? If you can record it in Tamil in your voice, it will be very nice.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
That can be done. To know what it is, close your eyes and listen, and you will know automatically. It cannot be killed, by expressing it in words.Q:
How can we realize the whole word is a game of the mind?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Oh! You have not realized that? Tell me, how many times your judgments have proved to be wrong? Many times? nearly 80% of the time all your judgments have been wrong; 90%? (Answer – 70% to 80%). Whenever you have a judgment about somebody then you found yourself wrong, right? So that has taught you it is all maya, right? Your mind teaches you that it is all maya. You sit and you have some fear, you have apprehensions, you imagine things and suddenly you find all that is all wrong. It is all the making up of your own mind. At that moment, ‘Oh ya this mind is maya’, and that is what is the play. Just look at your own mind, you look at somebody, you judge something and then your find out it is not true. All these wrong perceptions, understanding, concepts, wrong ideas and judgments are good enough to tell you your mind is an illusion.Q:
What role does Karma play in our life?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Everything is karma my dear! You’re asking a question it is karma; karma means action. And to listen to your question - that is my karma. But then, to answer it or not is my choice and your karma, got it? Everything is karma.Q:
What is the significance of Garuda Purana after death?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Garuda Purana is all about the life after death. How the soul goes, where, what and all that. There is only certain time when you are supposed to hear that, (the few days after the soul leaves the body) listen to it so you know where the departed soul goes and what happened to them. There are a lot of things in Garuda Purana.Q:
Dear Guruji, what is Shodasha Samskara?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Shodasha Samskara! Shodasha means 16. There are 16 Samskaras which make human life. In a man or a woman’s life, there are 16 ceremonies or rituals that would impact the life. So what are they? It starts from Garbhadhana, it starts with conception. There is a way to conceive, conception is the first one. There is a whole Samskara about conception - how a man and woman should get together, what time, when, to conceive a baby. This knowledge has been kept a secret. If you want a girl how to conceive, on which day conception should happen, if you want a boy…when etc.That is about conception - Garbhadhana Samskara. It is done with certain mantras and ceremonies. This is almost not in so much use. They usually do it on the wedding day itself - chant some of the mantras and finish as though the whole ritual is over. And the fifth month there is a ceremony called Pumsavana and then eighth month, Seemanta - a ceremony is done on the eighth month. And the lady is given all that she wants, all her desires are fulfilled. Whatever she wants is gifted to her telling her you are bearing a new universe inside of you and making her happy. So these are three Samskaras - Garbhadhana, Pumsavana, Seemanta. The fourth Samskara is the naming ceremony. Before eleven days after the birth, the naming ceremony is done. The father, mother choose a name and they put a little honey into the tongue of the child and in the right ear they pronounce the name of the child. Naming ceremony is the fourth one. And then the first time to remove the hair, it happens between first and third year, Chaula. Chaula means removing the first hair. When they remove the hair then they also pierce the ears. You know ear lobe is where all the nerve endings are there so they pierce the ears. Scientifically the ear lobes seems to bring more awareness, more intelligence; Chaula. Then between eighth and eleventh year they do Upanayana Samskara where the child is taken to the school first. From childhood to adolescence, before they go, they are told you have these responsibilities in your life to perform - this, this, this you have to do. And then The Gaythri Mantra is given to them. Brahma Upadesha means ‘You are that’, ‘Thou are that’, this upadesha is given. This is the next. After Upanayana, a person studies, goes to school and stays in the Gurukul with the teacher, the Guru. After he finishes his education, then there is Samaavartana. Samaavartana means finishing the education and getting into the work life and then wedding, marriage. Like that the samskaras go on till the death ceremony, the last ceremony, Antiyeshti Samskara. All these samskaras are part of life. Ancient people had mantras for all that.