Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q:
It is not a one sided job?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Do it from your side and let go of the rest.Q:
Dear Guruji, my sister likes someone but my family won’t approve. My belief is that it is her choice. If I let her hang out with this person then I have lied to my parents which I don’t want. What should I do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Yeah… make peace. Yeah. If you don’t tell your parents they’ll feel doubly cheated, they’ll feel your sister has not respected them and they’ll lose faith in you also, that’s not good. You should inform your parents. And if you find it’s the right person then you become a lawyer also.(laughter)Q:
I am confused most of the time about any decision in my life. What do I do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Confusion is good, you are so lucky to be confused all the time. That means you are progressing. Confusion happens when a set of ideas break and a new set has not yet formed. But that’s a temporary state. When new ideas come, you move on to that and again confusion comes when that breaks. So you are moving ahead.Q:
Guruji, very often I get bad dreams. How to get rid of them?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Meditate and even before going to bed meditate and listen to some nice chanting, that will help.Q:
What is the role of emotions, body, mind, anger?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Keep your body healthy and keep your emotions positive. Very simple. It is like asking, “Where do I put on my pants and where do I put on my shirt?” You put your shirt on top and pants at the bottom, not the other way around. So everything has its place: ego has its place, emotions have its place, our body needs to be healthy and strong. So you need to respect the laws of nature, okay?Q:
Guruji, if someone is a compulsive liar and keeps asking for a second chance what to do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
If someone is a compulsive liar, what to do? Somebody asked me a question yesterday, “Guruji, are you angry with me?” I said, “No.” That does not mean you can go on lying. Now, I know some people do wrong things, say wrong things and misuse the trust of other people. They say, “I have just spoken to Guruji on the phone and he has said like this.” I forgive and I don’t get angry but I feel compassion for them because they are putting mud on their own heads. They are causing trouble for themselves. So why should I spoil my mind getting angry with such people? I don’t feel angry but feel compassion that they go and create trouble here and there. Pitaji had written a quote, ‘The world is full of people and mistakes. Forgive the mistakes and love the people.’ What a wonderful thing he has said!'Q:
Dear Guruji, there are so many mantras. Can you speak about the different effects of specific mantras specially Vishnu Sahasranamam, Lalitha Sahasranaman and Srividya mantra.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Don’t have to go into too much detail. It is said in Vishu Sahasranamam ‘Sohamékena shlokena stuta evana sumshayaha’, in one Soham everything has come. One thousand names of Vishnu are written in one word ‘Ram’ and that is also written in ‘Soham’. Okay sometimes you can put on Vishnu Sahasranamam, listen to it and meditate, that is fine. All mantras have an effect but the most important is meditation. Going beyond the mantras is also necessary, letting go of that as well, your mind remains calm and peacefuQ:
Guruji, who are Aryans? Please explain the origin of different races Asian, Europeans…
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Well, anthropologists have all the logics and theories and there are many who agree and disagree and contradict. It is all in the history books, my dear. So many theories have come up, don’t bother about it. This is because of the presumption of some people that people must have been born in one place and spread everywhere afterwards. It is not necessary people are born only in one place. There could be births in ten places at the same time. Why should there be a single origin? This is erroneous thinking. Historians in the past had only linear thinking. They only had one origin and everything going from there. They don’t know this idea of spherical thinking - means at the same time, in many places, life could have been created. Yes? In the Puranas it says there’s not just one place. In many places simultaneously people were created. And that seems to be the correct thing, not just one source or one origin for people. In Sanskrit, “Arya” means the noble, that’s it. Arya means what? The noble, cultured, civilized, educated - so it’s an educated, cultured person. Mister, like you say mister or miss, honorable, that way Arya was addressed. The way people were addressing the well- educated, cultured people - Arya. The word sir is similar to the word arya. In all the Sanskrit dramas this word is used. In the Vedas it is said,“Krinvantovishvamaryam,” let’s make the whole world Arya. It means let’s make everyone educated, cultured, civilized - that’s what it means.Q:
Immigrants from third world countries deal with a lot of stress.Please provide some word of wisdom and love to us in this time of racial discrimination and failing economy.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Hmm. Have the faith and know the best will happen. And even momentarily if it appears not to be the best thing for you, in the long run, when you see yourself, your life, whatever is best will happen to you. You should have this faith.That will carry you through, okay? It can also make your sankalpa, your intention stronger. If you in doubt, ‘Oh maybe I have this problem, maybe I will not succeed.’ See your own doubt can act like applyinga break and driving the car. Your hand break is on and you’re driving the car. So know that the best will happen to you in your life. That’s it. Relax. Okay?Q:
Guruji, I doubt you so much still I love you so much. What do I do? I feel I am going against my religion, what do I do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Fine, sometimes I like chaat also. You know chaat? It has a little tamarind, its a little sweet and chilly and has all tastes - I don’t mind. You have a little doubt; I can make it bigger if you want. My job is not to clear your doubt but to give you more. You have to break through it; you have to work through your doubt. I can put a few more doubts into you.