Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q:
Are you afraid of darkness and evil?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
No, because I’m connected with the light.n
Q:
Even though I do regular sadhana, many times I get feverish about things. How to deal with this feverishness?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You are feverish to get rid of feverishness will become a big hindrance. When you feel feverish, accept it. Your accepting feverishness itself will bring the calming effect. Otherwise, you are feverish to get rid of feverishness, will roll into a chain reaction of feverishness. Accept life in its totality and that is the way to be centred. Once you are centred, you are the source of creativity. You will be the source of happiness, joy and love.Q:
What is the difference between knowledge and love? Should I be a Gyani( Wise) or Premi(Lover)
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
What is the difference between head and the heart? Should a person be heady or hearty? Do you watch television or listen to it first. Mind and heart both together make a human being. Mind looks for new, fresh and latest. Heart wants old- Preet Puraani (Ancient love). Life is a combination of the two. Science and knowledge, love and devotion- all are required. And you have all of these. Now you are asking as a jigyasu(curious for knowledge). You have love that is why you are accepting the answer. If there was no love for knowledge you wouldn't ask or won't accept the answer. These are like four legs of a chair- pull one and all three come along. Similary, Yog, Karma, Gyan, Bhakti, Dhyan - all are legs of a table.When Arjuna was confused, he asked Krishna “sometimes you praise the path of Karma, sometimes gyan, sometimes bhakti- tell me one I am confused.” Krishna says those who are unwise think of the paths as different, the wise know it is One. Just practice one, others come along. If you do seva(service) very well, you get the same merit as from dhyaan(meditation) or gyaan(knowledge)
Q:
My father is an astrologer. Whatever he says comes true. He told me that I will get mental disorders after six years. I’m scared. Please help me.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Remind your father that there is upaya (remedy) also. There is no astrology without upaya. The mal-effects of astrology can be countered with upaya. The remedy is meditation and satsang. Sit and chant: Om Namo Shivaya. It takes care of all the mal-effects. All the five elements and the whole life force is present in Om Namo Shivaya. Don’t worry about it. On this path, you should drop those concerns and worries.Q:
Could you speak a little bit about Sanskrit and its greatness? I would like to take it as one of my Ph.d topics.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Yes, do it. Sanskrit is the mother of all languages. Whether it is English, Russian, German or Italian, there is a lot of Sanskrit in it. Of course, Sanskrit is the base of all Indian languages.Q:
The person who invented the English alphabet made a mistake: they kept ‘I’ and ‘U’ apart!
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
They tried to keep ‘I’ and ‘U’ far apart– but could not succeed. It’s only on paper. Actually, we are very close. Do you think anyone has the power to keep you and me away? Why do you give someone that power? No way!Q:
I find myself lacking in every aspect: business, family, everything.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Your sankalpa is wrong. Who said you can’t manage? You have managed everything till now. Tell yourself that you will do justice to all the roles. You can play all the roles: ‘I’ll be a good spouse, good child, good parent, good citizen. ‘You simply have to acknowledge and take it. Assume that you have all these equalities in you. It is already in you. Just let it blossom.Q:
What subjects is God testing us on? If we know, then we can study accordingly.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
God does not test, he takes interviews. (Applause). Not even an interview - interior view. All subjects are relevant. Hence keep meditating.I do not believe that God takes tests. Only an ignorant person tests. The One who knows, does not need to test. He knows the Past, Present and Future. People believe that God conducts tests so that they can get over it, it gives them courage.
Q:
Who am ‘I’? And what ‘that’ is? Can these two questions coexist?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Of course. Yes. The theory of relativity has already accepted this. The observer has an impact on the observed. This was taught some thousands of years ago. But people kept it a secret. This is where we missed out.Q:
Many times because of desire for joy and old impressions I repeat the same mistakes. How to rise above this?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
here are three ways to rise above it. First is to remind yourself of the pain it has given you in the past. Every time the desire for joy has given you misery. Either recall your own experience or learn from the experience of others.The second way is to have a mere glimpse of the highest joy. The joy that is derived without any effort is higher than the one achieved with effort. Then, the third way is keeping yourself busy. When you are so busy then the greed for joy will remain hidden or its seed will not sprout.
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Founded in 1981 by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar,The Art of Living is an educational and humanitarian movement engaged in stress-management and service initiatives.
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