Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q:
Guruji, you give so much importance to Satsang. Is there any scientific reason behind?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Satsang means the company of reality, being in touch with the truth. Satsang is not just singing. Singing some complicated songs which you don’t understand is not Satsang. Music is a part of it. The second part is understanding the logic. The third part is sitting and reposing in yourself, in deep meditation, being with yourself.Q:
How to be free from jealousy and ego?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Antidote to jealousy is the knowledge that everybody is going to die. You and the person, whom you are jealous with, are both going to die. There can be a little difference of time but this is going to happen.If ego bothers you then keep it with you thinking that God has given it you. Why are you disturbing yourself thinking it as yours? It is another big problem to get rid of ego. Being natural is an antidote to ego. You can do an experiment. Do some stupidity in front of ten people and accept your mistake. Few people will say something here and there, and gone is your ego. If it still bothers you then just think God has given you ego because of some reason. Don’t get too much stuck with it.
Q:
You are like Mahatma Gandhi? Did he inspire you?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
While we were little children, we grew up listening to stories of Gandhi. We grew up with a pride of being non-violent. My teacher was a close associate of Gandhi. The stories of non-violence were a part of our upbringing. We could never think of hurting anyone. This value was a part of our life.Q:
We are not supposed to marry in our own gotra (family tree). Scientifically, what does a gotra mean?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Gotra is a family tree, like you know if you marry your own siblings, or cousins, they say the genes will not develop properly, children will not develop. The family trees go back to some rishis in the past. And they say that gotra means we belong to this (a particular) family. Today what the scientists say about blood groups was known to people thousands of years ago. Yet people from the same gotra have spread. If you marry in the same gotra the children will not be too healthy. That is the main thing. It’s better to avoid.But those were the thoughts from some thousands of years ago but now since we have gone so far away and the population has spread so much, it has become so vast. I don’t know how relevant it is. But (marriage within) gotra is better to avoid.
Q:
What do you consider success?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
A smile that nobody will take away from you - that is the greatest achievement.Q:
When we experience meaninglessness and a hollow and emptiness in life, does it not give rise to depression and a sense of loss?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You know when you feel so empty and there is nothing, definitely it gives rise to depression. That is where love, devotion, dedication and a cause combined with the knowledge that everything is nothingness, has to come.That’s why Lord Buddha said everything is nothing. Along with that he said education, sacrifice, devotion all this is a must. Compassion with nothingness makes you very beautiful.
Q:
Are you frustrated with what has been happening on Wall Street?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Wall Street has lost the trust of people, as have the government and the church. We need to bring spirituality, the type of spirituality that Mahatma Gandhi spoke about, into politics. We need to spiritualize politics, socialize business and secularize religion. Religious leaders need to worry more about people than their institutions. They should care for people more. At the same time politicians should think about the values that leaders like Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and George Washington had. This country had Lincoln. He was a great visionary. There have been leaders who have given their whole lives in service to the people rather than out of a desire to achieve something. There is the Lincoln Memorial here, but it was not Lincoln who asked for it to be built. He stood for justice, equality and truth. That is real spirituality. I consider the founders of this nation and also the founders of India, South America and South Africa as people who had zeal. They were innately spiritual in their nature. This indicates how spirituality relates to politics. The backbone of business is trust. If lost, it cannot survive too long. So businesses should practice corporate social responsibility. We should care for one another. Otherwise, when we lose love for people, when we have no friends, we think money brings us happiness. It doesn’t.Q:
Guruji, even after being on the spiritual path, feverishness is still there. What to do to get rid of this feverishness?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
It’s good to have little bit of that feverishness. That’s ok. Maharishi Patanjali also said in the yogasutras ‘tivra savenganam asana’If there is little feverishness, there is intensity of longing. It’s easy. It’sgood. It takes away laziness in you. It takes away procrastination in you. That is why the path needs to be attractive so that it takes away lethargy in you. The Master has to be attractive. That is a professional need. (laughter) So that you are able to handle distractions, so that worldly, small things don’t hold you back. Movies and little pleasure hold you back and keep you in the same circle. I am not saying don’t watch pictures. But prioritize your life from small material gains to higher values. That is what spirituality is all about. That is what the Master is all about. Higher values have to be more attractive to keep you on the higher plane,higher path.Q:
I have seen people blessing the food. What is thesignificance of blessing food?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
The carrots, noodles, salad that youate yesterday are now listening to me. They are sitting here. Everything isalive in this universe in some way or the other. So today, when you have lunch,look at the food and welcome it to satsangtonight, to sing and to dance. Ancient people knew this and that is why theysaid to bless the food. Thought is nothing but a quantum of energy andconsciousness. Food absorbs thought. So, bless the food today for lunch. Don’t thinknegative while eating. That is where the negative cycle begins. It is veryscientific.Q:
How to increase our competence to receive knowledge?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Just have thirst, it comes naturally. There is no special competence required, a mere thirst is enough.
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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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