Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q:
How the transformation of the world will happen?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
If we all work towards it. More and more spirituality, meditation, singing, and world will become a better place.Q:
Guruji, how to deal with the failures?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Knowing that it is the step to success in the future.Q:
How do you go beyond karma? When did it start and when will it end?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
When did the world begin?Audience: I don't know!
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: When will the world end?
Audience: I don't know!
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: This question is also like that. We don’t know when the cycle of karma started. We don’t know the beginning but the seeds of karma can be burnt in the fire of knowledge.
Q:
In the family of Shiva, each vahaan (vehicle – usually an animal associated with a form of God) is the enemy of the other in the animal kingdom. There is a bull, a mouse, a peacock etc yet they live together in peace. How is it so?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
The peaceful, non dual self element that is Shiva brings together everyone and harmonize everything.Q:
How does one find one's true calling?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
How do you know when you are hungry? How do you feel pain? It's obvious, isn't it?Your true calling will also be equally obvious; it will be like a pain in your leg.
(Audience: "But it is so confusing to make a career choice!")
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Choice is always between bad and worse. So just accept it and make a decision!
Q:
In the Bhagwad Geeta, there are two ways described for liberation. Bhakti Marg- the way of devotion and Gyan Marg- the way of knowledge. Which one is better?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
They are not two different paths. Suppose, you like rice pudding. How do you like rice pudding without knowing what is rice pudding. The knowledge of it will kindle a liking for it. Love and knowledge go hand in hand. Once you know about something, you go and buy it. Bhakti, Gyan and Karma are three legs of the same table.Krishna tells Arjuna all those steps and finally says drop all and just relax. For you everything is done. Shama jali hai tere liye tujhko kuch nahi karna hai, the lamp is lit for you, you don’t have to do anything.
Q:
Why do liars, sinful people progress more than honest people?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
People who practice unethical ways, cannot come up in life. This is the truth. It will not be sustained.You have patience. Don’t think that all honest people are suffering. Suffering is not because of honesty, but because of foolishness.
You have to have smartness, intelligence, dynamism, and creativity alongwith honesty.
Sudarshan Kriya* - a stress-elimination breath technique that is taught in Art of Living programs
Q:
If one desires to have something with all the heart, does he/she get it?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
If it is good for you, you will get that.Q:
You told that God can be experienced in a state of effortlessness. What does it mean to be effortless?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
: Being effortless does not mean stop eating, drinking or doing other work. This has a deeper meaning. Keep on doing all your work, and while doing your work, know inside you that you are doing nothing. In the beginning, you sit for some time and experience that you are doing nothing. Then you will start experiencing that even you are doing but there is a field in you which is not doing anything. Ancient sages had beautifully explained this. There are two birds sitting on the same tree. One is eating and the other is only witnessing this. In the above context, it is the free bird which is being discussed, the bird which is effortlessly witnessing. Pay attention to that also. The two birds are friends. They live together. One is always witnessing and other is involved in all the work. Effortlessness does not mean sitting idle. Lord Sri Krishna said in Geeta that you cannot be without doing any action even for a second. Keep on doing your karma and at the same time be the witness of your karma. This is very deep knowledge.After the session a book was released – Understanding Shiva. While launching the book Sri Sri Ravi Shankar told that the book also included a scientific perspective of all pervading Shiva tattva.Q:
Have you ever cursed anyone?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
No, never happened a chance to do that. When you are full, the need to give curse never arises; it may happen in those who feel some lack.