19Jan2012-QA21

Guruji, what is Advaita? How can we practically understand it?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: : This chair, the stage and the background are all made up of wood. Knowing that all this is made up of wood is called Advaita. But knowing that the stage, the chair, the tent and the door are all different, is called Dvaita. Both are true. If you go to a goldsmith, he will weigh the gold, whether it is earrings, bracelet, bangles, finger ring or necklace. He will weigh the gold in it. He can see only the gold in them. But you can’t wear the necklace in your hand and the bangles in your ears. If somebody gives you a necklace to wear in your ears, what will you say? ‘No, we have a different ornament for the ears, and the hands’. This is Dvaita Gyan. Both are true. This is true and that is also true. ‘All this is gold and nothing else’ is true and ‘all these are different; the finger rings, the bangles, the necklace’ is also true. You can’t wear a necklace for a bangle and a bangle for a necklace. Can you do that? No! This is Dvaita gyan.