Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Sometimes, people win by wrong means, and think that they are enjoying the fruits of their actions. Whatever work is done by wrong means, the result will become momentary. Satyameva jayate- in the end truth will only triumph. If adharma (unrighteousness) has an upper hand for some time, we have to have patience. Fight with skill – not by burning buses, or vehicles. Fight adharma with awareness, not in the sway of emotions.

Those who have won in the elections should be humble. They should not insult the ones who have lost. The ones who have lost should not lose their self-esteem. Read the Bhagvad Gita. The Gita says that winning and losing is the same. This is just a game. In life sometimes you win, other times you lose.
Don’t become sad if you lose. If you lost, so what! What’s the use of getting dejected? If someone has used wrong means to win, you must speak up, do whatever is possible by law, go to the higher authorities. Surrender your wins and losses to the Divine.
However, remember every position has been given to you for service only. Both are opportunities to do service. Remember, Mahatma Gandhi was not the head of the nation but he was called ‘The Father of the nation.’
There is no such thing as big seva (service) or small seva. The fruits of both are the same. Do service as much as you are capable of. Put all your energy into it. Whatever service you do within your capabilities will bear good result. The feeling, the intention behind every seva is important.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Ego wants others to think high of you, to worship you. If someone says something, see where the words are coming from. Look for the space from which those words are coming. Their speech does not originate from the small mind but from some other space. Jesus said- I am the only way. These words are from a different space- an Inner voice, Divine voice. The way a mother tells her child, “Do as I say!”- that is not ego but belongingness. The way a teacher tells a student,” Do what I tell you!”- That is not ego. Ego is being unnatural. Ego is when you want to hide your mistake. If the way you are an open book, you can interact with people with an open mind/heart. In case, while working together, you feel that you have become egoistic, then don’t try to get rid of the ego. To say ‘I am removing my ego’ makes for a bigger ego. Don’t try to maintain it even. Being natural is the only way.

Sri Sri Tells a story…..
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Once we meet we never get separated. Long time back, some 30 years back, I was travelling from Dharwad to Delhi- a 24 hr journey. In our compartment one boy was there. We talked to each other. Then 20 years later he met me in Vrindavan Gardens. He was Muslim and by now he had got married and had kids also. He came to me & said “I met you in a train 30 years ago. After that day my whole life has changed. I remember you every day and was waiting to meet you again. Please bless my wife & children”. Connection is there in mind every day. You know there are people from Iran, Iraq, Mongolia whom I have never even met but they would say how close Guruji is to them. If there is a distance in the mind then there is distance even if you live in the same house. Else even a distance of 1000 miles doesn’t matter.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Karma is the impression in the consciousness. The impression draws similar situations, events and actions. So karma has three things:

• One is the latent karma. It is karma as an impression

• Karma as an action, and

• Karma as a result

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Youth are bored and it’s their fortune. If they were satisfied, then growth would have stopped. When they are bored, then the quest comes in them. They are not satisfied with the things available around. And this is the stage when they can take a step to look within, a leap in their inner journey, a step towards spirituality. An interest in higher growth gets kindled, when you are bored with things around. When you find the source of joy within, then obviously everything around is also reflecting the same source of joy, then you find interest in everything. Continuous bombardment of senses by stimuli can cause inertia. Inertia is boredom, is a form of boredom. Again, when prana level goes up, you move from inertia to enthusiasm.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

There is happiness in detail. When the heart is heavy, and the head is like a stone, there is no place for subtlety or details. When the heart is light, then you experience love, and happiness. There is no subtlety in sorrow.
Being light is being dense, and being dense is also being light. When you go deep in meditation, you will experience both density, and subtlety. That is why so many processes are required to go deeper within you.
In surrender, we feel subtle. Love is subtle, and work is dense. After lunch, we experience heaviness. In the morning we feel fresh, and subtle.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Definitely and you all have it. And it opens whenever you listen to knowledge.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

It is better to compare yourself with your own self. How you were ten years or five years ago and what you can be yet tomorrow, compare with yourself. Second thing is you know, create a sense of belongingness with all those who are making progress.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

There is no difference between the Master, the Self and the Divine. The Master can be seen, that is all. The Master is not the individual, He is the light, the consciousness.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Imbibe this knowledge. Independence means depending on the inside. Your independence is only when you are dependent on the inside. You are miserable when you want things from others for your comfort. How much can you take? And even if you take everything, it is of what use? This is what I think. I am independent means I am inner dependent. So I want nothing from anybody. Just this aphorism, reminder of this, time and again, will take your mind, which is sticking to the outside, come to its center. You will feel the relief. Misery simply means you are stuck to the outside. Joy means you are in your element which is inside. If you depend on others for your comfort, you lose your joy. First, have this faith that nature will provide whatever I need or I deserve, it will never happen that nature doesn’t provide you with what you need. Secondly, I want nothing from anybody. And third whatever I have, be it be intelligence, great voice, qualifications, skill is only for others and not for me and I serve others as much as I can. Finish! Where is the misery then?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

It is not necessary to do only what you like. Know it clearly that studies are for your good. Otherwise life won’t run! You do not brush your teeth every day with love. If you don’t like to brush and stop doing it, you will lose your teeth. You know that it is good for your health and it is vital to do it.
Similarly there are some things in life that we can’t do without - studying is one of them. Make a habit of reading a scripture first thing in the morning. Similarly do some pranayama for at least 10 minutes. Breath is anyways flowing. Direct it here and there. If it keeps diseases away, then why not do it?
Like you brush your teeth for dental hygiene, pranayamas maintain your mental hygiene!
And to have a sharp intellect you need to study, otherwise you will regret it later. You buy a dress from the shop and the time you bring it home, you dislike it. Buddhi Yoga (Intellect Yoga) is the best. Manmaani karna, following your feelings is inviting misery.