Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
I was once at the metro station and I saw two people fighting. I was not afraid, I just went and stood in the middle of them and they stopped.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
That is it! I think we can all do this. In patanjali Yoga Sutra it is said, “If you are established in non-violence, in your company and in your presence, people also drop their violence. But this is a long-drawn out process. You have to practice for a long time and then you exuberate those vibrations.
Whatever we are doing here, by sitting and mediating, discussing knowledge, we are definitely creating positive vibrations and these vibrations spread into the city of Paris. When you enter into the center, do you feel positive vibrations? How many feel like that? (Many in the audience raise their hands). Everybody! That is very good. Maybe you should even ask the neighbors, they may be feeling very good. That's why almost in every area we should have a center which can be like a lighthouse of peace.
What is Causal?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Causal means the cause of all causes. It is not an effect of anything. Effect means it should have had some cause for it. ‘This is causal’ means this is the ultimate cause. Because there is no other cause behind it, that’s why it’s called the causal body.
What can I do to not feel anxiety in the face of terrorism?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
The news of so many incidences of violence happening again and again should not make us numb. This is important. We tend to become numb toward these violent incidents that happen around us. We should be cautious; we should keep our sensitivity.
Keeping the sensitivity does not mean you get swayed away by it. When you feel you’re getting carried away, affected very heavily, remember there is a power much bigger than you and everyone else, that is in charge. There is a great power in the universe, that has maintained this universe from billions of years. Have faith in that power. It will take care. Not by your doing something, is anything going to happen. The faith in a greater power in control can relieve you of your anxiety.
Now, that does not mean you become inactive and do nothing about it, saying, “Oh everything is done by a greater power, why should I do anything at all?”
That type of irresponsibility is also no good. We need to take a middle path. Not saying, “Everything is being taken care of, I don’t need to do anything,” or getting anxious about how things are happening, of which you are not in control.
Your anxiety is because you’re not in control. If you’re in control, you won’t be anxious. And you can’t control everything. That’s why you must remember there’s a higher power that is taking care of things.
Gurudev, how to keep the spine erect during meditation?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Make a start with the spine being erect, then if the head comes down, the back bends, don’t bother about it. You cannot start meditation in a sleeping posture, because then you will be snoring very soon. So sit down, and start with the spine erect when you meditate, and then let go, let it happen.
There is a song in Kannada which has a very profound meaning. When you are in a garden, in the midst of flowers, then the state of your mind is completely different. If you are in the midst of people, your state of mind is very different - sometimes the emotions of passion, anger, hatred come up. But when you are in the garden, amongst flowers, such emotions will not come up; there will be no feelings of jealousy, no emotional upheaval, nothing of the sort. But if you are in the midst of people, then definitely all this will happen. However good your friends are, when you spend time with people, something or the other comes up. You cannot always live in the midst of people, nor can you live alone in a garden.
Sometimes you have to spend time dreaming, and sometimes you have to listen to music, you cannot be in one state. There are people who work all the time, doing accounts or something or the other. The radio may be playing in the background but they do not pay attention to it; they keep thinking of something else. This is being in an imbalanced state. Who is a balanced person? A person who is sometimes in music, sometimes working; such a person thinks like a scientist, and looks at the world in a scientific manner; sometimes enjoys music, sometimes science and art. You must spend your life in both these streams.
Sometimes you must live in the world, and sometimes in silence. Go with these two and you will experience Brahman. You cannot run away from your responsibilities and go to the Himalayas, or stay in the worldly aspects all the time; you must strike a balance between both and experience the Brahman within you.
Gurudev, why do we call Ganesha - Ekadanta?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Often, people have two tendencies, one for themselves and another for others. An elephant also has two tusks, one for showing and the other for chewing. It never shows the one it uses for chewing, and it never uses the one it shows for chewing. Similarly, people have two tendencies, they do not show who they are and they are not what they show. But Ganesha is not like that, it is Ekdanta, which has many meanings; danta means the one who gives, he is the only daata, giver. Ekadanta can also also mean someone who has one target, lakshya, and one face. All these qualities are focused into one, ekadanta.
Gurudev, you have often said that you are not the doer. Please help me understand this as I have been stuck in the self-blame game for past incidents.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Come on, wake up! All that happened in the past is finished, it is like a dream, it is done! You did something wrong and you learnt a lesson from it, it is finished. Now, move on. Broaden your vision, and don’t worry about doership and non-doership. Leave all that.
Gurudev, what is vairagya and how can I continue to live in it?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Let us take vairagya to mean contentment. Whenever you are content, that is vairagya. If you have had a full meal, and someone brings more food, you will say, "No I am full", that is vairagya. You cannot exist without vairagya. Just as you breathe in, at some point, you have to breathe out. Breathing in is raga, passion, and breathing out is vairagya, dispassion. Breathing in is passion and breathing out is dispassion, and both are essential in life.
Gurudev, during the Ganesha festival, Shankaracharya has depicted a few forms of Lord Ganesha, could you please elaborate?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Yes, Shankaracharya has depicted the forms of Lord Ganesha very beautifully. If you read the Ganesha Atharvashisha (Upanishad), you will know of many forms of Lord Ganesha.
Ganesha is present in all directions, in every possible form - the Earth, Air, Sun, Moon, in every form of nature. You are Brahma, Indra, Shiva, Rudra etc., they are all in your form. You can see the form of paramatma (Supreme Being) in one God, the formless in one form - this is known as meditation.
We recite the Ganesha Stotram –Shuklam Baradaram Vishnum, Shashivarnam Chaturbhujam, Prasanna Vadanam Dhyaayeth, Sarva Vighno Pashantaye. This does not have the name of Ganesha at all!
Shuklam Baradharam means the one who is dressed in white, the one who is pure. Vishnum means that he is at the very core of our being.
Shashivarnam means milky white like the full moon, cool like the moon that soothes us, and it has the rays of brightness. (There are two types of brightness, one like the sun that can hurt our eyes, and the other is so soothing that we can keep on looking at it.) Chaturbhujam, bhuja means shoulders that can bear weight, while chatur means cleverness or intelligence, which together means - one who can bear the burden easily.
Prasanna vadhanam dhayeth means that if you meditate on the one whose face is so peaceful, pleasant and remember them, you feel instantly uplifted. Sarva vighno pashantaye, then that one will give you the strength in the mind to overcome all obstacles.
This is not just for Ganesha, it is also related to Vigneshwara, but the most important part in this shloka is about the One who is present everywhere.
If you think God is angry with you, if you feel that you have committed a mistake and feel distant from him; or if you feel that God is always happy and content with you, then you develop a relationship with him.
Many times people say that you are angry with us, as if I don’t have any other work. You make a mistake and I get angry! Why should I get irritated if you make a mistake? Why will a Guru get angry? A Guru is always happy. I feel compassion if you make a mistake.
I feel, "Oh my God, why is he putting himself through so much hardship?" That is why if you think of something pleasant, remember a pleasant face, you get strength! When we think of something pleasant in our mind, the fear of the unknown goes away, we get strength to overcome the obstacle.
What is the form of Ganesha?
Ajam nirvikalpam means someone who was not born.
Nirakaram ekam - you have no form, you are the only one, and there is no one else. Nirananda mananda madhvaita poornam - you are happiness. you are the only one, the whole world is in your form.
The shloka continues with Param nirgunam nirvisesham niriham para brahma roopam ganesham bhajemam, you are the form of the parabrahma, you are present everywhere, you have the chaitanya shakti, the scintillating energy, I meditate on you in my mind.
Gurudev, I always face a loss in business. People around me tell me that by doing more of Sadhana and Seva, I will get profits and progress in my business. I do not understand how Sadhana and Seva can help in bringing progress in my business. Please explain.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
The five factors important for any task are: Kartaa (Doer), Karma (right action), Upakarana (instrument or approach), and so on. I urge you to find out the other means by yourself. I will not tell them all myself. The last factor required is Daiva (Divine grace or blessing) which we also call as luck or good fortune. Sadhana and Satsang helps increase one’s good fortune, and also burns away one’s Karma.
Today there is a Ravana in every street and corner, which one do I set to fire? Every year during Dusshera we burn the effigies of Ravana but there does not appear to be any decrease in negativity and sin. The terrorists of today are also no less than Ravana himself. When will all this come to an end?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
If you only keep looking at the thorns, then when will you be able to see the beautiful flower? Even the thorny Babool (Acacia) tree bears flowers and they look so beautiful. Though this world is like the thorny Acacia tree, still there are a few beautiful flowers on its branches. Take your sight and attention to those beautiful flowers. Forget everyone else.
You should strive to overcome that negativity and inertia that is bringing you harm and hurting you. Even if there is dirt (here referring to negativity or ignorance) around you, still you should strive to blossom from within. Bloom like a beautiful lotus even if the pond is dirty. Do not trouble yourself too much with what the World is like. Instead focus on enhancing your good qualities and blossoming from within.
Everything you need is right there where you are right now, my dear, just take your sight and attention to this. You will be amazed at what you find. Instead of a blanket of thorns you will see a garden of beautiful fragrant flowers. Then you will not see the dirt and garbage around, instead you will see the beauty all around you. Instead of the violence you will see the serenity and beauty in the World.
Yes, it is true that there is tension and strife in the World today. But that is not all that is in the World. Just look at the children laughing, look at the flowers blooming around you. I tell you, there are many good people in this World. It was only in the Dwapara Yuga that there were 100 Kauravas (representing evil and negativity) and only five Pandavas (representing positivity and progress). Today there are only five Kauravas and 100 Pandavas – this is the Kaliyuga. If you only go searching for flaws and negativity, then that is all you are going to see.
Stop blaming others around you, and instead reflect on your own shortcomings first. Just think how rotten your mind has become. You should first attend to this carefully. Then you will be able to see flowers sprouting and blooming from the garbage and dirt around you (meaning that by self-introspection one will be able to find goodness even in the environment around). Do not nurture an intellect that only finds flaws and mistakes in others. Who does not have some flaws or shortcomings? If you only go on harping and focusing on the flaws and the negative, then you will also become full of that. Do you know what happens then? Then you will feel that only you are good and noble, while everyone else around you is wicked. You will be full of self-pity, and think of yourself as a poor victim of their wickedness.
Anyone who says, “People are being unjust and unfair to me”, is suffering from this very state of victim-consciousness. They want others to express sympathy and pity towards them for being a victim, and they find comfort in this. This becomes a way of attracting attention. This is a very low and poor mentality. Do you think that only you are good and all others are bad? If you think that everyone around you is egoistic, I tell you, you should first reflect on yourself about this, because only ego can recognize ego.
If you call someone as egoistic or arrogant, then what are you, my dear? Look within yourself, look at yourself in a mirror. Your language, conduct, behaviour, etc., everything would show that you are ten times more egoistic that what you suppose others to be. One who suffers from egotism or is full of arrogance is the one who goes around calling others egoistic and arrogant. They are able to recognize the ego and arrogance of others. I tell you, just be simple and natural. If someone else is being arrogant, then they will suffer the results of it. What have you got to do with it? Whenever we regard someone else as arrogant, then our own behaviour towards them becomes very incorrect and wicked. This is very natural. When someone behaves arrogantly with you, then you also tend to behave in the same way. So then it is you who will appear as the arrogant one. You will see this example everywhere. How many of you here have observed this? (Many in the audience raise hands in agreement).
We go about labelling people as arrogant. But who is really arrogant? How do you behave with someone who is arrogant and egoistic? You also become totally arrogant. So, you start behaving arrogantly because arrogance has come into your perspective. Where does humility remain anymore then?
We get entangled in useless things. We lose precious time when our mind is stuck in meaningless things and activities. You will find such characters in every family, and in every workplace. God has perhaps kept a few such people in every place to trouble and disturb others. There is a good reason behind this also. At least you will become strong from within by all this.
When you find yourself among such people, or in the midst of difficult and challenging situations, then naturally anger will arise within you, and when you calm that rising anger in you, you will become stronger. It is like an (inner) exercise. If everyone is very sweet, nice and cooperative with you, then what will happen? Whatever dirt (negativity or shortcomings) that is within you will remain as it is. But on the other hand, if you have to deal with even a few handfuls of such difficult people, then they will push all the buttons inside you and show you what flaws and shortcomings you need to overcome.
Actually, such people are in great abundance. So just think of this as a mental exercise. You will find such people in every organization and it is so difficult to even talk to them. No matter what you say, they will find it wrong. Have you ever had such experiences?
Such kinds of people are everywhere, so you need to tackle them and find your way.
Think of it as a way of cleansing your own Karma. Do not become pessimistic and lose hope because of all this. So do what you have to do and tackle them as is required.
There are four ways of dealing with any situation – Sama (Persuasion), Dama (Greed), Bheda (using secrets) and Danda (punishment). Use all four of these when required. This is called as Chaturopaya (the four ways). But before you do so, make yourself very strong from within. If you try to punish someone out of anger, then that will not work.