Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q:
I am constantly afraid I will commit a sin, and God will not forgive my sins, including those from the past.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
C'Mon! (applause) Don't make God look so cruel. I will be your advocate. (applause) God is an ocean of forgiveness, of compassion. Don't put such ideas in the mind. Just move on. It's the temptation of pleasure that irritates you. But the greatest temptation is God himself. Do your practices. Read Yoga Vashista, Ashtavakra Gita, and this will bring you to the path. If something happens, move ahead.Q:
Please explain how is it possible for me to give my hundred percent and yet not be feverish?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You forget about feverishness now and just give your hundred percent.Q:
Guruji, how much influence does previous karma have on our present life. Is one sad or happy owing to previous karma?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
I have already talked about this in a book ‘Celebrating silence’. You can refer to that for deeper understanding.Our mind is ancient so it has impressions. Previous karma does have an impact but so does your present karma. Don’t be too much stuck into that. Don’t have a fatalistic attitude. You have a free will to change it as well.
Q:
What makes a habit good or bad?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
If you see those who smoke, are they in bliss? No, but if you tell them not to smoke, their face shows anger and hatred. There is no joy in smoking but there is sorrow without it - this is a bad habit.Those practices which bring short term effort but long term happiness are good practices. Knowing this is viveka.
Q:
What is the difference between dispassion and indifference?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Well, in indifference there is a sense of apathy, rejection and disappointment while in dispassion there is joy and enthusiasm.Q:
When we don’t have to do anything in meditations, then why are there so many different types of meditations?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
The mind is fixed in different type of habits, thoughts and feelings. That’s why Maharshi Patanjali* has given so many techniques for samadhi. Maharshi Patanjali says you can attain it by meditating on God or breathing in different ways. Gorakhnath (a 11th century yogi) has given about 108 techniques for meditation. In our country, since centuries, different techniques have been used for meditation. People have different habits, thinking patterns and feelings - that is why we have meditations with different ideas. So that people can experience meditation, through one technique or another.Q:
What is puja?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
That which is born from purnata (fullness) is puja. When gratitude is overwhelming, the throat chokes in gratitude then whatever action you perform in such a state is puja. We surrender everything – that bhavana (feeling) is puja.Q:
Where are Shiva and Krishna (Hindu Gods)?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Shiva, Krishna is in everyone of us. Krishna is a tatva – celebration, joy, love, mischief. Everything that is inside you, inside me.In the Bhagvad Gita, Krishna says:
Yo mām paśyati sarvatra sarvam ca mayi paśyati
tasyāham na pranaśyami sa ca me na pranaśyati
Krishna says, “One who sees me in everything and one who sees everyone in me, I will never be out of sight for such a person.”
That what you all are going to do – dive into that inner space.
Shiva and Krishna are different aspects of the One jyoti (flame), one aspect.
Q:
Why does everyone not aspire to serve the society, in their youth?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
It must be there. There is no heart that does not get affected at the sight of misery. This we assume. At one time, everyone should desire to do seva. This we cannot say.Q:
I feel very small and insignificant in this world. Is that ok?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
All that is small is very beautiful. You are alive. That is important and you know that you are alive is even more important. Two things: I am small, little.Another is: I am useless. You are tiny, this you know. But thinking that you areuseless, good-for-nothing is no good. Tiny like ping-pong, a star, is ok. Useless, dirt, hopeless- these sort of self realization you should not have. It is exhibition of self-ignorance not self-realization.
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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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