Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q:
Is dispassion connected to upbringing or past impressions?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Vairagya or dispassion is associated with viveka or the power of discrimination. When we were small children, we wanted to have cotton candy or lollipops and toys. As we grew up, these desires dropped by themselves. We became dispassionate about toys but got attached to something else. In course of time, desires drop effortlessly. When we move ahead with awareness then our attachments drop even faster, and with love. It doesn’t mean that you throw everything out of your house! There is no desire to procure anything. Irrespective of the desire being fulfilled, there is no feverishness or attachment.Q:
How to deal with people who say and do bad things?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
First of all, accept that, that is how they are. Second thing is to see that they will change. Tomorrow they may change, next week, next year. Keep an open mind, maybe in 5, 10 years, in the next lifetime they will change. When you know that they are like that and that they may change, then your mind is calm. Any irritable situation, make fun of it. If you have a little bit humor, you are able to sail through irritable situations. If it is really unbearable, never mind that you get angry. But you should become normal again in 2 seconds. You know, it’s not worth losing our peace of mind. Because of someone’s behavior. Don't you think so?Q:
I would like to bring some reformations and changes in my village. However, every time, I meet with so many obstacles and it is quite frustrating for me. What should I do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Sanghe shakti kaliyuge. One or two people alone can't bring in a reform. A coming together is required. For that knowledge must dawn. So bring people to programs like this. Bring people together and do this work. What we do sometimes fails and if the failure repeats you can lose your courage. When we want to bring in reforms, even if we fail 10 times we should go ahead. We have to be so strong. Know that you will never be alone. Come together and work to increase awareness in society. Do satsangs. I will guide you constantly.Q:
Do planets have any effect on us?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Yes, planets do have an effect on us. But the effects are minimal on those who are on the path of sadhna, satsang and knowledge. For those, negative effects reduce and positive effects start to increase. It’s like when you take umbrella under the hot sun, you feel less heat on your head. Practices and mantras are the solutions.Q:
Guruji, I am from Kerela. I want to ask – what does it mean to do puja (worship)?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
There is a saying that talks about puja. Yen ten prakaren,Yatra kutrapi dehina,Santosham janaye pragyaTadaye vishva lochanCreate patience in people. When you bring a wave of happiness, wherever you go, that is puja. Whatever way when you create happiness and patience, that is puja, truly worshiping God. How beautiful it is!Q:
Is there a way to understand the course of karma?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Gehana Karmonogati - who knows the way of karma? It is so deep. Even great sages get confused over what is karma and what is to be done. It is never ending. Every action will have some flaw.There is no one standard to measure it. Jains had put Krishna in hell because of his sins of creating many wars. Then they saw his good deeds and put him in heaven. Do karma according to the intellect. An action which inspires you with enthusiasm and energy, even if it has flaws is worth doing. Leaving your karma by sitting idle is inappropriate.
There is some flaw in the best of the action. For instance, a teacher earns his salary by teaching students. If children were born wise there would be no need for teachers.
A doctor’s job depends on someone’s illness. Lawyers would not be required if there were no quarrels. Their sukh (joy) depends on others’ fights. In every interaction, you will see some flaw. If you focus on the flaws everywhere, the world will not work.
Be gungrahi (imbibing virtues) - put your attention wherever there are positive qualities. The wise give inspiration to everyone for their work. There is no big or small work - every work is respectable.
Q:
Why are there differences between religions?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Religion has three components: symbols, customs and traditions, and values. As far as values are concerned, there is no difference, because all talk about oneness. Customs and symbols are all very different; they have to be, this is what makes the world beautiful, because God doesn’t like uniforms! Nature has been created with such diversity- so many flowers, animals, people. Diversity is the language of God. In India, God can have any number of names and forms, and they all point to one Divinity.So in one sense, there is difference, and in another sense there is unity.
Wise ones celebrate diversity, fools fight over it.
Q:
I know one cannot be happy and married. But can one be married and enlightened?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Why do you think that one cannot be happy and married? Why cannot you be happy and married as well? There are many bachelors who are not happy, and also there many married people who are happy. Happiness is an attitude which you chose. It all depends just on you. There are people with no jobs but are happy. There are people with jobs and are unhappy. Be wise and be happy. Do whatever – married, unmarried, employed, unemployed…But independent of what you are doing, you need to be happy.Q:
Can you please tell us something about the next transformation in the world by 2012?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Good times. People will be more spiritual, more kind, less greedy, less hateful, and more understanding. All is good. All is real good.Q:
Which thing makes you the most happy?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
If I say a thing makes me happy, then there is no bigger fool than me. It’s like listening all night to Ramayana and asking if Sita was Ram's first cousin. No thing can make you happy. You are bliss personified, joy personified.Do everything with happiness. Even if you want to slap someone, do it with joy not anger!
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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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