Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

You cannot like something without knowing about it. Suppose you like gulab jamun(Indian sweet). Knowing about its taste is gyan yoga, buying and eating it is karmayoga, and liking it is bhakti yoga. Devotion is liking something. When you like something then their arises a thirst to know about it. All three go together.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

He should consider himself to be very lucky to feel that there is something more in life besides eating, drinking and sleeping. When you feel that emptiness within, then only the quest for the truth arises.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Attachment is that which gives you pain. Love is that without which you cannot live. If love becomes attachment, then the same love which was giving you joy, starts to inflict pain. Attachment is when you want something in return. If you love and do not want anything in return, then that love doesn’t turn into attachment. I have talked about love in the Narad Bhakti Sutras.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

There are three types of beings - Herbivores, Carnivores and scavengers. Carnivores kill other animals for their food. They kill animals and consume fresh meat. But they don’t kill other animals unless they are hungry. Scavengers eat animals which are already killed. A very few come under this category.

If you want to do some intellectual work or you want to be a genius, then non – vegetarian food is not good. Scientists like Einstein were vegetarian. For a healthy body and lightness in mind, vegetarian diet is best.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

BT – Bio tech. Yes we should not use it. Because of BT cotton thousands of farmers committed suicide. Also the virus emitted by these seeds affect many other plants too. 10- 15 years ago leaves of the neem tree never used to get dry. But because of BT cotton even that has happened.

It was also planned by some people to launch BT brinjal in India. But due to the collective voice raised against it, that issue has been subdued for now. Even France and America have banned those seeds. Research has shown that such seeds adversely affect the kidney, liver, heart, and cause a rise in cancer. But corruption was going to allow this to happen in India. Then they were planning to launch BT rice etc. That’s why it is so important that good people, saints and social workers come up, and people are made aware of all this.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

There is a couplet by Saint kabir:
karka manka chod kar,
Manka manka fer.
It is best to do meditation. But I don’t say one should completely abandon rituals. You perform some rituals on festivals. A little bit of rituals are good. But don’t be too much stuck with the rituals. E.g. if you had resolved to perform a ritual and due to some circumstances you were not able to fulfill that, then there is no need to think that God will be angry with you or you have acquired some sin. I give you guarantee. Maharishi Narada has also said ‘ God is total love’.
Devotion and surrender are greater than any ritual. A little bit ritual is necessary for two reasons. Children are introduced to religion and spirituality through the rituals. Secondly, performing rituals also purify the atmosphere at home. E.g. when all family members come together and do Pooja on Diwali, the atmosphere of our home changes. It is same when you offer Ardas in Gurudwara.
There is no need to be afraid of or feel guilty if you couldn’t keep up with the ritual due to any reason.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

What we don’t want for ourselves, we don’t do it unto others also.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

(After a pause) Got it? When you are waiting for an answer, what is waiting? The mind has already stopped. When you are astonished, the mind has stopped. When you are in laughter, or panic, or fear, or when you are in deep love, the mind has stopped. Time has stopped. There is an experience of timelessness. Have you experienced that timelessness? Just sit on the banks of the Ganges alone and watch the water flowing. Suddenly you feel it is a moment of eternity. Same way when you watch the sun rise or set, moon rising or setting or watch a child playing, a sudden spurt of energy comes from within you and the mind is already still. You don’t have to wait for this to happen sometime in the future. It is happening here and now.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

An ease with yourself and everybody, simplicity. When you are open from within, then you can’t but love everyone and everyone can’t but love you. Neither you have a choice nor do they. You have done this as a baby. Do you remember how you were as a baby? Being natural, simple, innocent, without any barrier and free with everybody.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

You must have heard by now, yoga has eight limbs.. I don’t know how much of pranayama and asanas(postures) you can make someone do when they are sick and dying. It may not be possible at all. Some good bhajans(uplifting music), soft and instrumental music will also help. This is called laya yoga. Some words of wisdom will help. This is gyan yoga. Your mere presence there will help. Your being there without any effort will help. When we are in the ‘doing’ consciousness, thinking what to do, we reduce our energy. When we are in the ‘being’ consciousness, suddenly the light, air and energy come in you. You can make them feel better with that presence and energy of yours.
There are three things which are very important whenever you sit for meditation:
1. I want nothing for next 20 minutes or half an hour.
2. I do nothing.
3. I am nothing.
Any effort is an impediment in meditation and so ‘I do nothing’. And then if you have any notions about yourself, I am rich, I am poor, I am intelligent or I am stupid, you can’t go into meditation. You cannot progress on the spiritual path. So you have to come to this – I am nothing.
These are the three golden rules which I feel are very important and with which you can sink deep into meditation.