24 January 2014 - QA 3

Gurudev, to gain something is it necessary to lose something? What if I want both the things?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

To achieve something big, you should leave something small. If you keep a pebble in your hand and say you want something very big, how is it possible? You first need to drop the pebble. <br>
As soon as you realize the importance of a big thing, you don't need to put an effort, the small thing will drop by itself. <br>
I will give you another example. Before the sun rises, light a candle and keep it. When the sun rises, is there any importance of the candle? Whether it is burning or not, it doesn't make any difference. Do you need to blow the candle to be able to see the sun? <br>
Now don't take this example too far, don't misuse the example. If you have some bad habit, drinking or smoking, and you think these will go by themselves, no. First you leave those habits. If you have a habit which is not in your nature, leave it.