Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q:
But still those thoughts continuously happen.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
That is good at least you are aware of it now. Before you were not aware, it was just happening, right?! That’s good, it reduces. In spite of your judgments or lack of it you are happy now. Did you notice the shift? Good, good.Q:
Guruji, why do bad things happen to good people?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Why do bad things happen to good people? Somewhere sometime in the past they may have also done something bad. From some lifetimes, somewhere they have become a victim of it. It is impossible that you get a bitter neem tree when you sow a mango tree. Got it? So somewhere knowingly or unknowingly the person must have done some bad thing so that bad result has come now. This is theory of karma and it is very very deep. Bad things happen either through karma or through ignorance in the present moment. Yes! All bad things happen to good people because some greed must have crept into good peoples’ mind.Q:
Guruji, what is the shortest method, mantra, or way to remove the previous bad karmas?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Just ‘Om Namah Shivaya.’Q:
Jai Guru Dev, ‘Om Namah Shivya’ takes out our bad karmas of previous lives. Can we just say Om Namah Shivya and let it go and it never comes back to us?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Some karma can be eliminated by sadhna, mediation, chanting Om Namah Shivaya and by doing good service. Helping out all these things will do that. But there are some karmas which you will have to experience which cannot be avoided.Q:
Guruji, does the desire to strangle someone which you do not act on affect your karma?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Don’t worry about every single thought that comes into your head. They come and they go, don’t worry. If you don’t act on it you are not making a karma out of it. You can have peaceful nights.Q:
(A member of the audience asked a question and it was inaudible)
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
God is present in every one. Not only in Rama. Don’t think God is present only in Rama .God is present in you and in me.Q:
Guruji, how do you find an ideal Guru in the physical form?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
I have no idea! Ideal disciple I can say but I don’t know what an ideal Guru is. Ideal disciple is one who does sadhana, seva and satsang, and does not dig wells in several different places and does not engage in spiritual shopping. One who honours everyone, and stays in knowledge. Guru is one who does not want anything for himself, one who shows the path to anyone he meets.Q:
Guruji, how should one become an ideal (not idol!) husband or wife?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Idol husband and wife are Lord Ram and Sita and they are in the temple. I am inexperienced in answering this question. I can only provide an answer to a question in which I have experience. But on the basis of what I have heard from people, I can say that a wife should never hurt the ego of her husband. It may be that the husband is not using his intellect and the wife is thinking, ‘oh he is so stupid!’ Instead she should say, ‘the world might consider you stupid, but I know how intelligent you are. You are the most capable person in this world.’ This is how you should flatter your husband. This is what wives have to do. The moment the husband enters the home, shower him with praise, strengthen his ego. Now a secret for men never hurt the feelings of your wife. A wife is sentimental. It is possible that she may complain about her parents, but you should never join in. You should stay quiet. Who knows when she might switch sides, and you will be stuck in the middle. It can be very dangerous. You need to be safe. Never say anything about the in-laws. Your wife may complain, but you should never say anything. Secondly, if she needs to go for satsang, shopping or to the temple, never stop her. Don’t ask her why she goes to shop every day. Just give her your credit card. Then there will be peace at home.Q:
(A member of the audience asked a question and it was inaudible)
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Yes. In Ashram everyone is needed, you can definitely do Seva. Whoever wishes to do Seva in the Ashram, come and talk to the Seva administrator and say how many months, one month or two months or how many days you can stay and work and they will arrange it for you.Q:
Guruji, how should one become an ideal (not idol!) husband or wife?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Idol husband and wife are Lord Ram and Sita and they are in the temple. I am inexperienced in answering this question. I can only provide an answer to a question in which I have experience. But on the basis of what I have heard from people, I can say that a wife should never hurt the ego of her husband. It may be that the husband is not using his intellect and the wife is thinking, ‘oh he is so stupid!’ Instead she should say, ‘the world might consider you stupid, but I know how intelligent you are. You are the most capable person in this world.’ This is how you should flatter your husband. This is what wives have to do. The moment the husband enters the home, shower him with praise, strengthen his ego. Now a secret for men never hurt the feelings of your wife. A wife is sentimental. It is possible that she may complain about her parents, but you should never join in. You should stay quiet. Who knows when she might switch sides, and you will be stuck in the middle. It can be very dangerous. You need to be safe. Never say anything about the in-laws. Your wife may complain, but you should never say anything. Secondly, if she needs to go for satsang, shopping or to the temple, never stop her. Don’t ask her why she goes to shop every day. Just give her your credit card. Then there will be peace at home.