Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q:
Many times a film song keeps repeating in my mind again and again which drains up my energy because of that my nervous system has become weak. How can I come out of this?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Advanced course, sit in an advanced meditation class.Q:
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
When Lord Krishna sat in Samadhi that is when he recited the Gita. After the war, once Arjuna asks him that I have forgotten the beautiful knowledge that you gave me, at that time there was a lot of crowd and so much commotion on the war field and I didn’t listen to you properly. Please tell me again what you said. Then Krishna replied," No, I can’t tell you now, at that time I was in samadhi , so I made you sit and whatever came to me I told you at that time, now I cannot again tell you again". So whatever Lord Krishna said was not a person saying this knowledge but the universe speaking. These messages came from the Shiva tattva, the atma tattva. He said, ’I am the sun, I am the rain, truth and untruth, everything is me.’ This is very deep knowledge. If you see everything is made from one tattva, from atoms. What is your mother made of, father made of? Everyone’s body is made from the same thing, from food grains. Food grains are consumed and the body is developed, whoever eats, they all grow and the body is made from that. So everyone is made from one substance, one power and one energy. So, he is saying the whole world is made from that one consciousness, one energy, one substance. Now if you see the fan, mike and light are all working with one current, with electricity, isn’t it? But it seems like the mike is different, the light is different and the fan is something else. They all look different but they are all made up of the same thing. In the same way, if the sun was not there then the earth cannot exist. If the earth was not there, how could there be plants or trees or human beings? So what is our source? First from the physical aspect our source is the earth; more subtle than that it is the sun. What is the source of the sun? The universal energy - and so Lord Krishna says that universal energy is ME. That is the atma that is you and that is me and everything is made of this universal energy and this is what today’s scientist also say. Those who study quantum physics this is what they say - that the whole world is made up of one energy. Earlier it was said that there were different protons, electrons functioning and making things work but now they say it is all one energy, everything is a wave functions. What we consider physical things are not there in reality, it is all just energy and this is what Lord Krishna has said many years ago in the Bhagavad Gita. ‘Avajananti mam mudham manusim tanumasritam, Param bhavam ajananto mama bhuta- mahesvaram’, these people do not see my true nature as that one universal energy, consciousness and they are thinking I am a human being. I am in a human body but the consciousness inside me is that supreme consciousness. I am not a human being. I am a power.Q:
Guruji, there are criminals among the cabinet ministers, where are we heading, where is this country going?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
It needs a major stir; to stir the ministers we need a major stir. Every one of you will have to work and take a sankalpa to eradicate corruption. Everything will definitely change, situations will change.Q:
Guruji, after passing 10th standard I have also passed 12th standard. How many tests do I have to pass to prove my intelligence to this world?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Those who do not have certain things think that others do not have it too. Even I have been giving proof all along so you too keep giving proof for some more time. what else? Think of your examinations also as play so that you do not feel pressured by them. Of course you must study and do well in your exams. But what to do if the staircase is twisted? You also have to twist yourself a little bit, anyhow you have to climb. If you try to straighten the staircase while climbing then you will get stuck. So, even if the stairs are twisted you hold on to the railing and move forward. Once you have moved forward then later on you can work towards fixing the staircase.Q:
In terms of moral values, what is stand of a spiritual leader in it?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
A full stand should be there, total stand should be there. Only telling others of the values is not enough but also what should be done to instill these values in our lives needs to be taught. How to live these values should also be said with understanding. If one slips, then also with understanding they need to be motivated to move forward. This is the skill.Q:
Guruji, how was your life when you were my age? My age is 14.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Yes interesting! I spent my young days with all elderly people.Q:
his is my first meditation course. So far, it’s much better than I expected. I am worried because I would like to meditate all the time. What should I do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
his is my first meditation course. So far, it’s much better than I expected. I am worried because I would like to meditate all the time. What should I do?Q:
Guruji, at times my parents hit me without a reason. How can I respect and accept them at that time?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
hey can’t do that without any reason. Tell them to do The Art of Living course sometime when they are in a good mood. Coax them to come to be a basic course and we will train them not to hit you.Q:
Some people get depressed without any reason, what should we do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Educate people about good food, health that is very much needed.Q:
Can you give them all the attention that they crave?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Yes, I think I am able to do as much as I can yes. See our consciousness is so vast; our consciousness has many abilities you know, so we can do. Nature will provide you with only that much work that you can take otherwise nature will not give one inch more than what you cannot do, yes.