Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q:
Despite awareness I am not being able to do whats right because I lack will power. What must I do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
If you think I have no will power, you will never have it. You have locked your own hands, put a label on your forehead that you are weak.Invoke the valour in you, take a pledge. You have all the force available for you when you need it. You have all the strength and energy.
If someone were to tell you that if you do pranayama for thirty days you would get one million dollars. You will not miss a single day. You may forego sleep, food but not the pranayama. Greed can bring in that power within. Similarly fear- if someone says you would fall sick if you don't do pranayama, you would not miss it.
Love, fear, greed- any one is good to increase will power.
To know intellectually what is good and should be done, you may take it easily and remain in your comfort zone.
Then will power goes down. So enhance your valour or love something with all your heart. Dedication to the cause, fear or greed- these can increase your will power.
Egoistic people are much better than other people because egoistic people have a sense of valour. It is easy to make them commit, get out of lethargy.
People with no ego have lot of love, surrender, its easy for them. Someone who has neither ego, nor valour, nor love, nor devotion, nor greed has no will power. Either become greedy or fearful. But these are very low category. Other one is enhance the love, surrender, true knowledge and enhance your valour.
Q:
What is character?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Character is that which you expect from others - faithful, loyal, integrated. Do you want others to keep their word? How do you feel if they don't? Character is that, 'do not do unto others what you would not want others to do unto you'. Character is that which is solid, strong, stable and makes you and other happy.Q:
There are problems in my life, to which I know the solution. How to apply that knowledge with a smile?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Keep immersing in knowledge, you don't have to apply it, it applies itself. Remind yourself of the knowledge. Focus on the knowlede, don't get entangled in the people around you. Satsang is to be in touch with the inner being. Instead you start judging, having different types of interaction with people, this is not satsang.Q:
What is the difference between knowledge and love? Should I be a Gyani( Wise) or Premi(Lover)
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
What is the difference between head and the heart? Should a person be heady or hearty? Do you watch television or listen to it first. Mind and heart both together make a human being. Mind looks for new, fresh and latest. Heart wants old- Preet Puraani (Ancient love). Life is a combination of the two. Science and knowledge, love and devotion- all are required. And you have all of these. Now you are asking as a jigyasu(curious for knowledge). You have love that is why you are accepting the answer. If there was no love for knowledge you wouldn't ask or won't accept the answer. These are like four legs of a chair- pull one and all three come along. Similary, Yog, Karma, Gyan, Bhakti, Dhyan - all are legs of a table.When Arjuna was confused, he asked Krishna “sometimes you praise the path of Karma, sometimes gyan, sometimes bhakti- tell me one I am confused.” Krishna says those who are unwise think of the paths as different, the wise know it is One. Just practice one, others come along. If you do seva(service) very well, you get the same merit as from dhyaan(meditation) or gyaan(knowledge)
Q:
It is said that everyone's future is already decided. It is planned by the Divine. If this is true, then what is the need of Karma(action)
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Everything is happening, your karma too is happening, what is the need of an answer. Suppose I don't give an answer. When you are hungry, what is the need of Karma, sit, let it happen. Everyday hunger comes up , so whats the point! Sit quietly. Can you? This is useless brooding. Man cannot live without work- either a good deed or misdeed. If God doesit, then God is suffering, where do you come in between?If God made you steal, then God came as police - what is the complaint? God told you to eat twenty rasgulla(a sweet), then God will have the pain and God will come as doctor.
Where are you different from God. The understanding that everything is God's is a very big thing. Then the mind silences and such nonsense questions don't arise. Till then, they will arise.
Q:
Can the liver, eyes be donated after death?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Yes, you can donate them, there is no sin in this, neither will you face any problem in heaven. Instead it will increase you prospects in heaven. You can definitely donate them.Q:
In general, it is seen that those who have money don’t have a generous heart and those who have a generous heart don’t have money. Is there a fight between the Goddess of money and love?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Well, you can have both! Money is not some currency kept in bank. It is the satisfaction that one has. If you feel you are rich, you are. I have seen people with bigger lakhs (millions) have lacks!Q:
What is the difference between Guru and Avtaar?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Avtaar simply means descended. Guru means guide. The word, ‘Guide' comes from the Sanskrit word meaning Guru. Giver and great also have their roots in Guru.Why do you want to know the difference! How does it matter! You gave meaning to words, attach whatever meaning you want. A word can have different meanings in different languages. Also, there are different intentions and different connotations.
Q:
How do we know that the decisions we make in academics, careers and relations are the right ones?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
See the results!Q:
Can your devotees who are in business, face the challenges of business with truth?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Yes, with complete honesty, intelligence, and yukti (tact). A businessman can lie as much as there is salt in food. If one lies too much, then one suffers in equal measure.For instance, you may say that my product is the best in the world when you know it is not. That much is alright. That is why our ancestors in India kept businessman in the third division.
Saints do not have the right to lie. They cannot. The king or administrator has some right and so does the businessman.