Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q:
How to develop an interest in what we don’t like, for instance studies and pranayama?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
It is not necessary to do only what you like. Know it clearly that studies are for your good. Otherwise life won’t run! You do not brush your teeth every day with love. If you don’t like to brush and stop doing it, you will lose your teeth. You know that it is good for your health and it is vital to do it.Similarly there are some things in life that we can’t do without - studying is one of them. Make a habit of reading a scripture first thing in the morning. Similarly do some pranayama for at least 10 minutes. Breath is anyways flowing. Direct it here and there. If it keeps diseases away, then why not do it?
Like you brush your teeth for dental hygiene, pranayamas maintain your mental hygiene!
And to have a sharp intellect you need to study, otherwise you will regret it later. You buy a dress from the shop and the time you bring it home, you dislike it. Buddhi Yoga (Intellect Yoga) is the best. Manmaani karna, following your feelings is inviting misery.
Q:
How to decide the right time and place to start something?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You have an intellect. Why don’t you use it? Use your viveka (discretion) and buddhi (intellect). Who answers you always? For how long can someone tell you what to do! If you have to take a very big decision, then you may go and consult someone senior. Otherwise take your own decisions – even if you make a mistake in the first few instances.Q:
If some politician in power is corrupt, and causes a lot of pain to many people, is it correct to pray for his death?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Pray for his sadbuddhi (good sense) and if that doesn’t happen then pray that he is removed from the position of power. In many temples, you will find that rakshasas (demons) are carved at the entrance. Yet their place is outside or under God’s feet. If they sit on the main throne then there is trouble.Q:
What is the secret behind the notion of ‘Judgment Day’ in Christianity?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Christianity says a judgment day will come. At that time all those below the earth, the dead bodies will rise and be asked about their right and wrong deeds. According to which they will be sent to either heaven or hell.The understanding changed from the original meaning due to time and various interpretations.
Today what is believed and discussed as 'Judgment Day' is not what it was originally. The place where Christianity and Islam were born had a scarcity of wood.
The land there had only stones and mountains. At that place burying was a better alternative. It was not expensive.
In India there was a lot of wood, so the tradition of burning the dead bodies began. Whereas in the land of Islam and Christianity, burning the dead was not possible. So according to the country and time people would do certain practices.
The interpretation people have maintained is that on the Judgment Day the dead would get up from their samadhi, but it is not that. In the Bible, it is said "Judge not and ye shall not be judged". Christ asks not to judge (criticize) and leave the judgment only on God and one day He will look into the judgment.
In India we have faith in Karma, which means you will have to reap the result of all your acts. Good deeds will bring joy and bad will bring misery. Similarly in Christianity they say not to judge and that everyone will have to bear their cross.
Q:
Is there anything beyond samadhi?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Beyond Samadhi there is Bodh Matra Shuddh Chaitanya Satta (pure awareness and intelligence).An awareness that is neither of the inside, nor the outside is developed. Not unconsciousness but one such pure consciousness. It makes no difference whether the eyes are opened or closed. It all seems alike.
Q:
What is the scientific significance of Prasad?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Prasad is that which when received makes the mind prasana (blissful). A saint from Karnataka has written that this time that we have got is prasad , our body, breath, mind, prana (life energy) and bhav (emotions), everything is prasad. Whatever we have got in this life is prasad. ‘That which I have spread is prasad and that with which I have covered myself is also prasad.’*a spherical, usually black-coloured stone
Q:
How do we know that self realization has happened or not?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
What is the proof that you have pain in your leg? How do you come to know that you have pain in the leg? Once self realization happens then such questions will not arise. Asking others if you are self realized or not is ignorance. We don’t need any proof once self realization has happened. Like your pain is itself the proof, similarly self realization is itself the proof. But also don’t have fancies and imaginations of how self realization is going to be. Be simple, natural. You are, what you are, therefore relax. Self realization doesn’t happen by doing something but by relaxing and you can relax only after you have done something.Once you do pranayama, asanas, rajoguna nivrit hota hai (one rises above the rajoguna) and then satvaguna arises. When that happens, we can meditate and are awakened. Satvaguna will not arise till you sleep properly.
One can rise above tamoguna through rajoguna and to rise above rajoguna, one needs to relax and be active.
In the Bhagwad Geeta it is said, yuktahara-viharasya yoga bhavati siddhitah.
Samadhi is neither for those who oversleep nor for those who work with extreme wakefulness throughout the day. A balance has to be maintained.
* On Ananta Chaturdashi day, Ananta Padmanabha Swamy (Lord Vishnu) is worshipped.
Q:
On a count of one to 100, if the stone is rated as zero and human beings as hundred, what is the level of the remaining beings?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
What is the need to give a rating? Everything belongs to One, is part of One. One has taken these infinite forms. Even in the zero and the hundred, there is everything. Even a stone will have jadta (low prana) and chaitanya (consciousness). Jad and chaitanya, both, are merged in Brahma (creation). They are one part of the Brahma. Lord Krishna says in the Bhagwad Geeta, “This maya is also from Me, the whole world is in Me, yet I am in none.” The philosophy in the Bhagwad Geeta may seem confusing. Without a true experience, the philosophy will seem like just principles. Go deep within yourself for the true experience of the Self.Q:
What is the importance of sankalpa (intention) and how to strengthen it? Does the world move on sankalpa?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
The mind is full of sankalpa and vikalpa (imagination, fancy). Each work gets done through sankalpa. Even the act of moving our arm is preceded by the sankalpa in the mind. If twenty sankalpas arise in the mind then nothing gets done. When the mind is peaceful and restful then our sankalpa is powerful.The sankalpa of a weak mind is weak and that of strong mind is strong.
We can make our mind strong by sadhana (spiritual practices) and knowledge. Then the sankalpa will also be strong. The wise makes one sankalpa in fifty days whereas the ignorant makes fifty in a day.
Q:
I am beginning to experience the futility of existence. Why am I here? There is confusion, what should I do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Good Luck! It is good luck when the small identity dissolves and the bigger is attained. Everybody seeks pleasure for the mind (mann), but having a pleasant consciousness is something else! Every single part of the body is soaked in pleasantness. There is a difference between entertainment and enjoyment. Entertainment brings you short term happiness. Meditation penetrates the whole body in the form of vibrations.We assume that our likes and thought patterns, desires and frustrations are our identity. When that dissolves, one begins to wonder “who am I?”. This is OK, it is the first step. However, you need to establish yourself in Sadhana(spiritual practices) and the knowledge. Satsang is very important. All the scriptures also explain the importance of Satsang, otherwise the mind tends to wander and get lost in other things.