Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q:
I don’t know what is good for me and what is bad?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Drop that which gives you short termhappiness and long term suffering. Just keep this in the back of your mind.Q:
Guruji, do you have any unfulfilled desires?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
(After a little pause) Yes, I want to see millions of people smiling and all these conflicts in the world to end. There should be no war. WAR itself means ‘Worst Act of Reason’. People who are involved in war give reasons to justify their actions but it is actually the worst act of reason. There is so much domestic violence in the world today. All this must stop. This can happen when people become more compassionate and understanding.Q:
Guruji, I read somewhere that chanting OM is not good for women. Please elaborate.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Maybe some man has written that book! (laughter) Perhaps they are afraid that women may become more powerful, intelligent, independent and stronger than men. All this is not true. In the Middle Ages, some people spread this message with the selfish motive of keeping the knowledge only to themselves.Q:
What is difference between accepting people as they are and labeling them as they are?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You tell me the answer. If you really want an answer then sit and think about it. If in your mind this question has arisen, the answer will also come. You have some notion of acceptance in your mind and some other notion of labeling. That’s why you are using two different words. You won’t ask the difference between ‘Kela’ (banana in Hindi) and ‘Banana’. When we ask the difference we already know what that difference is. You already know in your mind and a little introspection will give you the answer.Q:
Guruji newspapers today are filled with so much vague news here and there. Can’t we have one full page on environment?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Do you write articles? I want all those who have good writing skills to sit together and have some collection. We will implement this. The Ashram agricultural department is very successful in controlling pollution and purifying sewage water. We are using some ancient techniques, which have been forgotten. It is surprising to see the results that these techniques have brought about. Sewage water is completely purified, ready to drink and the sewage is turned into manure. Using this method we can clean all sewage plants in all villages across India without chemicals. The Agricultural Department also took a project in Nasik where vegetation was grown using seawater. So all this is possible.Q:
I am academically good but not successful in my career. I am not able to support my family financially. I feel I am unworthy. Please help.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Breath it out if you feel you are unworthy. Meditate and don’t be hard on yourself.Q:
Should we follow the character and play of Gods?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
There is a story in each character. One should follow the character of God like Sri Rama’s character but the play of Lord Krishna is notto be followed. Play of God is not comprehensible.
Do as what Sri Rama did but do as what Sri Krishna said and not did. If you follow Lord Krishna’s play and do all that He did, you will end up in a jail, then you reach your birth place. (Audience laughs) When you listen to Lord’s play, your heart becomes joyful. Everything is Lord’s play only.
Q:
Do you see any golden age coming up?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
In the world, good is going up. There is always dawn happening somewhere in the world and there is dawn 24 hours on this planet. There is always dusk happening somewhere in the world and there is dusk 24 hours on this planet.Q:
What karma gives you liberation from the cycle of birth and death?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You are at the right place.Q:
I dropped alcohol after Art of Living course. If I meet my old friends who still engage in these sorts of habits will they extract my positive energy?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Don’t worry. As long as you remain firm in knowledge, and Sadhana - you can help them come out of all sorts of negative habits.