Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q:
Guruji, I read somewhere that after death, if you end upin hell, then you are fried in a pan. I felt afraid after reading that. Pleaseexplain.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Don’t worry. When you are established inthe Self while you are here(in this planet), only then no fear is left. Thatwas a way adopted by our ancestors for making people follow the right path and dogood karma. It was said you will suffer a lot after death if you do wrong deedsto set people on the right path. If you follow the wrong path, then wrong karmawill follow.To some extent, this karma can be changed. If you can’tchange karma at all, than there is no use in doing Sadhana. Do your Sadhana andmeditation.
Q:
Guruji, what is the difference between devotion and love?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Devotion is the zenith of Love. ‘Saa tvasmin panama prema rupa’ - Embodimentof supreme love for the divine is devotion. You can’t posses God. In routinelove affairs, you love someone and you expect the same in return. You can’tclaim a right on God. Love for that infinite consciousness is devotion.Sage Narad says, ‘Yogachitta vritti nirodha’ meaning ‘Yoga means silencing the tendencies of yourmind.’ ‘Tadha drustu swarupe avastanam’which means ‘Yoga is the skill of being established in the Seer from the scene’- To go within and be established in the seer. With this notion, meditationstarts to happen. Then Samadhi follows. Your mind is totally calm. For a momentyou experience that complete nothingness, emptiness.
Q:
Is it ok to pray for a peaceful end to the life of a person with Parkinson’s syndrome?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Whenever someone suffers, the people around him or her are the ones who suffer more than the person. The family of a mentally retarded child suffers much more than the child himself. That child is in a different paradigm of mind. Nature gives the strength to endure the suffering and walk through with strength. An animal is given only that heavy a tail, which it can wag. Just imagine a rat having the tail of an elephant. Nature is very intelligent. It only gives you that problem which you can handle.Q:
Can charity grant liberation?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Charity purifies wealth.Ghee/clarified butter purifies food.Knowledge purifies the intellect. Bhajan purifies the mind &Service purifies the action.Q:
If everything is pre-decided, then what is the need for karma/ action?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
We cannot live without karma. All is pre-decided for an animal but not for a human. Some things are pre-decided and some are not. If everything was pre-decided, why would we be doing bhajans here? It would be no different than being an animal then. Humans have responsibilities to fulfill and humans take on responsibility. An animal has neither any responsibility nor any demand. Humans have freedom as well as an intellect.Q:
I see some images during meditation. Is that ok?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
There is no need to pay attention to that. It is just an experience. In Sudarshan Kriya or meditation you may hear something, see some images or visions but all these come and go. It is a form of stress release.Q:
If a relationship is not going smoothly, what to do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Well, I am not an expert to answer this. (Laughter) One thing I can tell you is that you should leave a certain margin in a relationship. The strength of a relationship lies in the ability to accommodate rough patches. How well you handle it gives you skills. Otherwise how do you get to know how accommodating, understanding and considerate you are? These virtues come up only when you have rough patches. See the situation as an opportunity on how to adapt, how to be accommodating, understanding and considerate. You should give a shot to excel in exhibiting your character rather then changing the other person.Q:
Tell us something about ‘nadi shodan’ (alternate nostril) pranayama.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
There are 1,82,000 nadis/ energy channels in our body. When we breathe, these are activated and that is why we are alive. When we breathe through the left nostril, certain nadis are functioning and others function when we breathe through the right nostril. So when we alternate the breath through the nostrils, certain changes happen in the body and in our system. Our system gets purified. Fresh energy moves in the system and the stress is eliminated. The left nostril activates the functioning of the right brain and vice versa. So when we alternate our breathing, all the brain waves get synchronized. Biochemical changes happen in the body. The Endocrine glands function better and any imbalance in body is rooted out. There are many benefits of pranayama.Q:
Out of two options available to do Seva or to be in Satsang with you, I chose Satsang but now my consciousness is pricking me. What should one chose?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
If you have a responsibility to do seva, then you come to satsang so that when you are tired of doing seva, you can energize yourself.Q:
They say cats are fiercer than tiger. I am relating this to women. Women nowadays are not open to accept men’s opinion. I am concerned about the male species.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You mean we should start men empowering seminar. (Laughter). Perhaps!!