Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Q:
Guruji, I appreciate the Sun and the Moon and the Nature, why can’t God appreciate when I do something good?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
He doesn't appreciate you, because he knows you can do better. If he starts appreciating you every moment, then your desire to perform better will not be there.Knowledge Byte:Truth is that which does not change. Examine your life and identify all that changes as "not truth." With this outlook, you will find that you are surrounded by only untruth.
When you identify untruth, then you will become free from it. When you do not identify the untruth, you cannot become free from it. Your own experiences in life make you identify your own untruth.
As you mature in life, you find everything is untruth - events, situations, people, emotions, thoughts, opinions, concepts, your body - everything is untruth. It is only then that Satsang – the company of truth - happens in the real sense. A mother cannot see the child as untruth until the child becomes an adult. For a baby, sweetness is not untruth, and for a teenager, sex is not untruth.
Knowledge is untruth if it is only words. But as existence, it is truth. Love as an emotion is not truth; as existence, it is truth.
Q:
How intelligent is it to be angry on the past?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Is there any profit of being angry at the past? A business minded person would never do that!There is a story of Mullah Nassurudin. His son was about to hold an expensive electronic equipment and he slapped his son. When asked, he said what the fun would be to slap after it has broken! It is a sign of foolishness to be angry at something that had happened in the past. People ask me if I don’t get angry. But at what should I be angry at? Past that has already gone!
You get angry at something which is happening in the present. But reacting to anger with anger! What foolishness! If somebody does mistake again and again, you can show anger but don’t get swayed away with that. Arogya vardhak gussa – Healthy anger is that which stays only for that much time as a line drawn on water stays.
It doesn’t mean not to show anger when someone is wrong but it is unintelligent to flow away with that. Sadhana is to protect mind from any vikara (Distortion that takes one away from the self).
Q:
Scientifically, Has it been seen? Can we write it in medical journals?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Yeah! It has already been published by NIMHANS (National Institute ofMental Health and Neuro Sciences) and IAMS, they have published a paper on it.
Q:
How to get over habits?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
To get over habits, there are three options If someone gives you a temptation: Suppose you stop this bad habit for 10 days you will get 10 lakhs of rupees. Then you will do it. Something higher than your habit can create greed in you. Or if someone creates fear in you, eg. A doctor says if you drink, you will spoil your liver. Then you can get over your habit. The third way is through love.Q:
I feel that India’s socio-economic problems are a lot based on over population, do you agree?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
No, no. India’s problems are not based on over population, they are based on corruption. The problem is because of corruption. Population was thought to be a curse till a few years ago but today it’s the population that is the basis for improving the economy. Population means big market, why would other countries look at India? Because it’s a huge market.Q:
Guruji, during amavas and Diwali we are told not to wander about at night and not to use sharp tools, what is the reason behind that?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You know, the moon has an impact on the mind. On full moon days, you feel different; new moon days, you feel different. In the ancient days they used to say, since amavas is such a dark night, not to use sharp things as you may hurt yourself. That is what they said in the past but today with electricity that doesn’t apply.Q:
I didn’t feel anything after ‘Your throat is hollow and empty’ both the times. In that meditation does Guruji say something after that?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Wait for the next year.Q:
What is the golden rule of a happy married life?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Well,I am not qualified to say anything, but let me think. Why don’t you sitwith those who are happily married? What I have heard is:Before marriage: a couple is mad for each other.
During marriage: They are made for each other.
And then: They are mad at each other.
After while: They are mad because of each other.
Somebody has formulated this!
Onething I know, marriage is an institution of patience, sacrifice, caringfor each other and sharing. If one is upset, other should keep quietand wait for his/her turn to get upset. If both together get upset atthe same time, then there is a problem! But in front of kids, oneshould better be civilized.
Q:
How can I balance peace while fighting for justice?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
That is the whole essence of The Bhagavat Gita. Be calm from the inside and act whenever required. You should stand up and fight if necessary; but don’t keep the fight inside yourself. Usually we fight inside and keep quiet on the outside. We should do the opposite. With meditation, it becomes easy to bring about this change. The power of satva and the power of meditation make it easy.Today is Shri Ramanavami (Lord Rama’s Birthday). Ra means radiance, Ma means myself. Rama means ‘the light inside me’. Rama was born to Dasharath and Kousalya. Dasharath means ‘Ten Chariots’. The ten chariots symbolize the five organs of perception (the five senses) and five organs of knowledge and action (For instance: reproduction, legs, hands and so on). Kousalya means ‘skill’. Ayodhya means ‘a society in which there is no violence’. If you skillfully observe what goes on inside the body, light dawns inside you. That is meditation. You need some skill to relax the tension. Then you start expanding.
You know you are here now, yet you are not. With this realization, there is a certain lightness that comes spontaneously. Rama is when the inner light shines through. Sita the mind/intellect was robbed by the ego, Ravana. Ravana had ten heads. Ravana (ego) was one who wouldn’t listen to others. He was too much in the head. Hanuman means breath. With the help of Hanuman (the breath), Sita (the mind) was able to go back to Rama (the source).
Ramayana happened around 7,500 years ago. It had an impact on Germany and many other countries in Europe and Far East. Thousands of cities are named after Rama. Cities like Rambaugh in Germany, Rome in Italy have their roots in the word Ram. Indonesia, Bali and Japan were all influenced by Ramayana. Though Ramayana is history, it is also an eternal phenomenon happening all the time.
Q:
Guruji, why is singing an important part of thecourses? What’s the spiritual significance of singing?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Youknow, knowledge and logic, and music are formed in two different parts of ourbrain and they’re both essential. That brings a balance in the system. Music isessential.