ART OF LIVING ARTICLES n VIDEOS

How to deal with Anxiety

2012-11-30T11:18:00.002-08:00

Today many are anxious about how to deal with their anxiety! Here are some of the ways you can manage your anxiety:

Sing, dance and celebrate. The very intention to celebrate will pull you away from anxiety to a more harmonious state.
Think about what you can do for others rather than just about yourself. Energize yourself with some service activity.
Combined practice of yoga, breathing and meditation.
Know the impermanence of the world.
Having faith and surrendering to the Divine and knowing that there is a supreme power who loves you. The supreme power is behind you and accepts you totally. The sense of security comes with the sense of belongingness.
Valour/courage: Invoking the lion within you and having an attitude of sacrifice will rescue you from anxiety.
Reminding yourself that you are committed to a greater goal will keep the anxiety away.
Being unpredictable for a while. Anxiety is always related to some anticipated action. Do something completely irrelevant and unpredictable.
Readiness to face the worst will leave you with stability in the mind.
Remembering a similar situation in the past when you were able to overcome your anxiety.

Chanakya: If none of theses work just come and be in the presence of the Master. (laughter)

Ayurvedic Immunization Progrmme for Kids this december

2012-11-30T11:17:00.003-08:00

SRI SRI SUVARNAPRASHANAM
(A special Ayurvedic Immunization Progrmme for Kids)

What is it ?
Suvarnaprashanam is one of the comprehensive immunizer mentioned in Ayurveda. It is a safe Ayurvedic combination which is beneficial for normal growth and development of children.

What are ingradients ?
It is prepared with pure gold in its bio-available form and other Ayuvedic Immunomodulators and brain tonics.

Who should take it ?
Children (Birth to 10 years)

What are benefits ?

- Increases immunity
- Increase intelligence
- Helps to maintain health by preventing common recurrent infections, asthma and other allergic conditions
- Reduces temper tantrums, attention deficits, bedwetting and other Neuro psychosomatic problems
- Improve speech, hearing and visual acuity
- Improves digestion and tones up skin colour

When to be given ?
Pushya Nakshatra of Every month to impart greater efficacy.

Coming dates :

03-12-2012 Monday
30-12-2012 Sunday
27-01-2013 Sunday
23-02-2013 Saturday
22-03-2013 Friday

Any side effect ?
No side effects have been noted so far.

General Information :

To monitor monthly progress, a card will be maintained for every kid who is undergoing immunization.

Contribution :
Rs. 225/- per month which includes Immunization drop and follow up powder

Where can one take (in Hyderabad) ?

1. Sri Sri Ayurveda Wellness Centre, St. No 8 (Adj. LG service Centre), Habshiguda

Ph: 8121460231, 9441188206 (Dr. Prachi)

2. AOL-L.B. Nagar Centre, Flat Bo. 82, 4th Road, Chandrapuri Colony, L.B. Nagar

Ph: 24110024, 9441205054 (B.P. Murthy)

Healthy Child – Happy Family – Strong Nation

gurupunch 29dec

2012-11-30T11:06:00.002-08:00

Learn to make people your own. They already belong to you. They come from the same soil and breathe the same air which you expel. You are connected - so much connected. ~ Sri Sri

wisdom from guruji

2012-11-30T11:05:00.005-08:00

Q. There is insecurity at the workplace and a lot of tension about office
assignments. Even when I am at the satsang, I am thinking about office. Why
is it so?
Sri Sri: Ok, tell me have you been stressed before- were you stressed last
year? You have lived through it, you didn’t die! Look back at your life- so
many times you have gone through stress. Remember all that you have gone
through and this will seem small in comparison. Have a look at yourself,
you will understand that you have experienced this before. Don’t fear.

Q. In the Ashtavakra Geeta (an ancient scripture which documents the
dialogue between Sage Ashtavakra and King Janaka), Sage Ashtavakra gives a
lot of knowledge to Janaka but doesn’t clearly answer his question about
what is real and unreal. Please explain.
Sri Sri : There are some questions that cannot be answered in words.
Ashtavakra answered Janaka in silence.

Q. I am not in control of my mind. I am afraid becoming a teacher is
taking me away from naturalness, humbleness. What should I do?
Sri Sri: That is a prayer more than a question. Prayers will always be
answered but not in words.

Q. Despite awareness I am not being able to do whats right because I lack
will power. What must I do?
Sri Sri: 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 it about praise that even if it is false it makes us elated and
happy and criticism even if real, pulls us down? Is it vanity?
Sri Sri: This much realisation, you are already out of it!

Q When I get angry, I feel lot of energy and burnt inside. If I let it out
I loose complete balance. What can I do?
Sri Sri: Do bhastrika that time.

Q. When I am in silence or otherwise, a voice in my head keeps talking. The
more I ignore it, the more it stays. Is it a normal phenomena?
Sri Sri: Talk to your teacher and ayurveda doctor. If too much words going
in the head, there is pitta imbalance, vata derangement. When there is too
much impurity in the system then such things happen. You can go for
panchkarma

Q. What is character?
Sri Sri: 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. I have feelings of absolute isolation and find myself alone among
friends. There is no feeling of belongingness.
Sri Sri : Do not sit and worry about feelings. They keep changing. Who
cares? Why bother? One minute you feel very good, the other moment you feel
bad. Put your life energy into some useful, social work, commitment, some
direction. Bring some result in the world. You may suddenly feel good,
suddenly very bad. The world doesn't care for your feelings nor does God.
The Nature, world will ask you what have you done?

Q. There are problems in my life, to which I know the solution. How to
apply that knowledge with a smile?
Sri Sri: 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. Why are there so many hurdles at every stage on the spiritual path.
Sri Sri: No, No. No its not hurdles, it is making your path more
interesting. Its like flowing water, little pebbles create beautiful sound
and sight, making it all the more beautiful. There are no obstacles in this
path, just a fun in the path. Move over it, don't get stuck.

Q. What is the difference between knowledge and love? Should I be a Gyani(
Wise) or Premi(Lover)
Sri Sri: 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. How can one balance between, household duties, business and seva(service)
Sri Sri: How do you balance a bike? When you fall more to the left you bend
right and when you are falling more to the right, you bend left.There is no
theory, you just do it. It automatically balances. It pinches one if he
doesn't do seva at all and is always bothered about himself. If you are in
your senses it will pinch you otherwise one is not human. If you are not
touched by others' misery then you are not human but stone. Similarly, if
one is only into social service, then also it bothers.

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: 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. Guruji, you said tear is ego. In front of you- uncontrollable tears come
up. What to do?
Sri Sri: No, No, this is different tears. There are many types of tears-
like crocodile, then salty, sweet ones are of gratitude, love. Angels long
for it. It is very good- the mind is healed and purified.

Q There are dilemmas in life and I lack decision making power. What should
be done?
Sri Sri: Wherever there is duality(Dvet), there will be a dilemma .
Whenever you are in daily activities(vyavahar), there will be dilemma.
There is no choice, accept it.

Q. Can the liver, eyes be donated after death?
Sr Sri: 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.

Guru punch Dt:30Dec

2012-11-30T10:45:00.004-08:00

When you regain the memory of 'who am I?' all the meekness in you will disappear. You will walk with the highest spirits. 'Who am I?' I'm God's son or daughter. So why should I experience lack of anything? The whole world is there for me. What can time do to me? This sort of genuine bravery should arise in you. ~ Sri Sri

Weekly Announcements 27-11-12

2012-11-29T02:22:00.000-08:00

*AMC COURSE*

1                                                  *06/12/12 to 09/12/12*
                                                   *Manasa Ganga Ashram*
                                                  *9885913603 / 23400782*
*3500/-*

2.                                                   *13/12/12 to 16/12/12*
                                           *Sri Seetharama Kalyana Mandapam,
   Near Port Hospital, NH-5, Visakhapatnam*
*9390633566/ 9391391393.
                                                                 *2850/-*

*SAHAJ SAMADHI MEDITATION*

1                                            .     *01/12/12 to 03/12/12*
                                                   *5pm to 6pm*
                                        *Rajole, Near Antarvedi, East Godavari*
   *9291808551.***
                                                              *1000/-*

2.                                              *04/12/12 to 06/12/12*
                                                                 *6am to 8am
                                                               & 6pm to 8pm*
                                                    *Kakinada, East Godavari*
                                                             *9494144864.***
                                                                    *1000/-*

3.                                                      *08/12/12 to 10/12/12*
                                                                  *6pm to 8pm*
   *Miyapur*
              *8886333014/ 9160006045***
   *1500/-*

*Yes+ DSN COURSE*

1.*01/12/12 to 04/12/12*        *Nellore*                *8106208585 / 9959988080***

2.*06/12/12 to 09/12/12*        *Vizag*                    *9502657540 / 9963786438***

3.*10/12/12 to 13/12/12*        *Warangal*                *9676099666 / 9490749403 / 9490049630*

*Part 1 Courses*

1.26/11/12 to 01/12/12*                          *5.30am to 8am & 9.30am to 12pm *
    Club House, SMR Vinay City, Bollaram Raod, Miyapur*    9160006045/09177003402
                                                                                                /09951428955   1000/-*

2.27/11/12 to 02/12/12                             6am to 8.30am & 6pm to 8.30pm
      *Chidambaram Meditation Centre, Ameerpet.*                *9391034913*                                1000/-

3.30/11/12 to 02/12/12                             6am to 8am
         6-596/47/1, 1st Floor Venkatraman Colony, Khairatabad
         Road No 1,Banjara Hills              8501888874 / 7702617222        1250/-

4.03/12/12 TO 08/12/12                           5.30pm to8.30pm
          504, Vishnu Elite Apts, Begumpet.      9849897506        1000/-

5.06/12/12 to 08/12/12                              5.30pm to8.30pm
          504, Vishnu Elite Apts, Begumpet.                                         9849897506                             1250/-

Yes+ Course

1.28/11/12 to 03/12/12    6am to 9.15am    Club House Hill Ridge Springs, Gachibowli    8142727766        2500/-

2.04/12/12 to 09/12/12    5.30pmto9.30pm    Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Basheer Bagh.        9652527877        2500/-

3.04/12/12 to 09/12/12    6amto9am
                                         & 6pm to 9pm    Vivekanand Nagar, Kukatpally           9000373764        2500/-

4.05/12/12 to 09/12/12    6am to 9.30am    Madhapur                                  9848062056 / 9985770191        2500/-

*Part 1 in Districts**               *

1.26/11/12 to 01/12/12    5pm to 8pm    ABC Imaging & Scanning Centre, Dornakal Road,
                    Surya Raopet, Vijayawada            9440820508
2.27/11/12 to 02/12/12    5.30amto8.30am    Rama Satya Complex, Beside Gajaj Varalaxmi
                    Auto Mobiles, Ganganammapets,    Tenali        9059031222
3.04/12/12 to 09/12/12    5.30amto8.30am    Sri Vasavi Kanyaka Parameshwari Temple,
                    Johnpadu Road, Piduguralla, Guntur        9440740944

*Bangalore Ashram Courses *

1.CHRISTMAS SPECIAL COLORS OF JOY    22/12/12 to 25/12/12    Bangalore Ashram    64590290 / 64590390

2.TELUGU ADVANCE COURSE            28/12/12 to 01/01/13    Bangalore Ashram    64590290 / 64590390

(Dormitory – 3000/-)    (6 to 9 Sharing – 3500/-)    (4 Sharing – 5000/-)    (3 Sharing – 7500/-)    (2 Sharing – 10000/-)

3.ART EXCEL                28/12/12 to 01/01/13    Bangalore Ashram    64590290 / 64590390

4.YES COURSE(4 Sharing – 2800/-)    28/12/12 to 01/01/13    Bangalore Ashram    64590290 / 64590390

5.GURUPUJA PHASE 1             19/03/13 to 24/03/13    Bangalore Ashram    64590290 / 64590390     Rs. 15000/-

6.GURUPUJA PHASE 1             14/03/13 to 16/03/13    Bangalore Ashram    64590290 / 64590390     Rs.10000/-

DSN by Rashmin Pulekar in Dec

2012-11-29T02:06:00.002-08:00

Rashmin pulekar,international faculty with The art of living for more than a decade now, will be taking a series of DSN courses in Andhra Pradesh.

1st in NELLORE from 1st december2012 to 4th december 2012

5th december,world volunteers day celebrations

for further details contact;pooja@08106208585,shailendra @09959988080

2nd in VIZAG from 6th december2012 to 9th december2012

for further details contact;

Raghavendra Puranam@9502657540 and Amarja Puranam @9963786438

3rd in WARANGAL from 10th december2012to 13th december2012

for further details contact; Dr. Deeptha Pandala @9676099666, Dr. Pranitha Anapindi @9490749403 and Chandana Appidi @9490049630

Rashmin pulekar has travelled more than a dozen countries so far and inspired thousands of youth to excel at whatever they do breaking their inhibitions and barriers and more importantly develop a positive proactive attitude.

known for his unbridged dynamism,undying enthusiasm,simplicity and a great sense of humor, defines success as taking responsibility without losing one's smile.

As teachers,we all know, what a DSN course does,

This a brilliant opportunity to make our volunteers strong and dynamic.

Let us join hands to spread the word to build a better world, DIVYA SAMAJ KA NIRMAN

gift a smile

2012-11-29T01:58:00.001-08:00

Dear One

Jai Gurudev

Sougata and Anusree, two of our 'Gift A Smile' interns sat with students of our Ved Vignan Maha Vidya Peeth school, Rural Bangalore on a lovely afternoon to gather their thoughts on their school experience. To read what they had to say

Voice of innocent hearts

On a warm November afternoon, students of Ved Vignan Maha Vidya Peeth were asked to write a small article on the topic “My school” within a time frame of 15 minutes allotted to them. We kept it a surprise because we wanted them to write whatever came naturally to them rather than a prepared speech flowered with adjectives to make their English teacher proud:-) . After a sumptuous lunch, we thought they will be ready to snooze. But the children were not at all deterred by it; contrarily they were so enthusiastic. Every child had a fresh perspective. and each spoke from the heart.We picked out three to share with you.

(Please Note:The unedited articles of the students are below. The author has only typed them out)

Niveditha Raj

9 C

I am Niveditha studying in 9th standard in an honourable school. I am very happy studying here. Guruji has provided all our needs like food, transportation, education, uniform etc. We have good teachers, good environment and playground. Our teachers are kind and affectionate. In our Ashram, Guruji teach us how to keep our body and mind healthy with meditation and yoga.

Sateesh.M

10 A

With blessing for Sri Sri, we don’t have tension, depression or any kind of strain. Daily before the class we are doing Kriya and Meditation. I am very happy about this school, teachers and Guruji.

I am studying in 10^th standard. In Guruji’s school we have good education and good culture. We are happy learning all the subjects they are offering. Guruji has provided us transportation, good teachers, food, uniforms, books etc.

Our teachers teaches us with so much affection and in such a friendly way. In our school there are around 1800 students having free education from 59 villages. In our school there are so many programs like cultural programs and sports. Talents are recognised and encouraged in this school. In our school Guruji provide us physical and mental health by teaching us art of living courses. We are doing “sudarshan kriya” daily. Guruji comes to visit us quite often and offer us knowledge. Guruji says education must attend to all facets of human life. The key is to harness the ancient and be innovative with the modern. Thus we are becoming good citizens by the blessing of Guruji. So we are thankful to our Guruji and the art of living organisation. Jai Guru Dev

Shaziya Khan

10 A

I am Shaziya studying in Xth standard. First of all I thank Guruji for giving us so many facilities. This is school is very nice. I have been studying here since I was 7. Now I am studying in my 10^th standard. Our teachers are so kind and affectionate. Guruji has provided all the facilities of education, food and transportation. Our teachers are so friendly with us. We have many good things going on in this school like meditation, sports, dance etc.

We like Sri Sri Guruji because he helps poor people by giving free education, good books, food etc. In my life, I like to meet Guruji personally one day. He is an inspiration for me, I also want to help poor people in future.

I love this school. There is no pollution, no sound and good air. The environment is so nice. When I am in this environment, I feel so happy.

I like Guruji very much, thanking you Sri Sri Guruji for giving us such a nice school.

Jai Guru Dev

-Sougata Das and Anusree Nambiar

Promote the article and leave a comment after reading :)

Wisdom from Sri Sri Ravi Shankar----Education is meant to make us living examples of high standards of ethics

2012-03-26T21:35:00.000-07:00

Sri Sri Visit Gyan Vihar University

Honorable Chief Mentor, Vice Chancellor of the University and Members of the faculty, I humbly accept this degree that you have conferred on me.
See, today I received one but I gave away many. This is what education should do. What we receive we should give back to society, and as students you have received so much education here, now see how you can put that into use in life. The trouble in today’s world is not because of lack of education but because education is being misrepresented, misused and misunderstood. We need to clear these three things. Education is meant not to just make us tablets of information but living examples of high standards of ethics. Education is to make us such strong personalities, which would spread harmony, which would bring progress in the society and spread love and compassion. This is what I strongly believe. So we need to educate ourselves and people around us.
Education is to make one a strong personality, a personality which would stand up to criticism and give constructive criticism. A personality which would create friendliness all over, which has humor and a sense of belongingness along with it and this is what the world is looking for today.
Creativity comes up in a person when he has such an opportunity of free thinking and everybody in this planet is supposed to have free thinking. Unfortunately it is not there. We think in boxes, we think in limited spheres; we have to get out of this. We have to think freely and keep our mind free of narrow ideologies.
I am happy that Gyan Vihar University has given you such an opportunity in the midst of Jaipur to come up with brilliance, and I am sure you will make your country and your university proud.
I once again thank the management, the Vice Chancellor, Honorable Chairperson and the Deans and all of you and I give you my best wishes. I am part of you and now I am also an alumni of this University.
I wish that you become well educated in both humanities and science. Arts is the subject of the heart and science is the subject of the head, and we need both. Lord Krishna has said, Buddhi (intelligence) and Bhava (emotions), both are essential – this is the essence of Bhagavad Gita.
Development of heart and the mind, both are essential. Only then do you become a complete human being.
So I wish you all success in your endeavors and lead a life of service to society and a life full of fun and happiness.

Q: Guruji, you have said the knowledge about the self is most important, then why is it kept so secret and difficult to attain?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: In fact it is not kept a secret anymore. Unfortunately in the past, people kept all that is very precious and very good and useful for people a secret out of their selfishness. But now it is open to everybody. Pranayama was not taught to everybody, it was taught only to a few. That was the unfortunate story of our country. But now everything is available to you.
Q: Guruji, real education happens through life experiences, then why should one go to college?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: College life is pretty good; it is great! You learn a lot. Don’t think you will have no life in college; in fact college life is life because you learn a lot of things. Many times you fall in love, your heart gets broken and then it gets mended. So many things happen there.
Q: What is the secret of your success?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Walk the talk or talk the walk!
Q: If everything is destined, what is the power of prayer?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Everything is not fixed. There are some things that are fixed and some things that are not fixed, and prayer is the bridge between them.
Q: If money is not everything then why are all successful people so rich?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Rich people are not always happy. For me success is not just money in the bank. It is the smile and confidence in a person.

AOL Knowledge Sheet!----Astonishment brings wakefulness

2012-03-26T21:26:00.000-07:00

Astonishment brings wakefulness

Astonishment is the basis of spiritual opening. Its amazing how this creation is so full of astonishing things around. But we take things for granted. And that’s when a thought of inertia dawns and dullness comes along. Tamas acts in, inactivity happens and ignorance resides.

Whereas a sense of astonishment brings wakefulness. A miracle shocks you; that shock is the wakefulness. And when we are awakened we see the whole creation is full of miracles. The entire creation is to be wondered upon; because it is all a display of one consciousness.

From the point of view of an animal, your language means nothing. It is just like howling. If a cat or a dog were to look at you, unless you have trained them for a very long time, they will think you are barking at them, just with a different sound, making no sense. Our language, our intellect, our mind is so limited, its perspective is limited.

Our little brain is programmed to one language or few more languages. And we think that all the understanding, the knowledge can be captured in this brain. We think we can reason out, find logic, understand all that exists; but this feeling: “I know it all” can keep us in a little shell of dullness. “I don’t know” creates wakefulness, because you need to know in order to be awakened.

What is this? “I don’t know”; this “I don’t know” is the key to progress knowledge.

Nature reveals little more of your secrets; and bit more of its mysteries. So that you get opportunities to be amazed. To wonder what life is, what consciousness is, what universe is, who am I, and what is this? And, you are so fortunate to come to that point. This is the beginning of spiritual journey of union with the Divinity.
Let us get astonished at the union, a preface for the union. Wonder is the preface for the union. And when you are united, you wonder at everything. The prana, the life force, is present in every object.

There is nothing inanimate on this planet. We are all floating on the ocean of life. Everybody is just a shell, an ocean of life: This is one such phenomenon. All the present, past, future, its time scale is within the preview of consciousness. Consciousness is beyond time and space, it is all just vibrations.

So, if you are amazed, astonished, wonderstruck, just close your eyes with a smile and think.

Guru Punch!

2012-03-26T21:20:00.002-07:00

What I am saying is that spirituality is not a short-term entertainment, where you read a book and feel somewhat satisfied, and then move on. It is a complete and proven knowledge. With God’s Grace, whatever you desire is not difficult to obtain, I say this with confidence that this is a power that works - Sri Sri

Guru Punch!

2012-03-26T21:18:00.002-07:00

‘Jo ichcha kariho manu maahi, prabhu prataap kachhu durlabh naahin’. This is a proven fact. If for small and frequent intervals we quieten our minds, we will be able to establish that connection with him. Then, whatever you desire, will no longer remain impossible - Sri Sri

AOL Knowledge Sheet!---Be free from your mistakes

2012-03-26T21:11:00.001-07:00

Be free from your mistakes

In the Srimad Bhagwatam, there is a story of king Ajamila. The king had many vices. When he was on his deathbed, he called his son who was named ‘Narayan'. And when he uttered the Divine’s name, he got liberated.

This story builds trust in people that however their past has been; there is no need to waste time in repenting. If you turn to the Divine even at the last moment, you have a chance to be liberated.

Instead of brooding over the past, just wake up and acknowledge it. Move forward and don’t get stuck in blaming yourself or others. It is like playing volleyball. You throw the ball and the ball comes back to you again. This game goes on. If you want to get out of this game, acknowledge the mistake.

What do we normally do is to justify our mistakes so that the guilt is not felt. It doesn’t work. Whatever justification you give, the guilt lingers on. You resist the guilt and it continues and then distorts your behaviour deep inside. You have all the right to feel miserable for the mistake you have done. A justification does not remove the guilt as it is superficial. Be 100% with the guilt and that pain will become like a meditation and relieve you from the guilt.

How do you deal with a person who has committed a mistake? Do not tell a person a mistake he already knows and make them feel guilty, defensive or resentful. This will only create distance. Before pointing out the mistake of a person, see whether your comment in any way help to improve the situation.

Don’t see intention behind other’s mistakes. When we see from a broader perspective, every culprit is also a victim. They may be a victim of lack of education or information, too much stress and narrow-mindedness. All these would cause someone to make a mistake.

If a wise man sees mistakes in others, he helps them to come out of it in a compassionate manner. But a fool is happy if someone else does a mistake and takes pride in it and announces to the world.

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1 - Verse 28

2012-03-23T10:03:00.002-07:00

Chapter 1 -- Verse 28

Verse: arjuna uvaca
drstvemam sva-janam krishna
yuyutsum samupasthitam
sidanti mama gatrani
mukham ca parisusyati

Translation: Arjuna said: My dear Krishna, seeing my friends and relatives present before me in such a fighting spirit, I feel the limbs of my body quivering and my mouth drying up.

Guru Punch!

2012-03-23T10:02:00.002-07:00

You are not alone. All the Gurus and intellectuals in the society are there primarily to solve your problems. The whole world, and your friends and relatives are there with you. So, ‘God is there, He exists’; I have come here just to remind you of this fact. God is there and He loves you a lot and He is in you - Sri Sri

AOL Knowledge Sheet!----LOYALTY

2012-03-23T10:01:00.000-07:00

LOYALTY

Loyalty is the way in which a mature and integrated mind behaves. Loyalty indicates undivided wholeness of consciousness and shows richness of the mind. When the mind is not integrated it is feverish, disloyal and opportunistic. Disloyalty comes out of opportunism. Opportunism is short-sightedness of one's destiny. Integrity or wholeness is essential to be healthy. A divided mind will gradually lead to schizophrenia and other physical and mental disorders. Loyalty is a real strength and will have the support of nature in the long run.

Fear and ambitions are impediments to loyalty. Loyalty is needed both in the material and spiritual plane. Either to destroy, create or maintain any institution, group or society, loyalty is essential.

Loyalty means believing in the continuity of commitment. Honouring commitment is loyalty. It takes you beyond the duality of craving and aversion.

Responsibility, dedication, commitment are the limbs of loyalty.

A loyal mind is a 'yes'-mind. The purpose of asking questions is to get an answer. The purpose of all answers is to create a ...'yes'.... 'Yes' is an acknowledgement of knowledge. The 'yes'-mind is a quiet, holistic and joyful mind. The 'no'-mind is a agitated, doubting and miserable mind. Loyalty begins with a 'yes'-mind and starts to perish with a 'no'-mind.

Wisdom from Guruji!!

2012-03-23T09:59:00.000-07:00

Q: Dear Guruji, in the Bhagvad Gita, Krishna says, ‘Bow down to me, I will free you. Follow Me!’ and a common man is also caught up in the ‘me’ and ‘mine’! So how is Krishna different from us?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: One is the person who is capable of taking the sins saying, ‘You give it to me.’
Another is someone who is incapable of taking anything and saying ‘Me.’
There is a difference.
When a doctor comes and says, ‘You have fever? I will take care of you’. It is a different issue.
But someone who has no knowledge of medicine, if they say, ‘I will take care of you,’ has no meaning.
So the space from which Krishna says, ‘Me’, that me is not the body.
That is why Krishna himself has said, ‘Avajananti Mam Mudha Manusim Tanum Asritam; Param Bhavam Ajananto Mama Bhuta-Maheshvaram’.
The ‘Me’ in me is a very different me, and not knowing that transcendental nature of mine, people think I am just a human body and mind.
So that is the difference.
Even when Arjuna asked Krishna to repeat Bhagvad Gita again after the war was over, he said, ‘No, I cannot. That moment I was in a Samadhi; in a different state of consciousness and so I said it. Now I cannot repeat it.’
Q: Guruji, what is the difference between a thought and intention?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Intention is also a thought, a stronger thought or a resolved thought. So many thoughts come and float around but some thoughts are resolved. Those resolute thoughts we call intentions.
Q: How to utilize this life properly? I feel like I have wasted twenty seven years of my life. I want to be useful now.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Well, it is a very good realization. You want to be useful, that is a very good intention.
So first the realization comes, ‘I have wasted’, and then the resolution comes, ‘I want to be useful’, and then nothing stops you. Go ahead, it is very good.
But there is no point in regretting the past. You should not sit and keep regretting. Move on in the future because you have learnt something very valuable to life in the past through all the mistakes.
Q: In Kena Upanishad, it is said that those who worship ignorance, they go to hell. And those who worship knowledge, they go to a darker hell. Please elaborate on this.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: There are two types of knowledge, Vidya and Avidya.
Avidya does not mean ignorance; it means the knowledge of the relative.
Vidya means the knowledge of the absolute.
If one catches only the knowledge of the absolute, he will go to hell. If one catches only the knowledge of the relative, he will also go to hell.
That is what it says, ‘They will go to deeper darkness.’
It is like body and mind. If you are thinking only about the mind and ignore the body, then you will be in trouble. Similarly, if you are thinking only of the body and not attending to the mind, then also you will not be complete. Body and mind is a complex and they go together. That is life.
So it is perfect what has been said.
Q: Guruji, how can we maintain our innocence and yet be skilful. This seems very difficult these days.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: That is the whole secret, to be skilful and be innocent as well.
You know, devotion will help. When you have the devotion and the faith that there is a power which is in control then your innocence remains intact.
Even for a few moments if this awareness comes that the whole universe is ruled by some orderliness, something is governing this universe then you don’t think that you are too smart and you will come back to your innocence.
And when you are focused on work, as a by-product of it, naturally you will be skilful.
You can’t say all the time, ‘There is some power that will take care of me.’
When you have to take a proper train or bus, then you have to buy a proper ticket. If you don’t buy the right ticket and just sit thinking, ‘Oh! Someone will take care’, then the police will come and take care of you. They will find out why are you traveling without a ticket!
So that is where life is a combination of skillfulness and universal awareness.
Q: How is laziness different from the yoga of non-action?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Well, laziness just makes you dull. It makes you heavy. Laziness doesn’t bring you energy, happiness or dynamism.
Yoga of non-action brings lot of energy and enthusiasm. Even before you intend to do something, things are already happening and that is called Naishkarmya Siddhi.
Before you even act, you just intend and it is already done. That is a higher state. When you get into that state you won’t even get this question, whether this is laziness or not. This question even does not arise.
Q: Dear Guruji, please tell me how can I maintain individuality in a group without it being seen as ego?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Just be natural. Be considerate, be compassionate and learn team work.
Q: Dear Guruji, does the jeevatma experience anything after death? Can the jeevatma communicate with us?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes!
Jeevatma or the individual soul after death remains in a plane with all its deepest impressions till it finds another suitable body to come back and to get rid of all those impressions. And in the process of getting rid of all those impressions, it collects more impressions and then goes back, and the cycle continues. That is why to break this cycle – yoga, meditation, devotion, all these are the ways.
Contentment is essential, deep contentment brings liberation.
Q: Guruji, you tell us to seek mukti (liberation) in life. How can I seek something without tasting it? Isn’t it just blind faith?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: See, don’t you want freedom? A sort of inner freedom where you feel so content and happy. That is mukti.
You know it somewhere deep inside, but what clouds it is one desire after another and so on. One desire gets fulfilled and another desire comes. So your spirit gets covered by requirements and desires and you will keep going round and round in circles, and you don’t realize that there is something much deeper inside.
Q: Guruji, I did my advance course last week and I am feeling energetic right now. But as soon as I join my office back again, I lose my temper due to my boss. Either tell me how to get rid of my temper or please get rid of my boss.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Both are there for a reason.
Observe how the irritation begins when your boss behaves the way he behaves.
What happens? If inside something starts boiling up then take a deep breath in, and instead of focusing on your boss, focus on the sensations in your body.
Work on yourself, you can become more skilful.
All foolish and stupid people are there in the world to make you skilful. They bring out the skills within you. How to handle them, how to behave, all these skills come out of you.
Q: Dear Guruji, how can I know if it is the right time to separate from someone? I have been struggling with one relationship for almost five years now. It has become one of the biggest struggles of my life.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Well, I can’t advice you on this because I have no experience of separation from anybody.
I would say, ask yourself, have you given 100% to your relationship. If you feel that you haven’t, then give it and try. If it doesn’t work and if it has only been a struggle in hope of getting some pleasure or some joy, it is better you move your way. Don’t waste your life, move on.
There are so many things to do in life besides a relationship, so don’t get stuck.
Q: Guruji, we in this life or some other lifetimes have done some bad karma either by thoughts, words or deeds. Which karma can be erased and which ones do we have to suffer for?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Don’t sit and analyse these things, just move on in life. You never know.
Even in the Bhagavad Gita it is said, ’Gahana Karmano Gatih’, even the greatest man on earth is confused on which karma does what. So, best is to surrender all the karma.
Drop thinking about all the karmas and do your dharma and move on.
If you do your dharma, automatically those karmas which can be erased will get erased.
Of course sadhana definitely erases some bad karma and for some karma we will have to go through it. There is no choice or option; you have to go through it.
Q: Guruji, amongst the politicians of this time, some are good but they are very few in number. Can you open some good schools and colleges where they can be trained to become better politicians?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, in our university in Orissa, we are opening a college of ’Good Governance’.
This college of Good Governance that we are starting is to train people for all the different leadership positions in society, like the Gram Panchayat, Bloc Presidents, District President, Zila Adhyaksha.
All those who stand in the elections for Nagar Nigam and Nagar Palika will qualify from the university we are opening up. The work has already started.
These days anybody becomes part of the Gram Panchayat, regardless of whether they know what their responsibilities are or not. Many of them don’t know their responsibilities, or what the work involves or how to conduct themselves.
I am thinking on similar lines for journalists and lawyers. Training them on how to conduct themselves is very important.
See what is happening in Bangalore these days. Lawyers behave in one way, the media in another way and the journalists in completely different way and everything combined are making simple problems all the more complex. To solve this complex problem, attention needs to be drawn to individual behaviour.
That is why it is said in the Gita, 'Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt’, even a little bit of dharma, a little bit of knowledge is good enough. If one takes a single step towards this direction it is assured that he will be rid of all his fears. He will not fear even the greatest terror. This is what Lord Krishna has said in the Bhagvad Gita.
Q: Guruji, I am a student and I feel that I should study more. Yesterday, you asked us to drop our desire to want more and more. What to drop and for what should I put in more effort?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: For a student I will say you should study more.
This I said for the adults, to drop their desire to have more of happiness in life. But when it comes to knowledge, sadhana and seva, for that you can desire for more, that is no problem.
Q: Guruji, my elder brother got married a few years back. Now, he says just like how the TV is controlled by a remote, similarly a wife is controlled by currency notes. These days, to maintain a wife has become a costly affair. What is the remedy for this?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Listen, you will have to do it. There is no way out. If the maintenance cost is high then put in more effort.
Q: Guruji, I love you a lot. But whenever I come in front of you, tears start rolling down my eyes. Is there something wrong with me?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: No, it is absolutely fine. There is nothing wrong with tears rolling down your eyes. It is very natural and good. There is no problem with it.
When the heart blossoms then tears come, this is very natural.
What happens when you come close to one who is dear to you, close to the Guru?
There is a shloka in the Upanishads which says, 'Bhidhyathe hridaya granthi, Chidhyanthe sarva samshayaah, Ksheeyanthe cha asya karmaani, Tasmin drista paraavare’
The knots in the hearts are undone, questions and doubts in the mind vanish, karmas are washed away, by being the presence of a loved one or a Guru or a Gyaani.
This has been said. This means what is written in the Upanishad is true!
Q: Guruji, we have heard that there are some enlightened beings present in this world to help people, just like you help us. But they prefer to stay away from people. Are such people present today as well?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: There could be some people like that, some sadhaks who keep doing sadhana. And some feel, ‘why should I get caught up, what is the need ’, they think like that.
There are all kinds of people in the world. There aren’t just one or two great people in the world, but plenty in number.
But that does not mean that those who live in the jungles are superior to those who live in cities.
Q: Guruji, you always say, ‘choice is yours and blessing is mine’. But all troubles lie in making a choice. How to make the right choice? Is there any formula or does it come with the blessings?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Time will tell you what the right choice is. A little while after choosing you will get to know whether you made the right choice or not.
Why do you leave everything for me do? You also do something.
Q: Guruji, when I see certain men I get very fearful. Sometimes the fear I experience is intolerable. What do I do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: It is quite natural for a lady to feel this way, and especially if you are alone and you find some really not right intended men around, you should feel afraid, naturally.
Good, that keeps you safe as you would not go there alone.
The society is not yet that refined and that sattvik that everybody is good. One should be scared of people who are not very good and without good intentions, that’s fine!
Crime against women is so much today, all over the world. This has to go.
Only through a wave of spirituality can we change this situation.
Q: Parmahansa Yoganadaji initiated people into something called Kriya Yoga. I always wanted to know if Sudarshan Kriya is different from Kriya Yoga and how?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, Kriya Yoga is meditating on different chakras. Similar to what we do in ‘Hari Om’ meditation. But Sudarshan Kriya is completely different. In Sudarshan Kriya, the breath, rhythm of the soul, rhythm of the mind and rhythm of the spirit, all this is involved. So that gives you a deeper experience, and it helps one to go deep in meditation.
Only when you do it, you will understand.
Q: The policies that the government is making these days is taking away the values from the society at a very fast pace. To work to understand these policies and fight for the right of the people takes a lot of time and can get one very involved. If I work towards this will it take me away from you?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: No! Not at all.
You can really be a reformer in the society but you will have to balance your life. Do this work and also take time out for yourself. Do your practices, do your pranayama, do your meditation and then be involved in the activity and in reforming the society.
Q: Guruji, in the 7 layers of existence, mind and ego have been classified as different entities, but isn’t ego a thought or an emotion?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: No, ego is an awareness of ‘I’. All the four (mind, intellect, memory, ego) have different functions. However, they belong to the same consciousness.
Mind is thoughts.
Memory is that which appears to record them.
Intellect does the decision-making, to decide between right and wrong.
Ego is the one that experiences everything. It is the awareness that ‘I exist’.
During sleep, the intellect rests, the ego exists, there are thoughts in the mind and memory is present too. Since the intellect is not present during sleep there is no reasoning and so the thoughts are not coherent.
The mind is calm during sleep and the memory just knows that, ‘I am sleeping’.
During meditation all of them dissolve.
As you meditate you will know more about this.

Wisdom from Sri Sri Ravi Shankar---Om is the voice of nature

2012-03-23T09:57:00.000-07:00

Mahasatsang at Raebareli, Uttar Pradesh

Formalities are like wrapping paper. When we buy something, it is wrapped in paper. Similarly, in life formalities should be given only that much importance. Rest of the time we should sit informally. That is what we call satsang. Satsang means what? Where we can sit with intimacy and belongingness; sit with heart to heart connection – that is satsang.
It is only through belongingness that the disinterestedness towards life can be overcome; once disinterestedness takes over life, all kinds of distortions follow. Dullness and disinterestedness is the cause of all desires and imperfections in life.
If you take a look at your own life; let us say you were to live for fifty years, sixty years or seventy years – how do we spend these seventy years? Make an estimate of the time.
If you have a life of seventy years, 10% of it we spend in bathing and washing. Suppose we spend two hours every day in bathing, using the toilet – that means out of seventy years you spend 7 years in the bathroom! Isn’t it shocking! In the same way, 7 years are spent in eating and drinking. If we live in a city like Delhi or Mumbai, we spend 15 years in a traffic jam. And in sleep, we spend half the time - that is 25 to 30 years we spend sleeping. So what else is left? If you actually calculate, you will see that in life we hardly spend 3 to 4 years being happy, joyful, laughing and playing freely. So we truly live life only for these 3 years. Rest of the time we just keep preparing to live life. It is like we kept making the bed all through the night, spreading the bed sheet and the blanket – by then it was morning; there was no time left to sleep.
We spend our entire life preparing to be happy and comfortable, but we are never happy. This is the situation. And if you ask, ‘Why, what are you doing?’
‘Earning money’ is the answer.
‘For whom?’
‘For the children and for their children; grandsons and granddaughters.’
The whole life was spent in earning money for the coming four generations, and there was neither happiness nor any joy, nor any connection with God. Is this what is called life?
All our life we earn money, put it in the bank, and then we die and the children keep fighting over it, filing court cases. No one files a court case over their own earnings. All court cases going on currently are over ancestral property. So we create conflict amongst the children.
This is not life.
What is life?
How much fulfillment we have achieved in life, this is what we need to think about.
See, when we were children, whenever we used to experience any suffering, what did we do? We would go crying to our mother, and fall asleep in her lap. We used to run to our mother. Why? Because we knew, mother would remove our sorrow. Then as we grew up a little, we would go to our father.
Then, in our country, there has been the tradition of a mentor; a Guru. So, when mother and father could not resolve we would go to a guru; a mentor.
The senior citizens sitting here, when you were studying in school, what a deep connection you used to share with the school teacher! Yes or no?!
If there was anything in your heart, you would go and speak to the school teacher. They would give you some relief. In a city, teachers played a very prominent role; nowadays, all that has disappeared.
Beyond this, faith in divinity - there is a God, a power, and we are very dear to it.
Lord Krishna first says to Arjuna, ‘Oh Arjuna, you are very dear to me.’ Afterwards, Arjuna also says, ‘You are also very dear to me!’
First the devotee does not say, first God says, ‘You are very dear to me.’
We should trust in this fact that we are very dear to God. That is it! The work is done!
If this thought enters our mind, then there is nothing else to be done. ‘God loves us dearly. We are very dear to Him.’
Just like a child will never wonder whether mother has made food at home or not. It is enough that mother is at home; food will be available when he goes home. Does the thought ever occur to call home to inquire whether mother has prepared food or not, and whether she is asleep or awake? No! At meal time one goes home and mother serves food on the plate. This kind of confidence that one has in their mother, one should also have in God – that God is my very own, and He loves me, and He will shower everything on me. He has created this whole world for me.
When will you express this feeling? After ten years of sadhana? At the end of life? When will you do it? Tell me. How much time will it take for you have so much faith?
‘God loves me dearly, I am very dear to Him.’ How long will it take for you to awaken this feeling within you?
From today, from this very moment!
What will you need to do to attain this – go to the Ganges, or perform tapasya (penance) in the Himalayas? What needs to be done? Perform tapasya for hours?
How much time does it take to feel belongingness for someone? You just get a card printed, and a wedding of your brother or sister happens, and a brother-in-law or sister-in-law comes into the family. How much time does it take to make someone your brother-in-law or sister-in-law? How long does it take to form a connection? This is not time-dependent. A connection is not time-dependent. If we establish a connection with the Divine in our heart, just wait and see what miracles will begin to unfold in life!
I have come to you just to say this.
I only have to say that the One who created you, created your parents, created your grandparents and great-grand parents, one who created all this for you, loves you very much; you are very dear to Him. You have forgotten this, and I have just come to remind you. So as long as you remember that, perfection, prosperity, power, devotion, liberation, peace, all will become available to you in life.
What do you think? Can you begin to feel this way starting today? God is my very own!
No matter which religion you may belong to, which community or caste, it makes no difference at all. To establish a link takes no time.
All of you have cell phones, right? How many of you have cell phones? Raise your hands.
Nearly everyone has a cell phone. For the cell phone to work, what do you need? It needs to be charged and a SIM card is needed. In spite of both these, if it is not within range, the cell phone does not work. So, all three things are needed – to be within range, the cell phone should be charged and have a SIM card. It is the same with life as well. First of all faith – faith is that range; God is my very own, and I belong to Him and He loves me. To look after my happiness and sorrow is His job and He will do it. Protecting me from sorrow, and giving me happiness is His job – having this confidence.
Along with this, two other things are needed. We need to keep our minds clean and perform seva (service) in society – these two things. For short periods of time, we also have to sit down and do something. As human beings each one of us has a certain duty. We need to perform our duty. The job of keeping our minds clean will have to be done by us, and it is our responsibility to perform whatever seva within our capacity for the people around us.
So the three things that we need are Seva, sadhana and satsang – satsang means faith/confidence. These three things are necessary for us. If you practice these three things, you will see that whatever work you desire will begin to get done effortlessly.
In our country there is a tradition that those who are deceased are offered sesame seeds (til) and water. How many of you observe this tradition? Those who have passed away, we take their name and perform tarpan. Do you know what tarpan means? It means to satisfy. Those who have passed away, their children say to them, ‘If any desires were left in your mind, let go of them; they are equivalent of sesame seeds; let it go. We will fulfill it. Let it go and be completely absorbed in God. Move on.’ With this feeling, we offer sesame and water. Do not be stuck in small desires, be content.
When we do not want anything for ourselves, a unique power awakens within us. Do you know what it is? We can fulfill the wishes of others. Such a power awakens within us. We become capable of giving blessings. If we want to bless others and if we ourselves are not contented, how can we bless others? So who is capable of giving blessings? Only those who are themselves contented, those who do not want anything for themselves. If they say, ‘Let your will be done’, it will definitely happen, surely happen.
Ideally, as we grow older, our contentment should also increase. The more contented we are, the more mature we are. There are two kinds of joy: one of receiving and the other of giving. In our childhood we experienced the joy of receiving. If you give anything to children they are always ready to take it. But as we grow older, we experience another joy. What is that? Joy in giving.
For example, in a home there is a mother or a grandmother; when the grandmother is alone in the house, she does not prepare five different kinds of vegetables and four different sweets for herself. But when children come to the house or guests come, she cooks many different kinds of dishes and serves them. So in giving there is a joy and this is a mature joy, a mature pleasure. But many times we lose sight of this and we keep looking to receive all our lives, and we remain dissatisfied and a kind of misery pervades.
For wealth to come, the mind should be content. The more satisfied we are, the more we progress. An individual who is content, when he blesses others, his blessings will manifest. This is the secret behind blessing. It is a great secret.
There are those who bless generously. I am never miserly in giving blessings, I bless a lot. But in order to receive, one should be deserving. How will that happen – by keeping your mind pure; keep your mind clean. How to keep the mind clean? When anger arises, different emotions come up, then how to do it? For short periods of time, do pranayama, and meditation. Then it will be absolutely clean.
Stay in the present. Whatever is the past, drop it all. Put aside all the matters of the past, and sit and meditate. ‘In this present moment I am pure, I am enlightened consciousness’, awaken this confidence within yourself, that ‘I am pure, I am divine.’
We need to awaken this feeling in ourselves. That is why we have a tradition that if you take one dip in the river Ganga, all sins will be washed away. In one dip all our sins will be washed away. Why? It is because sin is not our nature.
In foreign countries they say, ‘Sin is my nature,’ and believe that it is their nature; ‘We are born out of sin’ – this is what they say abroad. But in this country we have never said this. ‘We are pure consciousness; ever pure’, this is what has been said, and it is important for you to have assurance of your purity.
So when we do pranayama every day, a new wave arises in our lives – of contentment, joy and bliss. This is what I call the Art of Living.
Today, you go to any corner of the world you will find people doing Sudarshan Kriya and pranayama. I have just returned from Pakistan. In Pakistan also, they welcomed me with so much warmth and affection. They said that there also the lives of lakhs of people have been transformed. So much joy has come into their lives by doing pranayama; the mind feels lighter, worries have receded, and whatever they wish for, begins to get fulfilled. This knowledge of ours is very significant.
As human beings, we all have some needs and some responsibilities. If our responsibilities are more, and our needs less, then in life we remain peaceful. If our responsibilities are few but our needs many then we remain unhappy. We need to focus on this.
There is a tradition in India, that when any saint or Guru comes to a city, they are given some Dakshina. Is there such a tradition in Rae Bareilly? I will ask you for a Dakshina today. If you have any troubles in your mind, any hatred towards someone, or any suffering, just give it to me in Dakshina. Whatever your problems and botherations are, give them to me in Dakshina. Okay? You become empty. Do not have hatred towards anyone. If there is any problem or concern, you give it to me and keep smiling.
May you spread goodness in the lives of others as well, may you spread fragrance. That is what I want.
Is this difficult to achieve? Even if it is, do it! We do such difficult work; people walk 500 kilometers carrying Kaavadi, or go on a trek to Amarnath – that is difficult. What I am asking for is not more difficult than that. Just resolve that, ‘I am not alone. I give all my troubles to you Guruji. You take it.’
So you give your troubles, your problems to me.
This was about spirituality.
Now we have to do something in society as well. What do we need to do? We must stand up against ignorance. We have to ensure that there is not even one person in this city who is not educated or who is superstitious. We will have to work on this. We will have to remove ignorance.
Next we will have to stand up against corruption. Corruption begins where belongingness ends. No one ever took bribe from their own people. If bribe was taken, it was always from someone who was an outsider. Nobody would have asked for bribe from one’s own brother or nephew. Has anyone asked for bribe (from one’s family members)? Or has anyone given bribe to one’s own uncle or nephew? No! It is only from one who is an outsider that we either took bribe or gave bribe. Here no one is an outsider. So all of us should resolve, for the sake of the country, for one year we will stop taking bribe or giving bribe. On your desk post a strip of paper that says, ‘I do not accept bribes.’ If you feel hesitant or do not find time, I will say, all these youth who are sitting here, will prepare the strip and go and stick it on your desk for you.
If there is a strip on your table, even the giver will withdraw his hand and not give any bribe. You will not even feel any embarrassment or difficulty. So for one year if you resolve not to take bribe and commit to work hard for the country, our country will reach unbelievable heights.
Many people say, ‘Guruji, your job is only to guide meditation, speak on spirituality. Don’t speak against corruption. Leave politicians alone.’ What do you believe, should I give it up?
(The crowd says, ‘No!’)
See, I agree! I also feel that I need to speak about it, and that is why I keep speaking about it.
Patriotism and devotion to God are not two separate things. Patriotism needs to be there because this country belongs to God. This is His creation. Can we say to a painter, ‘I love you; I don’t love your painting!’ Is it possible? You tell a sculptor, ‘I recognize you, but not your statue.’ Then he is not a sculptor. So everyone who believes in God will value His creation, honor it, respect it, respect each and every individual. That is the sign of a devotee.
There are two signs of a devotee – he will honor everyone, this is the first sign, and secondly, he will never worry what will happen to him – he will not worry about this.
Okay, so then shall we all take an oath that we will neither take bribes nor give bribes? Raise your hands.
The second oath that we will have to take is that we will honor women and not allow female feticide.
In Indian culture, women have been given the same status as men. There was no discrimination between women and men, no disparity. And on this land, not just men but also women have the right to perform shraaddha, antyeshti (ceremonies to honor the dead) etc. They have the right; I tell you they do.
Maharajji sitting there must also be in agreement with me. He is raising his hand in agreement. Women have the same rights that men have. In the old days women also wore the janeyu (sacred thread). Seeta maiya (mother) also performed tarpan and shraaddha for her father. This has been described in the scriptures.
So men are superior, women are less, do not think this way. Both have equal rights. Female feticide should be banned. This is the second point. Are we all ready to take the oath that we will not allow female feticide to happen?
The third oath we will take is against alcoholism. The poverty of our country will only be eliminated when addictions are wiped out. Rivers of alcohol are flowing. If someone wins the election, he drinks; if he loses, then also he drinks, to forget his sorrows. A poor man, whatever he earns, out of that he spends 60% on alcohol. Besides alcohol, no other business is prospering. So poverty will always be sustained and the country will remain stuck on poverty if this is not stopped.
They drink in joy, and in weddings also they drink; if someone dies they drink, when someone is born they drink; if a loss is incurred, they go and drink, if a profit is made in trade, or they win the lottery, then also they drink. No matter what happens, they keep drinking. A river of alcohol is flowing. We will have to stop it.
Mothers, you all can play a very big role in this. Tell your children every day not to touch alcohol. Mothers can get the alcohol shops closed. If you desire, you have the strength to influence everyone: husband, brother, son and father as well. You take it in your hands – the alcohol shops should be closed down.
How many people agree with this? It is extremely important. Otherwise, our country will never move forward. It will remain stagnant.
Next is caste discrimination; the amount of caste discrimination there is in Bihar and UP, is not present in any other state of the country. There is too much of it here. We have to rise above it. If we want a major transformation in society, we should not stay caught up in caste discrimination. There is one human race – have faith in this.
I appeal to the youth that you all should begin taking on the reins of this country in your hands. Before it comes to you in a bad shape, you should start owning it right way, then you can prevent a lot of damage from happening. So you should get prepared right now.
Let us chant OM two or three times and do a small meditation!
In Boston, a scientist was doing research on the word ‘Om’. He recorded ‘Om’, and then uploaded its frequency into his computer and measured it. He found that the frequency of ‘Om’ is the same as the frequency of the earth. The frequency of earth’s rotation on its axis, and the frequency of its revolution around the sun were found to be the same as that of ‘Om’.
That is why in our country, from ancient times, people have said that ‘Om’ is the primordial sound, the voice of nature. Buddhists also believed this, and so did the Jains, Sikhs, Sanaatanis, and also the Arya Samajis; all the religions of the world believed one way or another in slight variations of it. That is why they believe in Ameen, Amen; but ‘Om’ is a vibration that is resounding in this creation eternally.
Q: Guruji, please tell us about the Vedas. Can anyone read the Vedas?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, there have been over one thousand Rishis and Maharishis in the Vedas, out of which many of the Maharishis belonged to different castes. In those days there was only one religion, Sanaatana, but they were of different castes. Everyone can read the Vedas, including women.
Q: Guruji, today the entire country is divided on the basis of caste. How to bring it back together?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: This is what I am saying: if someone needs a good doctor, they don’t inquire about his caste. They go only in search of a good doctor. If a good lawyer is needed, then too one goes to a good lawyer; one does not check his caste. Only during elections the issue of caste comes up. There is no guarantee that someone from our own caste will work in our favor. An individual from another caste, if he is balanced, truthful and accountable, he will also work for our good. That is why one should rise above caste differences.
In matters of food and marriage also, too much consideration is given to caste, although today’s youth are more progressive, I believe.
Q: Guruji, what is the solution to jealousy?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: The solution to jealousy is to realize that the one who you are jealous of is also going to die and you are also going to die. Everything here is going to end. And in this world there are seven billion people, out of whom there is one person like him; and there must be so many others greater than him. This way, if you look at it from a broad perspective, you will see that the jealousy will come down.
Q: Guruji, farmers have been working the hardest since ages, and are becoming poorer day by day. What can be done for them?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: For one thing, the farmers have been adding these imported chemicals to the soil which has ruined the soil and also reduced production. Farmers should focus on chemical-free farming.
In our country there are so many types of wheat, and so many different native seeds of rice. We remain ignorant of these. In recent research it has been found that the wheat from our country, our ancient wheat; it is not so attractive to look at but it contains 12% folic acid. Folic acid reduces the chances of heart disease and heart attacks. But the wheat imported from outside does not contain folic acid in the same quantity; this is what is said. But we have nearly destroyed these native seeds and don’t want to use them because the hybrid seed look bigger, thicker, and more attractive. So we brought that, and lost our own seeds.
Recently, our Art of Living volunteers have taken up a major program to save our native seeds in UP, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab. They are using the native seeds and the production has also increased. Three-fold more production will be there if we do organic or chemical-free farming.
I will tell you all a mantra today that we will recite before we eat food: ‘Annadata Sukhi Bhava’. Before eating food, you should say this once or twice.
‘Those who are providing me with this food, may they be happy.’ When you chant this mantra daily, it includes three: one is the farmer, the second is the trader who buys the grain and sells it, and the third is the lady of the house who cooks the food and serves it to you.
If there are tears in the eyes of the farmers, your stomach will not be able to digest the food. If the farmers are happy, our body will be disease-free. So bless the farmers, pray for the farmers.
If the lady of the house sheds tears, how can you be happy? That is impossible. The tears of women burn the earth. The tears of women contain fire, so don’t let their tears flow. If their tears flow due to lack of maturity, then there is nothing you can do about it. In spite of having everything, they keep crying and someone asks, ‘Why you are crying?’ They say, ‘I am not crying, my face is like that.’ Some people have grown into the habit of maintaining a weepy look. Smile, laugh and make others laugh; don’t get entangled and do not entangle others!
Q: Guruji, in Uttar Pradesh, in most places it has become a tradition to give things away for free. Politicians also promise to the public to give them things for free. In such a case, how can self-pride of the people increase? Everything is expected to come free.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Doesn’t matter. Let it go on for some more time. Self-pride will increase naturally and then the individual will himself say, ‘I don’t want free things.’
Just as when an individual’s status improves, he says, ‘I don’t want to send my children to a free school.’ He considers it his pride when he pays money to send them to school.
Even a rickshaw driver says, ‘No, I will pay money and send my children to a good school.’ This is something internal, and it will awaken by itself.
Q: Dear Guruji, when we are in your presence we do not remember any of our problems, no matter how big they are. You tell us how we should surrender our problems to you?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: When it comes up, then surrender it to me.

Look I have traveled to 152 countries and I keep traveling; nowhere did I feel that I had come to a foreign country. And people from those countries also never felt as though they were meeting me for the first time, or I was a foreigner. They also felt the same belongingness that I felt towards them. That is why I say, whatever we are inside, is what we see outside. The way we think, the kind of feelings we entertain, bring about a transformation in others.
For the youth of this area I would say that all of you should become teachers of meditation. There is a great demand from all over the world for teachers from India. If Indian teachers of yoga and pranayama go to different places, they can do a lot of good for the world. This helps eliminate diseases, brings strength to the body, mind remains joyful, intellect becomes sharp; there are several benefits.
Q: Guruji, how can one get contentment in life?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Through meditation.
Q: Guruji, the public has not seen God or heard God. Then how can they feel oneness with God?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: That is why there are Saints, Mahatmas and Gurus to tell you, ‘He is yours, believe it!’ See, we cannot know everything; we have to go with knowing some things and accepting some things.
So I say, ‘Know some things and move ahead, accept some things and move ahead and lovingly embrace everyone and move ahead.’
Q: Guruji, what is moksha?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You go ask children how they feel the day their exams are over. They toss all their books and give a big sigh. ‘It is over now, finished!’ That is moksha.
One day, in your mind when such a relief comes, ‘Yes I am fulfilled. I need nothing in this moment. I am satisfied with life.’ That is moksha.
Moksha is the opposite of bondage. When bondage ends, it is moksha.

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1 - Verse 27

2012-03-23T09:54:00.002-07:00

Chapter 1 -- Verse 27

Verse: tan samiksya sa kaunteyah
sarvan bandhun avasthitan
kripaya parayavisto
visidann idam abravit

Translation: When the son of Kunti, Arjuna, saw all these different grades of friends and relatives, he became overwhelmed with compassion and spoke thus.

Guru Punch!

2012-03-23T09:52:00.002-07:00

You give someone ten compliments and one insult, the mind holds on to that insult. That is the nature of the mind. When you become aware of this, a shift happens in you. ~ Sri Sri

Chapter 1 -- Verse 26

2012-03-22T22:34:00.000-07:00

Verse: tatrapasyat sthitan parthah
pitrn atha pitamahan
acaryan matulan bhratrn
putran pautran sakhims tatha
svasuran suhridas caiva
senayor ubhayor api

Translation: There Arjuna could see, within the midst of the armies of both parties, his fathers, grandfathers, teachers, maternal uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons, friends, and also his fathers-in-law and well-wishers.

AOL Knowledge Sheet!---SUBLIMATING LUST

2012-03-22T22:24:00.000-07:00

Lust is one of the main botherations that many face. Lust grips the mind and tires the body, and dulls the intellect.

Lust when indulged brings inertia, and when suppressed brings anger. Lust is nothing but primordial un-harnessed energy. The same when harnessed manifests as enthusiasm, sparkle, sharpness of intellect and love.

What are the factors which can sublimate or transform lust into love?
Playfulness : People who are in the grip of lust cannot be genuinely playful. When you are genuinely playful, then there is not lust there.
Generosity : When you realize that you are here only to give and give, and you feel that you are very generous, lust is sublimated. Lust makes one possessive and not generous.
Moderate to less intake of food
Remembrance of death
Divine Romance
Cold water baths
Undertaking creative challenges

Patanjali Yoga Sutras---The Enlightened One

2012-03-22T22:23:00.000-07:00

Patanjali Yoga Sutras - Knowledge Sheet 11

Often people who have dispassion keep blaming the world. They are afraid of the objects of senses and keep running away from them. They think it is a big temptation. How can something tempt you if you are not under its control? The fear of temptation is worse.

Tatparam purusharakhyaterguna vaitrushunyam

Due to the knowledge of the Self, the person is in a higher state, being indifferent to the qualities.
- Patanjali Yoga Sutra #16
Once you know the nature of your being as total bliss, total pleasure, even the fear of the gunas, fear of the world and fear of the senses vanish. It is like a diabetic patient being afraid of sweets. Even looking at the sweet frightens them. It is forbidden. One who has found sweetness in oneself, whether sweets are there or are not there in front of such a person, it does not make any difference. This is paramavairagya or the supreme type of dispassion where one is not scared or running away from the world, but being in the world, remains completely detached. Centered. Do not even say the word detached, as it has been so distorted. Say centered.

People have very funny ideas about enlightenment

Every culture, every religion has its own ideas about it. In Christian culture, a rich man cannot be enlightened. It is impossible. You have to be in poverty to be enlightened. From the Christian point of view, Rama cannot be enlightened! Even a camel can go through a needle, but not a rich man!
Many years ago, once I was travelling from Bangalore to Delhi. I met a Christian priest at the airport. He looked at me and I smiled back. He came to talk to me and said, “I feel like talking to you, my dear brother. You seem to be a nice person.” He asked me if I believed in Jesus and I said yes. He was a little stunned. He asked me the question again and I said yes again. Then he asked if I was a Hindu. And I said, “Perhaps”. He then asked if I believed in Krishna and I said yes. He then said, “But how can Krishna be God? He is a butter thief. He was married. How can somebody be married and steal butter and all and be God? He is not the one who can give salvation. You know, Jesus is the only way. I was also a Hindu before and now I have become a Christian. From the time, I have become a Christian everything is happening. Jesus is taking care of me. I tell you, you better become a Christian.”
How can Krishna be enlightened? Jains do not think that Krishna is enlightened. He created the war. Arjuna was going to go away, take sanyas and renounce the world. Krishna brainwashed him and made him fight. Krishna was responsible for this huge war. How could he be enlightened? Stealing butter, having so many wives. Impossible!

Jains do not think that an enlightened person, sadhu, should ever wear clothes. Their idea of an enlightened person is one who walks nude. One who is not nude is a little less great. Who knows what will happen? What desires would come up in him? Whether they are free from lust or not, how would you know? What is the proof? Jain sadhus are nude. They do not wear any clothes. They are considered enlightened. This is their idea of enlightenment. They simply do not consider those as enlightened who eat two square meals a day. That too one who enjoys a meal is not at all enlightened. Can a saint eat chocolate? He is not a saint then!
Buddhists have got their own idea of who is and who is not enlightened. Somebody who sings, dances, looks at the whole world, pleasing the world is not enlightened. Someone who meets their family and sits with their family is definitely not enlightened. I have seen many of these so-called sanyasis. They are so afraid that they cannot meet their families. They run away from their family and fear that attachment for the family can come up anytime.
I know of a so-called sanyasi who would not meet his mother. He would meet everybody else but not the poor old lady who is his mother! What had she done? He would not meet her. She was 70 years old and would cry and cry. So-called sanyasis, nuns, brothers, fathers behave like this because that is the idea they have. When you can love everybody, why can’t you see your family members in the same light? Many sanyasis go through this difficulty in their heads about not seeing their family. These are all just concepts about enlightenment. The main essence forgotten is dispassion or centeredness. Being centered in spite of everything is the second essential principle in yoga. This is vairagya.

Guru Punch!

2012-03-22T22:20:00.000-07:00

Faith in the world brings you peace of mind. Faith in God evokes love in you ~ Sri Sri

Wisdom from Sri Sri Ravi Shankar---Awareness towards cleanliness should be imbibed in our culture

2012-03-22T22:18:00.000-07:00

Mahasatsang at Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh

(Sri Sri shares the sholka 'Annadata Sukhi Bhavah' and encourages all to chant this shloka before we eat food. He says, 'Always eat food with this prayer in mind. It means, may the ones who have given me this food be happy.')

Today I have gotten the opportunity to come here to Azamgarh and be with all of you. I am very happy to be here!
It is our responsibility to ensure that our message is heard by everyone, and wherever it is not being heard, it is our duty to reach out to those people.
Society has deteriorated not because of bad people, but because the good people are keeping quiet. If we care for each other from our heart, then we will have to wake up now.
I keep talking about the four A’s – Agyan (ignorance), Anyaay (injustice), Abhav (shortage) and Asuchi (un-cleanliness). These are four areas that we need to focus on:
First, we need to eradicate ignorance. There should be 100% literacy in UP. Every child must go to school and receive good education, this is very important.
Then, we will have to stand against injustice. Wherever there is injustice done on the basis of caste and religion; we have to stand against it. If somebody is being oppressed, we will have to stand up for them. All of us have to stand up against injustice and corruption.
How many of you are fed up of corruption here?
When we feel that we are fed up of corruption, then we say, ‘Okay, let us also give in. What can we do? There is no other way out. If the work is not done without giving bribe, then we have to give bribe.’ This is how people think.
I know and I understand that nobody can fight against corruption alone. If only one person goes to fight against corruption, he will have to face many obstacles and it will be impossible for him. But if we go together as a group of thirty to fifty people, we can definitely bring it under control.
Corruption begins where belongingness ends. It is only when one feels that the other is a stranger that corruption, oppression, injustice, etc., happens.
Just by laws and legislations alone, this problem will not get solved. It can happen when there is spiritual transformation and people have a sense of belongingness. Consider everyone as your own, and then you will see corruption will be wiped out from the society.
This we can do only if the people of this country wake up and stand against corruption and say, 'No, I will not give bribe or take bribe.'
A wave of spirituality throughout the country alone can end corruption. And what is spirituality? It is that which brings peace in the society, belongingness amongst the people, and contentment, strength and peace to every individual.
That which increases belongingness is called spirituality.
Now tell me, how long does it take to have belongingness with someone? It does not take much time at all. You get married, and someone you just met becomes a part of your family.
A boy from another family, who you don’t know much about, becomes your son-in-law in one day, with just a wedding card. And after that, we consider his relatives also as our own. We may have never even met them before. Some might be from Mumbai, some from America, and some others from different parts of the world but still we establish a relationship with them. We say, ‘He is my brother-in-law’s nephew.’
We meet them, we find out our relationship with them and we accept them.
Now tell me, why is it that we hesitate to accept the people of our own country and our neighbors? This is ignorance.
When an Indian meets another Indian in a foreign land, they exchange greetings. But it was not like this some thirty years back. In those days, if an Indian came across another Indian in a foreign land, they wouldn’t even look at each other face to face. Why? It is because they were afraid that the person might ask them for some help. Many people have shared this with me. It has been their experience.
But these days, the atmosphere has changed. They feel pride in being an Indian.
I often come across many youths from the IT (Information Technology) field at the airport and many of them tell me, ‘Guruji, you have done wonders!’
I asked them, ‘What I have done?’
They said, ‘Guruji, earlier when we used to wear kurtas to the airport, people would look at us in a peculiar manner. Now, whenever we wear dhoti-kurta or pyjama-kurta, people really respect us’.
India has gained respect because of its Ancient Knowledge, this is what people say and this is true. But today, India has gained respect not only because of its Ancient Knowledge but also because of its IT industry. If our country is being pulled down it is only because of black money and corruption, and it is our duty to rid our country of these two evils. What do you think?
People tell me, ‘Guruji, being in the line of spirituality, your job is only to teach meditation. Why are you talking about corruption? Why are you getting into these matters?’
I said, ‘What is the use of me being spiritual if the pain of others does not pain my heart and does not make me care for people and reach out to them. No, I am not such a person.’
What do you think; should I not talk about it?
I told them, ‘Whatever my conscience says I will follow that, no matter what people say.’
We must stand up against corruption and we must take this sankalpa that we will neither give bribe nor accept bribe. We will take India to great heights; this is my dream!
Every citizen of this country must have a smile on their face and all their tears transformed to smiles. I will keep working towards this till my last breath, no matter what people say.
For this, we all need to work together. How? We all have to stand against injustice.
The third thing is, we have to remove scarcity.
Look at China, it was economically behind us for a long time, but now it has marched ahead of us. The reason behind this is that they work very hard and they give their 100% towards what they do.
Last year, two gentlemen from China came down to our Ashram in Bengaluru and they invited me saying, ‘Guruji, please grace our country with your presence’.
I said, ‘Okay, since you are requesting me so much, I will come.’ So, I gave them the dates I would visit. Three months later when I reached China, I was very surprised when I saw that within those three month they had built an Ashram!
On two hundred acres of land, they built a huge ashram. They had made four hundred rooms and had planted many trees. I was astonished to see that.
In our country, in three months, leave alone a building, a simple registration for a land does not get passed. You will not believe the work they had done in three months. The Ashram is between the Beijing city and the airport, so it is a forty-five minutes drive from the airport as well as from the city.
In the Ashram, they made a small stream and on either sides of the stream, they constructed a small bridge over the stream. They did this in three days and when I arrived, they told me, ‘Guruji, we built this for you.’ If we want to learn diligence, we must learn it from the Chinese. They are very efficient.
All the idols in our country are coming from China. All the idols of Radha-Krishna and Ganesha that you see made of plastic are all coming from there. Can’t we do the same thing here?
In China, every village has taken a specific responsibility. One entire village is involved in making buttons. If you enter any house, you will find a machine in every house and each person is involved in the job of making buttons. And if you go to another village, the people there make only needles. You will get needles of all sizes there.
The same thing used to be here as well – the petha (a sweet dish) of Agra, the peda (a sweet dish) of Mathura, the sarees of Banaras, carpets of Mirzapur and black pottery of Azamgarh, these were all popular earlier. Every place had some specialty of their own. This needs to be revived and spread across the country. The message that the earthen pots of Azamgarh are very famous should spread everywhere.
We have remained backward in this area, but now this must be promoted. In every field, if we take one commodity and increase its trade, scarcity will be wiped out from the country.
All the unemployed youths here, I request all of you not to leave this satsang without getting yourselves registered at the center here. Our HR department will train you, and I want all of you to be employed. This is my goal.
There is no shortage of jobs in our country. So many industrialists are establishing their factories in China. I ask them, ‘Why don’t you establish your factory here. There is so much poverty in our country and you are establishing the factory in China.’
They said, ‘Guruji, we can find people there’.
I said, ‘It is my job to get you people; you just establish your factory here.’
I have always been saying this. I need youth from this country that don’t have jobs and want to work. We can do a lot in India, and bring an economic revolution here.
When spirituality in our country was at its peak, its financial condition was also very strong. When spirituality fell, so did the economic condition of the country. Around two to three hundred years back, one third of the world’s wealth was in India. In those days, spirituality was at its peak. So, don’t think, what is the connection between spirituality and the economic health of the country? Where there is Narayana, Lakshmi (symbolism of wealth) also follows!
Then, we need to remove un-cleanliness, this is also our duty.
It is said that India is one of the dirtiest countries in the world. People say that India is one country where you will always find dirt, and people live in dirt and die also in that dirty environment.
We don’t keep our streets clean; we don’t keep our own house clean. In some houses, the washbasins are not cleaned for months together. This is what the statistics are saying. I want to prove that these statistics are wrong. So we will all give importance to both, inner cleanliness as well as outer cleanliness. We will keep our houses and streets clean.
Today, lakhs of people have gathered here. I want ask for Guru Dakshina (a gift to express gratitude) from all of you here.
When a guru or a saint comes to a city, he is given Guru Dakshina. This is our tradition.
I will ask for two things as Guru Dakshina from all of you present here today. The first Dakshina I want from you is that if you have any hatred or negative feelings towards anyone give it to me as Dakshina. Whosoever you have disliked, mend your relations with them by distributing sweets. This is the first Dakshina.
The second Dakshina I want from you is two hours of your time on the coming Sunday, from eight to ten. I want you to come out with a broom and make groups and clean Azamgarh. If each one of us goes out on the streets to clean Azamgarh, then this place will shine.
This is my second Dakshina, will you give me this?
If in a month, you spare two hours of time for cleaning, it will be enough for me. Every month for two hours, take out some time to clean the streets.
So, on Sunday, all the educated people, with the entire family, go out on the streets with broomsticks, and clean the place. Remove all the plastic bags and garbage. If any of the drains or pipelines are blocked somewhere, then all the engineers put on a mask and clean the blockage with some tools.
Leaving everything on the municipality and the government will not work. We need to participate in this, and then a lot of work can be done.
I will tell you a story about this. Around 1977 or 1978, I was visiting Switzerland. So one day I went out for a stroll. The surrounding was very peaceful, there were snow capped mountains, and the road was empty. Somebody had given me a small chocolate that I was holding in my hand. So I ate the chocolate and threw the wrapper there on the road. After a little while, I heard a voice from far away. A lady with a walking stick was waving at me asking me to stop. She must have been in her 70s or 80s. I thought she must be having some problem, so stopped and I turned back and looked towards her.
As she walked towards me, she picked up the wrapper I threw on the roadside and asked me to drop it in the dustbin nearby.
Nobody was there, not even the police. I had just gone out for a stroll. And the old lady, who didn’t even know my language, gestured me to drop the wrapper in the dustbin and not on the street.
Since that day, I have never thrown anything like that.
I feel that if such awareness comes into the people of our country; India will be a very clean place.
I have dream of a clean India and that is why I am raising the issue of cleanliness wherever I go. Awareness towards cleanliness should be imbibed in our culture.
I am asking you to do the same thing on a Sunday. I am just asking for two hours of your time, nothing else. Just go out with your broomsticks, and all those locked up in their rooms, call them too.
This way, to clean our society, people from all castes, parties, classes and religions can come together. This difference of higher and lower class in our society will end. Service to society is one thing that connects us to God.
Okay, now let us do a small meditation. When we meditate in a group, then any sankalpa or desire you have in your mind gets fulfilled. You will get a blessing, for sure.
(Guruji guides everyone into meditation)
See, for most of you, thirty, forty or fifty years of your life is already over. You will be here for another fifteen, twenty or twenty five years more. After that, what will happen, where will you go?
‘Who am I?’ ‘Where will I go?’ If such questions or anxiousness does not arise in your mind, then consider your life has been wasted. It is of no use.
You should have these questions in mind, ‘Who am I?’ ‘What do I want; what will happen to me after this?’ It does not matter if you don’t get the answer to the questions, but at least these questions should arise in you.
All of us sitting here, we have all been born many times and died many times. I remember and you can also remember; it is not difficult. If you meditate for a little while, you will also understand that you have come here many times. Then such an inner strength awakens in you that nobody can wipe the smile off your face; that inner connection is established with God. Once this happens, then there will be no short fall of anything in life.
God isn’t someone outside or away from you. He did not take birth and die, He is eternal. He is in the present and he is in every one of you, in every particle of this creation.
All that you have to do is sit silently for a short while, withdrawing yourself from everything else. Only those who are contented in life can bring contentment to others. If you feel that you have gotten everything you wanted from life and your mind is contented, then any intention that arises in your mind becomes fruitful, and your blessing become very powerful. All your sankalpas get accomplished. This is a scientific truth.
In our country, we have a custom of taking blessings from the elderly whenever we are about to begin some good work or a new task. Do you know why?
As per tradition, the elderly should be satisfied and contented, and so when such a person says, ‘Bless you!’ Then that positive energy enters our life and puts everything on track.
But you don’t get to see that with the elderly people these days. The more aged they are, the more misery, anger and pain you see in them.
You know, the elderly people abroad are not given any importance. After the age of sixty, it is like they have been thrown out of their homes. The children go and visit them on Mother’s Day or Father’s Day and give them a card, or they post it to them. But this is not the tradition in India. We respect our elders and we have always respected the elderly. The reason behind this is what we cannot do through our body; we can do through our thoughts. Nature has kept such a power within us.
As long as there is strength in your body, do work. But when you cannot do work, then pray and bless everyone. But what do we do, we hold on to the keys of the safe in our hands tight and we are not willing to let go. We keep crying and consider everyone else to be wrong. Such an elderly person can’t do anything. How to age and grow old is also an art.
After a certain age, hand over all the responsibilities to your children, show them the way and you be free. Meditate and focus your attention on God. If you live life this way, then your life will be very fulfilling. So, power to bless another comes to those who are contented.
Now that does not mean that you become contented only after a certain age. Even at a younger age you can be contented and happy.
I tell you, I’ve never abused anybody all these 55 years of my life. I’ve never said any bad words to anybody. Not that I achieved it or made any special effort, it is my nature.
The more refined your speech is, the more will be your power to bless others.
If every morning we abuse someone or use abusive language, then our speech will have no power. With a clean heart and a happy mind, if we speak sweet words, then a unique power arises in us and with that power not only will our work be done, but we will also be able to help others with their tasks.
The basis for this is meditation. When we meditate, our mind becomes pleasant, our intellect becomes sharp, concentration improves and everything starts happening effortlessly.
I am not saying that if you meditate today, tomorrow all your work will be done. No, I am not saying this. It isn’t magic. But meditation definitely helps and your work will definitely get done. This I have noticed. So, I am asking all of you to be contented. If you are not, then go to the one who is contented and seek their blessings. Ask them to bless you.
Today, you people have come here. I would say you must leave all your problems, pain and restlessness with me. I am ready to take it. Just leave all that here and go back home with a smile. This is what I want. We can’t get rid of our sins ourselves. Somebody will have to remove them for us.
This is what Lord Sri Krishna has said to his disciples, ‘Aham Tvam Sarva-papebhyo Mokshayishyami Ma Sucah’; do not be unhappy, I will rid you of all your sins. Stand strong and have patience.
This is what Lord Krishna has said, and this has been our ancient tradition.
Why do we need a Guru? We need a Guru so that whatever problems that we have in our mind which we cannot handle, can be surrendered at the feet of the Guru.
In our country there was this custom - Mata, Pita, Guru and Dev.
When we were children what did we do? When we were sad we called out ‘Amma’ and went to our mother. Yes or no? Whenever a small child has any trouble, it runs to its mother. If the child had some quarrel with the mother, the child will go to the father.
When we were in school for any problem we used to go to the class teacher.
In every family there was a saint, a Guru. We used to go to them and whatever botheration or trouble was there, we would surrender those at their feet and become empty.
If someone did not have a Guru, then there was the family deity. Every family had their own Kuldevta (family deity). So we would go to the family deity, and any problem we had we would surrender it there and become free. We have left all these practices today. That is why all this suicide, infanticide, etc., started. The reason behind this is that we have left all four: mother, father, guru and God.
This is what is happening in the society. We need to change this. And this is what I want. I want you to leave all your problems here and know that my blessings are with you.
Try this once and see you will experience such peace in your life.
One more thing I want to tell you. If the farmers are unhappy, then the people of the country consuming the food grains will also be unhappy. That is why we must say ‘Annadata Sukhi Bhavah’ before eating our food.
Always eat food with this prayer in mind. It means, may the one who has given me this food be happy. When we say this shloka, we are including three people, one is the farmer, the other is the middleman and the third is the lady of the house who prepared the food and served it to you. If there are tears in her eyes, you will not be able to digest that food. People are bound to fall ill.
So we should say this prayer daily, ‘Annadata Sukhi Bhavah’.
Q: Gurudev, you often tell us ‘Antar Mukhi Sada Sukhi’. Is it possible to be like this in today’s world?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Listen, you are living in the world, and still you sleep everyday for some time. Similarly, if for a little while every day you meditate and go inward then you will see such peace arising from within you. This will help you in your day to day life. So it is definitely possible.
Q: Gurudev, I want to become like you. Is it possible?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Definitely! Do seva, sadhana and satsang.
There is no difference between you and me. You are what I am. When we came here we were all the same. When children are born they are all the same. Just that I didn’t lose my childlike nature, but you probably got lost somewhere. But you can come back, there is no problem.
I consider myself as a boy who hasn’t grown up yet.
Q: Guruji, these days, the universities and the colleges have lowered their standards so much. Why don’t you open up a college or university where we can give our children good education?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes! The Government of Orissa said the same thing to me. I said, ‘I am ready.’ So they passed the legislation and allotted us a land for the university.
We have been working on it; it should start from this year onwards, in Bhubaneswar, Orissa.
I did this because there are so many students who go abroad for higher education to Australia, London and America. There, many of them suffer because of racial discrimination and prefer to come back home. So I thought why not give them the best quality education here? So keeping this in mind we have started a university taking the very best from the West and the best from the East, and combining it to make an effective educational system. So a combination of science and wisdom; just one will not do.
All those who are interested in taking admissions at our University are most welcome.
The building is being constructed right now, but it should open in July or August this year.
Q: Guruji, what is the difference between Upanishad and Purana? Which should I read?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Upanishad is pure knowledge, and the Purana is coupled with stories. Do you know what the meaning of Purana is? It means ultra modern, or the newest thing is called Purana. The meaning of Purana in Sanskrit is different from its meaning in Hindi, they are opposite. What we call purana (old) in Hindi is absolutely new and fresh (purana) in Sanskrit.
So, the new way of presenting knowledge is called Purana.
Q: Gurudev, the entire country is very proud of Sachin Tendulkar today as he completed his 100th century today. Would you like to say something about him?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I would like to congratulate him. And at the same time would like to request him to become a member of the cricket board, BCCI (Board for Control of Cricket in India).
At the moment, many elderly people are the members of this board, who are beyond sixty or seventy years of age, and have been members for more than twenty years, and there is so much corruption taking place in this sphere. This needs to be corrected.
Also, it is very important to encourage the youth to participate in sports. When the youth put their minds into sports, they will not get into addictions and violence.
Q: Guruji, I am a Muslim, can I also learn Sudarshan Kriya? Will I have to leave anything for that?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: No, there is no need to leave anything at all.
I just returned from Pakistan and thousands of people have done the course in Pakistan and are practicing Sudarshan Kriya. They have even established a center there. Around one lakh people have received training there and they are all very happy.
When I went there, I didn’t feel that I am in Pakistan. They welcomed me with so much warmth and feelings. I am telling you, Sudarshan Kriya does not take you away from your religion but in fact it brings more depth to your prayers. It brings forth that inner happiness.
Yoga and Sudarshan Kriya keeps you strong and healthy. That is why drop all doubts.
In Iraq, Iran and in many other countries, people are doing Sudarshan Kriya and are enjoying the benefit of it. In many mosques in Africa also they are teaching the Art of Living courses.
Q: Guruji, is it true that we must give more attention to our problems because every problem takes us more towards spirituality.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Sukh Mein Seva Aur Dukh Mein Tyaag. When you are happy, do some service activities and when you are miserable, you must have the courage to let go.
Problems give depth to your life, while happiness motivates you to serve others. So happiness and sorrow come and go but when we connect to that Divine power that is within us and when we have this faith that God is my own, he is right here with me, then sorrow does not come at all.
Q: Gurudev, people are talking about bringing Yoga to Olympics. What do you feel? Should Yoga be made into a competition?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, definitely. For whatever reason, if people do yoga, I am satisfied with that. Even if it is a competition at the Olympics, or in school or through the Yogathon event, at least do it. When you do Yoga you will get a lot of benefit. It is good regardless of the reason for which it is done.