Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Question and Answers

How many times have you cried?

noreply@blogger.com (Alpesh Patel) — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 06:08:00 +0000

Jai GuruDev....

Just turn back and look at your life when you were a kid. How many times have you cried?

You cried as though hell has fallen on your head. You thought that was the end of the world and then sobbed and sobbed and then went off to sleep.

So what happened afterwards? Anything happened to you ? You remains unaffected by all these.

Try this :

You can come home happily and say with a smile, "today the entire job that I did flopped! There was no success in any of the work I did today." Anyway everything has flopped, so at least do not let the mind also flop.

You should have the guts to say "come what may I am not going to give up the smile on my face because I am much more than the event or the circumstances. Everything comes and goes, but I continue in spite of all the situations."

When somebody has passed away, you cannot say "Okay, now I am going to be happy" and smile and dance! No, you should not do that.

The ancient people had designed a methodology for this.

They said that if anyone dies in a house, the people of that house are in âEUR~ashoucha' for 10 days. For 10 days you can mourn and cry. After 10 days of mourning, on the eleventh day, they usually distribute sweets to the people, have a celebration, wear new clothes, have a family get together and have a feast.
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On the day of the final rituals, they take some ghee and water and put it on their eyes which give a cooling effect and then they decide. "Okay, now we get on with our life."

If a spiritual person passes away, then even this not there. Then every moment is a celebration because the sprit is all pervading.

In the same way, there is shoucha when a child is born in a house for 10 days. You are so excited because a new soul has come into your family. So be with all the excitement and happiness for 10 days. You are free from all the social rules and obligations for you to enjoy 100 per cent.

Then come back to your commitments and responsibilities.

The sadness or sorrow is only in the circumference.
It is like a cloud covering the light that you are.
The nature of your being is joy. That needs to be uncovered.
Again, you need not make a mood out of it.

Destiny is decided at birth. Then why should we anything?

noreply@blogger.com (Alpesh Patel) — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 13:05:00 +0000

Sri Sri: To improve yourself isalso a part of destiny. World is a combination of destiny and Karma. Some things can be changed, some things cannot be changed.

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Q: Why are we reborn?
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Sri Sri: I dont know about you but I am here just to have fun!

Guruji, who is dearest to you: a sadhak, devotee or an enlightened person?

noreply@blogger.com (Alpesh Patel) — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 13:03:00 +0000

Sri Sri: Just you!

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Q: If my birth is for self-realisation then why do I have to pass through so many sufferings?
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Sri Sri: So that you will know, that all these sufferings are nothing. They just come and go. You are much beyond that.

Guruji could you please explain what is Ego and how it can be eliminated?

noreply@blogger.com (Alpesh Patel) — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 13:00:00 +0000

Sri Sri: Ego is feeling the separation; don't try to eliminate ego, it becomes another ego ! Just keep it in the pocket.

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Q: Guruji, you said earlier that the ego is useful for action. Is it possible to act without ego?
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Sri Sri: Yes. An enlightened person will act without any ego. See, praising a wise person is useless. They will anyway do good work. They will continue doing good work even if you blame them.

Praise a fool -- that will pump up their ego and motivate them into doing good work. Have you noticed, the ego troubles ones own mind more than others?

Which is correct of the two

noreply@blogger.com (Alpesh Patel) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 12:46:00 +0000

To say things to you or remain silent knowing that you know it all? *
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Sri Sri: Both are correct. If you wish to say something, say it out. If it is written to me, you write it. Otherwise know that it is taken care.

So what if I become rich, so what if I become successful, So what.. So what …. So what…

noreply@blogger.com (Alpesh Patel) — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 12:42:00 +0000

Sri Sri: So what if I don't answer this question?

For whatever has happened you can say so what. But for things in future if you say, so what if I ate anything, so what if I get sick… it doesn't work like that.

"So what", is used to go inwards, not when you are active. When you want to rest, when going to bed, you can use "so what". You don't want to go to bed with your coat, shirt and tie. Just like this mind is clinging on to some events, so we drop it using "so what".

It's a technique. It brings freedom. But you can't apply "so what" in activity. *

What is success?

noreply@blogger.com (Alpesh Patel) — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 12:31:00 +0000

Sri Sri: Success follows ability; ability comes when you have skill. And skill comes when you are quite. Real success is when you have smile, and no one can take that from you.

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Q: You say, choice is yours, blessings are mine. Can I have both?
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Sri Sri: A state of choicelessness is a blessing in life. If you get both you are very lucky.

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Q:What is prasaada?
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Sri Sri: It gives prasannata - blissful happiness.

Why are things which keep us from spirituality so intensely pleasurable?

noreply@blogger.com (Alpesh Patel) — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 12:35:00 +0000

Is the divine perversely mischievous?

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Sri Sri: If you dont indulge in anything, its ok. But indulging makes you weak. Look at the people in the sex industry, they look so sad. Enlightenment is when you find all these things are petty. You are joy, you are love. Don't blame sex, food etc.

Moderation is the law. With your own intensity you get feverish. There is a story about Shona (Buddha's disciple). He was a prince. He indulged in sex and he got so tired. He asked his girlfriend to remove her bangles as the sound was bothering him so much.

He was so fragile that the bangles sound could disturb him. Then he met Buddha. Meeting Buddha made all other pleasures insignificant. He wanted to become like Buddha. So he became a monk.

Nobody could believe it. He went into deep penance. Fasted and didnt wear proper clothes. After some months, someone told Buddha about him. Buddha went to him and told him. *You've played the Veena. If the strings are too tight, then there is no music, similarly if the strings are too loose then also there is no music. Tuning is important.

Same in life. You are going from one extreme to another. Be on the middle path.' So Eat, sleep, have sex,meditate in moderation

What is the solution to life's problems?

noreply@blogger.com (Alpesh Patel) — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 12:28:00 +0000

Sri Sri: If you are learning to ride a bicycle, it seems so difficult but over a period of time, if you practice it , it becomes easy. The same thing with cooking, or driving a car. Anything appears to be difficult because it is the beginning but dont give up!...first take a position that it is possible, then being in knowledge often, that is what is satsang. Then you cannot be shaken and if your behavior is in a decent manner, you cannot get upset. It is just a matter of training yourselves

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What is the most beautiful thing in this world?

noreply@blogger.com (Alpesh Patel) — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 12:22:00 +0000

Sri Sri: It is that you recognize that, 'this is beautiful'. Only a
beautiful person can recognize the beauty in everything. So therefore, if
you say to someone, "you are stupid" with your one finger pointing towards
him, just know that three other fingers are pointing towards you!! Similarly
if you say someone, "you are beautiful" then just know that three fingers
are pointing at you saying, "you are beautiful".*

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Q: What happens if 2 people arepraying for different things for the same
person? My mother is praying for mymarriage while I am praying that I don't
want to get married.
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SriSri: Wait & see whose prayer is answered!

Terrorism: The Cause And the Remedy

noreply@blogger.com (Alpesh Patel) — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 13:14:00 +0000

The act which is only destructive and inflicts suffering both on oneself and others is terrorism. In such an act, human values are lost in the process of achieving a goal.

Some of the factors that lead to terrorism are:

Frustration and desperation to achieve a goal
Confused emotion
Shortsightedness and Impulsive action
Belief in a non-verifiable concept of heaven and merit; a childish concept of God favoring some and angry at others, thereby undermining the omniscience and omnipotence of the Divine.

Terrorism induces fear psychosis in all, increases poverty, suffering and loss of life with no apparent gains. Instead of solutions the terrorist looks for destruction as an answer. If you simply criticize without giving a solution, know that this criticism comes from the same seed as terrorism!

Although there are certain qualities you can appreciate in a terrorist such as:

Fearlessness
Commitment to a goal
Sacrifice

You will have to learn from them things that you should never do:

Valuing some ideas and concepts more than life.
Having a narrow perspective of life and dishonoring its diversity.

The Remedy for terrorism is:

Inculcate a broader perspective of life -- value life more than race, religion and nationality.
Educate people in human values – friendliness, compassion, cooperation and upliftment.
Teach methods to release stress and tension.
Cultivate confidence in achieving noble aims by peaceful and nonviolent means.
Create spiritual upliftment which can weed out destructive tendencies.

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Question: Can it be that terrorism need not be only physical violence, but also cultural or economical?

Sri Sri: Yes.

Solution for economic violence – "Think globally, buy locally."
Solution for cultural violence – "Broaden your vision, deepen your roots."

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Question: How does one cope with the aftermath of terrorism?

Sri Sri: Faith and prayer. When disaster happens, anger is inevitable.

To take precautions that one does not react wisdom is needed, not emotional outbursts. One mistake cannot be corrected by another mistake.

Strive for multi-cultural and multi-religious education and spiritual upliftment to reach every part pf the globe. For the world will not be safe even if a small pocket of people are left ignorant.

Gurudev, how to deal with criticism?

noreply@blogger.com (Alpesh Patel) — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 12:19:00 +0000

Q: Gurudev, how to deal with criticism? I was astonished hearing you being
criticized.
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Sri Sri: There are two types of criticism. One coming out of a narrow mind.
These people criticize each and every thing. Show compassion to such
criticisers. The other type of criticisim is aimed at correcting your
mistakes. Be thankful to such criticizers. It is good to have the second
type of criticisers around you.

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Q: How to fight against tension?
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Sri Sri: With smile. Know that tension cannot shake you, and it will drop.

Can there be light without darkness, peace without war?

noreply@blogger.com (Alpesh Patel) — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 20:07:00 +0000

Sri Sri: During the day, if you have to create darkness, then you have to create it unnaturally, like closing all doors in a room. So light & peace are natural occurrences; of course natural calamities have always occurred and will continue but it increases when we exploit nature; and
that is what is happening today we need to save the environment its only human beings who exploit nature and spread waste.

Animals never do.have you ever been to a forest and seen animal waste lying around?...animals always clean up, maintain the ecological balance.similarly in ancient times, even today among tribals, the tradition of honouring nature, keeping clean continues.so we should not destroy nature, our bodies by doing unnatural things to destroy them before their time.

At the same time periods of darkness, difficult situations help in our growth; makes us stronger so good also comes out of unpleasantness(He gave the example of how children growing up in
slums have better immunity systems than us). But still, peace is absolutely necessary because creativity blossoms only in peace. All great happenings have been only in peaceful eras.

On who am I really?

noreply@blogger.com (Alpesh Patel) — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 20:04:00 +0000

Sri Sri: When intellect matures, it comes up with this question. But the answer to it is beyond the intellect. When you have had a good night's rest, then the intellect recognizes that the body has rested. Similarly, when this question comes up and you meditate, then it recognizes first that you are not the body you are not the mind .

Then you come to a quiet center within you .and you have no answer and you are That. The silence you come to when you ask this question is what you are. He gave an interesting example He said you/the body are like the fan; and the Self is like electricity. The fan cannot run without the electricity .and electricity cannot manifest itself without the fan. So when you start asking the question 'Who am I'; you start moving to the point where the fan is connected to the electric
point!(laughter).

What to do if someone is jealous of you?

noreply@blogger.com (Alpesh Patel) — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 19:53:00 +0000

Sri Sri: Nothing(laughter). When you are unable to control your own mind then why should you want to manage someone else's mind! Jealousy towards someone else can happen because of 4 reasons someone else's money, fame, partner or somebody's wisdom/enlightenment(He said 'this jealousy is good to have ,perhaps.

Any of these jealousies is not worth it as the grass is always greener on the other side .people who are famous are never at peace,surrounded by security and of course insecure about how long fame will stay;that soon someone else may come who can become more famous .and anyways, one day they will all die ..billions have come to this earth ..and billions will come .and
die. You need to broaden your horizon whenever such negative emotions arise think of how huge this universe .millions of galaxies .among them in a galaxy is the solar system, and within it in a tiny planet called earth, we reside in a corner. If you look at how insignificant your presence is in this universe, then all negativity would drop. If you keep thinking about the vastness of the universe, expansion happens.

You become the seed you sow, if you keep thinking, 'I'm a sinner, I'm a sinner' then that is the seed you sow. Look at life as a dream know that everything is dying every moment.He asked everyone to read 'Celebrating Silence' where He has written at length about how to deal
with negative emotions.

Why do we have to obtain Nirvana while in this physical body?

noreply@blogger.com (Alpesh Patel) — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 19:51:00 +0000

Sri Sri:To cleanse the other two spaces, because once we leave the spirit, the mind leaves this body; the mind can not be cleansed outside there. It can not be rid of any thoughts out there, once out of the body. So the body is the instrument in which the space can wash itself out from past impressions. And that is what the Buddha called the nirvana it is here and be in your space and that you are nobody and nothing.

Can you talk about fear and letting go of fear, and why its so difficult to do?

noreply@blogger.com (Alpesh Patel) — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 19:48:00 +0000

Sri Sri: Its not difficult, just take a few deep breaths, do a few bhastrikas and pranayams and thats it. Wheres the fear? Fear is just love upside down. You have to turn it up. When there is love there is no fear, or when there is hatred there is no fear. Two types of people in the world have no fear- those who are in love, and those who are in hatred. They both create sensation in the heart region.

We do this in a 5, 6 days long Part II in the Art of Living program, in which we discuss about all different emotions and the places in the body where they are generated, how they are affected and how they can be handled. For 5 days you know. In 5 days, 3 days you remain in silence, and you observe different sensations, emotions. No fear!

Einstein said that we were only using 10 percentage of our potential

noreply@blogger.com (Alpesh Patel) — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:40:00 +0000

Q:I was delighted as a young man when Einstein said that we were only using 10 percentage of our potential and there was a possibility that we could develop our full potential. So of course the search was on. Having him say that, it was kind of like intellectual greatness was that potential and I looked around and realized that there were a lot of other qualities that are great: compassion, courage, happiness and responsibilities. It made me realize that, at least made me think that our full potential wasnt just intellectual greatness, it was other greatness that is part of our full potential. I was wondering if you could describe the qualities of a person who is really living their full potential.

Sri Sri:You know, the energy in an atom is something you can not measure. Similar to the human potential, you can not see how much is full potential. The ancient saying goes that nature of a human being is very similar to that of an atom.

In an atom, the central part of the atom is positive and the negatively charged particle is only on the circumference, the ion. Similarly, all the negativity of a person is not his true nature; its only on the circumference. So when someone is centered, it means to be calm, steady, pleasant and violence is not there as part of his or her nature. Violence is an indication of violation of the domain a human has.

If you ask me, how we can be more energetic, yes, because every atom releases energy in our body! And in Sanskrit its said, "praktar tig market mukshar means if you know one particle of your existence thoroughly, you will be free, you will be liberated. Of the zeak philosophies, one is called the vashika - means the knowledge of atoms or particles and substances in the creation; in that school of philosophy, they dont talk about god at all.

God also is a field not as a person or an object. And whether the knowledge we have is correct or not, how do we know? There are so many methods to know about the knowledge we have - is correct or not correct? Thats why, even 10000 years ago, 15000 years ago, people knew there are 12 moons to the Jupiter, without any telescope or anything. And the subjective way of knowing things, is using the intuition within you, quieting your mind from all the thoughts and the mind becomes calm like a space, like sleeping but you are not sleeping.

You are totally alert inside, and then an intention is taken. And with that intention, intuition comes, knowledge comes, inspiration comes from within. Using this method they calculated all the bending eclipses happening and then all the mathematics was derived.

Today even the almanac calendar, says exactly at what time, which minute the eclipse is going to happen. And or when the moon is transiting the sun, the whole of astrology, astronomy is derived at. And it was always said, the sun is the center of the solar system, and all the planets
are going around, this is an ancient system that has been coming out. People have been used to this thought. And also, which herb is good for what, to treat in their medicines. The ayurveda system was developed that way.

So I see that the methodologies they used, is to awaken the intuitive awareness inside you, in which you feel every cell in your body is alive now, fully alive, and mind is quiet. And you call
that Samadhi. Samadhi is the function of the body. I feel that if we take some time, two or three days in a year and those three days we take silence and observing the watchfulness of our own thoughts and observing our own emotions, then we are able to get a sense of what is the quietness that is inside, how we can be quiet. You know the freedom from the jugglery of thoughts, is the basis of intuition. And intuition is part of innovation. What do you say? Correct?

what is the importance of self-effort and grace?

noreply@blogger.com (Alpesh Patel) — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 19:38:00 +0000

Sri Sri:If you want to be on the path self effort is very important. Do your Sadhana,Satsang and Seva. But once on the path relax. Like you run to catch a train, but once in the train stop running and relax. If you do not get caught up with reading and watching movies you could see a lot of interesting stuff and learn from it.

When we are made of the same consciousness why do peole behave differently?

noreply@blogger.com (Alpesh Patel) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 19:32:00 +0000

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar :Each ones thumb impression is different, unique. Everyone is same yet different. Infact if you have never got confused read Vedanta. Everything is nothing and Nothing is everything. Physicist, top scientists will understand it. Everything comes out of a black hole and goes into it.The proportion between the space between two galaxies is the same as the space between two atoms. Buddhism in Hart Sutra says the same, so do the Sufis.

In the IX Chapter of Bhagwat Gita Krishna says 5 elements are in me and I am in them. But I am not in them. If you have got confused then it is good. Pashyame Yogamaishwaryam, this is the glory of Yoga. Also this is Raja Vidya- The Royal Secret. Mahatma Gandhiji has written a commentary on this IX chapter of Bhagawat Gita, the first and second verse. Con-fusion is
fusion with the Cosmos.

SACREDNESS AND YOU

noreply@blogger.com (Alpesh Patel) — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 19:15:00 +0000

Throughout the ages, in all cultures, place, time, persons and symbols were all considered sacred. Whenever you consider a symbol, place, time, person or act sacred, your attention is undivided and whole. When things are ordinary and same, you tend to slip into unawareness and inertia. The moment you consider something sacred, your inertia disappears and you become more
alive. There is nothing as fulfilling as a sacred act. You put your heart and soul in a sacred act. When every action of yours becomes sacred, you have become one with the Divine. Then every minute of your life is sacred, every place you go to becomes sacred, every person you meet is only your reflection, and every act of yours is sacred.

Question: Why does an act when performed repeatedly lose it sacredness?

Sri Sri: This happens when your memory overpowers your consciousness and you lose your sensitivity. For example, people living in Benares do not feel that it is a sacred place. That sensitivity is just not there.

Question: How can we preserve that feeling of sacredness in our acts?

Sri Sri: Through living in the present moment and through Sadhana. Your Sadhana will not allow your memory to overpower consciousness. Repetition is not a hindrance then.

The Native American Indians and the tribals consider the earth, sun, moon and all the directions as sacred. In the ancient tradition, the Rishis considered all the rivers, mountains and even animals, trees and herbs as sacred. What to say of people? They are definitely sacred!

In different parts of the world, certain symbols, certain places and different times of the year are considered sacred. Various cultures honor certain people and consider them as sacred. For example, Christians consider the Cross, Jerusalem, Christmas and the Pope as sacred. For Muslims, the Crescent Moon, Mecca and the month of Ramadan are sacred. The Hindus
consider the river Ganges, the Himalayas and the Swamis as sacred.

It is good to begin feeling that some symbols, places, time and people are sacred so that you can be awake and alive. But eventually you need to transcend and feel that the entire creation and your whole life is sacred. For the man of God, the whole world, with all its symbols, places and people are sacred at all times.

BE A MAN OF GOD!

Arguments and wrong actions

noreply@blogger.com (Alpesh Patel) — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 01:09:00 +0000

A person who argues should not be given knowledge. An argumentative mind is not receptive to knowledge. When someone is in an argumentative mood, then giving knowledge or advice is in vain. In an argumentative mood you feel you know it all. Then you are not ready for knowledge. That is why wise people do not give advice when they are in an argumentative environment.

Argument has a purpose. It can bring out the truth if there is no emotion or sense of "I" attached to it. Argument can also have a disadvantage. It can make untruth appear to be truth.

A wise man will not take arguments seriously; he will just have fun with them. Wisdom is beyond all arguments.
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Both a worldly person and a spiritual person will tell you not to do wrong, though the reasons they give are totally different. A worldly person will tell you not to do wrong because it hurts or causes him pain. A spiritual person will tell you not to do wrong because it would only harm you more.

Exercise :
Identify any one specific virtue or good quality you would like to have. Ask for it on Guru Purnima day (the full moon - July 15-16) and know that you have it.

Desire and Joy

noreply@blogger.com (Alpesh Patel) — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 01:00:00 +0000

All desires are for happiness. That is the goal of desire, isn't it? How often does your desire lead you to the goal? But have you thought about the nature of desire? It simply means tomorrow, and not now, isn't it? Joy is never tomorrow. It is always now.

How can you have desires when you are joyful? And how can you really be joyful now when you have desires? Desire appears to lead you to happiness. In fact it cannot. And that is why it is Maya. What do you say?

Jai Guru Dev

If love is the nature of human, why is there so much hatred among people?

noreply@blogger.com (Alpesh Patel) — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:56:00 +0000

Sri Sri: Because love devoid of knowledge gives rise to imperfection. You love perfection and get angry at imperfection. If you love somebody, you become jealous and possessive.Love is the cause of all problems in the world. Through love, jealousy, anger and hatred all come out.

But we cannot live without love. Even a dog may not like to live without love. It would refuse to eat food, if it is not able to see its master. So love is the most wanted thing for everybody. Yet all these
imperfections and all these problems arise out of love. So what is the answer ? We need such a love which is free from imperfection and that can be attained only through knowledge. "So love minus knowledge is problem and love with knowledge is bliss."

How are you able to fulfill or satisfy so many people at a time?

noreply@blogger.com (Alpesh Patel) — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:52:00 +0000

Sri
Sri: It is all a trade secret. We are all made up of a power called love. If we realize it we will feel that everybody belongs to us. Love means no separateness from others.

Q: What is the difference between Religion and Spirituality?

Sri Sri: Religion is the skin of the banana and spirituality the fruit. We tend to throw away the fruit and catch hold of the skin of the banana and proclaim that my skin is better than your skin and fight. No other nation in the world has given so much importance to spirituality like India.

Q: When we have so many ambitions and responsibilities to fulfill why God does not give us the means to perform?

Sri Sri: Definitely you will get the means; have patience.