Orissa, (Sri Sri University site) December 16:
The youth of India have inherited this great country. I want the youth to take responsibility for the society. We want a corruption-free society. The second goal is that we need an intoxication-free society, otherwise we can never progress. Youth are the only hope. It’s very necessary that you (the youth) take this step right away!
Focus on studies, work and knowledge, and leave the rest to the Divine. I am so happy to see such an enthusiastic youth group coming from this part of the world. You should know, we have The Art of Living throughout the world today. You go to the South Pole, tip of Argentina, and you will find The Art of Living. You go towards the North Pole, you will find The Art of Living there. You have a family which is spread across the whole globe, and each one of you is a very important member of the family. We have such a big family, and we have a responsibility too, to work for a happy and celebrative society, a society which is free from violence, and a society which is spiritually uplifted. I want each one of you to multiply 100 times, reach out to schools and colleges and make life a celebration.
And be assured that your needs will be taken care of. You do for the Society what Society needs, and leave the rest on me. You will see, your needs will naturally start getting fulfilled. Whatever you wish, will happen.
Q: What is it that I should do in the future?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Whatever you did in the past which was not to be done, don’t do it in future as well.
Do something that brings a smile on your face and that of others.
Q: What is my existence?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: The same question you would have to ask yourself again and again. Until you don’t get the answer, don’t leave the question. We will keep pushing you to get the answer. It’s a very precious question!
Q: When I do something good, even then my parents sometimes don’t let me do that. How to go ahead in such a situation?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Take this as an opportunity to bring out that skillfulness in you. It is like if cloth has been tangled in a bush, you need certain skill to gradually remove it from there. You don’t run, but patiently deal with them with your skill. Have such a skillful conversation that they get agree to whatever right you say.
Q: What is spirituality?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Being able to feel a connection with everybody is spirituality. The skill to feel connected with everybody and to know the Truth is spirituality.
Like this flower is matter. But from a scientific perspective, this flower is made up of molecules, the molecules are further made up of atoms, atoms of sub atomic particles and those further are made up of only wave function. In quantum physics, they say this is only the wave function. Similarly, to understand the Source and Base of the whole world is spirituality. Intuitively knowing the DNA of the flower is spirituality.
Q: Is education all about passing examination and getting good marks. Is it not about something more?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: What do you think?
(The person replies) I think it is because of our parents’ attitude that we think so.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, but you should also study. Any way, you have to flow with the system. Though, examination is not the only thing. If you fail also, then never mind. That doesn’t mean you should take some stupid steps. That is no good. At the same time, you should attend to your exams. Education is very important.
Q: When can I be like the Divine?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You are already now.
Q: What is the most important thing in a student’s life?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: A career is important, and along with that the development of the overall personality is very important. Both go hand in hand. Some are only into career, and some are only into personality development and no career. Lacking in any one, you won’t feel that satisfaction. So, take both along
Qualification as well as personality development. And qualification not only for certification but for gaining knowledge, and then that lightness of heart and smile that comes from the depth of your heart should be there, and a multi talented personality. Most of all, you have to come across as a nice person.
Nice doesn’t mean being goody goody, but being strong. Of course, your soft words have effect, but be strong at the same time. That is what happens in the DSN (program). It makes you so strong and unshakable from within.
Q: What should be one’s main motive in a student’s life?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: The main motive is in life. But students are time bound. Main motive in life should be to see a better nation, a better world. When you have love for your nation, achievement also happens.
Q: I feel sad and sometimes outraged looking at the corruption around. When will we have a Divine society to live in? What should be done?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: When people like you will collectively move ahead, then definitely it will happen. But if corruption goes on increasing like this only, then forget about that, it will not happen in 2060 as well. There is no end to it. That is why, only now is the time. There is corruption in bureaucracy, there is corruption in media, there is corruption in the entertainment industry, and only a wave of spirituality can cure this.
You know some of our children wanted a license for a factory, and they refused to pay any bribe. They said that they follow spirituality, and they are not going to pay any bribe. They confidently agreed to come back ten, 30, 50 times if needed, but they got the license the very next morning. If people of the society will be on the right path, then officers will automatically start following you. If society is corrupt, the officers are also corrupt, then that becomes an accepted norm. When you make your mind strong, when you take this conviction to be not corrupt, people also change.
Q: How to have focus while studying?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Do at least something. Sometimes a little pain is also good. Like if you cannot walk, but when you participate in a marathon, you put in your 100 percent. Isn’t it? Like if you are thrown in an ocean, until you don’t find the shore, you continue swimming. Would you leave in between even if you are tired? So, even if you don’t feel like doing, it is boring, take it as a challenge, “I will somehow finish this subject”. Even if you don’t know swimming, you get to learn that in water.
Q: (A boy discussed some personal problem) I find it difficult to have that sense of belongingness with everybody. What do I do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Having a sense of belongingness doesn’t mean to flow emotionally. Use your intelligence. Do only that what you can do. What you cannot do, nobody will expect that from you also.
Q: How to change the system? Sometimes I feel very outraged and I don’t get to understand how to stand up against that. Please guide.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, you are right. That is why we all have to work together. We can achieve a lot when we do something together. When you know, there are so many people with you, you get that confidence. Come up with your ideas. Float your ideas. Those who have interest in spirituality, those who have human values should run the country. When some mean people get into power,then it creates problem for the whole nation. We will have to choose the right people. There should be an independent agency. The agency where they can check any corruption, an agency that is independent of the government so that it can also check corruption at the government level as well. The path is long, and you will all have to work for it. The path is long, lots to do, and I am confident that you people can do it. Then nobody will be able to practice corruption.
Q: I was once told that Yogis do not meet with the God, have you ever met with God?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: First tell me, who is God according to you? Somebody sitting up in the heaven! No! God is that from which nothing can escape. When the mind is totally relaxed, it merges in the Divine, it relaxes in the Divine. The whole point is to relax the mind in that soothing consciousness. When the wave is on the surface, it is a wave. But when it identifies itself with the depth of the ocean, it becomes the ocean.
God is love and it is inside each one of us.
Q: How does one experience that blissful divinity with in?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Meditation, Seva/Service and Satsang.
Q: Is it ok to ask God helping us in exams, to get us through the examination? Does it happen?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Whatever you need to wish, you can do that, and it gets fulfilled. God is a very lively and loving consciousness. That is why, desires get fulfilled.
Q: Do the ones who have died, feel something? Is there anything after death?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, it happens for some time. At least the effect of worldly memories remain up to one year, and then it fades away slowly in next two – three years.
Q: Does everybody need a Guru?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Do you need an answer? If yes, then yes. If some people do not feel the need, then also it is alright. When you ask a question, and somebody gives an answer, the one who gives you the answer anyway plays the role of the Guru. You need medicine, and you go to a doctor. The one, who gives you medicine, becomes a doctor. Similarly who gives the answer, you accept him as your Guru.
Q: Why do I feel de-motivated sometimes?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Because you are into so much of television and newspaper reading. So, you need such company which motivates you. In wrong company, one feels de-motivated. You should take it as a challenge – I won’t be de-motivated come what may.
Q: What is the difference between spirit and the Universal consciousness or God?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Like an atom is inside the molecule, one that is subtle than the spirit is God. The connection is even more subtle than that between a molecule and atom. According to ancient science, if you bisect one hair vertically into 100 parts, and you take one out of those, you further bisect in 100 parts and then take one out of those. And even repeating the same process, what you get is a molecule. Even much, much smaller than that is an atom. Even subtler than that is ego and that which is more subtle than that also is the mahatattva/grand element. The one whose ego has been totally dissolved, he is called Mahatama.
© The Art of Living Foundation
