Feb 2011, Bangalore Ashram
Q: What are the ingredients to be successful? How come Lord Krishna found Success in everything He does?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: For success in life you need yukti (skill) and shakti (strength), Bhakti (Devotion ) and Mukti (Freedom).
Freedom and love in personal life! Without freedom you will find no love and without love there is no joy. Freedom doesn’t mean doing anything. You follow some norms, a little discipline. And in social life you need shakti and yukti, strength and skill. And this is what Ramayana and Mahabharata tells you.
Though Duryodhana had all the power but he had no yukti, no bhakti. The skill was with Krishna and so he won.
Q: During the time of Buddha it is said 10000 people were enlightened. In your time how many will be?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: This time the number will be even greater! :)
Q: How much importance should we give to Vaastu Shastra in our life?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: It is an ancient scripture which has scientific basis. It says which direction the wind blows, which direction the cosmic energies are moving. Unfortunately, we don't have the whole of Vaastu Shastra. Lot of it is lost, destroyed. So whatever we think we have and our Vaastu people have, we are making use of it. Take it with a pinch of salt. There is something interesting about it, there are scientific validations to that. There are scientific validations to ancient thoughts. Just that not explained scientifically. We need to understand some of the customs properly. More research is to be done.
Q: Guruji what is the difference between love and attraction?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Attraction is short lived, but love lasts much longer. Love takes you in, the other is exterior!
Q: Guruji, I have had a wonderful experience of doing the Part 1 course. I humbly request you to not enter politics and continue the good work that you are doing.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I have no intention of going into politics. But when politician are doing something wrong, I have every right to squeeze their ears.
Q: When mind becomes imbalanced will meditation help?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: It is just a matter of time. Some moments you feel shraddha, bhakti etc. have just gone. Once that time is gone, it will come back. Even when mind feels restless, just sit in Satsang. Do more pranayama and see the difference.
Q: How does one know when one has been transformed by meditating? Does a person become aware that he has transformed?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Without doubt you will feel elevated. You don't need another proof. Do you ask someone whether you have pain or not. Similarly when you are happy, joyful you know that you are happy. In the same way it is very obvious when you are calm and serene, turn back and see what were you before and how the knowledge has transformed you now. That contrast, that difference will tell you.
Q: Here you are teaching about the organic farming and rural development, I would like to know about all this so that I can go back and start something.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You can go on the Ashram tour. You can go and visit the pathshaala, the goshala. One of the best Ayurvedic hospitals is coming up here. In Ayurvedic College, there is an exhibition about herbs, how each and every aspect of creation can help us. They are very nicely done. They put the herb and how and for what it is beneficial. See when you consume a whole herb, it has a different effect. In allopathy, when you are extracting only a portion of the herb and not the whole, it doesn’t leave that effect. So, the chemicals used adversely affect the body.
Q: Can love happen twice? Husband and wife are already in a relationship? Can husband or wife start loving someone else?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Tell me are you single or married? Ok, so you are single. If you are married and your wife tells you that she loves someone else, then how will you feel?
(I will feel bad.)
If you flirt with someone else, she will feel the same. Once you decide to get married, then just be faithful. Before choosing you can look for suitable match, but once you decide, settle down. Is that a good idea?
Rise in love, don't fall in love. I see that so many youth, they are in love with someone and the person they are in love with someone else, so they make a whole emotional mess in the mind. Please don’t do that.
Love is eternal and life is eternal. If it is not coming to you in one form, wait it will come to you in another form.
Q: Why swamis have beard and long hair?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: We do 100%, either we take everything off or keep everything. But it is no sign to get beard or long hair to get enlightened. Anyone can get enlightened, anyone can meditate.
Outer appearance is immaterial. This is just a uniform.
Q: When we take rebirth when does the old soul enter the body?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Rebirth happens! So many times we have died and taken birth. Soul can enter the womb at any one of the three times: at the time of conceiving, or the 3rd month of pregnancy, or at the time of birth. Many souls race and from these souls only one gets the body. In a race only one comes first, right? Sometimes, there are two then there are twins!
Q: 2011 will be yugantam (end of the world) according to many beliefs. Please speak on that.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yugantam is another transition of time. Nothing is going to happen.
Q: I am into a field of research where I try to figure out the reasons of chaos in the world. In one of my researches when I was finding some conflicting threads in various religious prevalent beliefs, I found both Lord Budha and Lord Shankarya Charya had spoken of Soul. Can you throw some more light on seeming different statements of the Masters as per different times?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Lord buddha said that everything is nothing. Everything dissolves into nothing. He said, I meditated to see the soul and found no soul.
Shakaracharya said: “Who searched? Who found that everything is nothing? Who said I did not find the Atma? That is Atma. That is what upanishads say. Buddha says the whole universe is empty like the space, Shankara Charya says the whole universe is full like space - everything is in space.
Q: There are two concepts: Re-incarnation and heaven and hell. Please speak about them!
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Re-incarnation is very scientific. Matter and energy cannot be destroyed. Mind is energy! It has been scientifically proven that re-incarnation happens. You need to read more!
Q: Guruji how to handle a teenage child?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Teenagers, when you have to manage them, you should know how to ride a horse - neither too lose nor too tight! Some times you let it loose, sometimes you hold it tight. So keep a balance.
© The Art of Living Foundation
Q: What are the ingredients to be successful? How come Lord Krishna found Success in everything He does?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: For success in life you need yukti (skill) and shakti (strength), Bhakti (Devotion ) and Mukti (Freedom).
Freedom and love in personal life! Without freedom you will find no love and without love there is no joy. Freedom doesn’t mean doing anything. You follow some norms, a little discipline. And in social life you need shakti and yukti, strength and skill. And this is what Ramayana and Mahabharata tells you.
Though Duryodhana had all the power but he had no yukti, no bhakti. The skill was with Krishna and so he won.
Q: During the time of Buddha it is said 10000 people were enlightened. In your time how many will be?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: This time the number will be even greater! :)
Q: How much importance should we give to Vaastu Shastra in our life?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: It is an ancient scripture which has scientific basis. It says which direction the wind blows, which direction the cosmic energies are moving. Unfortunately, we don't have the whole of Vaastu Shastra. Lot of it is lost, destroyed. So whatever we think we have and our Vaastu people have, we are making use of it. Take it with a pinch of salt. There is something interesting about it, there are scientific validations to that. There are scientific validations to ancient thoughts. Just that not explained scientifically. We need to understand some of the customs properly. More research is to be done.
Q: Guruji what is the difference between love and attraction?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Attraction is short lived, but love lasts much longer. Love takes you in, the other is exterior!
Q: Guruji, I have had a wonderful experience of doing the Part 1 course. I humbly request you to not enter politics and continue the good work that you are doing.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I have no intention of going into politics. But when politician are doing something wrong, I have every right to squeeze their ears.
Q: When mind becomes imbalanced will meditation help?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: It is just a matter of time. Some moments you feel shraddha, bhakti etc. have just gone. Once that time is gone, it will come back. Even when mind feels restless, just sit in Satsang. Do more pranayama and see the difference.
Q: How does one know when one has been transformed by meditating? Does a person become aware that he has transformed?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Without doubt you will feel elevated. You don't need another proof. Do you ask someone whether you have pain or not. Similarly when you are happy, joyful you know that you are happy. In the same way it is very obvious when you are calm and serene, turn back and see what were you before and how the knowledge has transformed you now. That contrast, that difference will tell you.
Q: Here you are teaching about the organic farming and rural development, I would like to know about all this so that I can go back and start something.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You can go on the Ashram tour. You can go and visit the pathshaala, the goshala. One of the best Ayurvedic hospitals is coming up here. In Ayurvedic College, there is an exhibition about herbs, how each and every aspect of creation can help us. They are very nicely done. They put the herb and how and for what it is beneficial. See when you consume a whole herb, it has a different effect. In allopathy, when you are extracting only a portion of the herb and not the whole, it doesn’t leave that effect. So, the chemicals used adversely affect the body.
Q: Can love happen twice? Husband and wife are already in a relationship? Can husband or wife start loving someone else?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Tell me are you single or married? Ok, so you are single. If you are married and your wife tells you that she loves someone else, then how will you feel?
(I will feel bad.)
If you flirt with someone else, she will feel the same. Once you decide to get married, then just be faithful. Before choosing you can look for suitable match, but once you decide, settle down. Is that a good idea?
Rise in love, don't fall in love. I see that so many youth, they are in love with someone and the person they are in love with someone else, so they make a whole emotional mess in the mind. Please don’t do that.
Love is eternal and life is eternal. If it is not coming to you in one form, wait it will come to you in another form.
Q: Why swamis have beard and long hair?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: We do 100%, either we take everything off or keep everything. But it is no sign to get beard or long hair to get enlightened. Anyone can get enlightened, anyone can meditate.
Outer appearance is immaterial. This is just a uniform.
Q: When we take rebirth when does the old soul enter the body?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Rebirth happens! So many times we have died and taken birth. Soul can enter the womb at any one of the three times: at the time of conceiving, or the 3rd month of pregnancy, or at the time of birth. Many souls race and from these souls only one gets the body. In a race only one comes first, right? Sometimes, there are two then there are twins!
Q: 2011 will be yugantam (end of the world) according to many beliefs. Please speak on that.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yugantam is another transition of time. Nothing is going to happen.
Q: I am into a field of research where I try to figure out the reasons of chaos in the world. In one of my researches when I was finding some conflicting threads in various religious prevalent beliefs, I found both Lord Budha and Lord Shankarya Charya had spoken of Soul. Can you throw some more light on seeming different statements of the Masters as per different times?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Lord buddha said that everything is nothing. Everything dissolves into nothing. He said, I meditated to see the soul and found no soul.
Shakaracharya said: “Who searched? Who found that everything is nothing? Who said I did not find the Atma? That is Atma. That is what upanishads say. Buddha says the whole universe is empty like the space, Shankara Charya says the whole universe is full like space - everything is in space.
Q: There are two concepts: Re-incarnation and heaven and hell. Please speak about them!
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Re-incarnation is very scientific. Matter and energy cannot be destroyed. Mind is energy! It has been scientifically proven that re-incarnation happens. You need to read more!
Q: Guruji how to handle a teenage child?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Teenagers, when you have to manage them, you should know how to ride a horse - neither too lose nor too tight! Some times you let it loose, sometimes you hold it tight. So keep a balance.
© The Art of Living Foundation
