Q: Guruji, singing Shiva and Krishna songs in satsang make many people wonder. Although we imbibe so many good vibrations this still makes some people think that we are singing Hindu songs. Why do we sing songs of so many Gods? People from other religions get confused between the real meaning of satsang and the symbolic meaning behind mantras.
Sri Sri: The sound of ‘Om namah shivaya’ includes all the five elements – Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Ether. Hinduism is not a religion as such. People have been chanting this for thousands of years. Mantras are those sounds which you hear from deep within during meditation and the aim is to bring one back to the source. During later days, people started putting faces and drawings to these mantras. Mantras have got certain vibrations/ energy. They are universal.
Even in churches in Latin America ‘Marnah nath’ is used. Its translation in Latin and Sanskrit is so close. For ‘Lord’ the word in Latin is nath and also in Sanskrit the word nath is used to mean ‘Lord’. So the word marnah nath meaning ‘My lord’ which is used in Christianity is actually a Sanskrit word.
Chanting in Sanskrit is beneficial because Sanskrit is the oldest language known to mankind. It has a deep impact on the consciousness. We welcome all songs – Japanese, Korean, Spanish. Any song you want to sing is welcome. We sing a lot of songs in Spanish and Portuguese in satsangs in South America. Of course, in India everybody easily connects with ancient mantras. Take any language you want but along with it take this also. How many of you feel singing and chanting these mantras creates some vibrations? (All raise hands in affirmation) It’s obvious. In Vedic chanting, many times you don’t know even the meaning but it has some effect.
In the morning we did Rudra Abhishek, this has been practiced for over thousands of years. We use crystal, milk, yoghurt and flowers etc. They all create a certain impact and send out positive vibrations.
Q: We are hearing so much about Shivratri. What is the importance of Shivratri?
Sri Sri: We are either in the sleeping, waking or dreaming state. Shiva is the fourth state of consciousness - the meditative state. On that particular day, just before the new moon arises people stay awake all night and celebrate. The belief is that whatever you wish for comes true. For the general public, the night of Shiva is the night of celebration. For the wise seekers who are on the spiritual path, every day and every night is a celebration.
Q: What is the rule to be reborn? Who maintains records of all human beings? Why don’t we remember anything about our non-physical form?
Sri Sri: It is not very difficult to know. You can do the eternity process and you could know.
Q: Guruji when will we witness something bigger than the Silver Jubilee Celebrations?
Sri Sri: Should we do something bigger than Silver Jubilee? (A big yes from the audience) Yes, why not? Next year in 2011, the Art of Living will complete 30 years, 3 decades . Let’s see. We will plan something. You also plan. Let us make a pool of ideas.
“That which you cannot express is Love.
That which you cannot reject/renounce is Beauty.
That which you cannot avoid is the Truth.”
~ Sri Sri Ravishankar
© The Art of Living Foundation
For Global Spirituality
