How does one find "balance"

You are balanced, take it from now, I am telling you are balanced and move with that. If you think you don’t have the balance, then you struggle more, got it?

Look back and see how much you have grown, there is so much balance that has come in your life, yes. Very good!

Okay now, people the way they are, we simply need to accept them. Some are incorrigible, some people you cannot correct them. Some come and some go and I give them a long rope; I give them enough chances to reform. If they don’t then it is their problem and why should we get upset over it.

Are you getting what I am saying? Yes? And so, from your side feel that inner freedom but don’t shut your door to anybody, keep interacting, what do you say?

Why is India called Karmabhumi?

Karmabhumi means where you are here to do action. You come here to get rid of all your karma. 

And how do you get rid of the karma? Through knowledge. Every part of the world has some specialty. You go to a Scandinavian country and that is known for skiing. You can’t ski in Bangalore. Bangalore is known for chow chow, you know the bulb type vegetable which they cook here. It is so delicious; you don’t get it anywhere else in the world. So nature has put some specialty everywhere.

India has been a spiritual land for a long, long, long time, for millennia. Spiritual knowledge has gone to the world from India. Spiritual knowledge always relieves you from karma and brings freedom and so it is called karmabhumi. But if there is no spiritual knowledge it will no longer be a karmabhumi.

You know Switzerland is known for watches and chocolates. But if other countries are making better chocolates and better watches, Swiss will lose its charm for chocolates and watches.

Similarly Canada is known for maple syrup. You can’t get maple syrup anywhere else in the world. Do you know maple syrup? Many of you have not even heard about it, because we have never heard about maple syrup in this country. Even if you go to Kashmir where there are maple trees, but nobody knows about maple syrup. 

So every part of the world has some specialty and India has been endowed with this special gift of spiritual knowledge. That’s why Jesus came here and stayed for twelve years in Mylapore area and learned spirituality. And then went back to teach people. And Muhammad said, ‘I get cool breeze from the east’, from India. So from ages spirituality has found its roots in this country but it is fast vanishing. We need to water it and keep it up, okay?

How does one balance wisdom and emotions and avoid depression?

When you feel you are getting into depression it is wisdom that takes you out of it. It is emotion that sinks you into depression and it is wisdom which takes you out of the depression.

At least you had this intention to ask the question. Wanting to know the answer itself shows there is some wisdom there.

Often depressed people don’t talk at all. They don’t answer, they don’t ask questions and they don’t want to do anything. But this is good, you have this much wisdom that you wanted to ask this question. You wanted to get out of depression. You are already out of it, okay!

Do Sudarshan Kriya and some more advance courses and you will easily come out completely.

How does one connect to the Source?

Don’t see the Source as something far away and try to connect to the source. Just relax! Whenever you relax you are the Source. In the spiritual plane, only relaxation, doing nothing, connects you to the Source.

Mind and body works on completely different laws. Body works on effort. To build muscles you will need to put in effort effort. But to improve your memory the more effort you put, you will drain your memory power. For memory power what do you have to do? Relax more, rest more.

So the mind works on relaxation and effortlessness and the body works on effort. And this is the beauty, this is the combination.

Mind is infinite, body is finite and life is a combination of finite and infinite.

Significance of numbers

Every number is associated with something sacred and has sacredness to it. That’s why when the Rudrabhishekam is done, all the numbers are said.

Number 1 and 2 are very sacred. Number 3 is also sacred. Number 3 is associated with so many things, Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh; satva, rajas and tamas; vata, pitta and kapha; morning, afternoon and evening; present, past and future. So number 3 is very sacred.

Then number 4 is more sacred. The four directions; the four Vedas has so much sacredness attached to it. The most sacred of the symbols, Swastika, has four corners. 

Then number 5, the five elements which are very sacred; the five organs of senses; five organs of perceptions; five organs of action. Pancha Devata, there are five important categories of Devatas. A village panchayat has only five members and so 5 is very sacred. 

Then comes 6, Shad Darshanas, the six systems of Hindu philosophy; Shadangas, the six angas are very important. Then the sixth sense, you say the mind is the sixth sense.

Then 7; seven swaras, seven chakras, seven days of the week, seven planets.

8 has its own sacredness, Ashta Dikpalakas, are the eight divine entities ruling eight quarters or the universe, Ashtadhatu, eight metals which are very essential for the body. Ashtalakshmi, the eight types of wealth. So 8 has its own significance. 

Coming to 9, Navagrahas; Navaratna, nine gems; Navaratri, nine nights. In nine months a child is born. There are nine types of bhakti. 

10 and 11 is also sacred. No number is left which is not sacred. In the West number 13 is considered unholy, but in India no number is considered unholy or unlucky. All the numbers are good numbers. Every number has some significance, some glory attached to it.

What is Prayaschit?

‘Prayas’ means become young again. ‘Chit’ means your mind becoming young again. Your chitta, mind or consciousness becomes old when it is bogged down by regrets. To remove the regrets becoming new and young again is what prayaschit is. 

I did a mistake, never mind now I am going to chant ‘Om Namah Shivaya’ and do my pranayama. Pranayama is the best prayaschit and when you do pranayama all that energy that is bogged down wakes up.

Should we or shouldn't we share our feelings with others?

Yes, you can share your feelings but don’t dwell on them too much. 

Observe if by you sharing your feelings whether you are doing any good to yourself or your loved ones. Suppose you are not feeling good and you keep telling your friends that, are they going to help you in anyway? 

If you have fever, and you share that with a doctor, he will give you some medication. But if you just keep telling your mother, grandmother and your friends who are not doctors, it is not going to help you in anyway. 

Share those feelings that uplift people. Don’t share those feelings for which no one can help you. Share them only with those who can help you, someone elderly or someone you can trust. With them you can share and take guidance. 

That is why with a teacher, a guide or a Guru you can share all your feelings.

How did Lord Krishna explain all the 700 shlokas in the Bhagavad Gita on the battle field?

Sometimes you don’t need so many words to communicate. Communication happens faster, but when written it becomes longer.

In those days wars would go on for many days. Mahabharata war also went on for many days and the preparations were for many days. So it is possible that Lord Krishna spent one whole afternoon in brainwashing Arjuna.


Since Arjuna thought he knew everything, Lord Krishna had to talk to him and convince him in many different ways. So it is not an impossibility.

When you feel weak and are in tears...

When you feel weak, I am with you as your strength; you are not alone. Whenever you feel weak, know that you are not alone. 

Be clear with what you want in your life and what you want to do. Then plan and move on those plans. 

Sitting and crying, being emotional is not going to help. Wake up and see this is the world and the world has its own metrics. See how you can move forward.

Blissed out or blessed

You cannot be blissed out if you are not blessed. 

My dear everything has its place. Eyes have its place, ears have its place; we do not need to go into comparisons. 

You are riding a motor bike and you are wearing a shirt that has buttons. Just imagine all the buttons are gone while you are riding. What will happen? The shirt will fly to your face and you will hit something. It could cause a fatal accident. 

So how important are the buttons on your shirt? It is as important as your own life. It can save your life!

Easy way to deal with confusion

I know you have a lot of confusion. 

There is a Chinese proverb that says, ‘The best thing to do when you are so confused is to take a pillow and go to bed.’ 

When you are so confused any choice you make, you will think something else is better. So leave it to nature and go to bed. Then whatever falls into your lap that is what your choice is, just accept it. 

This is what Chinese people do and they are doing well.