Knowledge sheet 38

Lord Krishna tells Arjuna that one who is dear to me, who doesn’t hate anybody, who doesn’t have any ego – I, I, me. One who is calm in success or failure. Whatever he gets - sorrow or happiness - he takes it all with a smile.

{Knowledge Sheet} Subject: Nindak neare rakiya - keep your critics close!

Q: Guruji, the world knows you as a spiritual leader. Would you please share your experiences of your knowing that you are endowed with such spiritual power?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: What do you want to know? I am like this from the beginning and I will continue to be like this in the future also. Usually, people come to the spiritual path when they get some disappointment. This is not the case always, but usually it is such. People take sanyas (renounce the world) when they have had failures in their love lives, or some problem or another. Nothing like that, at all for me. In fact, every child is born with spiritual knowledge but when you grow up, you start losing that. A yogi is becoming a child again, getting in touch with your pure essence.

Q: Guruji whenever I think of you I become very emotional, tears begin to roll down and my heart starts melting. What to do? Is it good or bad?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Don’t tag your emotions as good or bad. When your heart opens up tears come, it’s natural. Let it be. It is said in scriptures that tears of love are so precious that even angels run to collect them. Even on heaven, there are no tears of love. The most wonderful thing on the planet, on earth is to have tears of love, tears of gratitude. That indicates that our life is glorious. That makes our life rich and fulfilled. Fulfillment in life is when you have tears of gratitude and that comes by luck. You can’t manufacture tears of gratitude; you can’t put glycerin and have tears of gratitude coming in. When you realize what all you have received in life, your heart opens up.

Q: Guruji, sometimes I feel connected to you and sometimes I don’t. I am confused if you are my master or someone else. What should I do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You know on these matters I don’t give any clarifications. I create even more confusion for you to work on that confusion .You are given an exercise so that you do it. The teacher gives you the problem and he wants you to find a solution to the problem. In schools and colleges you are not given solutions and asked to find problems for that. A teacher’s job is to create confusion so that you can exercise your intellect, your mind, your intuition and your inner voice to see and come up with a solution.

Q: Dear Guruji, our brain is more than a computer. Scientists say that we use very little of our brain. Einstein is said to have used 32 percent of his brain. If we want to use 40 – 50 percent of our brain what efforts do we need to put? What will be its consequences if our brain becomes overactive?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: That’s a problem. So we need to first learn how to calm our mind down. Only a calm mind can come up with collective thoughts. Disturbed and chaotic mind will give rise to chaotic thoughts only and chaotic thoughts are coming in abundance. How to streamline the thoughts is an art in itself, the art of silence. How can you do it? With meditation, the mind becomes calm and collective, thoughts become focused, meaningful, purposeful and focused.

Q: What does a Guru want from a disciple and what does a disciple want from his Guru?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: A Guru only wants the disciple to progress, to blossom, not to be unstable, just be happy, unselfish and serve people. And whatever a disciple wants from Guru, Guru keeps on bestowing that. Initially, a disciple asks for little things and then asks for great things. The Guru sometimes give him the little things he wants and sometimes doesn’t. (laughter)

Q: Guruji, Kabirdas has said Nindak neare rakiya angan kuti shava, bin pani sabun bina nirmal kare suhay How to identify a good critique?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: How can a critique can be classified as good or bad? (laughter) Nindak neare rakiya angan kuti shava, bin pani sabun bina nirmal kare suhay The great Indian saint Kabirdas has said that keep someone who criticizes you close by, that will keep your house, your mind clean - without soap and water. Like you need soap and water to keep your body clean, like that one who blames you, you should keep close by. If everybody around keeps praising you, they may not keep all the facts in front of you. Someone who is criticizing you, will show you your pitfalls. Welcome criticism, anybody who criticizes you, welcome that. Don’t shy away from criticism. Isn’t it a part of DSN? (an Art of Living program) You all have done DSN? You should be able to give constructive criticism and also take criticism. That is the strength. And there is no good critique or bad critique. Keep them nearby means that don’t run away from critique, don’t stop talking to them. You stop talking with someone who criticizes you. Yesterday if somebody criticizes you; you talk to them normally today. Don’t shun them.

Jai Gurudev!

knowledge sheet 37

The guru makes the abstract more real and what you thought as solid appears to be more unreal. Sensitivity and subtlety dawns. Perception of love, not as an emotion, but as the
substratum of existence becomes evident. The formless spirit shines through every form in creation and the mystery of life deepens, shattering the atheism. Then the journey begins!

{Knowledge Sheet} Subject: Our Connection to Nature

The realities explored in science and spirituality are often assumed to be unrelated to one another. Both find their basis in a spirit of inquiry. Modern science is objective analysis, while spirituality is subjective understanding. Science explores the outer world with a series of questions beginning with the basic query, “what is this? What is this world all about,” while spirituality begins with the question, “who am I?”

In the ancient world these two forms of knowledge were not in conflict, but were understood to have a deep and subtle connection. Man’s knowledge of himself complemented his understanding of the universe and formed the basis for a strong and healthy relationship to the creation in which he lived. It is the disconnect between these two types of knowledge which is causing many of the challenges that we face as a global community today.

Ancient wisdom describes human beings as having five layers of experience: the environment, the physical body, the mind, the intuition and our self or spirit.

Our connection with the environment is our first level of experience, and one of the most important. If our environment is clean and positive, it has a positive impact on all the other layers of our existence. As a result, they come into balance and we experience a greater sense of peace and connection within ourselves and with others around us.

An intimate relationship with the environment is built into the human psyche. Historically, nature, mountains, rivers, trees, the sun, the moon have always been honored in ancient cultures. It’s only when we start moving away from our connection to nature and our selves, that we begin polluting and destroying the environment. We need to revive these attitudes that foster our connection with nature.

Today we live in a world where many have become greedy and want to make quick profits and achieve quick results. Their actions disrupt the ecological balance, and not only pollute the physical environment, but also stimulate negative emotions on a subtle level, within themselves and also in those around them. These negative energies expanded and compounded again and again are the root cause of much of the violence and misery in this world.

Most wars and conflicts are triggered by such feelings, and result in damage to the environment, which then takes a long time to restore and repair. We need to attend to the human psyche which is the root cause of pollution, both physical and emotional. If compassion and care are kindled within our selves, they will form the basis for a deeper connection to, and care for, both others and the environment.

In ancient times, if a person cut one tree, he planted five in return. The ancient people did not wash clothes in holy rivers; only ashes from cremation were submerged in the river so that everything dissolved back into nature. We need to revive traditional practices of honoring and conserving nature.

Nature has its own means of balance. If you observe nature, you will see that the five elements which form its basis are opposed to each other. Water destroys fire, fire destroys air. Then there are so many species in nature – the birds, reptiles, mammals; all these different species are hostile towards each other, and yet nature balances them out. We need to learn from nature how to balance opposing forces, within ourselves and in the world around us.

Above all, we need to be able to experience our world with an open mind that is free from stress, and from that place we need to create the means of protecting our beautiful planet earth. For this to happen, human consciousness must rise above greed and exploitation. Spirituality, the experience of one’s own nature, deep within, provides the key to this vital relationship with oneself, with others and with our environment. This connection to our own essential nature eliminates negative emotions, elevates one’s consciousness and creates a spirit of care and commitment for the whole planet.

What would help to elevate our consciousness and deepen our connection? Here are a few basic and effective pointers:

A proper diet. Our food influences our mind. The Jain tradition has done much research on the effect of food on the mind. Ayurveda and Chinese systems and many other native systems the world over have recognized the effect of food on the psyche. Modern science confirms that food can have a direct bearing on our emotions. Emotionally disturbed children tend to eat more and suffer from obesity. A properly balanced diet has a positive impact on our emotions and thereby on our consciousness.
Light to moderate exercise.
Panchakarma. In the ancient medical system of Ayurveda, there is a process of internal cleansing called panchakarma that involves massages, a prescribed diet and cleansing. This has helped thousands of people to come out of stress and behavioral disorders and is also a curative for many illnesses.
Yoga, Pranayama and meditation. These are extremely vital to induce a sense of respect for one’s own body and the environment. They help to maintain a toxin-free system and thereby reduce the occurrence of emotional disturbances.
Music and dance. These can bring rhythm and harmony in the body-mind complex; especially music that is not too loud and violent. Music that is soothing and creates a gentle sway and rhythm in one’s system, like folk and classical music.
Nature. Spending time in nature, observing silence and engaging in prayer is very congenial for helping us to reflect on our own mind.

Last but not the least: service to the less fortunate.

Jai Gurudev!

knowledge sheet 36

Longing and love are two sides of the same coin. You can’t say, ‘I love you but I don’t long for you’. And it is impossible to long for someone without having love. That is why it is said: ‘RadheShyam’. Radha is longing and Sham is love. RadheSham (longing and love) go together in life.

{Knowledge Sheet} Subject: The centeredness of the mind is the most important thing in spiritual evolution

Q: How important is prana (life force energy)? One, of course, is it gives life. How does one improve one’s prana?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Prana is present in everything. In fact, we are floating in air, in prana, an ocean of prana. When the unit of expression varies, it makes a difference. Stones have got one unit of prana. Water has got two units of prana. Fire has got three units of prana. Air has got four units of prana. Plants have got five units of prana. Animals have got six units of prana. Human beings are capable of holding from seven to 16 units of prana. The expression of prana is the whole universe. When prana is lower than one, that’s when you feel depressed. When prana goes further low then you feel suicidal. When prana is normal, you feel normal. When prana is higher, you feel enthusiastic. When prana is very high, you feel energetic and blissful. That is why when people are depressed, low just giving counseling doesn’t work, what needs to be done is to raise the level of prana. When prana is high there is joy, vibrancy, understanding. When prana is low, then the mind starts complaining, depression, lethargy, suicidal tendencies arise. All is play and display of prana.

Q: Guruji, the other day you talked about effort and effortless. But it needs lot of effort to be effortless.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: It’s worth doing it.

Q: Why was Krishna’s navel called Padamnabha (solar plexus)?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: The solar plexus is called the second brain or mid brain. For a yogi, the solar plexus is larger in size. Scientists have also said this. It is small in a person who doesn’t do yoga and meditation. A yogi who does meditation and yoga has a larger solar plexus. When solar plexus is larger, one is creative and generous. When it is smaller, one is jealous.

Lord Krishna is called Padamnabha, his solar plexus was like a fully blossomed flower. Padma not only means lotus, it also means flower. Fully blossomed flower is usually referred to as padma.

Q: There are so many attractions and distractions but still youth are so bored.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Youth are bored and it’s their fortune. If they were satisfied, then growth would have stopped. When they are bored, then the quest comes in them. They are not satisfied with the things available around. And this is the stage when they can take a step to look within, a leap in their inner journey, a step towards spirituality. An interest in higher growth gets kindled, when you are bored with things around. When you find the source of joy within, then obviously everything around is also reflecting the same source of joy, then you find interest in everything. Continuous bombardment of senses by stimuli can cause inertia. Inertia is boredom, is a form of boredom. Again, when prana level goes up, you move from inertia to enthusiasm.

Q: Guruji, you give so much importance to Satsang. Is there any scientific reason behind?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Satsang means the company of reality, being in touch with the truth. Satsang is not just singing. Singing some complicated songs which you don’t understand is not Satsang. Music is a part of it. The second part is understanding the logic. The third part is sitting and reposing in yourself, in deep meditation, being with yourself.

Q: Why does the Divine answer and reward some while the prayers of others go unanswered?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Well, I don’t know why some prayers get answered and some are not. I have no idea. Perhaps it is good for you. Perhaps you may change your mind about what you want. People go for shopping - this often happens at least in India - go for shopping and ask shopkeeper, ‘Can I come later and exchange it if I don’t like it?’ They go home and don’t like it and get it exchanged the next day.

The most unreliable thing you have is your own mind because you don’t know what it likes and when it doesn’t like that. That is why bringing mind to its source is so important. Its centeredness is the most important thing in spiritual evolution. Understanding what is transient and what is permanent, what brings you permanent joy and what causes temporary convenience and long term misery, what causes temporary discomfort and permanent joy and what causes long term discomfort. That is what is called viveka, discrimination, wisdom – knowing this from that.

Q: Guruji can a woman follow Brahamcharya (celibacy)?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Brahamcharya - it’s your personal choice. If you want to get married then marry. If you don’t want to get married then don’t marry. There are people who are married and miserable. There are people who are unmarried and miserable. All I want you to be is wise. Be wise in either case. Be centered. That is most important.

Q: Guruji, are there a fixed number of souls or one soul in the whole universe?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Infinite souls. It’s like asking are there fixed number of stars in the sky? There are infinite stars. Vedic shastra and Agma shastra says there are 224 earths, worlds like ours in this galaxy. There are many but mainly 224. These are the visions of saints who have gone deep in meditation and explored the universe.

Q: You have talked about hidden meanings behind symbols in Hinduism which seems to be very illogical. Could you please talk about many crores of devtas?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Crores, koti means types. 33 crores means 33 types of Divine impulses. In our body also there are 33 types of divine impulses. There are 33 types of genes in our body. A particular type makes the eye, a particular type makes the nose, like that a particular type makes eardrums, hair, nails. All these are made up from a particular type of gene which are of 33 different types.

Like this, there are 33 rays of Divinity. There is one light, one God, one Parmatma yet there are 33 aspects. Devas are the 33 different aspects of Divinity. Here crores is not referred to as a number. The Divine has no form but ancient saints have said you can adore Him in any form or name. All the thousand names belong to God only. This is very, very deep science or deep knowledge. It’s amazing. When you go deeper into this, then you feel the ‘wow’. People - who have written this, have discovered this - have simply stupendous knowledge. The Universe is not so simple. It’s very complex. Modern physics also say that the deeper and deeper you go, there are so many different type of particles. So the universe is diverse. The Divinity which manages, rules, and has made this diverse universe is devta.

The English name, David, is a Sanskrit word. Dev + vid, dev means Divinity, vid means to know. David means one who knows Divinity. Divinity is not somewhere up in the heaven. It is present in the world, universe, everywhere. And it has to be realized when the mind is calm, serene and settled in our heart and when the emotion and intellect merge into a serene blend in silence then you are able to perceive the subtle reality of Universe and that is devta.

Q: When a disciple is dead what is the role of the Satguru?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Satguru knows that there is no death to the disciple. Atma never dies. Even after death he continues to get direction on the path.

Q: Guruji, is it difficult for a woman to organize something for she has to manage the home also. How does a woman do it effectively?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Don’t think of anything as difficult. Even if it is difficult, it becomes more difficult when you perceive it to be difficult in your mind. If you get a difficult task to do, however much difficult it seems to be, know that we have an even greater power within. It is available to us and according to that we get tasks to do.

Q: Is the world permanent or changing?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You can see that the world is not permanent.

Q: What is puja?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: That which is born from purnata (fullness) is puja. When gratitude is overwhelming, the throat chokes in gratitude then whatever action you perform in such a state is puja. We surrender everything – that bhavana (feeling) is puja.

Q: To whom do I surrender?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: To the Divine who resides within me as me, to that Divine I surrender.

Q: How do we remember the good things and forget the bad?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: It is better to forget bad things and it is good to remember good things. Both together are life but we forget this and remember all the negative things. It is important to remember what you hear in Satsang. Forgetting other people’s mistakes is important. Remembering not to repeat our mistakes is important. Remembering lessons from others’ mistakes is also important.

Q: What is meaning of kodagana koli nungitha (a bhajan in Kannada)?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Its meaning is so amazing. I was thinking I was a big person but when I look at the Guru’s feet, so magnanimous. My ego, that I thought was so big and Guru’s feet small, but it was the reverse. The feet of the Guru swallowed my big ego.

Q: What is the meaning of Ashwamedha?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Ashwamedha means to purify. Shwa means that which is the past or future. Ashwa means that which is present and medha means cleansing. Ashwamedha is when the cleansing of the mind and buddhi (intellect) happens in the present moment. Keep the mind/buddhi (intellect) in the present moment.

Q: How to increase atmabal?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Atmabal…do prarthna(prayer), pranayama, sadhana.

Q: What is Guru tattva and who is Guru?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Guru tattva is viveka, discrimination. Does it matter who the Guru is? It is enough to take the knowledge and move forward. Don’t worry who the Guru is.

Jai Gurudev!

knowledge sheet 35

You have already broken it the moment you realize the pattern. You realize it is your own mind’s making and that it has happened over and over again. This realization will come in its own time. And when this happens, be happy and grateful. Imagine where you were five or ten years back. How have you changed? How much better it has become since then. Put your attention on this. The more we are grateful, the more grace we will have in our life.

{Knowledge Sheet} Subject: That which happens with surrender is love

Q: How to have devotion?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You assume that you have devotion. Don’t strive to have devotion. We should assume that we have love and devotion in us. When you believe in this, the devotion in you enhances. When you think you don’t have devotion at all, it wouldn’t manifest.

Q: Where do you go when you meditate?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I do not go anywhere, I just be everywhere.

Q: When intellect and heart say different things, whom should we follow?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: When it comes to work, follow your intellect. And follow your heart when it comes to service.

Q: How to give 100 percent. I often feel I don’t know how to give my 100 percent?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Do you want the answer?
(Yes from the boy)
Do you really want the answer?
(Yes from the answer)
Do you 100 percent want the answer?
(Very Intense yes from the boy)
Really?
(Calm and Enthusiastic Yes from the boy)
See, you already have it.

Q: Is it true that my previous and the coming generations also get the merit when I meditate. Are my parents also benefitted when I meditate?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, there is something like that also.
Q: I read books on knowledge. How do I know that knowledge is only at intellectual level or is actually realized by me?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: It is very simple. You go to a restaurant and you read the menu card. By the time you have eaten it, you know you have eaten it. Experience is so irrefutable. Reading about back pain in a book and actually having back pain are different. So, it is very obvious. Your experience is what is most important.

Q: What is the relation between meditation, sleep and dream?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You have used three different words; you first tell me what definition do you have for these three?
Meditation is when you are awake as well as relaxed.
You don’t know anything in deep sleep. Only after you wake up, you get to know that you were sleeping. And a dream is a dream. The experiences that you already have had, when those reflect again in your mind, your consciousness, that is dream.

Q: There are some blind faiths like not doing certain things on tuesday or thursday, or not crossing the path when a cat passes by. Do these carry any truth in them?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Nothing in all this according to me.

Q: Which has a higher place – Devotion for the country or for the religion?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Why to prioritize out of these two? You tell me which has higher value out of seeing and listening. Both have their own place and both go simultaneously.

Q: Is it love or surrender when I feel your presence in meditation?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Surrender with love. And that which happens with surrender is love.

Q: When something great is accomplished, normally some sort of celebration is conducted. We were also expecting a huge ceremony after the completion of Ashtavakra Geeta, but nothing special of that sort happens?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: There is celebration here every day, it never ends. There is a lot left yet.

Q: What to do when love, devotion and faith gets shaken?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: That is very good. It goes deeper when it is challenged, true love and devotion gets deeper. Testing times comes in everybody’s life. You pray and sometimes your prayers don’t get answered. 10 times you get what you wanted, and when 11th time you don’t get, you start complaining. Is it the case? (The boy said, “Yes, one of my friends ditched me and I am feeling intense pain”). That is when you pull on yourself. Keep on your practices. God is in every heart, everywhere, all around you, and inside you. He knows what is best for you and he will give you the best.
That is why when you ask for something, ask this or something better.

Q: Why do negative feelings like regret and frustration exist? Has anything productive ever come out of them? And if not, what is the way to turn these emotions into productive one?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You should read ‘Celebrating Silence’. I have answered all these questions there.

Q: If we are not getting something even after putting in continuous effort, should we accept the reality as it is, or should we keep on praying to get it?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: If that is very much needed by you, you would not be able to go without praying. And have this faith that God will give you what you need.

Q: Do numerology has an effect? There is a number which I consider lucky for me, and there are certain numbers which are not so lucky. Is this just a notion in mind or the effect actually exists?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: That has some effect but the power of chanting ‘Om Namah Shivaye’ mantra is much more. The power of mantras can nullify the effect of any unlucky numbers, and then all the numbers will be lucky for you.

Jai Gurudev!

Knowledge Sheet 34

Vairagya or dispassion is associated with viveka or the power of discrimination. When we were small children, we wanted to have cotton candy or lollipops and toys. As we grew up, these desires dropped by themselves. We became dispassionate about toys but got attached to something else. In course of time, desires drop effortlessly. When we move ahead with awareness then our attachments drop even faster, and with love.
{Knowledge Sheet} Subject: ‘Divine is my very own’

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Daily Sutras and Knowledge Sheets 5th Oct.2007,Delhi The auditorium was fully packed withyoungsters, without any space to stand seeing this, GURUJI said:"Before we make this world a better place to live,lets make some place for people who r standing"... this is how he started the talk. The empty space on the stage was filled with 25, 30 youths and Guruji was sitting in the middle. He said yes those who are young at heart, those who are full ofenthusiasm, one who has this spirit of inquiry. Have you noticed youth always asks,why to put this bindi? why to do pooja, why to bow down?And spirituality is something which kindles this enthusiasm, sustains it and never let it down. In India, never there was this conflict between science and spirituality. In this country, both started with experience first and then belief followed. Whilethe whole world was in conflict between spirituality and science, In India it did not happen at all.1) What is the difference between science and spirituality? HE said pointing towards the rangoli on the floor: Asking "what is this"? is science and then he pointed towards his heart and said what is this? is spirituality. 2) Guruji I always have this judgmental attitude towards everybody is it right or wrong? Do u like it when people judge you all the time. NO isn't it. Then why to judge others. 3) Are we all destined to do something or be something, or do we have choices?Yes and NO. There are few things u can have control over and there are something which u cannot change. for e.g. whenit rains , you have the choice to get drenched or cover up with umbrella or raincoat. This is in your hand. But its raining that is already destined.. 4) How to handle Business and spirituality?Business is done through the head and spirituality through the heart. Never mix the two. 5) What to do when we love somebody and he/she rejects you?Love is the precious thing, you have offered her love and she rejected, that is her problem, her ignorance. You shouldmove on.6) Do you believe in spirituality?I don't believe. Belief happens when u don't know about something. So I don't believe in spirituality, I KNOW it. 7) When we do satsang, we enjoy 100% but when we sit for sadhna mind does not stay at one place, it runs here and there. What to do? Pay attention to your food Habit, food plays an important role. If you notice those who study in college or school, after the lunch break, the next lecture you don't pay much attention, you become dull. The area of your attention contracts. Thishappens when you eat carbohydrates like paratha, curd, lassi.. So lets do one thing for one week or 2 days we will eat only salads, green vegetables and have juices. You will notice a big difference in your focus and concentration.8) Guruji is it ok to fall in love in the student life? It will be ok if you fall in love with your studies and books, your career's that you will not regret in the future. 9) Guruji how to be consistent in getting good performance in my studies, my studies goes up and down?See if you have the sankalpa of what you want you will have what you want. Sankalpa is very powerful. So if you havethis sankalpa that I have to be consistent, it will happen.After the Question and Answer session...He made us do a meditation and at the end of the program. The whole stage was covered by 50 ,60 youths climbing the stage to meet the Master. He left everybody so mesmerized and fulfilled in such a short time.

Jai Gurudev!

Knowledge sheet no 33

“Life needs to be a perfect balance between sound and silence, between dynamic activity and stillness, between being funny and jovial, and then being serious. If one aspect is missing, life is incomplete. If you are only serious, and not funny, then it’s not complete. If you are only funny, you become superficial. You are not deep. Silence is our ability to switch between them, this is most important.


{Knowledge Sheet} Subject: "When you are filled with Divine love, then there is no desire for liberation nor sadness due to bondage "

Knowledge sheet no 32

The effect of divine energy is such that it transforms all the negative tendencies in the mind. Whatever has been said in Yogasutras, “Tat sanidho vair tyaga”, is very true – One gets free from the feeling of animosity in the company of truth, in the company of those who practice meditation.

{Knowledge Sheet} Subject: Everybody has independence of karma as well as effects of previous karma in his/her life

Q: If whatever we do is in search of happiness, then why is there so much pain and misery in the world?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: There is a story of Mullah Nasurudin. His wife was pregnant and the time of delivery had come. But the baby was not coming out. When doctor told this to Mullah Nasurudin, he ran to the market, bought a toy, and kept that toy in front of her wife. He said, “After all this is my child, so he will surely come out with greed”. Whole our life we keep on running behind things with the hope of getting something. We keep on looking for some kind of profit. How would such person experience happiness? Neither does a greedy person get happiness nor does a person who is bombarded with too many desires. The one who relaxes in his consciousness is happy. One, who is centered, experiences the true happiness. I am not saying there is no happiness in the outer world, but the happiness you get when you go within is incomparable.

The world is running in search of happiness. The body gets baked, the mind gets baked, the intellect gets deluded but still we keep on getting stuck in the same repetitive cycle. When you meet Guru, you come to know that you are the source of happiness. Then the mind calms down, and you realize that you are the one in whose search you kept on running here and there.

Q: There has been life for so many centuries on this planet. I wish to know why is it that some creatures live a prosperous and extravagant life, and yet there are some creatures who do not even have enough to eat? What is the basis on which a creature gets birth?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: This is one of the five secrets – the secret of birth. Nature has been very kind that birth has been kept as a secret. Otherwise, you would be living a miserable life remembering all previous incidents that happened in the past lives. But a time will come in your life when your mind would be completely established in the present moment, memory would awake, and you will remember what you were and who you were in your previous births. It is alright if it does not happen with some people.

The whole world is made up of cause and effect. If somebody is rich, that has a reason. If somebody is poor, that also has a reason. But does that mean we don’t have any independence of Karma? You definitely have freedom. We have been given discrimination. So, we do have freedom of karma, and also we are bearing fruits of past actions also. It is like you get some capital from someone. Now, it is up to you what do you want to do with it. A poor man can become rich, and a rich can become poor. There are all possibilities. Your karma decided where you were born. But it depends on you where do you want to reach.

Jai Gurudev!