Tue, 03/27/2012
You are one but yet each one feels that you are connecting and talking to them. What Wi-Fi connection or system are you using to do this?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Yes, there is only one Sun, but it enters into every window totally.
What are the effects of Gambling and what does it do to the mind?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
We should learn the lesson from the Mahabharata war.
Gurudev, every form is Shakti and every formless is Shiva, then what is the representation of breath?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
It is both a combination of Shiva and Shakti. The breath connects them both.
Gurudev, I am very grateful to be with you. Please tell me how did you choose me?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Because you are worthy!
Gurudev, please tell us how to make the relationship between India and Pakistan stronger. As a young individual what should I do? I think the rivalry should only be limited to cricket.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
The friendship between India and Pakistan should increase. More and more people should meet each other from both the countries and tolerance should increase in both countries. Then the relationship will improve.
Even after chanting the name of God, the mind is not contented and happy. What to do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
That is why we have the Art of Living Course. When you will do Sudarshan Kriya then in the very first sitting itself you will experience so much of contentment and the mind becomes so peaceful. Just experience it.
That is why so many thousands of Muslim people have done the course in Pakistan, and then called me there. Why? Because they did Sudarshan Kriya and they felt connected. They started feeling good, they experienced completeness and a change happened in life. So you also do the Kriya.
Gurudev, what is the significance of Japa Mala?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You know when someone is in love with somebody; they go on taking their name so many times. They write their name everywhere, on the stones, on the walls; have you noticed this? I know this boy who fell in love with this girl and he wrote the name of his girlfriend all around the room. All the four walls were filled with that. Why? That is Japa.
You know when someone writes a letter they write, ‘I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you’, so many times. Why? They should have written only once, that is enough. But no, the mind wants to repeat it. In the same way, if you are in love with the Divine and you say, ‘Om Namah Shivaya, Om Namah Shivaya, Om Namah Shivaya’, and go on repeating that.
You know when someone writes a letter they write, ‘I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you’, so many times. Why? They should have written only once, that is enough. But no, the mind wants to repeat it. In the same way, if you are in love with the Divine and you say, ‘Om Namah Shivaya, Om Namah Shivaya, Om Namah Shivaya’, and go on repeating that.
Dear Guruji, can you speak on the seven chakras and the effect of the panchamahabhuta on each one of them.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
The panchamahabhuta has effect on all the chakras. Stomach is connected with fire element; the swadhisthana chakra is connected with water element. The heart is connected with the air element, the throat with the ether element and the mooladhara chakra is connected with earth element.
Dear Guruji, I have heard you saying that we should bring out our originality. I made a list of activities and I found that most of them are copied. How to make my activities absolutely original, like you.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Just relax and be yourself. Go deep in meditation. Meditation is the source of creativity.
People who are religious and who follow their dharma, why do bad thing happen to them?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
It happens, sometimes, but be patient for some time. It will be okay and you will move ahead in life.
Gurudev, there are many instances when the evil goes unpunished and the good goes unrewarded. Why?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
It appears that evil goes unpunished and the good goes without reward. It just appears but not really. In the long run the good will always be rewarded and the evil will always be punished.
Somebody in my family is about to die. What can they do at this point of time?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
You chant for them and bless them.
Gurudev, I feel that I crave recognition constantly, how to drop this?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
First step is that you have already noticed that you are craving for recognition, and the second step is it will itself get dropped. It will happen.
Even in your presence why is black magic still prevailing? Please get rid of this.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
All of you chant Om Namah Shivaya, and then no black magic will have any effect on you. Don't worry; everything will be all right.
Gurudev, when Mahmud of Ghazni attacked the Somnath temple in Gujarat, then the Pundit of the temple told everyone that Lord Shiva will help us and there is no need to fight. All the soldiers surrendered their weapons but even then they were defeated. So who is the ultimate God?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
See, that was a wrong thing they did. Shiva is there but he tells everyone to do their dharma, to fight against injustice. Otherwise why should Shiva have a trishul in his own hand? You have seen, all the Gods and Goddesses have shastras (weapons) in their hands. Why should they have weapons? Because intention as well as action, both should go hand in hand.
So Lord Krishna was giving knowledge and yet he was having his Sudarshan Chakra also.
So God is only ultimate, because there is only one God.
This is what they asked me in Pakistan. They said, ‘Why are there so many idol worships?’
I said, ‘In India also we believe in only one God, but that one God is worshiped in so many forms and so many ways.’
So it is one God who comes in many uniforms. God is not in the military; in the military they always wear the same type of dress. Our God comes in all the names and all the forms, but it is only one Divinity.
So just one idol, one Shiva Linga, or one Shaligram is good enough. In your temples you don’t keep so many idols, they all are just symbols of the one Divine.
Originally in the Hindu tradition the Pooja was done only for the fire and the Kalash, this is how it started. But when the Jain religion came and when they put idols and did such wonderful worship to the idols, the Hindus also felt that we should also do something. Then the Hindus started making different idols. Before there was only one Shiva Linga, that’s all!
So Lord Krishna was giving knowledge and yet he was having his Sudarshan Chakra also.
So God is only ultimate, because there is only one God.
This is what they asked me in Pakistan. They said, ‘Why are there so many idol worships?’
I said, ‘In India also we believe in only one God, but that one God is worshiped in so many forms and so many ways.’
So it is one God who comes in many uniforms. God is not in the military; in the military they always wear the same type of dress. Our God comes in all the names and all the forms, but it is only one Divinity.
So just one idol, one Shiva Linga, or one Shaligram is good enough. In your temples you don’t keep so many idols, they all are just symbols of the one Divine.
Originally in the Hindu tradition the Pooja was done only for the fire and the Kalash, this is how it started. But when the Jain religion came and when they put idols and did such wonderful worship to the idols, the Hindus also felt that we should also do something. Then the Hindus started making different idols. Before there was only one Shiva Linga, that’s all!
I am stuck between God and the world. How to step away from the world and attain God?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
God is not far from you. You just need to relax. In relaxation there is God. Surrender and then relax. When we know how to relax, before and after working, then one goes into deep meditation and the connection with the Divine is established.
