Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
What is there in the astral plane? Can you please explain?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
What we see in this world is just the tip of an iceberg, let us keep it that way. There is a lot we don’t know, there is a lot which is much deeper, vaster and wider. Today scientists say that there are millions of worlds. There are millions and trillions of Suns.
How can we get out of the cycle of life and death?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Why do you want to do that? It is because you are tired of this. So that is why I say -- if you get into meditation, you will find peace.
When you are playing, if you get tired you go home and rest. When you feel rested you are ready to play again. When someone who is playing is tired they need rest. They get some rest and then go out to play again. This is what liberation is.
We have come here (to this world) to play. The one who is liberated likes to come back again. This is what Shankarcharya also said in Bhaja Govindam -- “My house is up in the heaven, called Surataru, here I have just come to play for a while".
Why do young and good people die before old people? Is it karma?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
This is one of the five eternal secrets. You don’t ask me -- 'Why do unripe fruits fall off trees', or 'Why do buds fall out without blossoming'. It is a part of nature. Let us do all that we can to prevent such things, like the gardener who does all he can to stop the small coconuts from falling before they mature.
Due to disease, due to whatever reason things happen, but beyond all this there is one more step, and that is of karma. Karma is very deep, if you go deeper into it, it is mind boggling. This whole phenomenon of life is an eternal continuum and it is programmed to come at a certain time and leave at another time. All that we can do is to try to prevent mortality and then leave the rest to the divine law.
You cannot say in the beginning itself that I have left it to the divine law, and do not do anything about it. As human beings it is in our nature to do whatever we can to save.
Is it compulsory to light a lamp in the pooja room?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
No, it is not compulsory. It is your choice.
You be a light to yourself. Our body is like the wick and consciousness is the light, that is important. But it is nice to keep a little ritual at home, lighting a lamp or doing some ritual creates an atmosphere. It is done only for that, not to please God. It brings a certain serenity in the environment.
While living in the bondage of mundane worldly activities, how can we keep our minds free of bondage?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
If you think it is a bondage, it becomes a bondage. If you consider it as service or seva, it will not feel like bondage. If someone tells you, you have to do this work, then it seems like a bondage, but if you do on your own and if you do it with your heart then you will keep doing it.
In our ashram, we have to tell some people to get some rest. We have to tell a lot of them to take rest as they put in their heart and soul. And there are some people who don’t do anything. So we cannot have the same solution for everyone. For some people, we have to tell them to do some work, and for some we have to tell them to stop and relax a bit.
The mind is the reason for the bondage, and mind is the reason for liberation. If your mind is happy, doing anything gives you pleasure. But if your mind is upset and heavy, then nothing seems to create an interest.
You cannot give anyone pleasure or sadness. It is everyone’s fate to receive what is destined for them. But that should not prevent you from bringing happiness to others. Do not refrain from making efforts on your part.
During the Sandhya Vandanam, we say, ‘I am the Brahman’. But after it, we bow down to the directions. What is the meaning of this?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
See, it is all an exercise to keep the mind free, that’s all. We bow down to all the directions, that is the way we get our mind free from all that bugs that bother our mind. So if you like it, do it, if you don’t like it, then don’t do it! It’s only an exercise to free ourselves. That’s all I can say, I can’t speak for people from the past who made it, or who didn’t make it. All I can say is, look into your own mind and see how you can save your mind.
One very beautiful thing that we can remind ourselves again and again is kshama (functioning in the now). Kshama means utter peace from inside and mental centeredness. It is saying, "Come what may, this wealth of mine (peace) will never go, this is part of me".
This you must carry -- that you have the wealth inside you called kshama. The moment you remember this, the restlessness and all the chattering of the mind starts easing out.
Kshama is the original clear glass that is transparent. If it’s not transparent today it is because of the dust, but it is going to settle down. All the buzz and activity is like the dust on the glass. Remembering the glass is very transparent and very clean, the dust will start giving way, clarity will dawn. In meditation, that’s what you should do. When you sit in meditation, just let go, then you will find that deep inside, the peace that you are, which is unblemished, untouched, unspoiled and intact.
It is said in the Vedas, knowledge came from Hayagriva, the man with a face of a horse. What is the significance of horse in the scriptures?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Horse is called Ashwa. Shwa means yesterday or tomorrow. Ashwa means now. So the word 'now' in Sanskrit, is the same as horse. That one word, Ashwa has two meanings:
1. Now or the present moment
2. Horse
So instead of saying - all the knowledge came in the moment, they said it came through the horse!
In Hayagriva, haya means head.
When your head is in the present moment then knowledge just comes up from within.
I know all The Art of Living teachers have experienced this. Haven’t you? You don’t know the answer to the questions that your students ask, but you are able to answer them! So where did the knowledge come from? You were in the moment, you were connected to the ocean of knowledge, the tradition of knowledge and so you were able to just download it instantaneously. That’s what it is.
Gurudev, are you happy?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
How do I look? Do I look happy? I’m very happy that you are all here. You have traveled from so far away; took so much trouble to come here, how can I not be happy? You have all come from all over the world, spending so many hours on the flight. I only want you to be really comfortable and happy.
During the Sandhya Vandanam, we say, ‘I am the Brahman’. But after it, we bow down to the directions. What is the meaning of this?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
See, it is all an exercise to keep the mind free, that’s all. We bow down to all the directions, that is the way we get our mind free from all that bugs that bother our mind. So if you like it, do it, if you don’t like it, then don’t do it! It’s only an exercise to free ourselves. That’s all I can say, I can’t speak for people from the past who made it, or who didn’t make it. All I can say is, look into your own mind and see how you can save your mind.
One very beautiful thing that we can remind ourselves again and again is kshama (functioning in the now). Kshama means utter peace from inside and mental centeredness. It is saying, "Come what may, this wealth of mine (peace) will never go, this is part of me".
This you must carry -- that you have the wealth inside you called kshama. The moment you remember this, the restlessness and all the chattering of the mind starts easing out.
Kshama is the original clear glass that is transparent. If it’s not transparent today it is because of the dust, but it is going to settle down. All the buzz and activity is like the dust on the glass. Remembering the glass is very transparent and very clean, the dust will start giving way, clarity will dawn. In meditation, that’s what you should do. When you sit in meditation, just let go, then you will find that deep inside, the peace that you are, which is unblemished, untouched, unspoiled and intact.
It is said in the Vedas, knowledge came from Hayagriva, the man with a face of a horse. What is the significance of horse in the scriptures?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Ashwa. Shwa means yesterday or tomorrow. Ashwa means now. So the word 'now' in Sanskrit, is the same as horse. That one word, Ashwa has two meanings:
1. Now or the present moment
2. Horse
So instead of saying - all the knowledge came in the moment, they said it came through the horse!
In Hayagriva, haya means head.
When your head is in the present moment then knowledge just comes up from within.
I know all The Art of Living teachers have experienced this. Haven’t you? You don’t know the answer to the questions that your students ask, but you are able to answer them! So where did the knowledge come from? You were in the moment, you were connected to the ocean of knowledge, the tradition of knowledge and so you were able to just download it instantaneously. That’s what it is.