The Art of Living ashram recently had 1,200 youngsters interact with Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in Bangalore
In the Ashtavakra Gita, it is mentioned that “If you hate people, in the next life you become like them”. If someone hates a non-living thing or object, does one become a non-living object?
Objects are different from people. You don’t become an object if you hate it, but if you hate a person you will become like that person!
Who was born first, God or human?
Just like a tennis ball has no beginning and ending, similarly, God is never born and is always present.
When we see a movie for two hours, we need meditation to remove the impressions of the movie. Every moment we get impressions; how do we get rid of all the impressions accumulated from this lifetime?
Do you know how one uses the blackboard? We write and then dust the blackboard. Suppose, we write and overwrite and do not dust the blackboard, will you be able to read anything on the board? Similarly, meditation helps you to get rid of impressions accumulated through life.
How does one manage both studies and service?
Do you know how to ride a bicycle? The same way, you balance your studies as well as service activities.
When we see something shocking or dangerous, we become unconscious. Where does the mind go when we become unconscious?
When you sleep, where do you go every night? The same place the mind goes when we become unconscious.
What is ego?
Ask anyone to give you a negative comment, and see what happens. If someone criticises you or accuses you of a mistake, do you get hurt? That is ego.
What is soul-to-soul communication?
Do you feel relaxed when you are communicating? Are you confident your communication has been heard totally? When you don’t have a doubt whether someone has understood what you are saying or whether they will misunderstand you, and when such questions don’t arise, that is soul-to-soul communication.
What should I follow? My ambitions or my passion?
What is that ambition which does not have passion and what is that passion which does not have ambition?
How do you tell whether you are on the right or wrong path?
Time will tell you! The right path will give you happiness and the wrong path will make you miserable. The right path is that which gives short-term challenges, but long-term goodness. The wrong path, on the other hand, is that which gives short-term happiness but long-term problems.
How do I deal with bad thoughts?
Thought is a thought; don’t label it. Let it come and go.
I have very big dreams but my own people make fun of me….
Let others make fun of you but you hold on to your dreams.
It is said that in every life, we come here with a purpose. How do I know what is the purpose of my life?
Good! Keep asking yourself this question. One day, you will discover the reality.
Why do our parents suffer for the wrongs that we do?
If you do wrong, your parents will have to suffer. If you break your neighbour’s glass window, the neighbour will catch your dad and not you. We should not do any action which will cause trouble for others.
What is your opinion on capital punishment?
Capital punishment is no good. When we don’t know how to give life, then we also do not have a right to take it away. People who commit heinous crimes should be given life imprisonment. They should learn to meditate, sit in spiritual discourses and get reformed in the process.
People say God is only one, so why do we pray to different types of God?
You go to an ice-cream parlour or a chocolate store. How many types of ice-cream do you get? There are many varieties, right? But all are ice-creams. Similarly, God is one but we worship him in many forms.
