Question & Answers with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Gurudev, it is said that creativity is born out of silence. But many creative works also arises out of deep despair and anguish. Please explain this.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Yes, that is also right. Temporarily for a moment or so, there can be anguish or despair, and creativity comes out of that. But if the despair and anguish continues, then nothing comes out of it.
If despair and anguish alone were the reason for creativity, then places like Afghanistan, Lebanon and Sudan where there is so much despair, such places would have been very creative by now. No such thing has happened though.
You should all remember one thing. Do not think of yourself as insects. You are all great, and you are connected to the Creator of the whole world. Just walk ahead in life with full enthusiasm, and with the faith that the Creator of this creation belongs to you.
Once you have this strong enthusiasm in life, I tell you, no one will ever be able to shake you in life.
You get so upset over small and trivial events in life. You start crying for trivial happenings, and become afraid for such small things. You are spoiling your own life by doing this.
Just have deep faith, and remember that the Creator of the world belongs to you.
'I will surely get whatever I need, and my life will be wonderful. There is no second choice to this at all!’ This is the kind of courage with which you must walk in life. This is the Sankalpa (firm resolve) and the prayer that you should have. Nothing else is needed in life.
Don’t behave like a beggar, always saying, ‘I want this kind of success; I want that kind of fame and money’. It is all useless. Feel that deep connection with the Divine.
At all times, remind yourself that 'I am connected with the Divine at all times. I do not know what God is, or where He is, but I have a deep and unshakeable connection with Him, and that is all I know, and that is all that matters!'
Just have total faith in this. This is like a fish which has that total and utter faith that 'I am in the water (here signifying being surrounded by the Divine)’.
You must just believe that ‘Regardless of the play of events, I have a deep connection with God’. Now, you have never seen or understood God, but the Guru is seen, and he is available to you. This is why the Master is like the door to the Divine.
When you have this complete faith that ‘My connection to the Divine is strong and unshakeable’ then you receive so many siddhis (extraordinary abilities) in life, by way of unshakeable devotion. Then you shall get whatever it is that you desire, and whatever you wish will happen.
A plane ticket that was earlier out of your reach suddenly becomes available to you.
If you want the pouring rain to stop, it will stop. How many of you have experienced this? (Many in the audience raise their hands).
I know that there are four people who have come here who were not able to book their flight tickets a few months ago (because of no availability), but they got the tickets just a few days ago. (Gurudev looks at the crowd for the four people who were unable to get their flight tickets). Raise your hands (the four devotees in the audience raise their hands).
Just see! They were all very tense earlier, when they had not got their tickets. But they were able to book it and have reached here safely.
So it is not a difficult thing to get what you desire.
There is nothing great in asking for small trivial things in life. You should ask for something big in life. Whenever you ask, ask for something big and the best for yourself (from the Divine).
There are so many people in the world who are so miserable, I tell you. Despite many people having a lot of money, there is no happiness on their faces. Despite having fame and prestige, there is no enthusiasm in their lives. So, all these (money, fame, power, etc.) are useless. If you want juice in your life, there is only way: make that strong and unshakeable bond with the Divine. Then you realize that your whole life is such a blessing, that everything in life is such a blessing. Your breath is a blessing, and your mind is also a blessing.
When you accept everything in life as a blessing, then you will have abundance in life, and then you will get what you want, even before asking for it.
How many of you have had this experience, that even before your wanting something, it has arrived at your doorstep? (Many raise hands in the audience) That’s it! This is the sign of knowledge.
The sign of being in wisdom, is having this firm belief, that before you need anything, it is already there, right at your doorstep.
There is no use of getting something after struggling for it all your life. Getting something that you wanted after praying a lot, or getting it late, or not at the right time, is no good.
If you get something the moment you ask for it, then that is good. And the best is, when you get something without even having to ask for it. It is like getting water even before the thirst for it has arisen in you. That is Siddhavastha (having the ability to manifest wishes effortlessly). This shows that you are a Sharanagati (one who has surrendered totally to the Divine). That deep feeling of faith is what you should have.
That is why Lord Krishna has said, ‘Come take total refuge in Me, and I shall liberate you from all your sins’.
If there is some misery or suffering in someone’s life, it is because of sin (wrong deeds). If there is no sin, there can be no misery or suffering.
One suffers because they have done some wrong deed sometime earlier. And there is only one way to be free of this, and that is to surrender everything to the Divine.
Just know that there is someone or some power that is there to look after you all the time. So simply surrender all your problems. Have that faith that the Divine will take care of everything.
When a small child gets himself dirty in the mud, he comes to the mother, and shows her how his hands and feet are all dirty, because he knows she will take care. Children who are one or two years old cannot take a bath themselves, so they come to the mother.
Even if they need their diaper to be changed, it is the mother who has to do it, isn’t it so? You know why the child does this? It is because the child knows that there is someone who loves it very dearly, and who will take care of it at all times.
In the same way, we too should have this deep faith that there is someone who loves us totally and will take care of everything for us. Then we can be free of all our worries and difficulties. If you have experienced this feeling even one, you will simply walk ahead in life with your head held high, and full enthusiasm. You will walk just like a lion and not like some small insect. You will no longer cry over your problems thinking ‘Oh, I do not have this, I do not have that’. You will find that everything you desire will simply fall at your feet.
This feeling is not born out of arrogance. If you have this feeling, it means that you become so natural and blossom so totally from within. Your heart and mind have become open and full of joy, and you carry a sense of centeredness with yourself at all times.
So you should walk like a King and be the perfect servant. Be supple and sensitive, but also be strong (from within).
Often people who are very sensitive are also very weak. They get so affected by what others say. They keep weeping over what others think, or say about them. That is not how you should be. Be strong from within, and know that you can do what you want to do. You can overcome the hurdles that come in life, because you know are not alone, there is someone to take care of you. This confidence has to come from within.
Actually, it is already there. You already have that.
I would suggest you to read Yoga Vashishtha (a sacred scripture narrating the enlightening dialogue between Lord Rama and Sage Vashishtha). There are many audio recordings for it also. It is in both English and Hindi. So just sit back and listen to it. Whenever your mind is troubled because of something, just sit back and listen to Yoga Vashishtha. All your troubles will vanish in a matter of a few minutes.
That is why it is said in the Bhagavad Gita, 'Na hi jnanena sadrusham pavitram iha vidyate. Tat svayam yoga-samsiddhah kalenatmani vindati'. (4.38)
There is nothing that can purify the mind as knowledge.
Why do you have 2 Sris in your name? That’s a tricky one.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Oh, I thought three is too much.
Actually, my name was getting confused with the sitar player. Even big media channels, when Pandit Ravi Shankar passed away, had put my photograph. And all were thinking and saying that I am no more on this planet. I am still here.
So at a point of time, Pandit Ravi Shankar’s name was getting confused with mine. And if you put just one Sri Ravi Shankar, that would be common. So Gurudev could make it a little bit more specific and clear a lot of confusions which were arising, because many times people think that I am playing sitar and come to my program.
Many times, our famous Sitar player got calls to inquire when he was conducting meditation classes. So to save both of us from this problem, we both agreed that I should keep it in this way.
What has been the biggest risk you have ever taken in your life Gurudev?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Well, let me think. There is not one, in fact any challenging thing that comes in front of me, I simply jump into it, whether it is going to Iraq at the time of war. I like to go on adventures.
Gurudev do you take days off where nobody knows where you are?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
I don’t think even now people know where I am. Even though they see me around, they may not know where I am. I take day off every day few minutes when I go deep into myself in meditation. And of course, for five days I do take silence once in a year.
But at other times there are a lot of people around me too. I don’t need to run away from people because I never do anything which is not in my nature.
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Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Dharma is that which upholds you. Truth, honesty, compassion, service – these are all in one word called dharma. Duty, one's nature, virtues, values – if you want to put one word in which all of them come together, we say dharma. That which gives you comfort, that which uplifts your spirit, that which upholds your mind, body and soul complex, that is dharma.
Gurudev, what is the meaning of Upvaas (fasting)? What food should we eat during these days? In different parts, people eat different things. Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: When we eat too
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
When we eat too much then we feel sleepy. We get this feeling of inertia. Upvaas means to live near (up – near, vaas – live). Live near whom? Near the Divinity. It means sitting near the Divinity. And when will you be able to sit near the Divine? When your stomach is not over filled.
Fasting is also done to give the stomach some rest.
In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna says, 'Naty-asnatas 'tu yogo ‘sti na caikantam anasnatah'. This means, remaining hungry is also not good. It is prohibited in the scriptures. Krishna says that yoga is not for one who doesn’t eat at all, and it is also not for one who overeats. So then how should one fast? By having a fruit diet.
You can have fruits. They get digested in 20-25 minutes. So take light food which you can digest easily. Take less than what you have normally and do it only for as many days as you can do. You should listen to your body.
You are not fasting for God. Fasting is for the self, for the purification of one’s own body. If you think that you will make God happy by fasting, then you are mistaken.
Fasting is not for pleasing God but for the purification of one’s mind, body and subconscious.
Gurudev what is your message for everyone?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Every face on this earth is the book of the universe, the book of God. Everybody is a fountain of love. Let this love be expressed, let this fountain flow, and enrich our planet at this time. Love and blessings to all of you.
Gurudev often love dies after a few years of marriage. How to stay in love forever?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Never doubt the love of your spouse or ask them to prove their love for you. The burden to prove something is very big, it is terrible. If someone tells you to prove it to them that you really love them or not, it weighs very heavy on your heart. Never ask for proof of someone’s love.
At time, their expressions may change, it may become a little different. If you find that their attention towards you is getting lesser, ask them, 'Why you love me so much', instead of complaining that they don’t love you. Then even if they do not love you so much they will start loving you more.
One must take a positive outlook towards the expression of love. It’s a delicate thing. You cannot force someone to love you. It’s impossible. It’s also impossible to force yourself to love somebody. It all has to dawn from within you in a natural and delicate manner. This is where you need skill and the skill comes to you from wisdom
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Gurudev if love is our existence why do we feel loving only towards some people?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
The expression of love is different with different age groups. With children your love is different, with adults your love is different, and with elders your affection is different. There are many colors to love. Love for God, love for country, love for planet earth, love for trees, they are all different expressions of one thing that is your very existence, which is love.
Gurudev, how do I explain the idea of success to my children in simple straight words?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Children do not mind success or failure. For kids I would say leave them as they are and don’t try to put a concept of success or failure in their minds. Let them experience life in totality; as it comes to them.
For adults I have a different formula. For adults, measure your success by the numbers of hours you smile. Your smile and your confidence indicates your success. Your fearlessness and ability to share and care for people indicate your success.
As far as kids are concerned, tell them that whatever is the result, it is fine. Whether they win a prize or they lose, its okay. If they pass an exam or if they do not do so well, it’s okay. Just remind them that they need to pass the exam, need to study little more, and put a little more effort. Do not try to impose this idea that they have to be successful in life. This can become a big tension. Many teenagers have this tremendous pressure to be successful and they land up with many psychosomatic illnesses. So I would say that the natural and creative tendency that children have should be protected.