Gurudev's talk 2nd May 2008 and another good talk

Guruji's talk on 2nd May 2008

*2nd May 2008*

*Bangalore** Ashram*

The thought that came to me after the last nights Satsang with Guruji, was
that, my whole life should go in thanks giving. All I should be doing in
this life is, shut my eyes and be grateful to what I have got after the
Master has touched my life. Mind blowing question and answer session with
Gurudev is as follows.

*Question:* Guruji, all the thoughts that cross our minds, good or bad are
because of our past life karmas. Things happen in our life are due to karma
in our life. What is the fastest way of washing away our karma and be free?

*Guruji:* Knowledge. Knowledge is the only way. Knowledge is who you are.
Knowledge that makes you understand that 'am not the doer, things are
happening. It's not that knowledge which you studying the books. What is
karma? You know karma is the inherent tendencies. And when you are aware of
it, it changes. Suppose you get irritated. Now if there is the awareness in
the mind, then you are able to drop it. You know you think, 'o o am getting
irritated, my mind it getting irritated'. That's how you can wash away
karma.

*Question:* Guruji in one of your books you said, that 'faith' giving a
chance to the divine to work. But in most situations our mind cannot rest,
it starts working. What should we do?

*Guruji:* Don't worry about it. Just move on. Look ahead of you. Don't keep
thinking oh I don't have faith. Like you know when you are driving a car,
you just move on, right? You don't look back all the times. If you do look
back all the times, you know what is going to happen! You may crash into
something. Yes you look in to the looking glass to get a rear view, but
that's just once a way. That helps you to avoid accidents! Yeh so just move
on…

*Questions:* Guruji, am a teacher and I teach in a high school. Because of
some management rules and regulations, sometimes I was bound to give grace
marks. This brings guilt in me. I feel am I doing justice to my by promoting
undeserving students. On the other hand I am often told that I should not be
detaining students because by doing this I jeopardize loose a lot in this
process. I am in a dilemma due to this. Please advice.

*Guruji:* (Laughter!!! ) First of all, your education system is faulty.
Secondly your examination system is faulty. Sometimes there are many
students who really do well, they know the matter well, but are not able to
put it across during the examination. Yet there are some students who really
has no interest and does not do well at the examination as well. You know
you should go by your intuition. And sometimes if the student is getting
marks closer to the pass marks, just for one or two numbers, I think you can
give them grace. Again, use your intuition. If you feel that the student has
tried and knows the subject, and just needs a little push, you can give
grace marks. And finally let the luck of the person thank you.

*Question:* Guruji we get stuck in relationships and get entangled, which in
turn gives us a lot of misery. How to retain compassion and avoid
entanglement?

*Guruji:* By knowledge and by surrender. In relationships often you get
entangled and it clutches you. You must know that everything is changing,
and also surrender to the divine. Also by offering some gift to the person,
giving some gifts to the person who you feel you are entangled with, you can
come out of entanglement.

*Question:* Guruji, Janaka got direct knowledge from Astavakra and got
enlightened, Sri Rama got direct knowledge from Rishi Vashistha, directly
and got enlightened, again Arjuna got direct knowledge from Sri Krishna and
got enlightened. When shall I get direct knowledge from you Gurudev?

*Guruji:* I am giving direct knowledge only. Do you think it is indirect?
(laughter!!) Yeh Janaka got knowledge from Astavakra. He said "aho". You
have to get into the space of gratefulness. You must say, "Aho", which means
wow! You need to get into the space of wonder, 'Aho', 'Wow'!!!

*Question:* Guruji, my heart longs to do seva. But when I get into doing
seva, there arises a lot of conflict, which leaves me with some bitter
feelings after that. Seva is not making me contended and on the contrary
leaving me with bitterness, in that case what should I do?

*Guruji:* There is conflict with the nature itself. The five elements in the
nature are in conflict with each other. What are the five elements? Earth,
Water, Air, Fire and space. So, fire is in conflict with air. Fire is in
conflict with water aswell. Again earth is in conflict with water. It tries
to absorb water. Similarly water is in conflict with earth. It tries to
engulf earth! All the four elements are in conflict with each other. Only
space is not in conflict with anything. You know in Sanskrit it is called
'Prapancha'. 'Pancha' is five, 'pra' means exists together, that which
coexist in a special manner. Therefore the five elements coexist in a
special manner and that combines the world. How beautiful!! Is n't it? All
our words are functional. You know English is derived from Sanskrit,
originated from sanskrit. There are several words in English which sound
similar to Sanskrit.**

* *

*Question:* Guruji, Chanakya said that our country is not harmed by any
external enemies. There are internal people who are causing damage to our
country. How far is that true? Please comment.

*Guruji:* When Chanakya said this, it was a different time. Political
conditions were different, people were different, in that context he must
have said it. We should not misquote and apply it in different context.
Chanakya would have said that because you know most of the times, good
people in our society don't want to get into politics. They want to be free
from politics. Like here there are so many of us do not go to vote. How many
of us do not vote raise your hands? See there are so many! That's why
Chanakya must have said such a thing, that good people are not taking
responsibility, they are spoiling the country. People were good yet they
never went for any seva. That's why Chanakya must have said such a thing.
You know most of the times you get spoiled by your friends. Supposed you get
influenced by your friend, be aware. They act very devoted to you, and you
get carried away by their devotion, but actually they have a mission which
they want to accomplish. They keep telling to "oh this is not ok, that is
not ok"!! There are so many families in this country which got split up
because of this. Industrialists, big industrialists! At one time they had
everything; they had towns built on their names. Name a product and they
were into manufacturing that!! Now, I don't want to take names, but I think
you all know. Because of some petty manager, they started doubting each
other. Brother, starting doubting the other brother. This manager, who was a
dear friend, spoiled the head of the brothers and filled in negativity in
each others mind!! You don't need anyone from outside to spoil you, no
enemies can do that. Your own inside people who you trust like friend, are
doing it to you. That's why Chanakya must have said that. Now as a result of
this internal conflict what happened? Our own country was affected. When two
brothers fought the country was affected!

*Question:* Guruji, sometimes there are some political leaders who are doing
good work for the society, but the party which he belongs to is not doing a
good work as a whole. In that case, what should we do?

Guruji: (Laughter!!) At a local level you should vote for the person. But in
the bigger level it is good to see the policies. There are some politicians
and political parties who are there in the post from so many years. Give
them a break. Make a choice for your nation. I think you should not vote
them every time. Let it be alternatively. Once let it be this one, and the
other time let it be the other one. I would say that is a good choice.

Question: Guruji, in business we have to think of making profit. Then
compassion takes a back seat. How should we balance in that case?

Guruji: Yeh, in business you should only think of business. Do it 100%. And
when you make profit, from that do compassion 100%.

Question: Guruji, when we meet someone for the first time, we form certain
likes and dislikes, which stays back for a long time. What should we do?

*Guruji:* I want you to go beyond your likes and dislikes. Shun the
prejudice. Don't get stuck up. Look around you everything is changing. You
know prejudice is the worst enemy of wisdom!!

*Question:* Guruji telling lies is not the right thing to do, yet at times
we have to tell lies because that makes work move easily. What should we do
in that case?

*Guruji:* Well if it pricks, then you may avoid. Sometimes truth can be
harsh! Like if you tell a blind man that you are blind, that's a truth and
yet it is hurting someone. Sometimes a doctor knows that a patient is going
to die, yet he never says, 'oh you will die'!! Such truth can be a sin. Do
you see this? A wise knows it all, but wouldn't say. Truth is the state of
mind at that point of time. The feelings attached to it, at that point of
time is important.

*Question:* I have a lot of enthusiasm within me yet at times I get in this
deep state of inertia. How do I overcome this?

*Guruji:* There are three reasons what can motivate to come out of your
inertia. One is when you are in *love*. Procrastination can be handled, when
you are in love with the work or the output of the work. Second thing is
when you are *greed*y. Like if someone tells you do your Kriya for 40 days
or 45 days and you will get 1 crore of Rupees. I tell you you will do it for
five days more. Two days in the beginning and two days at the end. You don't
want to take a chance!! Then in that case you may say , 'why 45? Am ready to
do 60 days!!' (laughter!!) . The last reason why you could be out of inertia
is *fear*. If someone tells you, oh if you don't do this you may get a heart
attack! Then you will do it religiously! So there are three things that can
keep you on your toes.

*Question:* Guruji, in one of your meditation programs this morning, it was
told, 'watch and let go'. But in practical life we cannot afford to watch
situations and let go of it without taking any measures towards it. How
would you interpret this?

*Guruji:* No its not like that. Art of Living is taking so many challenges
all over the world. We have accepted that fact that there are climatic
changes that is taking place worldwide. And therefore the immediate
initiative that we have taken is to plant trees. You know we have taken a
sankalpa to plant 10 million trees on the 15th of August.

You know a few days back our teacher went to place in Kerala state our
teacher went to conduct AOL program. There was this DYFI one of the
communist wing, who never allowed them to conduct the program!! It is so
ridiculous!! They came there and started to flex their muscles like the
gundas! Now our teachers are genuinely good people, they don't want to enter
in fist fight and violence. They just cancelled the course. It is
outrageous! We had to inform the participants that if they want they can
come to the next district to take up the course. So we organized the buses
to take them there. The leaders of the DYFI have nothing to say on this! Few
people want to get together and do some yoga and pranayam, these people have
problems with that also!! You know 216 districts of this country are
affected by the naxalites. These are the people who don't believe in
anything other than violence! They don't know what they want! They are
against everything! The kind of harm that they are causing to this country
is immeasurable. The only way to get them out of this kind of a mind frame
is spirituality. They should know what devotion is. Somewhere there will be
a soft corner created in their heart. There will be harmony, belongingness.
Like it had happened during the times of Mahatma Gandhi, during the times of
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Meera Bai. A wave of devotion has to be created.
We want a violent free world and a stress free society. We want a world
where people help each other, honor each other. You know I went to Iraq and
the minister there told me that, "Guruji, we have the money to buy anything
in this world, but we are not able to put our hearts together". He said,
"Only you are able to connect everyone with each other. There are a few
people who have already done the AOL program, and the kind of change that we
see in them is amazing! They have such a heart felt smile all the times.
They have such a readiness to face any challenges with a smile.

*Question:* Guruji, the inner world is so beautiful. It is peaceful, calm
and desire less. But the outer world is just the opposite. How does one
retain the inner peace and yet participate in the outer world?

*Guruji:* That means you have not gone inside much. The outer world is as
beautiful as the inner world. It is not against each other. It is one. You
must honor both. Honor both the inner and the outer world!!!

==========================================================================================

 

Q: Have you ever felt insecure about your looks? How does one overcome that? How do I feel better about myself?

Sri Sri: Are you aware about the story about Ashtavakra - the powerful saint who was deformed in 8 places. When he entered the court of King Janaka all the King's men laughed at him. Ashtavakra said 'I thought King Janaka has surrounded himself with wise men but they are all fools!" When someone is in love with only your looks, what will happen in a few years when the body changes? They are not in love with you they are in love with your looks. They should see the soul connection, honour you for what you are, your qualities...

Q: Do you ever cry?

Sri Sri: My heart cries when I think of young minds that are lost...My heart cries when I think of Virginia Tech. When you are lonely, I feel that. This is such a precious knowledge... it should reach all the young people, all
the schools and colleges...don' t you think so?

Q: I am a Marketing consultant. Often I am struck the desire to do intense service (Seva), and my passion, which is marketing. What do I do?

Sri Sri: You are making me a Marketing consultant (laughter!!) . You know there is a proverb in China. If you are confused, just take a pillow o sleep. And while you are sleeping, things will happen on its own!! (Laughter!!) In life you will never have to face a situation where you have to make a choice between the bad and the good. The choice is always between the bad and the worse, good and the better, the better and the best. Do you see what I am saying.

Q: The mirage is unreal. It disappears on getting close to it. On the other hand the Maya is unreal but do not disappear on getting close to it. It becomes more and more real with the touch and feel. Why is that so?

Sri Sri: Lets understand first what is Maya? That which is measurable is Maya. For example, light can be
measured, air and sound. Everything that we can measure is Maya. On the other hand you cannot say Oh!
I have I kg of love for him or you cannot say I have 5 liters of compassion for him!! (Laughter!!) ...because
it cannot be measured. So Love, Joy, Peace, Compassion cannot be termed as Maya.

Q: What are the realms of existence?

Sri Sri: Oh, there are so many types of existence. (other than human form). There are 5 types � Yakshas, Gandharvas, Kinnaras, Devas (Angels) and Siddhas - Perfected human beings, prophets.

Gandharvas are associated with musicians and singers. The lives of musicians may not be happy but they bring happiness to many around them - this is a sign of a Gandharva being associated with them. It is like Neon signboards. They show different words at different times. At a time, certain bulbs lit up and show words like 'Colgate', next instance, some different words glow and would show 'Coca Cola' or 'Pepsi'. However the bulbs whether lit or not, are present at all the times on the sign-board. Other realms of existence are just like that.

Q: (From a kid) I have only 3 questions for you. 1. Have you ever seen Krishna? 2. How do you see Krishna? 3. What does it mean, the name Krishna?

Sri Sri: Yes, I have seen Krishna because I am God and THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE...God is love. Krishna has a root in the sanskrit - Akarshan, which means that which pulls you the most. the strongest attraction that pulls you is LOVE isn't it? It is love that attracts everything. Everything is made up of that love... if the earth didn't love you, you would be floating, your feet wouldn't be on the ground.

Q: What is the story behind Gurupurnima?

Sri Sri: Acharya (teacher) gives knowledge and Guru gives height of awareness and makes you alive. Acharya gives information, Guru gives intelligence, an awakened intelligence. Mind is connected with moon. Full moon is completion, the pinnacle. On Gurupurnima, the devotee wakes up in full gratitude. Devotee becomes like an ocean moving in itself. It's the time to come in fullness. It's a time to celebrate. It's also called Vyasa Purnima. Vyasa had given knowledge on each and every subject.

So on Gurupunima you remember all Gurus of the past. It is the day when devotee arises in full gratitude, they turn back and see how they changed and developed in the last one year. They assess what lessons they have learned and how they are growing in knowledge. It's reviewing yourself in knowledge. Mind needs to be reminded again and again, so we review it.

Q: People blindly worship a Guru? Is it ok? Shouldn't they just worship the Divine?

Sri Sri: Why does somebody adore someone else? In college, rock star, movie stars, sports players are adored. This adulation is part of human nature. Deep inside it is your ability to appreciate and honor good qualities. This adulation of Gurus has come down the ages. In the East, people took pride in their Gurus. There was a lot of respect but it's missing in the students now. They throw tomatoes at their teachers. We have now gone to the other extreme.

When your life is full, you get a feeling of gratitude. You start with the Guru and end up adoring everything in life. Guru is just a beginning. In India there is a festival in October when people worship everything from cars, scooters etc. Everything is venerated. Divine dwells in every particle. In the East the tradition was that before cutting a tree, you have to plant 5 more. An innocent mind sees life everywhere. Life has to be honored, adored. If you cannot do this, then what else is left in life? It is so dry, just eat, drink and sleep. Whenever you praise, the praise goes to the Divine. If you praise your Guru, the praise goes to the Divine. When you praise someone, you own consciousness is expanding. So for your own sake, adore and venerate others.

Q: What do we do with people who are always complaining and being negative?

Sri Sri: First thing to do is drop the "ALWAYS". Don't generalise and eternalise.. .we do this. When you miss the exit you say oh I ALWAYS do this, I ALWAYS miss the exit. Do you always mix the exit?? Is it possible?? Stop generalising and eternalising the problem. And then, see... if someone is so negative, is your positivity so weak that it cannot withstand a little negativity?? ?

Q: If there is a God, why is there so much suffering?

Sri Sri: If there was no suffering, to whom will you show your compassion? If everyone is contented, who will you console? In some parts of India where there is so much illiteracy, people go to see movies and they throw tomatoes and even shoes at the screen when the villain does something to the hero. You know it's like saying a director is unjust for making such bad things happen to the hero. If someone said that oh it is such an injustice, you would say but it's NOT REAL!!! See, it is not real....it is all a game...

Q: Is there are predestined time of death or can we influence it?

Sri Sri: See, on the motorway, there are many exits points... you can miss some or you can take some exit... in the end, you will have to take an exit for sure...

Q: You tell us not to have ambition, to be centered and then you tell the young ones to dream. It's such a contradiction. ... I am now 30 years old, am I too old to dream, have ambition?

Sri Sri: Look, I will say many things which are completely inconsistent and contradictory. It is then for you to sort it out! [Laughter] To the older ones who get so stuck, I say be content...get out of the mind. But to the young ones, to YES!+, I say DREAM, DREAM, AND DREAM!

Q: What's the difference between sleep, death and meditation? In all 3 we lose our awareness... .

Sri Sri: Now, how do you know about death???!! You have not experienced it so let's talk only about what you know! [laughter] No no, in death you don't lose all awareness. Only two senses go - touch and taste... the soul remains as a pitra soul for some time, attached to the family. One day in the life of a pitra soul is 1 year of a human being's life... The soul has a few years rest before it comes back...

Q: What happens after death?

Sri Sri: There should be some surprises. You know you are all so cynical, science makes you so cynical... whatever happens you say oh I know that, I know this... I know it. So because you are so cynical, nature has left some SURPRISE...

Q: What quality should an ideal disciple have? Do you differentiate between disciples?

Sri Sri: Dont worry so much, just be like a child, and take life with ease. Yes, I differentiate between disciples and you are very special. Each one of you is unique and each one is special, so everyone is different.

Q: Please show me the path.

Sri Sri: Why? Why shall I show you the path? I am not so irresponsible. I�ll take you to your goal. It's my habit. It's the age of aero planes and you are talking in terms of bullock carts. You have sat in plane and your flight has taken off. Now, this plane will take you to your destination, you don�t need to ask for the path.

Q: A devotee is very happy on getting a Guru, does the Guru feel the same happiness in getting a devotee?

Sri Sri: Seeing your happiness he gets happiness.

Q: How to become a sincere devotee?

Sri Sri: Just you have to assume that you are really sincere devotee. You give grade to yourself. I am number 1 devotee. Nobody is like me. But don't think so and so is number 1 devotee and I am number 2. Each one of us should say I am number 1 devotee. Nobody is like me. Then that is how the devotion grows. If you think you are number 2, number 3, number 10, then that much, you will be away from the knowledge. You know this problem is there with many � that after basic course, you continue for sometime then you drop. Then afterwards it becomes very difficult. If you do an advanced course, it will bring you back in the knowledge.

Q: How to find a Guru or choose a Guru?

Sri Sri: �Guru& #65533; is too big for you to make. If you make �Guru& #65533; you are bigger than the �Guru& #65533;. �Guru& #65533; comes in your life in spite of your refusing or rebelliousness. Don't struggle to make a �Guru& #65533;. Just relax. Life keeps changing. Wake up and see. Feel grateful. Give all your garbage to the �Guru& #65533;. �Guru& #65533; makes gold out of garbage. �Guru& #65533; makes a fool intelligent. It is easy to make that change because everyone is made up of
that one thing.
 

--
- Anjana Bhagole
  a.bhagole@gmail.com
  +31-641851810



The sign of life is enthusiasm. The sign of success is smile and joy

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Founder of the "Art of Living Foundation"
www.aofl.nl
www.artofliving.org
www.iahv.org