What Sri Sri said today
Rishikesh (India), March 3:
Rishikesh (India), March 3:
Q: Please talk about spirituality. People have so many notions of spirituality and meditation. I don’t understand what does it actually mean?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: We want to achieve success in professional life. Isn't it? That's why we take up an enterprise or profession. That provides you means to have comforts for the body. Yoga, meditation and spirituality are about giving comfort to your soul. When the room is very hot, you switch on the air conditioner to give some comfort to the body. AC (Air conditioner) for the mind is meditation – Absolute Comfort to your mind.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: We want to achieve success in professional life. Isn't it? That's why we take up an enterprise or profession. That provides you means to have comforts for the body. Yoga, meditation and spirituality are about giving comfort to your soul. When the room is very hot, you switch on the air conditioner to give some comfort to the body. AC (Air conditioner) for the mind is meditation – Absolute Comfort to your mind.
Q: Is criticizing anyone bad?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: In life we don’t want anyone to think badly about us. We don’t like if a few people say bad things about us. Do you also do same with people? Of course, you can't always say that all the apples in the basket are good. Sometimes you have to criticize. But when you criticize, let it come from your lips only and not from your heart. Don’t hold on to it in the mind. Don't hate anyone. It harms only you and no one else.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: In life we don’t want anyone to think badly about us. We don’t like if a few people say bad things about us. Do you also do same with people? Of course, you can't always say that all the apples in the basket are good. Sometimes you have to criticize. But when you criticize, let it come from your lips only and not from your heart. Don’t hold on to it in the mind. Don't hate anyone. It harms only you and no one else.
Q: Guruji, what has more significance - doing the Sudarshan kriya or praying to you?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You are important. You are the one who prays. It's you who does the Sudarshan kriya. All this is for you, so that you can become centered and so solid that no one can take away your smile. This capability is only within you. If you don’t want, then nothing is possible. Everything depends on you.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You are important. You are the one who prays. It's you who does the Sudarshan kriya. All this is for you, so that you can become centered and so solid that no one can take away your smile. This capability is only within you. If you don’t want, then nothing is possible. Everything depends on you.
Q: Does the master find disciple or disciple finds the master?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: How does it matter whether you find master or the master finds you? It is sufficient that both have met.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: How does it matter whether you find master or the master finds you? It is sufficient that both have met.
Q:Does guru come at the end of a yug?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Not just at the end. He can come at any time. Jab guru aate hai tab naya yug shuru hota hai. Shuru mein bhi aate hai, beech me bhi, ant mein bhi. (When the Master comes, a new epoch begins.)
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Not just at the end. He can come at any time. Jab guru aate hai tab naya yug shuru hota hai. Shuru mein bhi aate hai, beech me bhi, ant mein bhi. (When the Master comes, a new epoch begins.)
Guru is not a person. Guru is embodiment of wisdom.
Q: What is the significance of Kumbh mela?
(The Kumbh Mela is one of the most sacred pilgrimages in Hinduism. The word Kumbh has been derived from the Sanskrit word Kumbh meaning 'pot' or 'pitcher' and Mela means 'festival' that is why it is known as "the pitcher festival". It is a fair that energizes your mind and soul)
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Ganga is a symbol of knowledge and Yamuna symbolizes love. Prayag (where Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati meet) is the unity of love and wisdom. When love and wisdom meets, celebration happens.
(The Kumbh Mela is one of the most sacred pilgrimages in Hinduism. The word Kumbh has been derived from the Sanskrit word Kumbh meaning 'pot' or 'pitcher' and Mela means 'festival' that is why it is known as "the pitcher festival". It is a fair that energizes your mind and soul)
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Ganga is a symbol of knowledge and Yamuna symbolizes love. Prayag (where Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati meet) is the unity of love and wisdom. When love and wisdom meets, celebration happens.
Kumbh means coming together of saints, scholars and katha vachaks(story tellers). They participate in discussion and meditation with the sankalpa(positive intention) of universal benefit. People needn’t go to all the different places. They can all come to one place. The concept of mela started in India. Nowadays we call it expo. There are expos for motors, books, clothes, to present all the products in one place. On similar concept all the saints used to congregate in one place once in 12 years. In those days transport facilities were not so extensive and traveling would take so much time. Kumbh mela provided an opportunity for people to converse and exchange knowledge with each other.
If you see it from planetary perspective, Kumbh happens when Jupiter enters Aquarius. By bathing in the Ganges the chitta (consciousness) becomes joyful. Your consciousness is purified. The sins are washed away. It's so beautiful. The sins are so superficial that just by a dip in the Ganges they can be washed away. The ever-pure consciousness can never be dirtied.
“That which you cannot express is Love.
That which you cannot reject/renounce is Beauty.
That which you cannot avoid is the Truth.”
That which you cannot reject/renounce is Beauty.
That which you cannot avoid is the Truth.”
~ Sri Sri Ravishankar
© The Art of Living Foundation For Global Spirituality
