Ashtavakra Gita – Cont…

Day 7 : May 28

Tu hi sagar hai tu hi kinara … Guruji is reading Ashtavakras book, there is a hushed expectant beautiful Silence..

Our venerable old Sage Swami Pragyanand is speaking, Guruji requested Him to speak first… Narayana Narayana Narayana Narayana

Knowing many things is not enough, every thing is incomplete unless you can know the substratum of where everything comes from

Figuring out where the mind is coming from is really worth finding out- how? Witness whatever is arising in the mind through deep relaxation

And now Guruji will start to speak…

The reason for sorrow is a limited view of life, there is only joy when the intellect has expanded

The intellect which looks back and sees to it that it doesn’t repeat mistakes of the past in the future can be called … Well, intelligent

Making the same mistakes again n again is the mark of a (loosely translated) stupid animal

The fire of desires has burned you, some coolness in your mind and heart will come when you focus on one desire, the desire to rest within

As you can see your face in a clean mirror, that way Divinity can be seen in a calm relaxed mind

again and again clean up your mind, stabilize yourself within yourself

How space is there within and outside a pot, God is also within and outside you, you, your body, mind etc are floating in Divine Consciousness

Relax. wait. don’t search. wait. stop. just know this, you are floating in God. Every atom IS God. You have never been seperated from God

And never will you be seperated from Him. Juuuuust relaxxxxx……………

Bhakti never dies, but can be veiled, if veiled you may not feel the connection, but know that it is there, you will feel restlessness then

This restlessness will go away, don’t worry. Feel blessed its there bcoz it means Bhakti is right there and will soon shine through

Whatever you are doing, continue doing, but know deep within you are doing nothing – this is what it means to drop doingness…

While doing, be a witness to all action… That’s it for tonight, Jai Gurudeva! Waves of Love from the Bangalore Ashram – bawa

Day 8 :May 29

Wow, Guruji just entered sat and started with Ashtavakra…

The biggest fool is the one who feels he is a sinner, is no good and so looks for Divinity outside, not within

Another fool is the one who says the world is bad, evil and so look for God within

Western tradirions cannot understand God is within you, they keep God far away somewhere

India people say all world is useless, all is. Maya, search inside

Vedic traditions say God is within and outside, so don’t put down the world coz that’s been made by God and don’t make the fatal mistake of Putting down yourself!

So saying Ashtavakra stops His speech and now King Janaka starts to speak…

And Guruji said this and started singing… He Himself is singing and outside its raining and the temperature has dropped to super pleasant!

Day 9 : May 31

Its that magical time of the day again… Guruji is here, serenely meditating and chitra, our nightingale is singing Om Namo Narayana…

Is the knowledge of Ashtavakra only for saints and rishis? No, no its for anyone and everyone (who has tasted meditation), coz it’s been Given to the King, a person totally embroiled in the worldly matters

That happiness and contentment that I was searching for, that’s within me, that’s me! How wonderful!

Just as when you watch tv you are watching vibrations, waves exactly like that what you see with your eyes is also just waves – a 3D film!

2 points of view, 1 side shows many, diversity, the other that everything is just 1

1 side, limited vision is every person is different other side a broad expanded vision shows everyone is just One

To see this other side, the Divinity present everywhere, you need a skill

Janak says this moment I have dropped everything and I have expererienced God. He said this but he remained King He simply let go internally

You continue doing whatever you are doing and with skill let go, and let go right now!

In the gross, there are many. As you go subtler and subtler there is just one. God is the subtlest and it requires skill to see

Like a wave is not diff from the vastness of the  ocean, same way in 1 shakti, we all have diff forms and names and take birth, live and die

I have recognised that Shakti … By moving my vision from the individual to the root of all individuals… This I have realised

So saying Guruji concluded tonights session. I have not been able to do justice to the brilliant session Guruji took with my tweets, please Get the dvd when it comes out and watch it!

Jai Gurudev

Ashtavakra Gita

Guruji is giving this beautiful commentary on the Ashtavakra Gita . Below is a compilation of Bawa’s(@khurshed) tweets on the same .

Day 1 : May 22

Guruji is serenity personified, as He entered the satsang hall, the heavens opened up to a huge downpour…

Happiness is when wanting ends and giving or sharing begins

Santosh or contentment is a niyama, a rule for spirituality … No one can take it from you if you deeply decide you are going to have it!!

Day 2 : May 23

Narayana Narayana Narayana Narayana. Swami Pragyanandji, the venerable old sage from Rishikesh is with us again to regale us with his wisdom

He said all of you are really lucky, and I count myself among all of you… The milk of the cow is tough to get but in the company of saints . You will get that milk as butter!

Guruji has started to speak … The entire atmosphere has suddenly become somehow more silent

You think you are someone, rich, poor, muslim, brahmin, etc and then you spend your entire life being that, trying to be that, this is ego

This wanting to be someone stops you utterly from realizing who you truly are, you are simply witness to everything

When you feel happy you feel somerhing inside you expand when feeling bad, you feel somethong collapse, getting to know this is worthwhile

Each and everyone is mukt, is free… Right now. You have always been so, are now and will always be

tonight while sleeping feel yourself free from all doership and experiencing… Karta aur bhogta se mukt ho ke so jao

Usually people feel that the mind is in the body, know that actually it is the body which is in the mind… Be free, good night

Day 3 :May 24

You are different from the roles you play this is the only way to true happiness

I am someone or something, this feeling is the one that drags you far far away from spirituality

So Ashtavakra says you are diff from wha t you think you are from the roles you play you are free, a witness to everything, infinite and Free like the sky

The big serpent of doingness has bitten you, spread its poison in you, drink the nectar of non doingness and you will experience bliss

There is an aspect of you which simply witnesses, which has never ever “done” anything, get just a glimpse of this

That you are not doing anything, things are happening (thru me, if at all)

That which you have been searching for, you are that! You are a veritable treasure trove of that. You are bliss incarnate

Getting something new is not going to bring you happiness, simply being a witness to everything is where there is joy

To be someone special is sign of ego, I am nothing is witness aspect

Light the Fire that I am pure witness consiousness within you and burn all the sadness, become free, be in Bliss

I am vast free like the sky, like space, and just like the everything is happening in space, and doesn’t affect space, so it is with me!

So many times storms of emotion have raged within you and subsided, just remember all those times and know that if one more comes…That too will pass… Be a witness, to whatever is happening, know that you are not that

What you are made up of is Anand (Bliss), know this and simply relax… The more you relax in Yourself, the more you will Know this

Day 4:May 25

Whoooo what a rush you get when He enters satsang, He is sitting now, with eyes closed and that enigmatic half smile hara hara bole shankara

Body is dirty, use soap n water, with bhog (experiencing stuff thru 5 senses) your prana (life force) becomes dirty, to clean that up do

Pranayama, and to clean up the intellect its Knowledge that all this is temporary, that this body is anyways going to become ashes

And to clean up the mind its Bhakti, satsang with devotion

each subtle layer by layer needs to be cleansed then the Knowledge dawns as an experience

This entire creation is a reflection of your own Self

If you are sad, then its because you have poured poison over your own self, remedy is surrender, this will make all the poison into nectar

Arre yaar, you are made up of Bliss Anand, what are you miserable about?! He said the arre yaar soooo cutely

Like various sweets are made into many shapes, and you can say I am eating a star or a camel, you are actually just eating sugar Same way everything in this creation is madfe out of exactly the same thing, as you go subtler and subtler you will see this as a Truth

Smile from the depths of your Self, from your very foundation, just once and that will never go away

But when will this happen? I am in sooo much bondage. Ashtavakra says what to say what you think, that’s what you will experience

You feel bondage and you will be in bondage … Wake up! You are free and you will so be

Knowing you are Free, do whatever you have to do in the world

Rich is the one who is content, the one who has desires is a beggar! Now does this mean that when I have a desire for Knowledge, for For mukti, I am a beggar?! No, no says Guruji, but that’s the topic for tomorrow, and with a twinkle of mischief He concluded tonights talk

Jai Gurudeva! Gooooood night tons of love from our beautiful home – The Bangalore Ashram

Day 5:May26

Its that magical time of the day again, Guruji has just entered Yagyashala to a jubilant Om Namah Shivaya bhajan…

Desires when fulfilled leave you in exactly the same place where you started from, like a merry go round, you go round n round but end up Where you started…

There is only One, and everything is in and part of this One

Nothing here is destructible, yet nothing is eternal either – this is the play of Maya, and this Knowledge will become apparent only when You realise you are eternal, only when your mind and intellect at last settle down Nothing can touch you, things may be happening around you, in your body, in your mind, none of that touches you at all, you are Niranjana Guruji is singing alakh niranjana bhava bhaya ranjana, Narayan, Narayan, Narayana Hari Narayan…

Tonight think of the Lord Narayan, as He is resting and relaxing in Bliss, right there (here) within You, for a few minutes, 10 minutes .. Then sleep a meditative sleep …

Day 6: May 27

Moriya re baapa Moriya re … Guruji has just entered Satang … Today is all the more special bcoz it Buddha Poornima, the day

Today Lord Buddha was born, attained Enlightenment and died, the auspicious day of Buddha Poornima

The pleasures of the world are like the light of a small candle, the pleasure of the Self is the bright light of a thousand suns

Getting something by doing is worth hardly anything getting by doing absolutely nothing is worth getting but doing nothing is most difficult

He is giving statistics, you eat 2 kg food everyday, when you are 40 you have consumed 32000 kgs that’s 32 TONS of food, you calculate water

Desires for Knowledge Meditation have got you here; these are good desires you need to keep them they lead you to the Ultimate Happiness

2 people are walking, one walks with nervousness, he is a seeker, the other walks with confidence, he is the guide, he knows

Same way you will finally not need to take any more births when you Realise, though you may come back at will, as a guide to help others

Where you are born, this depends on your Karma, but where you will reach this depends on what you do!

That’s all for tonight, Jai Gurudeva! Good Night Love bawa – hari bol hari bol…..

Jai Gurudev

Some thoughts

This one is from Rajesh Bhaiyya’s blog. Have you ever thought what are the things which are very personal to us in our lives. Your house, fame, power, secrets and attachments. What are the things which are universal in our lives? Guruji, Sun, Air, Earth, Water, and atoms. Which of the things are essential to live? Does the first category give us life or takes away the zeal from life? What the Art of Living courses have done is made the universal very very personal through Surya Namaskar, Kriya, Bowing down and the hollow-empty meditations. Greed, jealousy, fear and lack of contentment arise when “what is mine” and “what is universal “ are completely opposites. Sharing inculcates an attitude of personal becoming universal. As once someone had asked Guruji “Do you love everyone equally?” He replied “No, I love everyone uniquely?” Personal love in an universal crowd. And as He said the mind is the wave and the ocean is the consiousness, the ocean can live without the wave but the wave cannot live without the ocean. Become personal with the five elements and the Guru, become open to sharing everything personal. While orchestrating the notes of your life, make the personal universal to find peace, love and compassion.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar tells us about Shivaratri

Shiva is not any person sitting in some hill, kailas hill, he is not that. What does Kailas mean? Kailas – ‘Las’ means what, where there is celebration, happiness. Where there is a festive atmosphere. Where there is frolicsomeness / intoxication. Where there is celebration and only celebration. That is Kailas. Vaikunth is where there is nothing short. Kunth – is shortage. Vaikunth is where there is shortage of nothing. Where there is only celebration that is kailas. So, Shiv ji is seated in such kailas. Aatma only is Shiva.

If you meditate on shivaratri then the power of meditation is 100 times more, it is said like that. At least do it on that day, it’s okay if you don’t do it on other days, at least do it one day. It’s said for the sake of saying. So that which is always(nitya) and which is (shashwat), that is shiva tattva. It’s said beautiful in that shloka:

Shivaratri is the day of Lord Shiva. Shiva is the lord of meditation and therefore the lord of awakening. Shiva Tatva means to be awakened. Shivratri is thus an occasion to awaken one’s self from all sorts of slumber. Shivaratri is not a night to be slept over. One should try and be up through the night. It signifies being aware of everything you have and being grateful about it. Be grateful for the happiness which leads to growth, and also for sadness which gives a depth to life. This is the right way of observing Shivaratri.

For the pious, the following method of Shiva worship is advisable – sit down in lotus posture, do some Pranayam to stabilize your breath, then indulge in Dhyana, followed by chanting of “Om Namah Shivaya”. It is the greatest mantra and the devout should drown himself in its Kirtan. Shivaratri worship leads to fulfillment of a devotee’s wishes.

There are certain days and time frames in a year that enhance one’s mental and spiritual faculties. In such times, whatever one wishes, materializes. Shivaratri is one such day. All this is very scientific. Going to temples on this day is OK but you should remember that Shiva is everywhere.

The meaning of Kailasa (legendary abode of Shiva in Himalayas) is celebration. So where there is happiness and celebration, Shiva is present. Whether in Sanyasa or Sansara, you can’t escape Shiva. Feeling his presence all the time is the essence of Shivaratri. That is the real Sanyasa. No worship is complete without offering something to the deity. Shiva is a very simple lord, he is innocent – Bholanath. One just needs to offer bel-patra to him. But in this simplicity is a deep message. Bel-patra offerings signify the surrender of all three aspects of one’s nature -Tamas, Rajas and Sattva. You have to surrender the positives and negatives of your life to Shiva and become carefree! The greatest offering is your self. To offer one’s self is the key to happiness in life. After all, why do you get sad? It is mainly because you are not able to achieve something in life. At such times you should surrender everything to the all knowing God. The greatest power is in surrender to the divine. It’s like a drop owning the ocean. If a drop remains separate, it will perish. But when it becomes the ocean, it is eternal!

Your true nature is Shiva. And Shiva is peace, infinity, beauty and the non-dual One. Ratri means “to take refuge.” Shivaratri is taking refuge in Shiva.

Shivam, Shantam, Advaitam: Shiva means your very Self your innermost core, the purest Self. Shanta is quiet, peaceful, very innocent. Advaita is non-dual, only One. So, Shiva means good, benevolent, Ratri means that which gives rest, takes you into its lap and comfort. Night is always comforting, all activities have stopped, everything is quiet, peaceful, environment becomes quiet, body gets tired, goes to sleep. Shivaratri — a rest which is so deep. When the mind rests with the Divine, that is the real rest, only in the Divine lap.

Any meditation we do on this day has a manifold effect, for this is the day when spirit touches the earth.

The first sound when creation manifested was Om. The second sound was So Hum. The third sound was Om Namah Shivaya.

By chanting Om Namah Shivaya, it is said that one gets rid of all the sins. Even if one has never chanted the Om Namah Shivaya mantra, it is worth just listening to it and soaking in it. It is called Mantra Snanam (bathing in Mantra). It elevates the consciousness.

SHIVA TATTVA

Guruji, please tell something about shiva tattva and what is the importance of mahashivaratri?

Shiva tattva is something that is total, complete. If you see Shiv ji then, he is sitting in meditation, immersed in meditation and also doing tandav. You won’t find this completeness in any other form or gods and goddesses. He is sitting in meditation, peacefully and also doing dance, shiva-tandav. There is innocence and he is having the knowledge of three lokas (trilok gyani), he is a guru also. He is a beggar as well as eshwar, master of everyone. Is it possible that one can be both – master of everybody and beggar at the same time. We can find this in only Shiva tattva. That’s why he is called ‘Har’ – (jo har ek mein hain) one who is there in each and everyone. (jo har jage hota hain woh har hain) – one who is present in every place. Har means everything. Who is pervading every place, who is there in everyone, in all forms. Shiva is not any person sitting in some hill, kailas hill, he is not that. What does Kailas mean? Kailas – ‘Las’ means what, where there is celebration, happiness. Where there is a festive atmosphere. Where there is frolicsomeness/ intoxication. Where there is celebration and only celebration. That is Kailas. Vaikunth is where there is nothing short. Kunth – is shortage. Vaikunth is where there is shortage of nothing. Where there is only celebration that is kailas. So, Shiv ji is seated in such kailas. Aatma only is Shiva.

It’s said in the Upanishad:

“Shivam shantam, advaitam, chaturtam, mannyante sa aatma sa vigyeya.” Shiva is, shanta – which is quite, advait – which is non-dual, there is no other of it; chaturth – which is the fourth state – it’s not awake, nor dreaming or nor sleeping (shushukti). It’s not sleep, not dream nor awakened state. That which is beyond these three is called “Shiva avastha”. When you are in meditation, you are in what state? Tell me. Are you awake? You are not sleeping and you are not dreaming also. But there is something pleasant. That fourth state is called shiva avastha, shiva tattva. Shivam, shantam, advaitam, chaturtam, fourth state, it’s auspicious state; manyante sa atma sa vigyeya – that is atma and you are that, we have to get known to it, it’s the only thing to be known. After knowing that, then you say – “Shivoham Shivoham”. The person who says “aham aham” that is “me, me”, when that person melts after going inside him, then he stops saying ‘I, I’ and says “Shivoham Shivoham”. So I am Shiva. Shiva is me. The ever new existence (satta) of the consciousness that is shiva satta. You start experiencing that. After experiencing also, you should sit quite. It’s not that once you experience shiva tattva, then you should start roaming with a trishul. Then you have some mental problem. Keep the experience in your heart, keep it there only. With your own mind if you start saying shivoham shivoham, put bhasma and start roaming around by putting a snake around your neck and holding a trishul – no. The significance of snake is, that it is the wakeful state. Shiv ji is sitting with eyes closed. One may feel he is sleeping. No. How is he from inside – like a snake, wakeful, the consciousness is wakeful, fully awake. The snake gives the message of wakeful consciousness.

And some days, some special days, the experience of shiva tattva is very easy. Like on purnima and amavasya, the mood of mind fluctuates as the moon waxes or wanes. Does it happen or not. It’s said that the mental diseases increase during purnima and amavsya in mental hospitals. So in the same way, on pradosh, or Mondays the wakeful state of Shiva tattva is more, it is said like that, it’s a recognition. If you meditate on shivaratri then the power of meditation is 100 times more, it is said like that. At least do it on that day, it’s okay if you don’t do it on other days, at least do it one day. It’s said for the sake of saying. So that which is always(nitya) and which is (shashwat), that is shiva tattva. It’s said beautiful in that shloka:

“Namami shamishaan nirvana rupam, vibhum vyapakam brahma veda swaroopam.”

Which is in the form of veda, means in form of knowledge; vibhum vyapakam – that is all pervading. So it is said it is nija also, nirgun also, sagun also, all gunas are there in it, everything is there. After saying this then they say “you can’t describe it, now keep quiet. How much will you talk? How much will you describe?” “Chidakasham akasha vasi…” That ‘chid’ chaitanya also, how is it? It’s not a flame or not any object also. It’s the chidakash, it’s the sky. It’s pervading all the chidakash. It’s the form of chidakash. Akashvat. That’s why shivji is always painted blue in picture. It’s not that he was blue colour, it means blue like the sky. And moon on the head, and how is the jata like whole digambar all the digmandal is the jata. There, moon is also inside him. Everything is inside him. So all the ghosts, dead, devil, everything was included in his gana. Nothing was left out of him. It’s not possible also. They say that Shivaji’s procession. All types of people are there. So in this world, there are all types of people, all belong to that supreme soul. There is no one else here. It’s said “Sarvam shivamayam jagat”. This whole world is Shivamaya.

The soul of Krishna is Shiva. When shiva tattva took the form of body and became Krishna. That’s why it is said that, when the Gita was given, Shivaji had given. Means, staying in Shiva tattva, Krishna had given the message of Gita. That time he didn’t give Gita while doing raas-leela. He didn’t give it while playing, but that time being in his own self, in his vishwa rupa he gave. So there’s not a little bit of difference between Shiva and Krishna. The difference is imaginary. Krishna was a historical personality. Shiva tattva – Shiva never came on this earth. But Krisha came, stayed and then went. That’s the difference. In Krishna, shiva tattva took a physical body and in shiva tattva there is no body.

Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh are called vibhutis, so if there is no person here, then what is the relation?

Shakti hai vyakti nahin. These are three forms of omkar. That’s why it is said ‘Ek Omkar’. Everything comes in one omkar. Three different qualities of one parmatma are called as Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh. In our body there is place of Brahma – below abdomen, Vishnu – middle portion, Mahesh – head region. The reproductive organs are situated in stomach and below. From the naval to throat – is the place of Vishnu, all organs for sustaining the body and Shiva tattva is above on the head. Any devastation, destruction happens by head only. And also any transformation happens by head only. The strength (shakti) of shiva is called as Devi shakti. Shiva tattva can’t stay without shakti.

QnA with Gurudev

Q: Guruji how do we know that our experiences are authentic? And how do we know that we are progressing on the spiritual path?

Sri Sri: You know doubt always come on that is true. You never doubt depression. You doubt love, whereas you never doubt anger! Therefore if you are having a doubt on your experiences just know that they are all authentic (Laughter!!).And how to gaze whether your are progressing on the spiritual path or not; see if you have become more compassionate. See if you feel more relaxed and free now. Do you feel free or not? Just see within yourself. See how much does the entire happening around you bother you. Do they bother you like before or not? Does the external events bother you still? Even if they bother you see how much time does it stay for. See how fast you are catching up with your self! You should not think that, oh! I should never get upset! See hoe fast you are coming back to your self! A few minutes of distraction and then you are back. Don’t Judge yourself. There is no need to judge yourself. Can you become a student and an examiner at the same time? No. Certainly not! You are learning now so leave the evaluation work to some one else!! Let Him decide, let Him evaluate!! (Laughter)!! 

 

Q: Guruji, I have been practicing in the Spiritual path for quite sometime, but I still find that I am not able to become dispassionate. To bring about dispassion in me what should I do?

Sri Sri: Don’t get caught up in words. These are just all words. I tell you if you are centered dispassion comes to you automatically. Just be centered. Do your seva (service), satsang (company of the truth), and sadhna (spiritual practices) and you will see rest everything is just falling in place for you.

Q: Guruji what is the difference the mind and the soul? And how is it connected to each other?

Sri Sri: The mind is like the wave and the Soul is like the ocean. And the connection between the two is that the mind cannot be without the soul, but the soul can exist without the mind. So in meditation you drop the mind, you become one with the totality that is the ocean. Therefore there are both existing together, the mind as well as the soul, like the wave as well as the ocean.

Q: Guruji, in my meditation often I get a feeling of doing some harm to the Gods. My mind feels like doing something against them. How do I get rid of such a feelings? What should I do?

Sri Sri:You know if it is so compulsive, so obsessive you do it. Just go ahead and do it. But that way you are going to hurt yourself! Hurt your hand! God is not in the statue or the idol in front of you, God is in your heart. We invoke God and bring it to the statue for some moments only and again we place it back in our hearts. Like the Ganapati idol, we put it in the water. First we invoke the God in the idol, play with that for some time and after all that tell him to come back to us and reside back in our heart!!

 

But yes. If such a feeling persists, just observe the sensation. See what is happening within you. You know these types of violent tendencies also come because of the food you eat. All these are the Rajashik (Restlessness) tendencies that come from food. Focus on you diet. Be aware of what you eat. Stay away from Rajasik food for sometime. Food does matter a lot. Listen to Narada Bhakti Sutra. Rejoice in the self….Be contented.

Q: Guruji after having tried all means, certain worries keep coming to me. I am not able to surrender those. What should I do?

Sri Sri: Why do you need to surrender? I tell you don’t surrender, this surrender is an illusion. What do you want to surrender? Anyway everything belongs to God. What is it that is yours and you want to surrender!?? !? It is just a concept, I want to surrender this, I want to surrender that. This is like try catching a cat in a dark room, which is not there(Laughter! !) Just relax; God did not want us to surrender. What to surrender? Don’t worry; just know that you are nothing. The path of knowledge is easy for those who are where in the head. If you think you are something wakeup and see, what are you ?!?!?! You are carbohydrate, amino acids, fats, every cell of your body has been existing millions of years ago and is also existing now and you call yourself Radha, Sita, Rama, tomorrow again this form will go and new form will come where will you go.

Walk like being a big zero, but always be on the right side of the number. (Laughter!!! !) I am nobody, I am nothing. These two ‘dharanas’ intensions, is an antidote to ignorance wakeup and see!!! And the job is done!

Q: Guruji, they say that there are two kinds of people. The first, are the kind of people who ask question out of ignorance. And the second are the people who don’t ask question out of ignorance. What would be my category?

Sri Sri:(Laughter!!) At least this you have realized!!! See how wise you are!!! Only a wise can understand such things!! So you are certainly not a fool. You are wise.

QnA with Gurudev

Q: Guruji, after having tried various means I am not able to come out of entanglement what do I do, Please help ?

Sri Sri: It maybe some Karma from the last birth or some samskaras. Do seva . Maharajji was saying that Seva (Service) would definitely remove karma of entanglement. If Seva cannot remove then Knowledge will remove entanglement. If knowledge cannot remove, then Bhakti (devotion) can surely remove entanglement. Even if Bhakti is not able to remove entanglement then leave it to time. With time entanglement will surely dissolve.

But don’t just live it to time without trying all the other means (laughter!!) . Do seva be in knowledge, have Bhakti and even after that, if you are not able to get rid of your entanglement, then you just leave it on time.

Q: Guruji, how to always keep up with enthusiasm and joy?

Sri Sri: Leave always. If you think of always, then craving comes. If it is always there then you would not even know that it was ever there!! Like you take a dip in a river, you feel cold and when you come out you feel warm, and again do dip in water, you feel cold, and so you experience cold because you experience the warmth.

Leave it to the divine. Our nature is joy and enthusiasm. However sometimes it gets clouded but it can never go. Our consciousness is ‘nitya-nutan’ (Ever fresh) this is with us forever.

Q: Guruji, they say that if you are with Narayana then Laxmi follows. So should we not follow Lakshmi?

Sri Sri: Some people don’t understand this. I would say pray to lakshmi. If you don’t pray to either but just do some show off with some rituals, then that is of no use. Then you land up being nowhere!! I would say, do ‘upasana’ (prayer). If you do upasana, then how do you get corrupt and dishonest? Don’t blame wealth, pray to wealth. In Sanskrit it is said everything is wealth. That doesn’t mean only the note of money.

Health is wealth, Victory is wealth, Courage is wealth, you know the Ashta Lakshmi do Upasana and you will get the benefit. Just to fulfill our financial desires, you run behind lakshmi. Use skill; pray with devotion, lakshmi will come. It will never come with foolishness.

Q: Guruji, why do we want to spend time more with the person, we are in love with?

Sri Sri: It would be unusual if you don’t want to spend time with the one you are in love with (laughter)!! Similarly when you love yourself, you spend time with yourself. When you do that, it becomes meditation. Then it is wonderful.

We like everything else, but ourself. The one who is resting inside, love that, know that!! Some people say oh ! I am bored with myself, cannot spend two hours alone. If you are bored with your self, how much boring will you be to others!! If you are not able to spend time with yourself, how will you manage to spend time with others? If you get to spend time with yourself, then I tell you are lucky. You will be contended. When this feeling comes, then no power in the world can make you shake and cry. Then Bhakti (devotion) comes, mukti (freedom) comes and then moksha (liberation) happens. Two hours you cant spend alone!! You start sending sms to your friends; you start calling them, talking, restless.

Know yourself by yourself. “Khudi khud mein khud ko pao….”

Q: Guruji, my mind wonders everywhere how do I meditate?

Sri Sri: Take a stick and start chasing your mind. See where it goes. If it goes to Goa chase it to Goa, if it is going to Bhavnagar, chase it there, if it is going to bhelpuri, chase it to bhelpuri, if it is going to Bhagdad, chase it to Bhagdad….. Chase, keep chasing and you see your mind is so tired that it will come and fall at your feet. That’s why Maharshi Patanjali says meditate on everything, meditate on elements, on Rishis, who are out of craving, even if you meditate on Rishis who are out of craving, you get into meditation. And when you sit for satsang, you get into meditation. But sometimes if you sit for santsang, and you are not there 100%, you count the ceiling, you look here and there. You have to bring interest yourself, You have to bring the juice (ras/ necter) yourself. It is already there, you have to see the one behind. The one who put the juice. Don’t think I have to do, I tell you need not do anything its all burning for you, you don’t have to lit it at all. When you are in Gangaji, you don’t need a shower, when you are taking a dip in the Ganges, why do you need to have a tap and a shower? Become effortless. Just know that I am nothing and I don’t want anything. But don’t start thinking about it continuously, this is also a Maya.

That’s why Adi Shankaracharya says it is foolish to even think that I am Zero.

Q: Guruji, I enjoyed my silence, I really found peace. So if I become dumb, will I get moksha?

Sri Sri: (Laughter!!! ) Oh ! God, if you find something good you will go on doing it!??!?! There are so many dumb people in the world, is everybody enlightened. Extremity is a problem in our country. There are some people who keep silence for 12 years. And after that their voice box don’t function, looks like almost rusted. They cannot speak God has given an instrument, use it. Otherwise it would get rusted. But don’t speak too much, and don’t speak less as well. It your words are able to bring happiness, solace, definitely you should speak. Silence is also important. At least two to three times a year. Silence helps us to become more competent, become more courageous and efficient. So do both, keep silence and also speak. If you speak for 24 hours, then you loose your creativity.

Q&A with Guruji

Q&A with Guruji

 

Bali,Indonesia

 

Q: Dear Guruji, how to explain a teenager why they shouldn’t drink alcohol or taste once to know.

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 Sri Sri: Teenage is a very impressionable age. If one gets addicted to something, it’s very difficult to get rid of it. It’s good to have a sense of aversion. Certain aversions help you like a shield; especially teenage & early 20′s. After you’re 30 it’s a different story. Create that sense of aversion towards violence, towards killing, torturing animals, tobacco & alcohol. No need for everyone to taste tobacco or experience drugs. Certain experiences can damage the nervous system.

 

Q: Why do the eyes flicker? Does this indicate some future ill happening?

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 Sri Sri: Prana ke sanchar se alag-alag anubhuti hoti hain. Dhyana, Om Namah Shivaya se in sab par asar padta hain.

 

Q: What is the best way to personally interact with you? Whenever I try to come close to you, people stop me. I, too love to hear your answers.

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 Sri Sri:: Tomorrow, I’m going to be meeting you all in small groups.

 

Q: Which is better chanting or yoga?

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 Sri Sri: Yoga gives you depth. Without that cleansing, just chanting is superficial. It’s like asking while watching T.V. should I first see or first hear?

 

Q: Why do you name your program Art of Living? Why not Art & Science of Living?

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 Sri Sri: I didn’t give that name. It all just spontaneously happened. Someone said  Art of Living…. & someone came up with the symbol of the 2 swans & sun. Doesn’t matter. As long as you appreciate it becomes an art. As long as you understand it is science. 

 

Q: Guruji, for the first time I have seen my mind chattering & I am really fed-up. Seeing all this, I got a headache. It is so irritating. Can I ever be peaceful? I just want to be blank.

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 Sri Sri: If a particular thought is there, let it be there. Mind is like fire. Anything you put in fire, it just dissolves, purifies.

 

Q: I swear & curse a lot. Please talk about the power of words.

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 Sri Sri: Often you are not sensitive to others. So we behave in ways & are very rude. Sometimes you hurt someone. The more you go in silence & meditation, you realize the power of words. & how you can use it only in the positive sense. It just becomes your nature. Bad words simply can’t come out. At the most I have said stupid. I have never said a bad word to anybody, It would not come. Not even in school & college days. As you move on the path of Knowledge, they simply disappear from the vocabulary.

 

Q: Do you exist in more than one place at a time?

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 Sri Sri: Yes.

 

Q: I am not able to find happiness in anything. Everything seems so pointless. I feel low.

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 Sri Sri: Feel you are here for me. I have a lot of work to do on this planet before we all depart. Think that in your mind. Help me out.

 

Q: Keep me on this path forever.

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 Sri Sri: Once you come, there is no return from here. There is only 1-way traffic.

 

Q: What should I do if a friend of mine keeps stealing my friends from me. She does this to every friend I get.

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 Sri Sri: Steal your friend! Oh! Very serious. Tell your friend don’t steal my friend but you can steal my mind.

 

Q: What do you look for in your followers? Does wearing white bring us closer to you?

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 Sri Sri: I expect a smile in anyone who has done Art of Living. Confidence that never whithers away. Smile that never wanes. You don’t have to wear white clothes. You can wear coloured clothes or I would have ordered uniforms for everybody. It looks colourful.

Deeper Insights about yourself – Rishi Nityapragya

Four types of people come on the path of gyan or even bhakti (knowledge or devotion).

1) First are the Aart (suffering from pain or misery) and they come on the path to get rid of the misery

2) Second are Artharthi (who desire something from this world) come to the path to obtain that.

3) Third are Jigyasu, those who want to know something more about life, they are curious, enquiring kind.

4) Finally Gyani, those who have already learnt or known about the meaning or the lack of it (of life).They come on the path to progress.

The fourth type are the ones who are steadfast on the path, but the other types remain on the path till their needs get satisfied. This does not mean they are bad. One can start from anywhere and with effort the status can also change quickly from one to the next category.To make you more free, refined and skillful to tread this path and to lift the level of consciousness (chetna), whatever ingredients are required will be available automatically, so should not worry at all.Similarly for Seva, satsang or Sadhana- one can start anywhere but a balance is what is needed. Seva alone can get you tired quickly. The energy levels lifted in Sadhana will not be useful unless utilised in Seva. Similarly Satsang is required to have the celebration (utsav). Balance!

In Seva, it is good to provide food, clothing, waterto the hungry, naked or thirsty, for sometime the need is quenched but only for sometime. After sometime their need arises again. However if you are able to get the same person on the path, you are opening a door to infinity. This will influence his or her life till infinity, in this life and beyond.Samarpan is not contrary to using intellect, this is a wrong notion. Many say that ‘do not use your mind just surrender’. Actually only those who have intellect can surrender. Surrender of an Agyani (deluded or person not in knowledge) will be temporary.

They would often complain, ‘despite so much prayer I have not got the result that I wanted’ as against the firm conviction that ‘He is always with me, nothing can shake me’. Once in Rishikesh I shared my thought with Gurudev that we have lot of celebration (utsav/masti) in Art of living but less seva or knowledge. And you see, in recent times you would be amazed at the amount of seva projects and knowledge sharing that is happening. The depth of the questions during satsangs indicate this. How about some questions now.

Q: Out of the 7 levels of existence which one goes with you?
(for those who have forgotten, the 7 levels of existence are the Body (Sharir), Mind ( Man),Intellect (Buddhi), Breath ( Saans), Memory ( Chitta),Ego (Ahankar) and Self ( Atma)

Nitin bhaiya: Body is connected with the other 5 equipment though breath. When you die only the body is left behind as the breath stops. Remaining 5 continue to exist. Right at this moment there are so many people ( jiva) who are living without a body.

Q: When the body expires where is it that the memory or the experiences of the past kept, is it in the brain?

N: Is it the brain or the mind, which remembers, is the ears that hear or the mind that hears. Have you noticed that? Did you notice that the even the newborn have a nature (swabhav). Some kid keeps on crying without any apparent reason, others keep smiling. This is no coincidence. Effects of memory of past life iscarried on in the child’s behavior who has no experience in this life. Scientists are also beginning to accept this.

Q:Will we be born as human beings in the next life?

N: Most of the human beings will be born as human beings unless ofcourse some very grave misdeed has got performed in this life.The jivas who have understood to experience in this life only through senses, in the next life also aspire to donn another body. They crave for a body the moment the body is no more.

For a meditative jiva the interest in the world reduces gradually and involuntarily. Mind matures and even the place where to look for joy changes. He no more looks in the object of senses for joy. Such a jiva has experienced in this life the Joy as if not in the body, while in meditation.A secret. When you leave the body, it is a freeing experience. No visa or passports here. But this exhilaration is only for those who are not connected to the body.

There is no desire to come back to a body. I will however came back if Guruji asks me to come! Sure! Another secret, When a body is being born, many jivas try to occupy the body. I do not know the criteria yet. They look for a environment of their liking. It is therefore customary to ensure that the expectant mothers are kept in happy and comfortable state so that the environment of the to be born is peaceful and the jivas who try to occupy such body are also noble ones.

There are five occasions when a soul enters a body.
1) At the time of conception, when the union of sperms and eggs happen
2) 3 months after conception
3) 5 months after conception
4) 7 months after conception
5) at the time of birth
So it is advised to have a peaceful ( sattvic) environment while the mother is expecting.

Obstacles on the path to discovery

What are the obstacles on the path to discovery?

They add up to nine ;
1 : Illness : In the body

2 : Inability to comprehend :Illness in the mind that is either mentally challenged or is incapable of comprehension.For example, you will be perfectly alright but when you get to start meditating, sickness befalls you! If you are watching television, nothing happens, but if you sit down to meditate, the body grows restless. This is an obstacle in your path.

3 : Doubt :First need to understand doubt. Your doubts are always about something that is good.
There are three kinds of doubts.
a : The first is doubt about oneself.
b : The second is doubt about the technique that you practice on the path and
c : the third is doubt about the master or teacher.

4 : Carelessness :You know that certain things are not good for you and knowing this too well, you do it. Carelessness, not being alert and attentive is the fourth obstacle.

5 : Laziness :Alasya is laziness or heaviness of the body.
You may do a lot of things, but when it comes to doing little asanas, postures or exercise, you simply don´t. This laziness which can creep up in any aspect of life while doing anything is the fifth obstacle.

6 : Non-attachment towards the senses :Being engaged in any one of the sense objects and not coming out of it.When you are hungry, you eat food.But thinking about it 24 hours and being feverish about the whole thing all the time is obsession.
Incompletion of any sense creates attachment of that object. It is a big obstruction in the path of yoga, for, it does not allow you to get centred.

7 : Hallucination :Many seekers practice something and get some vision and they get caught up in that vision because the visions are neither completely false nor completely true. They are a mix of both. So people try to hold on to it.
Yoga Maya means a vision would come and give you some message or it will be an intuitive message. You are sitting and meditating and a message will come, “Go and open the door; somebody is waiting for you” and you go and open the door and you find someone there and that gets you excited. But just because you had intuitive thoughts a few times, you get caught up in assuming all the thoughts that come to your mind always come true. But, many times residues or traces of your desires and hatred and fear will also come up. This is delusion or bhranti darshana.

8 : Non-attainment of any state :This is when one feels completely stuck, when you get that feeling that you are not going anywhere. The eighth obstacle is non-attainment of any state or samadhi, any peace or tranquillity.

9 : Instability :Sometimes people say that while doing meditating they feel peaceful and experience bliss, but, after a few minutes the whole thing vanishes. This is another usual complaint that people come up with. This is the ninth obstacle.

QnA with Bawa

This happened during the YES+ course conducted at NIT Trichy from 4th to 11th Sept over the phone .

Definitely not verbatim and i may miss many questions …. ( sry )

Q:Dear bau ,  I am in Production Engineering but am really interested coding , (stuff related to computers )etc . What should I do be very practical and follow my branch or realise my dream ?

A: Go realise your dream . Dont let anyone obstruct you in realising your dream. Dont be too practical. People who are practical always dont achieve much in life and miss out on life as an adventure.

Q:Dear bau , I loved every bit of the course. I have also done an Isha Yoga basic course. What should i do ? Can i follow both paths ?

A: Follow the one path you are most comfortable with. See , yopu have many schools in your locality which educate you till the tenth standard. How many schools did you go to ? …. A: 1. Thats it . Art Of Living , Isha Yoga are all schools which take you to one goal.But follow any one of them . You dont go to different schools for clearing your 10th board exams.

Q:Dear Bau, I had a experience during the SKriya . It was considerably different than the previous one. Was it right or wrong?

A: its perfectly right for you. Your kriya experience is meant for you.Dont compare experiences of the kriya.

Jai Gurudev!