You are Loved

 

So, the message from the Divine is that - you are so dear to the Divine. You simply have to recognize that you are so loved.


You cannot imagine how much you are loved by God. There is so much love. Just like how a mother loves her baby, irrespective of what the kid does. The kid may create a mess, but the mother doesn’t mind. She smiles, cleans up the mess and then once again continues to love the child. Similarly, you are most dear to the Divine. This is what we must keep in our minds. I am here just to tell you this, and nothing else! If you understand this, then my work is done!

Listen to these words that the Divine is telling you, that he or she loves you very dearly. He will never allow you to sink. Have the faith that, I will never be allowed to sink.
I may be in water up to the nose, but not above the nose.

‘I am so dear to the Divine’, and ‘The Divine is here, right now’, these are the two things to remember.

When the I in us dissolves and remains only as energy, that is when happiness wells up. Otherwise you think, ‘I want to get enlightened’ or ‘I want to experience this.’ And it is that I which makes you miserable.

And when doubt enters the I then that is the worst thing.

In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna says, ‘When doubt enters into the heart of an individual, he is totally lost, and he becomes miserable’.

So, make sure that you recognize that you are most dear and the most loved by the Divine. That is it. Seal it! No more doubt about that, or no more self doubt.

No questioning whether I am loved or not. You should not be questioning.

First God tells you, ‘You are very dear to me’, and then the devotee says, ‘Yes, I love you too!’

So, first listen to these words that the Divine is telling you, that he or she loves you very dearly. He will never allow you to sink – this is the first thing.

The second is the faith that, I will never be allowed to sink. I may be in water up to the nose, but not above the nose.

And third thing is that we must keep our mind happy and contented. Come what may, we have to keep a contended mind.

A discontentment or grumbling mind, even if it gets everything on this planet, still it will remain miserable.

Nothing whatsoever in the universe can ever give you contentment. You have to bring it to yourself. And when does that happen? It happens when you let go and understand.

Purity, Clarity, and Contentment, is the formula for happiness.

There is a proverb in the Bible as well that says, ‘Those who have will be given more, those who do not have, whatever little they have, will also be taken away.’

That is very true. In the mind, if there is lack of contentment and you are complaining and grumbling, then you should become aware of it and snap out of that state. You must take responsibility for that, it is very important.

Contentment and happiness! Do everything happily. Walk, talk, sit happily; even if you complain against somebody, do it happily.

I think we do that here in the ashram quite a bit! (Sri Sri laughs)

Do you know, the day before yesterday, the person in the purchase department called me in the middle of the night and said, ‘Gurudev, there are a few little things that we need to buy for tomorrow.’

I said, ‘What?’

And he said, ‘We need 3000 kilos of sugar and 2000 kilos of moong daal to make pudding.’

And I said, ‘What? (Surprised), you said you need a few little things.’

So, the purchase department rushed to the wholesale market, woke up the people from sleep in the middle of the night, and got everything delivered at 2:00am.

They had to wake up several shop owners, take them to their shops, open the godowns, and bring the items. But they were all happy.

The seller was also happy, the buyer was also happy, the cook was happy and those who ate were also happy.

Come what may, we have to keep a contended mind. A grumbling mind, even if it gets everything on this
planet, still it will remain miserable.

Nothing whatsoever in the universe can ever give you contentment. You have to bring it to yourself.


You know, this whole act could have become very stressful.

The person was telling me this at the last minute. Where do we go at the last minute?

There could have been a lot of grumbling and complaining, and they could have come back saying, ‘Oh no, it didn’t happen.’ But that was not the case.

See, where there is Sattva and positivity, challenges are also sweet.

That is why happiness and contentment is very important.

See, if it was a small little thing, then it is okay. You can go and open one shop. But you can’t get 3000 kilos of sugar from one shop.

So in everybody’s life, there are many such things that happen which we sometimes consider impossible. Do you know why? It is because we don’t recognize our self.

Do you know why the elephant got so scared when she came here (Yagyashala)? (Referring to Indrani (Ashram Elephant) who was brought to participate in the Chandi Homam)

She got scared because she saw herself on the screen, and she thought there was another elephant standing. She didn’t realize that it is her own reflection. So we had to put off that screen.

At that time I thought, she has taught us a big lesson today. This is what is happening with people, they don’t recognize themselves. Everybody is only a reflection of you.

When you don’t recognize yourself, or you are so scared of looking at yourself, that is where the knowledge helps to reflect, to recognize this.

Look within yourself, what is there, what is bothering, what is pricking?

If you see that there are some negative tendencies in you, I tell you, don’t worry about them, because you cannot get rid of them. There is somebody to take care of it. This is the message!

In the Durga Saptashati ,it is said, ‘Ya Devi Sarva-bhutesu Bhranti-rupena Samsthitha Namastasyei Namastasyei Namastasyei Namo Namaha.’

Oh Mother, you are present in all beings as peace and as disturbance; as knowledge and as delusion. I adore and bow down to you!

So the Divine is also present as disturbances.

Look at all the beings on the planet, they are so disturbed. The elephant was disturbed for a little while.

What was that? It is the consciousness; the pure energy that is present in the form of delusion, and in the form knowledge, and in the form of ignorance.

That is why, adore everything holistically. Take them all together. Don’t try to choose or separate, take them all completely and then you will be at peace; absolute peace.

This is the whole essence. Then freedom from misery, attainment of peace, exuberating love and joy, devotion and freedom in the mind - these are the things that are brought up.

Contentment and happiness! Do everything happily. Walk, talk, sit happily; even if you complain against somebody, do it happily.

The whole universe is just one consciousness. Didn’t you all feel today? It is like there are so many bodies, but just one mind.

One body in spite of so many bodies, one being in the entire field.

We are all part of that One - this understanding comes up as a deep experience.

Now don’t ask, ‘When will that come to me Guruji? I want it now.’ Just relax! Do nothing!

Just know that you are dear to the Divine and the Divine is here, right now, in you.

And that is it for today.

Lord Krishna - Epitome of Love

Today is Lord Krishna’s birthday, and people are celebrating it all over India.

Lord Krishna said, ‘I am never born and I never die. I am ajanmaa (one who is never born).’ Celebrating the birth of One who is never born is a very fascinating thing.

Before being born as Lord Krishna, there was another birth that Lord Krishna had taken. In that previous birth, he was known as Kapil Muni (a wise enlightened sage). In His incarnation as Kapil Muni, Lord Krishna gave His mother the knowledge of the Self, the knowledge of Sankhya Yoga. So He had an avatar (incarnation) by the name of Kapil Muni before being born as Lord Krishna.

The birth in which Love, Knowledge and Mischief all come together is considered as the birth of Lord Krishna. Today, on Lord Krishna’s Birthday, all of you must take a Sankalpa to read the Bhagavad Gita.

Now, a mother’s love is such that she would always want her child to keep coming back to her in every birth. So, even though she received Self-knowledge, still her attachment to her child remained. So in the next birth she was once again born as mother to Lord Krishna – Yashoda, and Lord Krishna took birth again.

As Kapil Muni, He gave his mother the knowledge of the Self, but as Lord Krishna He gave her a lot of love and affection, and not Self-knowledge.

So in one birth He gave her only knowledge and in another birth He gave her only love. He did not give any Self-knowledge to Yashoda. He played and did so much mischief with Yashoda. So today is a day to be mischievous! (Laughter)

The birth in which knowledge, love and mischief all come together is considered as the birth or incarnation of Lord Krishna.

So today, on Lord Krishna’s Birthday, all of you must take a Sankalpa (pledge or promise) to read the Bhagavad Gita.

How many people here have not read the Bhagavad Gita till now? (Many raise their hands)

See! Let us do one thing. We will start reading the Gita from today itself. Read it with its simple translation, and understand as much as you can. If you cannot understand, never mind but at least read it once. Whatever you understand is good enough.

Do not expect to understand the entire Bhagavad Gita all at once. Throughout your life you must read and go through the pages of the Gita again and again, only then will you be able to understand it completely.

As the level of maturity of our mind and intellect rises, our understanding of the Bhagavad Gita also increases.

So, today the Krittika Nakshatra (the Krittika or Pleiades constellation) is also very bright and active. Today is Friday, also it is Ashtami (eighth day of the Hindu lunar month which is considered to be auspicious), and it is Janmashtami as well. All of this coming together is very special.

Lord Krishna says, ‘Senaninam Aham Skandah’ – Among Military Generals, I am Kartikeya. (Kartikeya was the most powerful leader of armies).

Among Munis (wise sages) I am Kapil Muni.

Among Rishis (enlightened seers) I am Veda Vyasa.

Among Pandavas I am Arjuna.

So He says that He is both Krishna and Arjuna.

If someone is able to understand the tenth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, they would have perfected the knowledge of Advaita (philosophy of Non-duality of the Self; experiencing all as ‘One’).

It is called Vibhuti Yoga. One’s life becomes endowed with Vibhuti.

Vibhuti does not just mean the holy ash that one smears on the forehead. Vibhuti also refers to miracles.

A lot of miracles happened in the life of Lord Krishna. But at the same time, He also had a blessing or you can call it a curse also, in a way. The moment a miracle would happen, people would instantly forget about it for around one year.

So for example, if some miracle would have happened today, everyone would forget about it and they would be able to remember it only after one year! Have you heard about this?

This is mentioned in the Srimad Bhagavatam (texts of Sanskrit literature, with its primary focus on bhakti (religious devotion) to the incarnations of Vishnu, particularly Krishna. ) It is said that after being a witness to any of the magnificent manifestations of the Lord, people would forget about it in the next minute.

So when Lord Krishna danced on the head of Kaliya (the many headed serpent), after witnessing this when the people returned to their homes, everybody forgot about the miracle and went about doing their work as if nothing had happened.

It was ordained that His miracles would be forgotten, only to be remembered after one year had passed.

Some say it was a blessing, and some say it was a curse from Lord Brahma (the Creator among the holy Trinity) that people’s memory would be veiled whenever a miracle happened.

It would appear from reading the Srimad Bhagavatam that the times of the Lord were filled with fun, happiness, love and devotion. But, along with this there is a lot of vairagya (dispassion) as well. If you wish to understand dispassion, you should refer the Srimad Bhagavatam.

So whenever any calamity would befall Gokul (Lord Krishna’s village), the residents would gather and chant, ‘Om Namo Narayana’, and pray to Lord Narayana (Lord Vishnu) to save their young Krishna and prevent any harm from happening to Him.

So everyone in Vrindavan would pray and chant, ‘Om Namo Narayana’, for the safety of Yadukul Nandan (a descendant of the clan of Yadus, here referring to Lord Krishna). They would also pray to Lord Shiva for the safety and wellbeing of their young Krishna. So all the miraculous events that happened then, whether it was the slaying of Shakatasur (a demon), or that of Putana (a demoness sent by Krishna’s uncle, Kansa, to kill Him as an infant); all these would be forgotten by people in a matter of a few seconds. And they would remember it only after a year had passed. As a result of this, people would keep talking about the past events.

So goes the story from the Srimad Bhagavatam.

It would appear from reading the Srimad Bhagavatam that the times of the Lord were filled with fun, frolic, happiness, love and devotion. But, along with this there is a lot of vairagya (dispassion) as well.

If you wish to understand dispassion, you should refer the Srimad Bhagavatam.

So, the Srimad Bhagavatam is a very rare and extraordinary confluence of Vairagya (dispassion) and Anuraga (love); knowledge and devotion, even though it seems to be so contradictory to each other.

So, Lord Krishna was the centre of attraction. But along with Lord Krishna was Lord Balarama (Lord Krishna’s elder brother) and He represents great strength and power. People are mostly scared of great strength.

Usually where there is attraction and love, one also experiences weakness or helplessness. Though love is the greatest strength, yet it can also make a person feel very weak. And if someone only sees this weakness that comes from love, then they run away from it. Then it transforms into hatred.

So Lord Krishna is the centre of attraction and the fountain of love, while Lord Balarama represents dignity and strength. Both always go hand in hand.

Also, Lord Krishna could not be without Radha. That is why I said that there is weakness in love as well.

Radha is a Shakti, Radha was not a person. She represents Lord Krishna’s strength, the strength of love. And Lord Balarama represents power which walks with Lord Krishna wherever He goes.

It is said ‘Nirbal ke Balaram’. Just as Lord Rama offers shelter to the weak and helpless, the same goes for Lord Balarama who signifies the strength of Lord Krishna, and is always by His side.

Where there is love, there will be longing. Where there is longing, there will surely be love. Both go together. There is longing because there is love. In the same way, love brings with it great strength also – Lord Balarama.

Lord Balarama circumambulated the Earth many times and connected himself with every part of the Earth. But Lord Krishna just stayed where He was and smiled, and the entire Earth revolved around Him.

One has to make efforts to attain strength, but for love one need not go anywhere or do anything. You can be immersed in love wherever you are.

Lord Balarama signifies effort and hard work, while Lord Krishna symbolizes deep rest. And in that deep rest love dawns within you.

Love cannot be found by making efforts, rather by doing nothing. But strength comes only by making efforts and striving hard. Sitting idle and doing nothing will not give you great strength.

To achieve capability or excellence in any field, you will have to work hard and strive hard. If you wish to play the Sitar, you will have to practice rigorously for two hours every day. If you wish to play the Flute, then too you will have to practice. You have to exercise regularly to make your body strong. So, one has to make efforts to attain strength.

Even to receive knowledge one has to make effort. But for love, you need not make any effort. You just need to relax and repose in self.

Lord Krishna says, ‘You cannot free yourself of your own sins. I will liberate you from your sins.’ He says, ‘Come and seek refuge in Me’, that is His first condition. And then He says, ‘I will liberate you of all your sins. That is my job.’

We should make these words of Lord Krishna available everywhere.

Lord Krishna says, ‘Dharmaviruddho Bhuteshu Kamo’smi Bharatarshabha'.

The desires that arise inside you, know them to be Me too (inspired by Me), as long as they do not oppose or destroy Dharma (righteous conduct). Any action or desire that opposes Dharma is not Me. This is quite surprising.

If you act according to Dharma, and act as per your Svadharma (one’s own responsibilities as prescribed by the scriptures), then all the righteous desires that arise in you are borne out of Me (Lord Krishna). I am (the source of) all those desires that arise in you that are of a righteous intent.

This is so astonishing and unique.

He says, ‘I am the strength of the strong; I am also the beauty in all whom you see as beautiful. Any and all good qualities that you see in another person come from Me only.’ Why is He is saying this? This is because the tendency of the mind is to run wherever it finds beauty. If there is great wealth or great strength in someone, the mind runs there.

So, to collect and bring the mind back to the Self, Lord Krishna tells Arjuna, ‘See Me alone in everything that you see. Whatever greatness you see anywhere or in anyone, it is due to Me, I am the power behind it all, and I am right here.’

To retrieve and collect the mind that wavers and wanders here and there and to bring its focus back on the Atma (Soul) which is the source of all strength, Yogeshwara (Lord Krishna) gives this Vibhuti (miraculous secret) to attain perfection (siddhi).

Lord Krishna used to worship Devi (Mother Divine). This is mentioned in the Durga Saptashati (a series of 700 verses in praise of the Mother Divine, from the Markandeya Purana). How many have heard about this?

‘Roopam Dehi Jayam Dehi Yasho Dehi Dvisho Jahi’. These verses come from the Argala Stotram in the Durga Saptashati and become a kavach (armour or shield) for one who recites them.

It is said, ‘Krishnena Samstutay Devee Shashvad Bhaktyaa tathaambikay, Roopam Dehi Jayam Dehi Yasho Dehi Dvisho Jahi.’

Meaning, ‘Oh Devi (Mother Divine) who is worshipped with eternal devotion by Lord Krishna, bless us with beauty (Roopam), victory (Jayam), glory (Yasham) and destroy all craving and ignorance (Dvisho) in us.’

This is the prayer. It is in the 3 verses from the Kavach Argala Keelakam.

If you see, it is actually the Devi who rescued Lord Krishna. Devi was also born on the day of Ashtami, to Yashoda. And on that very same day was brought to Mathura. Kansa tried to get hold of her and kill her but she escaped from his hands.

Here, Kansa symbolises Ahankaar (ego), Lord Krishna symbolises Ananda (bliss) and the Devi or Durga symbolises Aadhyashakti (primordial energy within us, or Consciousness).

Ego cannot catch hold of Consciousness or the primordial energy (Devi), nor can it catch hold of Ananda (bliss, that is Krishna).

So the Divine Consciousness (Devi) then made a prophecy that the One who is destined to destroy the Ego (Kansa) is Bliss (Krishna) and he has already been born.

When life becomes full of Ananda (bliss), then ego vanishes. When one is feeling blissful there is no ego. But as long as ego remains, a person keeps on suffering and is miserable. They become sad due to something or another, or go on blaming someone or the other. Even then ego cannot destroy Consciousness, because Consciousness is eternal.

Nothing can destroy or diminish the power of Consciousness. It is constant and eternal. Those who know physics would know this very well that energy can never be created or destroyed. So also, Consciousness can never be created nor destroyed. Any efforts to create or destroy that (primordial) energy will only fail.

He says, ‘I am the strength of the strong; I am also the beauty in all whom you see as beautiful. Any and all good qualities that you see in another person come from Me only.’ Why is He is saying this? This is because the tendency of the mind is to run wherever it finds beauty. So, to collect and bring the mind back to the self, Lord Krishna says this to Arjuna.

See, if you look at it on the surface, it seems only like a story. But if you delve deeper, you will find such amazing knowledge hidden within it.

Lord Krishna was born in a prison. When He was born, all the guards who were keeping watch fell asleep. Who are the guards? They symbolise our senses – When our senses, which are always focused outwards come to rest that is when we can go inward, and that is when we can experience the bliss that springs forth from going inward.

So keep on contemplating and analysing these stories, and you will find that both, amazing knowledge and love become available to you.

Lord Krishna says, ‘You cannot free yourself of your own sins. I will liberate you from your sins.’

See, everything that a person does – fasting, visiting places of worship, feeling guilty, etc., all this one does it to free oneself of sins.

So, Lord Krishna says, ‘Aham tvam sarva-papebhyo mokshayishyami ma suchah’.

He says, ‘You will have to do just one thing. You must surrender everything to Me, and seek refuge in Me’.

He says, ‘Come and seek refuge in Me’, that is His first condition. And then He says, ‘I will liberate you of all your sins. That is my job.’

So, your only job is to come under His protection and seek refuge in Him and He will liberate you of all your sins. With this He says it all. This completes it.

I think we all should make these words of Lord Krishna available everywhere. We do not do this but instead we keep listening to many other things around us. Especially these words, ‘Come and surrender unto Me and seek refuge in Me. I will absolve you of all your sins.’

This itself will help curb all the religious conversion that is going on in our country.

Lord Krishna has said this very thing.

Karma is very interesting and very strange

July 12, 2012; Bad Antogast, Germany

Q: Guruji, please give us Gyaan (knowledge)? 

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: For that you have to ask questions. Knowledge means you have to pull it out.

Q: What happens after death?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: What happens after death is the mind gets freed from the body, the spirit. The mind has memory and intelligence, so these two things become like a balloon. The karma, the deepest impressions form a balloon. It is like in sleep.
Death is nothing but a long sleep. Before going to sleep, see the last thought that you get, and as soon as you wake up, see what is the first thought that comes. Have you noticed? It will variably be the same though. 

Love is indescribable. You
can’t describe it. And there
is not a creature on this
planet which doesn’t know
it. Wherever there is a force,
or there is energy, or a pull,
or attraction, you call it love.
And where there is repulsion
that is also love in the opposite
direction.

So the physical body decays and the pranic body with all the impressions forms a balloon and leaves the body and hangs around.
Don’t imagine a balloon hanging around! It is a light; an energy.

I will give you the best example. In a television station, they conduct a program and then they transmit it through the dish and the program remains in the atmosphere – it is the same way.
When you send an email from the computer, you type all the letters and then you press the send button. What happens? It goes into the space. Does your email remain in the space till it is downloaded? Even after several days you can download your email. Even one year later or ten years later you can download an email. There is no expiry date, isn’t that so. It is not like those greeting cards which sometimes people send you that expire in 24 hours.
The messages or letters you send don’t hang as letters in the space, it remains in the space as energy.
Like that every soul is a particular frequency and every thumb is different because a thumb is like a particular cell phone chip.

So after death, every individual energy stays, and the impressions it has taken, accordingly to that it experiences those stages there. But then after sometime that soul comes back.
The soul enters the body at three times – this is all a secret. It is called the birth secret and death secret.
So the soul enters at the moment of conception, or it enters in the fifth month, or at the time of birth. So the three sections are there, but there is no way to determine when it enters.
So if at conception time it comes then what one should do to care for that?
Keep yourself happy. Usually pregnant women are kept very happy in India. Whatever she wants is provided to her.
I would say, don’t watch all these violent movies, and scary songs, and scary things. Generally light flute music would be good because it is soothing. It is good to listen to music, knowledge and wisdom. All these things would be preferable.
The soul also chooses where to be born, the place to come. According to its wish it will just come there.

Q: What is love?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: The basis of all existence.
All the cells in your body love each other, that is why they are together. The day they stop loving each other, it all disintegrates. Got it?
If there is one substances by which everything is held together and you want to give it a name, you can call it love. Love is not all wiggly wiggly and mushy mushy, ‘Oh I can’t live without you, I love you so much’, and so on. It is not that. That is just an emotional something. Love means (silence)… that is it.
Love is indescribable. You can’t describe it. And there is not a creature on this planet which doesn’t know it. Got it?
From the sea to the birds, from a chicken to an enlightened person, everybody has experienced love. Love for life is what we think it is, but life itself is love. So see through this knowledge that this whole universe is love.
Love is an existence not just an emotion. Emotion is also love, but the existence itself is love.
The Earth loves the Sun that is why it keeps going around the sun. The Moon loves Earth that is why the Moon goes around the Earth. Wherever there is a force or there is energy or a pull or attraction, you call it love. And where there is repulsion that is also love in the opposite direction. Got it?
You are drawn to somebody or something, why? Because you love it.
You see a cheese cake and you are drawn to it, why? There is a pull.
You see a beautiful girl or a girl sees a beautiful boy, there is a pull, and what do you call that? You call it love! Why? It is because there is a pull, there is an attraction, there is a force. And that force is what manages the whole universe.
Some places it is more obvious and some other places, it is not obvious. The day the Earth stops loving you, you will start flying. The Earth loves you so much that the gravitational force keeps you glued to the earth. Did you get it?
So love is that force in human life. And all the negative emotions are also a distorted form of love only.
In anger there is love. Ask me how? You love perfection and that is why you get angry. Greed is love. Greed is when you love something much more than life. When you love objects more than life, it is called greed. Hatred is love upside down. Fear is love upside down.

On bad days don’t go down
and on good days don’t just
go off the roof. Maintain your
equanimity and your dignity.
This is what knowledge
teaches you.

Q: Guruji, my mother passed away on Christmas. Is there any special meaning to this?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Well, do you know around the world, many people die on Christmas day or New Year day. Death knows no dates. Got it?
So, you feel uncomfortable because she died on that day which you celebrate. But another way of looking at it is – on that day she became bigger. She got over here suffering, her sickness from being in the body. She got liberated. So that is a good thing for her. It is a Christmas gift to her from nature, from God. Think that way, then your mind will be at peace and you can celebrate Christmas.
She got liberated on Christmas day. And on Christmas day she ascended. Isn’t this a better way to see? So celebrate her liberation and her freedom.

Q: What to do if people around me are always very negative? I have a friend who is extremely negative about everything and with time he seems to be getting worse.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: See, if someone goes to that extent of being totally negative, it is not easy for a human being. It is almost inhuman to be that negative. And when he has gone so far, there is no way for him to go any further, he will have to come back because everything is cyclic. Got it?
When you go to the rock bottom, there is no way you can go further down. You have to come up. And that is what he said. He has gotten so bad that now he has to come back. And also to demonstrate that originally nobody is bad, it is only the action. The spirit is never bad. The spirit is always free and blissful.
Actions have a limited sphere and time. See if you do a bad act, you are not condemned forever. Even a punishment given to you is only for a few years or so. And even in those few years, you are treated well, isn’t it? A prisoner, whatever crime he has committed, is he treated badly? No, he is treated with compassion. The same thing was said in the Puranas – even a person who has gone to the highest level of crime, when he comes in contact with someone who is pure, someone who is so brilliant, someone who is full of positive energy then the influence of that positive energy is so powerful that it can bring light even to darkness.
See, in the darkest place a candle is good enough to bring light.

Q: (A member of the audience spontaneously asked a question and it was inaudible in the recording)
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, see human life is mixture of pleasant and unpleasant days. You take the life of anyone including Sri Ram, Krishna, Jesus, Buddha, Mahavir or Guru Nanak. Take anyone in the history they all had some bad days while some days were good.
What is important is on bad days don’t go down and on good days don’t just go off the roof. Maintain your equanimity and your dignity. This is what knowledge teaches you. Yes, there are some bad days but if you have wisdom you will just sail through them and get over them. It does not affect you so much.

The law of karma is very interesting and very strange. If it has to rain, it will rain. But it is your choice whether to get wet or not. If you walk in the rain with a raincoat you will not get so wet, just a few drops will fall on your face. But if you walk without an umbrella you will be fully drenched and you will have to come and change your clothes. All this – sadhana, meditation, satsang, singing, knowledge, all these are umbrellas and raincoats.
So people say, ‘Oh, if you are having a bad time now, do hollow and empty meditation, do some Om Namah Shivayachanting and singing.’ You may feel some negativity in the mind but they just come and vanish. And when you go deeper into it, a time comes that they don’t touch you at all, and they don’t come anywhere close to you. That is enlightenment.

The law of karma is very
interesting and very strange.
If it has to rain, it will rain.
But it is your choice whether
to get wet or not. If you walk
in the rain with a raincoat you
will not get so wet.
Sadhana, meditation, satsang, 
singing, knowledge, all these 
are umbrellas and raincoats.

Q: What do you think about astrology?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: That is why I am saying this is a sort of lost science. Astrology is a science but not the astrologers. They just make things up. You must follow your intuition. You don’t have to worry too much about these things.
A general idea of it is okay. Like on a new moon or full moon day, the moon has an impact on your mind. How many of you have had this experience?
How many of you can’t sleep on the new moon or full moon day? Moon is very much linked to the mind. So it happens.
Just be watchful that is all, don’t be paranoid. There is big difference between being paranoid and just having an idea. Be watchful about it.

Q: Guruji, I read and hear a lot of knowledge, but almost immediately forget what I heard. What do I do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Don’t worry; I will keep talking to you. So even if you forget a hundred times, never mind, I have enough patience. I keep telling the same things.
Those who are talking to you are also in the same boat. Many people here, they say, but they too live from the other side. Never mind!
Have you ever heard Ashtavakra Gita? Forgotten, right?!
Have you heard the saying in that, ’Blessed are those who have forgotten.’ So you must belong to that.
There is one talk in Ashtavakra Gita where Ashtavakra says, ’Those who can forget everything are the blessed ones.’
So you seem to fall in that category. But this at least you don’t forget that you are blessed. Just this one thing if you can remember, ‘I am blessed.’

Q: Guruji, I have lost my intuition. What do I do?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You are in the right place, no problem.
See, yesterday we were having a meeting upstairs in Krishna hall and suddenly I said that I want to go and see the basement. I have not been to the basement for probably more than a year now.
So I said that I want to go to the basement and so we all went to the basement. In the basement, I suddenly went to this room and asked, ‘Who is staying in this room?’
They said, ‘We don’t know, somebody is staying.’
So I said, ‘Open the door’, and so we opened the door and we found a candle burning there. The candle was almost finished and the flame was about to catch on to the bed and the cot. We would have had a fire there because the flame of the candle was all over. If we had gone ten minutes later, perhaps the bed would have caught fire. Somebody lit the candle and forgot. There was no business for me to go there to that room.
That is intuition. I felt I should go there and I opened that room only.

I would never go and open somebody’s room. But now you know anything is possible. I may just barge into anybody’s room.
So I barged into that room and we found that nobody was there of course and the candle was burning.
So intuition is something that everybody is born with and everybody has it. The more hollow and empty, the more meditative you are, it is very obvious then. Isn’t it?
So, don’t light candles in your room and then disappear from there, okay!

Q: Where is the world of spirit?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: It is not somewhere, it is here only.

Love vs. Attachment **Sri Sri explains**

Q: What is the difference between love and attachment?

Sri Sri: Attachment is that which gives you pain. Love is that without which you cannot live. If love becomes attachment, then the same love which was giving you joy, starts to inflict pain. Attachment is when you want something in return. If you love and don't want anything in return, then that love doesn't turn into attachment.

Faith comes to play only at time of crisis

May 07, 2012
Montreal, Canada

This whole creation is made up of one energy. Everything is made up of just one thing.

Whenever anything bothers you, if you come back to this one principle - there is only one energy which everything is made up of, so there are a lot of possibilities; that brings great relief. Are you getting what I’m saying?

There are three types of intellect.

One is an intellect which is dormant or doesn’t function at all; sleepy, in slumber and only into negativity. This is Tamasic Intellect.

Then is Rajasic Intellect. Most people have a rajasic intellect. Everyone functions with a rajasic intellect.

Rajasic intellect means seeing everything as different – This person is different, that person is different, this person behaves that way, that lady behaves this way; dwelling on these differences. Thinking there are so many people, so many personalities, and seeing that as reality. Doing this sometimes you go very high and sometimes you go down. This is rajasic intellect.

Then there is Sattvic Intellect, which is the goal of evolution.

Sattvic intellect sees there is only one thing that is underlying all other differences. That is the reality.

There is one underlying truth. That one thing has come up in so many forms.

Let me give you an example. Have you seen a puppet show?

A rajasic intellect is seeing all the puppets as different characters. A sattvic intellect says, 'There is only one person who is making all these dolls dance.' Actually it is a Mono Act.

One person who is behind the curtain, is making with his ten fingers all these different stories happen on the screen and is making them dance.

Have you seen those puppet shows? They tie one thread to each of the ten fingers and they make all the puppets run around.

So a sattvic intellect is seeing that there is one thing, one truth, one reality, one consciousness that is underneath the whole creation. When this truth is well lodged in the mind though you see the differences, dwell in differences, you will be unshaken.

A house that has a very good foundation does not collapse in an earthquake. It has a shock absorber. A real shock absorber is deep inside knowing that all this is made up of one consciousness.

All of matter is one consciousness. I am that one consciousness and everything is that one consciousness. One who knows this is free. It is called freedom. ‘I’m so free. Nothing bothers me.’

Look at those who have more problems than you and you will find your problem is nothing.

The world is all problems. Who does not have problems? That is why I say, don’t look for any perfection here, this world is imperfect. Whatever perfection you can bring in the world, bring it, and then wash your hands and enjoy yourself.

You know in 30 years of The Art of Living we didn’t have any big controversies. We were much respected, a very smooth organization throughout the world. Recently a controversy happened and all the media and all the top politicians, everybody commented on my one statement.

So some of our teachers and volunteers, they were all so nervous. ‘Why did this happen. Oh my god, this is negative publicity’, and this and that.

I said, ‘Let it be.’

I had given a statement that the government should not run schools. If you see, no violent students come out of schools that are run by NGOs, or missionaries, or spiritual organizations. Violence is learnt only in the government schools. See none of the Ministers of the government send their children to government schools. They all send their children to private schools. So when I said this, it was like a bombshell.

I said it in a meeting where I had gone for the Silver Jubilee Celebrations of that institute, some particular organization.

So immediately our ABC (Art of Living Bureau of Communication) department called me, at 10’oclock at night and said, ‘Guruji this channel is asking us about this, what we should say?’

I said, ‘Let there be controversy, don’t worry. Don’t give any answer and don’t say anything.’

See, because of this controversy what happened? There was debate on national television on many channels – Was Sri Sri fair to Government Schools? He should not have made this comment, he should apologize; and this and that.

Many people were watching, some for and some against.

And they invited our people as well. Our teachers went and they sat and they spoke about all the work that we have done. The nation came to know of all the good work we have done, otherwise there was no chance.

That we run 185 free schools, all this could be aired on television. So what appeared to be a negative thing for a day or two, turned out to be in our favor.

Why I am saying this is because on the surface things look different but underneath they are different. So don’t be perplexed. Don’t be shaken. With calmness and serenity, know that everything is made up of one thing, and that one thing is what I am, and what everything is.

If this knowledge it is extremely difficult to catch now, I tell you, it is not impossible. No doubt, when you sit in satsang, yes, it appeals to you, it strikes a chord, but then you go out there into the kitchen and it is all changed. You go back home and even worse. ‘What is this everything is one? I am in trouble now. That person does not listen to me. And this other person is complaining about me’, and blah, blah, blah. But it is not impossible.

The sattvic intelligence, sattvic intellect, when it dawns, that is called Sattva Shudhi. When the pure intellect dawns in you, it brings enormous freedom from inside; freedom from physical garbage, freedom from emotional garbage and freedom from conceptual garbage.

We create so much garbage in our head. We assume people’s nature to be like this or like that when it may not be so. And we assume people to act or react in a particular way. Why should that be so?

Life has many surprises for you. Sometimes you think someone is a very good friend of yours, and suddenly you turn around and see that very friend is creating a lot of trouble to you. How many of you have had this experience? (Many raise their hands)

(Sri Sri responds laughing) Look at this.

Because it is one consciousness which turns the whole wheel, turns the whole universe.

One who experiences this in the heart and feels it in oneself, says, ‘Aah! Freedom! Now I don’t have to sit and think about this person, and that guy, and that lady, and that person.’

All of this occupies your head. That does not have to happen. Everything is one consciousness. Everybody is part of the finger of one little doll, jumping up and down, acting this way and that way, and their karma make them all act.

Doesn’t this knowledge bring freedom? Enormous freedom!

So what type of freedom does it bring? It brings freedom from the cravings, it brings freedom from aversions. When you know this, on the physical level all the cravings for alcohol, drugs, and all these sorts of unhealthy bondages we have created in our own mind will just drop out.

Then emotional garbage – That person looked at me and that person did not look at me. I love her and she did not respond to me. Before, they were loving towards me but now what happened to all of them – all these things will not happen. This emotional garbage that we harbor in our head, trying to prove our love and asking for proof for someone else’s love, all this will drop off.

Then conceptual garbage. Huge volumes are written; so many books are written, all on concepts. It is like a person who has never seen an elephant is writing volumes about an elephant.

Just imagine, there was not even television, one has only seen a picture of an elephant, a hand drawn sketch and they are writing a thesis on elephants, its behavior and how it should be handled. This is exactly the situation. People who have the least understanding about consciousness are writing books and books and volumes, and they become bestsellers also! This is the funniest part of it.

So you get that freedom from conceptual garbage – Listening to this person, that person and that person, no! Everything is made up of one thing.

Isn’t that beautiful? Very nice!

Q: Dear Guruji, you have said that past and future happen in the present moment. That time is not linear as we think. I have been contemplating on this and I am a bit confused. Can you please expand on this?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Only a bit confused? You should be thoroughly confused. (Laughter) That is my job – to thoroughly confuse you.

Future plans are now in the present, right. They are in this moment only. Past worries are in this moment only. Only this moment exists. The entire past, the entire future, all exist in this moment only.

Who said you are weak? You are the sun, how can you be weak? Come on, wake up!
Don’t label yourself as weak. It is like a lion putting a sticker on its head saying, 'I am a lamb', nobody will believe that. However your past is, just kick that and be in the present moment and move on.

Q: What did you mean when you said in Ashtavakra Gita that it takes 84 lifetimes for the mind to form?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: That is correct, 84 different lifetimes.

Yes, there are so many bodies, out of that you have crossed many of them and arrived here, now. It could also be the 84th one only.

Q: Why do some people seek God realization and others don’t care about it?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Why do Maple trees grow only here and not in Florida?

Q: Why is there so much poverty in the world?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: So that you can feel for it and do something about it. If there are no opposites, you cannot even know them.

Because there is sickness there is value for health. Because there is poverty, wealth has some value. Right? Opposite values co-exist and they are complimentary. I’m not advocating poverty here, don’t misquote me.

Q: My husband fears that if I do not accept Christ as my savior I will not be in heaven with him. His Catholicism is strong. I wonder if we will ever be in the same heaven.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: For your sake don’t argue with him and create hell here now. Tell him, ‘Yes absolutely, I’m making a short-cut to go to the same heaven. That is all. And Jesus asked me to do all this and I’m doing exactly what he has said.’ Tell him this.

Q: Dear Guruji, the girl I like runs away from me. What to do?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: There must be something seriously wrong with the way you are expressing your love to her. Your love is so intense and you must be expressing it so hard.

You see, if you are standing under a shower and the jet is too strong, definitely people will have to move away from there. Do you see that?

Just imagine, you are standing under a shower and the shower is so strong that it is like hitting and pulling all your hair out. You wouldn’t like to stand under that shower, it is so painful.

So, see that you express your love softly, gently and not too much. Sometimes too much expression of love can be stifling. And that is perhaps what is happening.

It is good that you are in the silence program. In silence just re-evaluate.

Q: Why do we rest after meditation? Meditation itself is rest.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, sometimes if there are some incomplete experiences or stress release your body may want to lie down and experience some rest. See with every meditation there is such a transformation that is happening inside. There are some changes that are happening, and it is good to have a little rest if the body needs rest.

It is not a compulsory, not that everybody must lie down and rest. But if the body requires it, then you rest. That is why we have always said, ‘If you feel like resting you may lie down and rest.’ Every instruction is measured and given properly. Otherwise we would have said, ‘Everyone lie down and rest.’

It is not an order, it is if you feel like resting you may just stretch and lie down and rest, and it does good. It is good for circulation and it brings more relaxation.

Q: What question do you wish people would ask more often?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: ‘Should I even ask this question to Guruji?’ That would be a good question to ask.

Q: Guruji, what to do if it is the tendency of my mind to step into negativity? It is a pattern for me. I want to be free and more positive. I am very weak at the moment.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Who said you are weak? You are the sun, how can you be weak? Come on, wake up! Don’t label yourself as weak.

It is like a lion putting a sticker on its head saying I am a lamb, nobody will believe that. A lion goes around saying, ‘I am a lamb, I am a sheep.’ This is what you are doing.

Come on! Throw your label out. Never ever say that you are weak. However your past is, just kick that and be in the present moment and move on. Never mind if you fall ten times or a 100 times; I don’t mind, but keep walking. Get up and run, if you fall never mind, get up and run again. This is what a saadhak is; this is what a seeker is.

See, as a child how many times you have fallen before you could stand up on your legs. You were crawling and crawling and trying to get up and you fell so many times, but finally you started walking. That is it, same thing. But never say, ‘I have fallen ten times, I can never stand up. I am going to walk like a cat with two legs and two hands. I can never stand up.’ It does not make sense. You are a bird, you may fall, but you have wings. Wake up and continue to fly.

Being here for a week and feeling a connection with spirituality, and a master and the tradition and saying, ‘I am weak’, is not acceptable at all, it is an ignorant statement.

Q: What is the purpose of marriage?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You are asking the wrong person. Ask those who are married, ask them this question.

I would say, it is an important institution. And if you want to have children, then definitely you should get married and have children and give them a good education right from the beginning.

And marriage is an institution where you melt and tell your partner, ‘All my desires I give it to you and I take all your desires from you.’ You exchange all your desires, so each one has the responsibility to fulfill the others desires and not their own. A devotee gives his desires to God. ‘These are my desires. It is not my job, you fulfill this. I am free. I give away my desires to you.’ When you give away your desires, it does not bother you. In the same way, in a marriage, a husband says, ‘All my desires I give to you and I am free from desire. I will only do what you want.’ And the wife says the same thing, ‘My desires I have given away to you. I will only do what you want.’

So, each of them gets committed to doing what other wants. It is a sacrifice of your own will and desire with the faith that the other cares for you.

There is a very small story about two Japanese travelers in a boat. A newlywed couple was in a boat. They were going for their honeymoon and then suddenly the boat was rocking and there was big storm. So the lady got perturbed but the man was very calm and just smiling as usual. The lady asked him, ‘I am so nervous and so afraid that this boat may capsize but you are so calm. You are not bothered we may drown and die.’

Suddenly, he took out his dagger and put it on her neck, but then she started laughing and said, ‘Is this the time to play? Come on, think about our future. This is not the time to tease.’

He said, ‘Why are you not scared? I am putting a dagger to your neck. I am going to kill you.’

She laughed, ‘When the dagger is in your hand why should I be worried? I know you won’t do any harm to me.’

He said, ‘I have the same relation with nature and with God. When my life is in his hands, he won’t let me die in a storm like this. He won’t let me down. I am not afraid because the strings of my life are in his hands. So why should I worry?’

That very moment she also turned very spiritual, and as the story goes the sea calmed down immediately. The sea calmed and both of them became prayerful.

Faith comes to play only at time of crisis, and the funniest thing is, at the time of crisis the first thing one loses is faith. When it is most needed that is when people lose faith. That is why even faith is a gift. It is not your making.

Nobody can say, ‘I believe so much, but why did this happen to me now?’

What big thing you did? The faith was given to you. It is like you were given a boat and you were given an oar also. Boat is given to you and the oar is also given to you. So even faith is not something you cultivated, but it was most needed at those times of crisis. Even that is a gift. It is a very, very, very important thing to notice.

So now comes, ‘Then what?’ Then nothing!

‘How do I increase my faith?’ Nothing, relax. You can’t do anything. All that I am saying is to take away the doership from you. Again you ask, ‘How do I drop my doership?’

This is the silliest question people ask, ‘How do I drop the doership?’ You are not the doer my dear, I am telling you.

First of all, there should be doership for you to drop it. You are not even the doer, yes! So there is no way, none whatsoever, all roads are blocked and everything done. There is nothing you can do about anything, got it?

This brings enormous freedom, ‘I can’t do anything about anything.’ Now don’t ask me, ‘What can I do when I can’t do anything about anything?’ (Sri Sri laughs)

Faith comes to play only at time of crisis, and the funniest thing is, at the time of crisis the first thing one loses is faith.

When it is most needed that is when people lose faith. That is why even faith is a gift.

Q: Is the spiritual path unique for each individual? If so, how do we get personal guidance from you?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, we are teaching individually, at the same time altogether. There are seven billion people and we are very few teachers, so we will teach everybody.

In the 7 billion, there are only 0.00000000000001 percent people, maybe, and you are one amongst them.

Q: Guruji, I am going through a tough phase in my life and I am facing problems one after another. I try to solve it spiritually, practically, astrologically but nothing seems to work. I do regular sadhana, what should I do?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: But still life is going on. Just turn back and see, if you would have not solved any of the problems then how are you existing? My dear, you should just look back and see factually, ask someone else to evaluate. In the last 10 years, you had only problems? Okay, if you have had problems, haven’t you solved even a single problem in the last 10 to 15 years?

Then there is no need to solve problems because anyways the problems that came have all gone, and you are still alive, and you are still doing sadhana. That is great thing. That means the problems could not do anything to you. They came and they left, you didn’t even have to find a solution to them. Do you see what I’m saying?

Don’t generalize it again or don’t label it, ‘My life is a failure, I am always having problems.’

Always having problems? Not possible!

Look at those who have greater problems, look at the problems I have. Do you know how many questions I have to answer per day? Somebody said, ‘Guruji, if you had charged even $10 per question you could have become bigger than Bill Gates.’ I would not disagree with that person, perhaps yes.

Do you know how many emails I get? 101,000 emails.

Last month I traveled to so many countries; 12 countries and 18 cities in 1 month. 19 hours a day I am busy. I just arrive from a long trip, immediately there will be 100 questions I will have to answer.

Accept people as they are, and there are many, bipolar, schizophrenic, and all those other types of specimens as well. Have you ever seen me getting annoyed at any one of them, ever?

Just imagine, in this situation to remain sane is a big problem. I heard psychiatrists in their profession end up as patients after a while, because they keep listening to the problem of people.

Michael Fischman was once conducting a course for doctors and their patients and he said, ‘Guruji, you know it was very difficult to say who the doctor is and who the patient is.’ The group was such.

I don’t know how far this is true, but I have heard from several people that often people who are doctors in this field they end up as patients.

There was a survey recently done in AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences), they said that 78% of doctors are sick, they become patients themselves. This is a survey report, astonishing, isn’t it?

So, look at those who have more problems than you and you will find your problem is nothing. The world is all problems. Who does not have problems? Jesus had big problems here. The whole Catholicism movement sprung from the problems of Jesus, not by his teachings. It is all focused on suffering, isn’t it? Teaching is there of course, but suffering is the main thing. Nativity is not the symbol of Christianity, it is the cross; crucifixion.

Same with Krishna, he also had so many problems till the end. Finally he had to give up. He said to all his very dear ones, ‘You all go up North. This city of mine is going to drown.’ His own clans were fighting with each other and became so arrogant. Krishna’s clan, all his soldiers and all the subjects of his kingdom, they were all so arrogant because they thought they owned Lord Krishna, he is an enlightened being. ‘The lord himself is ours and we are from his family. Who can do anything to us?’ They went with such arrogance and they fought with each other, destroyed everybody and got destroyed. That is why I say don’t look for any perfection here, this world is imperfect. Whatever perfection you can bring in the world, bring it, and then wash your hands and enjoy yourself. Definitely do whatever you can. That doesn’t mean you leave some things imperfect, no! You are here to bring whatever perfection level you can, and that much merit you gain. As much as you walk, that many skills will blossom in your own life and that much happier you will be. So if you don’t do anything you will be unhappy. So do things which you are supposed to do and you become free.

Experience the joy of giving love

The very joy of giving love is so much that it does not matter who is at the receiving end. When this space comes into your being, then you will go on giving love to everybody and everything - not only human beings but to animals, to trees, to distant stars. Love can be transferred to the farthest star by just your loving look, to a tree just by your touch. It can be conveyed in absolute silence, without a single word.

Love cannot be understood, it needs to be felt

You cannot understand love through intellect. It needs to be felt. And anything that needs to be felt needs synthesis, not analysis. You have to become one with it to know it. Whatever you know through the head is at a distance. The subject-object relation will always remain. But love is not like that. The taste of the pudding is in tasting, music is in hearing it. In the same way, feeling.

** Must Read ** Sri Sri's Message on Guru Purnima

July 03, 2012

Guru Purnima is celebrating and honoring the Guru Tattva

Boone, North Carolina

Ishwaro Gururatmeti Murti bheda Vibhagine, Vyomavad vyapta dehaya Dakshinamurataye namah.

(There is no difference between the Guru, Self and God. Obeisance to Lord Dakshinamurthy who is the personification of the Supreme Self that permeates through Space)

The Guru Tattva is like a child – innocent, intelligent, dignified, yet humble - all the qualities present in an infant, are the signs of the Guru Tattva. And honoring the Guru Tattva is honoring oneself, it is honoring life itself. And that is Guru Purnima – celebrating and honoring the Guru Tattva.

There is no difference between Guru, Self, and Divine. These three are One – your Soul, the Guru Tattva and God. And all these three are not the (physical) body. What is their body like? It is like the sky.

‘Vyomavad vyapta dehaya’ (Vyom = Space, Deha = Body, vyapta = to permeate).

You are not the body, you are the Soul, and the form of the Soul is like that of Space. The same is true for the Guru as well. Don’t think of the Guru as the limited physical body. The Guru is the field, the energy which is all permeating; so is the Self. And honoring the Guru is honoring your own Self.

There is a beautiful story from the Puranas; in the Indian Mythology.

Lord Shiva is the Guru of the entire creation. He is the Guru of all the Devas (Gods). He is called Adiguru – the Guru present from the beginning of time, and He is beyond time. So when Lord Shiva had a son – Karthikeya, he was sent to school to study and receive education from Lord Brahma. Narayanam Padmabhavam – Lord Brahma is Padmabhavam (One who is seated on a Lotus). Lord Brahma is also a Guru, and his Guru is Lord Narayana (Lord Vishnu), and Lord Shiva is the Guru of Lord Narayana. So just like a mother and father send their child to school or a Gurukul, Lord Shiva too sent his son to Lord Brahma to study and receive knowledge.

So Karthikeya went to Lord Brahma and asked him, ‘Please tell me the meaning of Om.’ Lord Brahma said, ‘First learn the alphabets! You are directly asking for the meaning of Om.’

Karthikeya said, ‘No I want to know the highest knowledge first – Om.’

Now Lord Brahma knew all about the alphabets, but he did not know the meaning of Om (the primordial sound). This is because his knowledge was limited to the ‘A’ part of Om. The ‘U’ sound belonged to Lord Vishnu, and ‘M’ belonged to Lord Shiva. So, Lord Brahma did not know completely about Om.

So Karthikeya said to Lord Brahma, ‘You do not know the meaning of Om, how will you teach me? I will not study under you.’ And Karthikeya went back to his father, Lord Shiva.

Lord Brahma told Lord Shiva, ‘You alone can handle your own son. I can’t handle him. If I say this, he says that. Whatever I say, he says the exact opposite of that. I won’t be able to teach him. So you decide what is best and handle him.’

Hearing this, Lord Shiva asked Karthikeya, ‘What happened, son? Lord Brahma is the Creator of the entire universe. You must learn from him’.

To this Karthikeya replied, ‘Then you tell me what is the meaning of Om?’

Hearing this, Lord Shiva smiled and said, ‘Even I don’t know.’

Karthikeya then said, ‘Then I will tell you because I know the meaning of Om’.

‘Then tell me the meaning since you know it’, Lord Shiva said.

‘I can’t tell you like this. You have to give me the place of the Guru. Only if you put me on the pedestal of the Guru can I tell you’, said Karthikeya.

Guru means he has to be on a higher position or platform. The teacher has to sit on a higher place and the student has to sit down and listen to him.

Now how does this get resolved? Where to seat Karthikeya? For there is nothing above Lord Shiva! He is the highest. He is higher than Mount Kailasa (heavenly abode of Lord Shiva) itself. Even Mount Kailasa is a seat below Him. What to do? Lord Shiva too didn’t know what to do. So then Goddess Parvati (Shiva’s consort) said to Lord Shiva, ‘You lift him onto your shoulders.’

So Lord Shiva lifted him on his shoulders and kept him high. And in the ear of Lord Shiva, Karthikeya gave him the meaning of the ultimate truth – What is Om?! The meaning of Om!

The symbolism here is that the Guru Principle (Tattva) is like a child. There is sweetness and innocence in the Guru Principle (Tattva). That Guru Principle (Tattva) had to be uplifted by Lord Shiva. Even Lord Shiva had to give that position to the Guru principle; above Himself, because Karthikeya has said that only in this scenario will he teach the knowledge.

It is like the water is in the well but to take a shower you have to pump it into the tank and only then you can take a shower. Like that a place had to be given.

Honoring the Guru Principle is so essential in life. When you honor it, it is honoring the Self.

So here, it is saying that the Guru Tattva is like a child – innocent, intelligent, dignified, yet humble - all the qualities present in an infant, are the signs of the Guru Principle (Tattva). And honoring the Guru Tattva is honoring oneself, it is honoring life itself. And that is Guru Purnima – celebrating and honoring the Guru Tattva.

Honoring the Guru is honoring the wisdom, the knowledge, innocence and love.

So then what did Karthikeya, the son of Lord Shiva tell Him?

He said, ‘Om means Love. You are Love, I am Love. Everything that is present here is Love and is full of it. Love is the essence and the nectar of it all. All that exists is Love.’ This is what Karthikeya said. So the meaning of Om came from that seat.

Make your life pure, sincere, and you will have no dearth of anything. I have set an example. In all these years, by thought, word or deed I have not done any harm to anybody. I want you also to handle your life with such delicateness and care. I am just telling you it is possible, it is not impossible.

So what did we take back today?

Love is the essence of life and it is so delicate. Love and Faith should be handled with care. And Guru’s body is made up of Love and Faith. That is the essence.

Guru Purnima is that celebration where you recognize the importance of Love and Faith, and know how to handle with care. Does it make sense?

Handle with care.

So, this story is very nice. The Guru principle is like a child.

I have said it before also; we have thousands of teachers around the globe. I would want them all to remember – Make your life pure, sincere, and you will have no dearth of anything.

I have set an example. In all these years, by thought, word or deed I have not done any harm to anybody. I have not said one bad word in all these years. I can’t take credit for it, I am like that. But I want you also to handle your life with such delicateness and care. I am just telling you it is possible, it is not impossible. And it is possible to live a pure life and still be successful in the world. Only then real success comes; when we tread the path of wisdom.

So, to all the thousands of teachers remember humility; be humble. Humility and Dignity! Be royal and dignified. Humility doesn’t mean being weak. That anybody can be, so humble and wiggly wiggly. And you don’t have to be stiff to be royal and dignified - Dignity with humility.

Did you get it?

Compassion with strength. Innocence and intelligence. Playfulness with wisdom. Purity with character. Strong with subtlety – usually something that is very subtle is not very strong. But delicate is different, isn’t it?

Guru means handle with care (laughter). Like how you mark all delicate stuff as ‘Handle with Care.’ Not fragile but handle with care.