Don't hate, have compassion

Generally, if someone is very bad, you will just move away from them. But when you hate them, that means, there is a deep connection that you are unable to get away from. You want to be with them, that is why you start disliking them. One, who is caught in the whirlpool of mind, only deserves compassion, not anger.

We usually doubt something positive

Wisdom can only blossom in a homely atmosphere, where we are informal and at home with each other. Do you all feel at home with each other right now?


Why not we all just take a moment to greet the person next to us, behind us and in front of us? A formal atmosphere is not very congenial for wisdom. You need to be informal with each other for a heart-to-heart talk, and that is what wisdom is. It is not head-to-head.

Now keep everything aside and just look at your own life. What is that you want from your life? Have you ever sat and thought about it, ‘What do I want in my life? ' And, ‘Who am I? ’
Someone told us something and we learnt that. We have studied and gotten educated, but ‘Who am I? What do I want?’ These questions seldom come to our mind.

In a head-to-head communication there can be many arguments. But from heart-to-heart there is only one language - One World Family.

Now keep everything aside and just look at your own life.

What is that you want from your life? Have you ever sat and thought about it, ‘What do I want in my life?'

We seldom get time to do that. And, ‘Who am I?’ – That too we do not think about.

Someone told us something and we learnt that. We have studied and gotten educated, but ‘Who am I? What do I want?’ These questions seldom come to our mind.

If you see your life of 60, 70 or 80 years, do you know how you spend those 80 years?

You spend 40 years of your life sleeping. You spend about eight years of your life in bathrooms and toilets, and about the same numbers of years are spent in eating.

10 to 15 years are spent in traffic, in making journeys, and in working. Hardly two to three years of our life are spent in what we call a ‘happy’ life. Is it not?

And is it not that which you want – Happiness?

All the scriptures of the world, from the ancient times to the recent times; they all talk about great happiness. Is it not? Because the scriptures know that men and women want happiness.

Happiness is not a commodity that you can buy somewhere. It is present where you are, right here and right now. And the way to find that happiness is meditation.

Meditation improves our health, our state of mind and brings more happiness.

Whatever we are seeking here and there, is right here, within us.

My purpose of coming here is to tell you that whatever you are looking for is deep within you, and that Light, that Spirit loves you so much. So do not worry.

Give me all your worries. I have come to carry them away. Drop all the worries here, be happy, and spread happiness.

Shouldn't this be our goal in Life?

What should be our goal?

Shake everyone up and tell them, ‘Hey! Wake up! Laugh and Smile.’

You should make people happy.

You know, when we have, then also we are unhappy, and when we don't have, then also we are unhappy.

I want to tell you a story.

An Indian-African immigrant from Kenya was in London; this was a long time ago when I went there. This gentleman came up to me and said, ‘Gurudev, I wish to own a BMW car. Please bless me’.

I said, ‘Okay, God willing you will get it.’

Six months later he came and met me. He was happy and he said, ‘Gurudev, I got it (the car). But the streets of Birmingham are so small that I find it so inconvenient to park it here and there without it getting a scratch on it. What to do?’

You know, in Birmingham the streets are smaller than they are here.

Few months later, he said, ‘Gurudev, it is becoming a difficult thing for me to have this car. Now I am miserable. I want to sell this car off but there is no buyer’.

You didn’t have it and you were unhappy. Now you have it and you are unhappy.

There is something seriously wrong with the way we look at life. This is where we have to have that wisdom, to turn it around and see that happiness is not related to what we have or what we don’t have. It is simply our state of mind.

Happiness is not related to what we have or what we don’t have.It is simply our state of mind. Happiness is not a commodity that you can buy somewhere. It is present where you are, right here and right now. And the way to find that happiness is meditation. Meditation improves our health, our state of mind and brings more happiness.

Do you know, 30% of Europe is depressed.

This figure is from the census of the last decade, now it is even more. And a small country like Bhutan is known for its happiness. Even Bangladesh has got more happy people.

I don’t know where South Africa comes in this list, but I have a hope that all of you here today will take this determination to be happy and spread happiness.

Is this a good idea? (Audience nod in agreement saying, 'Yes')

A violence-free society, disease-free body, stress-free mind, inhibition-free intellect, trauma-free memory and a sorrow-free soul are the birth-right of every human being.

(Gurudev briefly looks outside and listens to the loud music coming from outside the venue)

Distractions are there to see how keen you are to catch the wisdom.

In Sanskrit there is a saying, ‘Shreyansi Bahu Vighnani’, which means, if there is something very precious then there are many obstacles or distractions that come with it (from the Uddhava Gita. This quote is part of Lord Krishna’s discourse to his devotee Uddhava).

If there are a lot of distractions that come for something, then it must be very precious.

If you want to do something wrong, there will be no obstructions for that. But if you want to do something good or pick up something precious, many distractions may come.

This world is made up of five elements. This is what the scientists today have said, and this is what the Rishis (wise enlightened seers) also said in the ancient days.

The five elements are – Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Ether. That is why it is called Prapancha in Sanskrit. Panch means five, and Prapancha means a specific combination of five elements, of which this Universe is made of.

The same also goes for our body. Our body has 60% water element. The heat in the body represents the Fire element. The physical body itself symbolizes the Earth element, and the empty space represents the Space element. So these five elements make up our whole body, and everything in this Universe.

So we will do a short meditation, and after meditation, we will have a small Yagya.

Yagya means uniting the principles of the Universe.

This universe has got millions of rays coming into it. The macrocosm and the microcosm are connected. Every little butterfly here fluttering its wings has an impact on the clouds. Have you heard about this?

A butterfly in the Amazon forest can have an effect on the entire forest, and on the clouds in China.

If one monkey does something, it has an effect on several other monkeys. Have you heard about this in Africa?

We call it the ‘Big Five’ in Africa; the land of the ‘Big Five’ (a term used in African hunting which refers to the five most difficult animals in Africa to hunt on foot – Lion, African elephant, Cape buffalo, Leopard and Rhinoceros).

Each animal brings with it a certain vibration; a cosmic electromagnetic vibration with it on Earth. They channel this from the Universe to the Earth.

Every animal brings a particular vibration to planet Earth. And that is why every animal is very important.

The ancient Rishis in the Vedic times knew about this. A particular bird, even a particular type of seed has a particular vibration associated with it. So everything is connected from one to another. Like in our body, though we are born of one cell, that cell has 33 different chromosomes. And those different chromosomes in the DNA of the cell are responsible for forming different parts of our body.

This Universe has got so many different types of vibrations that come from its different parts.

Most of all we need to have that inner contentment. If we have inner contentment, we gain a unique ability to bless others. Not only will we be able to fulfil our own desires, but we will also be able to fulfil the wishes of others. The human spirit can possess that gift if it gets into a state of contentment.

So the macrocosm and the microcosm are united in a very unique manner. That is what the ancient people said. So when we go from Ether to Air to Fire to Water and then to Earth element; this is how the Creation has happened.

Therefore they designed Yagyas (to mimic and represent this process in a reversed direction – by offerings of sacred herbs (Earth element) and offerings of ghee (Water element) into the sacrificial fire (Fire element, in presence of the Air element), from where the vibrations are transmitted into space (Space element)) .

Yagyas are designed to bring peace.

What is the purpose of a Yagya? The first is Swasti – good health; then prosperity, peace of mind, happiness, a sense of togetherness with everybody, and to remove negativity from the atmosphere.

Every time you are negative, you transmit those negative vibrations of anger, jealousy, greed, frustration, and hatred. Yagyas are meant to neutralize and nullify all of them. That is why this time I thought that I should take this to South Africa as well.

I heard of the recent unfortunate incident in Africa where so many minors passed away. So, to bring happiness, peace and prosperity to all the population we will do a small Yagya by means of Vedic chanting and by offerings specific herbs, as it was done in the ancient times thousands of years ago. So you will witness that as well.

It is like a short Pooja in which we pray to the One Almighty to give us peace, prosperity, happiness, contentment, a sense of togetherness, a sense of belongingness and care for each other.

Most of all we need that inner contentment. You know, if we have inner contentment, we gain a unique ability to bless others.

Not only will we be able to fulfill our own desires, but we will also be able to fulfill the wishes of others. The human spirit can possess that gift if it gets into a state of contentment.

So we will do a short Yagya in which they will chant the ancient mantras which are 10,000 years old. During the chanting, we just close our eyes, listen and bathe in it chants.

(Gurudev guides everyone into meditation).

Q: Jai Gurudev! Thank you for this once in a lifetime opportunity. Please tell me, how do I know if I am on the correct path in life and that I am fulfilling my purpose here?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: There is something called Gut Feeling. Something deep inside you tells you, ‘This is right', and when you choose it, you really feel good about it.

I tell you, doubts usually come to you when you choose the right thing.

Doubt is always about something positive. Have you noticed this? We always doubt the honesty of a person; we never doubt the dishonesty of a person.

We ask our dear one, ‘Do you really love me?’

If someone tells you, ‘I love you’, you say, ‘Really?’

But if someone says, 'I am angry at you', you never say, ‘Really?’

Similarly, we always doubt our capabilities but we never doubt our incapability.

When someone asks you if you are happy, you say, ‘Well, I am not sure.' But you have never said the same when you are depressed. You are so sure of your depression.

You are so sure of negativeness, but you always question the positive things in life.

So doubt also indicates that there must be something good.

Just look within you, how many negative points you have, and how many positive points you have? How can you improve, this is what you need to think, and what you can do. How others should improve – for now, leave it to them.

Q: How do we get salvation in this life time, and how do we get rid of negative people that live with us?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I said to leave all your problems here, but do not leave your family members who are troubling you! (Laughter)

Once it so happened, I said the same thing in the Ashram, ‘Leave all your problems here.'

One lady said, ‘My mother-in-law is my biggest problem, so can I leave her here?'

I said, ‘Let me ask your mother-in-law, she will say the same thing about you.'

See, challenges are there in life. Challenges come, people with different mindsets come, but when you expand your vision and see your life from a broader perspective, you will let go of all these small little issues that seem to be so significant to you right now. You have to broaden your vision.

If you find some people are negative, keep them at a distance that is number one.

The second thing is, know that they will not be like that forever. With time, they will change. And the third option is to think, ‘Okay, let them be. They are going to bring out better skills from within me.' They bring out greater skills of communication, skills of being positive in your foothold.

The last thing is to leave it to the Almighty. Leave it to Divinity to resolve.

We sing this in Mahatma Gandhiji’s favourite song, ‘Ishwar Allah Tero Naam, Sabko Sanmati De Bhagwaan’ - Let everyone’s mind and intellect be pure and be channelled in the right direction.

This is what is in the Gayatri Mantra also, ‘Dhiyo Yo Nah Prachodayat' - Let the Divine inspire my intellect. Let my intellect not come up with the small and silly little ideas, and thoughts. Let this intellect reflect the will of God, of the Almighty.

The Gayatri Mantra is one of the most beautiful mantras that human society has ever gotten which also says the same thing: Let the Divine will reflect in my will and thoughts; intellect. Let my intellect be aligned with the Divinity.

Q: If a loved one passes on, the common adage to those losing the loved one is, ‘He/she is always there with you.' Is that really true? Is that loved one who has passed away really there with you and is guiding you in life?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Why don’t you leave them some free time? They have had enough in this world and they have gone. Let them take some rest and do something else that they want to do. Let them have some fun. Why should they be guiding you all the time? (Laughter)

What is there to guide? It is like sitting in a train. You are going to get down when the train stops. The goal is fixed. Everybody is going to die one day. When you die you will see the other dimension as well. So don’t worry.

If you are happy and peaceful, your peace transcends this world and reaches the other shore as well. If you are full of love and devotion, a portion of it, a ray of it reaches them as well and they feel happy.

When you do some good service, that service brings merit and the merit also helps those who have passed away onto the other side.

Q: Jai Gurudev! I would like you to talk on youth and spirituality.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: We are made up of both matter and spirit.

Our body is made up of carbohydrates, proteins, amino acids, vitamins, etc., and our spirit is made up of generosity, love, compassion, energy, expansion, integrity, honesty, truthfulness, intelligence, sensitivity; all these qualities.

Any acts that nurtures these inner qualities (beauty, love, etc.), they are Spirituality. Meditation, singing, chanting, serving, etc., are all part of spirituality. And it is this spirituality that keeps the youthfulness in you. It brings you energy.

You know, right now I am coming straight from India on a 15 hours flight. I just arrived, changed my clothes and in half-an-hour I had to rush here. Do I look jet-lagged and tired? (Audience respond saying ‘No’)

Someone asked me, ‘Gurudev, if we take a flight to Cape Town, we feel so jet-lagged. Don’t you feel jet-lagged?’

I said, ‘When the mind is fresh and when the mind is connected to the Source, there is always freshness.’

Youthfulness is that connection to the source and youthfulness is the ability to connect with everybody. And only Spirituality can bring this in the youth.

Challenges are there in life. Challenges come, people with different mindsets come, but when you expand your vision and see your life from a broader perspective, you will let go of all the small little issues that seem to be so significant to you right now. You have to broaden your vision.

Q: A person who is very close to me continuously lies and cheats. It is like second nature to him. And the lies are expressed with a straight face.

Why do people do this and what will become of them? Please help, I want to put my mind at rest.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You should remember that God loves fun.

If everybody would have been like you, you all would be like the Ford Company. The world is not a Ford company, producing only one type of car. Even they change the model every year. God loves fun and He puts all kinds of people around you.

Just look within you, how many negative points you have, and how many positive points you have?

How you can improve, this is what you need to think and what you can do. How others should improve – for now, leave it to them.

If you can, educate them, but do so with compassion.

Or take them to one of the Art of Living teachers nearby. The teacher can help them change. And if you are too compassionate, pray that his life becomes better, and that he becomes more honest.

But as I said earlier, all specimens are needed on this planet. They make the world more colourful. Got it?

They push certain buttons in you and evoke certain emotions in you, and see how you act or react to it.

Q: You are awesome! How does one eliminate procrastination?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I will give this answer next year (Laughter).

Just imagine, you have given a tailor a garment to stitch for Diwali, or maybe your wedding. Now you go a week before your wedding to the tailor, hoping it will all be ready, and the tailor procrastinates and tells you, ‘I will give the dress six months later', how would you like it? What will be your state of mind?

Let us say, you are in need of a doctor because your tooth is aching, and your doctor tells you, ‘Come after three months and I will see if something can be done or not’, what would you do?

You do not want your doctor to procrastinate, or your tailor to procrastinate, and any of your essential services to procrastinate. You want every one of them to be spot on and deliver the service in the designated time.

Even for the questions you ask, you want the right answers right away! Correct?! But you want to procrastinate? Come on, wake up! Wake up now!

Make your smile cheap and anger expensive

Normally, you offer your anger easily and your smile rarely. In knowledge, a smile is free like the sun, air and water and anger is extremely expensive, like a diamond. Make your smile cheap and anger expensive.

Forgiveness is not a sign of weakness

Q: Guruji, sometimes, dealing with kids gets so tricky that I tend to lose my patience. Everyday I decide to be calm, but when the situation arises I am not able to control myself. What should I do?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You can’t do anything about it now, you have to live life spontaneously. Do you see what I am saying? It is okay to sometimes lose your temper, never mind. You should leave a little room for imperfection in life, and start accepting.

What did you learn in the Part 1 Course? Accept people and situations as they are. It is a lifetime process. Every day you get reminded of this. When these situations come to you, you get reminded, ’Yes, I have to do this, this and this.’

So this is the direction in which we go. Sometimes you slip here and there, never mind, keep moving. Definitely one day, you will achieve perfection.

The other day, one teacher who has been in The Art of Living for around 20 years said to me, ‘Guruji, sometimes it feels so strange that I am happy all the time. Come what may I am happy’.

And I said, ‘Finally!’

20 years is not too much time, it is okay. But you don’t need to take 20 years. Turn back and see the growth in you; this is why these celebrations are done. What is the purpose of Guru Purnima? Once in a year, you turn back and see where you were and how much you have progressed. How you respond differently to situations now and how your reactions have reduced and responses have increased.

So, life is a continuous process. Isn’t it so?

How many of you feel that a lot of transformation has already happened? (Many raise their hands). No one can say that nothing has happened. No one can say, ‘I have not transformed. There is not an iota of change in me.’

If someone says that you should salute them because they are born enlightened.

Some kids are there to teach you a lot of lessons. And it is okay for mothers and fathers to sometimes get upset with their kids. You don’t have to bring them up with all rosy, rosy, nicey, nicey and sweet words all the time. Then you will make them very weak.

I have seen parents who have never scolded their children. These children when they grow old, they can’t stand any criticism. A little criticism, a little disrespect from someone or a little bit of failure rattles them. They become so upset because they never experienced anything like that at home.

So at home, being upset with kids sometimes (not all the time), is like giving them a vaccination so they get stronger to the world outside home. But don’t take this as an excuse to all the time get upset with the kids, it does not work. Too much of it is also bad. If you are scolding your children every day on a routine basis, they become so thick skinned and they go all the way to the other side, which is also not good. A little dose here and there is okay.

People who irritate you, in some way or the other can bring about the best in you. When everyone around you is wonderful, you don’t need any skill to handle a situation. It will only happen when there are people whom you think are unreasonable.

Q: How much importance should one give to astrology, particularly when choosing a partner?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: It is good; you can compare the charts to see how much you naturally match with each other and how much you have to compromise.

Usually in the Vedic astrology they say, ‘Out of 30 points, 20 matches and 10 you will have to compromise.’ So these calculations are there. It is good to know this, so if one of you gets upset you get reminded that you need compromise a little more; yes!

Of course, planets do have an influence, but don’t think it is one way. You too have an influence on the planets. It is two ways. In the universe it is all two ways.

So what you can do? You can do chanting. That is why it is said, ‘Om Namah Shivaya’ is a chant which controls all the planets. On top of all the planets is the Shiva principle. So correction is available there. The correction is Om Namah Shivaya because this chant has all the elements which can nullify any bad effect.

Do you know the reason why there is the number 108? How many of you don’t know what 108 signifies? 108 signifies the nine planets and 12 houses, the constellations. When nine planets move through 12 constellations, they make 108 different changes. So to nullify those changes or any unpleasant effect, we say Om Namah Shivaya.

So it is like a shield. It is considered a very auspicious mantra. Even the steps to this hall are 108 steps from the bottom. That means you transcend all planetary effects and rise to pure consciousness.

Sadhana, pranayama, meditation, satsang, chanting, singing, what is the point of doing all this if everything is being ruled by the planet? No, these are like the checks and balances. They will counter the effects and bring more independence; otherwise our consciousness is dependent on time and space. Also, sadhana brings freedom, to a great extent. I won’t say 100%, but yes, to a great extent.

It is like, when it is raining and you go out, you have a choice, either you go out and get drenched, or take a rain coat and not get drenched.

Q: If you are not sure of a decision, for example, getting married, should you just go with the flow and get married or wait until you are certain?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You should ask your partner with whom you want to get married.

There are some who are fickle minded, who need a push to do anything, including marriage. And there are others who face such situations once in a while. So I leave the choice to you.

And there are yet others, who would like to marry every time they see a beautiful girl or boy, and the moment it starts becoming a little more concrete, they have doubts whether they should or they should not, or if somebody else may be better.

Again, here I would say, take the opinion of your partner, whether they want to get married to you, to such a fickle minded person.

Do you know what my usual answer for all these questions are? Choice is yours, blessing is mine!

Q: I have a sincere desire to bring the Prison Smart Program to Miami, Florida. My degree is criminology and psychology. Our state has more money allocated to prisons, buildings and education. How can I help?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: That is good, go ahead. And when you go to meet the prison officials, don’t go alone. Go as a group of four to five and talk to them and convince them. Show them the videos and show them the experience of people who have undergone the program, and what transformation has occurred in their lives. I know, no sane person will say no when they see all these experiences. They are simply amazing and touches anyone’s heart.

Q: Death has no age. So when a person, young or old dies, is their soul of the same age?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Soul does not have an age, and you said it correct, nor does death.

Death does not have a time and soul does not have an age, correct! Everything starts from the beginning.

Q: How do I get clarity when things are very ambiguous?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: There is a proverb in Chinese which says - When you feel so confused, take a pillow and go to bed. When you wake up next morning, you will be much better.

You know it is our ambition; our over ambitiousness does not let us choose things.

I just received an interesting SMS from somebody. A devotee went to a very rich person’s home and they asked him, ‘What would you like to drink - coffee, tea, coke, hot chocolate, milk, ojasvita’, and the list went on.

Then the devotee said, ‘Okay, I’ll have tea.’

Then he said, ‘What tea would you like to have? Ceylon tea, Fruit tea, Darjeeling tea, Indian tea or Burmese tea’, they gave a choice of another ten teas.

He said, ‘Okay, Ceylon tea. ’ And then they said, ‘Do you want black tea, milk tea, cold tea, or tea with lemon in it. What type of tea?’ He said, ‘Milk tea.’

‘What type of milk do you want? Pasteurized, unpasteurized, whole milk, 2%, 2.5% or 10%?’

He said, ‘Oh my god! Let me have black tea.’

‘So then do you want sugar in it?’

He said, ‘Yes please.’

Then they said, ‘What sugar do you want? Crystal sugar, brown sugar or honey; what do you want?’

He said, ‘Oh! I am dying out of thirst!’

And then the person asked, ‘How do you want to die? Become a shareholder in our company or our supplier?’

So too many choices can make your head reel.

Q: Please comment on this. I see so many people who are very close to you. I feel that I am not special. How do I feel the personal connection with you? I feel it is necessary to have personal connection in order to be 100% on the path.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Certain things you should assume, and this is one of the things that you should assume – we have a personal connection; that is it, full stop. Now, don’t question it another time.

No point in questioning your connection. We are all connected. There is no choice. Neither do I have a choice, nor do you have a choice. So relax, put to rest this particular question if it bothers you. Don’t think some are close to me and some are not; someone is special and someone is not special. No, you are as special and everyone is unique.

Engage yourself in any of the project. The more you engage in some or the other project, the more we will have to interact. Otherwise what is there to interact? ‘Hello! How are you? Are you doing fine?’ And you will say, ‘Yes’, and I will say, ‘Yes’, and that is it, we part. But if you have something to do, like Sushant has done something on Twitter, so I said to Sushant, ‘Let us see, come and let us discuss. I want to learn what Twitter is.’

Sushant got an award, do you know about that? He was in Obama’s campaign and he did something with Twitter and was awarded for that, just two days back.

So when everyone was scratching their head, he came up with an innovative idea. He thought out of the box and the company honored him. The company Twitter honored him for thinking out-of-the-box.

So take a project like that. Take a project on whatever you like.

Now Meenakshi came up with a wonderful cookbook. Meenakshi and her team have come up with a cookbook. It is not a book actually but pages that cooks can keep in front of them and start cooking.

So it is a project and like that if everyone comes up with a project then there is something to sit and talk about. Otherwise in silence, in meditation, we are already connected, we are linked.

And anytime you need any help anywhere, when you ask, do you get it or not? How many of you get it? (Everyone raises their hands).

See, everyone gets it. So I am doing my job!

When someone comes and apologizes, it is our magnanimity to say, ‘Oh, okay never mind.’ I tell you our magnanimity is in forgiving. Not forgiving, doesn’t show or speak very good of you. You should give ample chances for one to correct them self.

Q: I have many erotic thoughts. Are they harmful?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Never mind, don’t worry; don’t identify yourself with the thoughts. Thoughts are thoughts, they come and go, don’t worry. As long as you don’t give them power, you don’t act on them, you are very safe.

It takes time for your consciousness to be so dispassionate and so centered that such thoughts don’t occur to your mind, and it doesn’t happen right away. I tell you, it takes its own time.

You might have noticed, as your sadhana improves, these sorts of thoughts are fewer and fewer, isn’t it? Erotic and violent thoughts are fewer and fewer.

Q: Thank you so much for blessing me to be here on this inauguration. It was so amazing. Each of the speakers touched my heart with their words.

I would like to thank my sister and parents who have been a combination of mediation, commitment and service. In the least of my imaginations did I ever see myself here, this moment!

I also want to thank my Art of Living teachers, brothers and sisters, who at different times have inspired me to stay on this path. My husband has been an amazing inspiration and my son as well, whom I consider my first Guru. He has made me a seeker. Thank you so very much for everything.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: That is good. This is what we need to recognize. Our company is something important. Our friends, our relatives can take us up and they can pull us down too.

You also have to see, anyone who tends to go towards negativity, you should try to pull them up. Get them out of the negative tendencies. It is very easy to succumb to negative emotions; blaming, complaining, world over this is so prevalent, isn’t? But it is the knowledge that is so precious. When we soak ourselves more and more in knowledge, we gain that strength to move up and pull everyone up.

Usually formal programs are very boring, half the people fall asleep or dose off. But today’s program was very good, everybody was alive. And another thing, don’t think the whole credit goes to the speakers; it depends on the audience as well. It is the audience that brings out the good things in a speaker as well. So, when you are all here, very conscious and aware people, when you are all sitting here with such a beautiful heart, beautiful intentions and big vision, the speaker can’t but speak appropriate things.

So it is always a combination of the speaker and the listener.

And the speaker, however good they are, if the audience is not receptive, the right words simply won’t flow. There will be a block.

Q: How do we deal with anger and hatred towards somebody whom we cannot avoid; especially when both are completely at different frequencies?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: First realize you are magnanimous. If you believe in your magnanimity and your inner beauty, it will become easier for you to handle all such situations. When you don’t look within, when you are simply focusing on the behavior of others, it will definitely rattle your mind. Then you try to correct the other person and you will be unsuccessful.

People who irritate you, in some way or the other can bring about the best in you. They can bring out the talents and skills in you. See, when everyone around you is wonderful you don’t need any skill to handle a situation. It will only happen when there are people whom you think are unreasonable. So it is an exercise, take it as an exercise as much as possible.

I know it is not an easy job. At least, you save your mind.

I have spoken a lot about this in the books Celebrating Silence and Celebrating Love, go over it.

The moment deep acceptance starts coming from within you will suddenly find the other person also changes. It is strange, but true. When we change, they also change.

Q: I do a lot for my family members and yet they are all always saying I am wrong. What should I do? How to deal with it?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: No, don’t say that they always say you are wrong. If they always say that you are wrong then it would not bother you or even touch you. You would take it as their nature. Sometimes they would have said that you did right as well. Isn’t that so?

If you can appreciate them when they say you are right, and when they appreciate you, you should also accept when they don’t appreciate what you are doing, and say that you say wrong.

You should find a middle path.

You know, often, we generalize and externalize the problem. ‘Oh, I am always wrong’, ‘Oh, I am always right’, ‘Oh, I am always like this’, ‘Everybody is bad.’ This sort of generalization and externalization of problems is very common. We should make an effort to step out of that and go beyond that. Just smile. If you feel that they are unreasonable in their comments and they are always criticizing you, just smile. Don’t be bothered about it at all. Educate and ignore, and walk your path.

What can you do? Every time you sit for meditation, someone comes and complains, ‘Why are you sitting and closing your eyes, it is useless, don’t do it’, never mind. When you wake up, smile, and sit again the next day and they will turn around.

Q: If love is our true nature then why does it feel so good to hurt someone when you have been hurt yourself? How do you stop yourself from retaliating against others?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Again, you should read Intimate Note to the Sincere Seeker. I have spoken in so many words on these issues.

Do you want the chain to continue? You hurt them, they hurt you and they retaliate. Do you like to be retaliated? I am asking you a question.

Unintentionally a mistake has happened through you. Suppose someone starts retaliating because you did something wrong. Whatever you said or did hurt them deeply, and you said sorry a hundred times. Still they want to retaliate and take revenge, what would be the state of your mind? How do you like it? Why don’t you get into the other person’s shoes and see for a minute? You wouldn’t want that. You would say, ‘No! I asked forgiveness. I asked to be pardoned.’

Just imagine if someone refuses to pardon you for small things which you did unintentionally or out of ignorance, would you like it? When you like to be forgiven, how come you don’t want to forgive?

And this, enjoying hurting others, is not the right thing. It is simply you wanting attention that is all. This you need to correct. This is our mind’s sickness. It is the sickness of our own mind being happy making someone miserable. What do you call it? Sadistic! Enjoying someone’s suffering makes you happy.

‘Look, you made me suffer and I make you suffer’, that type of joy is not for you, no! It appears to be a joy momentarily but it comes back to you a million times more, so don’t go for it. There are better ways of joy. When you forgive, see what big joy, what big comfort it brings to you.

When someone comes and apologizes, it is our magnanimity to say, ‘Oh, okay never mind.’ I tell you our magnanimity is in forgiving, and that is what we do.

But if they continue to do wrong, if they don’t respect your forgiveness, then take a stick. Then go, challenge them; go to court or whatever. But you should give ample chances for one to correct them self. Forgiveness is not a sign of weakness; it should not be taken for granted. At the same time, not forgiving, doesn’t show or speak very good of you.

What do you think? Isn’t it?

Our company is something important. Our friends, our relatives can take us up and they can pull us down too. You also have to see, anyone who tends to go towards negativity, you should try to pull them up.

Q: How to cope with a troubled marriage, a marriage which has two kids? How to guide and give comfort to two young daughters who are caught in the middle of this marital issue?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You know when marriages break down you have to deal with the children’s psychology with care. Often parents pour all their grievances onto those young minds. They say bad things about their spouse so that the children remain closer to them. Don’t do that. Don’t say your father or your mother is very bad; this does not help in any way.

All that you should make them understand, both of you together is that, ‘We have chosen to go in our different roads but we both care for you.’ That is it.

It is a very delicate and very tricky situation, but it is a momentary one. You know this hard time will pass; you must know that. Just have patience and devotion. Your devotion, your meditation, your sadhana, all this will come to your help, okay?

Sometimes we will have to take the hard reality of life and not brood over it; and have a better vision. Also, give your children a bigger vision of the future. If you keep them engaged in something about the future they don’t go on chewing on the present bitter moment and take it too much to heart. So you should give them a vision of a better future, or talk to them about what they should do when they grow up, or what is needed for the country. As bigger challenges and bigger problems come in front of you, then the small individual personal bickering and issues lose their significance. That is the best way to handle this situation.

Q: What is the purpose of performing a long pooja as opposed to a short pooja.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Well, it is just like your daily meditations and your advance course with longer meditations. They all have their impact. Poojas don’t have to be too long, but these poojas are done for the masses. Not for one individual, but for the entire population.

Q: Why do we turn to the right side and not to the left side at the end of Kriya? I have asked this before, nobody gives an answer.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Oh, they are wise! They expect you to come for the Teacher’s Training Course (TTC), and Teacher’s Refresher Meet, that is where we discuss these things.

Those are the real secrets!

In one moment of samadhi there is a million years of rest

April 22, 2012


So we will recapitulate what we have been doing in the last two days.

How meditation can happen in many ways.

Meditation is a happening, this is the first point.

Second is, meditation is effortless. The key for meditation is effortlessness. It is not doing something but doing nothing and that is meditation. And creating a condition where you really can do nothing is all that is important to look into.

So how can this happen? We saw many methods or many ways.

Through physical manipulation, Yoga, Tai Chi, all these can bring a certain amount of calmness in the mind. Not totally but a certain degree of meditativeness can come by exercise and physical manipulation.

Second is pranayama. This is even more important because we have five bodies to us (Panchakosha). First is the physical body, then the pranic body which is the bio rhythmic force or bio electro-magnetic energy. Then, we have the mind or the consciousness; then the intuitive body which is a further refined consciousness, and then the blissful.

Usually we think the mind is inside the body, but it is the other way around. Body is inside the mind. I usually give the example of the Phantom Arm. Even though the arm is amputated a person feels the arm is still there, i.e., the subtle body which is still there.

So, through breathing techniques and breathing exercises, the mind becomes very serene, calm, and happy.

Then through any of the five senses the mind can become meditative. Through taste, smell, sight, sound and touch. Then through emotions; heightened refined emotions. Love, compassion, sense of service, all these can bring a certain degree of serenity to the mind; it becomes very calm and meditative. Through emotions you can attain the same meditative state.

Then through intellectual understanding.

One of the examples I gave is, when you go to a space museum or watch a space movie, then you see the earth in contrast with the universe, and how small this earth is, and where you are to what this universe is. That stimulation of the intellect brings a different context to life and makes the mind meditative. That little chattering mind just shuts off. The mind is chattering all the time, finding fault in others, or oneself, and suddenly you find all these things are insignificant compared to the vastness of the universe and of this existence. The awareness about this existence suddenly takes you to another plane of serenity, of calmness.

So through intellectual stimulation also meditation happens.

Q: Can you speak on how devotion can transform the ego in order for the self to be realized?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Listen, what is devotion? It is a state of Love.

What is ego? It is a sense of separation and a boundary; a wall; an identity.

Love seeks to dissolve the identity, love seeks to merge. Ego wants to maintain one sidedness. So they play different roles and they can coexist at different times.

So when there is love at that moment there is no ego, and when there is ego at that moment there is no love.

When you want to take up a challenge, love does not work, ego works. Ego can take challenges. But when you want to relax and have fun, at that time, ego does not work, love works. Do you understand what I am saying?

That is why nature has put both things in you, it has put love also and ego also. But if you are stuck in ego, it is like getting stuck into your shoes. You don’t know how to get it out of your feet. Then you are bathing with the shoes on, you are sleeping with your shoes on. You should know when to remove your shoes and be at home.

So love is the first thing that has happened in life. As soon as a child is born and it opens its eyes and looks at the mother, there is love. In that very first glance it receives love from the mother and gives love to the mother. But the ego comes at the age of three. Identity becomes very strong after three years and then it grows, and sometimes one gets stuck with that.

But when you become very old; most senior citizens if you see, there is no ego in them. They become like a child again. Past ninety hardly anybody can maintain their ego.

Before three you can’t have it and past ninety you can’t have it. It is almost like sex; there is an age for it, after that it is not possible and before that it is not possible. But they all have their roles to play.


Q: Hello Sri Sri, I have friends who feel that this earth is past the tipping point with all of the overpopulation and destruction of some of the natural resources, like the oceans, rainforest. A lot of people feel hopeless and hopeless. I tell them that there is a perfect divine order amidst all the chaos.

So, my question is, do you think that I am just blowing smoke above the wind pipe or the planet and the population will be just fine?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: It is good to be concerned, but not to be paranoid. There is a difference.

If you are paranoid you can’t do anything about it also and you just lose your peace of mind.

But at the same time you can’t say, ‘Well, God will take care of everything and let us just carry on with what we are doing.’ You can’t say that either.

God will provide us even if we exploit this planet a little more, somehow nature will provide more of that.’ You can’t say that. We need to definitely care for the planet.

And see, when the tipping point had come, this concern has come also. Nature or that big mind has put the concern in the minds of millions of people.

Today more and more of the population is concerned about the environment like never before. Do you see what am I saying? Today people are concerned even in small villages. In remote corners of the world they are talking about preserving the earth and organic agriculture, and not using chemical fertilizers. This concern has infiltrated into remote areas today.

At the same time, people are so paranoid, angry and agitated about it. ‘Oh, we are destroying the planet.’

I would say just relax. Don’t get paranoid but be concerned.


Q: What is Samadhi?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Dhi means the intellect and Samadhi means where the mind is in total equanimity; where your whole system is in total balance, that is called Samadhi.

Body, mind, spirit, everything is in such coordination and serenity. There are so many different types of Samadhi.

One is called Laya Samadhi, which is like, when there is some music going on and you are completely dissolved into it. You know you are but you don’t know where you are.

Then there is Pragya Samadhi, Asamprajnata Samadhi, etc.

Also, there is a Samadhi where thoughts are there, ideas are there but you are very tranquil. And there is a Samadhi where there are no thoughts, just a feeling is there.

So there are many different types of Samadhi.

It is said that the joy of Samadhi is described as – in one moment of Samadhi there is a million years of rest. ‘Koti Kalpa Vishram’ – million years of rest in a moment, is Samadhi.

It is also described that the pleasure in one moment of Samadhi is equivalent to one thousand units of sex.

So why celibacy happens to a Yogi is very natural. You don’t need to make an effort to be celibate; you don’t need another body to rub yourself on to find ecstasy. You just sit and there is a heightened joy and bliss that just wells up within you.

That is why celibacy is not a practice that you do; it is a happening wherein every cell of your body is in a sort of thrill and bliss. And bliss is what you try to achieve in sex. I hear sometimes one achieves bliss and sometimes one doesn’t, but people get tired. That is what I hear.

But in Samadhi you don’t get tired in spite of having that deep experience of joy. There is with no excitement, no feverishness, no tiredness, but an elevation which is energising you every moment. So that is why celibacy happens.


Q: Does meditation help one to come out of grief when a close one passes away?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, it does help.

Meditation definitely helps to come out of grief when a close one has crossed over to other side.

See, death is a very certain thing. Nothing is more certain than death, for sure. However you have lived your life, you are going to die. Successful or unsuccessful, you will die. Famous or infamous, you will die. Rich or poor, you are going to die. Healthy or sick, you are going to die.

It is not only sick people who die, healthy people also die. Everyone will die one day, so death is the most certain thing. You accept this truth, the reality and so you can say, ‘Oh you are gone, bye for now. I will see you few days later.’

Meditation definitely helps you to overcome grief. Not only that but when you meditate, the vibrations reach across to them and they feel peaceful.


Q: When there is a difficult situation, should I simply accept it or fight it out?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Fight it out, if you feel.

If you feel you have done your 100% and you can’t fight it in any way, then pray. Pray for help!

First you accept the situation as it is and then fight it out. And after fighting, again accept. A fight should be sandwiched between acceptance and that is the essence of Yoga.

Yoga means what? Acting with acceptance and with serenity; acting with the total vision.


Q: After death what happens to the soul?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Well, it gets ready to come back. It goes and stands in the line for another body. Millions are waiting to come back to the planet. That is why I tell people who have suicidal tendencies and want to kill themselves, not to do it. You have waited a long time and in a long queue to get a body, so don’t destroy it. It is very precious.


Q: Where was I before I came into this body?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Very good question! Before I got this body, where was I?

The consciousness is very ancient; the mind is older than the stones. I tell you, keep this question. This is a very important question. Don’t be in a hurry to get an answer.

In this very question you will find the answer, and you will go deep into meditation and much more. I am here now, but everywhere too.


Q: Do you need to set an alarm to come out of meditation?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: No, usually not because it can be too jarring.

But if you keep an intention that I will meditate for 20 minutes or half an hour then your eyes will open. You have an inbuilt clock inside that works with your intention.

Have you all tried this inside mechanism? Just put an intention in your mind, I have to wake up at 5 o’clock in the morning and right at 5 o’clock in the morning your eyes will open. There is an inbuilt clock inside you. Use it!

For meditation, sit for 20 minutes. Don’t sit for too long in the very beginning. When you come out of meditation you will forget where your home is and where your car keys are!

So, I would recommend 20 minutes or half an hour in the beginning, not more. It is not possible also to sit for longer. Automatically your eyes will open and restlessness will start coming if you sit too long. Don’t force yourself to sit for too long; 20 minutes minimum and half an hour maximum.


Q: Why do I feel hurt when I do meditation?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Do you know why you feel hurt? It is because meditation is kindling that space which is love inside of you. It is bringing up the love from deep within you.

Love is connected with hurt; do you see what I am saying?

So you may feel sorrow, you may feel some emotions come up and tears well up. Don’t judge them at that time, just be with it.

If it becomes a little too unbearable then take some long deep breaths. Do some pranayama, some breathing exercises at that moment and then you will see it will soothe you.


Q: How to balance life while working for a cause?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, that is a challenge.

When you intend it, when you think it, and when you say it that you can do both, though they appear to be conflicting, you will succeed in your job and succeed in your cause.

‘I have a cause that is greater than my job’, when you see this then you can do both.

If your passion for the cause overtakes the job concern, then you will say, ‘No, I throw away my job, I will pursue my cause.’

It is a tough road to tread on but it yields a lot of results. It is more fulfilling in that sense.

Any big achievement needs some sacrifice somewhere.

If you want to be in a comfort zone then balance both ends. But if you say, ‘I don’t care too much about comfort. This is my compelling passion and I want to take up a greater cause’, then you need to jump in.


Q: How does singing helps in meditation?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Singing does help. Singing creates a vibrant atmosphere and increases the prana that helps you to calm the mind and go deeper into meditation. So singing is a component.

Do you know that 70% of English language is Sanskrit? How many of you have heard about this?

Sister is swasa; daughter is duhita; go is gachcha. The root of English language is Sanskrit.


Q: Why has He created life?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Why should He not create life?

He has created life so that you could ask this question. If he would have not created, you could not have asked this question!

I don’t know. I have no idea. I think God needs better adviser though. He made things too complicated.


Q: How to accept the present moment?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Like now, this moment I have accepted your question, and I am here now. Got it? It is spontaneous.

The present moment is inevitable. Whatever exists is in the present moment. Even a future thought is in the present moment. Your future worry is not in the future, it is in the present. Even the past memories are in the present. You can’t escape from the present.

Your worry about the past is also in the present. You simply have to wake up and see the present is inevitable, that is all.


Q: Is anger good?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: If you want to use anger for something and it is in your control then it is good. If anger controls you then you are in trouble. Do you see what I am saying?

You can use anger as a tool, but if anger starts using you then you lose everything; the cause also is gone.

Most people do this. When they want to fight against injustice, they lose it and the very cause for which they are fighting is defeated. In third world countries, and all over the world, they burn buses, burn trains and cause so much damage. Behind every riot, they think they are fighting against injustice; any riot, anywhere in the world.

My interpretation for WAR is – Worst Act of Reason. There is a reason for which you go to war. Anyone who goes to war, they will justify the war. But it causes so much damage and doesn’t give you anything. That is why one needs to find alternative ways. Peaceful, nonviolent demonstration is the best, like the Gandhian principles.

We did this now in August in India. You must have heard about it in the papers. IAC – India Against Corruption, we are founding members of this. We did this movement without a single act of violence or disturbance anywhere in the country.

The Art of living was the main patron, main source, and all our volunteers made sure that no anti-social elements get into this anti-corruption movement.

Standing up against corruption and crime, it could have gone wild. People could have burnt homes, and could have done all sorts of things. But no, there is commitment to non violence. And suddenly during the whole time, the crime rate had gone down in the country. Everybody was standing up for a cause.


Q: What is sin?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Sin is that which gives you suffering and suffering to others in the long term. That which gives you pleasure for a short while but causes you to suffer for the rest of life is sin. But that which may appear painful in the beginning but in a long run uplifts you, that is merit.


Q: What is the secret of meditation?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: There are three types of space. One is the external space, in which all the four elements are there. The second type of space is the inner space where thoughts and emotions come from; this is called Chit Akash.

Then there is the third type of space where there is only bliss. And these three spaces are connected, the outer space, the intermediate space of thoughts or the subtle body, and the causal space of bliss and of love.

So every time you have experienced some love or some happiness or some peace, you are in touch with that inner space. You just touch and go and it brings that energy inside you.

So with enhanced energy, meditation happens. And meditation also enhances the energy, it is both ways. When your energy is uplifted, then meditation happens.


Q: Why it is a challenge to be compassionate to ourselves?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Because we are in the habit of blaming ourselves.

On the spiritual path, the first rule is stop blaming yourself. This is a rule. If we can apply this rule then you will progress very well on the spiritual path.

See, what is spirituality? What is a spiritual path? It is getting in touch with yourself, the core of your being. Going inward to be in touch with yourself.

If you keep blaming yourself, how can you go near yourself? You will never want to be with someone who blames.

The biggest impediment for meditation is self blame. You can never be at peace, you can never dive inside and you can never transcend when you blame yourself. So never blame yourself.


Q: What does dance express?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes, when you are happy, every step you take is a dance. You dance your way through your life. Wisdom makes you dance through all situations.

A movement stretched in rhythm is dance. Sound stretched in rhythm is music. Life stretched is celebration!


Q: What are your thoughts on a one world government and a one world family?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: A one world family is what is most practical right now.

I leave it to the politicians to think about a one world government. They have established The World Bank, but for a one world government I don’t think any politician will be ready for that, as of now. But at least if the United Nations would become more powerful and more proactive, rather than taking a back seat, it would be good for the planet.


Q: (A member of the audience spontaneously asked a question without a mike, hence the question was inaudible)

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Listen. You are breathing? Yes, you are! Definitely. You know it, I know it and everybody knows it.

So what is happening? The air is entering inside your body and the same air is going out of your body and traveling the whole world. Can you say, ‘This is my air’?

The subtler you go you can’t posses it or own it. On the level of the gross you can say, ‘This is my body.’ Definitely!

Even then, your body is emitting vibrations or energy all the time. You are losing energy and gaining energy from the cosmos. There is a continuous flow and every cell in your body is changing.

You are exchanging energy all the time. You are nothing but a particular vibration, a wave function, a frequency.

One particular frequency is called Susan, another particular frequency is called Jeffery, and another particular frequency is called Michael. You are almost like a particular TV channel.

Like from a tower different channels are aired and the channels can be caught in anybody’s home in any television.

You can’t say, ‘BBC is coming in my television but how can it come in the neighbor's television?’ They are the same waves.

Your consciousness is also a wave function and it has so many possibilities, so many avenues.

It is like the sun. When the sun has come totally inside your window, you can’t say, ‘Oh the sun has come into my window, I have captured the sun!’ No. The same sun will totally be there in the neighbor’s window as well, and all over the world. This is spherical thinking.

We are trained in linear thinking. If something is born it has to die, this is linear thinking.

Think spherically. The Vedanta gives you spherical thinking. The ancient people knew spherical thinking and that is why they use the word perhaps; perhaps this and perhaps that.


In Jain religion and Jain philosophy also they use perhaps. This is a very interesting thing to understand. With spherical thinking, the intellect is stimulated and it is charged to transcend the limited and see the truth beyond.

So the sun is here totally and there also totally. And you are just a vibration. As the body you can’t be everywhere, but as consciousness you can be in many places.

If you have touched a flower, your vibrations have gone into the flower.

Have you heard of biometric locks? They are locks that will open only when you touch them.

If you had spoken about these locks 20 to 25 years ago, people would have laughed at you and would have thought you are insane. Everything is possible.

So everything is just a wave function. The whole universe is a wave; a field of consciousness.



Q: Is refusing medication considered as suicide?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: No! If someone wants to refuse medication and wants the body to take its natural course then it is not suicide. It is okay.

But if someone out of anguish tries to strangle themselves and end their life then that is suicide; as far as I am concerned. I would call that suicide.

Sometimes people who are in coma they are force fed or they are kept on a machine for a long time. What I would say for them is let them go naturally, don’t force feed them. This is my personal opinion, but there are different opinions on this issue.

When you know that someone cannot survive and cannot come back to being normal then there is no point in keeping them alive like a vegetable. I would say remove all the tubes and let nature take its course.

Give me your troubles, live with a smile and engage yourself in seva, sadhana and satsang

January 22, 2012

The only purpose of my coming here is to tell you that the Divine exists and loves you very dearly. There is a couplet in Hindi: “Jo ichcha kariho manu maahi, prabhu prataap kachhu durlabh naahin”, which means that “With God’s grace, whatever you wish for will not be difficult to obtain”. This is a proven fact. However, you must first have the faith that the Divine exists. The Divine is omnipresent, which means that the Divine is within each one of us. The Divine is eternal, which means that it exists now, right this moment. We just need to have this faith and relax. There is no need to put any effort. Vivek (Discrimination), Vishwas (Faith) and Vishraam (Relaxation) - these three are important.

Whenever there is chaos, start a kirtan (devotional song) and the chaos will settle down. This is what happened when the country was trapped in turmoil. What did Mahatma Gandhi ji do then? He went to many places and started organising satsangs. Everyone started singing, “Ishwar Allah tero naam, sabko sanmati de Bhagwaan”, and the country was woven into one thread. The chaos and the turmoil were transformed into a revolution. Even today we require this. There is a need for a peaceful revolution in this country. Where there is ignorance, injustice, scarcity and lack of hygiene, that place requires a peaceful revolution so that the ignorance is wiped out, people stand against injustice, scarcity will end and cleanliness would reign over the place. Only kirtan can bring this revolution. Whenever this country was overcome by a problem, the sages, the intellectuals and the mahatmas (great souls) of this country came forward and gave the country a new hope.

Today, we are again standing at that crossroad, where the country essentially requires a wave of spirituality. What does spirituality mean? Sitting somewhere for a while and doing kirtan? No, my dear! Spirituality (Adhyatma) means the feeling of oneness. “Atmavat Sarva Bhuteshu Yah Pashyati Sa Panditah”. One who sees everyone in himself and himself in everyone will be called a spiritual person, a devotee. So, what does spirituality mean? It is a blossoming of this feeling of oneness. “Nobody is a stranger, all are my own”; if this feeling awakens in us, then it is spirituality.

Belongingness should increase. Where belongingness ends, corruption begins. Till this date, not a single person has been corrupt with his own people. He can’t do it. If corruption has increased so much, it means belongingness has ended. Misconduct, malpractice and corruption are not something one does with one’s own people. It is done with people who are not one’s own. Yes, we need a strict law for this, but I don’t think that law alone will remove it. I believe that law should be there, but the citizens should wake up. If we all wake up, we can remove corruption. Violence can be eradicated.

I read this morning that naxalites killed around thirteen to fourteen people. I had called out to them just yesterday. We had gone to the naxal-hit region yesterday, to the Aurangabad district. I was told that around four to five people will be surrendering today, but due to some unavoidable circumstances, they couldn’t. I congratulate those youth who, out of ignorance, had joined the naxalite movement and now understand that violence will not solve the problem. I want to tell you that these are brave boys, who are putting their lives at stake to perform penance in the forests. Their eyes are filled with tears and their hearts are pained only for the reason that they want poverty and caste discrimination to be wiped out from India and all enjoy equality. However, the path they have adopted is not right. That is why I keep telling them and also told them yesterday that they should forsake the path of violence and come forward; for we are with them. Even I want to see India at the top, the number one country. I want to see it as the mightiest and the best nation of this world.

The Art of Living has completed thirty years. Wherever you go, you will witness the spirituality of India. On 20th November, when I went to the last city of the North Pole, Tromso, I asked them when the sun will rise here. They said, ‘20th January’. It is dark for two whole months. The sun doesn’t rise during those two months. The population there is sixty thousand. Even in such a place, one thousand people sit together to chant ’Om Namah Shivaya’, meditate and do pranayama. They have experienced a change in their lives. Similarly, if you go to Tierra del Fuego, a city close to the South Pole, thousands of people are doing pranayama, meditation and sudarshan kriya. They are benefitting from this.

I am saying this for one reason- This spiritual knowledge is India’s gift to mankind. However, we don’t respect this knowledge. We need to do it now. We are not giving it the due respect it deserves. If we start giving it the due respect it deserves, this land where Buddha, Mahavira, Mother Sita, Janaka and Ashtavakra were born will once again regain its glory. There was a time when Magadha, Patliputra (now Patna) was the capital of India. However, it was lost somewhere during the motion of the wheel of time. Once again, the citizens of this place will awaken, reminisce its heritage, the youth will forsake the path of violence and achieve great heights.

I also wish that there will be hundred per cent literacy in Bihar. I congratulate the team of Nitish ji (Chief Minister of Bihar) and Modi ji (Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar), for I can see a remarkable change here as compared to the last time. People in the villages are happier than before. However, we still have a lot to do, and a lot of things to work on. Literacy level should increase and people should be able to walk fearlessly. There isn’t so much fear now but we have to work a lot to start walking on the path of progress. There have been many hardships and we have emerged out of those circumstances with courage. Don’t lose courage; march forward with courage and I am very sure that Bihar will emerge as a strong state in India.

All of us here will have to take a pledge: we will neither give nor take bribe. If somebody is into this habit of taking bribe, then I would like to request them to take a year’s break from it, just for me. Take this pledge for just one year that we will not accept bribe. No problem if you have to bear some losses. However, it will benefit you a lot in the sense that you will be bestowed with blessings. All the givers must take this pledge for a lifetime and all the acceptors, if they are a little hesitant, then they must take the pledge for at least a year. We will create this atmosphere in the society. Law is the cure for this illness. But it is the work of spirituality to prevent the illness from attacking us. We need to remove ignorance and then stand against injustice.

This caste discrimination that we practice is not mentioned anywhere in the scriptures. Lord Shiva was called an untouchable, a member of the Dalit group. Around a thousand rishi-munis (great saints) have been produced by this nation, and only a few were from the forward class. Many of them were from the backward classes, from the Dalit group. It has been said ‘Janmana jayate shudra, karmana jayate dwija’. Your caste is decided by your deeds (karma), not by birth. All the castes are equal and each has been respected in this country. We forgot that. When we need a good doctor, we don’t ask his caste or religion. This also happens in the case of lawyers. Only when politics comes into picture, we talk about caste. Also, when it is the matter of one’s means of livelihood and the marriage of one’s daughter, caste is discussed in villages. We should remove caste from these three fields; livelihood, daughter and politics. Then India will progress at a very fast pace and emerge as the topmost nation. And women should be respected. A country where women are subjected to atrocities will never progress. This is very important. Stand against injustice.

We should all contribute something for the environment, and also for the farmers. There is no proper planning in our country. The price of potatoes skyrocket sometimes and then come down drastically. The farmer is the most affected. They have to put in a lot of effort and yet they don’t have any hope. When I was in Gaya and also when I addressed a rally of farmers in Maharashtra, I was told that if a boy is engaged in farming, nobody wants to wed their daughter to a boy involved in farming. This is the condition as told by them. If the farmer is happy, then the crop that he reaps out of that happiness keeps us in good health. If the farmer is not happy then our health will deteriorate.

All those who haven’t read Gita must read it at least once. It has seven hundred shlokas. Einstein, one of the greatest scientists of all times, said, ‘My life is transformed after reading Gita’. Mahatma Gandhi used to read it every day. I’ll share an instance with you, probably nobody knows it. My Guru, Pandit Sudhakar Chaturvedi had been with Mahatma Gandhi in Rewara Jail. He had been with him for forty years. He is the knower of the four Vedas (and hence conferred the title Chaturvedi). The day when Kasturba Gandhi died, Mahatma Gandhi came out, tears rolling down his eyes and spoke to Pandit Sudhakar Chaturvedi (who was known as ‘Bengaluri’ back then). Mahatma Gandhi ji said, ‘Bengaluri, read out the second chapter of Gita today. It is the day to test your Bapu (Gandhiji was fondly known as Bapu, which means Father), whether I am Stithapragya (Stable intellect) or not’. So he read out the second chapter; ‘stitha prajna shyaka bhasha samadhisthsya keshava, sthitadhih kim prabhasheta kimasita vrajet kim (chapter II Verse 54)’. With eyes closed, he listened to the verse, and tears started rolling down his eyes. He said, ‘Today is the testing day for me. And with the support of Gita, I am able to bear this grief’. All those who haven’t read it must read it once. It will take a week at the most.

Gita has discussed everything, about mind, about the different types of food: Sattvic, Rajasic and Tamasic; and about our nature. If you give some work to certain people they will procrastinate it. Others will say that they can’t do it. We can see the different types of mind-sets. One mind-set is that if you assign them some work, they’ll say, ‘Yes, it will be done!’ This is a sattvic attitude (Dhruti). Then there is a rajasic and tamasic attitude. You will be able to recognize as to which type of attitude you have. When you are assigned a work, whether you are excited to do it or you ignore it, is a test of your personality. This is called ‘swadhyaya’ (Introspection).

The Art of Living (Part 1) course is based on five principles. Opposite situations are natural in our lives. We must keep ourselves balanced in those circumstances. We must not get depressed in times of sorrow and too excited in times of happiness. We must make an effort to balance our mind. This is the first point. The second is, accept people as they are. We want everyone to abide by what we say. Does this happen? This is never possible. Every person has a different way of thinking. So this is the second point, accept people as they are and then make an effort to transform them. In the very first place, you dictate, ‘do what I say!’. This happens in every household. This results in tribulations in every household, between husband and wife, between brothers and sisters, between mothers-in-law and their daughters-in law, and between father and son. This struggle of not being able to understand the other person can be solved by spreading knowledge. Millions of households have recognized this fact and have witnessed transformation in their lives.

Thirdly, when we commit a mistake, we say, ‘what can be done? It just happened’. We feel helpless. However, when others commit a mistake, we see an intention behind it. This is not correct. We need to throw some light on this fact. The fourth point is that we shouldn’t be a football of others’ opinions. Let others say what they want to about you. There are people who criticise those who do great deeds and then there are also people who support those who do wrong deeds. We shouldn’t base our lives on the opinions of others. The fifth point emphasises on living in the present moment. Forget the past and plan for the future but live in the present moment. These are the five tattvas (principles). And with the help of these tattvas, we delve deeper into meditation and then realise that ‘I am a fountain of love’. In every particle of my being, it is that Om which is resonating. We realize this through experience.

I would request you to do one thing today. You should make two lists, the first list for your needs, and the other for how many responsibilities you undertake in life. If your responsibilities are lesser than your needs then you will lead an unhappy life. But if your needs are lesser than your responsibilities, then you will enjoy a happy life. Another secret that I have is that if you don’t want anything for yourself then a mystical power will arise from within you such that you will be capable of fulfilling others’ wishes as well. When you do not want anything for yourself and then if you bless someone, their work will be done. During Navratri, in our country, we worship little girls (referred to as kanyakas and the worship is called kanya pujan) on Ashtami. Do you know why we do this? This is because there is a glimpse of God in the mind of the child, in their innocence. Shakti (Energy, the feminine aspect of Divinity) resides there. Everyone has this Shakti, but our desires, wishes and tensions have enveloped it. If you ask kids as to what they want, they will effortlessly reply, ‘I don’t want anything’. It is a spontaneous reply from them. That state when you don’t want anything, then the blessings that flow out are bound to materialise. That is why you go to the elders and to the sages to seek blessings from them for they don’t want anything. ‘I don’t want anything for myself. May everyone be happy and well’. When people have this state of mind then their blessings will come true.

I have seen millions of people enjoying a scarcity free life as they take just one step in this direction. Ignorance, injustice and scarcity are washed away. Then comes cleanliness. We should be clean from inside, keeping our hearts clean and also keeping our environment clean. There are many people here who don’t even clean their wash basins regularly. Why doesn’t this thought of keeping our houses clean strike us? And even if people keep their houses clean, they will throw the trash on the roads. They will not keep the roads clean. If each one of us sitting here devotes two hours of our time every month in keeping Patna clean, then Patna will shine even more. Just devote two hours on the first Sunday of every month.

We started our first such campaign in the city of Jalna, Maharashtra. One person from every house came out with a broomstick in his hand, and within three hours, that city turned so beautiful that even the mayor was astonished. He said, ‘even such things can happen in society!’ And then, before the Commonwealth Games, when the government surrendered to not being able to clean Delhi, five thousand volunteers of The Art of Living came forward every day in different localities of Delhi to clean the city. The campaign, ‘Meri Dilli, Meri Jamuna’ (My Delhi, My Jamuna) made a lot of difference. I told them, if we take one step in this direction then nature will take ten steps. I said I want to see fish in the River Yamuna. It had become a river of garbage. In Mathura, as people drew water with their hands from the Yamuna, all they could see was insects. Five hundred trucks full of dirt were taken out from Yamuna. And who did this? It was done by us- satsangis (People who participate in Satsangs), sadhaks (People who do Sadhana). And after that, the flood that followed brought fish to River Yamuna. Nature cleaned it even more through the flood. I would say that if all Patnaites (residents of Patna city), as a seva, spare two hours every month for the society, we will be able to clean the city. This was the fourth point, removing filth. So these were the four points: ignorance, injustice, scarcity and filth which need to be removed. This is called satsang.

What is required for a cell phone to function properly? You need a SIM card, a charged battery, and within the network range. These are the three things; faith, intellect and relaxation. Sitting quietly and meditating for some time is relaxation. There is no delay in experiencing the Divine. If you have these three things, you will develop a link with the Divine.

Today, surrender all your problems to me. I want to see a smile on your face that never withers. Spend your entire life smiling. Give me your troubles and whole-heartedly engage yourself in seva, sadhana and satsang.

I was in America, a month and a half back. I met a scientist there who had researched on the word, ‘Om’. He said that he had recorded the chanting of Om and found that it has the same frequency as the rotation of the Earth around its axis. That is why from ancient times, whether it was Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Hinduism, or even Shinto and Taoism, respect is given to this word ‘Om’. It is called ‘Anahat Naad’ (Sound produced without contact). And if you meditate deeper, you will hear this ‘naad’ (Sound) automatically. Islam and Christianity have been using it as ‘Amin’ and ‘Amen’, in a slightly different way. Om has a very crucial role in keeping the mind silent.

I have always been saying, ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, one world family! It was India that propounded this idea. When China first welcomed me, they said, ‘Guruji! No matter how our administration is now, India and China has had a very old relationship. Buddhism first spread to our country from India and philosophically we are very close to each other’. This is how they welcomed me. They said that human values were decreasing there and so they wanted me to come and open up our centres there as well.

When the Prime Minister of Iraq invited me, a journalist came along. He asked the prime minister as to what he wants from India. The first thing he said was that we want India’s spiritual force, spiritual knowledge from India. ‘How peacefully you live, people from different religions, different cultures and communities, that is your asset and that is what we want in our country also. We want that energy. Those people from our staff, who have done your pranayama, sudarshan kriya and meditation, always keep smiling. They are always happy and always ready to face challenges of all kinds. There is so much enthusiasm in them. I want to make everyone like this’. Secondly, he said that he wants the industrialists of India to come to Iraq and drill out oil. He wanted to give it to them instead of America. And thirdly he talked about IT (Information Technology). He wanted India to give training to people in IT. The youth of India are renowned for their IT skills and they wanted their youth to be the same. Then, he sent fifty youths from their country to Bengaluru to get them trained so that they become messengers of peace. They were trained for a month and a half. People from Morocco took training for three months. Then they started teaching people all over and now thousands of people are meditating, doing pranayama and yoga and are benefitting from it. Even you people should do yoga and asanas for short intervals.

Q: Guruji, today we have to compromise in our lives. How to protect human values in the storm of ambitions?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: With your faith. Our ambitions will be fulfilled, there is no hurry. And human values are, not doing unto others what we don’t want them to do with us. And we should behave with others in exactly the same way as we want them to behave with us. 

Q: Guruji, today everywhere we see people playing the game of Rajneeti (politics). Should spiritual people stay away from politics?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: What does ‘Rajneeti’ mean? It means that which is essential for the citizens of a place, for instance, transportation, education, security. This is rajniti. Spirituality is different. It is the field for improvement of the masses. A ruler can never be a reformer and a reformer should never be a ruler. Both the roles should be played by different people, but with the support of each other. It would be better if a state is managed by taking suggestions from a spiritual guide. That is why this country has always seen people who have been providing unbiased suggestions, like a journalist and a spiritual leader. They don’t belong to a particular group. They belong to God and stand for truth. They keep forth that which is true and then suggest accordingly. This should be done. 

Q: Guruji, what should be one’s goal in life: money, fame, position or something else?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Contentment. 

Q: Guruji, there are many students from different colleges of Bihar. One of them has asked, ‘in Indian mythology, the Gods’ vehicles are very tiny animals, like Ganesha and his mouse. What does this signify’?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I have made a cassette by the name of ‘Ganesha Rahasya’, you must listen to that. I have given the explanation of all the symbols- the significance of the elephant, the mouse and everything else. Now I cannot take it up, it is too long. It is all very symbolic. We say each God and Goddess go on a particular animal. Every animal brings down to the earth, certain vibrations, certain cosmic energy. So the scientists say that if even one animal is missing from this planet, the whole planet will collapse. 

Q: How to decide whether our decision is correct or not?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Time will tell you. Use your intellect. The gut feeling will tell you whether it is correct or not. If it is wrong it will pinch you and if it is not wrong, it will give you peace, tranquillity, relaxation and happiness.

Q: Guruji, it is said that we must always think positive but my mind always turns negative. How to handle this?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Make your body pure. Take some ‘Triphala churna’ around two to three times a week. If your digestive system is clean, your mind will also work properly. If you have constipation, your mind goes haywire. Purity of the body, by taking triphala, atleast once a week will also do. Ayurvedic medicines purify the body. Pranayama purifies the ‘prana’, the life force. Bhajans and songs purify the mind. Knowledge purifies the intellect and makes it sharp. Charity purifies wealth. Two to three per cent of what we earn should be kept aside for social work. If you earn a thousand rupees and spend the entire income on yourself, that is not right. A minimum of two, three or even four per cent should be kept aside for social work. Islam propounds ‘zakat’, where you have to spend at least ten per cent of your income on the society. This has also been mentioned in our religious scriptures which states that twenty per cent of our income must be spent on social work. Now, twenty per cent becomes too much and too impractical for you. So, you must spare three per cent at least. In today’s world (kali yuga), if you do even this much, it would be good enough. Just like you purify wealth by charity, similarly you purify food by ghee (Clarified butter). The Maithili Brahmins used to say that pouring half/one spoon of ghee on rice will purify it. Some people think that this is a superstition that we are following. However, a cardiologist once said that if we eat rice without ghee, it converts into simple sugar very quickly. And then we face diseases like Diabetes and heart problems. If we add only one spoon of ghee to it, it is converted to complex carbohydrates, the digestion slows down and you will never face Diabetes or heart problems. This is what cardiologists say. So what our forefathers used to say is true. It is a similar case with turmeric or ‘haldi’. You can’t cook without it. People in all places, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, use turmeric. Thirty years ago, people in India used to say that turmeric is just a pigment and it has no value. America researched on it and proved that it is an anti-oxidant and has cancer prevention capabilities. And it is now that we have started using it again. In ancient times, there were no cases of cancer in our country. But now everywhere you find people suffering from cancer. Earlier, turmeric was used a lot. It was called a systematiser or ‘vyavasthapak’ in Ayurveda. So, we will have to revert to Ayurveda again. It has many such remedies that the world respects today. 

Q: Guruji, you say that we should definitely vote. But how should we find out as to who is better? We find all of them the same. 
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: As per the spiritual knowledge, if you find all of them the same then it is okay. Otherwise you shouldn’t call all of them wrong. Every field has some people who are wrong. Some people dress in the garb of a saint, read a few books, spread knowledge but commit sins as well. There are such people amongst the doctors as well, who steal others’ kidneys. Even among lawyers, there are such people. Every profession has such people. But if you say that all the doctors are wrong, all saints are wrong, all politicians and all officers are wrong, then that is not right. All officers can’t be wrong. All policemen cannot be corrupt. There are some policemen who are very good. So, if we measure everyone from the same yardstick, then our decision will be wrong. So, find out the person whom you find most deserving. There is no criterion for it. You will have to ask your heart. It will tell you whether the concerned person is correct or not. 

Q: Guruji, between my mind and my heart, whom should I listen to? My mind says something and my heart says something else.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: If you have to do a business, listen to your mind. But if you have to live life, listen to what your heart says. You shouldn’t use your mind while living life and your heart while carrying out a business. You will fail miserably in both cases. 

Q: Guruji, what roles can a common man play in transforming the society?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: The person who considers himself as a ‘common man’ only can bring about a change. One who thinks himself to be special can never bring about a change. And don’t think you cannot do anything just because you are a common man. You can do a lot. Whatever I have said till now is what you can do. 

Q: : Guruji, you say that God is in every being. I can see God in you, but how to see God in others?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: The sun is visible through the window, but behind the wall, also, is the sun. Accept it. ‘Kuch jaan ke chalo, kuch maan ke chalo, prem se sabko gale lagate chalo. Jeevan chand dinon ki baat hai’. Know some things and accept the rest, and love everyone. Life is a matter of a few days. 

Q: Guruji, how to control anger? Despite taking resolutions many times, I am overcome by anger. 
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Perfection is very dear to you and that is why you get angry. You should leave some space for imperfection as well. See everything as a dream. All this is just a dream. Look at your own life and observe everything that happened so far. You went to school, then to college and then to work. You were caught in a traffic jam while coming here and were complaining all the time. But when you leave, leave with a smile. While coming, there was the same traffic and while leaving, you will find the same traffic. But while leaving, you must leave happily. It will be the same traffic again. Everything depends upon your state of mind. 

Q: Guruji, does bearing everything mean contentment and acceptance?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: No! I will not be able to tell you what contentment is. If you have never experienced contentment all your life, then you will not be able to experience it ever. You must have experienced it. You just need to silence your mind. What is the root cause of your problem? Bring it here. Come here; sit for ten minutes and surrender. When your mind relaxes, you will yourself know what contentment is. Everything will remain here and you will have to go. All those you have known in the past have left this planet. Don’t you remember? So many of us have left and similarly we will also have to go. If you are able to conceive only this much of knowledge, contentment will dawn upon you. 

Q: Guruji, should we protect our relationships at the stake of our self-respect?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Look, I am not going to be caught in this question. You are thinking something else, asking some other question, I will give an answer, you will apply it directly or indirectly and then you will say Guruji it was you who said it. No! Self-respect is one thing and egoism is another. Egoism gives rise to artificiality and self-respect is something that nobody can snatch from you. If you have self-respect, then you will keep smiling even if a million people verbally abuse you. Accept criticism. It is the other person’s choice to say what they want to say. Somebody told me something. I said that they have all the right to project their ignorance. Isn’t it? So why should we spoil our mind? Save it at any cost. 

Q: How to measure success in life? Why don’t we reap benefits even after putting a lot of hard work?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: For anything to be successful, you require five elements. Hard work alone will not pay. There should be hard work, blessings, luck, the instrument to do work, and the right frame of mind. If you have all this with you, only then will you be able to do it. 

Q: I know that what I am doing is wrong, yet I can’t stop myself! Why?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: This is because there is an iota of hope that you will find happiness in it. But when you will experience a greater happiness in meditation, then, you will automatically give it up. That is why you should do pranayama and meditation. Millions of people have got rid of their bad habits by doing this. Don’t worry, okay!

Q: Should we have faith in destiny?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: We can build our own destiny. If you have faith you can construct your own destiny. 

Q: How should a person consider his life to be successful?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: The more you smile, and when you smile even in times of distress then know that you are successful!

Q: Which is of these is more important: Karma (action) or Bhagya (destiny)?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Do you want to watch the television first or hear it first? Both of these go hand in hand. If there are two shops adjacent to each other, then one gains while the other loses. Why? There is something invisible. But we can build that something which is invisible. Don’t curse your destiny. You can change your destiny. The youth of India is so powerful that they can change their own destiny. There is no reason to lose hope. If any of you feel that there is no way left and that you are very depressed, then do contact our Art of Living teachers. If any of you feel like committing suicide then know that you first have to take my permission before you take any step in this direction. Otherwise, you will neither get an entry here nor an entry there. You will be stuck in between. And you know that I will not grant you the permission. 

Q: Students are committing more suicides. Why?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: This is because no one taught them spirituality. No one taught them how to do pranayama and meditation. We are ready to teach that. The YES+ course is held in every college, all of you must definitely do it. Here are the youth from IIT who are teaching YES+ in so many colleges. Your life will transform. Whenever your mind slips into depression, you might think of committing suicide but you should never do that. And if you are facing some other problem then mentally surrender it to me. And you will recover from it, immediately. 

Q: What is that one primary mantra to success?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: The one primary mantra to success is to digest failure. 

Q: What should be the goal of our life?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: The one who knows will not tell and one who tells, does not know!

Q: Should we believe in astrology ?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Astrology is a science, but astrologers aren’t scientists. Often, they say something or the other. If there is something wrong with your Horoscope, it can be corrected by doing meditation, seva and satsang. You can change everything by doing all this. We must understand that past was destiny, and we can change our future.

Q: I don’t feel like studying.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Do some pranayama and meditation and you will be able to concentrate.

Q: India is ahead in spirituality yet so backward. Why?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Who said India is backward? Do you know, today, America is the worst debt-struck country in the world? Their financial condition is very bad and they are heavily indebted.