Be peaceful within, then fight conflict

People who love peace do not want to fight, and those who fight do not have peace. What is needed is to be peaceful within and then fight. Just trying to end a conflict only prolongs it. God has been putting up with all conflicts throughout the ages and if God can, you can too. The moment you agree to be with a conflict, it no longer appears as a conflict to you.

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!

Your life is most precious.

Sri Sri says looking towards the sky):

See, clouds are already there. It will rain well by the end of this month. If there is unrighteousness and decreased moral values in the country, nature also shows its anger. When all the corrupt people, whom we have made to sit on the top, do injustice to the country, nature also shows its anger.

The farmers of our country are committing suicide. If there is injustice to the farmers, it will result in nature showing its anger. That is why righteousness must increase in people. If the people who rule the country are not righteous, the country will be ruined, the people of the country will be ruined.

I have the dream of a clean and beautiful society, where there is no crime. Small countries like Bhutan, Switzerland and Ireland have so much peace. At one point of time, India had all these. Ours was such a glorious country. We need to restore our country back to the same state.

This is not something new; this has been going on since ages. In the ancient times, there used to be a Rajguru who used to catch the king’s ears if he did something wrong and cautioned him that it would harm him as well as his subjects. Nowadays, nobody listens. Farmers should not be subjected to injustice.

From today, before you eat your food, say, ‘Annadata Sukhibhava’. Let the farmers who provide us food be happy. Let the merchants who ensure that the food is transported and supplied to us be happy. Thirdly, let the women of the house, who cook and serve food to us, be happy. If these three are happy, the world will be happy.

If the women of the house are happy, there will be happiness at home. If the women of the house cook food with sadness, frustration or anger, the food does not digest properly and it affects the mind too.

If the merchants are happy, they will not cheat or adulterate food. We will get pure and clean food. Also, they will not loot and increase prices exorbitantly.

Since ages, merchants used to do a lot of social service activities, like constructing tanks, temples and Dharmashalas (Righteous schools). If the merchants are not happy and become greedy, it affects the people a lot.

Similarly, farmers must be happy. It is very important.

So, keeping all these three in mind, let us chant the mantra ‘Annadata Sukhibhava’ everyday.

Q: Gurudev, recently there has been a lot of issues with regard to power supply. How do we tackle this issue?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: There was a person who had come here to explain how he could turn garbage into electricity. I have encouraged him to do this in Karnataka too. He needs a thousand kilograms of garbage of any kind, which he converts into electricity. We will see how it goes.

Q: Many great saints, for example Jesus, have died violent deaths. Why is it so?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Lord Krishna has said this in the Bhagavad Gita, ‘Kleśo 'dhikataras teshām avyaktāsakta-cetasām avyaktā hi gatir dukham dehavadbhir avāpyate’ (Chapter 12 Verse 5)

If one worships only the un-manifest aspect of theBrahman (Absolute or Godhead) that brings a lot of sorrow.

If you observe, the lives of Moses, Jesus and Prophet Mohammed were full of difficulties. The lineage of Guru Nanak also faced similar difficulties. It was because they ignored Saguna Brahman (The Absolute with qualities) and worshipped only Nirguna Brahman (the supreme reality without form, quality, attribute).

It is very interesting.

That is why it has been said, ‘Avidyaya mrityam tirtha vidyaya amritam snute’ . Take both Saguna and Nirguna with you.

Vyakta (manifest) and Avyakta (un-manifest) are both needed. ‘Ishwaro Gururatmeti Murti bheda Vibhagine, Vyomavad vyapta dehaya Dakshinamurataye namah – Guru, Self-realization and God are all needed. If we take all of them along in life, we will be happy both in this world and the next.

Q: It is said that getting a human birth is fortune. However, some people live very comfortable lives while others live miserably. Why this discrimination?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Those who are happy must share with those who are unhappy. Those who are unhappy must have an attitude of sacrifice and work on developing inner strength.

Knowledge gives you inner strength. Inner strength brings forbearance in life and gives one the capacity to have a good conduct with others. That is why Gyan (knowledge), Gaan (music) and Dhyan (meditation) are very important in life.

Q: I have been doing Sudarshan Kriya for the past four years. I also studied hard for my pre university college. In spite of this, I did not get into the college and the course that I wanted. I have lost all hopes. I have gotten a seat in Computer Science and Engineering.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Computer Science is a good branch. Do it.

Don't worry, whichever course you get, got for it. Your life will be good. Got it?

Many students like you get dejected if they don't get good marks or a seat in a good college and are committing suicide. Never do that. Never underestimate your own life. Your life is most precious. You never know what talents are hidden within you. You may become a big minister or a businessman. There are all kinds of possibilities.

From today, before you eat your food, say, ‘Annadata Sukhibhava’. Let the farmers who provide us food be happy. Let the merchants who ensure that the food is supplied to us be happy. Thirdly, let the women of the house, who cook and serve food to us, be happy.

A vegetable pushcart vendor in Mumbai, Ramnath Goenka, opened one of the biggest publications in India. So, you should not be sad. If you have got Computer Science, go for it. Our country has already improved a lot and will improve further in the field of Computer Science.

Q: How is the India that you visualize in your dreams, especially in the field of education, defense, economy and finance?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: I have the dream of a clean and beautiful society, where there is no crime.

Small countries like Bhutan, Switzerland and Ireland have so much peace. At one point of time, India had all these.

Lord Macaulay had said, ‘I have traveled across the length and breadth of India and I have not seen one person who is a beggar, who is a thief. Such wealth I have seen in this country, such high moral values.’

Ours was such a glorious country. We need to restore our country back to the same state.

Q: A few days ago, you said that we should not give bribe to God to get anything from him. In Hinduism, we do Mannat, wherein we pray to God for something and in return we give him something. Is this justified?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Doing Mannats are for your own sake. God’s grace is unconditional (Ahetu Ki Kripa). God gives things to you unconditionally.

These are just practices. They don’t have any basis in the scriptures. If you do good seva, it gives you good merit, and merit brings you happiness.

Q: Swami Nithyananda spoiled the Hindu culture and ever since people are skeptical to enter Ashrams. Why did the Divine allow him to do such a sin? I am very pained when it comes to this.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: This is nothing new. This is a tradition that has been going on. In the Ramayan, Sita was also misled by a Sannyasi (Saint). Ravana knew that Sita would believe him if he disguised himself as a Sannyasi.

The Vijayanagar Empire was also destroyed by an enemy disguised as a Saint. He killed the king in a day. An empire that had hundreds and thousands of elephants and soldiers was destroyed in a day. That is because Saints had free access.

There will always be such people in every field.

Today, you are seeing all such happenings on Television. Teachers are misbehaving with the girl children in the classroom. How will parents get the confidence to send their children to school?

In a hospital, a doctor raped a patient. This shows that there is such a dire need of spiritual, ethical and moral awakening in the country.

We have moved too much towards leftism. In the name of secularism, all the values in our country have been thrown away. We need to create a Dharmic (Righteous) society again. Otherwise you are seeing what is happening. Schools, colleges and hospitals have become unsafe.

In our country, teachers and doctors were given a lot of respect. Vaidyo Narayano Harih - A doctor was considered an avatar of Lord Narayana. Nrupo Narayana – the King was considered to be God. God was permeating everywhere. It was a Godly society. But now fear permeates everywhere. People are afraid to send their children to school. People are afraid to go to doctors. They charge you and discharge you.

Many times they say, 'Operation successful', but the patient dies.

Never underestimate your life. Your life is most precious. You never know what talents are hidden within you. You may become a big minister or a businessman. There are all kinds of possibilities.

The root cause of this is the lack of spiritual knowledge. That is why all of you should become teachers and Sadhaks (seeker on the spiritual path), and make more and more people Sadhaks as well, then we will definitely be able to bring transformation.

Two hundred and forty terrorists have dropped their arms and have come here to the Ashram to begin a new life. Each of their lives is a very interesting story. We can write a novel about each of them.

Q: What is the simple path for Self-realization?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Meditation; introspection on ‘Who am I?’, and by knowing what you are not.

Q: People say that committing suicide is a sin, but isn’t Gandhian methods of fast-unto-death a sin?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Any form of suicide is wrong. I am not in favor of it. I don’t agree that one should die fasting.

Knowledge is structured in consciousness

Wisdom from Sri Sri: Knowledge is structured in consciousness

Guruji Satsang Knowledge 4th September 2007

*4th September 2007*

*Bangalore Ashram*

*Ashram Celebrates the birthday of Lord Krishna, Janmashtami, in presence of
Gurudev. As the satsang initiated with several Krishna Bhajans… like the joy
from the heavens showered as tender drizzle, which turned into blissful rain
in a while. Gurudev refused to take the umbrella as he saw thousands of his
devotees not move an inch away!! It was indeed the most blissful moment as
we heard several screaming Jai Gurudev, Jai Sri Krishna!! Moments later,
Gurudev got up from His seat (the swing which was specially organized for
the occasion); He looked into the sky, and decided to stay back. He sat back
comfortably on the swing. In no less than three minutes rain stopped!! *

* *

*Each one of us have experienced several miracles in our own life, favored
by Gurudev, at the times when we needed him the most. But yesterday
thousands of people experienced miracle at one point of time. *

* *

*Indeed, Jai Gurudev!!!*

*Following is what Gurudev spoke:*

*Guruji:* Janmashtami is a very juicy day; Get absorbed in your own juice,
juice of your own self! You cannot be dry on this day!! (Laughter!!) On the
Janmashtami day you get immersed in the being. Some of us who are very
closely sitting or standing in the front may go back and dance! It's a day
to dance, sing.. you cannot be dry on this occasion!!

It is said that when Krishna did the *raas *with the Gopis then He took as
many forms as the number of the Gopis. Janmashtami is the day of chaos and
bliss amidst charm and childhood. Children play with water guns and through
water at each other and here you have it all naturally!! (Laughter!!)
Jnamashtami is not the time to be serious. It is the time to dance and
celebrate. The legend goes that Krishna multiplies into so many forms of his
own self and dances with all the Gopis! So you all can actually go back and
dance. Krishna says, "Yomaan pashyanti…." Which means, One who sees me in
everybody and also sees everybody in me, to such a devotee I cannot leave. I
cannot leave that person ever.

You know Lord Sri Krishna was not just a person; Krishna is also a
consciousness, which is all bliss and all permeating. It is a tatwa. Krishna
is a tatwa.

Do you all want to dance? Oh! there is some group dance by the students of
our Pre university college?!?! Oh ho! But it's wet here. The floor is wet.
You dance from wherever you are.

*Students: *Guruji the PU college students have own the Kabaddi match!!!

*Guruji: *Oh! Very good!! Very good!

How many have you have not read the Bhagwat Gita? Ok now lets all take a
Sankalpa we will all read Bhagwat Gita from tomorrow. Ok? Everyone? All
those who have not read it yet, should definitely start reading the Bhagwat
Gita from tomorrow and must also inspire others to read it. You know in
Bhagwat Gita Krishna has spoken about every thing. About the food the gunas,
yoga, Panayama, Bhakti, Love everything! Ask a friend tomorrow whether they
have read Bhagwat Geeta tomorrow. If they say 'no', immediately ask them to
read it, and take a promise that he also does. Ok?

Mahatma Gandhi used to read the Bhagwat Gita everyday! His Satsang would be
incomplete without the Gita readings. I mean it will never finish without
reading the Bhagwat Geeta. Gandhiji used to read the second chapter of the
Bhagwat Geeta everyday. There is written about, 'Who is a Sthita pragyna'?
'Who is a Gyani?' 'Who is a agyani?'

More than thousands of commentaries are done on the Bhagwat Gita. I have not
read even one though! (Laughter!!) There are 700 shlokas. Everyone should
read and you should ask others to read.

Now Mharajji (*referring to Swami Pragyananda *) will tell us something on
the Sri Krishna Janmashtami. .

You are Divine. You are part of me. I am part of you.

—Sri Sri Ravi Shankar,

The Philosophy of Joy

The sole search of every being is joy. Whenever one is searching, whatever one is searching, one is looking for joy — whether it is spiritual or material, whether it is in the movies, bars, or in the church or temple; whether it is money, fame or power. The search simply is for joy and the Divine is all joy and bliss.

Bliss is nothing but qualified joy, a joy that is devoid of feverishness, suffering and pain. Love comes along with pain. Silence is a little serious; joy is mischievous. One cannot have mischief if there is no joy and Krishna is all mischief. Krishna is absolute joy, absolute bliss. Nothing whatsoever could take away the joy from Krishna.

If you look at his life, it was miserable — he was born in misery. Kansa, the uncle of Krishna, is a symbol of ego. Ego is far away from joy; ego tries to kill the joy in us. Children are so full of joy because there is no ego. The moment ego comes, separation comes. We destroy the bliss, the beauty, that innocent joy. Kansa sent several people to kill Krishna but was unsuccessful. Krishna, when he was just eight or ten, fell in love with Radha, she was much elder to Krishna. That love was such a pure love. People did not know why they were in such a love with Krishna; everyone would flock around him.

Mischief is the outcome of joy. Children are very mischievous. Parents say, ‘Don’t do this!’, ‘Stop that!’ It’s very normal for children to be mischievous; we should let them do it. Sometimes it entails trouble for the parents, but there is also fun. What is life without fun? Krishna told many lies, played and troubled people around him. People around him would like to be troubled by him. People would complain with anger, but the moment they came in his presence, they would start giggling, all their anger would vanish.

In the presence of pure bliss, joy, all complaints vanish and life appears like a play. One can look at every trouble as a challenge or can spend it crying and complaining. You know, what you have in your hand indicates what you are inside. If you have a gun in your hand, it indicates fear or violence. If you have a flower in your hand, it indicates you are like a flower. If you have a flute in your hand, you are like a flute — hollow and empty.

Krishna has the flute in the hand and the whole style of standing indicates his whole philosophy. One leg is firm on the ground. A dance can happen when your feet are first touching the ground. If your legs are buried in the mud, a dance cannot happen. Not even if it is up in the ground. One leg has to be firm on the ground, the other can be up in the air and then dance happens. Joy is the dance of life and the life of Krishna is such a dance.

One can imagine Krishna everywhere; you cannot pinpoint Krishna as one thing. Sometimes he may ride a horse, be a charioteer and in some other place he can be dancing. Krishna is the symbol of all possibilities, the total blossoming of all aspects of human, or Divine — whatever you call. It’s very difficult to really understand Krishna’s personality. The rishis called him the full embodiment of the Divine total because all that a human could be, a being could be, is all in Krishna. You can see him as the perfect friend.

Once one of his close aides tells Krishna, ‘‘O Krishna, I cannot understand you. I have been with you for the past fifteen years, you confuse me more and more everyday! At one point I see you as such a courageous person who could alone fight war with so many people, at other times you hide yourself in the closet. You behave completely eccentric. One time you are so powerful, another time so scared. One time you come out with such a great wisdom, another time you ask me advice.’’ One place he is a servant, another time king of the whole province, who takes very good care of all subjects.

Contrast energies

Arjuna was ready to quit everything and go to the Himalayas. He was not ready to fight the war. Krishna convinced him. Krishna was a good teacher because he taught as a friend. He said, ‘You’re such a great warrior. Anyway, everyone is already dead. I do everything, you just be an instrument.’ In the battlefield, if someone could sustain the depth of awareness, clarity of mind when everybody is in such chaos, and give the highest knowledge, that leaves you in awe of Krishna.

You can have a big smile when everything is firm and smooth but when everything is upside down and you smile, then you have achieved something. Everything was upside down, chaotic, wherever Krishna went and yet, the smile would simply capture everything. His smile was so great that people would forget their sorrow and joy would simply flood.

Even the saints would fall in love in that field of energy; people who have renounced everything would be interested. The dispassionate one will be drawn. The word Krishna, itself, means that which is attractive, that draws everything. The very core of your being is such; the bliss of the self, the joy of the self is like that. It just draws everything. In a symbolic manner, also, it is so beautiful. Krishna was such a charmer that people could not stay away from him. Young and old, boys and girls and even the rishis, could not stay away; they would just follow him around.

The gopis said, ‘‘the love between you and me; only my soul knows.’’ The depth of the love, joy, and devotion was like wildfire all around Krishna. In love there is 2 percent lust. In lust there is 2 percent love. You may have noticed when children are in deep love, they come and hug, hang to your neck, kiss you, lick all parts of your face. What do you call it, love or lust? Love. But the act is very lustful.

It’s the same thing with a puppy. When you come back home, the puppy will jump all over you and lick you by which it is expressing its love to you. Intense love wants expression. You hug, shake hands, give flowers... nothing really satisfies. Love cannot be fully expressed, yet it cannot be without expression. That’s the nature of joy and love. It wants to find an expression.

The love of the gopis and Krishna was such a love. Krishna means the most attractive. It is the divinity that is the most attractive; the energy that pulls everything to it. Krishna is the formless centre which is everywhere. Any attraction from anywhere is coming only from Krishna. Often people fail to see the spirit behind the attraction and merely hold on to the outer shell. And the moment you try to possess the shell, you will see Krishna has played a trick and you will be left with an empty shell in your hands and tears in your eyes.

The mind moves towards beauty, joy and truth. Krishna tells Arjuna, ‘‘I am the beauty in the Beautiful, the strength in the Strong, the wisdom in the Wise.’’ Be clever like Radha — don’t be tricked by Krishna. Krishna could not escape from Radha, for, her whole world was filled with Krishna. If you can see that wherever there is an attraction, there is Krishna; then you are Radha, you are in your centre.