Monday, December 2, 2013

Speak Only Knowledge

Only speak Knowledge. Don't repeat anything that someone tells you or opinions about anyone that someone states -“That so-and-so said such-and-such about you.”

If someone comes to tell you such things, discourage them. Don't believe it.

If someone blames you directly, know that they are taking away your bad karma, and let it go. Don't believe in it, and if you're one of the Guru's close ones, you will take all of the blame of the world with a smile.

Conflict is the nature of the world; comfort is the nature of the self. Amidst the conflict seek the comfort.

ü  When you are bored with the comfort, get into the games of the world.
ü  When you are tired of the games of the world, get into the comforts of the Self.

If you are one of the Guru's close ones, you do both simultaneously. Trying to end a conflict prolongs it. Face the conflict by seeking the comfort of the Self.

God is alive in the world, and has been putting up with all the ongoing conflicts throughout the ages. If God can put up with all the conflicts, you can too. The moment you agree to be with the conflict, the conflict disappears.

People who love peace do not want to fight, and those who fight do not love peace. Those who want peace want to run away.

What is needed here is to be peaceful within and then fight.

The whole message of the Gita is to be peaceful yourself and then fight. Krishna tells Arjuna to fight but be in peace at the same time. Does this ring a bell?

In the world, you resolve one conflict and another one comes up. For example, Russia is solved and then Bosnia arises. You make one better, and then another starts up. Your body gets a cold, then you get better; then your back hurts, then it gets better. Your body gets better, and then the mind goes. The world runs like this, isn't it?

Without any intention, misunderstandings happen. It's not up to you to try to resolve them.

Ignore them and be alive.

Up Coming Events:

Sahaj Samadhi Meditation Course with Sri Balvinder ji, from 6th Dec to 8th Dec, 6:30 AM to 8:30 AM at Vardhaman Pratisthan Hall, in lane next to Audi Showroom, Senapati Bapat Road, Pune.

Sahaj Samadhi Meditation is a good addition to your daily Sadhana, everyone above the age of 16 years can participate in this course.

For registrations and details connect with Anuja @ 9822337883 or Siddharth @ 9822207728. 

Sahaj Samadhi Meditation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VODqP0AeYDs

Monday, November 11, 2013

Santosha

Mullah Nasruddin used to grumble all the time. He was a farmer and so he would grumble that there were no rains for many years. He would say, “Oh, there is no rain. No crops are coming and it is so difficult”. He kept grumbling, and it so happened, that year there was very good rainfall and he got great crops in his field.

So people thought that this year Nasruddin would not grumble because his crops have come out so good. Now there was no problem and he must happy. So people went to greet him.

“So Mullah, how are you? You seem to be doing very good. Your field is simply flourishing”.

Mullah had the same long face, and he said, “Yes, but see I have so much work to do now. All these years I had nothing to do because there were no crops. But now there are so many crops. I have so many things to do. I have to go to the market and sell the crops. It is a big headache”. Whether there were crops or no crops, grumbling continued.

In the same way, in life you are unhappy about things you don’t have and unhappy about things you have Isn’t it?

Someone who does not have a car is unhappy because he does not have a car. Someone who has a car is unhappy because he has to maintain the car, and it is such a big headache. They have to pay the tax and do so many things.

Santosha, is developing the habit of being happy. You have to do it; nothing else can give you that.

                                                                                               - H. H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ji

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Govardhana

You all must have heard the story of how Lord Krishna lifted the huge Mount Govardhana entirely on his little finger. The (prefix) ‘Go-’ means knowledge and knowledge is so vast, like a huge mountain. But one who has blossomed in knowledge can lift even a huge mountain very easily and effortlessly, using just his little finger. Can you lift anything with your little finger? You cannot actually lift anything using the little finger, isn’t it? But here, Lord Krishna lifted the entire Mount Govardhana using just his little finger. The word Govardhana means that which enhances and augments our knowledge. So when we stand in the enclosure of knowledge, we receive a protection, a shield from the storm and the heavy rain (signifying misery and suffering). To shelter yourself from the miseries of the world, you must come under the protection of Mount Govardhana (knowledge), and by doing this you will continue to blossom, and progress more and more in knowledge.

The word ‘Go’ has four different meanings: Jnana (knowledge), Gaman (travel), Prapti (to receive) and Moksha (liberation). Gaman means to keep on moving ahead in life and not look back at the past. Prapti means to reflect upon all that you have received. When you look back at your life and reflect upon what you have received, you will realize that you have received nothing other than knowledge in your life (meaning: everything else received in life being momentary or temporary). When death comes before you, there will be only two questions to answer for yourself: one is how much knowledge have you received, and second is how much love have you given to everyone around you. That is all there is to the act of giving and receiving in life. In receiving, you have to reflect on how much knowledge have you received, and in giving you must see how much love have you shared with everyone. When such knowledge increases in your life, then that is what Prapti is. So all four of these: Jnana, Gaman, Prapti and Moksha come to you when you are under the protection of Govardhana, which the Lord lifted so simply with his little finger.

When Lord Krishna lifted the mountain, all his other Gwalas (cowherd friends) also stood with Him below the mountain and placed their bamboo sticks to lend support to the mountain. They wanted to feel that they too are a part of this and are contributing in some way. They too wanted to satisfy that sense of doership in them. The meaning from this is: we must not think since that God will do everything, why should we make any efforts? No, you too should make your efforts and put in your stick along with the others (contribute in upholding the mountain). God is anyway doing everything, but does not mean that you do not do anything and remain idle. No, you too have to contribute your efforts and place your stick under the mountain. So the deeper meaning here is that we must do our duty and what we need to do. Instead of being idle and negligent, we must become proactive and responsible. Doing this combines all the three together: Karma, Jnana and also Bhakti (devotion).

How is that so? To save oneself from misery and suffering, one cries out to the Lord for safety with a sense of love and faith, this is Bhakti. Placing your own stick under the mountain (making one’s efforts or doing one’s duty) is Karma Yoga. And knowing that the Lord is upholding everything and taking care is Jnana. All three are important in life.

   --  H. H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ji

Monday, August 26, 2013

JANMASHTAMI – KRISHNA’S BIRTH


 
The story of Krishna’s birth is widely known. It is said that Krishna was born to Vasudeva and Devaki at midnight. He was born in a prison as Devaki’s brother, Kamsa had imprisoned them.
 
When Krishna was born, the gates of the prison flew open, the guards were asleep and Vasudeva was able to smuggle the baby Krishna out of prison. As Vasudeva crossed the Yamuna, which was in spate because of the heavy downpour, the waters rose up to Vasudeva’s nose. It is said that the baby Krishna’s foot came out of the basket and touched the river. At that time the waters receded and Vasudeva was able to cross over to Gokul to hand over the baby Krishna to Yashoda – the symbol of love.
 
The story seems so fantastic – which brother would imprison his own sister and kill his own nephews. How could all the gates open on their own, how could all the guards fall asleep. How did Vasudeva cross the river and why did the river recede after being touched by the foot of a baby? It all seems so illogical.
 
However if we look at the Tatva behind the story, it encapsulates eternal truth. Vasudeva – signifies the breath, and Devaki – the body. When the breath and body unite – when yoga happens – that is when the divinity is born. However the breath and body on their own cannot sustain the bliss that comes out of their union. Hence the bliss has to be taken to Yashoda – the embodiment of love. It is love that can sustain the bliss of divinity.
 
Kamsa is the embodiment of ego – which imprisons the body and is afraid of losing itself at the hands of the divine consciousness. The gates are the five senses which help the ego to bind the body and mind. When divinity is born all these shackles fall off and the way is clear for the baby Krishna to be transported out of the prison.
 
Yamuna is the symbol of Bhakti or Kirtan. When Krishna is being taken across the river, Yamuna rises up in ecstasy. In Kirtan the Bhajans (Satsangs) rise in tempo and then reach a crescendo. At the end there is a feeling of ecstasy, when you feel the divinity has touched you. That is the feet of baby Krishna touching the river Yamuna.
 
Krishna’s consciousness was fully blossomed and infinite. Krishna’s consciousness should remind each one of us about how vast and expansive and fully blossomed each one of us can become.
 

– Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ji

 

 

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

How to transform lower energy into higher energy


How to transform lower energy into higher energy:

1.   Remember your death. It can happen any moment. The very remembrance transforms lower into higher energy.

2.   Knowing your true nature you are space not this body. Soaking in knowledge.

3.   Dissolving all names and forms.

4.   Whatever you are attracted to see them as forms of the divine. See divinity in the hearts of your attractions. Wanting to posses will go down. Lust transforms to love.

5.   Dance and sing, immediately energy rises up.

6.   STOP talking about worldly things with other people. ‘Hey how about you! Do you have a girlfriend?’ This unnecessary thing that you indulge in talking about other people’s life is the worst thing that pulls all your energy down.

In front of me you talk knowledge but when you go away you indulge in all this unnecessary talk. All this unnecessary worldly talk collectively lowers everyone’s energy.

Go and sit in the burial ground look into the dead bodies and see how energy goes up. If you don’t realize this now but thinking about lust all the time is Mithyachara. This is not advisable. Then you are not mature for this path. Go out in the world, finish it all up and then come. But let me tell you it will never end because it’s the same energy that is going to be low or high.

Also don’t blame yourself. Don’t resist…follow any of the six ways shared above to transform your energy.

Make it a point that for anybody who talks about things that bring your energy down, i.e. Samsara, worldly talk, immediately cut them off. Don’t even talk to them. Turn your face around because their very energy can affect your body and your way of thinking.

Be curt. Don’t be shy and don’t be too polite. Otherwise you are very polite, Oh, I don’t want to annoy this person and they will never stop. They will just go on. I have never given such a strong talk like this!

With this knowledge (Spiritual Path) I tell you, you will never drown in this world. Increase your Sattva and just move on.

- Sri Sri

Monday, July 22, 2013

Life is full of Gurus...

Life is full of Gurus...

There are Child gurus
There Childish gurus


There are Innocent gurus
There are Crocked gurus


There are Talking gurus
There are Silient gurus


There are Serious gurus
There are Humours gurus


There are Smiling gurus
There are Laughing gurus


There are Lazy gurus
There are Enthusiatic gurus


There are Thin gurus
There are Fat gurus


There are Short gurus
There are Tall gurus

There are Helping gurus
There are Sulking


There are Guiding gurus
There are Mis-Guiding gurus

There are Compassionate gurus
There are Dispassionate gurus


There are Bearded gurus
There are Non-Bearded gurus


There are Visible gurus
There are Invisible gurus


There are He gurus
There are She gurus


There are Self Proclaimed gurus
There are No Claimed gurus


But, these all are just the flavour of our ONE Guru :)

Thank you for the support, learnings, caring, sharing, fun and more ... over all these years, Happy Guru Poornima :)

 

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Guru Poornima


Guru Poornima is called the day of the Master but it is actually the day of the Devotee. Guru Poornima is New Year for spiritual seeker. There are three types of people who come to the Master, the student, the disciple and the devotee.

Student goes to a teacher and learns something, gets some information and then he walks out of the School. The student is one, who collects information, but the information is not knowledge, it is not wisdom, is it not so?

Disciple follows the example of the Master. But a disciple is with the Master for the sake of learning wisdom, for the sake of improving his life, for the sake of attaining enlightenment.

Devotee is not there even for wisdom. He is simply rejoicing in love. He has fallen in deep love with the Master, with the Infinity, with the God. He doesn’t care as to whether he gets enlightened or not. He doesn’t care as to whether he acquires a lot of knowledge or wisdom or not. But that very moment, and every moment, he is immersed in divine love that is enough for him or her. A devotee is very rare to find.

Students are in abundance, disciples are a few, but the devotees are rare.

Like fatherhood and motherhood, there is Guru-hood. We all have to play Guru-hood at least to somebody. We do play! Consciously or unconsciously you are all Guru to somebody. You keep giving advices and guiding people, giving them loving care! You all do this, but do it 100%, without expecting anything in return: that is living the Guru principle. There is no difference between the divine, the Self and the Guru. They are all one. Meditation is relaxing and reposing. Think of all the things to be grateful for and ask what you want for the future and bless everyone. We receive so many blessings and we should also bless all those who are in need.


H.H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ji