Jai Guru Dev,
Q: How to remove depression in the mind?Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Firstly,
wake up and realize that life is temporary. We will live for another
15-20 years, and then we all have to die. In these 15-20 years that you
live, think about spreading happiness to others, think about behaving
well with others. Where is the depression then? When we keep thinking
about ‘What will happen to me? What will happen to me?’ day in and day
out then depression sets in. This is the sure-shot way of getting into
depression: ‘What will happen to me?’
Q: When someone hurts us, we go into depression.Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: How
can others hurt you? Those who hurt others are foolish. Will you blame
anyone who is actually foolish or is mentally ill? No. So just think
that those who hurt you are either foolish or are (mentally) ill. If you
think this way, then you will not feel hurt.
If you think, everyone is wise and they should act wisely, how is
it possible? Everyone has their own little mind, own desires, problems
and ignorance. Just accept them. No one can hurt us until we permit them
to do so.
Everyone has their own
little mind, own desires,
problems and ignorance.
Just accept them.
No one can hurt us until
we permit them to do so.
Q: Gurudev, I feel
your love and affection every moment, but sometimes I am just not able
to understand the divine knowledge (given by you). What should I do that
I can get both your love and knowledge?Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Whatever
you find difficult to understand is not to be understood at all. If it
is all going above your head, let it go. Take only what you can
understand.
See, everyone’s capacity to gain knowledge is different, but to
feel and be in devotion, there is no concept of capacity. Everyone is
same and equally capable. There is no special qualification for it. But,
when you talk of gaining knowledge, people have a different capacity.
Some people can gain more, some less; but it doesn’t make any difference
when you have devotion and a feeling of oneness.
Don’t think that God will be happy with you or be fond of you only if
you are very knowledgeable. The purpose of knowledge is for your own
joy.
To purify your intellect, you need knowledge;
to purify your heart, you need love;
to purify your karma, you need seva;
All three should go together.
Q:
Gurudev, when we see outward we feel jealous. In the same way if we see
the Guru outwardly also can we get trapped in jealousy?Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Yes.
When you think, ‘See, Gurudev has given him a garland but did not give
me’ or ‘Gurudev talked to him/her but not to me.’ Or ‘He passed me, but
did not smile at me. Is he angry with me?’ Thinking in this manner you
only project your own mind.
Why should I be angry with you? If you do a mistake, why should I
be angry? No way. If someone has done something wrong, he will
automatically pay for it himself. So, never think that the Guru is angry
with you, or is ignoring you. It is not so.
Outward appearance and behavior are like that. Don’t look at
outwardly behavior, look inward and realize that you are as dear to God
as anyone else. If this thought is solidified in your mind then there
will be no jealousy.
Q: If we have to look at the Guru or the Guru Tattva, then what kind of sight do we need?Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: One
should feel that everyone belongs to him; and one should have
tolerance. In one day I have to listen to 2000 to 3000 questions. Do I
listen to them or not? No matter how many questions, I listen to them
all. Do I listen to them with joy or not?
So, stability of the mind; sharpness of the intellect; softness of the heart. These three are important in life.
Heart should be soft,
intellect should be sharp &
mind should be pleasant.
Never lose these three.
Even if it seems to be lost, think that it is not gone away but is there and just hidden.
To purify your intellect,
you need knowledge;
to purify your heart,
you need love;
to purify your karma,
you need seva;
All three should go together.
Q: Gurudev, what is the difference between God and the sky? How do we realize that?Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: First
have you realized who you are? Who are you? Have you found out? No. You
are here aren’t you? Are you sure? Sit down and ponder on ‘Who am I’.
When you find out the real answer, you will realize that there is no
answer. When you think ‘I am this’ or ‘I am that’, you have to keep
these concepts aside one by one and you feel only the 'Akash Tattva'.
So, first you realize yourself, then God will follow you.
You might have heard about the couplet by Kabirdasji:
Jab main Hari Hari kehke jaa raha tha, Hari miley nahin kahin; Ab
jab main apne aap mein baitha, ab laage Hari peeche Kabir Kabir.
(When I was calling out for Hari (God) I was not able to find Him
anywhere; And when I stopped and looked within me, it now appears that
He is following me.)
Let the Lord follow you like this.
Thank You,
Jai Guru Dev
"Faith is realizing that you always get what you need.”
- Sri Sri
