Jai Gurudev!
Guruji has arrived on stage wearing the traditional Himachal cap and is chanting a mantra.
Sri Sri: The gross (sthool) world that we see outside comes from the subtle (sookshma) world. It is the subtle world that gives rise to the gross world. The subtle world also contains within it the Devis and Devtas. The Gods are within us – within every particle of us, including in this place.
Today, there is a big tussle going on between the positive and negative forces (energies). The negative forces in this society are corruption, injustice. The positive energies are giving blessings for all to fight the negative energies of society. The positive energies are truthfulness, simplicity, straightforwardness. Doing Sadhana regularly will develop these positive energies within us. Today, we have to be aware and awaken the positive energies. We should work to develop knowledge within us to get the power to fight the negative forces. Knowledge, Music and Meditation … three are necessary to develop positive energies within us.
Accept people as they are. If we don't do that, we will be doing a disservice to ourselves. Oftentimes, many people come into our lives who make us angry. Is this true or not? Raise your hands! Sadhana will help you to accept these people and give you the strength to face them. If you get immersed in anger, your life is wasted. First you need to silence your mind. Then, the acceptance will come. For example, first accept 'thief' as 'thief'. Then, we can act on the fact and take the thief to the police station. Sadhana is not just doing the Kriya – your whole life is Sadhana.
How do guest go after talking to you in your home. If they are happy while leaving then you are their real friend. Else if they feel the problems are bigger after talking to you, then you are not their friend, but an enemy. If we are their friend, and they do something wrong, then its your duty to catch their ear. So if some one criticizes you, open heartedly accept it. If it has truth in their talk, correct yourself, else just let it go with compassion.
Every moment, be ready to do seva (service). Seva should not come out of any desire /expectation / gifts (meva). These days, people want the meva even before doing seva :) That is no seva at all. Seva that is done without any expectation is true seva and that is your very nature. You should do seva because you cannot exist without doing it. There is no big or small seva.
When the mind is quiet, there is God all around. People say they can't see God. I say I can't see anything other than God. In India, people believe that the whole world exists because of God. This is the first step. There are more steps. With help of God you get material as well as spiritual achievements. This belief is prevalent in India and China. Did you know that in Mexico they have found a Ganapati Idol buried. In Bulgaria a Nataraja idol and in Peru a Shiv linga were found. We can find the symbols of God all over.
Today, the Art of living is 30 years old. From last town in Argentina to the last town in Antarctica satsangs are taking place. All over the world the thirst for knowledge has begun.
There are various levels of energies. Similarly, various levels of God forms are found. Everything in this world is made of one thing, only different manifestations of the same energy. For example, coal and diamond are made of the same substance but are different manifestations of the same substance. You don't hang coal on your ear as an ornament and you don't use the diamond as a coal even though they are made up of the same substance. All these different manifestations should be accepted.
Today, I have come to give you these messages.
1) We have to stop corruption in this country. There are three levels of corruption. One is at the individual level. You have to stop accepting that giving bribes are a way of life. Someone once said, in India, even Gods are bribed! One should not think like that. Worshiping God is respecting them. Doing worship from heart is the best worship. Some people say that they will offer their hair if they get what they had prayed for. This is not real worship.
The second is at the level of bureaucracy. I want all officials to put "I don't accept bribes" on their tables. If you are too busy to do this, our youth volunteers can do this for you.
The third is at the level of politics. Some people warned me not to talk against corruption. I was astonished that they could actually tell me that. I said I will talk against corruption. I am not going to listen to all these people. I listen only to my conscience. I also encourage journalists to write about this in the papers. We have to leave a world free of corruption to the next generation. All of you here today promise me to make this a corruption free country. Come on, all of you raise your hands and take an oath… I don't see a few people raise their hands :) I am not leaving until I see all hands go up :)
We have had a tradition of upholding human values. In our country where respecting women is held at a higher esteem than respecting even sanyasis, we have had to pass a law not to bring injustice on women! What kind of a world are we living in! Respecting women is common decency - does this need a law? We have to stop female feticide. You have to take an oath not to stop this. Come on raise your hands and make a resolution today!
We need to stop alcoholism too! People find excuses to drink. Today, we can have a wedding without the bride and groom, but not without alcohol! Wedding is a place where you should be in a state of wakefulness and not be dull. We need to change this way of life. Take an oath right now that you will stop this. If you feel awkward to invite guests without offering alcohol, you can put the blame on me. I am ready to take it. Tell them that you have taken an oath in front of Devtas that you will not consume or serve alcohol! All Gods will be happy to hear this.
We will meditate for 10 minutes.
Shake your hands.
Close your eyes and keep shaking hands.
Close your eyes and relax.
Take your attention within your body.
Millions and billions of atoms make up our body.
Gods live in our own body.
The power of God is in our body and in every particle of the world.
Body is made of Earth element.
And entire Earth is filled with Divine Energy.
Remember the mountain, the ground from where we have come and where we will go.
In few years we will go in ground.
Take a deep breath in and thank the Earth.
Your body is 70% water.
Different types of fluids are flowing in our body.
Water is life.
Water is also God's power.
Water is present in air in form of clouds.
70% of our body is water.
7 Oceans , several hundreds of rivers, clouds, wells, .. it's water everywhere.
Take a deep breath in.
And bow down to water element.
Body has heat, fire element. Else we can't survive.
Earth has heat, also in water and air.
Sun and Moon have fire element.
Let's bow down to fire element and take a breath in
This world is full with energy, in form of heat, light in various forms.
Various places energy is manifesting in various forms.
Let's bow down to that energy.
Take a deep breath in and let go slowly.
One more deep breath in.
Slowly let go.
Within you and outside there is Air element. Remember this element.
Water too has air element.
Fire too has it.
Within us, outside us air is there.
Air is the reason for your existence.
Another breath in.
Smilingly take a deep breath.
Smilingly let go of the breath.
Loosen your body.
The smile on your face dissolve into every cell of your body.
Let your smile go within.
Let go all your efforts.
Thoughts come and go in your mind.
Mind is like a sky and thoughts like clouds... come and go
Body has Space element.
Every bit of it has this element.
Everything has come from space, is in space and will go into space.
Like space mind is formless, you too are formless.
Relax and take a deep breath in
Drop all your efforts, imagination and tries.
Nothing to know, nothing to do, only relax
With a smile, rest within yourself.
God's abundant blessings are with us.
We are sitting in God's laps. Just relax.
Nothing to know, nothing to do, just rest.
(mantra Chanting)
Slowly get aware of body and surroundings.
You may open your eyes.
Felt Good?
How many felt good?
18 minutes.
Are there any questions?
Q: If God is everywhere, why do Sadhus go to Mountains for sadhana?
Sri Sri: Mountain is called "Parvat". Parva means celebration. There is always celebration on a mountain top and Rishis love it.
Q: In Himachal, we have a long standing tradition of sacrificing animals. Can you throw some light on this tradition?
Sri Sri: Sacrifice as it is practiced here has been wrongly understood. What has to be sacrificed is the animalistic qualities in us. For example, the heaviness (jadatwa – the bullishness) within you is to be sacrificed, not animals. Let us also take this oath that no animal is sacrificed. Sacrifice your own animal instinct, not the animal. You cannot kill animals. There is no mention in our scriptures that we have the right to kill. You do not have the ability to create these animals, what right do you have to kill them? Do read Bhagwat Geeta - keep faith and ask for a wish. Today all Devatas gathered here are happy, just before you sleep today, ask for a wish, surrender it and then sleep.
Q: In India why is Idol worship so prominent?
Sri Sri: Idols are worshiped after you instill your life force (prana) in it. This is the reflection of the feelings that you have towards God. However, this is the first step - to see God outside of you. To increase energy we worship God first as an Idol, then saligram (round stone) which is formless. For the common person the idol is needed. A person who has acquired Aadhyatmic knowledge sees God within. Question: Can India ever get to be the best in the world again?
Sri Sri: YES! But for that we all have to work together. Both Sankalpa and Karma are required. You should have the sankalpa to make India the best again and work towards it also.
Question: How to be happy?
Sri Sri: Be in present moment. Surrender worries to God. Believe that things are for the best, even if any sadness comes in life. Just believe in this and live your life.
Question: Can we destroy negative powers via spirituality?
Sri Sri: Spirituality alone is not enough. If you look at a God's idol, you will see weapons and compassionate vision also. The Devi idol has eight hands – one offering blessings and others with various weapons. First God tries to destroy negative powers with gentle methods. If that does not work, the weapons come out :) Something or other has to work. We have to work on both levels to destroy negative forces. Resolution is powerful. Pray. Work for it. And the more you are quiet inside the more powerful is your sankalpa (resolve).
Question: What all can God forgive?
Sri Sri: Looks like you have a long list of things that you want God to forgive :) That which pinches you is the fault/sin. As soon as you accept your fault/sin you become free. A clear mind does not allow you to make a mistake and this is acquired through seva, sadhana and satsang.
Question: Can you be always with me?
Sri Sri: There is no choice! We are both stuck, both of us have got trapped! We are one and can never be separate. If we consider ourselves as only body, then we are locked in this illusion.
Question: Some of us who consume non-vegetarian food try to stop eating meat, but feel that it is a part of our tradition. How to overcome this?
Sri Sri: Wherever people who were considered non-vegetarian are now turning towards vegetarianism. They have seen the benefits and are slowly changing their eating habits. Man is made for being a vegetarian. Just try it for 3 months and do sadhana and see the difference.
Question: Guruji, how to overcome bad habits?
Sri Sri:
1. Love
Just promise your loved one, take a vow ... that you will not do it.
2. Fear
If someone puts a fear in your mind, you will not continue with the habit. If a doctor tells you that if you smoke, you will die within a month, you will give up smoking.
3. Greed
If someone says to you that if you don't drink for 3 months you will get 100 million, you will do it for 4 months, just to make sure .
There is no 4th option.
Jai Gurudev.
