Excerpts of 15th August 2011 satsang from International Art of Living Ashram, Bangalore (India)

Posted on: Tuesday, August 16, 2011 | Posted by: Art of Living Universe

Swami Pragyananand ji is commenting on Upanishads. He says that we have taken birth and we have requirements. The body has some requirements: food, shelter, and clothing. The spirit wants peace.
Today, we are hearing the discussion between Shaunakya and Angira.

Shaunakya: There are two kinds of knowledge: Apara and Para.
The source from where Para knowledge comes has no eyes, legs, has no father, it is so subtle that it cannot be caught by the 5 senses. It is everywhere. It is the source from where we come. The eyes can only see the body but can you see yourself? But you are there. Can you say that you are not there? Your body has a father and mother. But you are everywhere, cannot be destroyed.


It cannot be seen. How can you experience that? When the mind is still.
When neither the intellect, brain, nor senses are running - that is they are still and yet you are not sleeping. Without knowing yourself you cannot meet God. The difference between you and God is caused by Ego.
When 'ME' goes away that is God. The whole world is a play and display of God. Just like food crops appear on the soil and then they dissolve back into the soil. God had an intention and then through that intention everything was created. For example, if you dream that you went to bathe in the river Ganga. Neither Ganga came to your room nor did you have a bath in Ganga river. This was a dream. After you wake up you forget that you saw that dream because of your own intention.
Similarly, this world has come from the intention of God.
God had an intention and everything was created: crops, karma and so on. To experience God, you cannot meet God directly. But only through someone who already has met God.



Q: How can one achieve succeess in material life and spiritual life?
Swamiji:
By the grace of one who has already met God.

 

Q: If someone has had a violent death, why doesn't God help them?
Swami ji:
Death happens due to your intention, your karma, or because of your body. Anyone who is born has to die. What kind of death should you have so that your progress further is better? At the time of death, the thought you have, the feeling that you have. It is up to you to have that thought and feeling at the time of death using your intellect and mind.
The last thought that you are before you sleep is the first thought you get when you get up. Similarly, the last thought you have before you die decides your next life. You have received a good human body, opportunity to come for satsang. You have got all this free. You have got this through grace of God. You cannot get all this without the grace of a Sadguru.

Q: It is said that when we do bad we go to hell, if we do good then we go to heaven. Then why do we come here again on Earth.

Sri Sri: They say that heaven has everything but not love. Even Devtas need to be born on Earth to become free. We come on this planet to get yog, love, and knowledge.

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