A talk by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

It’s often believed that if people become spiritual and dispassionate about the outcome of their actions, they will stagnate; there will be no progress. In fact, the opposite is true. Creativity and enthusiasm can spring only when you are well rested; and you cannot rest if you are anxious about the outcome of your actions.

When we perform every action with an eye on the end result, we get lost in the end and don’t enjoy the means of getting to the end. But when we perform some actions as an expression of joy and do not bother about the result, the action itself brings fulfillment. When we act expecting joy, the action becomes inferior. For example, you want to spread happiness, but if you try to find out whether the other person has become happy, you get entangled in a vicious circle. In the process, you lose your happiness!

Anxiety about the outcome of your action is what pulls you down. At the beginning of a project if you start worrying, then your whole enthusiasm for the project gets dampened. When you are aware of your potential, just jump into action without bothering about the result. When you are in doubt, any activity you do will bring more doubts. When you have a choice, the grass on the other side will look greener and this prevents you from enjoying what you have in your hand. When you are bothered by a choice, relax.

The choice is never between good and bad; it’s always between bad and worse or good and better. Choices bring conflict and there is freedom in ‘choicelessness’. How can you be centred when there is conflict? There is a Chinese saying: that when you are in doubt, take a pillow and go to bed!

In Narada Bhakti Sutras, Narada says, “Karmanyapi Sanyasyati”. Take a break, not just from activity, but also from the fruit of the activity. It will bring deep rest from doubts and conflicts. One who is not concerned about the outcome and is centered on the action, goes beyond dualities, beyond conflicts. The wise one is beyond all actions. Yet he continues to engage himself in action. You can only let go of what you have. So to let go of the fruit of action, you need to have the fruit and to have the fruit, you need to act!

This is so beautiful. If you have never acted, then how can you drop either the action or the fruit of action. So be active. Keep doing your work, and drop the fruit of action. The fruit of action is there as the motivation for you to start acting. Krishna used the fruit of action to motivate Arjuna to fight. He told Arjuna that if you die in battle, you will attain heaven and if you win, you will rule the world. Jesus did the
same. When you are bogged down by laziness, you need motivation to do something and the expected fruit of action acts as the motivating factor.

But once you start acting, let go of the expected result. Just focus on the work on hand. This is the way of the wise!

What could you think about a child ,who was born three months after the death of his father. Born prematurely, he was a small child; his mother said that he could have fit inside a quart mug. When He was three, his mother remarried and went to live with her new husband, leaving her son in the care of his maternal grandmother,

Began his schooling in the village schools. When he was 15 yrs, his step father dies and his mother came back & removed him from school and attempted to make a farmer of him. He was thoroughly unhappy with the work, then one of his high school teacher brought him back to school to complete his education.

At the age of 19 he falls in love, romanced for a year, got engaged to his beloved, as he became engrossed in his studies, the romance cooled & she left him ( married someone else) and thereafter he never married

Born so unlucky so much hardship for survival & education what can you expect that child to do & achieved in life

He described universal gravitation (Gravity) and the three laws of motion, invented the reflecting telescope & many more contributions to the field of mathematics…. Yes we are talking of Sir Isaac Newton.
He did not hide behind the circumstances; but happily SMILED and SAILED through them!!!

Do you want to be a Master of your situation? Do you want to achieve your ultimate dream? Do you want to operate at 100% at all the time? Do you want to realize your potential? Do you Ladies and Gentlemen want to be ROCK SOLID?

The answer is Anandji – The MAN, The MACHINE, and The PHENOMENON.
Exuberance is in his name, a state of elated bliss. This man has undying energy; he is full of enthusiasm, killer techniques filled with animated actions. He moves mountains and has conquered hearts of many with his dynamic style.

I have seen many motivational speakers over the years, but not a style as unique as his. The enthusiasm, actions and feelings are so powerful that you actually visualize the picture right in front of your eyes. From making you move your hands to facially expressing your feelings he makes sure that the key point becomes your belief. And, he makes you repeat it with just as much enthusiasm until it is thoroughly imbibed in your system. Better believe it, if you get woken up in the middle of the night you might be found quoting punch lines from his talk.
You cry, you laugh, you shout, you scream, you jump, and you dance in his course called Divya Samaj Ka Nirman. Generally called DSN, eloquently referred by him as “Don’t Say No”. MY FELLOW ART OF LIVING FRIENDS IF YOU HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED THIS COURSE WITH ANANDJI, YOU ARE MISSING OUT BIG TIME!
Having read books from excellent authors like Stephen Covey, Keith Harrell, Norman Vincent Peale and many others, I automatically end up drawing parallel’s. And, I find his course is a concentrated capsule filled with excellent knowledge points covering every aspect of life. Each point very beautifully crafted with lots of action and emotion. From forgiveness to devotion it covers it all. Life management at its best!!! All the key punch lines are jam packed in this 3 ½ days – anything and everything you need to live like a LION. Take this capsule and cleanse yourself out. Do this course and you do not have to worry about reading any books.
With his inspiration to go above and beyond “me, myself and I” Atlanta DSN was able to raise $157,000 for various service projects within 30 minutes. We are going to start four AOL Centers in different cities in the USA. Imagine the lives these funds will change, he is mover and shaker, creating a divine society every step of the way. Atlanta DSN had people from everywhere – Charlotte, Indianapolis had major presence. He builds his session hour by hour, he brings you to a certain platform, from which there is no turning back. He makes you Rock Solid, ready to take on anything in the world. You will be doing yourselves a favor by doing this course. You will be swept away by Anandji’s magnetic personality, take this course and see the magic unfold. He is the man, the machine, and the phenomenon!!!
Jhakkas !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bharti (ROCK SOLID) Pardasani, Charlotte

Memorial Lecture given by Guruji at S. M. Medical college, Jodhpur ( 23 February 2005)

I know you all are waiting to hear me, while there are others who are simply waiting to see me, doesn’t matter what I talk. Should I speak in Hindi or English? Some want in Hindi and others in English. I will speak in both and whenever I am speaking in the language other than that of your choice, just listen as if you are listening to some  music, otherwise you will start feeling restless!

Listening is also an art- there is an art of listening. Are you all listening?  It can be any speaker who may speak for ten minutes but we actually hear for about three minutes; this is a statistical figure! The remaining seven minutes, the body remains there but the mind goes out  gallivanting and  comes back after roaming for sometime. So if one speaks for thirty minutes say, then, in actual effect, you hear for about 9-10 minutes.  That’s why I said, whatever language I speak, if you do not understand, just hear it like a music otherwise restlessness starts building in the mind, right?

You always complain if someone speaks in the language you don’t know. When you sit and gossip for 2-3 hours, you don’t know how the time flies but when you are sitting and someone is speaking for a couple of minutes in a foreign language you don’t know,  even those couple of minutes seem to be very long, hasn’t it been our experience? Whenever your mind is engaged, you do not feel the time but when the mind is not engaged, you feel the time is too long, correct? Study of time is both Spirituality and Science. Time is the junction.

Are you all here? What is happening now? Waiting?! Waiting for a phone call… waiting for someone to come… waiting for something… but you know, what is interesting is that we don’t know what waiting itself is!  If you can experience the pure waiting, that becomes meditation. Suppose I am not going to speak for  next  20-25 minutes, are you willing to be here? Yes?!

Waiting for infinity is meditation and if we don’t understand what waiting is, we tend towards frustration.

See, waiting is the junction that  either leads you to frustration  on one side or, on another side, takes you to a meditative state. If you are a meditator then you know what .dhyaan.(meditation) is, then nothing can frustrate you because every moment that you are free and have to wait for something, you drop into meditation !

We become carefree when we realize that waiting can lead to either meditation or frustration. You can be free from frustration if you meditate and be happy and joyful. Many moments come in our lives, when we have to wait and with this waiting we are filled with frustration, anger, restlessness – all kinds of disorders of mind. So to become free from all such disorders it is very essential to know about meditation.

‘What is this?‘ is Science; ‘Who am I?‘ is  Spirituality.  It is only in India, in this country, that no conflict ever happened between Science and Spirituality.

It is only in India that from ages the science and spirituality said the Earth and other planets are moving round the Sun. We also teach our students but unfortunately in a wrong way. We teach today in our schools that Galileo discovered that the earth is round. We don.t remember that it is India which has given the concept of  earth being spherical .khagoal.
(kha means Earth and goal means round), .bhoogoal.  (geography- the study of earth ) etc. The earth was always considered spherical. In the 7- 8th century sculptures you see the .Varah Murti. carrying a globe on their tusks. That means our ancestors, the people in India in ancient days knew that the earth was spherical.

From the times of Vedic age itself, our ancient people knew the placing of the sun and the planets. In today.s time too we worship the same way by placing the sun in the center and all planets around it. Long ago, from ancient times, we knew that the sun was the center of our  solar system yet we teach wrong and give credit to Galileo for discovering it! We need to change such history now.

Similarly the value of  .Pi.(p) and its formula were known long ago. They were well advanced in mathematics . All geometry, trigonometry etc was given in verses with not just formulas but also with detail and diagrams. So we were never ignorant but very advanced in Science from ancient time but unfortunately what is being taught is that our ancestors were ignorant and foolish. It is heard that a professor of History, in Delhi University, is teaching the children that the ancient man burnt incense to scare the God saying- . See the incense in my hand, fulfill my wish or I will burn you down.. And if that was not sufficient to scare then he went with the lamp etc. According to his teaching the ancient man knew nothing else but to scare for fulfilling his wishes and because of such foolish ideas only he began doing worship!

If we teach such things to the children then these children will become naxalites in future. It is the lack of spirituality in education in our country, that the youth are becoming naxalites. On one hand they commit suicide or on other hand they become violent and aggressive.

What is spiritualism?  To understand this, ponder over this . Who am I?  What am I made up of? This body is made of food we eat etc but then consciousness, the spirit within it is made up of what? What are its
ingredients?- to know this all is spiritualism.

Our ancestors have given the beautiful explanations of it.
Asti, Bhati, Preeti , Naam and Roop – these are the five ingredients/elements or aspects of self.
Asti, Bhati, Priti- are the three forms of our consciousness, our mind .
Asti meaning “I am”,  bhati is realizing that it is and preeti , the  love with which it is made of .these  are the three forms with which our consciousness is made of.

If  all the lights were  put off in this room, even then you feel your presence, don.t you still feel , .I am . here?-this  feeling of .I am. is- asti.

Are you all listening? Still here? The mind has not gone out for a tea break na? Yes!
So ,when you say you are listening to me you , you realize your presence that is bhati.

And your nature is love- that is preeti.
So these are the three aspects of our consciousness.

And  the body or matter has two aspects- naam or name and  roop or the form. Every thing has a name and a form. With a form or property and a name  different things exist in the world.

Science examines or studies on name and shape, while Spirituality on asti, bhati and preeti.
What is this? – is Science ; Who am I?- is Spirituality.
Can there be any conflict between the two? Never! Both are the two ends of the same thread of knowledge.
People may say that spiritualism begins where science ends but I do not agree with that. Science and Spiritualism are not separate, they go together, they are always in oneness. And there can be no dispute after the theory of relativity which proved about matter and energy.

And what is happening now? As I am speaking you are also thinking in your mind- . Yes, yes, he is speaking right., or,  .No, no, how can that be right… like  that .Yes, yes…, .No, no..going on in the mind, isn.t it?

That faculty by which you perceive is Mind and that by which you agree/accept or disagree is Intellect. And the study of this inner, internal layers of consciousness is Spirituality.

Sri Krishna also said in Geeta- . Gyaan vigyaan pratyaatma..
One gains  the Complete knowledge only if gets the knowledge of both science and spirituality.
From our four .Darshan shastars.- the first three are of science only!
Vaisheshik Darshan says – padartha gyaanatva mokshah.
Sage Vaisheshik  said that knowledge of one element contains the full knowledge of all other elements, knowing which you can attain pure bliss.
If you understand and have full knowledge of one atom, you are liberated. Even if you don.t believe in God but understand even one atom thoroughly, it gives you
liberation- this is what the ancient scriptures have said.

How to achieve it? Put your attention to know one thing fully. Understand an atom .
What is your body?-a heap of atoms. When all atoms embraced and combine with each other- a body is formed and when they become at daggers with each other and separate with each other- the body disintegrates and death takes place. This body is made up of so many atoms.
What is an atom?  What is the  function of an atom? . So who am I? Am I the body? What is this body?
Do you know this body is not solid but fluid like a river? 98% of our body is empty- space element. If you observe a small piece of your skin under the microscope, it looks like a mosquito net- so porous and full of holes! Likewise take any metal, it has lot of empty space also. And out of  remaining 2%  - 60% is water element  and 15% air element in the body.
You are like a water or a juice sachet! After you drink juice, how does the packet looks- pressed and bad similarly if all the water is removed from your body , you will become depressed! And if air is removed then, as the fish perishes if removed from water, you will perish too!
We don.t know fully about our body itself. So it is good to have full knowledge like this first.
If you know about your own body, the mind becomes still and liberation happens.
So where is the conflict?
Science is a logical, sequential understanding of the reality and spirituality goes one step ahead from the aspects you know.
You will see there are many types of logic- Whether the means of understanding itself is correct or not?
The correct aspect is there or not? The subjective
analysis- the aspect from which you learn, by which you know, whether your apparatus or analysis itself is correct or not- and this is spirituality.
So unless you take both approaches, your knowledge will not be complete.

Belongingness is the sign of spiritualism.
In today.s life, man has become rigid like a stone living in a small world of his own.
We convey more through our presence than through our words.
We live whole of our life in a formal atmosphere and lose the naturalness and belongingness.
One can have a simple, lovable nature or personality through spirituality only.

Truth is multidimensional. This is a gift given to the world by India.
Knowledge or Truth is not linear but spherical.

Isliye virodhaatmak batein sath sath hoti hein.
That’s why controversial things co-exist- and that’s what we teach in the Art of Living course-that opposite values are complementary .
Unless you take both approaches, knowledge will be incomplete.
Any life devoid of Spiritualism is dry and lack of knowledge makes one sad, and sorrowful.

Some question/ answers .

Q- What is God?
A-Bhoomi jaise sahansheel, Agni jaise prajvalit, vayu jeise halkaa, paani jeise vinamra aur nubh jeise sarva
vyaapak- jismein yuh sub tutva hein , vuh bhagvaan hei.

Patience like the Earth, Glow of the Fire, light like the Air, humble like the water(which flows downward) and present every where like space- the one having all these elements is God!

Q- How to realise faithfulness?
A- The same way you feel the pain. When there is a pain, you just know it!

Q- Guru se bada kaun? Who is above Guru?
A – Guru ka matlub hee hei – bahut bada toe jaan jao khud hee!
Guru means Great so you know the answer yourself!

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