जीवन में तीन चीजें विकसित करें। हृदय में कोमलता, बुद्धि में तेजस्विता और मन में प्रसन्नता।

In the fire of knowledge, when rage and revenge are offered, the warmth of the blemishless Self shines forth. This is true Yajna..- Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Let love be. Don't give it a name. When you give love a name, it becomes a relationship, and relationship restricts love.- Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Gurudev, how to bring my children who oppose coming onto this beautiful spiritual path?

Questions - Gurudev, how to bring my children who oppose coming onto this beautiful spiritual path?

Gurudev @SriSriRaviShankar Ji - You know, a parent cannot influence their teenagers, but they can influence the friends of their children. So, before you become a good mother or a good father, you have to become a good uncle or aunt.

The friends of your children will have more respect for you, and will listen to you. So tell your daughter or your son to bring all their friends home, and then you talk to them separately. You can influence them, and through them you can influence your children.

It is like, if there is a mango tree in the garden and you want a mango, you will throw a stone at the branch so that the mango falls, but you will not hit the mango directly. That is the indirect way in which you have to deal with your teenagers. Got it?

On the fourth day of Navratri, the Mother Divine is worshipped in the form of Kushmanda Devi.

On the fourth day of Navratri, the Mother Divine is worshipped in the form of Kushmanda Devi. The name Kushmanda is made of three words. ‘Ku’ (little), ushma (warmth, energy) and anda (egg). Kushmanda also refers to a ball of energy Devi Kushmanda is known as ashtabhuja, the one with eight hands. She holds a stoup (kamandul), bow, arrow, a jar of nectar, discus, mace, rosary and lotus. She radiates a golden light as this form of the Devi resides in the sun’s core, thus sustaining Surya Lok. Sitting on a tiger, Devi Kushmanda denotes dharma and justice. She is the life force energy (Prana Shakti) in every being in this universe. Our energy has this unique quality of being smaller than the smallest, and larger than the largest. From the small seed, it becomes a huge fruit, and from the huge fruit, it comes back into the seed. Kushmanda means the Mother Divine manifests as prana, as the energy within us.

Ficus asperrima Roxb, Ficus punctifera Warb, Ficus scabra Willd, Ficus serrata Forssk, Ficus silicea Sim. Its vernacular names in India are: Gargatti Aalada Mara, ಅಡವಿ ಅತ್ತಿ Adavi Atti, ಗರಗತ್ತಿ Garagatti in Kannada; Parakam or Therakam in Malayalam; Karvat करवत in Marathi; करपत्र Karapatra in Sanskrit; Irambarattam or Maramthinni Atthi in Tamil; Karaka Boddu కరక బొద్దు or Karasana or Siri Bodda in Telugu. It is also called Brahma's Banyan.

Sandpaper tree

Did you know that Sandpaper tree's leaves with silica content are widely used as a source of sandpaper to smooth wood and calabashes, and to impart the last fine-grade polish to ivory apart from use in folk medicine? 

The Sandpaper tree known by the scientific names Ficus exasperate and Ficus asperifolia is widely known as forest sandpaper fig, white fig, or sandpaper leaf or as Siamese rough bush. It is a deciduous and dipciuos species of plant, densely branched, in the Mulberry family Moraceae, native to Southern India (moslty on the Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats); Sri Lanka; Southeast Asia; tropical Africa from Senegal to Ethiopia to Angola; and in the Arabian countries such as Yemen. The tree's highly textured leaf surface gives it the name as the "sandpaper tree". 

Sandpaper tree is a small to medium sized tree in Banyan group of figs. growing to 18 to 20 m metres. It is a middle-sized tree, semi ever green; bark pale grey or whitish becoming rough with age. It is an evergreen to semi-evergreen grows in forests up to 900 m to 1200 m elevation. Its young branchlets terete are seen with stout white scabrid hairs. Its leaves with milky white latex, dark green, hairless when mature but harshly rough on both sides ; margins minutely toothed, apex pointly, and base frequently asymmetric. Flowers (blooming and fruiting in February-April) are unisexual, pink, purplish or yellow, become orange or yellow, becomes orange or red at maturity, small and inconspicuous; male and female bloom on separate trees. Fruit is a small pea sized berry, pale yellow to orange when ripe, pulp sweet and edible. Its seeds are known to be dispersed by termites , who drag them into their nests, where they germinate. Besides sexual reproduction, the tree may grow with vegetative means propogated by seed and cutting. The latex of Ficus exasperata, usually watery and profuse, , are found mainly in the stem portions. Its leaves contains silica and thus used to smooth wood and calabashes. Its leaves are also used to impart the last fine-grade polish to ivory. 

It is known by several synonyms such as Ficus asperrima Roxb, Ficus punctifera Warb, Ficus scabra Willd, Ficus serrata Forssk, Ficus silicea Sim. Its vernacular names in India are: Gargatti Aalada Mara, 

ಅಡವಿ ಅತ್ತಿ Adavi Atti, ಗರಗತ್ತಿ Garagatti in Kannada; Parakam or 

Therakam in Malayalam; Karvat करवत in Marathi; करपत्र Karapatra in Sanskrit; Irambarattam or Maramthinni Atthi in Tamil; Karaka Boddu కరక బొద్దు or Karasana or Siri Bodda in Telugu. It is also called Brahma's Banyan. 

There is an interesting foklore of its use as a folk medicine which says that the sandpaper tree, with its rough leaves is sought after when a woman gives birth. It is said that her husband walks into the bush and gathers a root of the sandpaper tree. Once he has found the tree he walks back in direct line to his house and on the way, finds a dead tree, from which he cuts piece of root. When the husband gets back home, he burns the live sandpaper tree roots together with the dead tree root, collects the ashes, stirs it into a glass of water, and gives the concotion to his wife to drink, This potion is believed to ensure that the afterbirth (the placenta and fetal membranes discharged from the uterus after the birth of offspring) comes away and there is no infection.

Sandpaper tree leaves are used as a valuable medicinal plant in Indian medicine, Ayurveda. Leafy shoot is taken for the treatment of dysentery, edema, applied against jaundice or drunk as a diuritic. Leaves are used as antisepctic, analgesic, anti inflammatory, gastrointenstinal protective, oxtocis, nematicidal, hypotensive, antipyretic, for cough, venereal diseases; a maceration of the leaf is taken as an oxytocis for epilepsy and convulsions. It is said to be poisonous to goats and sheep, or harmful to cattle. In its native countries Exasperata leaves are used in traditional medicine by preparing a decoction (liquid) prepared by soaking the leaves in water, boiling and straining them.

Ficus exasperata has been used to provide shade in plantations and is planted as an avenue shade tree. 

- Narasipur Char

Udumbara or Umbar tree or Audumbara tree (Ficus glomerata) is one of the cosmic trees of India which is known since Vedic times due to its religous siginficance but also due to its peculiar and useful quality and also partly due to its healing and medical powers?

Udumbara or Umbar tree or Audumbara tree (Ficus glomerata)

Did you know that the Udumbara or Umbar tree or Audumbara tree (Ficus glomerata) is one of the cosmic trees of India which is known since Vedic times due to its religous siginficance but also due to its peculiar and useful quality and also partly due to its healing and medical powers? 

Udumbara or Umbar or Audumbara tree with scienitic name Ficus glomerata Roxb. with dried bark called Ficus racemosa Linn (Fam. Moraceae), is a large deciduous tree distributed all over India. It grows and flourishes throughout the year in evergreen forests, moist localities and bank of streams up to the elevation of 1800 m, and is often cultivated in villages for shade and its edible fruits. 

The Udumbara's or Audumbara's religious honour in history is traced to the Vedic times as one the Cosmic trees with certain gods enjoined to be worshipped at its root representing the Goddesses Ganga, Sarasvati, and Lakşmi, and also Nandi (the Vehicle of Siva). It is believed that the River Ganga sent by Shiva when Gautama rishi propitiated Shiva, first alighted on a branch of the Audumbara tree (the Indian fig tree) that was on the Brahamgiri hill, and hence is believed to be very auspicious. It is worshiped as a sacred grove along with the famous Indian banyan (Ficus benghalensis), amd peepal (Ficus religiosa). 

Udumbara's great sacredness is also attributed its peculiar water emitting or water giving quality. In India, in ancient days, travellers in the summer season passing through places where water was scant, when felt thirtly went in search of Udumbara tree. On finding one, they would dig up to its roots and cutting a portion of the roots place a pot under it. In an hour or so the pot would get filled with sweet water. In view of this peculiar characteristics of the Udumbara tree it is known as 'Kshiravrikhsa' in Sanskrit or the milk tree, and Hemadughda or the gold milk-tree.

Even now in villages in India, Audumbara is worshipped by barren women. due to a belief that the use of the powdered bark parasite of this tree, if taken with goat's milk would give them the gift of a son. This belief is probably due to the folk lore that sage Vishvamitra's mother in order to beget the rishi, hugged the Audumbara Tree. 

In the Atharva Veda, Umbara or Audumbara is given prominence as a means for acquiring prosperity and vanquishing foes; and an amulet of the Audumbara tree and a hymn recited in its honour was in popular usage It is also mentioned in the Taittiriya Samhita, Aitareya Brahmana, Shatapatha Brahmana and the epic Mahabharata

In ancient history, Udumbara was described in the story of Raja Harischandra of the Ikshvaku dynasty. It was said that Harischandra's crown was a branch of the Audumbara tree, set in a circlet of gold. Further, the throne (simhasana) was said to have been made out of this wood and the royal personage would ascend it on his knee, chanting to the gods to ascend it with him, which they did so, albeit unseen.

The Shatapatha Brahmana, a commentary on the Shukla (white) Yajurveda, mentions that the Audumbara tree was created from the force of Indra, the leader of the gods that came out of his flesh when he overindulged in soma (intoxicating wine). It is said that from Indra's hair his thought flowed, and became millet; from his skin his honour flowed, and became the Asvattha tree (ficus religiosa); from his flesh his force flowed, and became the Udumbara tree (ficus glomerata); from his bones his sweet drink flowed, and became the nyagrodha tree (ficus indica); from his marrow his drink, the Soma juice, flowed, and became rice: in this way his energies, or vital powers, emerged from Indra. 

It is also said, Lord Dattatreya who represents the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara, delivered his religious sermons sitting under the Udumabara tree. 

The twigs of the Udumbara tree are used as offering to the sacred Yagna fire, and as such according to the rule of the Smriti, the whole of an Audumbara post (piece of wood from the Audumbara tree used in a religious ceremony should be covered by cloth. 

In Buddhism, Uḍumbara (Pali, Sanskrit) refers to the tree, flower and fruit of the Ficus racemosa (syn. Ficus glomerata). In Buddhist literature, this tree or its fruit carries the connotation of rarity and parasitism.

It is also a folk beilef that Audumbara (Ficus racemosa),, Banyan tree (Ficus benghalensis), Portia tree (Thespesia populneoides), and Khaira (Acacia Catechu) shall not be planted around the house as they may impact the prosperity of the people who live in the house.

The Audumbara Tree, which is known in English as Cluster Fig. Country fig, has many vernacular names such as: Attihanninamara, Oudumbara, Athimara ಅತ್ತಿಮರಾ, and Attigida in Kannada; Gulara, Gular in Hindi and Urdu; Athi in Malayalam; Kath Gular, Gular in Tamil; Atti, Medi in Telugu; Atti, Gular, Umber in Marathi; Umbro, Umerdo, Umardo, Umarado in Gujarati; Kath Gular, Gular in Punjabi; Rumbal in Kashmiri; and Jantupala, Yagyanga, Hemudugdhak, and Sadaaphala in Sanskrit.

Udumbara is a fast-growing tree with large, very rough leaves; the older specimens can grow quite large and gnarled. It is unusual in that its figs grow on or close to the tree trunk, termed cauliflory. Its bark, leaf and fruit.are used. Its leaves are simple, alternate with elliptic-ovate or oblong-ovate, and apex narrowed. Its flowers in pale yellow colour are unisexual with 10 stamens, bloom on short leafless branches. Its fruit is of the Syconium type (type of inflorescence) with orange, pink or dark crimson colour. It is propogated through seeds and cuttings. It can be used in food; unripe green fruits are cooked and eaten. Mature fruits are eaten raw. Fruits are also dried, floured and consumed with milk.

Udumbara's medicinal use has been extensviley mentioned in the Indian pharmacopoeia of Ayurveda (Charaka and Srushruta samhitas), in Siddha medicine and in Unani medicine. Charaka prescribed tender leaves of Udumbara as an astringent and styptic in diarheoa and haemorrhages. Sushruta prescribed the juice of pounded fruit in intrinsic haemorrhages; the decoction of the fruit with powdered Shaali (Oryaza sativa) rice, with sugar and honey for checking miscarriage; ash of the bark mixed with honey in hiccup; In dyesentry tender fruits of Udumba, steamed and mixed with curd were prescribed. Externally, the latex of Udumbra was applied to boils due to diabetes. In Unani medicine its fruits, also the root-water are prescribed as a tonic to diabetes. As a home remedy, its bark is rubbed on a stone with water to make a paste, which can be applied to boils or mosquito bites.

- Narasipur Char

Olax scandens Family : Olacaceae Habit : Shrub Habitat : dry to moist areas

Olax scandens

Family : Olacaceae

Habit : Shrub

Habitat : dry to moist areas

Medicinal and food values :

✔ The fresh young leaves are cooked as leafy vegetable and also chewed during mouth ulcer and ripen fruit is edible.

Sugimani Marndi

Biodiversity and Conservation Lab. 

Ambika Prasad Research Foundation Cuttack, Odisha

Let us not hate each other. What can really block your progress is hatred

*Chapter 1 - Introduction*

*Day 3*

Let us not hate each other. What can really block your progress is hatred. I In a classroom a student is sitting and listening to the talk or lecture, but in the mind he is hateful of the friend sitting in the same classroom, his mind starts reeling only on that issue and not on the topic or subject of that lecture.

Often you start hating the people you love. You fall in love and fall out of love from the person whom you loved so much, because your love is all about getting something from them. The moment you stop getting from them you start hating them. 

Anyone who gives you some much pleasure may sometimes give you pain. Because you think that the person is giving you pleasure, you want to hold on to them. 

And when you cannot hold on to them you start hating them. Isn't this happening all over the world? That is why people start killing the people they love so much because the pain of suffering or of hatred overtakes love.

Then there is no way you can get close to Divine. It is hatred which is the stumbling block. Why would the Master say," let us not hate each other, you better not hate anybody" - this is a sermon. 

Why would he say that? Because a student cannot understand that there is a state where hatred does not exist at all. He thinks of everything from His own experience. 

Someone who has been in the tropics or in the desert all the time cannot understand how somebody can be in the igloo house up in the north pole. 

They cannot understand that one who cannot swim cannot understand how people can fall in water and come out of it. Our biggest doubt is whether I am being loved or not." Does God love me? "

This is self doubt we don't love ourselves. When we hate everybody else then in some way we also start hating ourselves. Hatred begins right from where we are. Gita is an Upanishad. 

Lord Krishna sitting with Arjuna and telling him, "You are so dear to me that is why I am telling you this. It is a secret knowledge that I am telling you." So, here in the Upanishads the same thing is said, “Look we will not hate. Drop the hatred”. 

Because hatred is spoiling you, it is killing you. Forget about the other. Someone can come and kindle hatred in you and they are happy and enjoying themselves, but you are suffering. 

Cultivating, nurturing and justifying hatred within oneself is utter foolishness. When there is hatred in mind you don't see things the way they are. You think the way you see is how the things are. 

You justify your stand, your anger and your feelings. You justify and intellect will say, "Yes I am correct, that person is wrong. He has no right to live. He should be taught a lesson." So first, you need to learn a lesson. 

All those who need to learn a lesson keep saying that they are going to teach a lesson to somebody and that is why they are doing what they are doing. That's a pitiable condition and they need sympathy. So the teacher says, "Let us not hate each other. Let us not hate anybody".

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji

Kena Upanishad

“let the Divine protect us both. Let us be together. Let us develop our ability together. Let us be effulgent, brilliant. Let us not hate each other”.

*Chapter 1 - Introduction* 

*Day 2*

Om saha navavatu saha nau bhunaktu saha viryam karvavahai tejasvina mavidvisavahai

Om shanti, shanti, shantihi 

This prayer is saying, “let the Divine protect us both. Let us be together. Let us develop our ability together. Let us be effulgent, brilliant. Let us not hate each other”. 

The master lives on his own level and the student is on another level. How can there be communication when the levels are so different? Either the student has to come up or the teacher has to come down, otherwise communication is impossible. 

So, the Master says," I am with you. Let us learn together". He does not say, “I am teaching you. You better learn. I know and you don't know”. He says, “Let us explore”. 

The entire knowledge of Upanishads is from being together. A teacher or a professor, however intelligent he/she is, should not go on showing his intelligence in front of the student and make the student feel small.

So the way of teaching itself starts empowering the student right from the very first step. Otherwise, when students become aware of the magnitude of knowledge or the being, they get scared. 

They say, “Oh my God, I can't do this. I don't want to do this.

Confidence has to come. How?

When the master holds the student by the hand and says, “Hey, come on. I am like you. You are like me. Come let's sit together”.

“Let us explore and discover what is here. Let us pray for the divinity to protect us both". You can pray, ‘Oh god protect me’. But when you say, God protect us", right there that individual starts expanding. 

“From "me, me, to "us" is the first step in moving from the narrow, limited individual identity to the universal spirit. 'Sahaviryam' - Let us be powerful together”. 

The world is a place where everyone has different abilities, but to reach the divine self, ability doesn't count. Someone can lift ten pounds, another can lift only five pounds, and someone else will hardly be able to lift one pound.

So the abilities are different, but will it stop us from attaining the ultimate? No. You can all attain the ultimate. Here again give that encouragement - “We will grow in our ability”.

That doesn't mean that you don't have to improve your skills or that you don't have to know things. You will improve. You have to know skills. Yet its not a criterion. 

A mother loves her children not because of their abilities, but because they are her children. In course of life, our abilities improve. Let us grow and improve our abilities. 

Let the divine develop us all, and in this course of studies let us absorb this brilliance, give us the capability to live this brilliance.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji

Kena Upanishad

whatever you do, you will do it happily. Whether sitting, walking, smiling, bathing or taking food, it will bring you happiness. No matter what you do, this happiness will never leave. The peak of life is this Shivatattva.

Chapter 11 - Complete Happiness 

Day 56

Nurture a seed. We sow good seeds in a field, and on their own weeds grow with them. What does a farmer do? He removes the weeds. Only when weeds are pulled out will a crop be good. 

Similarly, we have different types of seeds : seeds of happiness, seeds of pleasure, seeds of sadness, seeds of contentment and seeds of

discontentment. 

“Bijavadhanam” means to nurture the seeds. If you have weeds, remove them. You have

seeds of peace, tranquility, pleasantness and love, and if they are not growing well, then water them and ensure that they grow. 

Do sadhana so that this happens. Sit and be absorbed in the happiness in your heart.

Sit down and soak yourself in the happiness that is experienced by your heart. 

When we are doing some activity and happiness comes, we are not able to appreciate it. When we are happy and rest, that rest helps us feel the happiness. 

Otherwise life is spent just desiring happiness. In life, there have been moments of happiness, but we have not appreciated them. Unless you really appreciate happiness, there will not be contentment in life. 

That is why the sutra says sit in a comfortable position where you can have rest and learn to forget yourself. There is a verse of the poetess saint Akka Mahadevi who was a devotee of Lord Shiva. 

It says : "You do not accept flowers from those whose bodies do not melt. You do not accept offerings of sandal and rice from those whose minds do not melt."

What does "melting of the body" mean? When we are happy, we do not worry about anybody. Suppose you are sitting in a theatre watching a movie, you do not feel pain in your legs, but you feel stiff only after the movie ends, and you stand up. 

You were sitting there for three hours, but only became aware of the pain after the movie ended. Even someone with arthritis does not experience pain as long as he is engrossed in a movie. 

One forgets about the body. This is what is meant by "melting of the body." Why do people even have a desire for happiness? It is because they want to be immersed in their own nature.

That is why we desire for happiness. Those who are absorbed in their own nature do not desire happiness. They know happiness is their own nature. Where will those who are seated find happiness? 

They will find it in their own hearts, in the ocean of their minds. They will bathe in happiness. Happiness appears to come from the outside, but it actually originates from inside. The external object is just a spark. 

We feel that this or that object makes us happy, but real happiness comes from within, from the heart. When we are in our heart, we experience happiness. People in Bangalore have a desire to see the Himalayas and Kashmir. 

When they visit Shimla, they dream of staying there because of the snow-capped mountains. They think it is so beautiful. But the people who stay there permanently want to go to Bombay, they are fed up with the weather in their hometown. We feel so happy going to Srinagar. 

Go to nearby Ooty, are the people there happy? They feel resigned to their fate and stay there, shivering in the cold. They feel Bangalore is better. Why is happiness felt during times of transformation. 

What actually happens during times of change? The mind lets go of one object and leaps to a different object, but has not yet fully grasped onto it. The mind feels happy during this transition period, this time in-between attachments. 

After a few days, once the mind gets accustomed to the new feeling, it will not find happiness there either. Observe any happiness. Why does it happen? 

The mind gets absorbed in itself in between two objects, you can experience this when you. Discover the happiness that lies in the heart. The mind can be bound by any object or by any thought. 

This is very important for spiritual knowledge. Take an object that is dear to you and think about it, when you purposefully think this way, worry leaves you. 

The object leaves you. The mind quiets down, and a wave rises up in the heart. Whenever you experience love or happiness in life, have you observed what happens? A wave, a vibration, courses throughout the body. 

This experience is very special, but what happens? Instead of observing the sensation, we latch onto the object. When you hold onto an object or thing, you face misery, and the experience disappears. 

Observe the experience. And with attention, the seed will grow strong. Then, whatever you do, you will do it happily. Whether sitting, walking, smiling, bathing or taking food, it will bring you happiness. 

No matter what you do, this happiness will never leave. The peak of life is this Shivatattva. We sing a song in satsang that says, "the one who is filled with happiness". This happiness comes to us as an experience.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji

SHIVA SUTRAS

Our sense organs are spectators. Our sense organs are spectators. This is an amazing sutra. The whole drama that is happening in the world is witnessed by our senses.

Chapter 10 - Life Is A Play 

Day 55

In a jail, you find both jailers and prisoners. The jailer is free to come and go at any time, while the prisoner is stuck. So what is the difference between them? Both are sitting in jail, behind bars. 

The prisoner might ask, "Since both of us are here, what is the difference between us? I get my food, and so do you. I have to work, and you also have to work even more than I do." 

Once his work finishes, prisoner can go to sleep, but a jailer still has work to do. He is on 24-hour duty. So what is the difference between guards and prisoners in a jail? 

Guards have a feeling of independence. They can go out, and nobody can stop them, whereas a prisoner is held captive. If you understand you feelings, you will realise that they arise each moment like bubbles forming on the surface of water. 

When Sri Purandar Das said, "The bubble on the water is not real, oh Hari" he has looked at life as a bubble and not considered emotions at all. 

Our feelings and thoughts are just like waves on the surface of the water, and others' feelings and thoughts are also like waves on the water. 

Our sense organs are spectators. Our sense organs are spectators. This is an amazing sutra. The whole drama that is happening in the

world is witnessed by our senses. 

And through them you can see inside and outside. Spectators simply enjoy an event. That is all. Sometimes people in the audience sleep through a performance. If you go to South India, the climate is so sunny and hot, people cannot sleep comfortably at home. 

Once asked a friend of mine why he went to see the same film every day, and he said, “There is nothing special about it. We only have one theatre, which shows the same film for weeks at a time, and it is air-conditioned”.

“There is cool air blowing, and I can get good sleep, which I can't get at home. What does the movie matter?" Like this, many spectators get good sleep during a movie. 

Sometimes, a person asked his

neighbor to wake him up if something interesting happens. This is how most spectators are. We do not take time to enjoy the dance or play of the self. 

We keep crying, having lost ourselves in some object, or we are just asleep. This we have not paid attention to. Imagine that you have gone to the market or a place where you can see many people's heads. 

Sit and watch for some time. What are the different thoughts and feelings passing through their heads? One might be angry, and another happy. Each one is different. 

When we observe, it looks very strange. Today, when you go home, sit for some time and examine each person's face to find out what is going on in his head. Even children observe.

As soon as they come home, they find out their mother's and father's mood and what is happening between them. They also plan how to achieve what they want. 

If they want to go on a trip from school, they mention it only if their mother and father are in a good mood. The children discuss among themselves, "Father is angry so we won't ask today. We'll wait to ask tomorrow when he's

in a good mood." 

Then they'll try to make him happy with different tricks. One will show his report card and say, "Look. I got such good marks." 

The report card may be old, but the father does not have time to check whether it is old or new, and once the father approves the card. 

Then the child asks, "All our

classmates are going on a trip. I also want to go. May I? I'll only go if you say so, and I won't go if you say no. They know lots of subtle tricks. 

In case the father says no, they will persuade him, saying, “Everyone is going. I'll also go and then I'll come right back home. It's just for one day, isn't it?”.

If I don't go, my friends have decided that they won't go either. I'm not very interested, but for their sake I should go. Even our teacher will be angry with me and say that I don't participate and keep giving the same excuses." 

They make sure that somehow or the other, their father will let them go. Observe the dance of the Self. Watch its play. A variety show is happening - you can see this play out in your own home. 

Watch people's expressions and you can see all of the nine feelings - fear, seriousness, hatred, boredom and so on. Our life, thoughts and feelings are full of these nine flavours. 

Remember this much - it is enough. The moment you go home, observe : "Oh, this person is in an angry mood. This person is in a happy mood or a serious mood." 

If your husband brings you flowers or takes you out to a movie or your wife dresses up and applies make up, then he or she is in a romantic mood.

She may have put on make-up to go to a concert of M.S. Subhalakshmi. There, the women in the audience will wear more make-up than the performers on stage, and their saris they will not wear again.

The wife might say, "What will others think? They'll say that I have only one sari. Don't you think that's shameful? Maybe it is not for me, but for you it is. It's a disgrace. 

For all I care, I could go in the same sari that I use in the kitchen. It is only for your reputation that I am going to this trouble." At the concert, who will notice her? 

Everyone will have their eyes closed, absorbed in the music. There are nine flavors, or emotions in life. Recognize them. You do not need to do anything except label them. 

Today father is serious, mother is in a funny humor, brother is terrified, husband is in a romantic mood. Once you label the emotions, then you will start laughing and then you will enter a cheerful mood.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji

SHIVA SUTRAS

Gurudev, how to overcome the fear of losing my loved ones?

Question :- Gurudev, how to overcome the fear of losing my loved ones?

Gurudev Sri Sri - See, if you don't have much to do, and you have a lot of free time then fear will come to you in some or the other form. The fear of losing a loved one, or the fear of catching a disease, of the fear of dying, many different fears can take over you. The antidote for fear is love and service. If you keep yourself busy in doing some service, where is the time to think about anything? It is the same energy which manifests as fear, hatred or love. So if you channel the energy towards love, then it will not manifest as fear or hatred. So, keeping busy, being active in doing some selfless service will help.

Ultimately, I made my choice and it worked out extremely perfectly. It was all done with so much grace. I received such clarity of mind after meeting Guruji. It was all that I needed and he knew it.

I have always felt connected to Sri Sri, even before meeting him. After my 12th grade exams, I visited the Art of Living International Center in Bangalore with my family. At that point in time, my mind was very unstable and confused because even though my exams had gone fine, I had another big decision in front of me: what field should I major in? What field do I choose to establish a career in. To top it all, my result date was rapidly approaching. Several people had given me guidance about which field of study to choose, which confused me further. I had decided to simply ask Guruji what to pursue because I knew that would be the best guidance. There were way too many fields, and many people for guidance who had different opinions about each course. I decided to follow what Guruji would say, that would be the best guidance ever. We went to the secreteriate to request for an appointment to meet Sri Sri. We were told to come back later. This went on for the next three days. It was holiday time and there so many courses going on, including one taken by Gurudev himself, so he was very occupied. Plus, there were so many devotees who also wanted their time with him. Though I perfectly understood the situation, it was heartbreaking for me that after reaching the ashram, I was not being able to meet Guruji. Then, one day we were walking around the old ashram to go to Sumeru Mantap for our meditation. We passed by a beautifully decorated hall with essenced flowers, people were dressed in heavy colorful clothes. We understood a wedding was taking place here. We just stood there admiring the beauty of it all. A man standing near the hall spotted us and invited us to the wedding. We didn’t know at the time but he was the father of the bride. He was a fine gentleman who lovingly called us and told us to attend the ceremony. He said it meant more blessings for his daughter. We couldn’t resist his kindness and decided to go in. The groom was welcomed in at the beats of drums. After some time, the relatives of the couple were standing at the door waiting to welcome somone. In few moments two cars arrived. In the first one was Bhanu Didi, who entered the hall. We all took her blessings. She truly looked radiant and divine. We heard people whisper around that Guruji would also be reaching soon. I felt so joyous that I would get to see him. He was welcomed with a garland and a traditional Jaipuri head gear. He spent time with the couple and blessed them. As he was preparing to leave, I quickly took the opportunity to meet him. I asked Guruji the question that was bothering me: which field of study and career is the right one for me. He smiled and said, “the choice is yours, the blessings are mine.” While it wasn’t a definite answer, it left me very satisfied. I left with the feeling that now only the right things will happen. He would take care of this. During kriya with Gurudev, my intuition told me which course of study I should take up. When I reached back home in Mumbai, the admission process began. Luckily, I got through all of the colleges and courses I had applied to. Ultimately, I made my choice and it worked out extremely perfectly. It was all done with so much grace. I received such clarity of mind after meeting Guruji. It was all that I needed and he knew it. Jai Guru Dev.

- Karishma Khanna

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Gurudev, Can we alter our Time of Death by taking better care of ourselves and by praying? Or is it that when it’s time to go, we have to go? Is it true that no one can alter that?

Question - Gurudev, Can we alter our Time of Death by taking better care of ourselves and by praying? Or is it that when it’s time to go, we have to go? Is it true that no one can alter that?

Gurudev @SriSriRaviShankar ji - This is a mystery. There is a possibility to extend life if the soul desires for it. But that should be an innate desire from the soul and not from someone else. Sometimes, someone else’s desire can also work, but that is only sometimes. This is a well-guarded secret in the universe as to when someone is going to exit from this planet.

Research studies show that Meditation keeps you young and improves longevity. One of the main reasons for this is its diminishing effects on stress, a factor that has a negative impact on the body. So, Meditation, Yoga and taking good care of oneself will definitely have an impact.