Wisdom from Sri Sri Ravi Shankar----Education is meant to make us living examples of high standards of ethics

Sri Sri Visit Gyan Vihar University

Honorable Chief Mentor, Vice Chancellor of the University and Members of the faculty, I humbly accept this degree that you have conferred on me.
See, today I received one but I gave away many. This is what education should do. What we receive we should give back to society, and as students you have received so much education here, now see how you can put that into use in life. The trouble in today’s world is not because of lack of education but because education is being misrepresented, misused and misunderstood. We need to clear these three things. Education is meant not to just make us tablets of information but living examples of high standards of ethics. Education is to make us such strong personalities, which would spread harmony, which would bring progress in the society and spread love and compassion. This is what I strongly believe. So we need to educate ourselves and people around us.
Education is to make one a strong personality, a personality which would stand up to criticism and give constructive criticism. A personality which would create friendliness all over, which has humor and a sense of belongingness along with it and this is what the world is looking for today.
Creativity comes up in a person when he has such an opportunity of free thinking and everybody in this planet is supposed to have free thinking. Unfortunately it is not there. We think in boxes, we think in limited spheres; we have to get out of this. We have to think freely and keep our mind free of narrow ideologies.
I am happy that Gyan Vihar University has given you such an opportunity in the midst of Jaipur to come up with brilliance, and I am sure you will make your country and your university proud.
I once again thank the management, the Vice Chancellor, Honorable Chairperson and the Deans and all of you and I give you my best wishes. I am part of you and now I am also an alumni of this University.
I wish that you become well educated in both humanities and science. Arts is the subject of the heart and science is the subject of the head, and we need both. Lord Krishna has said, Buddhi (intelligence) and Bhava (emotions), both are essential – this is the essence of Bhagavad Gita.
Development of heart and the mind, both are essential. Only then do you become a complete human being.
So I wish you all success in your endeavors and lead a life of service to society and a life full of fun and happiness.

Q: Guruji, you have said the knowledge about the self is most important, then why is it kept so secret and difficult to attain?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: In fact it is not kept a secret anymore. Unfortunately in the past, people kept all that is very precious and very good and useful for people a secret out of their selfishness. But now it is open to everybody. Pranayama was not taught to everybody, it was taught only to a few. That was the unfortunate story of our country. But now everything is available to you.
Q: Guruji, real education happens through life experiences, then why should one go to college?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: College life is pretty good; it is great! You learn a lot. Don’t think you will have no life in college; in fact college life is life because you learn a lot of things. Many times you fall in love, your heart gets broken and then it gets mended. So many things happen there.
Q: What is the secret of your success?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Walk the talk or talk the walk!
Q: If everything is destined, what is the power of prayer?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Everything is not fixed. There are some things that are fixed and some things that are not fixed, and prayer is the bridge between them.
Q: If money is not everything then why are all successful people so rich?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Rich people are not always happy. For me success is not just money in the bank. It is the smile and confidence in a person.

AOL Knowledge Sheet!----Astonishment brings wakefulness

Astonishment brings wakefulness

Astonishment is the basis of spiritual opening. Its amazing how this creation is so full of astonishing things around. But we take things for granted. And that’s when a thought of inertia dawns and dullness comes along. Tamas acts in, inactivity happens and ignorance resides.

Whereas a sense of astonishment brings wakefulness. A miracle shocks you; that shock is the wakefulness. And when we are awakened we see the whole creation is full of miracles. The entire creation is to be wondered upon; because it is all a display of one consciousness.

From the point of view of an animal, your language means nothing. It is just like howling. If a cat or a dog were to look at you, unless you have trained them for a very long time, they will think you are barking at them, just with a different sound, making no sense. Our language, our intellect, our mind is so limited, its perspective is limited.

Our little brain is programmed to one language or few more languages. And we think that all the understanding, the knowledge can be captured in this brain. We think we can reason out, find logic, understand all that exists; but this feeling: “I know it all” can keep us in a little shell of dullness. “I don’t know” creates wakefulness, because you need to know in order to be awakened.

What is this? “I don’t know”; this “I don’t know” is the key to progress knowledge.

Nature reveals little more of your secrets; and bit more of its mysteries. So that you get opportunities to be amazed. To wonder what life is, what consciousness is, what universe is, who am I, and what is this? And, you are so fortunate to come to that point. This is the beginning of spiritual journey of union with the Divinity.
Let us get astonished at the union, a preface for the union. Wonder is the preface for the union. And when you are united, you wonder at everything. The prana, the life force, is present in every object.

There is nothing inanimate on this planet. We are all floating on the ocean of life. Everybody is just a shell, an ocean of life: This is one such phenomenon. All the present, past, future, its time scale is within the preview of consciousness. Consciousness is beyond time and space, it is all just vibrations.

So, if you are amazed, astonished, wonderstruck, just close your eyes with a smile and think.

Guru Punch!

What I am saying is that spirituality is not a short-term entertainment, where you read a book and feel somewhat satisfied, and then move on. It is a complete and proven knowledge. With God’s Grace, whatever you desire is not difficult to obtain, I say this with confidence that this is a power that works - Sri Sri

Guru Punch!

‘Jo ichcha kariho manu maahi, prabhu prataap kachhu durlabh naahin’. This is a proven fact. If for small and frequent intervals we quieten our minds, we will be able to establish that connection with him. Then, whatever you desire, will no longer remain impossible - Sri Sri

AOL Knowledge Sheet!---Be free from your mistakes

Be free from your mistakes

In the Srimad Bhagwatam, there is a story of king Ajamila. The king had many vices. When he was on his deathbed, he called his son who was named ‘Narayan'. And when he uttered the Divine’s name, he got liberated.

This story builds trust in people that however their past has been; there is no need to waste time in repenting. If you turn to the Divine even at the last moment, you have a chance to be liberated.

Instead of brooding over the past, just wake up and acknowledge it. Move forward and don’t get stuck in blaming yourself or others. It is like playing volleyball. You throw the ball and the ball comes back to you again. This game goes on. If you want to get out of this game, acknowledge the mistake.

What do we normally do is to justify our mistakes so that the guilt is not felt. It doesn’t work. Whatever justification you give, the guilt lingers on. You resist the guilt and it continues and then distorts your behaviour deep inside. You have all the right to feel miserable for the mistake you have done. A justification does not remove the guilt as it is superficial. Be 100% with the guilt and that pain will become like a meditation and relieve you from the guilt.

How do you deal with a person who has committed a mistake? Do not tell a person a mistake he already knows and make them feel guilty, defensive or resentful. This will only create distance. Before pointing out the mistake of a person, see whether your comment in any way help to improve the situation.

Don’t see intention behind other’s mistakes. When we see from a broader perspective, every culprit is also a victim. They may be a victim of lack of education or information, too much stress and narrow-mindedness. All these would cause someone to make a mistake.

If a wise man sees mistakes in others, he helps them to come out of it in a compassionate manner. But a fool is happy if someone else does a mistake and takes pride in it and announces to the world.

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1 - Verse 28

Chapter 1 -- Verse 28

Verse: arjuna uvaca
drstvemam sva-janam krishna
yuyutsum samupasthitam
sidanti mama gatrani
mukham ca parisusyati

Translation: Arjuna said: My dear Krishna, seeing my friends and relatives present before me in such a fighting spirit, I feel the limbs of my body quivering and my mouth drying up.

Guru Punch!

You are not alone. All the Gurus and intellectuals in the society are there primarily to solve your problems. The whole world, and your friends and relatives are there with you. So, ‘God is there, He exists’; I have come here just to remind you of this fact. God is there and He loves you a lot and He is in you - Sri Sri