Q: Guruji, often we read in the Puranas that Indra commits some sin. We never read of Agni, or Varuna, or Vayu, or any of the other Gods committing sin. There must be some significance or some learning from this as well, just like the story of Ganesha. Could you please explain the spiritual meaning of this?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Indra is the mob psychology. What we call mob mentality? A group has a mind of its own. That group mind is called Indra. Indra is supposed to have one thousand eyes. One thousand eyes do not mean that somebody has eyes all over. It refers to a group which has five hundred people; one mob. So the group creates a consciousness, a mentality and that is what Indra is. 

That is why, when an enlightened person is born, Indra gets so offended, because the mob psychology cannot exist then. A person of enlightenment and awareness does not allow mob psychology to grow. Do you see what I am saying? 

He puts sense in to the minds of the people. He tells everyone, ‘Hey! Think with your mind! Wake up! Each one of you, think!’ That is why Indra gets scared whenever a Rishi or Sage is meditating. The mob, the collective consciousness is what is called Indra. It is not some person sitting up there in the heaven. Indra is right here. Just like we have all the five elements, Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Ether; Indra is the collective consciousness.
With the mob psychology, what usually happens; someone will say, ’Oh, our leader has been maligned’, and everybody then starts. They put fire on the buses, they desecrate statues, etc., and the mob keeps moving on without knowing what they are doing. A mob goes on a rampage, destroying people, life and property; isn’t it? 

So that is the mob psychology. That mob psychology cannot stand when there is knowledge, wisdom and alertness.