QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

POSTED ON: MONDAY, MAY 2, 2022

Q: How can I become like Bhakt Prahlada? Could it happen automatically or do I need to make an effort?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

It is like you are asking me, 'Gurudev, how I can like something? How can I like mangoes? How can I like bananas?'

You have no way to like it, it simply happens. Your very desire that you want to be like Bhakt Prahlada, know that you are already on the Path, you are already on the way.

As your vision broadens, you go for the highest. Prahlada went for the highest. 'Ahlada' means happiness. 'Prahlada' means bliss. Even this story of Hiranyakashipu, his goal was prahlada (bliss).

Today, you find people around like Hiranyakashyapu. You know what Hiranyakashyapu is? 'Hiranya' means money, 'Kashyap' means one who sees only money and nothing else; no relationship, no father, no mother, nobody. Money is the biggest. For money sake they can drag their parents to court, or do anything. They are all Hiranyakashipus.

What do they want? Their goal is to bring up prahlada (bliss). And bliss cannot be in the captive of Hiranyakashipu. It will always go towards Narayana.

Only the highest self can bestow the highest bliss. For that courage needs to be there. Narasimha is courage; courage like a lion. So when the human consciousness is roaring like a lion, and it has authority like a king of the forest, it is stable.

Prahlada sits on the lap of Narasimha on one side, and Lakshmi sits on the other lap. That means, wealth comes to you when Prahlada (bliss) is already there with you. That is the whole story of Prahlada and Hiranyakashyapu. It’s so beautiful!

And who is not only looking for money? But one who is like a lion, he is not just looking for money only. He knows money and everything will come automatically. And it will come without effort. So he destroys Hiranyakashyapu and uplifts Prahlada who is Ananda (bliss). This is the inner meaning of the story.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar