QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: SATURDAY, APRIL 1, 2023
Q: Please tell us a little about the Aghori Tradition and its practices.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
This word Aghora itself conveys the meaning of this tradition. Aghora means that which is not terrifying, that which is beautiful and honourable. So Aghori means one who is very peaceful and who behaves in the same way. It means one who is very beautiful and has no aversions or hatred of any kind towards anyone. In the Rudram Chanting, one of the verses is, “Aghorebhyo Thaghorebhyo Ghora Ghora Tharebhyaha. Sarve Bhyaha Sarva Sharve Bhyo Namaste Astu Rudra Roopebhyaha”. How is Lord Shiva? Lord Shiva is both peaceful and terrifying, and yet he delivers and uplifts everyone. ‘Shiva’ literally means One who uplifts and blesses everyone. The verse means, “O Rudra (Shiva), I bow to you. You are the most beautiful and also the most terrifying of all”. This mantra is called the Aghora Mantra.
Nature is also the same way. When water flows as a river it is so peaceful and serene, but when the same water comes as a storming flood, then it is so destructive. A waterfall is so beautiful to look at, but at the same time it is also dangerous and terrifying. This is the closest example one can give for this mantra. For example, the Jog Falls here in Karnataka, it is so majestic to look at, but there is huge amount of water falling from a height of many thousand metres. It is so dangerous as well. If you look at it from afar it is so beautiful, but if one gets caught in the waterfall, they will not be able to survive the intensity of the falls.
All the five elements are like this. Take the fire element for example. Fire is so wonderful to look at when it burns like a lamp. But the same fire can be terrifying when an entire house catches fire and goes in flames. Similarly the same goes for the air element. A gentle flowing breeze of air is so nice, but when the same air takes the form of a storm or a tornado, then it can cause so much destruction.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
POSTED ON: SATURDAY, APRIL 1, 2023
Q: Please tell us a little about the Aghori Tradition and its practices.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
This word Aghora itself conveys the meaning of this tradition. Aghora means that which is not terrifying, that which is beautiful and honourable. So Aghori means one who is very peaceful and who behaves in the same way. It means one who is very beautiful and has no aversions or hatred of any kind towards anyone. In the Rudram Chanting, one of the verses is, “Aghorebhyo Thaghorebhyo Ghora Ghora Tharebhyaha. Sarve Bhyaha Sarva Sharve Bhyo Namaste Astu Rudra Roopebhyaha”. How is Lord Shiva? Lord Shiva is both peaceful and terrifying, and yet he delivers and uplifts everyone. ‘Shiva’ literally means One who uplifts and blesses everyone. The verse means, “O Rudra (Shiva), I bow to you. You are the most beautiful and also the most terrifying of all”. This mantra is called the Aghora Mantra.
Nature is also the same way. When water flows as a river it is so peaceful and serene, but when the same water comes as a storming flood, then it is so destructive. A waterfall is so beautiful to look at, but at the same time it is also dangerous and terrifying. This is the closest example one can give for this mantra. For example, the Jog Falls here in Karnataka, it is so majestic to look at, but there is huge amount of water falling from a height of many thousand metres. It is so dangerous as well. If you look at it from afar it is so beautiful, but if one gets caught in the waterfall, they will not be able to survive the intensity of the falls.
All the five elements are like this. Take the fire element for example. Fire is so wonderful to look at when it burns like a lamp. But the same fire can be terrifying when an entire house catches fire and goes in flames. Similarly the same goes for the air element. A gentle flowing breeze of air is so nice, but when the same air takes the form of a storm or a tornado, then it can cause so much destruction.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
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