KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR
POSTED ON: SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2026

Prabdha karma and sanchita karma

Some karma can be changed and some cannot.

When you prepare halwa, if sugar is less or ghee is less, water more or less, it can all be adjusted, repaired. But once soji is cooked, it cannot be reversed.

If the buttermilk is sour, milk can be added, salt can be added to make it drinkable. But it can never be reversed back to milk.

Prabdha karma cannot be changed. Sanchita karma can be changed by spiritual practices. Satsang burns the seed of all negative karma.

When you praise someone, you take on their good karma. When you blame someone you take on their bad karma.

Know this and surrender both good and bad karma to the Divine and be free.

II JAI GURUDEV II

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2026

Q: What is Pitru Dosha, how does it affect our daily life and how do we correct it?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Pitru Dosha comes out of torturing the parents or ancestors. If children torture the parents and do not understand them, then that is called Pitru Dosha. The parents have brought you up with so much love, taking pain they have given you a good life, they have been by your side and helped you grow, and then you don't give them love and inflict pain on them, that is called Pitru Dosha.

But I tell you, your meditation, your being on the spiritual path, keeping a clean heart and doing a selfless service, to some degree will eliminate the Dosha from your life. See, sometimes people are miserable not because you did something to them, but they are miserable because of their own ignorance. They expect things from you which you may not be able to deliver. Then you don't get Pitru Dosha. It happens when they are really pained by something you could do, but you did not do. When you intentionally inflict pain on the parents due to your selfish reasons then that is Pitru Dosha.

Then what happens? The progeny will have problems. Your children will give you problems. The impact of it is -- children are born with some special needs; some deformities. This is all the sign of Pitru Dosha. Somewhere in the ancestral line, parents were very unhappy with their kids, now you have to become unhappy with your own kids. This is the law of karma. But there is a remedy for it, and the remedy is meditation. 'Om Namah Shivaya' chanting also helps. This is why it's called Maha Mantra. It can rectify any of these Doshas. 'Om Namah Shivaya' does not belong to only one religion. It is universal and it is for everybody.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2026

Often, people spend half of their health to gain their wealth. Then they spend half their wealth, to gain back their health. This is not a sign of success.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR 

POSTED ON: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2026

There are three essential ingredients for the development of consciousness - music, knowledge and silence. Knowledge is logical understanding. With a few moments of silence practiced every day, we can shift our awareness. This is called Patrata. Building the capacity of the intellect can happen in a few moments of silence. The purpose of music is to lead you to a space of silence. And the purpose of knowledge is to lead you to a space of wonderment.

II JAIGURUDEVII

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2026

Q: You spoke about Ashtalakshmi. Are we born with this luck or can we acquire them also?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

We are born with some perfections and we can acquire the others. For a Yogi, the nine types of wealth and eight perfections are acquired.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2026

Anything we do in life is directed towards happiness. That is how the mind works. And the greatest happiness is in reposing in the being.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

POSTED ON: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2026

The Five Aspects Of The Universe

You have five aspects to yourself: Asti (is-ness); Bhaati (Knowledge, expression); Preeti (love); Nama (name); and Rupa (form).

Matter has two aspects: name and form.

Consciousness has three aspects: "is-ness" - that it is; knowingness/expression - it knows and expresses; and love - it is loving.

This is the secret of the whole universe.

Maya is not being aware of the three aspects of consciousness. Ignorance is when one is caught up in the name and form.

Question: Why are we imperfect?

Answer: So that we can grow to perfection. Life is a movement from imperfection to perfection. A seed contains the tree but the seed has to cease to be a seed to become a tree. The seed is not perfect. The sapling is not perfect. It has to cease to be a sapling to become a tree. So in life you can either see imperfection at every step, or you can see a movement from one perfection to another perfection.

Wherever you put your attention then that will grow. If you put your attention on the lack of something, the lack will increase.

II JAI GURUDEV II

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2026

Q: It is said in Yoga Vashishta that one of the four gatekeepers to liberation is satsang (the company of truth). Please elaborate.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Yes, one of the four gatekeepers to enlightenment is satsang, which means having the right company because it is a good company that uplifts you.

How do you realize what is a good company? Just sit with someone and talk to them for over 30 minutes. When you get up, observe your state of mind. Do you feel happy? Do you feel depressed? Do you feel angry, agitated or sad? That says it all!

If you sit and discuss your problem with someone, and they appear to be insignificant, then that is good company. But when you discuss your problems with someone and you come out feeling, "Oh, I thought it's a small issue. It feels to be much bigger!" When the problems appear to be much bigger, then that is bad company. It's not satsang.

Satsang is one in which even the big problems appear to be much smaller. Your enthusiasm is high, you feel confident, you feel happy and you want to serve people. You don't become greedy - that is satsang. Satsang creates positive energy in you, uplifts your spirit, gives you insight and gives you courage.

Sometimes you live inside a bubble, satsang will bring you to ground reality. Suppose you are imagining something or hallucinating, satsang will make you realize the ground reality. It will bring you to a point where you realize that you are imagining, or whatever you were doing is not correct.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2026

Whenever you find someone doing a heinous crime be grateful that such tendencies did not arise in you.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

POSTED ON: THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2026

Six Signs Of A Seeker

Acknowledging that one knows very little

Many people think they know, without knowing or they get stuck in their limited knowledge. So they never learn. So the first thing is to acknowledge that one knows very little.

Willingness to know

Many people acknowledge that they do not know, but they are not ready to learn.

Being non-judgmental and open-minded

Some people would like to learn but their judgmental attitude and close-mindedness does not allow them to learn.

Total commitment and one-pointedness to the path one has chosen

Some people are open-minded but lack commitment and one-pointedness. They keep shopping here and there and never progress.

Always putting truth and service before pleasure

Sometimes even committed and one-pointed people stay away from the path in pursuit of momentary pleasures.

Patience and perseverance

Some people are not swayed by pleasures and are committed and one-pointed, but if they lack patience and perseverance, they become restless and dejected. 

II JAI GURUDEVII

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

POSTED ON: THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2026

 

Q: Guruji, why do religions that support love cause so many wars?

 

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

 

The wars are because of supremacy. In India, there have been so many religions for so many years. Here all religions have flourished. It is only in the Middle East that the Christianity, Judaism, and Islam has been at war all the time. The war in Inida was also due to that only.

 

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2026

Transformation can happen only through understanding and not by imposing.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2026

Life is a war

Life is a war. Doctors are fighting against diseases. Lawyers fight against injustice. Teachers are fighting against ignorance.

Depression happens when you lose the will to fight. Arjuna was depressed and he did not want to fight. His bow fell from his hands and his fingers trembled. Krishna urged him to wake up and fight! The decision to fight can take away your depression like it did for Arjuna.

Bharat says "Fight till you give up."

Prashant says "Not give up... give in!' (laughter)

Even your body is a battlefield.

IIJAI GURUDEVII

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2026

Q: Gurudev, I would like to be amicable with everyone but there are some people who always treat me like their enemy.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Let them behave however they wish. Nothing in this world stays permanently anyway. People’s opinions keep changing all the time, and no emotions stays with the same intensity. Everything changes over a period of time. Let them be as they are.

You have seven billion people on this planet. If someone is holding a grudge against you, just let them be. Don’t rent out your upper chamber (referring to the mind) to anybody. Normally you rent it out to whoever you like the least, and they then start living there.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2026

Whatever is yours will always come back to you. That which is not yours, even if you hold onto it with chains and pull it towards you it will face the other side, and run away one day.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

POSTED ON: TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2026

 

Surrender

 

The main impediment of many seekers in the path is that they want to surrender. Don't say that you want to surrender; know that you already are surrendered. Wanting to surrender becomes an impediment on the path. This is like a child saying to the mother, " I want to love you." No child ever tells the mother," I want to love you", love is evident there.

 

Surrender is not an act, it is a state of your being. Whether you acknowledge it or not, it is there. The wise wake up and see, the unwise take a longer time. Know that you have no choice, you are in a state of surrender deep within you.

 

II JAI GURUDEV II

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2026

Q: In ‘wonder’, is intellect not active?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

In ‘wonder’ the mind comes to a stand-still, the intellect which poses question comes into exclamation. Exclamation or wonder can happen only through intellect.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2026

If you really intended to hurt somebody, then it means that you have deep hurt inside you. Even then, you are worthy of being excused. And you have to excuse the other person as well.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR
POSTED ON: MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2026

Confidence with Humility: The Rarest Combination

Q: One of the rarest combinations in the human personality is the co-existence of confidence and humility. Often people who are confident are not humble and people with humility are not confident. Confidence blended with humility is most appreciated by everybody. Question: How can confidence be developed in one who is humble, and humility in one who is confident?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

1. When you see your life from a bigger context of time and space, then you realize your life is nothing.

2. When you are humble, you need to see that you are unique and dear to the Divine, which brings confidence, and when you realize you are insignificant, that brings humility.

3. When you have a Guru, you cannot be arrogant. Your guru gives you confidence and also brings humility in you. The weakness in humility, and the arrogance in confidence are removed. You are left with confidence and humility!

II JAI GURUDEV II

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2026

Q: There are Pancha Bhoota temples around India that are dedicated to Lord Shiva, what is the significance of these temples?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

There are five elements that form this creation: Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Ether, and these five things are also called lingam because they signify or tell you that there is something beyond. The un-manifest consciousness is represented by the Earth, so the Earth is a lingam – means the Earth is an identification and a sign of the infinity. Water is the sign of infinity. You look at the mountain, the mountain tells you that there is some power. So, all the five elements remind you that there is consciousness that creates orderliness.

If you see any stone, there are patterns in the stone also and there are colors in the stones. Stones are so fascinating. There is orderliness in that and this indicates that there is consciousness. Water has life and memory, have you heard about water having memory? Google this and you can know about the many experiments that reveal that water has memory; water is alive. Water indicates super consciousness.

Similarly, fire tells you there is consciousness. Air reminds you of the divinity, of the Shiva Tattva. Similarly, space tells you there is a supreme power. So all these five elements in the planet indicate you towards something which is un-manifest because the five elements are manifest, that is why they are called lingam.

Anything that points towards something big, something that is inexpressible, something that is intangible, truth that is beyond all expressions is expressed in five elements.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2026

Love can only be felt in heart and not explained in head.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR 

POSTED ON: SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2026

A wise man is happy even in bad times

People who are willing to serve will have good times even in the bad times. when there are problems such as famine or war-torn countries, the Red Cross people will be fine as they are serving. The more relief they bring, the happier they feel. And people who are selfish and who just want to enjoy themselves will be miserable even in good times. Often the organizers of a party do not enjoy the party because some little thing is missing, they forgot to invite somebody, somebody did not come or some little thing went wrong.

A wise one is happy even in bad times. And the stupid one is unhappy even in good times.

You make the time good or bad. People usually blame the bad time and wait for the good time. Even if an astrologer says that you have a hopeless time, you can make it a good time!

Like weather, time has its own impact on you. But your Satsangs and sadhana are your shield, your protection! So realize that you are more than time and that you can move the time by your connection to the Divine.

Don't feel shy to speak about human and spiritual values. Time has come now to call the whole world!

|| Jai Guru Dev ||

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2026

Q: What is the secret behind Lord Krishna having succeeded the test of time (meaning to have become eternal)? Despite the passage of time, Lord Krishna is still alive in the hearts of people.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Yes, this is a secret that you must unravel in your heart. You must discover this for yourself. Truth always wins in the end, and truth is eternal. It is never destroyed. This is why Lord Krishna is alive even after 5100 years. Why is this so? It is because He was never limited to one particular place, or to one particular time.

Lord Krishna is Sanatan (meaning that which is eternal and never-ending). One who is Anadi (without beginning) and Ananta (without end) is called Sanatan. It means that which has always existed and is ever present. No one knows where it began. Such is the knowledge that Lord Krishna gave.

Lord Krishna tells Arjuna – ‘I and you have taken birth several times, but I remember all those lifetimes and you do not. We are both Anadi – no one knows how many times we have incarnated and taken birth here. We come in this world, we depart from it, and we will come again’.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2026

Anger cannot be tamed by anything other than meditation.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR
POSTED ON: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2026

Give away your rights

Those Who Fight For Their Rights Are Weak For They Do Not Know Their Inner Strength, Their Magnanimity. The weaker you are, the more you demand your rights. Asserting your rights makes you isolated and poor. People who fight for their rights, take pride in it. This is an ignorant pride. You need to recognize no one can take away your rights. They are yours.

The courageous will give away their rights. The degree to which you give away your rights indicates your freedom, your strength. The stronger you are the more you give away your rights. Only those who have their rights can give away their rights!!!

Demanding rights does not really bring you the rights, and giving them away does not really take them away.

Poor are those who demand their rights.

Richer are those who know their rights cannot be taken away.

Richest are those who give away their rights.

Demand for rights is ignorance, agony.

Knowing no one can take away your rights is freedom.

Giving away your rights is love, wisdom.

II JAI GURUDEVII

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2026

Q: Gurudev, I am not able to put an end to the doubts and suspicions in my relationship, and I do not want to end my relationship because of this. What should I do?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

That’s it. Knowing this is enough. Now you know that no matter how much you have doubted your relationship, it has brought you no results at all. This much you are convinced about. So just move ahead now. Everything in life moves according to some mysterious law of karma, according to some rule of nature.

How many people here have had this experience that even though you did nothing wrong, people become your enemies? Raise your hands. You would have only done something good, yet they became your enemies. And how many people have experiences that you have not done any special favour or help for someone else, yet they have become your close friends? (Many people raise hands in the audience). See! So sometimes, the best of friends become your worst enemies, and sometimes your enemies become your close friends. All this happens due to some strange karma. These are the ways of the world.

Saint Meera Bai has rightly said, ‘Karm ki gati nyaari hai’ (The ways of karma are mysterious).
So you should keep your friends and enemies aside and just move ahead in life. Do good work. For whatever time you are here on this planet, do some good beneficial deeds. This is the prayer you should make for yourself.

Who has the time to think and worry how so-and-so is feeling or thinking, or how you are feeling? Let people feel the way they want to feel. Do not get entangled in all this. Let them do what they wish. You do what you are supposed to do (your duty).

Now this does not mean that you stop caring about other people’s feelings, or hurt them. Do not do that. From your side, do not hurt or bring misery to people around you.

See, from our side we do not wish to hurt someone. But despite that if they are miserable, then there is nothing that we can do. It is not in your hands to make someone happy or miserable. Just know this. People experience happiness and sorrow by their own actions.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2026

We say, 'Be God fearing; God will punish you', no! This is a wrong idea. God will never punish you, but only educate and uplift you.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR
POSTED ON: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2026

Yagna

Yagna creates energy, energy creates consciousness, awareness. Heightened awareness brings you close to the reality and the reality is a witness.

To realize that everything is happening you need heightened awareness. And to bring about heightened awareness you have to increase the prana.

Prana can be increased through:

Fasting, fresh food
Pranayamas, Kriya, meditation
Silence
Cold water baths
Total exhaustion, not letting sleep take over
Emotional peaks
Presence of the Master
Singing and chanting
Giving without a givership, service without a doership

All of these together is Yagna

II JAI GURUDEVII

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2026

Q: Gurudev, why does it feel that staying apart from my loved ones has now created a distance between our hearts and not just a distance between places? I feel scared of this distance between the hearts.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

No, do not be afraid at all. See, when there is low tide in the ocean, the water recedes from the shore, and when there is high tide, there is so much water that comes to the shore. But this ebbing and flowing of tides does not change the (quantity) of water in ocean in any way (here, ‘water’ symbolizes love).

Love and fear both come in the mind and at times one feels lonely also. But all these feelings come and go. So there are always some ups and downs that one experiences in life. What is there to it? It is useless to sit and worry about all these things. It is wasting precious time. Where do you have the time to worry about your feelings? Today you will say, ‘I am feeling like this’, tomorrow you say, ‘I am feeling like that’. So it’s ok to feel whatever you are feeling.

Life goes on regardless of how one feels. From the cradle to the grave, life goes on. Feelings come and go. So just bundle up all your feelings and put them aside. You should be happy and simply march ahead in life. Do you understand what I am saying?

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2026

Who said you are weak? You are the sun, how can you be weak? Come on, wake up! Don't label yourself as weak.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR
POSTED ON: THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2026

Respect Everybody as you respect me

Respect everybody as you respect Me, but don't expect from everyone what you expect from Me.
You do it the other way. You don't respect everybody as you respect Me, but you expect them to give you joy and behave ideally. When they don't live up to your expectations, you get frustrated and you blame or curse them. By cursing, you lose your spiritual energy. Blessing brings your spiritual energy up.

The world is full of differences and arguments are inevitable. With forbearance or patience and wisdom, skillfully make your way up.

If you find fools around you, they are going to make you wiser. The number of fools around you indicates the strength of your centeredness. Don't try to get rid of them! (Laughter)

If you are not centered you will have no patience to put up with them. When you are totally established, you find the fools come up with wisdom. They are your own reflection, there is no other.

Fools offer you frustration and wisdom. Be choosy and make your life juicy.

Hmm . . . What do you say? I think this is something very timely.

Question: How can you stop thinking others are fools?

Answer: You don't have to. You can see the whole world as fools. The advantage is you don't get attached to anyone. (Laughter) No one likes to associate with fools. If you think people are sane,
you want to join them.

You can think everybody is a fool and be cool.

II JAI GURUDEVII

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2026

Q: Gurudev, can you please explain ‘Yogah Karamsu Kaushalam’ (excellence in action)? How can I apply it to my life?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

This very question indicates that you want to be skillful; that is it, you are already skillful. If you are wanting to be skillful, you are already skillful; just move on. If you want to learn, you are already learning. When you go to vote, you have already voted, got it? So I want to learn, means it is already half done, learning has begun.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2026

When your life is filled with love for everyone, there can be no fear.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2026

Padmanabha - The Lotus Navel

Different organs of our body are governed by different devas. The solar plexus is connected with the sun, that's why it is called "solar" plexus. When the first rays of the sun fall on the solar plexus, it is very good for your body. Doing Surya Namaskar ("sun salutation") yoga asana in the early morning is very good. The solar plexus has a profound impact on the central nervous system, optic nerves, stomach, and what we usually call "gut feeling." It is the second brain in your body. Usually the solar plexus is slightly bigger than an almond. Studies have shown that with the practice of yoga, meditation, and Sudarshan Kriya, the solar plexus can become as a large as the size of the palm. Then it performs better. It balances the body functions. When the solar plexus expands, the intuitive mind works better. The mind becomes clear and focussed. When the solar plexus contracts, one feels horrible, sad, depressed, and all the negative feelings come.

Krishna was called Padmanabha, meaning "whose navel is the size of a lotus flower." If you become Padmanabha, you become absolutely creative. Brahma, the Creator, is born out of a blossomed solar plexus.

These days, the solar plexus remains small, but the tummy keeps getting bigger.

IIJAI GURUDEVII

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2026

Q: I experience some pain in the body after coming out of meditation. What can I do? Please advise.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Well, you need not worry much about this. Experiences keep changing all the time. Every time you meditate, what happens is that the structure of the brain changes. The grey matter in the brain increases when you meditate. A lot of good things happen when you meditate. The toxins in the body come out; many stresses get released. Stress can be in structural or chemical form. That is why after meditation, it is good to do a little Nadi Shodhan Pranayama (Alternate Nostril Breathing Pranayama). You should also drink plenty of water and fluids. That will also help.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2026

When you become subtle in your mind and go deep in your heart, you turn vegetarian naturally.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR
POSTED ON: TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2026

Faith and Devotion

Faith is the subject of head. Devotion is the subject of heart. And meditation is of both and connects both.

A mature intellect is devoted. A mature heart is full of knowledge. And meditation matures your intellect as well as your heart.

Mr. John Pb: But people with good intellect seem to have less faith.

Sri Sri: They have more faith in the matter. Head puts the faith in the matter more and heart puts the faith in the abstract more.

It's next to impossible that one can be in total lack of faith or total lack of devotion. It's only a question of balance.

II JAI GURUDEV II

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2026

Q: The Sri Sri Yoga program has helped me so much, and I am sure it has a big role to play in spreading yoga around the world.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Thank you! I am so glad! Around 35 years ago, when we started yoga, it was taboo, not a mainstream thing at all. People would think that to do yoga, you have to stand on one leg, or put ashes all over your body. That was the sort of impression about yoga. Today, I am so glad that the United Nations has recognized its value, and 178 countries came forward to approve of the International Yoga Day! Although we have a long way to go, at least yoga has taken the center stage now to combat stress, violence and social ills.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

WISDOM QUOTE BY SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE BY SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2026

Violent games that kids play should be done away with. They should be given more sensitivity towards life, towards animals and towards people.

~ Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR
POSTED ON: MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2026

Longing Itself Is Divine

Longing itself is Divine. Longing for worldly things makes you inert. Longing for Infinity fills you with life. When longing dies, inertia sets in. But longing also brings along a sense of pain. To avoid the pain, you try to push away the longing. The skill is to bear the pain of longing and move on. Don't try to find a shortcut to overcome longing. Don't make the longing short - that's why it's called loooonging. (Laughter)

True longing in itself brings up spurts of bliss. That's why in ancient days longing was kept alive by singing and listening to kathas (stories). When longing transcends relationships, judgments, jealousy and all other negative feelings drop off. It is only with wisdom and self-knowledge that you can transcend relationships. People often think wisdom is devoid of longing - No! Such wisdom is dry. The longing that comes in true wisdom makes life juicier. Divine is certainly juicy! Longing gives you the power to bless. Bless the entire creation. For, the longing in you is God.

II JAI GURUDEVII

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2026

Q: Gurudev, if a person feels hurt by the divine where does one go?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

There is nowhere to go! It is impossible that the Divine hurts you!

There is a beautiful couplet in Kannada that we used to learn in school. It says, the more you squeeze sugarcane, sweeter is the juice that comes. The more you cut a diamond, the more it shines. The more gold is hammered, put in fire, the more it shines. The more you grind sandalwood, the more its fragrance spreads.

Nature puts you through many different tasks and tests, and you come out shining from it all. You must remember that nature will not give you a burden which you cannot carry.

God first measures the tail and then puts it on the animal, so it can easily wag its tail. Just imagine if a rat had the tail of an elephant, which it cannot even lift!

Nature is very intelligent, it only gives you that problem which you can handle.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2026

When your heart is filled with love and compassion, you are so powerful.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR
POSTED ON: SUNDAY, AUGUST 30, 2026

Nature Of The Mind

The nature of mind is to waver, similar to how the nature of water is to flow.

Now how do you reduce this wavering nature of the mind?

It is through practice (abhyaasa) and dispassion (vairagya).

What is dispassion?

Sometimes, when you are disturbed, you say, ‘I don’t want anything. Enough is enough (suffering)!’

This is one kind of dispassion which you experience when you are disturbed. It is called Smashana (cemetery) Vairagya.

The second kind of dispassion is when you say with awareness, ‘I don’t want anything. I have had enough (contentment)! Everything in the world changes; nothing is permanent. I don’t mind if I have or don’t have something.’

This is the second type of dispassion, and is called Gyana (knowledge) Vairagya.

We need to have Gyana Vairagya and not Smashana Vairagya.

The mind always moves towards pleasure. If we have knowledge and dispassion then all the pleasures will come to us.

It is also said that the pleasure that comes out of Abhyaasa (practice) is the highest.

Everyone has to experience at least one of the two types of dispassion. So it is better to say, ‘I have had enough’, out of awareness and contentment. That is the higher kind of dispassion!

II JAI GURUDEVII

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: SUNDAY, AUGUST 30, 2026

Q: Guruji, what is my true relationship with God?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You can express your feelings in multiple ways. God can be your beloved, your child. This is what Puranas have said. Arjuna looked up to him as friend and philosopher. Love for God can be expressed in any modes or colors and all are welcome. When Children are born in India, kids are God, guest is God, parents are God. See God in everything; birds, trees, mountains. Slowly extend the Godliness in everything, slowly consider the nature as God. God is present in the every particle of this creation. So honoring the nature is also worshiping God. Honoring nature is the best form of worshiping God.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: SUNDAY, AUGUST 30, 2026

The Guru is not the physical body. The Guru is the divine light that resides within the body. The Guru is love.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR
POSTED ON: SATURDAY, AUGUST 29, 2026

All are searching for sweets the one who finds them, gives them away,

Guruji was on the porch with a group of people. He sent Kashi to get the sweets from inside the kuti, but Kashi returned saying he could not find them. He went again and again, three times, and still he could not find them. Then Guruji himself went in. He came out with the sweets and gave them to everyone.

This is exactly what happens in life. Many want sweetness in life. Some are searching hard, but only one finds it. And when that one finds it, he gives it to everyone.
Everyone is blissed in and some are blissed out, too!

II JAI GURUDEVII