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

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: SATURDAY, AUGUST 29, 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: SATURDAY, AUGUST 29, 2026

If you are good by nature but people around you do not find you good, then that means that you are not expressing yourself correctly. You have to express yourself the way you truly are.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR
POSTED ON: FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 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: FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 2026

Q: Getting love is painful and not getting it is even more painful, and maintaining love is also painful. So which pain should I choose?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Choice is yours blessing is mine. If you want to choose pain, you are most welcome, but I will tell you, choose the bigger pain as the small ones are of no use. Your love for the whole humanity, that’s what you should be concerned about. Love for the planets, love for the animals; animal rights (animals do have a right to exist). We have no right to take their life away. You worry about all these things.

Look into the eyes of the goats, or even the chicken, cows, dogs. Look into their eyes. This entire creation is filled with love, and how people can slaughter them to fill their little tummy. It is not even healthy. This is unfortunate.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 2026

When you love somebody unconditionally, do not express it all at once. You may pour all your love on somebody, but you should also see how much love they can take.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR
POSTED ON: THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2026

Memory

It is memory that makes you miserable or wise. Memory of events and experiences of the changing finite binds you, and memory of your nature liberates you. Memory of the ever changing relative, however good or bad, brings bondage. Memory of the non-changing self elevates awareness. Memory of past events and worldly concerns constricts the vastness of the self.

It is all a matter of where you are, of what you are. If you are ignorant, it is because of your memory. If you are enlightened, it is because of your memory. Forgetfulness of the trivial is ecstasy.

Forgetfulness of the infinite is misery.

Q. How does one get rid of unpleasant memories and limitations?

Know the impermanent nature of the world and events.
Know the non-existence of past events right now and accept them.

Be dispassionate and centered. Memories of Self are gained by service to the noble.

Increase prana - So Ham! So what!!
Have Divine Company / presence.

Go to the moon!!

II JAI GURUDEVII

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2026

Q: Dear Gurudev, whenever I want to do some important work, or study, my mood comes in my way. I’m completely dependent on my mood for most of my actions. How to get rid of moods?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

First, the realization itself makes it half done. Now you have realized it’s the mood which sways you, that means the intellect is waking up. It says, ‘Come on, I’m not going to be so moody.’ You take that determination.

There are many situations in life where you cannot act on your mood. For example, if you’re in a plane and suddenly you feel you don’t want to continue the journey, though your mood has changed halfway you cannot get out of the plane! You got to be there. It’s not a car that you’re driving where you can turn back. Even for the car you have to find the exit where you can turn back. You can’t turn anywhere.

So, life teaches you hard lessons if you don’t respect wisdom. Know that life goes with commitment, not moods. Mood is very unstable, they come, they change. But commitment and wisdom always brings the best results.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2026

When you feel, 'God has given me more than I deserve', that simply says that you believe in the judgment and fairness of the Divinity.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR
POSTED ON: WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2026

Habits and vows

How to get rid of vasanas (impressions)? This is a question for all those who want to come out of habits.

You want to get rid of habits because they give pain and restrict you. The nature of vasana is to bother you, or bind you, and wanting to be free is the nature of life. Life wants to be free and when a soul doesn't know how to be free, it wanders through lifetimes wanting freedom.

The way to come out of habits is vows. This is samyama. Everybody is endowed with a little samyama.

A vow should be time bound. This would bring good conduct and save you from being wayward. Consider the time and place for vows to be taken.

When the mind dwells on useless thoughts, then two things happen. One is that all those old patterns come up and you feel discouraged by them. You blame yourself and feel that you have not made any progress.

The second thing is that you see it as an opportunity for samyama and feel happy about it. Without samyama, life will not be happy and diseases arise. For example, you know you should not eat three servings of ice cream, or eat ice cream every day, or otherwise you will get sick.

Habits will clog you when there is no liveliness or juice in life. When there is a direction for life force, you can rise above habits through samyama.

Take vows according to time and place. For example, suppose someone has a habit of smoking cigarettes and says, "I will quit smoking," but cannot do it. They can take a vow, three months or 90 days; a time-bound vow. If someone is used to cursing and swearing, take a vow not to use bad language for ten days. Don't take it for a lifetime; you will break it immediately. If you happen to break it in between, don't worry. Just begin again. Slowly increase the duration until it becomes your nature.

All those habits which bother you, bind them in vows, in samyama. So all those who are in Satsang, take a time-bound vow today and make a note of it. If you break a vow, make a note of it and share the time and date at the next Satsang. Continue it again. Tie those habits which bring you pain in samyama.

II JAI GURUDEV II

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2026

Q: Gurudev, how do you distinguish between intuition and Yoga Maya?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Intuition is different. Of course, intuition is also a siddhi. But there is a very clear difference. In Yoga Maya, you will find someone coming and telling you. And you cannot avoid Yoga Maya.

Yoga Maya is not a bad thing. The way to win over it is go through it and not be attached to it; use your brain also. This is a very delicate balance – keeping your mind and also tuning into your intuition. You need to have that balance. Unless and until you are totally centered and hollow and empty, your intuition is always colored by your own cravings and aversions. When you win over these things then Yoga Maya is your friend and does not pose a challenge. That is why path is essential and the Guru is essential because the Guru can guide you and tell you, ‘This is Yoga Maya’. Or he will say, ‘Yes, you are right’. So, without the Guru you cannot win over Yoga Maya. A Guru is very necessary.

Though Lord Krishna was born a Siddha, he had to have a Guru and so he went to Rishi Sandipani.

Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita, "Mama maya duratyaya". My Maya is very difficult to cross over but it can be crossed over only by my grace, and only through me one can cross over that. That's what he told Arjun. It's very interesting how this whole thing is. So always be aware, be cautious of Maya. It can just come from somewhere and hold you in its grip, and the mind starts buzzing. Sometimes you have to snap out of that and that happens also by grace.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2026

The mission of your life should be to leave a better world behind than what you inherited.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR
POSTED ON: TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2026

Your expressions of love

You feel a lot of love for someone and they do not take it. What do you do?

Get frustrated
Turn the love into hatred and wish for revenge
Again and again remind them how much you love them and how little they love you
Become fussy and cranky
Throw tantrums
Feel humiliated and try to protect your respect
Resolve never to love again
Feel hurt and mistreated
Try to be aloof and indifferent
...and you have seen that none of these work. They only make the situation worse.

What is the way out of this? How do you maintain your lovingness?

Have patience and change your expression of love.
Be centered and limit your expression of love. Sometimes over-expression of love puts people off.

Take it for granted that they love you too and accept their style of expression. For example, a mother with three kids. One child talks, one child does not talk, one child throws tantrums. Mother's love is the same irrespective of their behavior.

Genuinely acknowledge their love for you. This will turn your demand into gratefulness and the more you are grateful in life, the more love comes your way.

Know that hurt is part of love and take responsibility for it. When you move away from your center, you will definitely get hurt and the nature of worldliness is misery.

Sri Sri’s visit to the Pink City (Jaipur) was celebrated in Rajasthani style (warm, friendly, colourful).

His photo was seen on practically every wall of the city and he was crowned with a typical
Rajasthani turban.

II JAI GURUDEVII

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2026

Q: Why do we have to love a form to reach the formless? Hasn’t this whole idea distorted the truth and created more misconceptions rather than helping people find their path?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Emotions can only flow towards the form. You cannot have emotions towards the formless. See, you can only communicate with me, you can’t communicate with the empty space next to me. If you say you are communicating with an empty space, then something is wrong. You can only see, touch, smell, taste, communicate and express your emotions to a form. The completion of any emotion leads you to a space that is totally formless, which is the source of all forms.

There are two beautiful words in Sanskrit, virupaksha and vishwaroopa. Virupaksha means eyes without the form; many people use this word as a name. Virupa means no form, and aksha means eyes, it means eyes without the form.

When you go a little deeper, then you see that the consciousness can see without the eyes, feel without the skin, taste without the tongue, and hear without the ears; this is Yoga Samadhi. Such things start happening in deep samadhi, just like in dreams? You dream without any of the five senses; you smell, taste, you do everything, right? So virupaksha is the consciousness that has eyes but no form.

Vishwaroopa means it is in every form. The universe itself is the form of the Divine; the Divine is in the form of trees, mountains, rivers. The whole universe is nothing but the manifestation of God; body of God. God is not sitting somewhere in heaven, away from the creation, He is the creation.
God and the creation are not different. It is just like how there is oil inside a sesame seed, similarly, in every atom of this creation, there is consciousness. It is like how the dance and the dancer cannot be separated. If you are watching a dance, it means you are watching the dancer. Can you watch a dance without the dancer? So this universe is the dance, and who is making it dance? The dancer!

What is the life in every tree, in every animal, in every human being? That is God! God is pancha bhootatmika, in the five elements. He is the Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Ether; He is the soul of the five elements. The Divine is present as five elements, and as consciousness. It is a wrong concept to say that God is sitting somewhere else in heaven.

Another very simple example, there is air everywhere. Even now, there is air. Without air you cannot exist. However, sometimes when you feel hot, you don’t feel the air; then when you sit near a fan that is blowing air, you can feel it. Other times, when you are feeling hot and humid, you are not feeling the air, but it is there. You can’t say that there is no air. Yet, when you sit near an air conditioner or a fan, you can feel it. That is what happens with meditation, samadhi, enlightenment.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2026

We should not express love too much. Like people don't know how to handle anger and hatred, they also don't know how to handle too much love. This is the reason why people run away. So, be very measured in your expression of love.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR
POSTED ON: MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 2026

Success

Q.: How was yesterday's program? Was it successful?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

There is no question of success if you have nothing to gain. There is nothing to gain if you have only come to give and serve. Success indicates non-supremacy. Success means what? It indicates that there are chances of failure. If something is supreme there is nothing to lose. People running after success only exhibit their limitations.

Success means crossing a limit. To cross a limit you need to assume that you have a limit. Assuming a limit is underestimating yourself. If you have no boundaries then where is your success? If you have limitless access then there is no success. You don't say that you successfully drank a glass of water, because it is well within your capabilities. But when you do something that is beyond your perceived limits you claim success.

When you realise your unboundedness then no action is an achievement.

Anyone who claims to be successful only reveals his limitation. If you feel very successful it means that you have underestimated yourself. All your gains can only be smaller than you. Taking pride in any gains is belittling yourself.

Sheila: What if you feel that you are not serving successfully?

Guruji: You may feel that you have not done enough but you will not feel that you have not been successful. Real service is when you feel that you have not done enough.
Kai: You are not very successful! (Laughter)

Guruji: I am just full!

II JAI GURUDEVII

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 2026

Q: How do I live with a husband who is a mama’s boy? How and when does a man switch from being a devoted son to also being a husband and a father?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

See this from a long term perspective. What would you like your son to be? Do you want your son, as soon as he gets married, to be only a good husband and good father and stop being a good son? This is a question in front of you. If you answer this question you will get an answer for your question also.

Nothing stops someone from being a good husband and a good father, he just needs a little orientation. Maybe it’s such a new role for him and he has not yet adjusted to the new role. With patience, educate him and don’t ask him not to listen to their mother. This could be a way.

Sometimes people buy new cars and they don’t know how to drive it very well. If there are too many gadgets and too many buttons they look around in order to get oriented with the car.

Often mothers feel very insecure the moment their children, daughter or son get married. So they need some reassurance that everything will be as usual. This could be one issue. Secondly, one person can play all roles devotedly without getting into conflict. This is a skill, and one can get this skill when one is free from stress and has good support. So after sometime a wife should also treat the husband like a son, in the sense she has to have a lot of patience. How much patience you have till your child starts learning, that much patience you need to have. A child teaches a mother lot of patience because she has to teach him how to brush his teeth, how to wash himself, how to use the toilet, how to eat, how to wash his hands, everything she has to teach him. How much patience you have had with your child, so you keep at least 50 percent of that patience with your husband.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 2026

First believe that 'the whole world loves me and I also love this world', then you can call yourself a devotee.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR
POSTED ON: SUNDAY, AUGUST 23, 2026

The purpose of life

Our first and foremost commitment is to do seva (service) in the world. If there is fear in your life, it is because of a lack of commitment. If there is confusion in your life, it is because of lack of commitment. The very thought I am here in this world to do seva (service), dissolves the i and when the i dissolves, worries dissolve. Seva is not something u do out of convenience or for pleasure. The ultimate purpose of life is to be of service.

An uncommitted mind is miserable. A committed mind may experience rough weather but will reap the fruits of its toil. When you make the service your sole purpose in life, it eliminates fear, brings focus in your mind and purposefulness, action and long term joy and may be short term problems!

II JAI GURUDEVII

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: SUNDAY, AUGUST 23, 2026

Q. What is ‘Vairagya’ (Dispassion)? How do we live in vairagya in this mundane world of attractions?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

My dear if you don’t have vairagya you can’t even sleep. If you can’t let go, you can’t even sleep. At least when you go to bed don’t you let go? If you don’t let go then you have insomnia. Problem of insomnia when you can’t let go. So to some extent everyone has to let go at some time. Correct. But when consciously you let go that is vairagya. So passion and dispassion are like breathing in and breathing out. You breathe in that is passion and you breathe out that is dispassion and in between there is compassion. Be compassionate on others and compassionate on yourself too.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: SUNDAY, AUGUST 23, 2026

A situation that happens now becomes the cause of another situation in the future. When that next situation happens in the future, that too becomes the cause of some other situation to happen. That is why it is called as cause and the effect -Karma.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR
POSTED ON: SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 2026

How To Maintain Intimacy

Intimacy often gets broken because of ego or your desire. What breaks intimacy?

1. Ego or taking a position
2. Desire
3. Taking intimacy for granted
4. Finding imperfection in oneself or others
5. Expectations
6. Insensitivity or over sensitivity
7. Lack of vivek or vairagya (lack of discretion or dispassion)
8. Judgements
9. Grumbling or lack of gratitude

Dissolving into infinity is the way to maintain intimacy. Intimacy is dissolving into infinity. Dissolving into infinity brings you to the moment. Go beyond events. Dissolve into infinity, be in the moment, and look beyond the events. This is the way to maintain intimacy.

II JAI GURUDEVII

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 2026

Q: Gurudev, I don’t get the things I want the most. Is my want an impediment?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Have patience. Three things are needed to achieve what you want.

1.Real intention - There should be a real need to have whatever it is you want. Our wants keep changing, but if it is our need, we will get it. The want has to become our need.

2.Self effort - One has to put effort for whatever you want. You can’t simply sit, and keep wishing, ‘I want this, I want that!’ Have you put your effort? Has the want become your need? Have you worked towards it? Have you put your 100%? This is necessary.

3.Time or karma - If karma is there, the time is right, you will get it! Suppose, I wish to see the moon now, on a dark night. No matter what intention I put, how can I see the moon now? I have to wait for another 15 days to see the full moon. On the new moon day, if you are wishing for the full moon, then you have to wait.

If you plant a pomegranate tree today and say, ‘No, I want the fruit now!’ Come on, you have to wait for another three years! The pomegranate tree will give you fruit only in two to three years. So, time or karma is a factor.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR
POSTED ON: SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 2026

Balance between your search for happiness and the expectation of others from you. It is a little delicate but you should definitely make an effort.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR
POSTED ON: FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 2026

Divine music happens when all the seven layers of existence are tuned

After tuning the seven strings of Veena, Sri Sri said, “ This is what needs to be done before playing an instrument – tuning the instrument, and that is what we have been doing here – tuning the seven layers of existence to connect to the cosmic energy. Body, Mind, Breath, Intellect, Memory, ego and Self - When the seven strings are tuned, music happens.

Every creature on this planet brings down a particular electromagnetic wave on the Earth. And even if one creature goes missing, the Earth would not be able to sustain itself. There is pig, snake, mouse, lion, cat, fish and so many others, and all play an important role in maintaining the balance on the planet. That is what scientists say today.

According to the laws of nature, everything radiates energy. In Indian mythology, every god or goddess is associated with a vehicle in the form of animal or bird. The outlook behind this is that that particular animal or bird brings down the associated vibration on the Earth. For example, through the means of tiger, the vibrations of mother Divine or Goddess Durga descends to the Earth. Crows carry the vibration of God Saturn( God Shani), bull descends the vibrations of Lord Shiva, and Mouse that of Lord Ganesha. The Nature has created these animals according to its own rules. Wherever these animals may be, the corresponding vibrations are available to us through those. And this is the logic behind various native cultures worshiping different animals and birds, connecting divinity with everything. Of course, we can’t specifically say which animal brings down which vibes, because a lot of research needs to be done on this.

These are all so important things and we hold on to all unnecessary superstitions and forget the basic essence. The superstitions and distorted knowledge is forwarded, but the main essence is not sent to the next generation. We cannot understand the full essence totally but, when we have some experience then a little understanding follows. The knowledge is infinite and we cannot totally understand it but a little thirst for knowledge should be there.

We should not be totally one sided – neither condemn the rituals nor get too much stuck with them. It is so beautifully said in the knowledge of Bhagwat Gita, “न कर्मणामनारम्भान्नैष्कर्म्यं पुरुषो अश्नुते। न च सन्न्यसनादेव सिद्धिं समधिगच्छति ॥”. The middle path is the Golden key!

Neither with action, nor with money and not even with prosperity, but by getting established in one’s inner self, one can connect to the infinity. Devotion is the primary requirement, and what to do to have devotion? Yoga, Meditation, Mantra chanting and Music. God is delighted by your devotion!
There are two kinds of karma:

Nitya karma – things that you do every day, such as kriya, introspecting on one’s origin, feeding birds and animals, preserving plants and spending sometime in contemplating on knowledge.

Anitya karma – things that you do once in a while. When you participate in the homas during Navratri, it takes care of your Anitya karma

II JAI GURUDEVII

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 2026

Q: I am very interested in yoga. I have started training on the Kundalini Yoga. Can you talk about the importance of yoga and about Kundalini yoga?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

I would recommend you not to go into Kundalini yoga and all these things. It is anyway coming up naturally. You have done the Sudarshan Kriya, Shakti Kriya, and Advance Meditation Course, and it is moving very smoothly, and very nicely.

I have seen many people forcibly moving the Kundalini and they lose balance in life. They lose their sleep and they get into big problems. I have seen many people who have literally gone crazy because there are some types of yoga which are not suitable for today’s age. In ancient days, they had lot of time. 12 years they would stay and slowly they would do these practices. They had nothing much to do. But today, they give you Kundalini Yoga and make the energy rush into you and you go nuts. I don’t want you to do that type of thing.

Many people do a little bit of this practice, a little bit of that practice, and sometimes a one year syllabus they make you do in one month. See, if too much electricity goes, what happens? The fuse blows. That sort of thing happens, or you get stomach problems, or some other problems. So it is very important to grow gradually and steadily. That is why your body is getting prepared. Practice Sri Sri Yoga, and read some knowledge. We have such a composite program in our Yoga, it is so complete. There is Gyan Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Hollow and Empty Meditation. If you are having good meditation, then it means that the Kundalini is already awakened. But when these people make you do all this forcefully and make the Kundalini rise, then it leads to complications. Then there are no beneficial results is what I have seen.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

POSTED ON: FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 2026

 

Life is so complex, and in this complexity of life, keeping one's goals is what is determination.

 

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR
POSTED ON: THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2026

Be loved

You don't need to worry to maintain knowledge. When knowledge is lodged in you as wisdom, it will never leave you. Wisdom lodges itself in your heart.

Make the Divine your Valentine (your sweet Beloved). This is the last thing to do and the first thing to do.

Keep your heart in a safe place; it is too delicate. Events, small things make strong impressions on it. And you cannot find a better place than the Divine to keep your heart safe and your mind sane.
When you keep your heart in the Divine, the moving time, the passing events, will not be able to touch it, will not create a scar.

A precious stone needs a setting around it, gold or silver, to hold it and to wear it; so wisdom and knowledge are that setting around the heart which will hold it in the Divine.

See the Divine in your Valentine and make the Divinity your Valentine (your sweet beloved).

Just BE and know that you are LOVED.

That is BELOVED.

II JAI GURUDEVII

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2026

Q: Gurudev, out of the ten incarnations of Vishnu, which is the most beautiful incarnation? And please tell us something about Kalki incarnation.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Beauty lies in the eyes of beholder. Whatever you like seems beautiful to you. Where does beauty not exist? Even thorns are beautiful, and leaves are beautiful too. Once you change your perception then you will see beauty everywhere. Each incarnation has some good qualities and some bad ones, both.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

 

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

WISDOM QUOTE OF SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

POSTED ON: THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2026

 

If someone has hurt you intentionally, you should know that they are sick. What should be your attitude towards someone who is sick? You should be compassionate towards them.

 

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar 

 

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR

KNOWLEDGE SHEET BY SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR
POSTED ON: WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2026

See the divine in yourself

You are stupid if you don't see the Divine in me.

If you see the Divine in me you cannot but be a part of me and you cannot be away from me. And if you feel a part of me you can only see the Divine in yourself. And if you can see the Divine in yourself, you'll see the Divine in everyone.

II JAI GURUDEVII

 

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV

POSTED ON: WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2026

 

Q: Gurudev, Shankaracharya was acquitted today of all the charges. Why a holy person like him had to undergo this ordeal? No politician or media is saying sorry for it.

 

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

 

They should say sorry for it. The politicians and media should apologize. They did not do this to an individual, they have done it to an institution. An institution which has been there for two thousand years. And the head of institution, who represented the Sanatana Dharma (The Hindu Faith) and so many people were disturbed for so many years. For nine years it was long ordeal for a saint. But for him it was tapas. He doesn’t mind. A saint never minds whether it is praise or blame, he smiles through it. But for a system, for the faith of the people, it is a big question mark.

 

There are certain people who want to malign and take away the faith of people. See if people have strong faith in religion and spirituality, they don’t go and get into drug culture, or gun culture. People who are devoted do not go for alcohol parties. These people want to sell their products and so they always try to destroy anything spiritual and religious. It is nothing new, from a long time this has been happening. So people who don’t even kill mosquitoes or cockroaches, they put such serious charges on them. And after nine long years it is proven that all 32 are innocent. Justice should not be delayed. It should have happened immediately within six months. But it took nine long years. Anyways truth will always triumph, and we must always have faith in this.

 

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar