This whole creation is made up of vibrations

India, (Art of Living International Center, Bangalore), September 13:

Q. How do blessings work?

Sri Sri: The world is made up of vibrations. Blessings are also vibrations. With a small cell phone you can hear someone from so far away. How do these vibrations travel and reach everyone? If you think about this, you can only wonder. This whole creation is made up of vibrations.

In the Ashtavakra Geeta, it is said, Tarangenaiva budbudda.

Q. Why is it that even the good things I wish for don’t happen immediately?

Sri Sri: The baby cries for milk but the mother takes time to prepare it. Just because the baby is crying, she will not serve hot milk. It is Ok to cry, she knows it will be OK.

Q. There is so much corruption in the world, why is there a lack of good people in the world?

Sri Sri: Come here! See from my point of view, you will see only good people. You start with yourself and others too will come on the right path.

Q. Why do people bow down to the Divine?

Sri Sri: There is a tradition in this country – people bow down to show humility. However there is no point in just bowing down from the body, if your mind bows down then it is useful.

Q. People try and hamper my faith by saying that we become what we think of. So, if we worship Krishna, we will become a thief and worshipping Ganesha would make us like an elephant. How do I respond to them?

Sri Sri: Giving knowledge to an ignorant person is a skill.

There are many forms for one Divine. Really, any Divine form is light. Form is a symbol. Lord Krishna is the blissful consciousness. According to this argument, those who worship Jesus would have to die at the cross! This is all kutarka, wrong logic - better not indulge in this. When someone says this tell them, “You have the right to be ignorant. Maybe in your next birth you will qualify for this knowledge.”

Q. What is the meaning of the shloka- akhanda mandal akaram, vyaptam yena characharam, tad padam darshitam yena tasmai shri guruve namah?

Sri Sri: The Guru who gives us the experience of the eternally present consciousness – we bow down to that Guru.

Q. How do I become one with the Divine?

Sri Sri: Leave the uniting in love, there is only one love- Cosmic love.

Q. Why are there bad people in this world?

Sri Sri: Why don’t you ask a movie maker to make a movie only with the hero in it? Life is a struggle of both good and evil but only good will prevail.

Q. People say that we should worship only one God like Krishna or Ganesha so that we know who to call for when we are in trouble. If God is one then why are there so many names and forms?

Sri Sri: These are different names for the one Divinity. Like you wear a different dress every day. Today you are wearing black, tomorrow you will wear something else.

Even when you change your dress tomorrow, you will remain the same, right? Same way whatever names and forms, it is the same Divine.

Q. What does the mantra Bhadram Karne-bhi-h Shrnuyam Deva... mean?

Sri Sri: This is the first mantra to be recited before any pooja. It means, let my ears hear good things, let my eyes see good things, let us speak only good words, let our life be on the Divine path.

Q. I am so full of doubt. What should I do?

Sri Sri: Don’t you doubt your doubting? Doubt your doubt! When there is too much confusion, then find solace in surrender. Surrender to your Guru, the Divine or your mother. You are not alone. Your life will be successful.

* refer to Sri Sri’s discourse on the Ashtavakra Geeta)