05/27/2016 Bangalore, India
If the purpose of life is to attain liberation, is there any value for all the time we spend on our education, profession and career?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Each one has its own place. You need to do both. To make a living, you need to work, and to grow on the spiritual path, you need to meditate. Both go together, they do not oppose each other.
Often, we think that only when we leave everything will we be able to meditate here, that is not the case. We see many people who have left everything and sit here, but they take up something else to occupy their mind. It is not necessary that you have to leave everything, and then meditate. If you have taken up some responsibility, fulfil it.
An absconder will never attain liberation. If you want to drop small commitments and take up a higher cause, that is fine. Don't think that those who have become saints or ascetics have run away from their materialistic life in order to gain something. No! A saint has to take up a lot of responsibility, she/he takes the responsibility of everyone, they work for the whole world. A person who runs away will not attain anything.
Do we have to perform shraadh? If we don't perform this ritual, will the future generations suffer?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
No, don't be afraid. Shraadh is a ritual performed in the memory of people who have passed away. In their memory, you do some good work, feed a few people - that is what it is. Even the mantras that are chanted during shraadh say, "My father, my grandfather, and great grandfather, all three of you, come, I am serving some food to you with devotion, please accept it". This is all that is said in the mantras. It is spoken in Sanskrit, it could have been said in Hindi too; that is all.
It is a ritual that has been going on for generations. Shraadh means doing something with devotion, i.e., shraddha, it is doing some good deed for people with devotion.
In the olden days, when they realized that a person has taken rebirth, they would cease with the ritual. Now, people don't know whether the person has taken rebirth or not, so they keep on performing shraadh.
You always say that if someone breaks our heart, you are there for us, we don't have to worry. What to do when you break our heart?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
That means you are blossoming and growing. When a seedling breaks, it becomes a plant. Without a seed bursting, it cannot become a tree.
If you want to blossom in life, don't think, "Gurudev should look at me. Did he see me or didn't? Gurudev said 'Jai Gurudev' to the person standing next to me, he didn't look at me and smile". All this goes on in the mind, drop all that! When you are looking here and there, I definitely look at you! And when your sight is fixed on me, then I can rest. This does not mean that you give me more work! (Laughter)
Gurudev, as teenagers each one of us develops a liking for someone, and begins to spend a lot of time on it. This is a major distraction for us. Can you please help us?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Thank God you understood that it is a distraction! The job is half done! Get busy!
This is the time to develop all the talents in you, the time to develop your skills -- to learn music, languages, cooking, agriculture and whatever else you want to learn. Spend every minute of your life in studies. Whomsoever you are falling in love with, they can wait. And you can also wait for some time. Focus on studies. Teenage is absolutely important, and it should be spent for acquiring more skills in life.
How to be positive and strong when people start hurting you? How to love ourselves in that case?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
Come on, you forget that you are a diamond! Nobody can cut a diamond or hurt it. Even if a diamond is cut, it shines more. Remember that you are a diamond.When anyone is trying to hurt you, they are not hurting you, they are only making you shine more. Anyone who brings down your prestige or insults you, they are only bringing up the best qualities that are hidden within you. Remember that every insult is an opportunity for you to exhibit the beauty that you are. Got it? Every insult or disrespect that someone shows you is an opportunity to bring out the beauty that you are.
The elephant is your best friend. You play with them, you feed them. Can I become an elephant in your life?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
But it can't come to satsang! It has to be somewhere far away. Better don't wish such things!
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