Q:In the Bhagwad Gita, Lord Krishna says, ‘Yada Yada Hi Dharmasya ...Sambhavami Yuge Yuge.’ Please elaborate on that.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar : The atma shakti (power of the Self) that destroys the evil and preserves the satva (purity) appears again and again. When we say that God is compassionate, it is not just words but the truth. The expression of compassion has to happen. Creation showers compassion on society. At different times God comes in different names, forms and qualities.
It is there in all religions - Jews are waiting for their messiah. Christ said that He will return again. So, Christians are still waiting. Prophet Mohammed came and left. People are still waiting for Buddha and Krishna to return.
I would say, don’t waste time waiting. Explore the depth of your Being and you will realize that the Supreme Consciousness is not someone coming in the future but is here, now. Faith in this knowledge is the sign of a seeker on the spiritual path.
People fight in the name of God and the messiah. Feeling the presence of the Divine is the art of living.
Q: Guruji I worked in a slum and I got so much happiness. I am feeling so blissful and life is so beautiful.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Life is beautiful but we don’t crave for happiness: ‘Oh, life is beautiful. I want joy.’ When you are happy – serve. When you are sad – give up, have the courage to give up your misery. Adveshta serva bhutanam maitra karuna evacah| Nirmamo Nirahankarah samah sukah dukkah kshami|| Lord Krishna tells Arjuna that one who is dear to me, who doesn’t hate anybody, who doesn’t have any ego – I, I, me. One who is calm in success or failure. Whatever he gets - sorrow or happiness - he takes it all with a smile. The Bhagavad Gita also talks about the three gunas – Rajas, Tamas and Sattva. What type of food you should eat, how the cosmos affects. Ayurveda, yoga, psychology, all these subjects are there. People from Tamil Nadu had come for the satsang.
Q: Krishna has said in the Bhagavad Gita that neither he likes anybody nor does he dislike anybody. On the other hand he says some people are very dear to me. Can you please explain this duality?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: That is Krishna’s specialty, to speak all the opposites and create confusion.
At different levels of existence and for different incidences he says these statements and both are true.
On one level he says people who are calm, compassionate, happy and loving, I like them the most. So, you are most dear to me - this is true.
Another time he says, don’t take me for granted, I have no likes and dislikes. Everyone is dear to me and I see myself in everyone.
The Bhagavad Gita is the most contradictory book you will ever read and it is the complete truth because it is so contradictory.