The search begins here...
The mind is an intangible, unknown realm of infinite possibilities. To skillfully maneuver the mind, the guidance of a Master is essential.
Millions around the world have been inspired by the life of Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and it has helped them to discover their own path.
GURUDEV
ON THE PLATEAU OF THE PEAK
The Life of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar by Bhanumathi Narasimhan
Do you know the purpose of your life?
continueOne who knows will not tell, one who tells does not know. Hold on to the question and the path unfolds.
continueMy brother was watching the dance of Durga during a school program. At one particular moment, like a flash of lightning, he knew he had a higher calling. He said, "I saw the face of each and every person in every country who was waiting for me."
continueHaving read this, someone asked Gurudev, "This was a 'wow' moment for me! I would like to know if you saw me too?"
We have so many hairs on our head. Even if one is pulled you feel it, right? Similarly, our mind has the amazing ability to know...
So it’s nothing big. I saw all of you long time back.
Once, during a school programme, Gunakritha, a young girl, performed the dance of Devi Durga. Her charming oval face was clear and expressive. She had long, neat braided hair and wore a simple bright bindi as her only adornment. She did not use much make up or other accessories but looked bright and beautiful. She was a good dancer. My brother was watching the performance intently, and at one particular moment, like a flash of lightning, he realized that he had a higher calling. "In that fraction of a moment, I saw the face of each and every person in every country who was waiting for me... the people who had come along with me to the planet. I knew I had family everywhere." he later shared.
"The mind is energy that is all around the body. The body is like the wick of a candle and the mind is like the glow."
continueA Chinese clairvoyant who could read minds met Gurudev in Bali. Of course, everyone wanted to know if he could read Gurudev's mind. But he could not. They asked him, "Is his mind too powerful for you to penetrate?" He replied, "No. I cannot read his mind because he has no mind!"
continueIf there is no mind then where is the source of knowledge? continue
Knowledge is eternal. It is structured in the consciousness.
continueOnce, someone told Gurudev, "I have a question. Please think and answer me..." And Gurudev promptly said, "I never think before I speak." I was amazed at the response. He further explained, "I only speak what the consciousness wants me to say in that moment." I was awestruck at how connected he was to this entire creation, and to me.
continueDo you feel connected to a higher power? continue
We are all floating in an ocean of the life-force energy, the Divine. Remind yourself, 'I am connected with the divine at all times. I don’t know who he is, where he is, but I have a deep, unshakeable connection with him. This is all I know! And this is all that matters!'
continueWhen you have this faith that you are part of the divine then you receive so many siddhis (boons). You shall get whatever you desire and whatever you wish will happen.
continueA group of international guests arrived in the ashram. They wanted to witness miracles which saints could perform. Gurudev casually asked them what fruits they liked the most. They answered with fruits that were not even available in India.
continueGurudev went inside the kutir and within two minutes walked out with a plate full of all the fruits that they had named neatly cut and arranged and offered them the same. They were amazed and further shared that these were the best that they have ever tasted. But how did Gurudev manage to even get them? He said, "Don’t go to saints for miracles. Go to them for knowledge."
continueWho is a Master? continue
The Master is a doorway. And the doorway needs to be more charming than the world so you will come to it. Someone is in the street and there is rain, thunder, hot sun; they need shelter. They look around, they find a doorway. They come to it. The doorway is more inviting, more celebrative, more joyful than anything else in the world.
continueFrom inside your home you look at the thunder, the storm, the rain, the bright sun. Inside you have air conditioning, cool, and pleasant. Outside, it is hot. You don’t mind because there is nothing that can really distract you, disturb you or take the fullness away from you. Such a sense of security, of fullness, and joy comes. That is the purpose of having a Master.
continueGurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is a spiritual master whose teachings and personal guidance has helped millions to get a deep experience of infinity.
Read the full story of his life.
A small boy once asked his father, who is god?
The father showed him a house and said,
- What was here before this house was built?
- “Space”, said the boy
- Where is the house?
- “In space”, replied the boy.
- If the house is removed, what will remain?”
- Space.
"God is like the space which was there before us, in which we exist and will remain afterwards too."
"When your focus is on the world, you will not see God. And when God is visible, the world becomes invisible."
continue"Gurudev stayed in a cabin which was made completely out of wood, including the chandeliers. ‘This is just how the divine is! The entire creation is made up of one divinity, just as everything in this room is made up of wood.’ "
continueSo, how can the world become invisible? continue
God is not an object of the senses, but the feeling of feelings, the sound of silence, the light of life, the essence of the world and the taste of bliss.
continueGurudev once stayed in a zen monastery and remarked that the air was filled with koans. He said, "and the next sutra is 2 + 1 = 0," and for the rest of the evening we were trying to figure out what that meant!
continueYears later, he recounted this incident to a few saints from the Swami Narayan tradition.The world is full of opposites: joy and sorrow, High and low. Once we perceive and realize the divinity, this duality ceases to exist.
continueIs there just one divinity or many and where? continue
You think that God is something different from you; to give you a little finger and when you try and catch Him, he runs away. This concept of God is what is troubling, and this is the concept that gave rise to communism and atheism.
continueOr, you think that God is in only one shape and one form. No! You can adore Him or Her in any shape and any form. God is the basic existence of all that is! in fact, it is the existence itself.
continueA teenager asked Gurudev if God was on Facebook.
He replied “Every face is God’s book.”
If everything already belongs to God, then why surrender or offer to God? continue
The Divine worships you in so many forms. And you offer everything back to the divine.
continueThe Divine has come to you as love through so many forms: mother, father, wife, husband, children, friends. The same love comes to you in the form of the Master to elevate you to the level of divine love, which is your own nature.
continueRecognizing this flowering of love from all sides of life, we offer flowers and express our joy and gratitude.
continueAs kids, we would sit in front of a beautiful idol of Krishna with bowls of sweets neatly arranged in front of us. My brother would close his eyes and chant something.
continueI sneaked a small sweet and stuffed it into my mouth. The very next moment he was looking at me with those big eyes and I had to put the sweet back; - “Why do we have to offer it to god if he doesn’t eat it?”. “He makes it sweeter and gives it back” pat came the reply.
continueOffering is an expression of the expanded consciousness honoring this creation. And honoring leads to surrender. Surrendering to the divine brings total rest from all anxieties and all wants.
continueThrough worship the devotee seeks to merge with the divine. How does it happen? continue
There is a story of a salt doll that wanted to measure the depth of the ocean. Can you imagine what happened?
continueYou can never meet god. When you meet god, you dissolve. Only god remains. continue
Many seekers have had a glimpse of Infinity, experienced the bliss of dissolving as they walked the path with Gurudev.
continueSee what they saw, hear what they heard, feel what they felt as you read through the story of his life.
Gurudev cut a cake to celebrate someone’s birthday. He continued on a walk around the hall after that. One young boy was offered a piece of the cake.
continueHe was in a hurry to walk with Gurudev and told them, "I choose the Master!" Gurudev, though several feet ahead, stopped, called him to the front and asked him, "Did you choose the Master or Did the Master choose you?"
continueWhat do you think?
Buddha once shared with Ananda, his disciple, “When I feel someone is thirsty, so thirsty that there is no other way for that person, I have to move in that direction.”
continueIt is not just the Master who moves towards the disciple, but the disciple also moves towards the Master. Sooner or later they are bound to meet. The meeting is not just of the body, but of the mind, of the very soul.
continueWhen two lamps are brought close to each other, the lamps remain separate but the flames merge.
But, how does the disciple find the Master?
Just be open and keep learning, and when your learning is complete, it becomes obvious. When you’re on the path, don’t worry about the Master. First look at your own life, your own Self.
continueHave trust in yourself. And as knowledge unfolds, you’ll find that there is suddenly a lot of gratitude in you towards somebody and then you can accept him as a Master.
continueIf I find my Master, will I get enlightenment? continue
Enlightenment does not come through authority. Somebody cannot command you to get enlightened. Once life blossoms, and love and compassion become a reality, then silence dawns and the transformation happens. That is enlightenment. It is a personal experience.
continueA Swedish journalist once asked Gurudev, "Are you enlightened?" He said "No." "Are you sure?" She insisted. "What is that in you which tells you otherwise? Listen to that..."
continueThen what is the role of the Master? continue
In the airport in Australia, a middle-aged lady walked up to Gurudev and introduced herself. She shared that she works with IT. “Me too!” Said Gurudev. She was a little surprised - a saint in IT? He smiled and said, “Inner Transformation.”
continueA Master is not one who claims authority on you or dictates terms to you. A Master simply brings more joy, alertness and awareness into your life.
continueA Master helps you get in touch with yourself, reminds you to live in the present moment, pulls you out of your guilt, agitation, sorrow, anguish and allows you to be yourself. Also, a Master lives the values he teaches.
continueWhat are the signs that I have come to a Master?
continueThere are five signs of being in the presence of an enlightened Master.
When we can find the knowledge in scriptures, why do we still need a Master? continue
Ask me what Google can’t answer", said Gurudev on a lighter note when someone asked him what are the right questions to ask a Master.
continueEvery candle has the potential to be lit. But only a lit candle can light another. In the same way, when you receive the knowledge from the Master, it translates into experience.
continueThere are many who have had such experiences, felt unconditional love, transcending space and time, felt completely at home and natural with everything and everyone.
continueLive those moments through the stories from the life of Gurudev to get a clue to your own path, your own goal towards your Self.