COVER STORY

TERA MAI
An Odyssey of Love, Service and Celebration

EMBODIMENT OF LOVE
KNOW THAT I AM YOURS
It is not just the master who is in the heart of the devotee; the devotee also dwells in the heart of
the master. There is nothing other than the Guru. You dwell inside the heart of the Guru all the
time. The love of the master is surrounding you all the time. The one who realizes this is a
disciple or a devotee. Know that I am yours. Then there is no lack in life. What remains is all
bliss.

A devotee’s glory is so much more than God himself. A devotee is not there even for wisdom.
He is simply rejoicing in love. He has fallen in deep love with the Master, with the Infinity,
with God. He does not care whether he gets enlightened or not. He doesn’t care whether he
learns a lot of knowledge or not. But that very moment and every moment, he is immersed in
Divine love and that is enough for him or her. A devotee is very rare to find.

A student comes to a Master or Guru with tears in his eyes because there are so many problems.
And when he leaves, then also he is carrying tears in his eyes, but the quality of the tear is
different. It is of gratitude, of love. It is so beautiful to cry in love. The entire creation is longing
for only one thing, transformed tears; from salty tears to sweet tears (of love).

One of Buddha’s disciples named Sariputra got enlightened. When he got enlightened, Buddha
told him, “Now you go ahead, go into the world and teach. Carry on my work”. Now Sariputra
left Buddha but he was crying and crying. People asked him, “You are enlightened now, why
are you crying?” He said, “Who cares about this enlightenment, it could have waited. I didn’t
even bother about it, neither did I ask for it. The joy of being at the feet of Buddha was so great;
being a devotee was so great that now I am missing it. I would have preferred that to this
enlightenment.”

As the birthday boy, I have the right to ask for a gift from you. I can ask, right? Celebrations
have to go with gifts.

If you hate anybody, drop that today. Do not hate anybody. Even if you have the slightest
hatred against anybody in your mind, or any type of prejudice, you should leave it today. Don’t
think bad about anyone or for anyone. I just want you to have sweetness in your mind for
everyone.

Ask and be Happy

Dear Gurudev, whenever I look into my heart I find you there. You have hooked me, booked
me and cooked me. Please tell me what dish you are trying to make out of me.

Gurudev: Listen! You are wonderful, you are so complete and that is how you could feel that
intense emotion. One who does not have the bhaav (intense feeling) cannot even enjoy the bliss
and peace. If someone is stuck in the intellect, their life remains dry. And when there is no bliss,
desires and cravings will hound a person. So it is fortunate to have both.

In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna says, “One who is not united with the spirit, he neither has
intellect nor does he have the intense feelings. So I am sure that when you are cooking well, you
are going to be a treasure for the world. You will be a gift to everybody.

Dear Gurudev, the person who invented the English alphabet made a mistake: they kept ‘I’
and ‘U’ apart!

Gurudev: They tried to keep ‘I’ and ‘U’ far apart– but could not succeed. It’s only on paper.
Actually, we are very close. Do you think anyone has the power to keep you and me away?
Why do you give someone that power? No way!

CHILDHOOD TIMES
WATCHING THE BREATH IS FROM THE VERY BEGINNING
I have been in public life over 40 years now. I can’t really explain in words how these 40 years
passed by. It will take another 40 years to narrate the whole journey. Usually people turn to
spirituality when they have certain disappointments in their life, relating to job or family or other
issues. With me, none of these occurred. It was very natural for me. From the beginning, this
thought was there. I always had a feeling that I belong to everybody.
Even as a child, I was more interested in philosophical and spiritual aspects. I was not comfortable
playing with my age group. I tried hard to play cricket with them. Cricket was considered quite
fancy those days. Everybody would get together and talk about cricket. And I had no interest. I
felt out of place. When everybody would discuss about movies, cricket and football match,
nothing would go into my head. The conversations felt meaningless. I wondered why nobody
thought about life, world and the Divine. However I spent most of my time with elderly people. I
will share an incident from my younger days.

Whenever people used to take bodies for the funeral procession, nobody would tell us the truth.
They would say deities were going and thus save us from really knowing what the procession was
all about. I noticed that people who were walking behind them were not happy. Usually when the
idol of any deity like Ganesha is carried, there are people dancing in the procession. But it was not
the case here and this was bothering me since a long time.

One day in the school, I discovered that people die when they get old. So I thought my
grandmother would die, as she was the oldest person in the house. I was much attached to her and
wondered how I would live without her. My grandmother was kind, devoted, tell us stories, take
us to the temples and never got upset.

So after six in the evening, when the sun would set, I would get worried. After everybody went to
bed, I would act as though I am sleeping. I used to sleep close to my grandmother in the same
room. Slowly, I would get up, sit and watch her snoring. If the snoring stopped for a while, then I
would shake her and again she would start. In this way, whole night I would patiently keep a
watch on her and the clock would keep ticking. By morning 4.30 or 5, I would fall asleep. Like
this I would watch my grandmother for many months. So watching the breath is from the
beginning.

That’s why in school I would often dose off. I wouldn’t do my homework. How do I tell, that
whole night I was watching somebody breathing? We had a teacher for copywriting who was very
strict and particular and would often hit the boys on their hand, if they missed writing. When he
came to me, I was ready and put out my hand and just looked at him. But he just couldn’t punish
me.. When other students complained, he would simply laugh it off and had no explanation to
offer.

Ask and be Happy

Gurudev, it is said when you were 4-year-old you recited Bhagwad Gita, a book that you
had never read. How do you explain that?
I myself don’t know. It started coming automatically to me. But I think it’s an old sanskara from
the past. Sanskara means, an impression in the consciousness. Our consciousness is very ancient.
If you have studied physics, you will know that consciousness is more powerful than the matter
around you. So the consciousness gets all these imprints in it. Also, when I was a kid, I would go
to the library but just read the names of the books and come back, because I knew all the
knowledge in the books. I would not pick up any book
and read.

THE ART OF LIVING JOURNEY

HOW I STARTED THE ART OF LIVING
The idea of starting an organization was put forth by Supreme Court judges, the then Chief Justice
of India, Justice Bhagwati and Justice VR Krishna Iyer. I was teaching meditation to people but
they said, there should be a proper frame to express the knowledge. Thus the formal structure of
the organisation was established. But I will tell you a little about how I started the Art of Living.

I was in Puri, Odisha. Those were the days when I was managing the state of affairs of a big
organization. One day a meeting of well-known saints was organized, in which Maharishi
Mahesh Yogi was also present. They all wanted me to take charge of the Shankaracharya Peeth at
Puri, because I knew the Vedas. But I wasn’t interested. I was just 21 years old. However on their
insistence when I personally visited the place, I realised, there were lot of court cases, conflicts
and issues going on. So I went to a temple of Goddess Kali and sat down in meditation. As I
continued meditating, I heard the voice of Goddess Kali. “She said, ‘There is a bigger
responsibility awaiting you. You are not meant to sit on this peeth. You have to make your own
peeth. So get up, you have to a lot of work.’ So I got up , went and told everybody that I wouldn’t
sit on the Peeth and just wanted to do seva. From there I came back to Karnataka and started
going to villages. I would sit at people’s homes, sleep on the floor, talk about meditation and do
satsang. Everybody thought I had gone crazy. Because I wasn’t interested in the millions of
money, that was being offered to me, the facilities of travelling by aeroplane and helicopter and
the post of the head of the organization.

Then I went into 10 days of silence and I got the Sudarshan Kriya, that is benefitting the whole
world now.
Ask and be Happy
Gurudev, everyone knows you as the CEO of AOL, spiritual master, global leader. But tell
as a bit about how you started as an entrepreneur-Guru.

Gurudev: It was a very eventful and interesting journey. I started by taking responsibility for a
sick school which had no funds. Promises made had not been fulfilled. Therefore, the children
were left without a teacher or a place to stay. Neither had we ever asked anyone for money nor
did we have any experience of running a school. But I knew I had to do this. Soon, things fell into
place, and people came forward to help the school grow. Then I started teaching programs. The
first program, I taught in Shimoga was attended by eight doctors and engineers. I never intended to
start programs. My intention was just to share what I could.

Gurudev, you are a science graduate. When you entered the realm of spirituality, why did
you do the unusual? You could have been a tech guy, earning a lot of money, traveling
everywhere.

Gurudev: It was simply not my cup of tea. There was a calling, a feeling that there was something
I needed to do. I had seen wealth and fame when I was with Maharishi. I spent most of my youth
with seniors, great poets, great entrepreneurs, and people dedicated to a social cause. Their
wisdom, simplicity, and broad vision were so beautiful. We started very small, going from village
to village. Then I started training people to be teachers.

Gurudev: The Art of Living is a highly successful organization. What did you do to form a
good team?

Gurudev: I did not base this on anyone or volunteers. I based it on knowledge and wisdom. There
is one power that is going to take you through, and that is moving with passion and dispassion.
And then the path opens up.

Thirty years ago, there was so much prejudice against India. When we started the Prison Program
in Boston, they just gave us a small 10’ x 15’ cell to do our Sudarshan Kriya. It was a dusty place
with a small window.

But when we started the program, it created a significant breakthrough in the prisoners’ lives. The
prison authorities said what they were seeing was a miracle. They then gave us the grant to do the
program for 3000 people in another place. So, wherever there is sincerity and talent, there will be
people who recognize it. It may take some time. You simply have to have patience and hold on.

PLAYING PEACEMAKER
I HAVE THIS CRAZY IDEA – A WORLD WITHOUT VIOLENCE
We need to be a happy and free society rather than stressed and violent society. Wherever I go I
carry the mission of peace. The cause for terrorism and fanaticism is the lack of a broader vision of
life. If children had a broader understanding about all different religions of the world, if they had
multicultural, multi religious education, they would never become suicide bombers. They would in
fact appreciate and celebrate the differences. If we could instill pride in being non-violent, in being
compassionate, in being helpful to others, our lives will take a new direction.

People of Iraq have gone through immense suffereing over the years. But wherever we have
worked in Iraq, big differences have happened. When I visited the Red Zone in Iraq and met
different groups, the scenario was very different. The Government had provided 12 vehicles and
two tankers for my security. I told them, ‘See, I have not come here to be in the security cordon. I
want to go and meet people.’ They said, ‘Well it is your call.’ I went and stayed with the people
of the Red Zone.

People were so happy that somebody had come to talk to them. It was such a moving experience.
And then we got one Sunni Imam to the Shia Area and made them meet eye to eye, asked them to
forgive each other. Around 8000 people were driven away from one section of the society. There
were such thick walls between communities. Also people would open the door, look around and
run to the opposite side of the road in a second. There was so much fear as nobody knew from
where a bomb would land and kill them.

In these conditions, our teachers and doctors were working there. Next to our Art of Living centre
was the Red Cross building and it was suddenly bombed!! When this occurred, all the UN people
left. And I called our volunteers and asked, ‘Do you want to come back? If it’s scary, come back.’
But they said, ‘Gurudev even Red Cross has left. If we go away, who will take care of these
people here? Your blessings are there with us and we are confident.’ Our volunteer team was
catering to 700 patients every day.

I gave the message that there was a spiritual connection between the two countries. India and Iraq
have enjoyed a long standing relationship. And we will continue.

Ask and be Happy

Gurudev, during the conflict that was going on for 56 years between FAARC and the
Columbian Government, there was so much animosity and hatred. How did you bring in
peace there?

Gurudev: According to the Columbian Govt. military rule was the only option; however it would
take away around 40,000 lives. I asked them if I could do something. While they relented, they did
not see any hope. Then I went to Havana, Cuba to meet the FAARC people. There were around 15
commanders. I sat with them and spoke about principles of non- violence. I told them, “Leave this
path of violence”. Initially they refused but after three days of continuous communication, they
reconciled. Our efforts were successful. Nobody could believe that something like this was
possible.

Recently In Columbia they have just formed a political party. Long back I had advised them to
follow the Gandhian principle of non-violence and enter mainstream politics.

Gurudev in our country where Kashmir is a major issue, how could you unite and kindle
love between the militant families and soldier families?

Gurudev: When the warring parties came face to face, they vented out their emotions. As they
calmed down, they could relate to each other’s pain and in that moment of realization they
embraced each other, cried and admitted that violence was not the way to resolve conflicts. It’s
more important to see life from a larger perspective. By way of communication, understanding
and compassion, you can bridge any gap.

You played an important role in resolving the age-old Ayodhya conflict. Your comments?

Gurudev: It was a big task for the mediation committee. We had to sit 8-10 hours each day and
listen to 25 parties and bring them on the same page. Initially, they were not ready for it, but as
time progressed there was harmony and goodwill among all the parties. By the end of the
mediation, the parties started worrying about the repercussions on the opposing parties if the
judgment was not in their favor. This was something unheard of, that you worry about the
losing party. This sense of empathy is a great achievement of the mediation panel. As for the
judgement, it just came exactly the way we had proposed.

MESSENGER OF HOPE
DON’T THINK YOU ARE INSIGNIFICANT WHEN THE WORLD IS FACING A
CRISIS. YOU HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY!
In life challenges come, but don’t worry, I am with you. Every individual who is breathing,
talking, walking, thinking has an influence on this cosmos. So we can all radiate peace, good
thoughts, good vibrations, good wishes and that will definitely make an impact on the planet.

The second wave of the Coronavirus is a critical challenge for humanity and calls for a heroic
response to overcome it. Make sure you sleep enough, work out and meditate. Stress and anxiety
weaken your immune system. Making asanas, pranayamas and meditation an integral part of daily
life can change not just one’s physical chemistry but also make the mind peaceful and resilient. A
strong mind can pull a weak body, but a weak mind will mess up even a strong body. There is no
vacation from wisdom.

This crisis serves as a reminder that no man is an island unto himself. I urge everyone to strictly
follow the protocols enunciated by the medical community. Interestingly, our traditional ways
such as joining hands in greeting and the emphasis of Patanjali Yoga Sutra on shaucha (purity and
cleanliness) show that these practices have been around for thousands of years.

Various epidemics, wars, pandemics and natural disasters have challenged the human race before.
This is the time to invoke the valour in us, stand together and overcome once more.

Ask and be Happy

How do we control the spread
of contagion? Please advise.

Gurudev: Bringing the pandemic under control requires collective action. Everyone must do their
bit. From availing of vaccinations, which is a must, it is necessary to cultivate hygienic habits and
a disciplined lifestyle to stem the spread of this highly contagious virus. Continue to stay indoors,
avoid travelling and going to public gatherings or community feasts. Abstain from congregational
prayers and rituals. Do not worry about not being able to visit the temple, masjid, gurudwara or
church. Meditation and mental prayers are equally if not more effective than rituals.

GURU IS GOD
THE MORE YOU TRUST, THE MORE I RUN THE SHOW

Since ages, we’ve been striving to reduce the gap between ourselves and God. There are two ways
to do this: one way is to elevate humankind towards Divinity - this is called Siddha, and the person
who achieves this state is believed to have attained perfection.

The second way is to bring God to human level in avatar form. Here, Divinity manifests itself for
the sake of humankind. So, man rising up to God is Siddha; God coming down is avatar, because
he cares for you, and wants to communicate directly with you.
Avatar is God in human form and in that humanness; you can get a glimpse of Divinity.

Just relax more and more and more. Empty the head, full in the heart. You bring the love. Stop
demanding of yourself. Act from playfulness and emptiness. Don’t know anything. Let God do
what he wants with you. Just listen – Completely empty of all notions. Conditioning keeps you
repeating the same reality over and over. To do what has never been done, you have to be fresh,
open. Drop the preconceived. Trust my involvement. The more you trust, the more I run the show.
The more doership you have, the less I run the show. This teaches you surrender. Keep showing
up. These impulses also come from me. You don’t need to know what’s going on. Don’t think, no
strain, just relax. This is Enlightenment. The light is on. The light is on, then you trust. It’s all
trust. Each moment provides. Trust the unknown, then I use you fully. You be my instrument.
There’s nothing to worry about. Just be the follower. The best leader is the best follower. Just
listen. The best follower gets the best chance. One who listens to God, gets the divine work. I am
here with you every minute. When you think you should know and don’t, just relax. Frustrated,
mad, angry is resistance. Trust and relax. Humility is golden
- As told to Bill Herman (Seniormost teacher from California) by Gurudev.

(When Bill Herman would write letters to Gurudev, he would hardly write 2-3 sentences and all of a sudden the
pen would be taken over by Gurudev. His messages were channeled through Herman that have now been
compiled into a book called The Journey of the Blade of Grass).

Ask and be Happy

Many people report classic experiences of going into pure bliss in just one moment when you
look them in the eye. Please explain this.

Gurudev: Experiences cannot be explained. It can only be experienced. It can only be felt. Many
people get these experiences and I would usually recommend not to get attached to them. What is
most important is to see the experiencer, the seer beyond the scenery, the experiencer which is
beyond the experience. When you see we are made of one consciousness, one light, one Being,
and put our attention there, we get enormous strength, compassion and a sense of belongingness
with everybody. So, this is an internal happening that happens. Why someone feels happy or
compassionate, why tears come in someone else’s eyes, there is no explanation for it. In our
shastras they say when the granthis (nadis) in the body open up, then some of these experiences
do occur. In spite of this, there is no concrete explanation that can be given about this
phenomenon. Wherever there is love, healing happens. It depends on the receiver.

INTIMATE NOTES
GETTING PERSONAL WITH GURUDEV

If you were not Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, what would you be?

Gurudev: Well, I could do many things. I could be a good cook, a good musician, a good talk
show person! Anything I do, I think I do it well.

Are you ever sad? I’m wondering how a saint, a social leader deals with his own moments.

Gurudev: Well, it is very, very difficult to understand this situation. When I am with people who
are suffering, who are in deep distress, I am very much with them at that moment and that is what
motivates me to help them out. This is a natural tendency I suppose. You can’t say I am an island
by myself. When you are with miserable people, their pain reflects in you. Every individual’s pain
reflects in you. Yet, there is a part, an aspect in you that is totally untouched by anything else.

How do you handle so much attention?

Gurudev: There is so much love in people and perhaps that gets little kindled and I don’t see there
is anything special about it. If you express love, it comes back to you manifold. All I know is that
sense of belongingness with everybody.

Gurudev, do you have a romantic side to yourself?

Gurudev: Yes of course. I romance with the whole nature everyday. To me romance does not
begin in teenage. It begins when you are born on this planet. When you look into the eyes of any
child, you can’t take your eyes off, because they look at you with all its heart and charming
presence. When you are in romance with the spirit deep within you, you are in romance with the
whole world. It may sound little unusual but it’s true. You find even trees and animals are in love
with you.

Is it practically possible to be ever smiling and happy in life like you? What is your trade
secret? I promise I’ll never compete with you.

Gurudev: I want competition! I want everybody to compete with me! I don’t want that promise
from you at all. In fact, you should tell me that you will always compete with me. There is an
ancient saying, ‘Shishyat icchet parajayam’, a teacher always wishes to be defeated by his student.
That is the pride of a teacher.

RAPID FIRE SESSION

Your style statement: Keep it up with time!
Your idea about fashion: I am fashionable about doing everything I do
Favorite film: People’s lives
Any film song that you like : Chahunga Mai Tujhe Shaanj Savere
(Listen to Gurudev’s favourites
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBL7EkDnhUc)
Any light heartwarming song : Yeh dil deewana hai, dil toh deewana hai
The one thing you would like to change in the world:
People to recognize the non-changing
More liking towards Hollywood or Bollywood : Livelihood
Regardless of whether you are criticised or grilled, there’s always a smile
on your face. What is the secret?
The Art of Living. That’s what I am teaching everybody

MY RELATIONSHIP
with each one of you
is very Special
I have no choice but to say ‘me too’ when you say I love you. There is only one objective to come
here and remind you that there is grace showering on you ( tujhpar kripa hai). My relationship and
love with each one of you is very ancient and special. (Preet Purani Teri Meri). Several times you
have laughed and cried, have come and gone from this world but do not let go of the opportunity
in this lifetime. Just have one thought in mind. ‘I am not alone, I belong to God, I belong to my
master. Establishing this relationship in the mind itself is Sadhana. Have this faith in mind and
keep moving.