Questions & Answers

Dear Guruji, in the Yogasara Upanishad you have said that the Divine is impersonal.
Guru is both, personal and Divine. Can you tell us more about this? How is God
impersonal?
Sri Sri: Yes, it is both. Lie you are !orm yet you are !ormless. Your body has a !orm
but does your mind have a !orm? "o. #imilarly this mani!ests universe is a !orm o! God
and the unmani!est $ons$iousness, spa$e, is also a !ormless !orm.
Guruji, you have said in the Upanishads that only when the soul $hooses to reveal
itsel! does one get enlightened. #o where does longing $ome in the whole pi$ture.
#omething in me longs to now itsel! but will not reveal itsel!. %hy?
Sri Sri: Yes, you now when the !ruit ripens its $olor also $hanges. &n apple when it
be$omes ripe its $olor $hanges. Lie papaya, it be$omes yellow $olor when it is ripe.
Lie that longing is the sign o! the ripening o! $ons$iousness.
Guruji the soul is one, then what $arries individual arma and taes it !rom one body
to another?
Sri Sri: Yes, there are two levels o! atma, one is #arvatma and the other is 'ivatma.
Lie inside a balloon also there is air but the air is en$apsulated, right? (hat is 'iva.
#o the impressions !orm the 'iva, but the air is the same that is outside or inside the
balloon.
Dear Guruji, everything has its side e!!e$ts. %hat are the side e!!e$ts o!
enlightenment?
Sri Sri: (here is no side e!!e$t but it is a straight e!!e$t. )t impa$ts straight away.
Dear Guruji please tell us what is Dar *nergy. You mentioned it in one o! your re$ent
satsangs. +rom the e,planations on Google, it is hard to understand.
Sri Sri: (here is a whole lot o! nowledge about dar energy. (he whole universe is
!ull o! dar energy. %hen they say the sun is round, that is be$ause all around the sun
is the dar energy that is eeping it round. #o all the stars, planets e,ist in the dar
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energy.
Lie the sy is dar but the stars in the sy are the points o! light. %e thin only that
these stars are obje$ts, but s$ien$e says no, it is the spa$e between the stars that is
!ull o! energy lie a thi$ o$ean, that is dar energy. You do not see it but the energy
between the stars is what they $all dar energy.
(hat is e,a$tly what Shiva Tatva is. -ur an$ient people new this and $alled it Shiva
Tatva . Sarvam Sivamayam Jagat. (he whole universe is held by Shiva Tatva.
)n &shtavara Gita you spoe about why /ahatma Gandhi has su$h a violent death.
Could you please spea about why 'esus has to die on the $ross?
Sri Sri: %ell, ) do not thin we need to delve into it. %hy? %hat happened and when?
(here is only one $ause !or the universe, and !or all happenings and that is the Param
Karana Karanaya the cause of all causes the Shiva Tatva, the Divine will. Let
us keep it at that.
Who commits sin or karma? s it the soul or the !o"#, an" if the soul commits sin
then wh# "oes the !o"# have to suffer?
Sri Sri: $ow come on% "on&t 'et into all these technicalities an" confusion.
f #ou are intereste" in knowin' then "o research, who am ? Do have karma or
not? f there is karma, then where is it? All this #ou have to sit an" think.
f answer #ou, m# answer will never satisf# #ou !ecause it will not !e on the
level of e(perience.
So #ou will listen to me an" then after a few "a#s #ou will 'et another "ou!t, an"
then a'ain an" a'ain #ou simpl# 'o on the same trip. )est is to !e silent, 'o "eep
in me"itation an" for some of these *uestions, the answers will !e reveale" as an
e(perience, naturall#.
+uru,i, even after puttin' ma(imum efforts wh# "o fail? What shoul" we "o in
these situations?
Sri Sri: f #ou reall# want what #ou are aimin' at, hol" on to it. )ut if #ou feel it is
worthless puttin' so much effort then move on to somethin' else which is much
easier.
-nce there was a .rime /inister in n"ia. 0e was a .rime /inister onl# for a few
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months.
So this 'entleman, he invite" me to his farm house outsi"e Delhi. So sai" oka#
an" went there.
When was there, he sai", 1+uru,i, for 23 #ears "i" ever#thin', pla#e" 'oo" an"
"irt# 'ames to achieve this seat, to !e the .rime /inister. $ow am the .rime
/inister an" fin" that, for this seat stru''le" all m# life, an" now fin" it
meanin'less. )efore coul" sleep here happil#, !ut now there are 43 policemen
'uar"in' an" can&t even sit outsi"e m# own home. t was a futile stru''le all m#
life.&
sai", 15o un"erstan" this, it took #ou so man# #ears. An#wa#s, at least now #ou
reali6e. /an# people "o not even reali6e this.&
What is happenin' with all these "ictators in $orth Africa, the# are all killin'
thousan"s of people ,ust to hol" on to power. 5his is stupi"it#. At least this
'entleman ha" the sense to reali6e that it is all futile. tol" him, 17ou are luck# in
that sense.&
So like that, if #ou want to reall# achieve somethin' then put all #our life into
achievin' it. )ut if #ou fin" somethin' else which is !etter to put #our ener'#
into, 'o in that "irection.
5he other "a# a #outh came to me an" sai" that he ha" !een appearin' for his 8A
e(ams an" he has faile" seven times an" his parents want him to appear a'ain.
sai", 1Wh# "o #ou want to "o that? 7ou have faile" seven times9 Do #ou hope to
pass this time?&
0e sai", 1$o, "o not have an# hope of passin'.&
So when #ou have no hope of passin' then wh# waste #our time, "o some
!usiness. +et on with some ,o!. 5hat is a more intelli'ent thin' to "o.
+uru,i, what is the si'nificance of chantin' the name of +o"? n /aharashtra, it is
sai" that if one keeps chantin' the name of :ittala with all his heart, he 'ets all
the !enefits of "oin' #o'a.
Sri Sri: We "o it ever# evenin' in satsan', an#wa#9 We are chantin' the name of
the Divine.
7es, as #ou !# keepin' on "oin' japa ;chantin'< #ou come to a state of ajapa
;practice of ,apa without the mental effort normall# nee"e" to repeat the
mantra<, #ou !ecome calm an" 'o !e#on" the chant, an" !e#on" the name into a
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state of Samadhi. 5his is calle" Bhaava Samadhi.
Bhaav Samadhi is a part, an aspect that shoul" also !e practice". )ut without
knowle"'e, bhakti ;"evotion< "oes not mature. =nowle"'e an" "evotion shoul" 'o
to'ether.
Does the awakenin' of the vivek not make humans sensitive? f #es then wh# "o so
man# knowle"'ea!le people !ehave in unwante" wa#s?
Sri Sri: Listen, in this worl" there are all kin"s of people. 5here are 'oo" people,
there are me"iocre people an" there are hopeless people, an" #ou have to
mana'e with ever#!o"#. 5he hopeless will make #our resolution stron'er, the
me"iocre will !rin' out skills from within #ou, an" the 'oo" people will keep
supportin' #ou.
So #ou have to mana'e all these three kin"s of people.
When "o not know much a!out li!eration how will 'et the "esire to !e
li!erate"?
Sri Sri: When #ou feel the !on"a'e onl# then will #ou "esire for li!eration. When
#ou are happ# an" #ou "o not feel an# !on"a'e, then the "esire for li!eration will
not come.
-ne who "oes not wish for happiness 'ets li!eration, an" one who "oes not even
"esire for li!eration, receives love.
5hose who are in love are not !othere" a!out li!eration. A lover thinks what is
li!eration? "o not nee" it. 5he +opis use" to sa# this, 1We "o not nee" an#
li!eration% we "o not nee" an# knowle"'e, ,ust !ein' in love we are happ#.&
5he nature of love itself is li!eration.
+uru,i, what is the relationship of "harma ;ri'hteousness< with +o"?
Sri Sri: With what "oes +o" not have a relationship, tell me this? +o" has a
relationship with ri'hteousness (dharma) as well as unri'hteousness (adharma). 5o
"estro# adharma an" to uplift dharma is also +o"&s responsi!ilit#. So +o" is
relate" to ever#thin'.
n the same wa#, in the ritual of poo,a it is sai", Dharmaye namaha, Adharmaye
namaha. We sa# namah to !oth. 5his worl" is a mi(ture of ri'hteousness an"
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unri'hteousness, an" +o" has a relationship with !oth to "estro#
unri'hteousness, an" esta!lish ri'hteousness.
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+uru,i, is e'' ve'etarian or non>ve'etarian?
Sri Sri: Sittin' in the satsan' an" "iscussin' e''s, "o not think that is appropriate.
Drop e''s, talk a!out the universe (Bramhaand). 0ere we "iscuss the !o"# an" the
universe, not e''s. 7ou can look up in +oo'le on what are the !enefits an"
"isa"vanta'es of e''s.
?ust #ester"a#, hear" from a "octor, who has "one consi"era!le research that
one shoul" 'a6e at the sun for @3 minutes ever# "a#. t is sai" that our e#es have
some uni*ue cells which a!sor! the solar ener'# an" pro"uces !loo" in our !o"#.
t is somethin' like photos#nthesis. )# trappin' the ra#s of the sun, plants an"
trees convert it into chloroph#ll.
5he same su!stance from the sun li'ht is a!sor!e" !# the !loo" vessels in our
e#es, an" converte" into !loo" in our !o"#. t was a ver# nice presentation. So, to
purif# !loo" or increase pro"uction, 'a6e at the sun this is also what our
ancestors use" to sa#9
What is the meanin' of Sandhyavandanam? 7ou stan" facin' the risin' sun with
water in #our han"s, an" keep 'a6in' at the sun until all the water "rips out of
#our han"s. 7ou "o this A times an" that takes aroun" @3 minutes time. 5hen #ou
chant the Gayatri antra while 'a6in' at the sun.
n the same wa#, "o this in the evenin' as well.
When #ou look at the sun, ener'# transmission happens in the !o"#.
t also sai" that we shoul" take more of raw foo", raw ve'eta!les, fruits an"
,uices% these are what one shoul" have. B3C of our foo" shoul" !e raw an" D3C
shoul" !e cooke". An" the# also 'ave e(amples of several people who ha" !rain
tumor, cancer, an" who 'ot cure" ,ust !# havin' raw foo" for three weeks an" sun
'a6in'.
-f course recover# happens with S!dar"han Kriya as well.
Also a!out cream which we put on our !o"ies, if #ou eat those creams, #ou will
"ie !ecause it has man# harmful chemicals. 5his is the same cream which our
!o"# a!sor!s. t 'oes into our !loo" stream "irectl#. So we shoul" never put
an#thin' on the skin which we cannot eat.
5hat is wh# an# cream !esi"es A#urve"ic cream is not worth appl#in'. 5he
in're"ients of rat poison are also a""e" into creams, so if it is eaten one woul"
"ie. When applie" to the skin, one "ies slowl#.
n the earlier "a#s, we use" to appl# mu">packs, cream ;from milk<, !esan ;lentil
flour< an" turmeric. We use" to use all these to keep the skin clean. 5his is what
we shoul" "o.
will look into this. We shoul" "evelop some more pro"ucts pro"uce" from !esan
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an" such thin's which can also !e eaten an" applie" to the !o"#. am 'oin' to
speak to m# "octor an" prepare such a cream that "oes not contain an# to(ins.
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What is Shiva 5atva?
Sri Sri: When #ou sa#, not this, not this, not this, an" "iscar" ever#thin' what
remains that is Shiv 5atva.
+uru,i, investe" a lot of mone# in an online !usiness an" lost all of it. Ever
since, have lost interest in satsan'. What shoul" "o?
Sri Sri: Well, see, ever#thin' will have to 'o one "a#, #ou also have to 'o, also
have to 'o. Fsuall# we 'o first, an" our !usiness 'oes afterwar"s. 5his time
!usiness went first, eventuall# we will also 'o9 What is 'one, for'et it% move on.
When #ou were !orn, #ou were not !orn with a !usiness. When #ou were #oun',
someone took care of #ou the# fe" #ou, an" helpe" #ou walk !# hol"in' #our
han" an" put #ou to sleep. n the same wa#, in the future also someone will take
care of #ou. Life will continue, "rop all #our worries an" ,ust keep 'oin'.
7es, #ou will feel sa", whatever #ou earne" in #our life, #ou investe" in somethin'
an" it faile", it is natural that #ou will feel paine", !ut #ou have come to the ri'ht
place to "rop #our pain.
When #ou are walkin' on the roa", if there is "irt an#where, "o #ou stop there?
What "o #ou "o? f #ou see "irt in front of #ou, will #ou stop there or step !ack?
$o, neither shoul" one step !ack nor pause, instea" takin' a leap, one has to
move forwar" even faster.
Where is the en" to 'ree"?
Sri Sri: n the !urial 'roun"% #ou can&t !e 'ree"# there.
t is unfortunate that 'ree" has overtaken our societ# an" the worl" in fact. Do
not think corruption is onl# n"ia specific. Wherever 'o it is the same thin',
corruption in )ul'aria, corruption in Gussia, corruption in Fkraine% ever# countr#
is sufferin' from corruption.
n +reece there is a tremen"ous amount of corruption, the countr# has "rowne"
!ecause of corruption. n man# countries corruption is a pro!lem, not ,ust here in
n"ia.
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+uru,i what is Anahat $aa"? 0ow to pro"uce it an" what are its !enefits?
Sri Sri: 5he ver# meanin' of Anahat #aad is that which cannot !e pro"uce" from
two o!,ects, an" arises spontaneousl#. +o "eep in me"itation, onl# in me"itation
can #ou hear it sometime. t is not necessar# that ever#one shoul" hear it. Some
mi'ht hear Anahat #aad, some mi'ht e(perience li'ht, some mi'ht e(perience a
presence there are "ifferent wa#s of e(periencin'.
+uru,i, in our 0in"u m#tholo'# it is sai" that this Earth is restin' on the hoo" of a
co!ra, an" when the co!ra rises up, this entire Earth shakes. What is the secret
!ehin" this is.
Sri Sri: See there are two kin"s of Earthl# forces, one is 8entripetal force an" the
other is 8entrifu'al force. 5he movement of these forces is not strai'ht !ut the#
have a snake like movement. 5his fact was known to our ancestors. 5he Earth is
not restin' on a snake !ut !# snake the# mean 8entripetal power, an" that which
is known as 8entrifu'al power. So, that fact has !een e(plaine" !# them in this
form.
Hor e(ample, Lor" Shiva is sittin' with a snake aroun" his neck what this implies
is the state of me"itation, where the e#es are close" 'ivin' the impression that
the person is sleepin'% !ut he is not asleep, he is alert within. 5o e(press this, a
snake is shown aroun" Lor" Shiva&s neck. -therwise, wh# woul" Lor" Shiva wear a
snake aroun" his neck? 0e is the lor" of the universe% coul" he not fin" an#thin'
else to wear? 5he Lor" of the universe coul" wear a necklace of all "ifferent kin"
of thin's, wh# woul" he have a snake han'in' from his neck? $o, whatever our
ancestors sai", there are such profoun" m#steries hi""en !ehin" it.
n the same wa#, the Earth on She"h #aag naag implies 8entripetal force. A
snake never moves on a strai'ht course, it makes curves as it slithers forwar"
this is known as 8entripetal force. 8entripetal force means that which will not 'o
strai'ht% an" the Earth rotates on its a(is an" aroun" the sun. So these are the D
kin"s of forces 8entripetal an" 8entrifu'al. 5his is what the ancient people have
e(presse" in the form of a co!ra.
An" what is the co!ra stan"in' on? t is stan"in' on a turtle, an" a turtle
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s#m!oli6es sta!ilit#. 5his is ver# interestin'9
$ow it is also sai" that if the planet ?upiter ;+uru< "i" not e(ist, the Earth coul"
not have survive". What the planet ?upiter ;+uru< "oes is, all the meteorites that
come from outer space the planet ?upiter ;+uru< "raws them towar"s itself, 'ivin'
protection to the Earth. 5here is such !om!ar"ment 'oin' on from outer space on
Earth > meteorites, tin# celestial !o"ies an" what ?upiter "oes is, it "raws them
all towar"s itself an" saves the Earth.
$ASA has create" a ver# !eautiful illustration of this.
We ha" sai" that +uru is the 'uar"ian of the entire universe. So the planet was
also 'iven the same name +uru ;?upiter< !ecause it protects the Earth.
Q:
Gurudev, Lord 0rishna revealed His Vishwaroopa !orm 1the #upreme Universal !orm o!
the Lord2 to &rjuna. %hen will you reveal your Vishwaroopa !orm and to whom?
Sri Sri: #ee, the entire $reation is the !orm o! the Lord. (his is what Vishwaroopa
Darshan means. )t means seeing the one Lord in everything around you, whether it is
the rivers, the mountains, stones, people, or animals.
God is love. You must a$3uire this spe$ial vision !irst, only then will you be able to
behold the Universal !orm o! the Lord.
(he narrow vision with whi$h you per$eive the world will not help. )t is be$ause you
eep thining, 4-h this person is lie this, and that person is lie that5. You $annot
per$eive the Universal !orm o! the Lord when you vision is so $louded with $ravings
and aversions. +irst you must a$3uire this broad, all6en$ompassing vision o! love,
whi$h ) am anyway giving to you. -n$e you have this, you will automati$ally be able
to see the Vishwaroopa !orm o! the Lord.
Q:
How do we deal with $onstant blame, espe$ially !rom a dear one?
Sri Sri: #ee, you get used to anything that is $onstant 1Laughter2. #o don5t worry
about it. $% "&me&ne '&n"tant(y keep" b(aming y&!, then d& n&t 'are ab&!t it.
)t happens so o!ten, when mothers $onstantly blaming their $hildren, the $hildren
stop $aring about what their mother is saying. (his is be$ause they now she is going
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to $ontinue the same behaviour every day, right?
(he trouble happens when someone who never $omplains suddenly $omplains. %hen
someone who is never rude suddenly be$omes rude, that bothers you more, isn5t it so?
*ither you are eternali7ing the problem, or you la$ the sill to deal with what is
happening. (hese are the only two aspe$ts to it. #o sil!ully handle these situations
and do not eternali7e them.
*verybody has a right to be a little imper!e$t. You should a$$ept others5 imper!e$tions
and your own imper!e$tions as well. %hen you do not a$$ept peoples5 imper!e$tions,
you get angry. &nd when you do not a$$ept your own imper!e$tions you !eel guilty and
then you be$ome angry at yoursel!. 8oth situations are not healthy and $ongenial !or
you. #o, you need to eep a little spa$e in li!e !or imper!e$tions, and just move on.
Do not get stu$ in the past.
Q:
Gurudev, you have said that our an$ient s$holars never allowed our sa$red s$riptures
to be$ome limited or relevant only to one parti$ular pla$e or time. )n that $ase, are
these s$riptures just stories told by these s$holars, or are they real li!e events?
Sri Sri: (hey are all true events. 8ut even while writing about these true events, our
s$holars did not allow the narratives to be$ome spe$i!i$ or relevant to one pla$e or
time alone. (his is the spe$ialty o! our s$riptures.
)t is lie how someone was ased to write a poem that would hold true !or all time
and be relevant everywhere. )! you write a poem only !or a parti$ular event or
!estival, su$h as Diwali or Holi, then you $an sing that poem only during that time. You
$annot sing the songs !or Holi during any other !estival, isn5t it? #u$h songs are !or
spe$ial times and spe$i!i$ o$$asions.
8ut some songs are su$h that they $an be sung at any time. #o our s$riptures were
written eeping in mind that they should be relevant everywhere and at all times.
Q:
Gurudev, you say that the human birth is pre$ious and one gets this birth a!ter passing
through 9: lah yonis 1births or in$arnations o! the physi$al body2. 8ut the human
beings today have to wae up early in the morning, rush to wor on a s$ooter or in a
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lo$al train, and !a$e lots o! problems, only to $ome ba$ home tired, and goes to
sleep. #ometimes one $annot even sleep due to stress. ) am thining i! it was worth
going through 9: lah yonis to !a$e all this.
Sri Sri: )t5s a good thought. (here is a saying in Hindi; 4Ajgar kare na 'haakri,
pan'hhi kare na kaam) Daa" a(!ka keh gayye, "abb ka daata *am5 1-ne need not
mae e!!orts !or anything as God provides !or everyone2.
%hen one has this !aith, that God is the one who provides everyone with everything,
then you will never lose your enthusiasm, $ome what may. %hen you go to o!!i$e or
travel in the lo$al train, just loo around you and see, there are so many good people
who have su$h good and positive thoughts, as they go about their daily routines.
%or never gets done by worrying about it. )t gets done by intelligent thining and
$lever a$tion. +or that your mind needs to be $alm and happy. &nd how do you bring
that $almness and happiness to your mind when there are so many di!!i$ulties at
wor? )t is by having that !aith that G&d i" there t& (&&k a%ter and pr&vide %&r
everything that $ need.
(ell me, how many o! you here !eel that whatever you wish !or gets !ul!illed? 1Many
devotees in the audience raise hands2.
Q:
Gurudev, people a$$use me !or a sin whi$h ) have not done. %hat should ) do?
Sri Sri: )! you have not done and people thin you have done it, then edu$ate them.
8ut i! you have done it, then without denying it, a$$ept it.
Q:
) am not able to do anything $onsistently. How $an ) develop this 3uality in me?
Sri Sri: (his you need to reali7e !or yoursel!. How do you say that you $annot do
anything $onsistently? %hy do you label yoursel! lie that?
+irst you should admit that you do not truly now yoursel!. %hen you do not now
yoursel!, you do not now how mu$h potential you have within you.
You have no idea about how many things you $an do. #o you have to !irst simply
remove this label that 4) $annot do this $onsistently5. (hat was the past. <ight now
you are di!!erent. *very moment you are new and di!!erent !rom what you were
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earlier.
-ur li!e is lie a river. You $annot get into the same water twi$e. #o li!e is both new
and an$ient at the same time. Your $ons$iousness is older than the stones, the rivers,
the mountains and everything else in the universe. )n !a$t, it is mu$h older. 'ust lie
the sun is so old= it is around >? billion years old. Yet every day the rays o! the sun are
new and !resh. You do not ever get the same rays tomorrow.
Q:
Gurudev, how $an ) live my li!e to its !ull potential?
Sri Sri: (hat is e,a$tly what you are learning here 1at the &rt o! Living2. )t is the
ability to a$$ommodate the opposites in li!e; rest with a$tivity. )! you are simply
a$tive all the time, it will not wor. )! you are only resting it will not wor then too.
You have to a$$ommodate both. Got it?
#imilarly you $annot be !un6loving and eep having !un all the time. You $annot also
be serious all the time. You need to have !un and seriousness.
#imilarly you need to be sensible and sensitive. (hose who are sensible are not
sensitive, and those who are sensitive are not sensible. You need both. +&! have t&
be dire't yet y&! a("& have t& be gent(e. @eople who are dire$t o!ten !ind
themselves labelled as rude, and those who are gentle are many times $onsidered to
be wea and mee. %e need a $ombination o! the two; to be dire$t and gentle.
Q:
Gurudev, ) am not able to behave intelligently or $leverly be!ore the one whom ) love
and respe$t a lot. ) do too many silly things be$ause o! this. %hat should ) do?
Sri Sri: "ever mind, it is alright. (here is some beauty even in behaving !oolishly. (hat
silly behavior also amuses people.
S&metime" an inte((igent per"&n 'ann&t give the j&y and am!"ement that a
%&&(i"h per"&n give" be$ause o! his ways.
Q:
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Gurudev, while e,pounding the Purushottam Yoga (The Yoga of the Supreme Being),
Lord 0rishna speas about three Purushas or types of beings !shara" #$shara and the
%ttam Purusha. @lease throw some light on this.
Sri Sri: K"hara means that whi$h eeps on $hanging. (he whole world and everything
in it eeps on $hanging. #o that whi$h is $onstantly $hanging is a ind o! Purusha
1person or being2.
'ust observe within yoursel!, so many thoughts arise in your and so many !eelings
arise in you. Your body, your thoughts and your !eelings, they all eep on $hanging
$onstantly. "ow that whi$h does not $hange is what is $alled Ak"hara.
&nd the most subtle and !undamental Tattva 1element2 that is beyond these two
modes is what we $all as the Parama&purusha.
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