Jun 7
For 7 years, every week Guruji (Sri Sri Ravi Shankar) used to send out a page of Knowledge to be read out and discussed at the satsangs happening all over the world. He used to call it the Knowledge fax … This was before email became popular enough for everyone to use 
Every week we waited eagerly for what Guruji would say through these Knowledge Sheets, many times we would be with Him while He dictated them out and we compiled them. The atmosphere would always be full of wisdom coupled with big doses of mirth. And the Knowledge sheets themselves are always profound, sometimes quite funny…
Dinesh and i decided to do a commentary on them, reliving those precious moments spent with Guruji, reading them out for you and peppering them with stories and examples of how this Knowledge from Him has come alive for us in our lives.
Re reading them now, after so many years of Sadhana, Seva and Satsang has made us realise just how beautiful and precious these words from Him are … We are throughly enjoying ourselves making these videos, we know you will love watching them too.
Knowledge sheet no. 12
Jai Gurudeva!
love
bawa n dinesh
(2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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did the Guru of the disciple knew…that he (Disciple) was feeling good about the drowning boat of the kids ??
How am I supposed to know that my act of Compassion towards somebody, who is ignorant, can cause harm to themselves..and respond to their ignorance so that they don’t generate a bad karma ?
Hi Bawa,
I had exchanged a few emails with you where in you had invited me to the ashram. i was very impressed with your background and the whole AOL thing and was curious abt it. Many friends who are ardent followers also had a lot of good things to say.
But the shooting episode and the back lash there of leaves a bad taste in the mouth. I thought that your followers are mature and educated people. but their response to any blog or any comment even remotely critical has been shocking. the language is rude and mostly insulting.
wouldnt exercising restraint or at least using parliamentary language to put forth your comment make more sense. after all we live in a democracy. and each person has a right to express.
I agree, though sometimes when people are angry, they say and write things out that they may not mean… and i wouldn’t hold that against them. Don’t judge Art of living by anything other than your own direct experience of meditation that you learn here.
Dear Bawa,
“Don’t judge Art of Living by anything other than your own direct experience of meditation that you learn here.”
Isn’t this true for judging anybody or anything (especially spiritual Paths/Masters)?
Using one’s own experiences in relating to or putting faith in an organization
or a Master is an interesting thing. Nevertheless occasionally even this faith
is thoroughly tested to the point when one feels confused if one is actually
worshipping one’s own ego in the form of “My experiences, My perspective, My
Guru etc.”. Especially if most of the people one interact’s with (including
other seekers), vehemently oppose one’s view point (and have a very
valid/logical reason to do so!!!).
It becomes all the more tough when they have not experienced what you have in
the presence of that Master.
This happened to me recently. It still confuses me as to what is True.
I have the habit of visiting or meditating in the physical presence of Indian
) for Blessings or general Darshan when they tour my part of
Saints/Enlightened Beings (or rather Saints whom my limited, small mind “labels”
as Enlightened
the world. To me, it is just like visiting a Temple. The only difference is,
in a Temple, the Universal Spirit/Energy is manifested in a Murti, while with a
living Master, it is manifested in a physical, living, human body.
Just standing in Their presence and listening to Their words as They radiate
unconditional Love and Joy is an amazing experience.
I know, visiting various Saints is not exactly a good habit
, especially if
it becomes an addiction. Nevertheless I feel very Blessed and grateful each time
I have a Darshan of a Living Master.
Few months back, I was very Blessed to have attended a meditation session with
Swami Nithyananda Paramahamsa (the one who is currently embroiled in a sex
scandal) at one of His Vedic Temples. I had watched a few videos of His before,
and the connection was instantaneous, it was very evident to me that He was,
without a doubt, a Super-Divine Being.
From the clarity and precision with which Swami Nithyananda decoded the scriptures
(and the simplicity and originality of His examples/analogies), it was very clear
to me that He was speaking from Direct Experience (just like Gurudev).
Often my Being just resonated in agreement to His words, “Yes! This is so True!
I have always known This”. His discourses felt less like a Teaching, and more
like an awakening.
I never found any conflict between what He says and what Gurudev says (or for
that matter what any True Master says). They just use different words/examples
to convey the same point.
If anything, I felt I understood Gurudev’s Knowledge Satsangs better because I
.
had watched Swamiji’s videos earlier (since they were freely available on
youtube
Anyway, when I heard that Swami Nithyananda was personally leading a Meditation
program here in L.A. late last year, I went to visit (just as I would visit any other Master).
I was Blessed to have attended Meditation sessions in the physical presence of
quite a few Enlightened Beings before visiting Swami Nithyananda (and I hope it always continues), so I went in without any special expectations.
I have to be honest here — I wasn’t at all prepared for the sheer Magnitude of
Divine Energy that I experienced meditating in Swami Nithyananda’s Presence that
day at His Vedic Temple.
It was STUNNING!
It was, by far, the deepst, most tangible and profound meditational experience I
have had, before or since. After that, I was Blessed to have a similar, but milder,
experience during a meditation session in our Blessings Course.
I don’t think my experience with Swami Nithyananda was imagination or hallucination of the mind as I clearly saw my mind, thoughts being “separate” from the Experience.
I don’t think it was hypnotism either, there were 100+ people in the room and as I
was late, I was seated very far away from Swamiji, there were nobody sitting near me
and my eyes were closeed throughout the meditation.
After the meditation, I was completely bewildered by what just happened. I was in
such a state of Bliss and Gratitude, It was just incredible!
It was the first meditation where I actually experienced that Divinity exists within
me too!
Divine Energy and Love was radiating from Swamiji with such intensity that later
that night even when I stood in the queue for a Darshan/Blessing, my entire Being
automatically started vibrating as I neared Him.
The sex scandal did not bother me much, or affect my faith in Him, because Masters
often work in ways that is totally baffling to the human mind (there are numerous
examples).
What was tough was the continuous judgment by fellow AoL devotees/seekers about
Swamiji as fraud, fake and/or partially Enlightened. In a way, I don’t blame them
because the video was truly disgusting, but I thought it was unnecessary as none of
them ever attended His programs or experienced His grace or Teachings.
In some sense, I felt they were no different from non-AoL people who continually
judge Gurudev without ever experiencing Gurudev’s Grace.
Nevertheless, I am still confused what to believe, my own direct experience of
Swami Nithyananda’s Divinity or objective judgment by fellow AoL seekers.
Please don’t get me wrong, my point is not to compare Masters or paths, I feel really
Blessed and grateful that Gurudev has allowed me to travel with Him on His path.
Coming back to the Knowledge video “Anger of the Enlightened”, it is a lovely
message. What amazes me is how different Masters convey the same point using
different stories/analogies.
Love & Jai Gurudev,
Uday
Is showing our anger necessary, when required. I often control it coz the other person may get hurt the relationship may spoil.. I’m not enlightened
so should i show it. As the person who show the anger is always in trouble I hold it… Whereas previously I was to be v short temper and was famous for dat attitude; know sometimes i really think should i get back there??
When anger is shown with the intention of bringing about a positive change in the other person’s life, i think its justified comepletely
okie thank you
Jai Guru Dev
Harish
Really true bawa… From nw onwards i’ll never feel bad for my teachers scolding…!!!
Jau Guru dev
after so much of time I visited the blog..
Feels at home..
you look nice in photos.. both of you..
jgd…
Bau –
I was disappointed with this video; I was hoping you would share some Guru story of your experience of Guruji getting angry and that coming as a blessing to the person at who he got angry. I would also have loved to hear your own personal experience in the video of when Guruji got angry at you…
Jai Gurudev!
Bau: How should we respond to something patently malicious? Sometime back, I had a heated argument with one gentleman who suggested that you and Dinesh bhaiyya are in a gay relationship. We almost came to blows. Is it OK to feel outraged on such occasions?
JGD
What difference does it make to anyone what relationship anyone has with anyone?
You should simply laugh and move on
Please never waste your anger on stuff like this… Use it for big things, to protect the environment, to make people responsible etc
My lesson for the day :” Don’t judge Art of Living by anything other than your own direct experience of meditation that you learn here.”
Thanks ,Bawa. We come back to this blog, again and again, to pick up some gems from the great treasure-house of Guruji’s wisdom.Hi to Dinesh!
Jai Gurudev
Love,
Sudha
P.S: Like the updates on the Ashtavakra via Twitter. Missing Guruji and the Ashram.
I haven’t been at the receiving end of any anger from my Guru but have experienced His ire, in an indirect way albeit. Suffices to say that I was mortified..
and felt like I was a couple of inches tall. Or a rapidly melting ice cube. But He gives it nice and proper when you need to get it, I guess… 
Bau, some people for ex, consider them as teachers…..they take knowledge to their convenience,..n though they have made their mind to not get married still have high amount of lust in them…n i feel they run behind money…looks….etc…they expect others to pamper them to the greater levels….wht to do wit the pple who r been hurt by their actions…?
People first and foremost have to remember that Guruji is Enlightened, not His teachers. We are getting there
– in either case learn from them.
So keep focus on Guruji and don’t get swayed by any personality or any behaviour of anyone. Guruji, your Sadhana, Seva and satsang should be your focus.
There are people around us so we can get inspired – to be like them, or thank heavens that we are not like them
Jai Gurudeva!
bawa