Bad Luck, Karma, Accidents & Spirituality – Unreleased Talk from 2006 | Sadhguru

0:00 Being with me is not thinking about me. There is a certain life possibility. A certain investment of energy has been made. Somebody got killed. Is it bad luck? Karma did not mean just what you do. Karma also means what's happening around you. Isn't it? You just dropped this word calculation. 90% of the work is over. Understand? Do accidents happen because of bad driving or poor roads or one's bad karma? In south India in the vijayagar [Music]

0:47 kingdom there was a barber his name was redappa generally I don't know if it prevails here also these days they got all fashionable saloons it must be gone generally it was considered that if you see a barber's face first thing in the morning it's bad luck Yes, you know this it's still there. Is it still prevalent? No. Traditionally, it was there that you should not see a barber's face or a dob's face. It's supposed to be real bad luck. Particularly this reda's face. If you see his face, some car will come and hit you

1:36 today. Something bad will happen to you. This reputation spread for him. So the man was very careful not to come out of his house early in the morning because if he came out and anybody saw his face, people abused him. You fool, you came in front of us and because of you something bad will happen to us. But usually people need a barber in the morning. So one day the king had camped in a forest nearby for hunting

2:24 purposes. And in the morning our barber went there for his morning duties. And the king also went into the forest and they came face to face. King said, "Oh my god, you I saw your face first thing in the morning. You're the first face I'm seeing. You brought bad luck to me. How dare you came in front of me." And he gave him a death sentence for just appearing in front of him and giving him bad luck. He was given death sentence.

3:10 Then the nalama came to know of this grievous misjudgment and atrocity that's being committed on other human being. So he made posters and put it all over the town that king is going to be executed today according to king's orders king himself. When the king came to know that such posters have been fixed and signed the nali he got mad. He called him and said what is this nonsense? Then

3:58 uh this you know this red his face is bad luck. So he is being executed at the same time somebody else's face which is even more bad luck also needs to be executed. He said what do you mean? He said see you saw reda's face maybe something minor happened to you but redapa saw your face first thing in the morning and he got death sentence. So which is a more bad luck face? If you're getting death sentence for seeing somebody's face, that must be a more bad luck face than this one. Isn't it? This also happened between Tari Ra and Krishna

4:48 Devra. The Mgal kings came and camped on the other side of the river the Godavari. Now it's been damned at that time it was flowing full. They came and kept the other side to attack Krishna Dearaya's kingdom. But the river was flowing full and they did not know how to cross it. The whole army has to cross it. And when they are crossing it, you can slaughter them, you know. So, they didn't want to take the risk. So, they're waiting for the river to go down. It'll take a couple of months for it to go down. In the meantime, there are places where the local people know how to

5:33 cross. So, Tali Lama told Krishna Deva, I we must attack them now because they are unable to cross. They believe that we are also unable to cross. But we know how to cross. We we should go now. But the Rajpurit the man who reads the astrological predictions for the king has been bribed by the mogul king and he says there is no good day. The king goes now his life is in danger. Then Ali Ramach Krishna said told the king he's just a Brahmin he should not decide the strategy for war. You are the man who

6:20 should decide the strategy for war. Let him look at his stars and planets. You look at the battle situation. It's best to attack now. That king lost his no because the purohit says if you go now your life is at risk. So he was hesitating. Then Krishna said I will show you something. You just wait. They called the Raj Burroit for further consultation. So Tali Rama argued with him that it is not right. Rajapur had said no nothing doing the stars are like this right now the planets are saying that if now you go

7:08 into battle the king will die so just like that then Ali asked how old are you he said I'm 52 how long will you live I will live till I'm 84 is that 100% certain how do Do you know he said about all the graas how they are and why it is so and how he was born on this particular day and he's definitely going to live 84 years. So then Rama pulled out the sword and said you tell me how long you're going to live. 84 no you will die at 52. The man started trembling. Said why

7:55 are you afraid? Anyway you will not die. I will only take off your head but you will live till 84 [Music] anyway. Then he was caught and Krishna Dearay attacked. If he had not done that he would have been wiped out much later they came and wiped him out anyway. But at that in that particular battle he won because he attacked them at the right time. Karma did not mean just what you do. Karma also means what's happening around you, isn't it? If you if you're living in your

8:41 home and you just tell yourself, I am just fine. I am following all the rules. I am okay. But in your house, everybody is living some other way. It will come to you, isn't it? Will it not come to you? Whatever they do, it will come to you. You're just condoning their activity. That itself is karma, isn't it? Yes. You're not doing anything about them. That itself is karma, isn't it? So now the way the traffic is going on on the Indian streets. It is not karma. It's a

9:34 miracle a while ago. I I had been to the Maicius Islands and after that a few people from Maicius visited India. Five generations ago their forefathers went to Maitius from Tamil Nadu as indented labor. In five generations they built a whole nation and they're doing very well for themselves. Now this longing came they want to go and see their roots. They have never been to India. So they came and landed in Chennai.

10:22 Once you land in Tamil Nadu, you must do the temple tour. How can you escape that? So they went on a temple tour. So they went mad this that everything a week-l long tour and then they came down to. So they were asked it must be quite an experience to come back to the land of your forefathers after over 125 140 years actually. So they said many things. One interesting thing they said was they said uh in India God seems to be working over time

11:08 because the streets you're driving children will just go under your car from here and they come out the side. All kinds of people are living on the street. People literally the families are living on the street and people keep driving full speed and nobody gets killed. They do. But because we have 1 billion, we don't notice the dead. Yes. When you have too many things on your hand, you can't count, isn't it? So they said God is working overtime in India. Maybe sometimes he takes a

11:54 [Music] break. [Music] So accidents happen everywhere in the world but not the way they happen here. here. If you reach your home, it's an accident. If you don't have a scratch on your car, it's a miracle. Isn't it? The kind of proximity and pushing we're doing around in the traffic. If you don't have a single scratch on your car, it's definitely a miracle. Otherwise, it's not possible.

12:48 I managed to drive my car without a single scratch till now. Let's [Music] see. Things are happening around us. The biggest problem with Indians is just this what is right in front of their eyes. They don't see but they see everything else that you they cannot see. It's a major problem in the country. Not a simple problem. And it's not a joke. It's a tragedy. Because if a man falls dead, we have a fantastic explanation

13:35 how his ancient karma has taken over today. You know somebody sleeping on the street side if they get run over. Now we know how their bad karma you know worked upon them. They must have been dreaming of bad things. That is why God himself drove in the form of a drunken youth and took away their lives. We have fantastic explanations for absolutely inhuman situations which gives us a certain insulation. We don't have to look at it. We don't have to act upon it because

14:23 after all everything is playing, everything is just going right according to the karmic cycle and God's will. Everything is just happening right. We should not disturb such divine phenomena, isn't it? Yes. Taking action against such divi divine phenomena will not be good. Isn't it? So youth like you don't add to this tragedy. Stand up and do something about your life and life around you. It's very very important. Is this bad luck? Somebody got killed. Is it bad

15:08 luck? Karma, if you don't know karma business, you say it's just bad luck. Right? I want you to understand human life happens here only to the extent we manage it. You don't manage it well, everything will go bad. The problem with people is they apply these fancy philosophies out of there only to some extent in their lives. Apply it all the way and see what will happen to you. You can't live a day, isn't it? Yes. You stretch it all the way into your life and see. You cannot exist for a day. You just This is [Music] entertainment. This is all just

15:54 entertainment in people's mind that they want to just play with it. not really bring in 100%. If you bring in 100% within a day, you will realize it's all hoax, isn't it? Yes or no? So, we don't do what we have to do. See, the creator has given you the intelligence not to put it on freeze, but to use it, right? It is on freeze simply because of one of the reasons is all these stupid ideas about life. Not just this all kinds of ideas you have about life, you just keep it aside. Just see how active and alert your intelligence will

16:41 become. Yes. No ideas about anything. No ideas at all about anything. Just look at everything the way it is. You will see your intelligence will become so very active because you have ideas. You put it to sleep for everything. You have a readym made idea. So no need to look at anything. Wasted evolution, isn't it? Took millions of years to develop this and now we are not using it. We think we're going to save it for future generations. No, if you use it, there will be planet for future generations. If we don't use it, there will be nothing for future generations. Namaskaram sadguru. We have often heard you say be with me. How can I truly be

17:29 with you? So being with me first of all what does it mean? Is it about being with someone? Is it about thinking about them? Is it about generating thoughts and emotion about them? [Music] No, being with me is just about using me as a tool just to be. That's all. Being with me does not mean you have continuous thought or continuous emotion. The psychological processes,

18:16 whatever you do, all the play of thought and emotion that happens within you, whatever it may be, it can only be a way of paving the way. It is not the journey. Now uh now you want to go to crime. If you generate thoughts about going to crime, it'll pave the way. Maybe you will buy a ticket, maybe you'll start walking, maybe you'll start doing

19:02 something in the direction. But thinking about it by itself is not going. Isn't it? Doesn't matter how much you think about it, you don't go. But by thinking about it, you pave the way. Without thinking about it, you will not pave the way. Only because the thought I want to go to has come. Depending upon how strong that thought is, that quickly you pave your way. But the thought can never be the journey. It is only paving the way. So when I say be with me, initially it may be all about

19:48 thought that you generate thought naturally because that's the way your mind operates. Maybe if the thought becomes strong it gets followed by emotion. If thought and emotion align with each other, what you're thinking and what you're emoting at a certain time or together, then it becomes a strong rope, a strong connection with something or a strong possibility that you will go there. If you're thinking and feeling strongly about something, you will naturally go there. Isn't it? So, whatever that is. Now today you want to go to the cinema not the

20:33 satsang. If you're thinking and also feeling strongly about it what's the latest cinema? What's the what is the latest cinema right now? Doom. So if you start thinking doom doom doom and if your heart start beating doom doom doom invariably you will end up there isn't it the thought itself doesn't take you there but it paves the way it gives the necessary impetus in

21:19 you to move in that direction but still you have to walk to doom. How muchever you think about it, you will not end up in doom. Isn't it? You still have to walk. So thought and emotion are just instruments to pave the way but never the [Music] journey. This is a simple distinction but unfortunately most people do not get this distinction. They think thinking about something is already being there. Somebody told you bajindam what it means is now what's goinda means? Go means

22:08 cow. Govinda is one who hurts the cows. A cow herd. Think of the cow herd means the one who hurts the existence. I mean that's a point of reference that now it is not being said you think about the coward saying your mind should think about the coward mama foolish mind think of the coward because only if the mind thinks about the coward then it will it'll pave the way for you to walk in the direction. So thinking about

22:54 God, people ask you to think about God not because it is a reality because by thinking about it, it will set a direction to your life. That's all. So being with me when I say here, I'm not telling you sit there and think about me. That's a pretty bra thought. You could think about the doom people. Who are who are the people there? They must be quite pretty. Whoever it is. So why think about me?

23:43 So being with someone is not about thinking about someone once you have made an attempt to be in a certain space a certain possibility has become a live factor. It is no more a thought. There is a certain life possibility. A certain investment of energy has been made. Unfortunately, most of the spiritual pro process on the planet is just passing off as psychological exercises. Where there is no investment of

24:29 life, where there is no activation of life, it is all about thought and emotion. It will just go on as a psychological process. Psychological process means it is your creation. Yes. Is it your [Music] creation? If you get too involved in your own creation, you will miss the creator's creation. Obviously, that's all that's happening right now. Whether you're thinking about doom or sguru or god or devil, it doesn't matter. If you get into too much of psychological process, it is your creation. If you get

25:15 too enamored with your own creation, you will miss the creator's creation. Obviously, this is the only source of misery. If you really look at it, this is the only source of confusion in people. Confusion is only in your mind, isn't it? Is there any confusion in the creation? There is no confusion in the creation. Confusion is only in the mind because you have attached too much importance to the psychological process. It is your creation. When your creation has gained so much significance, naturally you get removed, completely dislocated from the creator's

26:03 creation. That means from reality, you are moving into the hallucinatory. Whether the hallucination is about God or guru or cinema or money or whatever, it doesn't matter. What is the hallucination about? Whether it is a good hallucination or a bad hallucination, whether you are having a wonderful dream or a nightmare, they are the same, isn't it? You're getting entangled with the unreal. So being with me is not thinking about me, not emoting about me, simply being. Once

26:49 you made this mistake of sitting in situations like this, you can leave even [Music] now. Once you made the mistake of sitting in situations like this, if you be, you can only be with me. There is no other way. If you think, you can think about anything. Whether you think about me or you think about something, it really is not of great consequence. Maybe in terms of paving the way. Yes. Yes, it is. What you think about and what you feel about you where you is where you naturally go in that context. Yes. But existentially it doesn't mean anything. You're thinking about something doesn't

27:34 mean anything because it has no existential substance to it. It is purely psychological. So being here with me means when I say be with me, how do you know how to be with me? The only way you know how to be is to see, to hear, to be focused. Now for many of you over a period of time it is it has happened to many of you that now if I say be with me the first thing you do is close your eyes which is happening. If I say just be with me

28:22 naturally there are many people who are just closing their eyes because suddenly it has changed. There was a time if I said be with me they sat like this. Now if I said be with me they're closing their eyes. This you don't do consciously. Okay now closing my eyes is superior to opening my eyes. It will not work that way. It is just that what you held as external has become internal. Naturally you close your eyes. If it happens naturally it's fine. If you pretend it's a waste of life. The problem with spiritual processes is just this that somebody did that everybody

29:07 wants to do that by imitating that act that will not happen. Now Gautama sat like this absolutely still you try to sit like this it won't work. Chaititanya Mahaprabhu danced so you dance like him. It won't help. Somebody else worked all his life through. You do that, it won't help. There are many other mystics who did many freaky things. If you do it, it won't help. On a certain day, I was walking. You know you man

29:53 walked all the way throughout his life. He walked by the time he was 32 he walked up and down this country the length and breadth of this country two to three times. That means practically most of his life the man was walking. Yes. So once he was walking as usual and his disciples were walking behind him. They were passing through a village and there was a shop which was selling arak that is a locally brewed liquor. Adishankara just walked in took a pot full of arac and just drank it up and walked out. Then the disciples were

30:39 walking behind him and a discussion started among them. Our guru is drinking. Why are we missing out? He's drinking. That means it's a right thing. Yes, he himself is drinking means that's a right thing to do, isn't it? The next village came and all these guys ran into the rock shop and drank and they were wobbling behind him. So Adishankara saw it in the rear view [Music] mirror that his disciples were had rubbery legs and they were walking wobbly wobbly. The next village when it

31:26 came he went to the blacksmith's shop. There the blacksmith had molten iron. He just picked it up and drank it and he just walked on. Now they all got straight. This they don't want to do. So just imitating an act is is the main reason why you're unable to be. Right from your childhood they have told you to emulate somebody else. This is the main reason why people can't be you know especially depressed people when they come they ask who is your role

32:12 model I said what is that I never heard of anything like that what is a role model no who is your role model that means whom do you imitate or who inspired you maybe that's what they're asking It's most important that your children grow up without a role model. Especially not [Applause] you. We always think we must set up a role model. If you set up a role model, there's a desperate effort to be something other than who you are.

32:58 In this effort, this natural quality of being is completely lost in a human being. He's always desperately trying to be something other than what he is, which takes away his ability to simply be. Generally, this is a common question that keeps coming to me. older generation of people who have desperately been trying to be spiritual. They went to all the Gita discourses. They heard the Vanta. They heard many things. They believe they know all these things better than Krishna himself.

33:44 But they come here and they look around and see after some time they realize these young people who don't know a damn thing about any spirituality are jumping and flying away. But uh they are just sitting and watching. This question comes to me any number of times. I have done so much. I've always wanted this in my life. Nothing is happening to me. I can see these young boys and girls. They don't know a damn thing, but they're flying away. What is it? This is all the problem is. You're desperately trying to be something other than who you are, which just destroys the very way you are. Role models you

34:30 have, too much imitation has gone into you. Imitation involves tremendous calculation, isn't it? Yes. Does it? If you want to imitate somebody, you can never imitate anybody totally. You want to improve upon your imitation too. Isn't it? Yes. So, imitation involves tremendous calculation. Once this calculation comes, you cannot be. One simple way of learning to be is You just drop this one calculation. What can I get out of this satsan? You just drop that. You don't

35:17 have to get anything. Okay. You don't have to benefit from this. Just waste half day and go really. What should I get out of my meditation? Nothing. Just wait 15 20 minutes every day. You waste it. Just wasting time. That's all. So do not meditate, do not do anything. Just learn to waste some time. Nothing need to happen. This is not about resting. This is not about becoming healthy. This is not about becoming enlightened. This is not about reaching heaven. This is just wasting time. When you're not trying to be anything, not trying to get anywhere. You're being

36:06 You became too in everything you want to take something out of it. These are all modern terminologies. What is the takeaway from today's satssung? If you look for takeaway, you'll only take petty things. The real thing will never come with you. If you want the real thing, stop the takeaway business. simply be nothing need to happen. So because people do not have the necessary awareness to simply be an alternative was suggested which is you just be in love because this is

36:53 one state where to some extent I wouldn't say all the way to some extent you can be without a takeaway but that's not true generally even though you think you are in love with somebody if they don't give what they're supposed to give, it'll all crack up, isn't it? Yes or no? Generally, a love affair is just a mutual benefit scheme, isn't it? You give me this, I'll give you that. If you don't give me that, I won't give you this. Yes or no? So all this talks about developing a deep sense of love or compassion this that is only to this is only towards

37:41 this end that is you're taking away the expectation what should I get is being removed by creating a strong sense of emotion towards somebody otherwise mind is calculating that's okay why should I do this what will I just to remove that that's all otherwise by itself it doesn't mean anything so no take away today is that okay no takeaway nothing to get you won't get anything so is this the last satssung I will come to yes if I don't get anything what the hell am I doing here see that's the

38:27 nature of your mind please see I'm not getting anything so why should I go there that's the whole thing it is so simple this one calculation if you drop in your life what will I get if you drop this calculation 90% of the work is over understand another 10% will happen by [Music] itself you know the snake on the ladder game many ladders There's many snakes up and down journeys will happen but once you hit the last rung after that no more snakes you just have to get one and one and one and one and one and you're there isn't it but no more snakes to eat you

39:13 up this is just like that if you just drop this one calculation what can I get after that no more snakes it is just a question of time you will get that can we drop that calculation [Music] In everything in everything in your life what can I get is dropped means you will become really boundless and absolutely compassionate in your life. There is no other way. You just have to drop this one simple calculation because that is the key to your whole mind and your mental process. That is the key to all the activity that's happening in the mind. It's all about

39:58 what can I get, isn't it? You just pull the plug. It's over. Then being is just natural. How else to be? You're only being even now. You're missing your being because of too much psychological activity. Isn't it? Yes. You can't try to be. It doesn't work. You just have to pull this one plug. What can I get? At least lower it. You can't pull it out totally. Just lower that and you will see you will be able to be