It's important for a spiritual person to be happy, content and strong: Sunandaji

She's a spiritual master with a knack for clear talk and vivid similes. Mumbai-based Sunandaji, who will be lecturing in the city tomorrow, offers a slice of contemporary wisdom for the 21st century spiritual seeker.

Q: Why have you specifically chosen Chapter 15 of the Bhagavad Gita to base your lecture series on?
A: Well, the last time I had lectured in public on Chapter 14 and since I go in chronological order this time it's Chapter 15.

Q: What is the central message of Chapter 15 of the Gita?
A: It's considered one of the most subtle chapters of the Gita. It talks about the highest reality of existence and how to get there. It's similar to a pole vaulter who jumps over an impossible height with the help of a pole. He goes a major distance with the pole and then has to propel himself on his own steam to cross the height. Similarly the highest reality is beyond our intellectual comprehensions but there is a path (pole) that can propel us to reach it.

Q: And what is that path?
A: The path is not singular – there are three aspects to it which are complementary and must be employed. The first is physical – when you use your body and your actions not just to achieve worldly success but to pursue an attitudinal change from being a completely selfish being to an unselfish one and then finally to a selfless one. The second is when you direct your emotions towards a higher, nobler purpose and to purify your personality, instead of being swayed by them. And the third is when you use your knowledge not just for materialistic achievement but to discover the unifying spiritual principle behind all of life.

Q: Does one necessarily need a guru or a mentor to walk the path of Self-Realisation?
A: It usually depends on the calibre of the person in question. A guru is like a sign-post that ensures that you are on the right track and are not veering off. Does a sportsman need a trainer to achieve excellence? A guru is very much like that. He/She helps identify your strengths and weaknesses and can coach you from an objective point of view. It's also true that as human beings we often may not be able to accurately realise our weaknesses.

Q: Is life a game of suffering and happiness?
A: Life is a buffet – everything's available. But you must choose wisely. You must learn to make the right choices and whatever you choose you will have to live with. That's why having an education is so important.

Q: Do we humans have free will or is everything predetermined for us?
A: Human beings are the only creatures on Earth who have free will. Of all life forms on this planet, only humans have the freedom to choose and to determine their destinies. If it were otherwise change would not be possible – that is why people who are born in stark circumstances can blossom at some stage in life and vice-versa. Just look at our PM who started off a a tea boy...

Q: Is it important for spiritual seekers to be actively engaged in society?
A: It depends on the person. Some spiritual seekers need to be actively involved in society while others choose to live a secluded life. One must be true to oneself and to one's inner nature or swadharma. Just as it is important for scientists to have secluded laboratory conditions to make scientific discoveries, it is necessary for some spiritualists to lead a cloistered life in order to make their inner-soul discoveries. Both, ultimately, benefit people, benefit humanity. Having said that it's important for a spiritual person to be happy, content and strong wherever he/she is because you can't help anyone if you are a victim yourself. You need to be a complete human being to benefit others and those are the qualities that spirituality brings about.

WHEN & WHERE: November 3 to 6, Ravindra Natya Mandir, Prabhadevi