Sharanagati

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 17.08.2017 morning, Ludasto) 

(continues from the previous Friday)

There is one more very powerful instrument in chanting, a very powerful help – the good company, the inspiring company. Then your heart and soul fly. If you have such a friend, such a devotee brother or sister around, then everything is provided. Why do we need this intense connection? Because chanting is private. I don’t know how you feel, but sometimes it is not so easy to chant freely in the company of others. It’s so intimate, isn’t it? But if you have this favorable environment, if you have this support of feeling, and rasa, and goals – then it will multiply the enthusiasm of chanting.

I think yesterday we had an experiment – this grand japa. There we could feel the multiplication of the powers. So, favorable environment also means that you find support.

And we should strictly and deeply feel for the holy name. Because other services, other followers of religions can also accomplish it. But there are very few who will worship God through the holy names. So, this is a special function, a special service. Therefore we have to contribute in this very specific type of service – chanting the holy names. Because mostly people pray ‘Give me this, give me that.’ But we pray: ‘Let me give myself to You.’ That’s different. We can say that Govinda is starving. He is starving for your contribution. “Please, call Me by My name, My dear son, My dear daughter!” He is expecting that. And therefore, through the pure chanting of the name, we shall meet Him. Just as you meet the rising sun every morning, you will finally meet Him as well. Maybe you have some remarks or questions?

Question by Krishna Priya: Why and when does the holy name come in a dream?

Swami Tirtha: If you neglect the holy name during your awake state, then Krishna demands it and He will come in your dreams. But the goal is to focus the consciousness when we are awake, to keep up a good standard of consciousness when we are awake. Then Gurudev said that when you have this, it’s easier to purify the consciousness while you are asleep. Because our goal is pure consciousness 24 hours per day. 365/ 7/ 24. That means while you are asleep as well. How?! It’s impossible to control the mind while you are awake, what to speak of your nights! But Gurudev has set the standard high. He said not only ‘Well, remember our Krishna only 1.5 hours while you chant your rounds.’ No, he said ‘24 hours’.

So, if the holy name resounds in our dreams and, for example, if your dream is with devotees or with the spiritual master – I think this we can rely on, we can take it as a spiritual instruction.

Sometimes people tell me: “Oh, I had a dream with Bhakti Abhay Narayan Maharaj! He was teaching me something…” I always ask: “Do you remember what he said?” “No!” And then I say: “Yes, it was him!” Because usually people don’t remember what he was teaching. So, we have to learn the language of dreams also.

But in general we can say that if your life is so easy, so happy and so satisfied that you forget about Him, then He will give you some trouble – to remember. Whether you are awake or dreaming, it doesn’t matter.

(to be continued)