Sharanagati

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, May 2012, Sofia)

Question: What does exactly divine mercy mean?

Swami Tirtha: What does it mean: air? What does it mean: water? What does it mean: life? What does it mean: love? Mercy is not something strange or unusual that we have to obtain and it’s far away – no! This is the natural element that is around us. It’s here! Do you see that, do you feel that? If not, this is not the mistake of divine mercy. Other question?

Question of Hayagriva: One of the things we learnt from this story of Hiranyakashipu was that despite his severe penances and austerity he does not give up his enjoying mentality. So how can one get rid of this enjoying mentality?

Swami Tirtha: But my dear friend, if we give up our enjoying mentality, what will be left in our construction? Nothing, you are just like an empty shell. So shall we give up our enjoying mentality? No, we understood that we have to be attached, we have to be full of desires, we have to be envious. Don’t give up your enjoying mentality, please! Transform it! Because people on the material platform think that they enjoy. But that’s a mistake, they suffer. It’s called suffering! Their enjoyment is called suffering. So don’t give up your enjoying mentality, transform it. Come to the real platform of enjoyment.

Can you tell me what the most expensive spice is? Saffron. And they can produce oil from saffron. It’s not the flower itself, it’s only this little stamen inside that will bring the nectar. So with a heavy job they collect all these little containers of essence. Therefore it is more expensive than gold. But if you press it, it’s oily; so you can make oil from saffron. And in previous times maharajas used saffron oil for their body massage. So, today some westerners think that they know something about enjoyment. I have to tell you, they don’t know anything.

But what is the real level of enjoyment? This is devotional life. Because then you don’t put some saffron oil on your body, which will perish anyway, but you bathe your soul in the ocean of nectar. So yes, we want to enjoy! Bur really, in a substantial way. We are not satisfied with simple material enjoyments, no. We should be more clever. Come in contact with the real happiness! It’s never-ending.

Question of Dragi: I have read in Shrimad Bhagavatam that the living entity can pass in seven or twenty four dimensions. Whether by reading Shrimad Bhagavatam one can go to some of these dimensions and develop there some spiritual knowledge?

Swami Tirtha: Reading is one, listening is second and following is third. So it’s not enough only to read, even some spiritual advice; it’s much better to listen to that message. And if that message is transmitted to us through a living channel, we have to follow. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu selected Shrimad Bhagavatam as the best of the shastras. And the best part of Shrimad Bhagavatam is contained in the Tenth Canto, describing the loving pastimes between Krishna and His devotees. Rupa Goswami has clarified that picture even better. So we can agree that by following Rupa Goswami as rupanuga-vaishnavas you can cross all the different layers, levels and gradations of existence. Not only in the material sphere, but also in spiritual sense. So, the answer is ‘yes’ – by reading, studying, following, practicing we can cross.