Sharanagati

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 04.01.2019 morning, Sofia)

(continues from the previous Friday)

Success, on the one hand, is a result of your activities – as a consequence, expected so much by people in general. But we know that there is another factor here and this is the divine providence, the divine will that will provide the real fructifying of your activities. So, success in the material sense is not a goal, it’s not an ambition for us. Because we know that this is not a goal, but it is a result of proper action. So, with proper activity you can expect proper results. But it is not the success itself that is a goal. We need to act properly; and then the proper reaction, the proper results will come. 

Yet what happens if you try to act properly and no good results, no success is there? Then next time during the lecture you will protest, “Maharaj, sorry, your version doesn’t work. This philosophy is wrong. This is my final conclusion: there is a mistake in Mahaprabhu’s mission”. But be patient. Healing a disease sometimes happens through more severe symptoms. First the fever is higher, but just in order to kill the germs. Sometimes the body overheats. Especially if you are a great saint. I heard about some saints whose bodily temperature was 48 degrees centigrade. It’s impossible – we think. But it’s possible. Everything is possible. Of course, this is not the goal – to raise our temperature to prove that we are great saints. But if it happens against all the principles of biology and healthcare systems, don’t be surprised. 

So success is not a goal. Proper action is a goal. Now let’s pick another goal for people in general. Tell me some goals, some ambitions of human beings. Money. Money is sweeter than honey. But I think people in general understand that this is the instrument for their happiness, right? They can achieve whatever they want if they have this. 

But actually what is the gender of money? Female, everybody knows! Why female? Actually this is due to its nature – moving so fast, not staying in one place. Especially not in our pockets. So money, wealth, is female. And, you know, this division by genders is very useful, because we need a balance. If man and man come together, this is called a fight. If woman and woman come together, this is called a chat. But if money and woman come together, that means spending. Therefore the man has to take care of the money issues. Because then there is balance – male and female. Just like in a family – male and female, plus children. Not male and male plus children. Or not two fathers and one mother. Sometimes it happens. Because then the cosmic balance is there in this small unit, in this family. So it’s important. 

Also, money is a manifestation of Lakshmi Devi. And there is a nice story about a young man who was very poor and he wanted to become wealthy. So he prayed to Lakshmi Devi and worshipped her. He gave all his activities and all his thoughts, his karma and gyana to Lakshmi Devi. But practically no result, no improvement in his financial conditions – his whole lifetime he was poor. Finally, very close to the end of his life, he had a darshan with Lakshmi Devi. Our friend was a little frustrated and complained: “You came too late. I was praying my whole life and you come at the end? I tried to worship you, but you neglected me. You don’t like me, I understood. And it’s painful for me”. But then Mother Lakshmi said, “No, it’s the opposite. I like you so much that I didn’t gave you my blessings. Because then you would have forgotten about me. If you possess the money, you would forget about me – the source of your wealth. Now you are old and you are still thinking of me.” So, don’t think that the lack of feedback is a lack of affection.

In general, we can say that the art of wealth depends on the contentment. Because if you ask a wealthy man if he is satisfied, usually they say ‘no’. If you ask a poor guy if he is satisfied, he will say ‘no’ – so what is the difference? Only the big headache; to make a fortune, it’s a big headache. To keep that fortune – it’s an even bigger headache! And when you start losing it, it’s very bitter. 

So again, we can say that money is not a goal, it is an instrument – of service. Money can be used for three purposes. One is: you use it for your maintenance and your family, etc. The second is: you give it for some good purpose. And the third chance for money is that you will lose it. These are the three uses of money.

It’s a flow of energy. Just as we gain some expertise in, let’s say, cultivating flowers in order to offer them to our beloved Mahaprabhu, in the same way we can also learn how to treat this energy nicely in order to use it in service. So money is not a demigod and money is not a demon. It’s an instrument, it’s a kind of energy that we can apply, use in service.  

(to be continued)