Sharanagati

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 01.10.2017 evening, Sofia)

Question: In the morning you said that money and women are not so important. Where is the place of family in this respect? Because these two make up family.

Swami Tirtha: Three – with you, right? Well, everything has got its place. Krishna also has His family. And not only one wife, but many. Everybody according to their capacity. As He possesses all the wealth in the world, He can take care of many ladies. Actually that happened in the end of the last yuga; now times have changed. And even if you possess all the wealth of the world, it’s very hard to maintain one lady.

Question: How did He manage?

Swami Tirtha: He is God. This proves that He is beyond human.

But to be serious about your question: we are not against family. Our process supports family life as an ashram. Because ashram is a place of spiritual progress. And ultimately it is said: grihe thako vane thako sada hari bole dako[1] – “Whether you live in the forest or you live in a home – just chant the holy names!”

But that specific quotation – to avoid women and money – concerns those who want to follow an ascetic life. Because usually these temptations come very easily if you want to avoid them. If a brahmachari wants to avoid women and money, it will very easily come to him. If you are a family man and you want to have money, it will come very difficultly. Material things always work on the opposite. Therefore don’t pay too much attention on this, pay attention on the spiritual side.

But family is definitely very important. Because even sannyasis are born from mothers. We need families to have ascetics. Definitely in my humble understanding we should support people in their respective duties. If you are a student, a brahmachari, you should be a good brahmachari. If you are a head of a family, you should be a very responsible person. If you are an ascetic, a sannyasi, you should live up to the standards. Because if everybody performs nicely his or her duties, everybody will progress nicely. Krishna is not reserved for the ascetics. He is there in your heart as well. He is with you. Irrespective of your ashram – whether you live alone or you live in a family – He is with you. This is the only thing that we have to realize: I’m a spiritual spark, I belong to Him and there is a loving connection between us.

But both wife and money are female energy. Therefore those who want to establish a family they have to be real men – to be able to yield and to serve and to use these energies. And as Krishna was a real guy, He could handle thousands of wives. He could provide the necessary wealth to maintain them. As He maintains the whole universe. So, I think in this respect we should be very much pro family. Because it is a very good place to practice and to improve our service mood.

[1] A line of the song Gay Goura Madhur Sware by Bhaktivinod Thakur