Sharanagati

(continues from the previous Monday)

Once Shrila Shridhara Maharaj was giving a lecture. And that was a question and answer section and one devotee said: “Maharaj, I have a question.” He said: “The more I practice my spiritual practice the more suffering I perceive. So, can you comment on that?” That was a provocative question. Nevertheless Shrila Shridhara Maharaj started to give a very pacifying answer, you know, as he is doing. Everybody started to float in divine waves of ecstasy. And all of a sudden he practically pointed his finger on this guy and said: “And do you know Judas?” The boy was a little perplexed and said: “From the Jesus story? Yes, yes, I’ve heard about him. This bad guy who committed so much nonsense and finally ended up with suicide – yes, I know.” And then Shridhara Maharaj started to explain the story in a different way. He said that in order to fulfill Lord Jesus’ mission somebody had to betray him, somebody had to play the bad guy. And who can play such a heavy role? Only the most intimate from the suicide squad, who is ready like kamikaze to go with one-way ticket.

Yadunath: Kamikaze squad.

Tirtha Maharaj: One is enough. So, just imagine yourself, after your service for two thousand years, you’re going to be the worst guy ever, betraying your master for thirty coins and then putting him on the cross. Everybody will call you ill names for thousands of years, and nevertheless you are ready to do the service. Because without that contribution the glory of the master cannot be shown fully.

So, don’t forget, a good story has many different readings. One reading is that Judas was a betrayer. Another reading is that he was so selfless, that he did not consider his name, fame and glory, but he was ready to sacrifice himself for the glory of the master and the mission.

Nevertheless, I don’t suggest you that with great devotion you should become like Judas. ‘We have heard on a lecture that we have to sacrifice ourselves, so let’s betray the mission. That is really a famous activity!’ No! Just like Shrila Prabhupad says that failure is the column of success. But don’t build your South Indian style temple with a hall of thousand columns.

So the negative characters do have a role, they help to show the beauty of the positive side on the relative platform. But ultimately they are brothers and in certain cases their contribution is also necessary.