Sharanagati

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 03.10.2017 morning, Sofia)

(continues from the previous Monday)

Harilila: When you were speaking of the demons and the demigods fighting in us, I had this vision – how they were churning the ocean. And what was the first thing that appeared? The poison.

Swami Tirtha: Correct. And sometimes this is what we forget. We think that we mobilize all our powers in spiritual life and we forget about the first result – the poison. But if you stop churning at that time, then you will be killed by the poison. Yet what came after? Only beautiful things. So, a little poison – and then nectar. This is the spiritual churning.

Harilila: But there is also this moment that if the authority didn’t come to drink the poison, it will be bad for us.

Swami Tirtha: Correct. And material churning is different. First you might achieve some happiness, some satisfaction, but at the end the poison will come. So better we mobilize our powers properly, engage even your weaknesses somehow in service and then they might bring good results.

Vedavid: Could you please give an example of that?

Swami Tirtha: Yes. For example, anger. That reminds us of the pink hue on the petals of the lotus. Anger in general is not so much recommended as the spiritual practice, right? But if you use your anger against your weaknesses, then you engage one capacity – which is there in your system – for a higher purpose.

Or in general lobha, greed – in the material life it creates a lot of trouble, right? But it is very obvious that if we don’t have this yearning in spiritual life, this greed somehow to be invited, then it’s very hard to achieve.

Practically almost all the six enemies can be used in devotional service – in a way that is a little special, but it is possible. Kama, krodha, lobha, etc. Except the last one – which is envy. This we should try to exclude and avoid with the utmost attention.

So, this is the way to engage some inner demons, or some inner weaknesses, something that is considered an enemy – in order to help us to reach our goal. This is called intelligence; intelligence means you achieve your goals. Of course, now we are moving in a spiritual circle, right? Bcause everybody else in the external world also thinks: ‘Ah, I’m intelligent if I achieve my goals’. Yet if we add one little thing – this utmost purity of intention – then it is spiritual, without any tinge of material ambition. So, intelligence means that we achieve our goals.

(to be continued)