Sharanagati

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 06.01.2018 evening, Sofia)

(continues from the previous Friday)

We need to follow the eternal path. If we follow a non-eternal path, we shall fail. The perfection of our human life is waiting at the end of our eternal path. But in order to find this eternal path, we need to be extremely lucky. You will say: ‘Lucky? If everything is determined by karma, action-reaction, what is this good luck?’ You might think that it doesn’t exist. But actually less-informed people believe in chance; better-informed people believe in results, action-reaction; but those who are supremely intelligent believe in good luck.

Because what is good luck? This is the smile of the Supreme over you, right. Do you believe in that? Yes, we want to believe in that – that the merciful God has a merciful and smiling glance over us. And fortunately enough, our icon, our ideal – this Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead – is always described as smiling. I don’t know if you have checked His pictures, but He is always smiling. Why? Because these pictures don’t describe the Supreme as heavily overburdened by the job of creation or having a morose vision due to judging the sins of the human beings. He is not interested in that. There are some guys who take care of these duties. But on Krishna’s face you will always see a smile.

His beauty is compared to the full moon – it is another chance to remember Krishna. His feet are compared to lotuses. His face is compared to the full moon. His eyes are compared to the lotus petals. So, if we can imagine beauty to the utmost – this is God. Can we imagine an ugly God? No, it’s impossible. We believe in beauty and love, we want to follow the eternal path of beauty and love. And if through good fortune we can find this eternal path, then this is the good luck. This is the blessing smile of the Supreme over us.

Question: You spoke very beautiful words about Krishna, that He is only love. But why is He sending Arjuna to such a devastating war in Bhagavad Gita?

Swami Tirtha: Very good question, thank you. If we take the Kurukshetra war as a symbol of life, then we shall know that during a lifetime we have very good, positive and elated periods, but we have very difficult moments as well. So, the Kurukshetra war was such a difficult moment, a conflict. Yet actually everything that comes from God is a blessing. So, His favour towards His devotees like the Pandavas and their army was like a direct blessing. But those who had to take the role of enemies, they were also blessed and although they lost this battle, they achieved liberation. We can say that towards the enemy this was an indirect blessing from God Krishna. So ultimately, although at first glance this seems like a conflict, ultimately it is an arrangement.

Life is very similar. Sometimes we lose battles. But we shall not lose the war. And of course, there are many different aspects, but maybe these little ideas might help you to understand.

(to be continued)