Sharanagati

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 11.01.2019 morning, Sofia)

(continues from the previous Friday)

When Krishna had His pastimes on this planet Earth, the most intimate servants and partners in His happy and innocent games were the gopals and the gopis. And Rupa Goswami has classified the gopis into three categories. It is said, the first group are those gopis who are the same age as Krishna. The second group are the younger ones, younger than Krishna. And the third one – who carry messages. The first category is called samaja, born together, of the same age. The second, these younger servants, are called mandala, belonging to the mandala, belonging to the inner circle of Krishna. And the messengers are called the entourage of Krishna, ghana – they are His people. You see, many times we think gopis – this is one group. No, they are three groups. Of course, there are many, many sub-groups and many other descriptions, but let’s start from this. Of the same age, younger and messengers. 

The same-age gopis are also divided into two groups: those who belong to the external circle and those who belong to the inner circle. As the messengers need to carry the news, they are very well acquainted with the environment, but they are engaged in the most external services, because they go out and they come back. Then what about the third category – the younger ones? The younger ones are considered to be the most intimate servants, because they can enter where others cannot enter. You are parents, mostly. Sometimes you think, ‘Ah, I can speak freely because my kid will not understand”. Wrong. They will understand everything – of course, according to their level, but immediately they will feel when you are agitated or morose, or when you have a problem, or when you are jolly. But the young ones, they can come anytime. You don’t mind if your small child crawls into your bed, right? But if the neighbor, who usually brings all the news of the village, wants to crawl into your bed, you don’t accept, right? Some relationships you accept, other relationships you don’t accept – it’s forbidden, no way! So, it is said that the youngest gopis are allowed to enter where others are forbidden. And this supreme purity, this childlike innocence is considered to be practically the topmost achievement of spiritual life. 

And who is in the center of all these classes of serving gopis, who is in the focus of their attention? This is the Divine Couple. So, we can say that the gopis are dancing, buzzing around Radha-Govinda. If we use a symbolic language, we can say that when the male and female principle are combined, the creation will start – but this is so boring, so theoretical! Yet if we say Radha and Govinda are dancing and everything is revolving around Them, then we can understand this secret of creation in a very poetic manner. In this way we can understand that practically everything that is created, everything that emanates from this divine source, serves the purpose of the center. It’s not against it, rather everything is favorable towards the center. And this is what we also need to realize in our life – that if our beloved Krishna is in the center, everything that we have should serve Their purpose in a harmonious way. Then we can say that our life is arranged in a mandala structure. And the mandala is for generating power – this is a power structure. If you find your proper place in a power structure, you will be empowered. Do you agree on this point? 

For example, you join the devotees. That means you enter the disciplic mandala of the sadhu-sangha. You don’t have the ability to cook nice, but you are supposed to be the main cook of the ashram. And if you try to dedicate yourself fully, slowly-slowly some powers will be delegated to you. Maybe on the first day devotees will cry over your soup. But after one month they will cry in a different manner: it will be so nice, so sweet, so satisfying that they will be fully satisfied. Or sometimes you are supposed to be the main leader of the bhajan. And maybe on the first day devotees will cry over your bhajan. But if you slowly-slowly qualify yourself, then next time they will cry different tears. I mean the powers will be delegated to you if you accept your role in the disciplic mandala. It’s very important! Qualities will appear. 

(to be continued)