Sharanagati

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, May 2013, evening, Sofia)

Question of Hayagriva: How should we concentrate on Shrimati Radharani? Because Krishna is described in details, we know something about His qualities, something about His pastimes, but Shrimati Radharani is a little bit hidden. What should be our mood? 

Swami Tirtha: Well, find those for whom Shrimati Radharani is not hidden. Try to ask from them, try to learn from them. 

But why She is hidden? Because this is the mystic side of our religion. Actually Mahaprabhu gave the love mysticism, the mystic path of divine love. And mystic means hidden, not open. Although His program, His campaign, so to say, is an open campaign: “Anybody come, join the holy names!” Yet, the essential part is reserved. But actually, practically all the gosvamis are writing about Her, or this intimate connection – bhaava. 

This is one possibility – that you search for devotees of Radhika. But if you have not much chance for that, even then you are not excluded from this. Because then you will search for Krishna, right. First we find Shri Guru and we follow dharma, we follow the teachings and rules, and regulations, and we are purified. And finally, ultimately you meet Krishna. You say: “My, dear Lord, I am here!” But as we are well trained devotees, we shall have a question to Him. “How can I serve You?” It’s not: “Please give me this, give me that. Finally I am here! So, now it’s Your turn”. No, we are well educated vaishnavas, so “How can I serve you, my Lord?” But then you will see that the omniscient God will say: “I don’t know! I have no idea about serving Myself. If you want to learn about this, I have a proper guide for you.” And then He will tell you: “Go to Shrimati Radharani! She knows everything about My service.”

So, ultimately you will meet Her. Either this way, or that way, we shall meet the servants of God. This is the principle. We are not searching for God Himself, but we are searching for the service of God and the servants of God. 

Again you can see: such a refined method, such a refined structure. Most of the religions, practically all other religions search for God. But we search for the pure servants of God. Because we know that the Supreme is always with them. This is the point. So, again you can see how subtle, how refined this whole process is. Therefore if we meet a pure devotee – that is the holy place for us. If he is telling about the price of the cement, because he is building a temple – this is pure krishna-katha for us. Because he is focused, and if I am focused on him, then I am focused on his focus. This is the parampara system. 

Shrimati Radharani, She is also very tricky, and She is also not an easy character. She is like a dominating lady. So, therefore you, Bulgarian ladies, are I think very good representatives. And Her feet, Her soles are very nicely decorated. Very nice figures are painted on Her soles. And you know the gopis, they also want to be eligible for special services. And for special services we need special marks on our bodies. Therefore we put the tilaka if we do some puja. Or in some other cases devotees have some prints, like stamps and they put the holy names on their forehead. But for special type of services the same patterns that are described on Radharani’s soles are most beneficial. 

Yet how to achieve those patterns? How to have them on our bodies? I mean not on our bodies, but this is the meditation of the gopis: ‘How can I obtain the same patterns?’ So, when they serve Shrimati Radharani in a very nice way, combing Her hair, others are massaging Her with some scented oils, others are playing the lute just to create a perfect environment, but one of the gopis is meditating not on how to enhance this beautiful environment, but ‘I need that print. How can I achieve that print?’ Radharani is in a very reserved mood and now She is a little angry at Krishna, because again He was naughty. Otherwise She is in a very relaxed mood, all the gopis try to pacify Her. Then this friend starts to glorify Krishna. Shrimati Radharani is dreaming and relaxing and our gopi is positioned not by Her head, but by Her feet. And when Radharani hears the name ‘Krishna’, She jerks and all of a sudden the soles of Her feet are pressed on the forehead of this gopi. Radharani says: “Sakhi, what did you say?”, kicking her by the feet. And then our gopi says: “Oh, what a blessing! Finally I have this special mark on my forehead! This makes me an adhikari! Adhikarini! Now I am eligible for a special service.”

But one thing is for sure – it’s not enough to read, or to hear, or to repeat some nice stories; we have to develop the mood. Because in Ganga’s water, it’s not the water that will purify you. It’s the divine element that purifies.