Sharanagati

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 30.09.2017 morning, Sofia)

(continues from the previous Monday)

“You have joined the Gaudia Mission, but this is so huge – so many departments, so many Maths, so many duties! But where is my mission? At first it is a hazy thing, a big thing. Then, after you were admitted, you were taken in and placed in a particular direction. Your attention was directed towards some post, you went there and gradually you were given some duty to discharge. The whole of the mission is yours, but still you have a particular department and a particular duty, and that will increase more and more. It is possible that you may become the personal secretary of your Gurudev, or a preacher, or a cook for your Gurumaharaj, and some may be asked to go to other places to preach. Sometimes those may be dangerous places for the devotees, but someone also have to take that kind of duty. Adjustment is necessary. First there is entrance within a mission, then adjustment begins.”[1] I think it happened with all of us in the same manner.

“Religion is proper adjustment, according to the fitness of the man who is given admission. Do you follow?” “Yes, yes, I follow, but still I have some questions.” Shridhara Maharaj says: “What kind of question you might still have?!”

This is something to remember! How this divine principle, guru-tattva, will enter our life and wholly change what we have perceived and understood so far. In one sense it will shatter into pieces all that we had before. This is the admittance into the mission – to break you. The next step is the proper adjustment – when you can build up a new reality, a spiritual reality, a divine reality in your life. And according to our abilities and according to our readiness, we are positioned in certain places.

So please, remember that it’s not only the masters, the gurus who represent a principle, but you as disciples also represent the divine principle of the student. And many people think that to be a guru is very prestigious. ‘He will always receive the garland and not me.’ But actually to be on the other side, to be a disciple, in my humble opinion is more prestigious. Because in this way we can serve those who are dear to Krishna. And the best way to serve someone is to serve those who are the beloved ones of this person. So if you meet a person on the street who is walking his dog and if you want to capture the heart of that person, what will you say? “Such a nice dog!” Or if you see a dog walking his master on the street and you want to capture the heart of the dog, what you will say? “Ah, such a nice master you have!” Serve those whom people love and they will be enamored with you! But if you meet a friend on the street and you say: “Ah, I love you so much, but this dirty dog here… just kick him out!”, he will not love you. Therefore God says: “Those who worship me in the temples with all the ceremonies, but are cruel and misbehave with others, they don’t really worship Me, I don’t accept them.”

Serve those, appreciate those whom Krishna loves – then you can capture His attention. Therefore we are so fortunate, because our Lord provided us with the company of those whom He loves. He has given us the devotees. He has given us the masters. This is the way to approach the Supreme – serve, love those whom He also loves. It’s very simple. Therefore we celebrate the guru principle. Because through serving this principle we can satisfy the Supreme Lord.

(to be continued)

[1] from Shrila Shridhara Maharaj, ‘Specific service’