Sharanagati

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 09.05.2018, Sofia)

(continues from the previous Monday) 

And how to keep a fire alive? You have to feed it, right? Feed the fire. Bring everything that is necessary for the service and for your spiritual growth, supply it! Throughout your lifetimes you collect the firewood. Your master will ignite the fire, he will give the spark. And Krishna will provide the ghee. If you have these ingredients, you will have a very nice fire, a very powerful fire.

So, this is it. To put it shortly, if you want to get rid of any type of blockage – and we’ve examined only one type, this weakness of the heart, which comes sometimes, so don’t be surprised if it comes – but you should know the method how to overcome these difficulties: by a positive practice of the value system. Then we can expect the further steps of this progressive path – finally to come to ruchi, the higher taste. And if you have ruchi, that means you have purified from all anarthas, there is no hindrance anymore. Don’t think that ruchi is something so extraordinary that it’s impossible to reach. No, it is possible. If you give your life, how can you take it back? You cannot take it back. If you think that you take something back, that means you didn’t give it. But ruchi means ‘I am so convinced, that I have given everything, I’m all in’. And you might think that this is the end of spiritual progress, but this is only the middle stage. There are some more stages yet.

It is said that on one wheel the cart will not go, at the minimum two wheels are necessary for a cart to move. One wheel is the willingness of the human being, it’s your commitment, it’s your action. The other wheel is the blessing of the Supreme Lord. Then your spiritual cart will move. If you enjoy the divine blessing and if you also contribute, you will reach your goal. This is the meaning – cultivate the positive values and then reach steadiness in your service – nishtha, and then you will get the higher taste – ruchi.

Of course, there are a lot of different stages. Like asakti – this is the attraction, a higher type of attraction. Then bhava comes, the initial stage of divine loving service. And finally prema, which is the accomplished state of devotional sentiments. This is the sequence set by Rupa Goswami. And this is something very important that you have to know by heart. Right? So please memorize it! Adau shraddha tatah sadhu-sango ‘tha bhajana-kriya/ tato ‘nartha-nivrittih syat tato nishṭha rucis tatah/ athasaktis tato bhavas tatah premabhyudanchati/ sadhakanam ayam premnah pradurbhave bhavet kramah[1]. When I come and wake you up, you should know it. And then you can always see: ‘At which stage am I? Do I have ruchi, the higher taste? Or better I focus on cultivating the positive values – how to overcome my anarthas.’ So please, don’t take this advice of the acharyas as some theories. Apply, apply! Examine yourself in the face of this mirror – where am I?

(to be continued)

[1] Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu 1.4.15-16