Sharanagati

Collected words from talks of Swami Tirtha




(from lecture of B.K.Tirtha Maharaja, 26.11.2006, Sofia)

Krishna is not interested in what you give to Him, because practically everything belongs to Him. But what you want to preserve for yourself – that invites His interest. How is it? We discussed the story many times that Krishna is Makhanchor, He is stealing the butter. He is stealing the butter from the stock of Mother Yashoda, but He is not satisfied with that, He goes to the neighbors. From the neighbors He also snatches the stock of butter. We can elaborate on the story, but just focus on the essence. Then the neighbor ladies are upset and they complain to Mother Yashoda: “Hey! Your kid is coming to our homes and He is stealing our butter.” Then Yashoda is trying to chastise Krishna: “Why do you go to the neighbors? We have enough butter for You. You know that in my home the butter is preserved for You.” But Krishna is not satisfied with the butter which is set aside for Him. He wants the butter that is hidden from Him, what the gopis want to preserve “for themselves”, so to say. We agreed that the butter is the essence of the animal kingdom. And animals are the essence of the life of the gopalas. So this is the essence of their life! They want to preserve it, hide it, keep it in stock. But Krishna will come and usurp it.
So beware! Krishna is a butter thief. If you want to preserve, if you want to hide the essence of your lives, He will come and snatch it from you. Better we give! Because what we do not give, we shall lose. But if you give, then you lose only your attachment.
For a mother it is suggested to see Krishna in the kid. Or if it is she, then Radha. Then you will be attached through him or her to Krishna. This should be our approach: God has come to me in this person. Therefore the husband is the god of the family. But the wife is the goddess of the family! Who is stronger – the god or the goddess? I do not enter into more details, you think for yourself. If we have that appreciation in our minds: that I treat this guy as a god next to me – that is a different level of human connections. But then you see that: “Hey, but my kid doesn’t behave like a god.” Or you will understand that “The god of our home, my husband, is off the line, he doesn’t meet the standards!” But it is his business; your business is to have the vision.
To give up human attachments – this is a great job. But this is very good, that we are following the path of attachment. If we would only renounce, then bhakti would be bitter. But everybody says that bhakti is sweet. And how is it sweet? What is the reason for its sweetness? Because of attachment. This is raga, raga bhakti, attached devotion. And if we are attached to something higher, it is very easy to give up the lower connection. If you can jump into your Mercedes, you forget about your bicycle. Well, this example is not quite correct, because better we get out of our Mercedes and ride the bicycle – morally and ecologically it is more correct – but I think you understand what I mean. So if you have a better option, if you have a higher taste, it is very easy to give up the lower taste. It is said in the “Gita”: “You can give up the lower taste if you have a glimpse, a little particle of the higher taste.”
So do not give up your attachment; transfer that. From a mortal human being transfer it to God. But how to care, how to be there although I am not attached? This is the art of family life. To perform your duty without expecting anything in return. It is difficult. But you, mothers, you know something about it. We can do this if we have a little distance from the situation that we are in. If we are fully engaged and forget about ourselves by doing, then it is more difficult. But if you have a little distance, then you can see the picture. Then you can be prepared that now I raise my kid, I wipe his ass and in twenty years he will say: “No, mother. I will go my way.” Still, what you have to do now? Wipe the ass. No problem. Our ideal is to be a humble servant. So if life gives me the chance to be a humble servant – what is wrong with that?
By raising the level of our consciousness we can do it better. So give freedom. Do you want freedom for yourself? We need. Maybe we commit ourselves, but by our free will. „I want to do this.” But we want that freedom of choice. Right? So give it to others. What you want for yourself, provide it for others.
Attachment will bring suffering, love will bring pain. This is the divine mathematics. An equation.
So please, cultivate what you have, because this is a treasure.



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