Sharanagati

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 10.01.2019 evening, Sofia)

(continues from the previous Friday)

Once a young man asked his master, “How to find my duty in life?” Is it a good question? I think it’s a very appropriate question. Because if you don’t know what is the purpose of your life, how you will live? You will waste some more years from your life and then it will be more difficult to create the balance. So, he had this question, and then the sadhu gave a specific answer to this inquiry. He said – just like that fortune teller in the previous lecture: “I see two ways.” One way is what we have been practicing for innumerable lifetimes – we try, we try to find our place. We try this profession, we don’t like it and we try to change it. We try that occupation and then we change it. We try this role in life and then we fail. We try another part of life and we enjoy it. So, this is what we are doing all the time – trying to find our place. For some time you take shelter and sooner or later you will change it, because you feel that ‘this is not my ultimate engagement, this is not the proper place for me’. This we can call an experimental method – to find your proper place, your destiny, so to say. 

The other method is, you ask an authority, “Please tell me, what is good for me”. Because if I don’t know, I can try to find my place; or I can go to someone who will know and ask directly, “Tell me, what am I to do?” Usually we know who our mother is. So, if you want to understand who your father is, you can start a biological analysis or do genetic structure test to find out. Or you can simply go to your mother and ask, “My dear mother, please tell me who is my father.” And she will tell. 

So, authority means knowledge, full conviction. Knowledge beyond our limits – this we can call an authority. The authority is who knows. Therefore if you want to find our proper place in this lifetime, you can go on trying; or you can find an authority and ask him or her, “Please tell me, what is the proper place for me, what is the proper prospect for me?” So, which method do you prefer? 

Answer: The easy one – to ask.

Swami Tirtha: Theoretically we prefer the inquiry, but practically we follow the other path – trying and trying and trying. And I definitely agree: if we receive an instruction and if we try to follow it, that is not easy. Nevertheless, it is very glorious if we can follow the instruction. 

(to be continued)

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 10.01.2019 evening, Sofia)

Swami Tirtha: It’s never too early to join a spiritual sangha. Sometimes we come a little late. Other times we come on time. What is the age of your dear daughter? 

Answer: Five months. 

Swami Tirtha: You see? For her, it would be very easy to spend the same amount of time in devotional service that she had spent without devotional service. What about your balance? The later you start, the more difficult it is to get that balance. For example, if you start when you are 20 years old, you have to spend the same amount of time in order to have that equal balance. And when you reach 40, you will be on equal terms: with devotion and without devotion. The later we start, the more difficult is to reach that balance. And of course, this is not simply a question of material dimensions, like how many years you had spent in devotional service, because we can be very lazy, although we are here around; and also we can be very intent on our devotional practice. So the intensity also counts – how much dedication we are ready to give to our service. If we start too late, then maybe even this mathematical balance is something we cannot reach in a lifetime. Because if you start at 50-60, it’s not certain that you will have another 50-60 years to compensate your previous lifestyles. 

But fortunately, we have a shortcut. Shall I tell you? Well, you have to become a great personality. Because for them, years count one and a half times. You spent one year and it’s equal to one and a half years. Many times we feel this change of dimensions, don’t we? You spend one day and it feels like a moment. Other times you spend a few minutes and it feels like ages. So even our perception of time depends on our spiritual condition.

This happened to Lord Krishna as well when He visited this planet Earth. He was a small boy and He started to act as a hero. So He was running ahead of His age, counted by the years – it is said at least one and a half times. One year of His was counted one and a half times as age. So when He was five years old, that means He was seven-eight in the depth of reality. Or when He left Vrindavan around nine-ten years old, He was almost fifteen at that time. So if you want to compensate for the lost years of your life, please, very quickly become a great personality and in this way you can speed up your account.

It is said in the Shrimad Bhagavatam – which is practically the most important scientific revelation of God – that even a short time spent in the company of pure devotees or elevated saints will compensate for the many wasted lifetimes of previous births. Therefore we should grab the opportunity provided for us. Full enlightenment can happen in a moment. But the preparation time usually takes a long, long, long period. Who will help us in this preparation? The divine invitation, the urge to avoid material limitations and suffering, the thirst of the soul and also the help from our superiors. 

So, these days we discuss a very special symbolic form – the mandala. Last summer we created a living mandala in Ludashto, in our place. We put the worship and the Holy Name in the center. And then we were all arranged around this center in a concentric, beautiful, harmonious way. Don’t forget that we discussed that in the center of our understanding how we understand the spiritual sky, there is a lotus flower. It is protected by a square shape to isolate it from all that is external to that center. So we can say that the arrangement of Goloka Vrindavan is a lotus mandala. And we tried to create this living mandala in Ludashto, so please recognize the parallels. 

(to be continued)

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 10.01.2019 morning, Sofia)

(continues from the previous Friday)

This is our vision about the spiritual sky: the Divine Couple is in the center, divine energies are around Them. The mahamantra is written on the petals of this lotus flower. Beautiful! All the partners of Krishna are around. All the spiritual achievements like siddhis and powers and knowledge and everything are in resplendent form there. All the protection is there as well, so no interference is there. And this is the place where we want to go.

“The Lord of Gokula is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, full in eternal ecstatic bliss. He is the best and supreme in all these supremely powerful personalities. And with a happy heart He enjoys the bliss of his divine realm. The material energy has no contact, no connection there.”[1] 

Don’t forget, the mahamantra is written on the petals of this divine lotus flower. Whenever your heart is a little heavy and you feel like you are losing the taste of the Holy Name, just remember this picture. It’s so beautiful! Maybe you have some questions?

Question of Shyama Tulasi: Yesterday we agreed that to purify the heart we have to chant more. And in Shikshashtaka, Mahaprabhu says that if we want to chant always, we have to be humbler than a blade of grass. My question concerns humility, because I cannot understand it. 

Swami Tirtha: This is a good sign. If somebody is interested in humility, most probably he or she will become a devotee. 

Shyama Tulasi: Is there dignity and self-respect in humility?

Swami Tirtha: Sure! Of course! 

Shyama Tulasi: Because often we mistake humility with denying our abilities…

Swami Tirtha: Yes. This is false ego. I mentioned the other day, if you overestimate or underestimate yourself – that’s the same problem. You still focus on yourself. ‘Oh, I’m the most surrendered servant.’ 

But I think this is an important question, an important topic. Because in my humble understanding, humility is sometimes very proud. We are very proud. Proud of God. Proud of our superiors. But humble about ourselves. If we are compared to a speck of dust, then where is our prestige? Once I heard a person’s story. “I went to a fortune-teller”. You see, there are some clients for such an office. “And I wanted to understand about my previous lifetimes. Then it turned out that I was living in Jesus’ time. Not a very high type of life – a speck of dust. But actually a speck of dust in a special place – very close to the cross of Jesus, to the crucifixion. And what happened? One drop of the Lord’s blood came upon me”. My dear ones, would you buy such a story? I think you understand something about humility. “I’m a speck of dust. But a special one. With a drop of blood of Lord Jesus on me.” Come on! 

So, humility. In this way we express our gratitude. In this way we express our respect and our willingness to learn, to serve. Real humility I think should be very positive. Self-reflection should be real, so that we can face our positive sides and shortcomings as well. And if somehow we are integrated nicely into a spiritual community, then we can understand that all our merits and all our prestige is for service, for serving the others. So, if we are great in any respect, we are great for service. We want to use our abilities as an offering. And if somehow we are integrated into this loving partnership, divine partnership – I think this is the real encouragement for proper spiritual self-esteem. So don’t deny; dedicate. Don’t kill your false identity, rather purify and offer it. 

1. Brahma Samhita, 5.6

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 10.01.2019 morning, Sofia)

(continues from the previous Friday)

“Gokula has a special protective border and this very secret square is Shvetadvip that encircles Gokula. There are four sides of this square, where Vasudeva, Sankarshana, Pradyumna and Anirudha reside. These four individual shelters are also protected by the four different human ambitions like dharma, the truth; economic progress; passion; and moksha, liberation. And also the base for these ambitions, different Vedic mantras, Rig, Sama, Yajur and Atharva – these are dedicated to these different shelters. There are ten directions: the four cardinal, the four secondary and up and down, and the ten directions are protected by ten tridents. The four main directions are decorated by eight mystic treasures that represent mystic powers. These are the mahapadma, padma, shankha, makara, kaccha, etc. These directions are protected by the digpalas, the protectors of the directions. And all the different colored companions of the Lord shining in bluish, yellowish, reddish and bright color are all around. Plus the marvelous energies led by Vimala.”[1]

So, what do we see here – a diamond pillar in the center, the hexagram surrounds it and the lotus flower is like a circle. And now we come to a square. Actually this square separates the divine realm from the external space. If you see any yantra-mandala in India, you will find this structure. Externally there is a square; inside it is a circle; if you go closer to the center, you will find special diagrams, and in the middle – a dot. And these four main directions are protected and dominated by these four primary aspects of Krishna – Vasudeva, Sankarshan, Pradyumna, Anirudha – who are playing a very important role in the further creation, representing the cosmic principle of beauty, the cosmic principle of identity, the cosmic principle of intelligence, etc. 

Then comes the next – the four human ambitions help us approach the divine essence. They are like gates to enter the divine realm. And the Vedas will support these human ambitions with their knowledge. But how to open the door? For example, let’s say you come from the direction of dharma. Just imagine yourself. You have accomplished everything in this worldly life: you have chanted all the mantras, you have accomplished all the rituals, given up all the anarthas, you have no other attachments. Then you are in front of the door of Gokula Vrindavan, the dharma door. How to open this door? Still it is closed. Just imagine yourself – after dedicating so many lives to your spiritual practice, finally you meet a closed door. And if somehow you have forgotten to bring the key to this door with you, then you have to go back. So, what is the key to this door? This is the fifth principle, prema. If we have prema, then all the doors will open. So please, my dear ones, don’t forget to bring the key with you. 

So, the Vedas will support these human ambitions, and then? Ten tridents are directed to ten directions: east, south, west, north, north-east, south-east, south-west, north-west, including the zenith and the nadir. Now, what is this? Tridents – in the most inviting spiritual lotus flower realm? How is that? A raise of arms in the spiritual sky?! Why are there some weapons there? Just to threaten away the materialists. We have to protect the highest ideals – from corruption, from intrusion, etc.

Then these precious stones represent the major mystic powers in yoga. For example, to read the future – do you like that? Usually we consider that something very special, very high. But actually, this is a secondary siddhi. Because, in a way, if somebody is sensitive, they can read the impression of your past and they can read the prophecy of your future. But if you go to a pure devotee to read your future, he can also tell it. He will say: “Hmm, I see two separate paths in your life. If you take one path, you will die. If you take the other path, you will live forever.” So, in case somebody has a trouble with their job, you can open such a consulting atelier. You can easily become a fortune-teller. And if you have mystic enough environment, they will buy your stuff like anything. “I see two separate directions in your life.” Really, people need only a little inspiration to go ahead. “Yes, pray more! This is the solution to your problem!” You know, if a priest will say it, nobody will listen. But if you hear the same message from a different source, then you will take it. If Swami Tirtha will say, “Surrender more to divine service”, you will yawn: “Ah, how many times I’ve listened to this!” But if you go to a motivation training and the guy will say, “Whatever you do, do it 100%”, then it will be a revelation for you: “Now I have heard the solution to all my problems. Whatever I do, I have to do it 100%.” But this is the message of Shrila Shridhara Maharaj. Please, read the books. You will find the same there. 

(to be continued)

1. Brahma Samhita, 5.5

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 10.01.2019 morning, Sofia)

(continues from the previous Friday)

Something very important is mentioned here, “The eternal whorl of Gokula is Krishna’s six-angled residence”[1]. The six-angled star – usually people consider it the Star of David – the symbol of another major tradition. But actually, this is not the Star of David, this is the star of Gokula. Actually, it just very recently became associated with the Jewish tradition. And in the Orient, in many different sub-traditions you can find this very important symbol. In general we can say that if two triangles meet, then you can produce the six-angle. One represents the male principle and the other represents the female principle. Therefore, we understand that in the whorl of this lotus flower, the predominated and the predominant aspect of the Supreme is hidden.
But it sounds very dry, very theoretical and it is very difficult to understand. What are you talking about? Predominated? It’s too complicated for us! But if I say: in this beautiful lotus flower Radha and Govinda dance in the center – then you very easily understand. Right? Forget about this dry philosophy. Try to join the dance, the eternal dance of Radha-Govinda united.
But according to Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur’s explanations, this predominating and predominated aspect of the Supreme is there. The dominating aspect is Krishna, Govinda and the dominated aspect is Radhika. All right, at first glance. Because this is just like a dance. Somebody needs to lead the dance. The leader is the predominant aspect and the person who joins the dance is the predominated aspect. And then the choreography is beautiful. Yet without the other partner, the dance will never happen. Then it is a solo, which is a little bit boring.
So, in this hexagon the predominated and the predominant aspect meet, the two triangles meet. Therefore, Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur once exclaimed: Forget about this monotheism. We are dualists. We like the predominating and the predominated aspects of this one unit, because how can you separate Radha and Govinda? You cannot separate them. So, one and yet different, different and one at the same time – a very high concept.
Then the next verse says: “In this eternal realm of Gokula there is a whorl and this is the six-angle residence of Krishna. This transcendental lotus flower has petals and these petals are the residences of the cowherd boys, who are parts and parcels of Krishna. They have an exclusive affectionate attachment to Krishna. And considering their original nature, they are non-separate from Him. These petals raise like walls and beautifully emanate light. The external petals are the transcendental dham or forest shelters for the gopis led by Shrimati Radharani.”[2]
So, this is how we can see, we can understand this picture of Krishna’s environment and entourage. In the center of the creation as a lotus flower, Radha-Govinda dance. Around Them there are Their beautiful partners, the gopas and the gopis. A very similar description you find in the Bible, but it’s a little more majestic, right? God has a throne and some angels tremble at His lotus feet. Here we have no trembling; only beauty, connection and joyful association with the Supreme. And what is the nature of these partners? Their nature is also sat-chit-ananda-vigraha. But what is their purpose? Their purpose is to share the affection coming from Krishna and also to multiply it. This is very important, because originally we also share these qualities, sat-chit-ananda-vigraha, right? So, the next question is what is the purpose of my life? Well, to reflect this original affectionate invitation and to multiply the loving service. Isn’t that beautiful? We have a purpose of life – to reflect the divine light. We are not born from darkness. We are not born to die. No, we are born to shine. To let your original spiritual splendor reveal. What a perspective!

(to be continued)

1. Brahma Samhita, 5.3
2. Brahma Samhita, 5.4

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 10.01.2019 morning, Sofia)

(continues from the previous Friday)

“The supremely beautiful place of residence for Krishna is compared to a most beautiful thousand-petaled lotus flower. This shelter named Gokula is a result of His endless or unlimited aspect, ananta, and the whorl of this lotus flower is the residence proper for Krishna.” [1]
Krishna is the God of beauty, right? He is so beautiful that He charms even Himself. You remember, His reflection was astonishing. So what kind of residence can we imagine for this most beautiful entity? You can put Him in a block, you can put Him in a house, you can put Him into a palace, you can put Him into the forest, but ultimately you can put Him into that whorl of a lotus flower. Find the most-most-most beautiful place for the most beautiful God. And in the first verse there was this anadi aspect of Krishna, no beginning; and here comes this ananta aspect –  that serves to Krishna with this most beautiful lotus flower. So no beginning, no end – this is spiritual life. For the select souls. And what about us? There should be a beginning, because before we were living as materialists, right, and now we have started to act, we/to pose ourselves as devotees. So there is a beginning, my dear ones, but there should be no end. Therefore, in case somebody finds his or her way back home, back to this lotus flower where Krishna resides, there is no end. So this is the proper residence of Krishna.
“This transcendental lotus flower has a six-angled center, and this is the realm where Krishna resides. This is the residence of the predominating and predominated aspect of the Absolute, which is a result of their intrinsic nature. In the middle, the support is just like a brightly shining Krishna, resplendent in His own splendor, and He is compared to a diamond pillar, and He is the source of all spiritual energies. And the sacred 18 syllable mantra separated into six different parts, is revealed on these petals of this original lotus flower.” [2]
Very meaningful! Before we thought that it is only some nice symbol of nature, like a beautiful flower. But here we understand that this lotus flower reveals something, and it contains some more secrets. Krishna is standing in the center like a diamond pillar. Isn’t that beautiful? A soft-petaled lotus flower and a resplendent diamond pillar! Om mani padme hum – there is the lotus flower, and there is a diamond in the center. So, our dear buddhist brothers glorify Govinda. In some nice stupas this mantra is running all the time. Some people understand, some people understand it better. I have a devotee friend and when visiting a very beautiful buddhist stupa, you know, they have these prayer wheels where the mantra is written on, and you walk by and you just turn the wheels. And there were like 108 such prayer wheels around the stupa. So, he decided to make a parikrama and chant the mahamantra over these wheels.

(to be continued)

1. Brahma Samhita, 5.2
2. Brahma Samhita, 5.3

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 10.01.2019 morning, Sofia)

In the beginning of the creation, when Brahma had to start his work of arranging the whole universe, he started to meditate. From this example you should learn that if you have to start something great – duty, service, endeavor in your life – better to meditate at the beginning. First think, then act. Because if you first act, then you will be sorry for that. More thinking – victory; less thinking – failure.
So, Brahma started to do this meditation as a penance. And what is the result of a proper meditation? A vision. You will understand something, something will be revealed to you. Many times we are lost in our life, we don’t know what to do, what to choose, where to go, etc., even if we are very actively performing. When you feel that something is wrong, you have to take your time. Instead of the euphoria of action, better stop and meditate. Because when we are active, it gives a good feeling – we don’t think, just do, it is like a flow. But sometimes it takes all of our mindfulness and therefore it is necessary to stop and meditate: what is our condition, what about our life, etc. Then we might receive revelation – to have better choices, to understand the situation. And this happened to Lord Brahma as well – after his meditation he got this revelation, which is summarized in the Brahma Samhita. So, if you study this, you enter into the meditation of Brahma.
And then, what was next after this vision, after this complete understanding? After that he started to glorify Krishna-Govinda. Meditation, revelation, glorification. So, which one is the first of these hymns? Ishvarah paramah krishnah/ sat-chit-ananda-vigrahah/ anadir adir govindah/ sarva-karana-karanam[1].
This you have to learn, my dear ones. This you have to learn! Why? I’ll tell you why. Because if you are invited to give a lecture, some people might think that maybe you are not such an expert in this field. Yet if you start your speech with such a quotation: “My dear brothers and sisters, today I came to you with a message: ishvarah paramah krishnah…” – everybody will be astonished. But apart from jokes, this you have to memorize, because it gives a full conclusion of our approach, of our spiritual service.
Ishvarah paramah; ishvara is ‘a Lord, a supervisor’. So He is the supreme supervisor, ishvara parama, the param ishvara; and this ishvarah paramah is krishna – Krishna is the Supreme supervisor. And what is His nature, what is the nature of this absolute authority? This is sat-chit-ananda, plus vigraha – that is eternal, conscious and blissful person, vigraha in this sense means ‘person’. So we commit ourselves to the personal aspect of God – sat-chit-ananda-vigrahah.
Anadir adir; adi means ‘first’, anadi means so much first that there is nothing before Him, no other beginning before Him – this is anadi. We don’t find the beginning, there’s no beginning. Then what is on the other pole of this time scale? One is no beginning, then the other is no end, correct. Anadir adir govindah – Govinda is the first-first, the supremely first. Sarva-karana-karanam; sarva means ‘all’, karana means “cause” – He is the cause of all causes.
This is the exposition of Brahma Samhita. First Brahma declares there is God, Krishna. But in which aspect is He there? As Govinda – so it is very meaningful.

(to be continued)

1.  Brahma Samhita 5.1

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 09.01.2019 morning, Sofia)

(continues from the previous Friday)

Question of Kripadham: As we were talking about lotuses, there is a popular Buddhist mantra, om mani padme hum. Is it connected somehow to what you were describing? Or is its meaning different?
Swami Tirtha: Different, different – what different? This is our mantra. Lord Buddha is our avatar. So, what is the lotus in Buddhism? Of course there are unlimited meanings there, but one important meaning of the lotus in Buddhism is the female principle. It’s very similar to the concept of the created world, the universal principle, the cosmic order – because that is also female. In this respect the lotus is always inviting something. It’s half open and waits for the bee to enter. So, if you say om, for us this is: ‘a’ – akara, ‘a’ is Krishna; ‘m’ is the human, and the ‘u’ between the two is Radha. So, if you start a mantra with om, it cannot belong to anybody else.
Mani is the money, is the treasure. Between you and me, there was one very clever disciple of Shrila Prabhupada, who could generate much from this energy. His name was Gargamuni. But sometimes Prabhupada called him ‘Gargamoney’. So, mani is the treasure. Padme, or peme in Tibetan, means ‘inside the padma, inside the lotus’. And hum is like a concluding bija-mantra. So, om mani padme hum – what does it mean? The lotus is united with the bumblebee. The small little bumblebee is the hidden treasure inside the lotus. That will bring the whole manifestation of the creation. So, om mani padme hum is like a secret mantra and on all the different levels of mystic and symbolical understanding we can see that if the male and female principles are united, then this secret starts to evolve. Therefore, for us om mani padme hum means that Radha-Govinda meet under the full moon.
Why? Because sometimes on the body of Lord Buddha you see special signs. Do you remember what kind of special symbols are there on Buddha’s body? On the chest and sometimes on the palms? There is swastika. And what is swastika? This is the sun-cross, the symbol of life, the vortex of life. But when it is on the chest of Lord Buddha, then this is Lakshmidevi, as Lord Buddha is Vishnu avatar and Lord Vishnu is never separated from Lakshmidevi. How is she there with Buddha? Through the swastika. Swasti, what is the meaning of swasti? Quality life, that is the blessed life. And Lakshmidevi is this blessing. So swastika is her representation on the heart… again the heart chakra of Lord Buddha. So, my dear brothers, if you cherish your good wives as Lakshmidevi on your chest, then all the blessings are bestowed on your family. If you cherish your wife as a goddess – I know that this is a very popular remark between the ladies – but if you cherish your wife as a goddess, then you will have a chance to act as a god. All right, a demi-god. Because only a god can appreciate a goddess. But that is also true – only a goddess can satisfy a god. I think family conflict management is very simple: just treat the other as a divine messenger. “Ah, goddess!” Only the tone, you should modify the tone.
All right. These passionate disturbances are also there in the heart chakra, the heart lotus. But if we wash more and more this symbolic lotus, it will become more purified, and under the full moon of Radha-Govinda lila, it will fully blossom in your heart. So, this is my humble request to you all – try to purify the mirror of your heart. And if now you imagine your heart as a lotus throne, try to invite the Divine Couple to accept this throne.

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 09.01.2019 morning, Sofia)

(continues from the previous Friday)

Krishna Priya: What do we have to renounce so that we can become purified? 

Swami Tirtha: Selfishness. In one word. Once a devotee asked Gurudev, “Gurudev, please tell me, what’s wrong with me? What’s my real problem?” It was not me, so don’t enlarge the Tirtha Legendary. Gurudev kept silent for a while, then he said, “As in all other cases, false ego.” So, ultimately, this is what we have to get rid of – this false identity and everything that is connected to it: ‘I am big, I am small, I am young, I am old, I am a man, I am a woman. I can, I can’t’ – this is all connected to your false identity. In another word, we can say that this is a limitation on human consciousness and we need freedom in that sense. But freedom has got a price. 

Sometimes people ask, “What is the price of your achievements?” It’s a reasonable question, right? You know, Shrila Shridhara Maharaj gave a very profound answer. In the beginning we understand that no risk means no gain. Then we try to start our spiritual journey and all of a sudden we feel: ‘All risk and no gain! I have to sacrifice everything. I heard it at the first lecture, ‘total surrender!’. And then they added that ‘unconditional mercy’. If it comes – good, if it doesn’t come… All risk – I have to surrender; and no gain – maybe nothing will happen.’ Then later on, if you are more realistic in your self-analysis, you will understand, ‘Some risk, some gain’. And when you are accomplish and you look back, you will see, ‘No risk, all gain. I didn’t lose anything. But I had gained everything that is possible.’ 

So, this is what we have to get rid of – this false identity and everything that is connected to this. Once I heard about a preacher; in his high days he had a big entourage. Many people were following and serving him, he was the famous preacher… And then all of a sudden things have changed and he had to knock on the doors as a beggar. No helpers, no invitations, no long waiting list for his darshan (personal meeting), but he had to knock on the doors as a humble beggar. Which situation is more beneficial? It’s obvious, right? It’s much better to be a humble beggar than a puffed-up renunciate. This should be our profile. 

And also, when we think, ‘Ah, I am so insignificant that I shouldn’t take part in this specific service’. That’s also your false ego, right? Once a devotee told Shrila Prabhupada, ‘Prabhupada, I am your most insignificant servant’. Then Prabhupada said, ‘My dear, you are not most in any respect’. You see, we want to be great in something – great in greatness or great in insignificance, but ‘I want to be great’. Krishna is merciful enough to crush all our false concepts. 

Just like in the case of Brahma, when he applied for his darshan with the Lord and he told the gatekeeper, “I am here, let me in”. “But who are you?” “I am Brahma. You know, I am Brahma. So, just report I am here.” Then the gatekeeper came back: “They ask, “Which Brahma? Which Brahma from the many?” And then he was let in and he was amazed. He had four heads; and there were some similar to him with one head, two heads. But he saw others – with ten heads, hundred heads, thousand heads. Then he had found his position. Right, sometimes we need to face realities. Then he became a little humbler. ‘All right, I am not the Brahma. I’m just a small Brahmche’. So, whether you are great or small, you can have this false identity; basically, this is what we have to remove. 

And in devotional life, this is not a painful renunciation or self-torture – achieve your real self by cutting your limbs – no. No, simply eat prasadam, sing, dance, chant. In this way your real identity will reveal itself. Shall I tell you a secret way of purification? It is said that the best way to get rid of your bad habits, desires and all the false concepts – this is kirtan. And not simple kirtan – dancing kirtan. And not simple dancing kirtan, but jumping kirtan. Because it is said, when you jump with hands raised high, through your fingers all the bad is just thrown away, you get rid of all the contamination. Therefore if we observe any picture of Mahaprabhu’s sankirtan party, they always dance like this. Not to be purified, but for instructing us. 

So, in bhakti this self-analysis and purification are sweet. I have a friend who asked, “Is it possible to crush the false ego in a mild manner, in a gentle way?” It is possible. But even then it will be a little painful. Because our attachments are there. 

(to be continued)

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 09.01.2019 morning, Sofia)

(continues from the previous Friday)

If, for example, you write a letter with milk on a piece of paper, then it’s invisible. Nobody can read your letter. If you are too full in love or too much want to hurt somebody, write your letter in milk. Nobody will understand it. Nobody can read it; only those who know how to decipher your hidden letter. And how does this happen? Tapaha – with fire. If you heat it, the letters will be revealed. In our symbolic understanding, what is the milk in the human being?

Answer: Nurturing?

Swami Tirtha: Biologically, yes. But spiritually, it is our life. And what is love? It is the essence of the milk, the ghee. These two things we have in reality – we have our life and we have our love, prana and prema. And these two things we have to give away. So if you start to add heat to the milk, then it will be condensed. Symbolically, everything comes together; if we apply the heat of tapas, of austerity in our life, then this hidden purified message will be revealed. We can get rid of the bad conditionings or the direct anartas that we have. Also, we can get rid of the false attachment due to some good qualities. Then your heart chakra will be purified. And then the flow of energies for those who meditate will be unobstructed. This is a realistic self-analysis, self-reflection: don’t deny your shortcomings, rather face them. And with this austerity that is all around your heart chakra, your heart lotus, try to purify them. 

Of course, this system concerns only the general human beings. There is some other symbolism of the lotus flower, let’s say, in the mystic, symbolic understanding of the environment of Radha-Govinda. But this we shall discuss another time. Maybe you have some questions or remarks? 

Question: As I understand it, this symbolism of the different qualities distributed on the lotus petals according to the cardinal directions is meant for self-analysis. And if we would like to know our hidden tendencies, we should practice this method? 

Swami Tirtha: Yes. But, many times we said that you have to make your heart, your emotions a little more intelligent and you have to combine some feelings with your intellect – so, if we compare our heart lotus to the thousand-petaled lotus, if you compare these two lotuses, then you can remove some petals, right? Self-analysis and purification mean that you remove something and you adjust to something higher. So, it’s not enough to identify that, ‘Yes, on the southern petal of my heart lotus there is this cruel intention. I’m satisfied with this realization. Nice, finally I can understand what is there in my heart.’ No, certain things you have to remove. So, self-reflection is the first step and then self-purification is the second step – to remove all these obstacles. 

Of course, now your question should be how to do this. But what is the answer to all the how-to questions? Chant more. Because, what is the message of the first verse of the Shikshashtaka? Cheto darpana marjanam – the heart is like a mirror, purify the mirror. Remove the bad instincts, the bad characteristics from there. Purification of the heart – we know the method for that, we only have to apply this proper method. Chanting the holy name should purify the heart. And, if you truly believe that, if you return to this self-analysis after, let’s say, after one year, you should meet a different person there. Shrila Prabhupada said, if humanity would follow the regulative principles only for one month, all the karmic balance of this planet would be changed, improved a lot. So, our activities are a very important contribution to the benefit or the fall and disintegration of the whole world. 

But, as I told you, this self-analysis is for the general mass of people. Because what will you find in the lotus heart of a pure devotee? Treasures, hidden treasures. If something is purified, it is just pure. There is nothing wrong there anymore. Gurudev said, if we have devotion, then even our shortcomings turn into precious stones. 

Paramananda: I would like to ask Gurudev to describe what is the symbolism of these different directions and what are the representatives of the personality of Godhead for the different directions. 

Swami Tirtha: This we shall discuss next time. Because actually this is like a lotus mandala. And all the associates of Krishna and Gauranga are distributed in this mandala. In that respect this lotus is called yoga-pitha. Yoga-pitha means the place of connection, of unity, where the essence is. In Govinda-lila this is the center of the rasa-dance. And in Gauranga-lila this is a very special tree in Mayapur – a neem tree. You can guess what happened under this neem tree – a nice boy was born. 

Gita Govinda: When is the next time when we shall discuss this? 

Swami Tirtha: When we shall get the inspiration. It’s not according to the calendar.

(to be continued)