Sharanagati

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 12.05.2019 evening, Sofia)

I feel honored to be here with you. Today we have to continue the topics that we started to discuss – the bitter pills of life. We discussed the topic of taking birth; then we discussed disease as a principle of material existence; then old age. And it looks like day by day the audience is diminishing. Because finally we came to the last topic of material suffering, and this is death. And it’s not a very popular topic. Maybe we should put it as “The secrets of eternal life”.
I think this is quite a natural response from human beings – that they don’t pay too much attention to death. It is said that somehow people live in such a way as if they are eternal, as if they don’t have to leave at the end. Yet there is a little difference between being eternal and not paying any attention to the end of your story. But usually we have two different approaches to death as a principle. Either we want to avoid it, or some people have a certain cult about death – like these children with t-shirts with skeletons. So, a kind of ambivalent approach exists– you want to avoid it, and yet you think of it; or you don’t think of it and yet it will come.
Basically in our oriental culture these four types of suffering are mentioned concerning material existence on this planet Earth. And I think it’s very useful to listen to one very instructive story – when Buddha had to face all these realities of life. He was a young prince and he had a very extraordinary life – he was isolated from the external reality, living inside the palace. His father wanted to protect him from any kind of negative input, so he had a very unusual life there. Everything was heavenly: he was young, he was healthy, he was surrounded by all different types of servants and pleasures of life. And he had a very bright future as a prospective king. Usually this type of life we imagine for ourselves, right? Heavenly enjoyment, healthy, wealthy and wise, and we have everything.
But then one day he was going out with his charioteer – the first occasion he had left this heavenly palace. And you know, when you go out for the first time and you face unknown things that you were not aware of before, it is a surprise. So what did he see on his trip? The prince, having beheld an old man, overcome with decrepitude, so different from other men, and he addressed the driver. “Oh, charioteer, who is this man with white hair and his hand resting on a staff, his eyes hidden beneath his brows, his limbs bent down and hanging loose, — is this a change produced in him or his natural state or an accident?” You see, never ever before had he met an old man. So he said: “So strange. White hair – what is that? Strange face – what is that? Is this a natural state? It’s unknown to me!” And then what was the answer of the charioteer, who is more aware of the realities of life? “That is old age by which he is broken down, — the ravisher of beauty, the ruin of vigor, the cause of sorrow, the destruction of delights, the bane of memories, the enemy of the senses.”[1]
Before, this young prince Siddhartha was living in a heaven of only young people around, and all of a sudden he sees somebody old – such a brutal meeting. The charioteer does not give a mild, but very strong message: “This is destroyer of the happiness, robbing you of your life, etc., etc.” This was the first shocking experience for Buddha – to face old age. But then they were proceeding on this street and they met another scene.
“Then he saw another man with his body all afflicted by disease”. The condition of the diseased body with all details we skip. Then his charioteer answered, ‘Gentle Sir, it is a very great affliction called sickness, that has grown up, caused by the inflammation, which has made even this strong man no longer master of himself.’ So, another shocking experience – how is it that everybody is strong, young, healthy, and then all of a sudden you meet someone in such a broken condition?! But again, this was not the last scene, for they met a funeral procession. And the prince again asked the charioteer. ‘Who is this, borne by four men, followed by mournful companions, who is bewailed, adorned but no longer breathing?’ ‘This is some poor man who, bereft of his intellect, senses, vital airs and qualities, lying asleep and unconscious, like mere wood or straw, is abandoned alike by friends and enemies.’[2]
So, this was the meeting with death. And then the young prince had to face these realities of life: old age, disease and death. At first he was frightened a little bit, asking “Is this going to happen to me as well?!” Do you see his innocence? I don’t know if unfortunately or fortunately, but we already have faced all these troubles of life. For the young prince Siddhartha this experience was so shocking that he decided: ‘If this is life, then I have to find a solution for these problems’. For him, this was a very sharp change – from the previous isolated condition to face this reality. For us this is not so sharp a change, we face it day by day. Maybe therefore our reaction to these problems is weaker than the reaction of Siddhartha. Because he immediately decided to give up his very comfortable life, to escape from the palace, to give up his previous life and his future prospect, and to go out and search for the solution.

(to be continued)

1. Buddha-charita (The Life of Buddha), Book 3, 28-30
2. Buddha-charita (The Life of Buddha), Book 3, 42-60

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 12.05.2019 morning, Sofia)

(continues from the previous Monday)

Question of Aradhana: You mentioned that we should make steps towards our original self, sat-chit-ananda. And is it correct what I understood, that some of these steps are to put Krishna in the center; the maha-mantra is purifying us; and not to be sad? Three steps.

Swami Tirtha: Correct. It’s a good to-do list. 

Aradhana: Are there other steps? 

Swami Tirtha: Actually, all the instructions of the Vedas help this goal to be realized. Even the smallest little detail tells the whole story. There are tons of instructions coming from the scriptures and the tradition. Maybe we cannot embrace all these advices, but at least the major points we have to try to integrate into our life. It is said that the ultimate goal of all the Vedic instructions is the happiness of Lord Vishnu. Also it is said that all these instructions have two main conclusions. One is: always remember Krishna; and the second is: never forget Him. Therefore we can say that the last miracle tells about the first miracle. Because there is a unity, there is a structure, there is a spiritual network behind this. And the last drop will tell everything about the first drop, the last miracle tells everything about the first miracle. 

And what is the last miracle? The last miracle is that we sit here. That we have followed this beautiful invitation: ‘Come, take your share of the divine bliss!’ Isn’t that a miracle? That such an invitation exists and it can reach us? And also that we can respond to such an invitation? It’s a full miracle! And that miracle tells everything about the first miracle.

 But now comes your speculative mind, and you will say: if it is true in one direction, it should be true the other way around as well. And I couldn’t say that this is not valid. What does it mean – the first miracle contains everything about the last miracle? So, the meeting of Radha-Govinda contains our sitting here today?! I think by the mercy and the divine savior activity of Chaitanya Mahaprabu we can agree on this point. Because as a merciful God, Krishna as a God of love, He has a plan to invite these parts and particles back. But there is a plan, there is a divine plan. So, if there is an invitation, then we only need to say this magic mantra: ‘Yes’. 

Krishna Priya: Is Krishna inviting everybody? 

Swami Tirtha: Basically yes. In case He does not invite someone, they are invited by Radharani. Is there anybody who is excluded from divine mercy? It is impossible! If ontologically everybody belongs to Them, who is excluded? Some understand this situation, others understand and do something about it, still others don’t understand, they don’t pay any attention to this. But nobody is independent of the divine power and divine origin. 

Lila-Avatar: If we are all in the to-do list of Krishna and Radha to go back to Them, do we have a chance to complicate this plan for returning back with our to-do list ? To mess up things.

Swami Tirtha: Yes. Yes, because we share the divine qualities. And if They have a plan for salvation, then we have a plan for damnation. Therefore, our only duty is not to give trouble to the divine plan, to avoid our negative interference in the divine plan. If you cannot help, at least don’t block it.

Question: How can we be happy in separation? The first impression when coming from a Christian temple here into a Vaishnava temple is that instead of shedding tears, everything is jolly. In our tradition, one of the most beautiful definitions of poetry is transcendental nostalgia in separation. I remember you said that the language of the lover is poetry and the language of the mystic is silence. How to be happy in separation? 

Swami Tirtha: By dancing, chanting the holy names… Separation is dramatic, but it’s not tragic. Because there is no happy ending in a tragedy. But in a drama we can expect a happy ending. We never know what’s going to happen. And you know, shedding tears is not bad. But it’s a big difference whether you shed tears due to sadness or happiness. One thing is declared in the shastras: “If there is fire, there is water as well”. So if there is the fire of the burning separation, you will shed the tears, the water of the pain. If there is the warmth of the loving emotions, again you are in tears. Yet the quality is a little different. 

But if we cannot shed tears, either of deep separation or spiritual bliss, then let’s laugh instead.

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 12.05.2019 morning, Sofia)

(continues from the previous Monday)

Question of Baladev: We were discussing time and the advice was that no matter in which time period we are in our life, it is very important to make a plan for the rest of our life. And because we are discussing the development of our intelligence, it is not sure that we can make an intelligent plan. My question, or rather request to you, is to give us some practical directions what is good to include in this plan. 

Swami Tirtha: Sorry for the example, this is coming from the material world, but nevertheless, it offers some advice: there was a group of 100 students and the trainer asked them if they have a plan for their life. 20 of them said “Yes, we have”. Then he asked the next question, “Did you put your plan into writing?” 3 of the 100 had this written list of what they wanted to achieve. A few years later, the salary or the material achievement of these 3 people were higher than the achievements of the rest 97. 

So, plans can make you more effective. Of course, if we want to progress spiritually, then how to measure the achievements? It’s not the amount of money that you make! Not even the number of books that you sell. There are no physical dimensions for spiritual success. Because one is an apple and the other is a pear – you cannot compare the two, it’s totally different. 

Nevertheless, I think it’s useful to make a to-do list, because that will help you become more organized. As long as we are in the active period of our life, I think a kind of proper time-management is good. I have a friend who made such a to-do list for himself. On the list was to organize a major preaching event every month. After a few years he had another point in his to-do list: how to avoid major events. Because the goal was accomplished; now let’s move to the next level.

Once I was also full of plans. I said “Finally, I have my plans: to do this, to achieve that, to move like this… Finally, I feel so organized!” And you know, on my to-do list was to read something from Shrila Shridhara Maharaj every day. So that day I opened the book of Shrila Shridhar Maharaj and there was a question. “Maharaj, what about our plans?” And then Shridhar Maharaj says “Plans, oh, that is very bad! To have plans is so dangerous in spiritual life. It’s got nothing to do with realizations, etc., etc.” Why? Because, he said, if you have plans, that means you want to govern the situation and you feel independent from Krishna’s will. Then I was a little perplexed. Because I had my plan to read every day from Shridhara Maharaj and he says “You shouldn’t have any plans.” So then I tried to find my excuse. Because I think we fully agree that if we have this false concept that we can dominate a situation, or we can decide a situation independently from Krishna’s control – that’s a mistake. But if we make a plan that “My plan is His plan”, then I wouldn’t think Shridhara Maharaj would oppose. So, my plan is to totally harmonize with the divine plan. 

At the same time, on the practical platform, we need to be well organized. If you have such a to-do list, such a plan, you can check your activities – how far you have reached, how much you have accomplished concerning your spiritual services, etc. But in one sense, we can also say that this is like a sadhana principle – to have organized plans. And the ultimate goal is not to have a very fixed sadhana, but to float on the waves of divine ecstasy. ‘Lalite, why did you bring me to this ocean of Krishna’s nectar? Life wants me to be organized on the shore, but I want to swim in the waves. Why did you bring me here? It’s so painful that I cannot swim in the waves.’ So, the goal is to swim in the waves of the nectar ocean. If this is the goal of our plan, then I agree. What is on your to-do list? ‘First, to over-chant myself. Second, to drown myself in the nectarean ocean of devotional life. And to over-eat myself with prasadam.’ These nectarean plans we encourage. Yes, go ahead! ‘I want to dance in ecstasy this night.’ These are good plans. We need to be very organized to reach such spontaneous plans. Use all your intelligence to reach your goals. We have to be very smart, because everything is working against us. Illusion doesn’t want to let you free so easily, so quickly. She also has some plans with you. And if you want to escape, she will do her best to stop you. But fortunately, divine attractive power is much stronger than human resistance. This is our hope. 

(to be continued)

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 12.05.2019 morning, Sofia)

(continues from the previous Monday)

“The soldier of eagerness was defeated by the soldier of fear. When Radha and Krishna reached the outskirts of Vraja returning from Their walk, this victory of fear forcibly took away the jewel-like embrace of Krishna’s arm on the shoulder of Shrimati Radharani. Fear personified admonished Radha and Krishna, forbidding Them to walk on the path together. Their maidservants started to cry when they saw how pitifully They looked at each other. Radha and Krishna’s moon-like faces instantly lost their luster out of sorrow over having to separate. When They were forced to walk on separate paths, Radha and Krishna became very sad for having to separate after having first attained the jewels of each other’s hearts. But Their pure love gave them the guarantee for Their next meeting.”[1]
So, this is our pitiful condition as well. Due to some ignorance, some illusion, we have lost this eternal connection to the supreme Divine Couple. Due to our stupidity, we are forced to walk a separate path. But, take this sentence, take this advice: “Their pure love gave them the guarantee for their next meeting.” If we acquire this pure inner spiritual attraction to divinity, then we shall meet again.
“Krishna, feeling great pain of separation, couldn’t walk anymore. And Radhika’s body was full in blisters of severe separation. Shri Radhika said “O friends, I am dying from the pain of separation. How will you take me to Braja? Fate has become my enemy, taking away my blissful union with Krishna. How can you lock me up in my mother-in-law’s house? Lalita, you took me out of my home today and now you are making me enter into it again on the same day! Why did you make me greedy after stepping into the nectarean ocean of Krishna’s company? Sakhi! The sun that I saw setting, now is yet again rising in the east. Now the night has become as illusory as a flower in the sky. Curses on my ears! Curses on my tongue! Curses on my eyes! They are always burning with the fever of loving eagerness, unable to drink even a drop of the nectar of Krishna’s nice voice, nice taste and nice form.”
Then Lalita said “Oh naive girl, today the yoga of nocturnal meeting with Krishna recited the nirveda, or impious activities to you. Now your separation is also reciting the nirveda, that means another meaning – pain to you. The meeting gave you the nectar of Achyuta, Krishna. And the separation made you taste the bitter poison.” Shri Radhika, the supreme goddess of love for Krishna, could not understand the words of her girlfriends, although they surrounded her. She entered her house without being seen by the people of Vraja and had gone to bed.”
From the basic principles, then moral standards, then religious principles and intellectual achievements, finally we have to come to some spiritual realization. And when we remember the bliss of divine union of Radha-Govinda and the very painful separation of Them, then we can come closer to that intensity, which helps us taste a few drops of nectar here. As it is said in the text of Shrila Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura, Radhika was happy when the sun was setting, and she was morose when the sun was rising. So, whenever you gaze at the sun – of course, we are very happy to greet the rising sun – but if you remember the reason why Radhika is not happy when the sun is rising; and when you gaze at the setting sun and you say farewell to the light, and also you remember that Radhika is very happy when the sun is setting, because she can greet the darkness, the dark Lord – then, due to your studies, day and night will merge. So, don’t stop – here, there, on the next platform… Go further!

(to be continued)

1.  From Shri Krsna Bhavanamrta Mahakavya by Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 12.05.2019 morning, Sofia)

(continues from the previous Monday)

I would like to share with you some pearls from the advice of Gurudev, if you agree. So, from one lecture here about a verse of the “Bhagavatam”, First Canto. He says: “Yamuna is more sacred than the Ganges”. Everybody knows that the Ganges is a holy river. Of course, most of the people in the West don’t know why. But for us Yamuna is more sacred. Do you know why? Because the Ganges comes from the lotus feet of Lord Vishnu, it brings the foot-water of God. But in Yamuna, Radha-Govindaji are bathing and playing in the water. So, it will carry a different quality to all those who respect it properly. 

Then Gurudev says: “At the same time, spiritual things are absolute. Therefore, we have to be very careful in differentiating between them. Same is the situation with the different rasas. The attraction to a certain direction, or rasa, is subjective, but the superiority of madhurya-rasa is an objective fact. Therefore, a devotee should respect the quoted lower platforms, but at the same time, try to reach the highest”. 

Then Gurudev mentions that “In some experiments they try to decrease the bodily heat of insects in order to make their life longer. Why? Because people want to elongate their own life span. But this is only an attachment. You cannot get rid of bodily self-identification on the bodily platform or the mental platform. The goal is not to collect more and more information, but to get rid of the contamination. This is the way to regain the original consciousness. The point to get rid of this aham-mama conception ,“I” and “mine”. It’s better to put Krishna in the center instead of putting ourselves in the center. Even Shankaracharya said at the end of his life his siddhanta, conclusion: “Bhaja Govinda, worship Govinda”. Why? Because speculation will not help you, just worship. 

And an advice of Shrila Shridhara Maharaj: “Before, in the old times, following the varnashrama-dharma principles helped people to get purified. Today, the maha-mantra will bring this purification process.” 

These are some drops for consideration.

Another time, in 1985, in summer, Gurudev said that the karma for children starts when they are 8 years old. Why? Because it depends on the development of the individual consciousness. Before that, children act according to their instincts. Then he said: “On the higher planetary systems there are no atheists.” So, if you meet an atheist, that means it is not heaven yet. 

Other times he mentioned: “A devotee should never ever be morose, because this is a direct sign of illusion.” And we should avoid illusion. So you are forbidden to be sad. And you know, when you are 20 years… I wouldn’t say ‘old’, but 20 years young, and listening to such advice you say “Yes, correct!”. But hardly ever we understand the depth of such a simple sentence. Why? Because if we don’t perceive the natural happiness, then we are not close to our spiritual identity. The joy of self is an everlasting principle. So, if we are forbidden to be sad, that means: come closer to your spiritual identity. 

But don’t think that you had joined a jolly excursion in bhakti-yoga. It is rather a long and sometimes tiresome journey. Yet step by step we should come closer to this original sat-chit-ananda inner identity. And I think at the end our smile is much more profound than at the beginning. Usually in the first moments there is not so much meaning of our smile in spiritual life. Later on our smile should turn first of all into a wisdom smile, then into a spiritual or divine smile. 

But as we are very far from these standards, because we don’t know how to brush our teeth, sometimes we don’t read the signs properly. Just remember this beautiful story with Shrila Prabhupada, when one devotee wanted to paint a picture of him. Of course Prabhupada said “No, I cannot sit here with you for hours and days so that you can finish the picture, but I can give you a photograph and you paint the picture.” After one year Shrila Prabhupada returned to the same place and he asked “Have you accomplished your picture?” Then the disciple said, “No, no, I did not.” “Why?” “Because on that photograph you look so sad.” And then Prabhupada said, “Sad? That was a moment of ecstasy.” So, we need to read the signs properly. And for that we need a very delicate education. 

(to be continued)

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 12.05.2019 morning, Sofia)

In life in general we have to think in processes. Meaning that we start from one point and we try to reach another point. We had started from the cage. We try to open the door of this cage. We need to identify the bird as well. And we need to help this bird escape from the cage. And not only escape, but fly with its own wings.

For this we need to observe the general way of religions and see the difference between the general religious practices and the spiritual process. Again, we need to start from somewhere and reach another destination. Because first we need a very basic education: how to live properly. And you know, we live in a very upside-down situation, culture and society, when we do things as a habit, as we are accustomed to do, and many times it’s the opposite as it should be done. For example, some people go to bed at dawn. You start your japa-walk and you see people going to bed to take their rest. Or other times, in a fortunate case, you take your morning shower and then you brush your teeth. It should be the opposite. First clean the teeth and then wash.

You see, we need a very basic education as well. Not only learning a very high philosophy, but the proper sequence of things. And why do we have to purify the body in the morning? In order to prepare for spiritual practices. If your bodily constitution is dirty, then what can you expect from your mind constitution? So, there is a natural sequence of things. 

In different ages, we need to acquire different qualities. What is the beauty of a baby? For example, he or she can pass stool and urine, but the parents are so happy: “The body functions right, he’s healthy.” It’s such a peace of mind! Yet if you are 20 years old and this is the only way you can make others happy, your parents will not be very happy. 

So, the beauty of young age is unlimited. For example, passion. If a young man is not passionate, then what’s the purpose at that age? But if an old guy is full of passion, that is not so charming. Then what is the beauty of old age? It’s not the wrinkles. It’s not the stick that you have to use for walking. What is the beauty of old age? 

Bhagavat Prasad: Wisdom.

Swami Tirtha: Correct. If we don’t acquire that quality, then there is not so much beauty in old age. 

So, in all phases, in all activities we need to follow the proper sequence. Therefore, after this very basic training – how to cleanse your teeth – we have to come to the moral standard of life. In most of the cases, religions or spiritual societies – yoga or other groups as well – they try to educate people in moral standards. Like trying to provide and help people to follow a good, a more sattvic lifestyle. But this is just like taming the wild animal. And actually this is not the ultimate goal of any religious process – to give some moral standards. You can have some morals without religious principles, right? But then, what is the purpose? Don’t stop here. Because sometimes, if we stop at the relative principles, there might be conflicts. Therefore, we need to come to the absolute platform, spiritual platform. This is param-dharma – which is beyond these basic rules, these sequences, beyond the moral standards and also beyond the intellectual level. 

The big jump is not from a simple human being to turn into a faithful person. The big jump is from a religious person, or a sadhana follower, to turn into a spiritual person, or an accomplished, realized person. This is the big jump. To turn a fool into an educated person is a duty of a school. To turn an educated person into a religious person, this is a duty of religion. To turn a religious person into a spiritual person is a duty of a spiritual process. And to turn a spiritual person into an accomplished person, this is a duty of realization. This is the path that we have to follow here – from the first steps, we have to come to the higher platforms of realization. 

So, I don’t want to say anything more about brushing your teeth. I don’t mind, do it as you can. Many times we have been discussing the moral standards: become a better person, follow a sattvic lifestyle, etc. But don’t stop here. This is not the end of the journey.

(to be continued)

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 11.05.2019 evening, Sofia)

(continues from the previous Monday)

We have got relatively short time on this planet Earth. We should use our time properly. At least 1/3 of this lifetime you sleep, then one other major part you work. Another major part you hang on the internet. Basically this is a waste of time. There is a calculation, how much time is spent in different activities. In a lifetime of, let’s say, eighty years, what do you think, how much time do we dedicate to our studies?
Prem-Prasad: Half.
Swami Tirtha: No… Few months. Few months. Because in general, how much do you think, how much time do you spend in reading? They say 8 hours in a lifetime. And how much time do you spend in searching for your keys? Do you know this feeling? Three months. And on this list there is no mention of praying, or meditation, or spiritual practices – it is so insignificant that you cannot even measure it.
So, my dear brothers and sisters, don’t waste your precious lifetime in searching for your keys. There is a better purpose for the time on this planet Earth. And you have started to correct the time balance of life. Because we are sitting here, right? This is a way to improve our time balance. Dedicate more time to your eternal part. Don’t waste so much time with impermanent things. Because if we have taken birth on this planet Earth, the three qualities, the three gunas will overpower us. You know, one is the tamas – this is the matter, so to say. This is the densest part of your life, most material side of your life – like darkness, like ignorance. The second is energy, like rajas, activity, energy, passion. And the third one is sattva, the light, the knowledge, the bright side of our life.
So, if we separate human existence into two big parts – one is the body and the other is the thought, the consciousness – then what is the proportion of tamas in the consciousness? Small. But the presence of tamas in the body is big, right? Tamas is useful, because it prevents us from perceiving everything in one shot. We couldn’t tolerate it. So, it provides a kind of sequence of experience. Otherwise, if this whole life experience comes in one shot, it just eliminates us. What is the proportion of rajas in body? It is there. And what is the proportion of rajas in consciousness? Same like in the body – it is present. For some with small influence, for others with bigger influence. But let’s check sattva. What is the proportion of sattva in the body? It is small. And what is the chance of sattva in the consciousness? It is big. It is big. Therefore, this presence of sattva in our consciousness provides a chance for spiritual growth. Therefore the qualities, the fruits of sattva – like happiness, knowledge, enlightenment, or close to enlightenment – these are the topics of our practice, due to this presence of sattva in our consciousness.
You see, it is a question of balance, a question of proportions. And this is the same with our lifespan – it is a question of proportions. How much time do you dedicate to the secondary activities of the impermanent part of life? And how much time we dedicate to your spiritual practices, the permanent side? As I look around, a certain period of your time you have wasted already. But from now on, please, be careful.
There is a secret mantra of changing and correcting your time balance. Shall I declare  publicly this secret mantra? It goes like this: ‘My dear Lord, from today on I’m Yours!’ From now on you can decide where is your attention. From now on you can decide the proportion of your life. And it doesn’t matter how much time we have lost, because it is said in the Chaitanya Charitamrita, that “one moment spent in the company of the pure devotees, compensates for unlimited wasted lifetimes”[1]. So, grab the opportunity. Take your time and use your lifespan properly.
I didn’t have the opportunity to associate with my spiritual master for a very long time. I never calculated, but if I have to calculate, I think altogether it is only a few months, that we could spend in physical presence. But I tell you, that was intense enough to determine my life, to help me to commit myself to the bright side, to the spiritual side. One moment is enough. And this intense spiritual association can easily compensate for a much longer period of your lifetime, which you have wasted, unfortunately.
So, take your share. Use your time properly. It is said in the shastras, in the holy scriptures, that you are born from nectar. You belong to the spiritual world. And this nectar of immortality is your birthright. Search for that. Don’t be satisfied with anything less than this. This is the best use of our time. And coming together in a holy elevated atmosphere helps us to perceive these sacred moments. So, I have to express my gratitude to all of you, to help us not only to open the door of the cage – because our soul is like a bird in the cage – but these moments, these mantra-meditations, not only help us to open the door of this cage, but help the soul-bird to fly. Because eternity… It doesn’t matter how many moments we complied together it will never give, never provide eternity, because that’s a totally different dimension.

1. Chaitanya Charitamrita, Madhya, 22.54

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 11.05.2019 evening, Sofia)

(continues from the previous Monday)

If we have started this journey of life by taking birth, one thing looks certain – that we shall end this journey as well. It is said that at the time of our birth our years and our fate are written on our forehead. At the moment of birth it is decided how long we shall live. And how much suffering we have to tolerate. And also how much happiness we shall harvest in this life. If everything is written on our foreheads, then fate is not a question of beauty industry. So even if we go to a beauty parlour, it will not change our destiny. Nevertheless, we want to avoid the troubles and we want to acquire more happiness. And we all want to live a long life. Everybody wants to have a long enough period of life; yet you want to avoid old age. It is not very reasonable. If you want to have a long life, the process to achieve that long life is called aging. How can you have the one without the other? It’s impossible. Better we try to establish some friendly relationship with time, and old age as well.
As I told you, about 100 years is projected for humans of this age. Have you ever thought how many years you are ready to give to yourself?
Gita-Govinda: 108.
Swami Tirtha:  Nice. Give some time to yourself and try to plan your life. You must have a plan for this lifetime. And usually the different periods in life follow each other step by step. First you are a baby, then you are a child, then you are a young man or woman, then you are a grown-up responsible person, then you are an elderly one, after that a senior one, then again a child. But in every age period we should try to behave accordingly. When you are young, you want to pose as more senior. When you grow old, you want to pose as younger.
But you know, if we have 100 years period for this lifetime, let’s check what we should do in these ages, what we should learn, what we should perform.
There is a discussion[1] between a master and a student. And the student has some questions about space and time, and human beings, and divinity, and faith, and atonement, and different important topics. And as there is a profound inquiry from the side of the student, the master tries to give profound answers. And now they come to discussing time.
Everything is changing in this life. Yet certain things remain the same. Your bodily constitution is changing from baby to an old man, but your feeling, your self-identity, this inner identification, doesn’t change. So, this is what the master tells the student. “Alright, everything is changing, but you are the same.”
Nevertheless, in these different ages that we perceive, we have to perform various different activities. So, I tell you the age, and then you tell me what we should learn and how we should do in this age.
“So, in this ever-changing process, there is some permanent feature. You are what you have been, and you will remain the same. When a person is one year old, what should he learn?
Comment: To walk.
Swami Tirtha: Correct, walking. When you are ten years old, you start to learn to…?
Answer: To read.
Swami Tirtha: You start to learn how to think, to develop your consciousness. When you are twenty, you start to learn..? When you are twenty, then you start to learn to stand on your own feet, to be independent. When you are thirty..?
Anwer: To be responsible.
Swami Tirtha: Yes, correct. When you are thirty, then you have to face yourself. And establish a family life – this is facing yourself. When you are forty, what do you start to learn?
Answer: To divorce.
Swami Tirtha: No, this is not allowed.
Comment: To be useful for the society.
Swami Tirtha: Correct, this is the time when we have to learn how to be very useful for others, how to serve the benefit of others. When you are fifty?
Comment: Half of the time has passed.
Swami Tirtha: Correct, then we have to face a kind of withdrawal from external activities. When you are sixty, what do you have to learn when you are sixty?
Response: Wisdom.
Swami Tirtha: Yes, wisdom. When you are seventy, what you have to learn?
Answer: That nobody owes you anything.
Swami Tirtha: Well, I think it’s also necessary to learn this. But here it is said we have to learn deep faith. When you are seventy, you have to learn deep faith. What happens when you are eighty? Prem Prasad?
Prem-Prasad: Rethink everything that has happened in your life.
Swami Tirtha: Correct. When we are eighty, we have to learn this absolute stability.
When you are ninety? When you are ninety, you have to face death. And what do we have to learn when we are a hundred years old?
Comment: To die.
Swami Tirtha: Correct, to pass away peacefully and in a contented manner.
Gita-Govinda: What if you don’t reach even 70?
Swami Tirtha: Bad luck. Because it is said: if you are not pure by 10, if you are not beautiful by 20, if you are not strong by 30, if you are not determined by 40, if you are not wealthy by 50, if you are not wise by 60, and if you are not saintly by 70, you will not become one later either.
You see, we have a relatively short time, my dear ones. So according to your age, try to achieve the best. I think this is enough now to ponder, to think, to digest.

(to be continued)

1.  In Hansakunda Upanishad

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 11.05.2019 evening, Sofia)

It’s a great honour to be here with you. By coming here I feel like visiting my second home. Today I would like to discuss a little bit about time. Time which is a very important factor. We think that time is passing, while time laughs and says: people are passing. Who is more powerful – you or time? Usually time is stronger than humans. There is a chance to overcome the limitations of time – if we know the secret. And you know, we all like secrets. Once we organized a lecture series and the title was “Secret Teachings”. Twice as many people came as usual. Because everybody is searching for the secrets.
So, what is the secret of time? How to manage our life periods? It’s not an easy question. But if we refer to the ancient divine knowledge, revelation, then we receive a lot of profound and great important information about this.
Let’s start with some theory about time. In the Bhagavad Gita it is mentioned that time is a divine energy. In one sense we can say that it is God Himself in a very special form, a very special energy. Krishna says that “I am time, destroyer of the worlds”[1]. It’s quite a frightening aspect of time that will finish everything. Therefore we can see that time is a limitation. Usually this is how we perceive time – that we try to keep up with the passing of time and usually we are so busy that we don’t have any time for anything. They say that time is speeding up. I don’t know what is your experience, but once a devotee told to a spiritual master: “Oh, we are fully aware that you are working for our benefit 28 hours per day”. And then the master said “Now I understand why I am so tired. If I have to work 28 hours per day for you, it’s a heavy job”. So, time as a limitation is there. This is one feature of time energy, which is a divine energy. And usually this is the fearful side of time.
On the other hand, there is another mention in the Gita about time, that “I exist as eternal time, unlimited, unfathomable time”[2]. Such a different approach. Then time doesn’t grab, doesn’t take away, doesn’t rob you of your life, but provides a dimension where you can express yourself and experience your life. And I feel that for spiritual practitioners like us, we need to develop this kind of attitude to time – to accept time as a chance, not something that we shall lose.
So, for materially minded people, time exists as a limitation. But for spiritually minded people, time exists as eternal. Of course, usually we perceive life as full of suffering. And you might think: ‘This limited life is so bitter, that I don’t need eternal life. If it is the same bitter, I don’t need that.” So, beware! Don’t project your today into eternity.
But time is a divine energy. We should treat it nicely, we should use it nicely. They say, in this age generally a hundred years are provided for a human being as a lifetime. Usually we don’t live that long, but this is like a period that you can achieve – a hundred years. Nevertheless, this is not a question of how many years you can accumulate, but the quality of your life. You can live a long life without any meaning. Or maybe your life is short, but if it is very intense and very meaningful, then it is a success. So a sign of a spiritual practitioner is that he or she uses the time properly. Because unfortunately, generally we cannot change the current of time. They say you might achieve such a power that you can stop time. I think we perceive this even without any mystic powers, when we are, for example, waiting in a hospital for an operation – the time stands still, it doesn’t move. This perception of time is something very subjective. Other time when we are sitting here in the yoga studio, a full evening feels like two minutes. So, this perception of time is very important, but nevertheless we shouldn’t lose our time.
You know, once I had to give a lecture on time. And usually I try to be punctual, especially if you are the lecturer, you have to be there. But on this occasion I realized I will be late half an hour. But the audience was very polite and they were waiting patiently. So, I took the opportunity to glorify them and said: “You see, today I demonstrated you time.”
But I don’t want to rob your time, because you came for a spiritual experience. These are just a few thoughts to start with the discussion of time, with the perception of time. As I told you, there is a secret, how to overcome the limitation of time. And if we join the divine current, the divine vibration of chanting the sacred mantras and hymns, then this will provide us a different perception of time – it’s a glimpse into eternity. So, instead of talking too much about time, let’s experience a quantum leap into eternity through chanting.

(to be continued)

1.  Bhagavad Gita 11.32
2.  Bhagavad Gita 10.33

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 11.05.2019 morning, Sofia)

(continues from the previous Monday)

Question of Gita Govinda: In the Fifth Canto of Bhagavatam there is this verse that “One who cannot deliver his dependents from the path of repeated birth and death should never become a spiritual master, a father, a husband, a mother or a worshipable demigod.”[1] One can ask your spiritual master for guidance sometimes in your life situations, but how to get this confidence to even ask?
Swami Tirtha: Just ask.
Gita Govinda: Okay, but I’m not confident that I can manage to care for myself even. How can I care for somebody else?
Swami Tirtha: Therefore don’t take that position. Don’t become a guru.
Gita Govinda: “Father, mother, teacher or demigod”.
Swami Tirtha: Alright, don’t become a demigod. I see now you have the confidence to ask. But I don’t agree in one sense. Because until we think that ‘I will deliver this person. I am doing, I achieve…’ All right, I don’t question the authority of the Bhagavatam, but you know, we can misunderstand some things. As we said, the false concepts are with us for a very long time. Gurudev for example was very sensitive to the wording. If somebody started to tell him that “Well, since I became a devotee…”, immediately he interrupted: “What? You think you have become a devotee?” So, he was very sharp on that topic. Don’t think! Or another way of wording: “I made two devotees in this preaching campaign.” He was cutting that. Why? Because you cannot make a devotee. A devotee is there, waiting for the chance, but you cannot make them. So, in the same manner, we cannot liberate another person, not even ourselves. But fortunately we have saviours. Fortunately we have superiors, who will help us achieve liberation.
In the same manner, if we have really dedicated our life… If you have said: “My dear Lord, from today on I’m Yours!” and then He starts to put you in certain conditions and positions, would you say: “No, no, no, according to the shastra I cannot do that”? And you start to quote philosophy to Krishna, trying to convince Him that He is wrong. “No, no, it will not happen.”
For example, if you have to become a king, although you feel totally unqualified, then you have to become a king. If this is expected from you as a divine service, you have to do it. If you escape, that is false ego. Then you say “I am the most insignificant.” If you simply say “Yes, I will take this job; You want me to be a king, I will take it” – that is surrender. ‘Whatever You like, I will do. Make me dance, make me dance, make me dance as You like.’ In the beginning stage we want to dance as we like. We want mercy according to our understanding.
Baladev: And according to our needs.
Swami Tirtha: So, what is the key of success? The key of success is a surrendered devotee and an omnipotent God. Then total success is guaranteed.

1.  Shrimad Bhagavatam 5.5.18