Sharanagati

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 04.01.2018 morning, Sofia)

(continues from the previous Friday)

Now we are under the blessed moment of the full moon, right. And the moon, oh, he is very desirous. What to do if you have a lot of desires? Don’t quote me the Shrimad Bhagavatam so urgently, so immediately. Akamah sarva-kamo va/ moksha-kama udara-dhih/ tivrena bhakti-yogena/ yajeta purusham param.[1] Yes, this is what you wanted to quote, right?

But anyway, Shrimad Bhagavatam is very practical. It’s not something theoretical, floating in the air. No, this is very practical. Sukadeva Goswami and Shrimad Bhagavatam know human nature. Because it starts to describe us: akamah sarva-kamo va – whether you have no kama at all, which is very rare; or you have all the desires possible; moksha-kama – or you have only one desire, for liberation… So, the three categories of human beings are: with no desires, with all desires and with one desire. Akamah sarva-kamo va moksha-kama udara-dhih – whether you have all these varieties, tivrena – with thirst, you are suggested to serve the Supreme with thirst. Tivrena bhakti-yogena – with devotion. In this way you should worship the Supreme. Because then you will be compensated. You will receive everything.

Don’t forget about this. Don’t think that if you have some desires, you are excluded from the chance of perfection. Our chance is to improve ourselves, our standards. Tivrena bhakti-yogena – with deep desire, deep commitment, we should serve with devotion the Supreme. Then you might expect that there will be a transformation. If today you have no desires and a transformation happens to you, what will you receive?

Bhagavat Prasad: The desire to serve.

Swami Tirtha: Yes, you will have a lot of desires, right? If you have all the desires and some transformation comes to you, then what will happen?

Bhagavat Prasad: There will be only one.

Swami Tirtha: No, you will have no desires. That is the neutral platform. From the material ambitions you will come to the neutral platform. And if you have only one desire – of liberation – then what will happen?

Answer: You will achieve it.

Swami Tirtha: Yes, and you can go further. As soon as you go further, automatically it will be fulfilled and it will lose its importance. This is the meaning of transformation – something will change, the ambition will change, the desires will be purified, or nullified we can say.

Therefore we should worship a perfect Lord. We should follow a perfect example. And what is the ambition, what is the only goal of a pure devotee? To serve and to satisfy the Divine Couple. Therefore this very subtle cultivation will help us to acquire the same qualities, the same ambition. And that’s why we stress so much that proper association is crucial. If you associate with drunkards, you will become a drunkard, because these ideals will dominate you. If you associate with saints, saintly ideals will dominate over you. I think it’s common sense, right.

(to be continued)

[1] Shrimad Bhagavatam, 2.3.10