Sharanagati

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 05.01.2018 morning, Sofia)

(continues from the previous Friday)

Question of Krishna Priya: You mentioned а few things that were really impressive to me. One was self-realization, the second was turning the mind into a friend, and the third was the shadow. All this transformation is connected to the chanting. Could you please say more about this? Because earlier you mentioned the neglecting our spiritual practise, which happens sometimes.

Swami Tirtha: Yes, this was a miserable service. Miserable service is aparadha. Aradhanam is ‘worship’; apa-radha, a-radha is ‘against the worship’. Chanting or japa meditation is just like connecting to a current.

Have you seen, in some stupid action movies, when some electric current is just running around the guy? So this is when you are really connected to your chanting. That high voltage energy is coming over you. You are connected to that very strong current. That means you are surcharged with special spiritual energies. How can we miss that chance?

This is also like a talk to the Supreme. This is our conviction, this is our hope. I’d better say: this is our hope that by the blessings of the Lord, who comes in the world of words as the holy name, He will convert us. And as we like to call our friend by their name, chanting is also calling God in this friendly mood by His name.

They say that by the grace and by the blessings of the holy name the impossible becomes possible. And this is something special that other groups of religious people usually don’t do, don’t practice. So, it’s better that we provide this practice to the Supreme. There are many different flowers that are offered to the Supreme, but the holy name is a special and very favourite flower in His garden.

Actually, the holy name is very special, there is a description in the Krishna Book. There is a question of Parikshit Maharaja: “How is it possible to approach, or to understand, or to establish a connection with the absolutely transcendental God? Because we are limited by the material energy. We are limited by the mind, the senses, the body and this and that. Matter overpowers us; how can we reach God? Impossible! How can material words describe transcendence? Impossible!” But then it is said that the holy name is totally, fully, completely divine. It can penetrate the layers of matter – first form above and then maybe from our lips as well. Somebody brings the holy name to this world – therefore we have to vibrate that, we have to reflect that. Like an echo. So, be a good friend of the holy name. Then it will automatically share its qualities.

Otherwise, the holy name is called the touchstone which is able to convert any material condition into spiritual. So, if it touches our heart and mind once – it is enough. One touch is enough to convert, to turn everything into gold. But this one chance should be real. Therefore we have to repeat it many times – so that at least one is real. Don’t say: ‘Yes, yes, I don’t chant, because one is enough. One holy name will accomplish everything’. How many millions of times do you have to chant half-perfectly in order to, by chance, have one perfect. Better I say, by mistake to have it properly. When you are negligent, when you don’t pay attention – then it will happen.

And you think that it’s a joke, but it’s not. Because as long as we chant from the mind, from controlled yoga, focus, power, self-control, or whatever – it’s not real. When it comes from your mouth automatically – just like as I mentioned, if you wake up from a nightmare and immediately you call it – that’s real, that’s real. Because it’s not coming from the mental plane, it’s coming directly from the soul. This is the quality that we need.