Sharanagati

 

The real spiritual purity is beyond material considerations. Don’t forget about the example of the gopis. When they heard the flute of Krishna, they ran away from home. Is this morally approved? Is this a dharma principle? Just to throw away your kids, to let the milk spill over on the fire and to say to your husband: “I will come! See you!” No, this is a breach of faith. This is against the dharmic principles. Yet, do we consider the gopis mistaken? No, we consider Krishna mistaken! Because then He says: “Go home!” And once you have left your family, how can you go back? You have to be humble; and show me a gopi who is humble! 

But if you let the milk spill… and I don’t continue the examples – it’s not sweet. That is not spiritual practice, just to make it clear. Don’t let the milk spill over! 

Once… We know that sometimes Krishna snatches some fruits, snatches the milk, or steals the makan – these very nice sweets. And when the western devotees understood this character of Krishna, they were strolling through Loy Bazar in Vrindavana, taking this and that from the different shopkeepers. Because ‘Our Lord is a thief, we are also following Him. This is our deepest meditation. It’s not only theory, we put it into practice.’ So, the shopkeepers went to Shrila Prabhupad for complaint: “Please, try to control your sons and daughters! It’s not very nice that they steal from us.” And of course Prabhupad became furious. And when he was furious, it was better for the disciple to be out of reach of sound. Especially when they came with their excuse: “Oh, our Lord is also stealing sometimes!” So you see, if He is doing something, that is worshipable; if you are doing something, that is punishable. The same thing – that is punishable. So, be reasonable.   

Question of Paramananda: To be reasonable, does it mean that we should follow more like the example of Shri Chaitanya? 

Swami Tirtha: Oho, ho, ho! Divine madness, ah? That’s a good offer! 

Paramananda: At least He is not stealing. 

Swami Tirtha: He doesn’t steal some apples and carrots. He steals the hearts. Actually He robs the treasury of divine love that was sealed and closed. He broke the seal and with His helpers distributed everything. So, following His example is not bad. The question is if we can follow His example, or not.