Sharanagati

 (from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 02.10.2017, morning, Sofia)

(continues from the previous Monday)

Swami Tirtha: So, if now you have to decide on three things that you can carry on to your next birth – what are these three things?

Raga: First that came to my mind was the holy name, the japa. Shastra. And my emotions – love to the Supreme and to Gurudev.

Prem Gopal: I’m imagining to have a kind of ladder to climb, not to drown into the material ocean – like a rope with some knots, like a mala, to have the spiritual connection with parampara, to be able to catch, otherwise I’ll be carried who know where. The holy name, the mala – from matter to spirit. And love towards God.

Swami Tirtha: Good collection. Gopal Shakti?

Gopal Shakti: Of course Laddu Gopal! He will give me what is necessary.

Swami Tirtha: Clever!

Mira: I hope that more souls here on Earth can elevate and come closer to God. I hope all of us can meet and be together with God.

Swami Tirtha: Very compassionate vision.

Bhagavat Prasad: One is the striving to reach God and the second – connection with Guru. And I cannot think of a third.

Swami Tirtha: Two is enough. Not bad.

Baladev: Gurudev, I think one is enough. If we take the devotees, all these beautiful things are coming with them.

Swami Tirtha: That’s also a clever solution. Yashodka? Your tailor’s atelier?

Yashoda: These are more than ten thousand things. I’ve been bothered by this question for a long time. Since I have Gour-Nitay, I’m sometimes afraid what will happen to Them when I leave.

Swami Tirtha: Don’t worry.

Yashoda: This love and this connection that we have – this is what I want to carry. And if I have to take another birth, I pray that we can somehow come together.

Swami Tirtha: So, Goura, Nitay and sanga. Tulasi?

Shyama Tulasi: I also cannot imagine going anywhere without Mahaprabhu. Because wherever He is, there are beauty and love. Also the japa-mala, so that I could give massage to her every day. And maybe I would take one Tulasi Devi to offer leaves to Mahaprabhu, in the hope that in her presence I could realize my name more deeply.

Swami Tirtha: Very nice, I think your collection is really very precious. So now Manohari thinks that she can escape. Now it’s your turn.

Manohari: But I had no time to think.

Swami Tirtha: Don’t think. If that moment comes, you have no time to think. Act! It’s not about thinking.

Manohari: The first should be the mala because I cannot stay away from her. And the second should be… I wouldn’t say ‘my computer’, but my instrument of service – it could be anything. And the third – these loving connections that I have cultivated I don’t want to lose.

Swami Tirtha: So then why should you take another birth? What you want to carry with you – you have it already here. Why go anywhere? All your desires are fulfilled already here. Whatever you feel is a treasure for you – you have it already. Do you follow? It’s here! That crave for perfection and that great chance is here and now! So try to take it in this way. Eternity is now.

Manohari: Gurudev, do you want to escape?

Swami Tirtha: I have already escaped!

Manohari: But it’s not fair! You should also share with us.

Swami Tirtha: Not fair?!? Anyway, you should know what is my preference.

So, in case you have to move to a next place, to a next time, I think you will be equipped. These attachments will help you. And this is not something like collected items that we are attached to and we want to have that again, but I think these are the touch of eternity, the touch of spirituality, divine touch.

Our holy trinity is hari-guru-vaishnava. Basically all these different items that you mentioned were focusing around this. Connection, affection, holy name… Sadhu-sanga nama-kintan. So, please always keep this in mind: there are not too many things that are necessary for a life. When I had to face the death of one devotee, then I understood this – there’s not much that we need here. But the treasures we have to cherish while we are here and we have to cherish them for eternity.