Sharanagati

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 08.01.2017 evening, Sofia)

(continues from the previous Monday)

Our duty in human life is to serve the divine purpose. If we search for divinity, actually that makes us real human beings. But it’s not enough only to search, it’s better to find. Because if we are still searchers, that means we didn’t find yet. Therefore we need to become practitioners and then we can find our goal.

Let me tell you a few words about the shelter. Shelter is like a special blessing for people who want to find their path in spiritual life. It’s beyond any religious commitments, because the point here is that we commit ourselves to the supreme ultimate truth. And we pray that we enjoy the protection of this divine potency.

The mantra that we repeat in shelter is a prayer for illumination. This is from very ancient sources. The first line goes like: asato maa sad gamaya – ‘From the unreal lead me to reality’. Do you agree? We need it desperately! The unreal has tricked us so many times. About so many things we thought that ‘this is real’ and then it turned out to be fake. I think this life is so complicated that only by divine help we can find the real stuff, we can find reality. Therefore we pray: ‘From the unreal, asat, please lead me to reality!’

The second line says: tamaso maa jyotir gamaya – ‘From the darkness lead me to the light!’ From the darkness – the darkness of ignorance; bring me to the light – the light of illumination, enlightenment. The place of no mistake.

And finally the third line says: mrityor maa amritam gamaya – ‘From death lead me to eternity’. I think no explanation is needed here. We live in this very limited lifetime and we want to find something beyond the limitation of time.

With this beautiful prayer we can invite the divine guidance in our life, we can submit ourselves under this divine protection. And from simple searchers we become practitioners. Because if we repeat this mantra, with that we serve two purposes. One is that the divine will will accomplish. The Lord is merciful and He is waiting for us to come closer to Him. So if we make one step, He is very happy and He will make hundreds of steps. And the second purpose is the beautiful accomplishment of divine love. So, first is the divine will and second is the divine love fulfilled.

It is said that the spiritual consciousness just like the sun rises on the horizon of our heart. This very special power, the power of consciousness, pervades our whole body, our whole system. Just like when the sun rises on the early morning horizon. First everything is still dark. Then you start to see the first shades of the hope for light to come. It heralds the good message that light will come. Then when the first ray touches the horizon you see everything already. And it takes a few minutes for the whole sun globe to rise above the horizon. So always have that in mind: when the sun is up everything is clear. When the divine sun is over the horizon of our heart, everything is clear. Krishna surya-sama, maya haya andhakara[1] – Krishna is like the sun and illusion is like the darkness. And where is the sun, the darkness has no power.

Therefore we pray asato maa sad gamaya – ‘From the unreal lead me to the real’; tamaso maa jyotir gamaya – ‘From the darkness lead me to the light’; and mrityor maa amritam gamaya – ‘From death lead me to amrita, the nectarean eternal life’.

Maybe you will ask what the requirements are. We have to make it. Once we start a spiritual practice, we have to do it. Otherwise it will not have good effect on us. It’s the best to chant this mantra in the early morning – then the vibration of the environment is very peaceful and it’s easier to concentrate on the divine goals.

And by following this practice you can expect three things happening to you. The first is: ‘Remember!’ Remember that you belong there. The second is: ‘Be conscious!’ Be conscious about your spiritual identity. And if we can manifest that fully, what will happen? ‘Be happy!’ You will be simply happy. Life is so simple. And success is so close. For your personal success in your spiritual endeavors and to help me please do that! And also for the victory of the divine will and divine love.

[1] Chaitanya Charitamrita, Madhya.22.31