Sharanagati

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 03.10.2017 evening, Sofia)

What can we say? Fortunately, our beloved Lord is more powerful than our resistance. It is said that He has unlimited mercy. And He is ready to exercise this unlimited mercy in unlimited ways on His devotees. We need to become fit candidates for this mercy to be shown. And let’s first of all remind ourselves and then remember the importance and beauty of this spiritual process.

Last time we understood that surrender, service and dedication are all done through shraddha, faith. For many people shraddha is insecurity. If they don’t know something for sure, they believe it – and this is called shraddha for many people. Right? But this is weak, a very weak definition. Shraddha in general, in a theological sense, means the firm conviction that by serving God all other duties are fulfilled. Theoretically it’s all right and maybe it satisfies the mind, but it doesn’t really satisfy the heart. It’s only half a motivating factor.

Yet a higher definition of faith comes closer to the point: an ever-growing spiritual happiness and contentment that you can derive from the glorification of the meeting of the Divine Couple Radha and Govinda. It’s a complicated definition. But what is the point here? Some meeting? And happiness? And to derive – but how does this all comes together? So, faith is an ever-growing happiness. It’s not an insecure belief, but it’s a growing happiness. Ah, that definition comes closer to the essence. Would you like to have such kind of faith? Yes! I’d like to have this! First of all, it will grow; second – it will give the result of happiness. And what is the source? The source is your activity. So, spiritual happiness is a result, it’s not a goal. Many times we make this mistake – we think that ‘happiness is my goal of life’. Then you go for it and you never reach it. Because it is not a goal, it is a consequence of something. What is the reason for the contentment of the soul? It is the glorification. So, if we glorify, the result will be very positive.

But glorify what? We need to glorify the best topic, the best purpose that is worth all glorification available – and this is the meeting, the divine union of Radha, divine love, and Govinda, divine beauty. Beauty, love, happiness… – this is our mantra, right? Hare, Krishna, Rama! Love, beauty, happiness! If you repeat it many times, you will reach it.

So, this is faith; this is not a hazy belief, but this is an ever-growing inner spiritual satisfaction, which is the result of the glorification of the divine meeting. And if we need to surrender, if we need service, if we need dedication in our life – through shraddha, through this very powerful instrument, we can achieve and fulfill everything.

(to be continued)