Sharanagati

(from lecture of B.K.Tirtha Maharaj, 3 of September 2006, Sofia)

Many people think that chanting of the Hare Krishna Mahamantra is a strict regulative principle of purification and ritual worship. May be for the beginners it is like this, but not for the higher grades. Because that mantra is the glorifying hymn of Radha and Krishna meeting. And we can say that the highest conception of Bhakti is hidden there. Because when the meeting is obvious, it’s not so interesting. But when the meeting is hidden, when secrecy is there, it’s more interesting. If you organize a lecture and you say that “we give the basic teachings of philosophy”, very few people will come. But if you advertise “secret teachings” – hundreds will come. Everybody wants to get some secret. Right, we have this nature – if something is available, we don’t appreciate it; if something is secret – “this is for me, yes”.

Once Gurudev mentioned to some friends that “Well, here is one magazine, here is one elementary book, and THIS book is for more advanced.” And all of them said: “Give me from THIS!” So people want to be more qualified, they want to know the secrets and somehow the secrets are appreciated more.

Therefore when the meeting is not so obvious, it’s hidden, it’s not direct, but through some medium, or somehow hidden – more taste is there. Therefore if you say “Radhe Shyam” that’s an obvious meeting. One party is Radharani, the other is Shyamasundara, so they meet and this is the story, obviously. But when you say “Hare Krishna”… not everybody understands the meeting, it’s more hidden. We can say that sambhoga is hidden in the Mahamantra, or the meeting, being together is hidden in the Mahamantra. And actually we can say, that the Mahamantra is just like the rasa dance. They are running after each other, right? One Krishna, one gopi, one Krishna, one gopi – who is first? So if you devote yourself to chanting this mantra: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare – the words, Radha and Krishna, are just dancing in a circle. So Their meeting is hidden there.

And the main figure of this divine dance is Shrimati Radharani. Until She is there, Krishna is satisfied. But there was some moment in this dance, when She didn’t feel comfort. As I told you, She is very sensitive. And She understood that “Krishna is dancing, but there are some other ladies in the circle, He is paying attention to others and not only to Me?! I cannot tolerate this! I was tolerating not opening My eyes, I opened My eyes only for Him, and now He is dancing with others?! No, I cannot tolerate that.” So then She decided: “I quit this dance!” And although it is said that millions of gopis, of ladies were dancing that night, immediately when She left, Krishna understood that “it’s not the same anymore.” So Krishna was also sensitive enough. He could immediately understand that “My beloved is missing from here.” And the He started to search after Her.

So Beauty and Love, searching for each other. They are living for each other, and we should live fore Them – this is devotional service. And the miracle starts to happening when this secret meeting of Divine Beauty and Divine Love happens in our hearts.