Sharanagati

Please, turn off your mobile phones. We use a different type of communication, which  is our mantras. And we do not pay telephone bills. You know the long-standing classical joke… One person is wandering in Europeand entering a temple. He goes to the priest and asks: “Hey listen, I want to talk to God. Can I use the telephone?” The priest says: “Yes, of course, here it is.” Then the guy asks: “I had finished my talk. How much am I to pay?” “Hundred Euros.” “All right, I am paying the hundred Euros.” The same guy walks around in Indiaand again he has the idea: “Well, I want to talk to God.” So he enters one temple and asks the priest: “Can I use the telephone? I want to talk to God.” When he has finished he is asking: “How much am I to pay?” “One Euro.” “One Euro? How is it? Back at home I was paying hundred Euros for the same talk!” He said: “You know, it’s a local call.” We should use that type of telephone. May I ask you, how you would win a war? What is necessary to win a war?

Hari-lila: Intelligence and weapons.

Somebody else: Faith.

Yamuna: Winning many small battles.

Ramvijay:Krishna on your side.

Somebody else: The last battle is the most important.

Tirtha Maharaj: So many things we need, right? This is the way how to win the war – to have good allies. But usually if people start a war, they make some fierce attacks, they take the strategic points of a city – for example the energy centers, then the government places and – very important – communication! Do not forget, local call! Communication is very important. This is the way how to win a war. And if we want to win over ourselves, we must apply the same method: have some fierce attacks over false egotism, then occupy the strategic points, the energy centers. Take prasadam – in this way you conquer the energy centers of the body. Breathing exercise – in this way you control the mind. And – communication! Mouth we use for chanting the holy names. This is the way how to win this war on the personal Kurukshetra. Find the energy sources; occupy the intelligence, the guidance – use it forKrishna; and your communication – your words and your ears – use for the spiritual message and glorification.

If we are fighters for a divine goal, we should never give up. And in most of the cases we are not fighters in a classical sense. But every day, almost every day, we have to fight – smaller or bigger battles: fighting for a chance in our spiritual practices; fighting to protect our children from bad influence; fighting for spirituality to win over materialism; fighting our lack of faith; and so many others small little fights.

On material plane people think: “winning” means “smash the other” – so one party wins. But the spiritual side, the spiritual alternative is: both parties win. So if you should enter these little fights, try to fight in such a way that both parties win. Because do not forget: if you win, this is the greatest loss. If you win in a devastating manner – this is the greatest loss.

May be after this lecture you might think that this Bhakti Yoga is some kind of military training, military religion. But I tell you: not! Because Mahaprabhu, the Golden Lord, the Golden Avatar, came as a secret fighter. He did not use His weapons openly, and He had very special weaponry. Like one of His weapons was the holy name. Ah, very interesting weapon! Holy name as a personal meditation, like chanting. You know, the fighters, they have mantras. “Kill him! Smash him!” – this is their mantra. Recently I had seen a documentary about theIraqwar; and this is horrible what mantras are projected into the minds of those young Latinos and Negros fromAmericato kill the Arabs there. Their minds are totally under control of these heavy and smashing and killing “mantras”, so to say. And what was Mahaprabhu’s mantra for the spiritual fighters? “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna!” It also controls your mind; but what is the meaning? “Ah, my Lord, please, engage me in Your service, engage me in Your service!” So do not be surprised if He will take it serious.

Then, Mahaprabhu’s weapon for mass destruction was the Sankirtan movement – when His army was coming: hundreds of devotees, fully equipped with mridangas, just like cannons. And the big karatals making big noise. And the dancers, who would mesmerize the audience! This was Mahaprabhu’s army. He had one secret weapon also. The secret weapon was the mahaprasad. In these days they use a kind of chemical warfare also; for example they poison the water system of a city. In the same way: if you put few drops of nectar in the water system of Sofia, then everybody will be intoxicated. In this way prasadam, or divine mercy, is just like the chemical warfare against illusion in the body. Therefore – to put it very simply – Bhakti Yoga means to fill the body up to the neck with prasadam. And on the top you put the mahamantra. This is a full victory. No place for illusion.

This is Mahaprabhu’s war. Everything should be surcharged with divinity. All the divine energy should be invited – into the body, into the mind – and all the divine dedication should be reflected back.

Is this a good war? Is this a nice battle? Mahaprabhu is a nice hero, yes… Charming hero.