Sharanagati

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 01.10.2017 morning, Sofia)

(continues from the previous Monday)

“Sometimes many may join the mission and then go away. But the guru doesn’t allow them to leave easily. He tries his best to bring them back again and to a firm understanding: “Why have you gone away in order to search for other things?”

“The desire for money and the attraction for free mixing with ladies disturbed me and they drew me away.”

 If the mahanta-guru is genuine, he will say that these particular desires should be removed. They are not the real objectives. For the good of the disciple he will explain the temporary nature of any connection with such things and how minor they are, and again try to reinstate him. Some dirt may enter someone, but by the grace of the guru the dirt will be cleansed in no time and he will return to the real path.”[1]

This is very honest if we can say: “I have some disturbance and therefore I want to go.” You see, this is called illusion. Because if the real devotee has a desire, they want to stay. Like when the gopis have a desire, they don’t want to go, they want to stay. At least stay with their Krishna, maybe not with their dharma practices or duties… So, sometimes material objects show themselves more important than spiritual practices, but this is transitory, it’s not real. You can very quickly come back to a good standing, so to say.

Other times we are not so honest and we say: “I’m good, but you have changed.” It’s not very clever, not very polite. Better we say: “I’m weak.” But by the grace everything will be harmonized.

Once there was a young brahmachari. He just joined the mission and he was full of… well, not doubts, but some fears of the future, let’s say. Once one of his senior brothers came and they were discussing. So this young man said: “Prabhu, you know, I’m ready to live a simple life and I’m satisfied with small little prasadam like this, but how will it happen?” And then his brother embraced him and in a very gentle mood he said: “Don’t worry, it will be arranged.” And it did happen.

Somehow everything will be arranged. If we don’t lose the spirit of commitment, if we don’t give up our trust and our readiness to serve, everything will be arranged. Whatever we need will be provided, whatever we have will be saved. Krishna says that in the Gita: yogakshema vahamyaham[2] – “I will protect what you have and I will supply what you need.” ‘You need success? I will give you. In order to correct you, you need some failure? I will give you.” Whatever is necessary to accomplish our journey will be provided – this should be a very firm conviction in us. Then you will feel safe. As we discussed the other day, then you are ready to jump into the darkness, though you don’t know what will happen, but you feel: ‘That will be good for me’.

So, in the super-golden period of our life we can pay full attention on the external guidance. And during that period we need to get the training to be able to listen to the inner guidance properly, to be prepared when the platinum days come.

[1] Shrila Shridhara Maharaj, Centenary Anthology

[2] Bhagavad Gita 9.22