Sharanagati
Collected words from talks of Swami TirthaJul
23
(from lecture of B.K.Tirtha Maharaj, 26 of May 2006)
The six qualities of the Supreme Lord are fame, beauty, knowledge, opulence, strength and renunciation. And the most difficult to understand is the renunciation. But actually this translation is not perfectly correct. Better we should understand it as independence. So although creation is coming from Him, but He is independent of His creation. What are the consequences if God is independent of His creation?
Some theories about religion said that God has started this creation, set the whole thing into motion, but He doesn’t take care, doesn’t interfere. Such an independent and careless God…. well, it’s a nice conception, at least there is God, but I like better such a conception where God is an active principle, taking care, careful. So Krishna is not such an independent and careless God. Because by your devotion you can invite His attention. This should be your knowhow of living. Live in such a way that it is not you who see God, but He will take notice of you. In this way you can invite Krishna and He will take care. Although He is independent of the creation, He has a very warm heart. And to invite His attention there is only one chance – to show our GREED for spiritual contact. If you want, you will get it. But beware – whatever you want, you will get it. So specify and purify your desires.
Do we have free will? To accept Krishna or to reject Him. When you have accepted Him, the entrance fee is on a little piece of paper – “my free will”. And the cashier had torn it. What free will?! If somebody has enrolled in the group of divine love, what kind of free will we can expect? But don’t be afraid. This is a sweet game.
I DOUBT that in divine love there is any kind of free will – after some time. May be on the elementary platform we might see, we might think that we are “free” to do like this or like that, but actually jiva is always under influence. Either under the influence of material energy, maya, that may give some trouble – or under the divine energy, yoga-maya, which gives different kind of happiness. But our position is always subordinate. Therefore “mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakritim ashutaha – the great souls always search and put themselves under the divine energy.” This is our free will: to say “yes” to Krishna. But when you had said “yes” – how can you say “no”? You don’t have the freedom to say “no” anymore. Ultimately speaking. Of course from time to time we again and again say “no” to Krishna. But ultimately if we agreed, then we have to do! And this is not a stupid “yes”, but contributing, constructive “yes”.
But in higher cases, in special cases He DOES enter the life of a devotee and He DOES influence him or her. We cannot limit Krishna not to interfere in our life, even if we don’t want. How can we limit Him? He is FREE to do against, even against your free will! In very, very special cases, of course. If He is choosing someone – because this is very special, if HE wants to come to you – even if you still want to sleep on the lap of maya-witch, He wants to wake you up. Can you resist? Not so much… It is said that if Krishna wants to give you something, even if you have ten hands, you cannot reject. But if He wants to take something away from you, even if you have hundreds of hands, you cannot protect that. So He DOES interfere. Sometimes not personally, but by some agents, secret agents, who are seemingly part of the illusory game. But if you meet a sadhu, Krishna has interfered in your life. He has broken your sweet dream of illusion. Because He is working for our benefit. “Jiv jago, jiv jago – o sleeping soul, please, be awake!” What to speak of the highest platform of divinity, when He is ready to become your servant?! Like with Arjuna – He started to be a driver. Driver is not a high position. But God Himself is ready to take such a low position on the chariot of His devotee.
So this is the idea – that sometimes the roles are exchanged. You think that you had lost your free will. But actually it’s the opposite – if you show your full and pure devotion, Krishna will lose His free will. What a conception! God as servant! God as not independent! How is that possible?! It’s possible ONLY by the tie of love. And Shrila Shridhara Maharaj describes it SO beautifully! He says: the small boy is catching the hand of the father; and the father is much more strong than the small boy – still by the finger the boy will lead the father. And the father will do whatever the boy wants. This is the special quality when the smaller can control the greater. This is possible only by one specific instrument and that is called divine love. I think that is the end of the story. This is the BEAUTY of Bhakti – that the small insignificant jiva, by this loving capacity, catch the hand of Krishna – or catch the lotus feet of Krishna – and in this way not let Him go. It’s a beautiful conception!
Long ago we had lost our freedom, free will. Let’s make a good bargain out of the bad business.