Sharanagati
Collected words from talks of Swami TirthaApr
11
Do not forget: the means is the end and the end is the means. What is the goal of bhakti? To attain love for God. And what is the process, what is the means to attain that love? Devotional service. Cultivation of divine love. So whatever you practice here right now, this is just a rehearsal for the great show in the spiritual sky. What are we doing here? We are doing some puja, we are doing some bhajan, some cooking, some garlands, sharing about Krishna, glorifying Him… All our activities should be the same here as there. No difference. And if you are really on that platform, you will attain your original position, constitutional position.
What is the definition of liberation in the “Bhagavatam”? A very precise definition is given in “Shrimad Bhagavatam”. It is said that liberation is to attain your original, constitutional, spiritual position. This is liberation! And the original position of the soul is part of the energy of the Supreme and His eternal servant. “Jivera svarupa haya–krishnera nitya-dasa krishnera tatastha-shakti bhedabheda-prakashа”[1]. That means the original position of the jiva, soul, is eternal servant of Krishna. And “krishnera tatastha-shakti” – he belongs to the tatastha-shakti, the intermediate energy; “bhedabheda–prakashа” – at the same time different and similar to the Supreme. So when you achieve that liberation – that you can act here in the way that you should act in the spiritual sky – then the natural beauty and the natural bliss of your soul will manifest. Therefore no more suffering for a devotee. This part everybody likes: “O, no more suffering for me! That is nice!” But there is the other part – the prequalification – that you should act on the spiritual, original level. Without that how can you enjoy full bliss?
I think we can agree that this bhakti process is not about self-torture. It is not for the masochists: “Ah, I enjoy so much my suffering! I am attached to my spiritual sufferings, so I cultivate these!” Because actually that is true – sometimes we are attached to our bad things, to our not only bad habits, but sufferings. The bad habits are just like old friends. And when you start to become a devotee, you can feel that :”O, everything and everybody is leaving me, I am alone. My only company is my bad habits. They do not leave me. They are very much attached to me. And I am also attached to them.”
Attachment is always wrong – material. It will give you many problems. Give up attachments. Then you will become free. Humans have only two legs. But the birds have two wings! So if you give up your attachment to your legs, then you can fly your wings. And if you fly above in unlimited space, not limited by your feet, then you will have a bigger space to look around. Do not think that you have only legs. Believe that you have wings also. You can fly over your difficulties. It is possible. You are only limited by your mind and your body. But your soul is ever free. This is the goal – to come to the free platform. Free flow of divine love.
Instead we stuck into the mud of material attachment. How can you fly when you are just entering the mud?! It is impossible. But if somebody extends a helping hand into the mud bath that you take and says: “Come on, come with me!” you say: “No, I am so happy here! I feel so nice, I have so deep feelings. I am fully satisfied here. I am attached to my mud. Do not bother me!” Yet he says: “Come, come…” Take this helping hand. Krishna is trying to dry up your mud. Then this mud will become solid and you can walk over.
Guru can become a bridge over your mud. This is the sacrifice of the spiritual master. He will provide you with a royal road to the spiritual sky.
[1] „Chaitanya-charitamrita”, Madhya, 20.108