Sharanagati

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 09.05.2018, Sofia)

(continues from the previous Monday)

It’s a very nice sequence – first we give some credit, some faith, then we try to find a good company for that, and then we start our practice. So far you feel only the invitation. But then tato anartha-nivritti – and you will see the first results. Nivritti means ‘to be purified of’, or ‘to get rid of’, and anartha – of these obstacles on your spiritual path. There is a debate in the vaishnava circles, whether first is anartha-nivritti, so first there is a need for purification, and then you can pay more attention to listen to some higher discussions about spiritual life, or the other way around. But we have to stick to Rupa Goswami’s opinion, who says: first we start our practice – of course listening to spiritual discussions is included – and due to all these different determined practices, we shall achieve a level of purification. Here is the place of anarthas, of these blockages in spiritual life; but you have to remove them.

Tato nishtha – then comes the stage of nishtha, when you are fixed. Nishtha means ‘no other ambitions, my spiritual commitment is fixed’. Fixed commitment. And then comes ruchi. Ruchi is ‘a higher taste’ – when you can appreciate more. All these different stages are very progressive. It’s not that ‘I have given my faith in the beginning and then I don’t have to improve my faith or it will not change, it will not grow’. Or ‘I’ve had enough sadhu-sanga. Enough of it’. No, it’s a progressive association: give more, learn more, take more. The same concerns anartha-nivritti as well – some unwanted anarthas will pop up later on, when you feel like ‘now I have been purified to some extent’ – then again you’ll face something that you’ll have to work on. Therefore the best way to work on the anarthas and to get rid of them is the positive cultivation of values and this is called artha-pravritti. So if we cultivate the positive values set by our archaryas, by the good example of other devotees, it’s much easier to overcome our bad habits. It’s suggested that we don’t focus on our shortcomings, but better focus on the service that will improve us.

And from the many anarthas – there are tons of anarthas of course: sinful activities, bad conditionings, ignorance, it’s a very long list – I would like to remind you of one major anartha. It is called ‘a weakness of the heart’. Weakness of the heart is not such an obvious anartha like when you are a drug-addict, for example – that’s very obvious. When you have a weakness of the heart, it’s not so obvious. It’s more like a hidden obstacle. And usually it doesn’t happen when you are in the very enthusiastic phase of your spiritual endeavors. Because in the beginning everybody is very enthusiastic. We learn that little about spiritual life and then we think we know everything better than any other practitioners. This is the kanishtha, the beginner’s level –over-enthusiasm: ‘Yes, I have the mantra and in two weeks we shall go back home, back to Godhead’. It will not happen. So, the subtle anarthas will come later. And weakness of the heart is one such hidden enemy. This is when, for example, not directly laziness, but when you lose the spirit and then you are unable to move or unable to act – like this.

(to be continued)